Good Reads: I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern

So, for Christmas I got a Nook HD from Barnes and Noble. I absolutely love this thing!! Not only is it awesome for easily storing my collection of books but I can do so much with it! Blogging apps are available for it so I can blog as long as I have Wi-Fi! Several other useful apps as well are available on it such as Dropbox and Evernote.

Enough of that though, about this book...

I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern is HILARIOUS!! It's a must read! This is his second book, he also wrote, Sh*t My Dad Says, Which I am now reading.




Follow me on Good Reads!

Chipotle Pumpkin Pasta Recipe

Oh my, this looks like heaven to the mouth!! I'm a pasta fanatic and I love pumpkin, this has to be an epically delicious combination!!

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1-15 ounce can pumpkin puree or 15 ounces of fresh pumpkin puree
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup dry sherry (if you prefer not to use sherry, substitute more chicken broth)
• 1 chipotle en adobo, seeded and chopped
• ½ teaspoon adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche or sour cream
• Finish: Hickory smoked salt and roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions

1. In a medium, heavy saucepan melt butter and add olive oil. Add chopped onion and garlic; sauté until translucent (about 4-5 minutes).
2. Add pumpkin, chicken broth, dry sherry (note: the alcohol content will cook off), chipotle, adobo sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes and sage. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a very low boil, reduce heat to simmer and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes; stirring periodically.
3. Add the cream and crème fraiche or sour cream. Simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Using an immersion/stick blender (or pouring sauce into a conventional blender) blend until smooth. Pour onto prepared pasta of your choice. Finish with smoked salt (I prefer hickory for this; available online or at spice shops) and roasted, salted pepitas. Serve immediately.

Healthy Snacks: Fruit and Cottage Cheese

I'm getting more strict on my diet and cutting more meat out of the equation. I've been looking for healthier snacks. So last night I actually tried cottage cheese for the first time in my life. I tried it with some grapes and I loved it. I think tonight I will go all fruit ninja on some grapes, peaches, and pears to mix with some cottage cheese. I may even get crazy add some sliced banana, regardless, it has my taste buds excited! What fruits do you like to eat with your cottage cheese?

Healthy Snacks: Go Nuts For Nuts

I've been on a Pistachios rampage here lately and I've always liked PB&J's, but I've switched to Almond butter and homemade fruit spreads on homemade fresh baked bread...And I must say, it is heaven to the mouth! Try it!
Speaking of nuts...

Did You Know...

...That nuts such as Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, and Peanuts are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and protein? BOOM! Now you do!! The fats that nuts contain are heart healthy fats, these with the other nutrients nuts are loaded with make nuts a tasty heart healthy snack for you!

Be sure to check your food labels for added fats, artificial colors, or artificial flavors!

If you're looking for a nut butter, it's best to go with an organic brand! I always choose the MaraNatha brand for nut butters I eat.

Yelp About It

So, I started this blog after I moved last Summer. I moved from Savannah, Georgia to Bismarck, North Dakota. Yes, I went from lovely warm year-round days and hot summers at the beach to a place where about 5 months of the year is a hellacious Winter! North Dakota does have an extremely awesome Summer though! I don't intend on this being permanent for me, only a career stepping stone towards an, at-the-moment undecided major city where I want to plant myself to raise a family.

But, enough of that...

I'm about to start a blog post series called, Yelp: (insert restaurant name here) I'll link my Yelp reviews of different restaurants I eat at through my life's journey of food enthusiasm. I figure a good place to start is my findings of restaurants in Bismarck. Hopefully some reviews of restaurants in other cities and states will come to be as I hope to travel more and more throughout my life!
If you like food, beer, wine, and mixed drinks as much as me then this should be fun!