Spinach Artichoke Di...Pasta?

Temperatures dropped a bit today so I found myself craving a hearty, warm dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't get out of work until late-ish so I also needed something quick. Tonight's dinnertime experiment:

Spinach Artichoke Penne

1/2 lb penne, cooked according to box

1 c artichoke hearts, chopped

2 1/2 c baby spinach

1 small shallot, chopped

2 links chicken sausage (I used Aidells Artichoke & Garlic), chopped

1 tomato, diced

2 tbsp dry white wine

1 tbsp olive oil

light sprinkling chili flakes

slight dusting parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown chicken sausage (I like mine pretty brown so they aren't too mushy) and stir in shallot. Cook shallot until translucent and add white wine. Cook for 1 minute before stirring in tomato and artichokes. Cook for 2-3 minutes and slowly stir in spinach. Cook until spinach begins to wilt, stir in chili flakes, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pour over penne and mix well. Serve immediately.

If you salt your pasta water properly, you really won't need the extra salt at the end. The artichokes, parmesan and sausage add just the right amount of salt and flavor to the dish! Quick, easy and delicious! It also doesn't hurt that it looks a little like springtime in a bowl :)

I got a couple packages in the mail today and one of them was from Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program. It's been awhile since I've opted in to receive samples and I completely forgot about this one. Hooray fun surprise!

This sample came from Pure Dark and timing couldn't be better! I've had this random sweet craving lately, plus Jamie's on his way here at the end of the week...here's hoping these samples last ;p

I got a sample of the Classic Bark - sheets of immensely deep dark chocolate studded with cherries, roasted almonds and caramelized nibs and the Chocolate Slab - a thick slab of dark chocolate. AMAZING. I broke into the Bark and holy delicious.

It's just the right level of darkness for me and the nuts and nibs were great crunchy additions! Didn't get a cherry (at least I don't think I did), but that's fine with me...ahhh love!

Great start to the week! Well...it could have been an even better start to the week had I been able to get to the gym, but alas, it was not in the cards. It's probably for the best. After yesterday's run, my calves were crazy tight/sore...even after a decent stretching session! Ah well, looks like the rest of my evening will involve hanging out with the Stick. My trusty buddy.

Good news is that I'm finally getting back into running pretty consistently. It's still really frustrating doing super short runs and spending more time stretching/stick-ing than actually running, but I know it's all for the best. GAH. Anyone have good workout suggestions for someone with severe gym ADD?

O my, Friday came so fast!

Did this week fly by for anyone else??

Wednesday was an experimental breakfast day for me. A friend suggested I try the Trader Joe's Frozen Steel Cut Oats since they're easy, tasty and filling. Of course I pick up a box!

I expected the box of 2 servings to house 2 cute little containers of microwavable oats.

UM, good thing I have tupperware. I'll admit, the packaging is great - portable, minimal waste, perfect size; it was just unexpected.

Approximately 4 minutes later:

Ta Da! Maple Steel Cut Oats! Confession: this was my first steel cut oat experience. I have mixed feelings. The flavor was good and I liked the extra chew to each oat, but it was really soupy. I usually like my oatmeal drier than most. Are steel cut oats usually soupy?

I was in such a rush to leave the apartment that I grabbed the container of leftover lentils without realizing I only had like 3-4 tablespoons of lentils left. Not quite lunch-worthy. As much as I hated to do it, I knew I had to buy lunch.

After an extensive Yelp search for salads near my office, I settled on Sweet Joanna's Cafe. I've been here once before and was pretty impressed with the salad bar offerings. They've got standard lettuce and toppings, as well as some marinated salads. This time there was also a hot rice dish and some roasted chicken.

I made a beeline for the large to-go box and mixed greens...gotta build the base for my salad!

To top things off, I grabbed the usual salad fixins and scooped some cabbage salad, marinated eggplant and a tomato and cucumber salad. I also tucked a couple falafel in the corner with some hummus for dressing. YUM. I only wish my falafel (falafels?) were piping hot :\

I had a major running fail after work that I really would not like to re-live. Let's just leave it at I should know by now that I shouldn't stray from the sneaks I've worn for 4 years. Done.

