Meal planning printable

Happy New Year! It's everyone's favorite time to get organized, make goals and start fresh. We did a big cleaning/cooking/donating session over the weekend and feel ready to tackle 2015!

While browsing Pinterest, I found this cute meal-planning (free!) printable from Emily Ley and thought I would share. I filled in our go-to dinners and breakfasts (we usually freeze or use up leftovers for lunches).

Instead of planning meal by meal, week by week, you list out your go-to meal ideas. You know, the ones you usually know by heart and can probably make with items already on hand! Super helpful for those times where you just can't think of what to make! Notice those two empty spaces at the bottom? I'd love to hear your favorite go-to dinners or breakfasts and make them my own!

Download Emily Ley's free printable here and view her other printables here!

Enjoy!

p.s. Here's more info about some of my favorite make-ahead meals!

Best single serve sparkling wines

I love having a glass of champagne. Whether it's for an aperitif, to celebrate something or just for no reason at all, sparkling wines and champagnes are my most-favorite adult beverage. However, I'm the only bubbly consumer in my house. Instead of popping a bottle, I reach for a single-serving of bubbly. These are my favorites.

Sofia Blanc de Blanc

This is the original "champagne in a can" and my favorite of the bunch. The 5 oz. size is perfect for a little pre-party sip while you're getting ready! I have also been known to slip one in my purse for a movie theatre treat. It comes with a little straw, perfect for picnics or other on-the-go events. Warning: these are addictive! I like to have a couple on hand at all times.

Pommery POP Pink Rose

These festive pink bottles are just what you need for a little girls' getaway. I'd pack these for a staycation or even a movie night in. I'd pair these with mini cupcakes or macarons for a girls-only treat! They would make cute favors for a bachelorette party or bridal shower as well.

Click here to read the rest of my picks!

Favorite make-ahead meals

I've been talking about make-ahead meals with a couple different girlfriends this week. Making a week's worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners on Sunday can be a huge timesaver on busy weekdays. All you have to do is grab and go or reheat and eat! I like to grocery shop early Sunday morning, come home and turn on a favorite Pandora station and get to cooking for a few hours.

Here are my go-to make-ahead meals right now:

Breakfast: 

Steel cut oat pucks - via New Nostalgia

Breakfast burritos - via hellobee

Lunch

Salad in a jar - via The Kitchn

Chicken tortilla soup - via Food Network

Dinner

Black bean and squash enchilada casserole - via skinnytaste

Quinoa stuffed peppers - via me

A couple of tips: 

Stock up on mason jars and these storage lids for the oatmeal pucks, soup and salad. 

Wrap individual portions of the breakfast burritos, casserole and stuffed peppers with aluminum foil.

With the exception of the salad jars, you can freeze all of these for another week if you don't eat everything!

10 ways to eat + drink rosemary

Rosemary is my favorite herb to use when cooking or baking; I just love the smell! I might need to give rosemary its own Pinterest board at this point. There are so many creative ways to use it.

Photo courtesy grongar, via flickr

Here are 10 of my favorite ideas:

1. Baked Brie with Rosemary, Honey and Candied Walnuts, via Will Cook For Friends

2. Lavender Rosemary Butter Cookies, via Colorful Eats

3. Rosemary White Bean Soup with Chard, via Some the Wiser

4. Rosemary Chicken Lasagna, via Feasting at Home

5. DIY Rosemary Salt via sidewalk shoes

6. Winter Sun Cocktail, via two tarts

7. Rosemary White Hot Chocolate, via Golubka Kitchen

8. Sweet and Spicy Rosemary Nut Mix, via My Kitchen in the Rockies

9. Rosemary Potato Kale Tart, via The Kitchy Kitchen

10. Cranberry Rosemary Refresher, via In Sonnet's Kitchen

What's your favorite rosemary recipe?

Quinoa, spinach and kale stuffed peppers

We tend to eat the same five dinners over and over. Once we found the sweet spot of "we both like this" and "it's easy to make" we got into a little dinner routine. Our rotating menu when we eat at home during the fall and winter looks similar to this: big chopped salads; rotisserie chicken tortilla soup with all the toppings; whole wheat pasta with veggie sauce and a salad; steak with a green side; and chicken sausage with couscous.

In 2014, I'd like to introduce two newish recipes at home each month -- something that requires a little more thought than normal. This week I ventured into stuffed peppers; not a completely new recipe to me but not something I cook often, either. Here's how I make my stuffed peppers:

Quinoa, spinach and kale stuffed peppers for two:

You will need:
2 peppers
1 cup quinoa
2 cups pasta sauce
1/2 pound cooked ground beef or turkey (optional)
2 big handfuls of spinach and/or kale - gotta sneak in those greens
Sprinkle of cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Cut each pepper in half, laying the four halves in a baking pan with a little bit of water.

