Quinoa-Black Bean Burger

You might remember that I took a road trip to Nashville a couple of weeks ago.  There was one thing that we wanted after our eight hour drive…that was food.  Lindsay recommended that we try Burger Up in a hip little part of town. I am way understating it when I say her recommendation was: Top. Notch.

You guys know that I could fairly easily give up most forms of meat and be completely satisfied so it probably comes as no surprise that I chose the vegetarian burger on the menu.  I’m confident in telling you that this is the best burger that I’ve ever had.  The flavors were so vibrant.  It was so moist and had a perfect sear on the outside.  There was just a hint of something special too…cinnamon, maybe? I think so!  It was topped off with a cilantro-lime creme fraiche that was awesome.

All I’m saying is that this burger alone is worth the drive to Nashville.  If you aren’t familiar with quinoa, (pronounced kee-nwa) you should be.  I bought mine at Trader Joe’s but it’s available in most grocery stores.  Not only is it gluten-free, full of fiber and loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals, but it’s packed with protein.  And on that note, it’s what is considered a complete protein because it contains all essential amino acids.  (Essential amino acids: proteins that we must take in from our diets because our bodies do not produce them) I have eaten it in exchange for rice but it also works well as a substitute for oatmeal.  It proves to be a great addition to this vegetarian burger.

Cue mouthwatering…

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Date Night Dinner (Steph’s Virtual Bridal Shower!)

I have to say that what I love most about blogging is the community. My fellow bloggers are caring, supportive and giving and even though we haven’t all met in real life, strong friendships are so easily formed. I often find myself amazed and humbled by the strong bond of these people that I call friends.

Kita of Pass the Sushi thought we should collaborate and throw Stephanie a bridal shower with our favorite date night recipes and I was thrilled to be on board. Stephanie (Steph’s Bite by Bite) and her fiancé, Lucas, are getting married next Saturday, October 29. Head over and send them your some well wishes!

I created spaghetti squash with a spicy red wine sauce as an entrée. It’s (just as the title says) spicy but rich with flavor from the wine and herbs. I love spaghetti squash this time of year too. Simple to prep but elegant and delicious! For dessert, I planned to do a traditional French apple and pear tart. Then I stumbled across Biscoff spread at World Market and it shook up my plans. I had seen so many bloggers rave about this stuff so I couldn’t pass it up. So instead of a traditional pastry crust on the tart, I created a Biscoff granola bar crust of sorts and topped it with the fruit. I’m addicted already!

Cheers to you, Stephanie and Lucas. Congratulations and best wishes for many years of happiness and love!

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{Not-So} Wordless Wednesday

Just a thought for you today.

Source (Via Pinterest, of course…totally didn’t mean to rhyme there.)

I found this article at BlogHer today.  I absolutely loved it and wanted to share it with you: Four Steps Toward Serenity

I hope your day has been filled with many blessings!

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Spinach Lemon Orzo Soup

This soup is one that I made several times last fall and winter.  I have already posted one soup this fall and intend on making and eating and posting many more as the season wears on. Needless to say, I’m on what I like to call a kick.  Paul always makes fun of me for saying I’m on kicks.  What do you call it when you are stuck on something?   In truth though, I eat soup all year around.  I love it.  I love trying new kinds and I love the way it makes me feel.  Nothing heals like soup, right?

I absolutely love the flavor of lemon and in this soup it’s fresh and crisp, just like this season.  I love autumn; the trees are beautiful; the cool breezes make me melt and although I don’t like the days being shorter, it gives reason to slow down a little and rest at the end of the day.   The best thing about this soup recipe is that it comes together so quickly and I always have the ingredients on hand.  If you don’t have orzo, you can use any short grain pasta like stars, macaroni, etc.

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