Yesterday marked a few firsts for me:

1. First lunch outside of the office
2. First lunch w/coworkers
3. First happy hour in San Francisco (like legit, post-work happy hour)

Ridiculous, right? I've been here for almost 3 months and haven't done any of those. BAD! Since it was a day of firsts, I didn't whip out the camera so, bear with me as I try to find images for you guys.

We walked over to Sellers Markets on Market and 2nd Streets for lunch and immediately claimed a spot on the patio since it was a gorgeous sunny day. I had browsed the menu earlier and narrowed it down to 3 potential lunch options. After chatting with the girls, I ended up going with something totally different - Free-Range BBQ Chicken Salad (black beans, sweet shucked corn, red onion, roma tomato, corn tortilla crisps, romaine, house ranch dressing).

I forgot to ask for dressing on the side so it was a little over-dressed for my taste, but the chicken was fantastic. It was pulled bbq chicken and it wasn't funky fake chicken either (you know, like that weird spongy stuff from ABP I used to complain about?). The bbq sauce was mild, very tomato-y and kinda reminded me of a chicken dish my mom used to make. Two thumbs up!

A side of Creamy Mac n Cheese (all-natural cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella & finished with Point Reyes blue cheese) was also ordered for the table. At first I was worried about all those cheeses partying in the same bowl, but one bite...YUM. Rich, creamy and comforting. Good thing we split it ;)

Overall, I think Sellers Markets is a great lunch spot. I loved the large patio and the menu is diverse enough to fulfill any of your cravings. There are a couple other locations throughout the city and as I write this post, I see they have a Thursday happy hour too! $2 for a 20 oz PBR and $3 for a 20 oz premium beer. Good to know!

The afternoon zoomed by after that and then next thing I knew it was 6 and time to head over to Quiver Bar at Epic Roasthouse.

(source)

From the website:

Epic Roasthouse is home to Quiver Bar, an intimate upstairs bar and lounge with panoramic views of the city, the Ferry Building and the bay. Quiver offers the full restaurant menu as well as its own separate bar menu, and specializes in expertly crafted classical cocktails, a wide selection of premium whiskeys, and a selection of local and international beers.

They weren't lying about the views either.

(source)

Agh, I wish I had taken a picture! It was such a perfect evening with clear views of the Bay Bridge and Embarcadero.

Sorry, I got a little excited about the space and views. Back to the main reason we were there...happy hour! Quiver Bar is also home to the 3 B's. For a mere $20, you get a 1/2 pound burger, a beer (I think there was a restriction on this, maybe bottled beers only?), and a decadent brownie. Quite the deal, yeah? It gets better...it's offered ALL THE TIME.

The thick burger comes with a huge pile of potato wedges and cute cups of toppings (jalapenos, bacon, mushrooms, mustard and mayo). Not that hungry? Don't worry, it's big enough to split with a buddy.

I wasn't quite hungry enough to commit to even half of a burger, so I just ordered off the regular bar menu. Kicked off Thirsty Thursday with a Lagunitas IPA (apparently my new beer of choice at bars?) and settled on a Short Rib & Horseradish Slider and a Vinegar Barbecue Pork Shoulder Slider.

I had such high hopes for the short rib slider, so I left that for last. Do you save the best for last or do you eat the best thing first?? The first thing I noticed when I bit into my pork slider was the perfectly crisp brioche bun. It was soft on the outside, but the inside had been toasted and had a delightfully buttery crisp crunch. AAHHH. Perfect with the tangy pork. I wish I saved this for last :(

The short rib slider was nice and tender, but really didn't have much flavor going on. Don't get me wrong, it was tender and juicy...it just didn't compare to the pork that packed so much zing! I also wished the horseradish sauce packed more of a horseradish-y punch.

I definitely recommend the 3 B's deal if you find yourself wandering along the Embarcadero on a gorgeous night (or day). I saw the plate of burger two of my coworkers split and it's no joke. It's a whole lotta food for $20.

Tonight was a return to home cooking as I tried to make use of the following ingredients that desperately needed to be used:

1. 1 Sweet Potato
2. 1/2 package lentils
3. bunch of kai-lan
4. small basil tree

Random assortment of goods, right? Here's the final product:

Lentils with Roasted Sweet Potato

1 sweet potato, diced and roasted

4 stalks kai-lan, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/4 onion, diced

1/2 package steamed lentils

2 tbsp basil, chopped

salt

pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a pan, saute onion until softened. Add kai-lan and half of the chicken broth. Cook until kai-lan starts to turn a bright green. Add lentils, sweet potato and remaining chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yeah yeah, not exactly an exciting dish, but it used all of the ingredients. Plus I thought it was pretty yummy. Toss a little hot sauce on there and it's perfect!