In one pot, boil water and get the quinoa cooking. In a separate pan, start browning the meat, if you're going to use it.

Drain the fat/oil from the meat, then add the pasta sauce, kale/spinach and garlic. Simmer. Drain the water from the quinoa, mix with the meat/veggies/sauce.

Use a spoon to stuff the mixture into each pepper. Sprinkle with grated cheese on top, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.

That's it! Enjoy. We each had one red and one green pepper, no sides, and felt pretty satisfied. There might have been a homemade chocolate chip cookie for dessert...

Next time I'll probably do a double batch because I think these would make great leftover lunches. What are your go-to meals during the week? I'd love some new ideas.

Olympics party ideas

What is it about the Olympics that keeps us coming back every two years? Especially those who aren't athletic or barely even watch televised sports at all (me included)? I think it's because everyone dreams a little bit of being up there on the podium, gold medal in hand, wiping away tears as your anthem is played. I always wanted to be an Olympic figure skater, what about you?

I'm counting down the days to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. USA! USA! USA! I'd like to try and make it more of a social event this year, instead of holing up in sweats on my couch for 18 days. Whether inviting friends over for an Opening Ceremony watch party or heading to a bar to watch the USA take on the world on the hockey finals - I'm hoping to celebrate these Olympics in the company of others!

Here's a little idea for an America vs. Russia opening ceremony party, complete with American snacks and Russian beverages:

I should also note that with an American gal and a Canadian guy in my house, the rivalry will be at an all time high should Team USA be pitted against Team Canada.

Only 30 days to go! Until Sochi starts, I'll be biding my time by watching my favorite Olympic-themed movie, The Cutting Edge.

Parlez-vous Olympics! GO USA!!

Green juice to the rescue

Cheese plates, chocolates and champagne, oh my! We are in desperate need of a reset after this very festive season. This is a favorite around here, especially after a week month of indulgent eating. 

Green juice recipe - Makes about 10 oz

1/2 bunch of kale

2 oranges 

1/2 lemon 

1-inch piece of ginger 

 Take the kale leaves off the stems, and cut the peels off the oranges, lemon and ginger.

Run everything through the juicer.

Serve over ice, with a straw; I promise, it tastes better this way!

You can't help but feel a little better about your nutrient intake after a glass of this! I especially appreciate that it does not taste too green. No grass clippings here, folks.

It's also much, much cheaper to make it yourself than buying from the store or a juice bar. According to my calculations:

Homemade: $0.17/oz

Juice bar: $0.42/oz

Store-bought: $0.49/oz

Ok, if you don't own a juicer, you'd have to account for that expense. We have the Breville Compact Juice Extractor form Crate & Barrel, which was around $100. I'll confess that I don't use it that often, at least compared to my coffee maker. But, one of my 2014 goals is to drink more green juice, so here's hoping!

What kind of cheese are you?

Image via The Kitchn

This surprisingly interesting slideshow on Huffington Post caught my eye last night because a) I love cheese and b) I like to participate in silly, meaningless internet quizzes. Before reading, I settled on brie and mozzarella (obviously), which says this about me:

You like to take it slow and savor the moment. We only get one shot to live, so why not indulge, right? You also really love crackers. You are laid back, friendly and never sweat the small stuff. You like to keep things simple, but somehow throw the best dinner parties. Your friends refer to you as a "class act."

I'm not sure about the "throwing the best dinner parties" (I prefer lots of apps over full dinners), but otherwise it's pretty accurate! Quite especially the part about the crackers.

This would be a funny little conversation starter at this weekend's holiday parties, if you ask me. It might be cheesey (ha, ha), but try analyzing your fellow guests based off of what cheese they pick!

Thanksgiving appetizers

I absolutely L-O-V-E Thanksgiving weekend. The parade, the family, the leftovers, the shopping, the drinks, the cranberry sauce. All of it. We will be headed up to my parents' house with all my siblings, plus Max's mom and stepdad, who are in town from Florida. And we can't forget the dogs: Winnie (the pie thief) and Mia (the turkey-beggar)! It will be a full house.

