Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

I was seriously craving stuffed mushrooms but I can't exactly stuff them with cheese like usual! I replaced the cheese with a seasoned couscous. Rice is also a good option but couscous is so quick to cook! First I marinated the mushrooms in some balsamic vinegar to give them a bit more flavor. Season the couscous as you like, I recommend garlic and onion, and replacing water with broth instantly gives it more flavor.
Grill or bake your mushroom until tender and stuff with couscous. Add a teaspoon of olive oil for more flavor. I topped it all off with a fresh baby tomatoe from our garden for some sweetness! If you are looking for some protein, I recommend adding a hard-boiled egg - although Justin would suggest bacon! This is just a really simple, vegetarian dinner as well as potentially vegan. :)

This is my dish, but it's a bit fuzzy.

Pasta and Sausage

I haven't put a new post up in a little bit, mostly because it's almost the end of my classes and I've been busy and also I made this amazing fish dish the other day but it looked horrible! Lol
This dish is so easy and super cheap, and variable! First, pick your favorite pasta (and if you are gluten-free then pick rice flour pasta). Then pick or make your sauce (I used fire roasted tomato and garlic) as well as your meat or sausage. I used a delicious Burgundy Pepper sausage but chicken, seasoned ground beef, shrimp (for pescetarians), pork, or whatever strikes your fancy! I prefer to use uncooked, fresh sausage and I specifically look for ones without nitrates. Uncooked meat does not require to be cooked beforehand so if you are really short on time, get cooked meat or pre-cook when you have time (up to a couple days in advance). While you chop up your veggies, start boiling your water for your pasta. Cook your meat (if you need to) with your vegetables and eventually the sauce when your meat is 2/3rds of the way cooked. When your pasta is cooked al dente, drain and rinse in cold water, and toss with your sauce, meat, and vegetables.
Dinner is ready in less than 30 minutes! Enjoy :)

Afghan Introduction

I was recently at a friend's house for a study-dinner date. My friends are two Afghan sisters who wanted to introduce Afghan food to me. I absolutely love Indian and Nepalese food so I knew I was probably going to enjoy Afghan food as well! Since its August, the Muslim community is observing Ramadan by fasting while the sun is up. So at about 8 PM, we broke fast with bolani! Bolani is this delicious, buttery (without actual dairy) flatbread stuffed with various vegetables like potatoe and spinach. Although the bolani was most memorable, we also munched on Afghan meatballs, spicy potatoes and garlic, Afghan bread, and shrimp fried rice. My friends wonderfully sent me off with some bolani for Justin - and he was absolutely in love! Since then, Justin's been asking me to figure out how to make bolani but I do not have any tools or ability to make bread (maybe after med school?). Thankfully - I found my way out of having to make bread when I was visiting a local farmer's market this morning! The Afghan booth had four different flavors of bolani and all were vegan! :)

If you are looking to try bolani, check for a local Afghan store or at the farmer's market. If you are looking to make your own bolani, you can purchase phyllo dough (with dairy) or make a dairy-free bread. With a bread maker, add 3 cups prepared bread flour and 1 cup water and follow the instructions from your bread maker. While your bread is preparing, boil water and cook 1 lb of potatoes. Roll a small amount of dough thin (about the thickness of a tortilla) and about 10-12 inches across. Spread about 1/4 cup of potato mixture (as well as any other vegetables you want) and fold in half. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the bolani on both sides. Serve with plain yogurt or chutney. I heated 1/4 of bolani with a garlic and roasted bell pepper hummus spread for lunch below :)