For dessert I snacked on a little fun mix I made this afternoon:

I stopped at Trader Joe's on the way home and grabbed some dried mangoes, apples, cranberries, pepitas, pretzel nuggets, granola and a dark chocolate bar. I was inspired by my new favorite Clif MoJo bar flavor (Mountain Mix) and decided I'd make a sweet and salty mix of my own. I really want to find some yogurt chips and maybe some nuts to add to the snack mix.

I also picked up a couple bottles of this delicious adult treat:

I sampled some of this sparkling red wine last Friday at dinner and thought it tasted like a calimocho...but better. The best part about it? $4.99 a bottle. I love bargains!

Off to bed now. I've got a 10 miler tomorrow morning and I'm running the first portion of it on my own before meeting up with the running group for their scheduled 6 at 9:30. Welcome back to early runs! What do you have on deck for long run Saturday?

The hills are alive with the sound of Japantown

I know that title makes no sense, but it's just one of those looney weeks. Let me start with yesterday...

Apparently my desk likes to eat keys. That's what I realized when I got to my door. Ooops. Luckily someone within walking distance has a spare set and I just so happened to have friend's spare keys in my purse. Go figure. Crisis averted!

Since I wasn't getting a run in, I figured I'd walk home instead of taking the bus...even though I know there are several mountains between my house and friend's house. I took a little detour thinking I was being slick and avoiding my 3 inclines (you like how I've just claimed them?). Nono. I ended up with this in front of me

and this to the left of me

UHHH. I probably would have turned around if I was running, but since I wasn't, I opted for the stairs. They just seemed a little friendlier...you know, for a mid-hill rest. haha.

I originally planned on a hot date with the DMV today so I could 'officially' become a California resident, but I missed the whole 'you need to bring your social security card with you' thing. For real? O well. Looks like I have a project for next Friday.

Instead of wasting away indoors, I opted to take a leisurely walk to Japantown. I had heard about Japantown from a couple bloggers, friends and tour books and had to see it for myself.

Equipped with an apple for snacking, I strolled down Union Street and popped into a couple of the shops I've run and ridden by so many times before. I also made an extended pitstop at the Lululemon :[ What? I needed a new warm running top! Lucky for me they had one on sale :)

I walked out with the Half Moon Jacket in all black (thought I'd post the lighter color so you could see the deets) and it's SUPER comfy and I hope it will be a good alternate to my favorite PRR pullover so I'm not all stankalicious on runs. A little nervous about the whole hood thing, but I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm sure I'll love having it after a run. Brrr.

I also tried on a couple of capris for fun. I looooved the way the Run:Zoom Crop fit

Unfortunately they didn't have my size in all black, so I took it as a sign we weren't meant to be. I even checked online...double sign. I was a little concerned about the puffiness/extra material in the thigh area, but when I put them on, they fit PERFECTLY. Genius. Waistband didn't pinch and the rear...not too shabby ;p I tried the purple ones on and thought they were really cute, but I knew I wouldn't wear them as much as a black pair. You should check them out!

I hung a left onto Fillmore from Union and woah. Howdy hills. Sorry to be such a baby about these hills. It's not like I didn't know they existed, but I'm from the land of the fairly flat. I'm never prepared for a random mountain when I turn a corner! One of these days I will learn. I will learn what's flat and what's not and how to get around the mountains...I promise :)

My walk down Fillmore didn't involve much shopping/browsing since there were a lot of cafes, furniture and fancy shops (no, I don't really rock the fancy designer-y shops). I did stop to take a photo of a fun restaurant

I stopped for a long time until I could get it right too haha. I don't know what I like so much about this...I think it's the colors and the rough, yet clean look? Mreh? That shadow is a building so I wonder if I could get a better shot earlier in the day. Yes, mega nerd alert!!