My mom asked me to bring a couple appetizers (for 10-12 people), and of course, I'll help out with cooking day-of. Here are a few Thanksgiving appetizers I am thinking about making:

Sparkling cranberry brie bites from Yummy Mummy Kitchen

Mimi corn dog bites with fancy ketchup from Mint Love Social Club:

Garlic and herb stuffed brussels sprouts from Cooking Stoned:

Classic stuffed mushrooms from The Pioneer Woman:

What do you think? Does your family have any Thanksgiving appetizer recipes?

Denver's best restaurants 2013

I love looking over 5280 Magazine's food lists - best cocktails, breakfasts, new restaurants, etc. I save most issues and peek through each one when I need a little dining inspiration!

Their 25 Best Restaurants 2013 list came out this month; looks like I have been to seven.

7. Fruition - we had a splendid birthday dinner here this year. 

12. The Populist - just tried their happy hour last month, they have the sweetest little patio (pictured -->)

19. Duo - brunch and a holiday party - both were leisurely and delicious.

21. Tag - three words: duck fat fries. 

22. Linger - the La rosa might be my favorite cocktail in Denver and their food is unique!

23. Trillium - a little taste of Scandinavia, their food is light and flavorful.

24. Euclid Hall - went for the poutine, which my Quebecois didn't love.

And, I'd like to go to these five. Which one should we try first? 

1.  Frasca 

8.  Luca d'italia 

13. Beast and Bottle 

18. Rioja 

20. Il posto 

Recipe: Braided veggie calzone

We're trying to use up everything in our fridge/freezer at the moment, so tonight's dinner consisted of a makeshift calzone. Here's the "recipe" I threw together:

Braided Veggie Calzone

Ingredients:
- Whole wheat pizza dough
- 1/3 cup spaghetti sauce (because who has pizza sauce around ever?)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (any kind)
- 1-2 cups random veggies (we used mushrooms, green pepper and onion)
- Olive oil or egg

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375
- Spread dough in a long, stretched out oval on a pizza stone.
- Layer the pizza sauce, 1/2 the cheese and all of the veggies down the center of the dough.
- Make little slices with a sharp knife up and down the sides. Then, start braiding at the bottom and work your way up.
- Brush the dough with the olive oil or egg
- Bake in oven for 35 minutes

It looks great out of the oven but is a little messy on the plate. Either way, it was tasty -- and a little bit healthy for such an easy dinner!

Denver dining project: May and June

Round up of the new-to-me restaurants I visited in Denver recently:

Sienna Wine Bar
This is a cute little spot around the corner from where I take Pilates! Best way to follow up a workout is with a glass of wine and some appetizers, right? It was empty, so we didn't have to wait for our wine (Moscato for Tilo, Jill and I) or food. We just got some small bites to share, which were fine. I don't remember if they were good or bad, so I guess the food was alright!

Lowry Beer Garden
Max and I rode our bikes here over Memorial Day Weekend and we loved the fun new concept. It's an outdoor pavilion next to Hangar 2 in Lowry with lots and lots of beer and tasty food, too. We got burgers and beer (the food lines were long) and sat at the community tables. I'm curious to see what they do with the space in the winter!

Thin Man
I'm not sure I have ever been here, but it was hopping on a Saturday night! I was out celebrating a friend's bachelorette party and we stopped here after dBar for a late-night cocktail. Definitely try one of the infused vodkas with soda - you'll really be able to taste the flavor without a sugary mixer like coke or juice!

Bluefin Sushi
After a long weekend of packing and moving, Max and I tried out this sushi spot in Stapleton Town Center. I happen to be very picky about sushi, and this didn't really cut it. The service was really slow (even though it wasn't busy) and the food was pretty basic, as far as sushi goes. Oh well!

Daily Scoop
Also close to Pilates, Jill, Kim and I went here before class one night - in the 100+ degree heat, we felt we deserved a treat! I don't think I had ever eaten custard before, but it tasted similar to fro-yo and was delicious. I want to go back and try their frozen chocolate-dipped bananas!

Oblio's Pizza and Neighbors Bar
I'm going to count these as one visit, since they're right around the corner from each other and our new favorite date night spot! Located near our hose in Park Hill, Oblio's serves delicious pizza (preceded by amazing breadsticks), and Neighbors is an adorable wine bar that's just perfect for a summer night. Absolutely going back to both!

Summer smoothies

I typically have a smoothie for breakfast most mornings during the summer. When I found these mason jar lids I thought it would be fun to make a few days worth and freeze them instead of revving up the blender at 6:30 am!

