Blog Archives
Smoothie Sunday: Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple childhood food. They’re easy to make, yummy, and actually pretty healthy for you (assuming you use ingredients not loaded down with corn syrups and chemical preservatives). Erik and I first discovered this combination in drink-able form as a milkshake last year when we were both recovering from our respective oral surgeries and were desperate for new liquid things to eat. I decided this year to try making it in smoothie form so I could have it for breakfast. And it worked!
What you’ll need
We Can Do It Better: Chicken Nachos
Confession time: late night half-price appetizers at Applebee’s are a bit of a guilty pleasure for us. Well, maybe not so much a pleasure…it’s something we’re guilty of doing sometimes when it’s starting to get late and we haven’t made dinner yet. We usually get nachos to share and then our own things. In case you hadn’t noticed by now, Erik and I don’t eat beef, so instead of the Chili Cheese Nachos we get the Nachos Nuevos (which are chicken nachos), that used to be their own menu item but aren’t anymore so you have to ask for them special.
In general they’re pretty good. But they can also be rather hit or miss. Sometimes there’s hardly any chicken, sometimes the cheese is barely melted. Worst of all, one time there was literally piles of salt on the chips. The result is that we usually end up regretting our decision, since it results in being thirsty and bloated the rest of the night. Finally we decided that we could do this better on our own. And we did.
Quick Recipe: Easy Chicken Tikka
Chicken Tikka kicks ass. It’s the chicken fingers of Indian food. You can find it everywhere, it tastes amazing, and everybody loves it. Originally stemming from Indian Punjabi cuisine, the U.K. miraculously likes to take credit for it somehow, since one account states a Pakistani man created it in a restaurant in Glasgow. Despite that, it’s undoubtedly rooted in Indian heritage using curry spices and being cooked in manners consistent with Eastern food. If you want to get technical, Chicken Tikka is plain old boneless chicken pieces marinated in a spiced yogurt. Chicken Tikka Masala is that same thing, only served in a curry sauce, aka a masala. Though it seems fairly intimidating to cook at first, the effort is sooooo worth it in the end since it tastes amazing and looks super fancy. Serve it with some rice or homemade pilaf!
Smoothie Sunday: Ginger Pear Smoothie
I originally thought of using this flavor combo for the oatmeal smoothie, but the pears I bought weren’t ripe the morning my overnight oatmeal was ready. So I decided to wait and have it be its own smoothie. I’m glad I did wait, because the pear flavor, while yummy, is rather delicate, and would have been way overpowered by the oatmeal. This way is better because you can actually taste the flavors being featured.
Here’s what you’ll need.
Quick Recipe: Easy Rice Pilaf
Rice pilaf is a pretty wide open dish with lots of variations, so pinpointing it as one recipe can be tricky. Personally I like to keep it simple and forgo the numerous vegetables, meats, nuts, and other foodstuffs that more complex recipes usually call for. This recipe produces a light but tasty rice dish that’s great alongside meats and veggies, but tastes so good, you can just eat it on its own and still enjoy it. Personally, I always make it alongside Chicken Tikka and other chicken dishes with lots of spices involved.
The Poor Couple's Food Guide 
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