So, mint… yeah, I’m still obsessed with it. I devoured every single one of the mojito bites I made last week and desperately needed another minty treat to munch on. I’m also loving on pineapple right now and had the idea to toss it in mint in an effort to get more of both of those things into my face. I added lime juice, zest, and sugar to make a bit of a sweet syrup and the results are fantastic!

I totally made this for myself with no intention of putting it on the blog, but it was so tasty that I just had to share it. I had some of it alongside a quesadilla for lunch yesterday and it was a perfect match. It’s so refreshing and summery, fantastic served cold to beat the heat.

And it only took a few minutes to put together.

Do you know how to break down a pineapple? I know it looks intimidating but it really only takes a minute to do. Just take a large sharp knife and slice off the top and bottom, then stand it on one of the ends and slice down the sides to remove the last of the scaly exterior, making sure to remove all of the brown parts. You’ll be tempted to not cut in too deep in an effort to get more pineapple, but don’t – you really need to remove all of the brown pitted parts, they’re not pleasant to eat. Then just cut the fruit off the core. I slice down one side of the core, then rotate and slice down again, leaving 4 large pieces. Again, don’t cut too close to the core, it’s too fibrous to eat! You can then chop the fruit into whatever size pieces you want. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really only takes a minute.

Pineapple with lime and mint

A simple snack of fresh pineapple with herbs and citrus.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small pineapple
• 2 tsp. sugar
• the zest and juice of 1 lime
• a handful of fresh mint leaves (chopped fine)

Cooking Directions

1. With a large sharp knife, slice the top and bottom off of the pineapple. Stand the pineapple up on one of the cut ends and slice the sides off, making sure to remove all of the brown bits.
2. Cut the pineapple off of the core in 4 large pieces and chop into bite-size pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine cubed pineapple with sugar, zest, juice, and mint. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
4. Store any remaining in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I managed to eat an entire pineapple by myself last week, so I don’t see this lasting very long in my house. That’s ok though, I still have half a bag of fresh mint to use up, so I’ll just have to buy another one and make more!

I asked you guys on my Facebook blog page yesterday what foods you’re craving lately, too. Looks like basil is a theme for many of us. I’m personally hooked on Thai basil at the moment, but I do use sweet Italian basil quite a lot too. In fact, I have some plans in the works for using both types of basil in a few different recipes that should appear on the blog in a few weeks. I think I feel a new obsession coming on…

What is your current favorite fruit?

What do you like to pair basil with?

May 17, 2013 Alayna Discussion, Recipes 5 comments

Inspiration can come from anywhere…

Last week I sat looking at a list of over 30 recipe ideas for the blog with no desire to make any of them. I like to cook what I crave, and though the ideas I had already were good, I just wasn’t craving any of them at the time. I decided to poll followers of my blog’s Facebook page for what flavors you guys are loving right now. There were lots of good suggestions, but the one that immediately got my recipe-inventing wheels turning was… Sriracha sauce!

As soon as I heard the word I knew I wanted to make a chicken salad with lots of fruity spicy sriracha! I often mix sour cream and sriracha together to make a dipping sauce for panko-crusted chicken, so I knew this same concept would work perfectly in chicken salad form.

Sriracha is a Thai hot sauce made from chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. You may have heard of it referred to as Rooster Sauce, due to the giant rooster that appears on the bottle of the most popular brand. Whatever you call it, it’s a mild, fruity sauce that tastes great on almost anything. I love it on a burger or squeezed over fried rice.

Spicy Sriracha Chicken Salad

A spicy Thai take on chicken salad with the fruity flavor of hot Sriracha sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Just over 3 cups

Ingredients

• 2 skin-on bone-in chicken breasts (makes about 3 cups shredded roast chicken)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 heaping tbsp. Japanese mayo (or other thick style mayo)
• 2 tbsp. Sriracha sauce
• 2 scallions (sliced thinly)
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds

Cooking Directions

1. Dry chicken breasts thoroughly with a paper towel and rub all over with a bit of olive oil. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400F degrees for 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. Remove and discard skin. Use your hands to pull the chicken from the bone and tear into small pieces.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken with all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve on bread, a croissant, or over a salad as desired. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

I ate that sandwich for lunch right after photographing it and was in spice heaven. It’s definitely got a kick to it, but I didn’t think it was overwhelmingly spicy. If you’re sensitive to spice though, feel free to dial back the amount of sriracha you add. Start with just one tablespoon and taste it to see if you like it as is. And if you’re a lunatic, add even more!

Thanks again for all the awesome recipe inspiration. Anyone else wanna chime in with a flavor you’re loving right now? Who knows, maybe it’ll end up inspiring my greatest recipe creation of all time! A recipe to crash Pinterest! If only in my dreams…

May 1, 2013 Alayna Discussion, Recipes 14 comments

I’ve had a streak of really delicious meals lately. Here’s what’s been making my tummy happy over the last few days…

I used some of the baked apples I made recently over a big dollop of Greek Gods fig yogurt. That has got to be the most delicious yogurt I’ve ever tasted. It has real fig puree in it not just a flavoring, so it’s very earthy and thick. With some toasted buckwheat on top, this was a killer combination.

And I had that same yogurt again today over some strawberries, grapes, and pineapple. I topped it with some puffed amaranth and it was awesome! The grapes tasted especially amazing with the fig yogurt.

I washed it down with the last of our keemun tea. This tea has a deep roasted aroma like coffee beans or smoldering wood. Love the reflection in it!

And for lunch I had a salad with a side of jackfruit and a sliced orange…

I rarely enjoy the salads that I make for myself, but this one was fantastic! It was mixed baby lettuces, Trader Joe’s broccoli slaw, sprouts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, avocado, and Annie’s red pepper dressing. Tasted amazing and had great texture.

I am still so surprised by the flavor of jackfruit with every bite! It is so unusual but totally delicious. I’ve also been eating oranges like they’re going out of style. I’m eating 2 a day sometimes!

And check out this amazing and easy dinner we had last night…tostadas con huevos!

It was a flour tortilla toasted up in the oven and then topped with vegetarian refried beans, salsa, 2 fried eggs, monterrey jack cheese, and sour cream. Served it up with a sliced avocado.

And it could not be simpler to make…

Tostadas con huevos

A quick and delicious Mexican dish with fresh eggs as the star.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 flour tortillas
• 4 eggs
• half a can of vegetarian refried beans
• salsa of your choice
• 1/2 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese
• salt, pepper, and olive oil
• serve with sour cream and sliced avocado

Cooking Directions

1. Rub olive oil over both sides of tortillas and season with salt and pepper.
2. Toast tortillas on both sides under the broiler until barely golden and crisp.
3. Fry eggs 2 at a time in a non-stick pan and set aside.
4. Spread refried beans over crisp tortillas, top with eggs, salsa and cheese.
5. Broil tostadas until cheese is melted and bubbly, careful not to burn the tortillas.
6. Top with sour cream and serve with sliced avocado if desired.

So much good food lately! I’m on a roll!

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten today?

July 9, 2011 Alayna Discussion, Recipes 6 comments