It was super easy and I have been enjoying them all week! These two have no dairy and lot of fruits and veggies.

beet + berry
1/4 can of beets with water
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1.5 cups water
Blend and serve, makes 16 oz

green goodness
1 frozen banana
1.5 cups fresh spinach
1 cup frozen peaches
1.5 cups water
Blend and serve, makes 16 oz

Denver dining project March and April

Still going strong on my resolution to try new places in Denver instead of relying on my old favorites! Here are the new-to-me dining spots I tried:

March:

Trillium
Went to Trillium for Restaurant Week with the girls, and it was tasty! I had this amazing beet ravioli, where the beet made up the ravioli (instead of noodles) and was stuffed with goat cheese. Yum! I liked the atmosphere and they even had a "Riesling of the month," which I appreciated!

Strings
Max and I had a little date night at Strings, which has been around forever. It was busy busy doe to Denver Restaurant Week. While the service was great and the food was equally good, I didn't love the atmosphere. It felt a little stale, like they had not updated anything since the early 90s. Also, I am pretty sure we were the youngest people there!

Steak n Shake
Bree and I went to try out CO's newest burger chain, Steak n Shake, now that the crowds have died down! I had a regular cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate milkshake! I will say it was a lot cheaper than I expected! I think I like 5 Guys' burgers better, but Steak n Shake does have milkshakes, and 5 Guys doesn't! It's a little far from my house so I don't think I will be going there a whole lot!


St. Mark's Coffeeshop
Met Kim for coffee and a cookie one morning after Pilates! It's a cute little coffee shop in Uptown and a great place to sit outside and chat on a nice day!


April

Avenue Grill

Great sign!

Everyone is always raving about how great the happy hour is at Avenue Grill, so I made Max meet me after a particular stressful day at work! I think it might be a little fancy for us - and while my martini was delicious, I did not think it was anything special!

Rackhouse Pub
Max and I met Megan & Jon here for happy hour one night after work. Despite the fact that it took me an hour to get there it was worth the rush hour drive to Second and Kalamath! I of course had the signature Stranahan's whiskey and coke and also indulged in a side portion of their baked mac-n-cheese, which was to die for! So, so rich and delicious. It's definitely a "guy spot" but I would totally go back.

North
I have been wanting to try North forever and when I learned they have a $9 lunch special, it was the perfect opportunity to check it out on the cheap! It definitely lived up to my expectations! My chicken sandwich was great and we were in-and-out in less than an hour, perfect for a quick lunch!

Pinche Tacos
Jill has been raving about Pinche Tacos off Colfax for months so I knew I was going to like it! Tilo and I sat at the community table and enjoyed cheap beers (Modelo) and flavorful tacos (steak and queso). I was too full to try the churros, but they smelled so good - definitely going to go back here.

Now that I read the whole list it seems like I might go out too much. It's a good price to pay for living in a foodie city like Denver!

My Denver dining project

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to try at least one new restaurant/bar/coffee shop per month. I get so sucked into my favorite restaurants and dishes (Starbucks for coffee, Racine's for breakfast, Whole Foods for lunch, the Tavern for drinks and Steubens for dinner) that I wanted to force myself to branch out! So far, I am not having a problem, in fact I should probably scale it back since it looks like I might be going out TOO much!

January: 
Went to Ignite Fire-Crafted Food in LoDo for dinner with a big group. It was clearly the place to be for big groups, there were lots of 10+ tables. Our waiter was new and nervous but decent, same with the food! Nothing special but decent nonetheless.

Headed to Beatrice and Woodsley on the trendy Broadway strip for drinks with the girls. I absolutely loved their creative happy hour cocktails. Read more about that on my friend Jill's blog.

We finally got around to trying Jack & Grill (the location up north, not on Federal) with another couple after a comedy show in Westminster. No, we did not order the famous 7lb burritto. I thought the food was fine, but nothing special  -- just normal Mexican food!

February:
We got a Groupon from my sister for Christmas to try 730 South in Bonnie Brae. I had the Anaheim scrambler and Max had the eggs benedict. The food (and bottomless mimosas) were great, but I didn't love the atmosphere. To me, it seemed like an upscale Village Inn.

I finally got to try Hutch & Spoon in the RiNo district and it lived up to my expectations! It's a little out of my way (30th and Larimer) but I got to pop in for lunch on my Monday off. I had a turkey + cranberry compote sandwich on the fluffiest sourdough bread and one of their homemade sodas (passionfruit/vanilla), which was super yummy! I want to go back and try their breakfast - Belgian waffles and a cappuccino? Yes, please!

March is looking busy already with two Denver Restaurant Week reservations already made, both for places I've never been. I also want to seek out a local coffee shop to try. Any suggestions?