Eventually I found myself in Japantown *aaaaaahhhh!*

It was a little cloudy out so I wasn't exactly in a photo snapping mood, plus I was on a mission to find the Nijiya Market. I loved the Japanese market in Bethesda so I knew I had to find a replacement out here. What better place to look than Japantown. Duh!

I wandered into the Nihonmachi Shopping Center from Post Street and was a little overwhelmed by all the shops, cafes and o yeah, the giant Sanrio store. No joke. I mean, it IS Japantown...

I couldn't find the Nijiya Market and was starting to get really frustrated. I walked all around and even followed the mall map! I was about to give up when I saw this little nugget:

Ichiban Kan...Different Things. Dude, the sign just said Different Things. You know I had to walk in.

Apparently it's like a dollar store of Japanese goodies? I immediately headed to the wall of snackies, sauces and condiments just in case this whole mission to the market failed. I quickly browsed the other aisles and found some fun kitchen gadgets, ceramics and toiletries. SO random! I only walked out with a couple items :)

I wandered back into the mall to see if I missed a giant market sign and eventually came to this lovely corridor

It was between the mall and the Hotel Kabuki and I loved the colors and the lighting! I just had to take a picture. Have you noticed a little more zing in my photos lately? Well, aside from the iPhone photos. We've got Jamie to thank for that since he equipped me with a new camera upon his return :) Photos are now brought to you by this little guy:

Hooray! I'd love more than anything to transition into the world of SLR cameras, but I don't think I'm quite ready for the financial or physical responsibility. One day...one day. In the meantime, this puppy has a ton of great functions for me to play with. Hopefully I'll get some good shots this weekend - cross your fingers for sun!

I eventually found the Nijiya Market and it was totally worth getting lost and frustrated. OMG. I walked in and had no idea what to do with myself! They had a pretty large refrigerated section of pre-made foods (side dishes, seaweed salad, bento boxes, rice bowls, sushi, dumplings, you name it!), a massive drink section (alcoholic and non), and decent sized meat and produce sections. Holy potatoes. I need to go back. Again, I was good and only bought what I knew I needed in the short term. *sigh* Don't you worry, I'm dragging Jamie there over Labor Day weekend. I'm sure we'll get into some trouble.

Want to see what I came home with?

Plus my Soba Bento dinner and some seaweed salad for tomorrow

All for the low price of $21 (that's from both markets)! Not bad! The shirataki noodles alone were much cheaper at the Japanese market than at Real Foods and I was so happy to see the brand of sesame oil I'm used to using (yeah, I'm picky about that). The green lunch bag (that definitely says 'lunchtime will make everyone happy') was $1.50 and is a great size for sammiches and snacks or a medium sized tupperware. Plus it's cute :)

My bento wasn't terrible. The inarizushi and futomaki were good (I think it's pretty hard to mess those up unless the rice is bad), but the soba was a little mooshy for my taste. Also, the checkout lady asked if I wanted chopsticks and I said yes. No chopsticks in the bag. Soba noodles are so not the same with a fork. Nope :(

So yeah, that was my day of wandering! I'm off to guzzle some water and sleep so I'm ready for my quickie 7 miler with the running group tomorrow morning. Will report back soon! Nitey :)

So much to say!

But I'm going to try to keep it brief...not promising anything ;p

I had a post, actually a couple, drafted up this weekend but I got distracted and never got around to posting. Ah well. I made a last minute trip to New Jersey for Easter and so I could squeeze in some time with the nephews since I probably won't get to see them as much now that I'll be a West Coaster. Yep, in case you missed the not so subtle hint, I'm moving to San Francisco at the end of the month! Woo! There's so much to do before I leave!!

I'm really excited about this huge change, but I'm also (obviously) sad and nervous about it all. I've spent the past 10 years in DC - CRAZY! Yeeh. Ok, now what have I been up to...

After the day of eating, sunning and drinking at Crissy Field, I definitely needed a large bowl of veggies to close out my trip. Monday dinner was at Grove Cafe in the Marina. It was nice and cozy and we were able to get a massive bowl of greens each. I went with the Yucatan Chicken (achiote chicken, marinated onions, tortilla chips, sliced avocado and a habanero vinaigrette)

I'm so glad I got the dressing on the side...that was some spiiiiicy stuff! Loved it though...spicy, tangy, a little sweet - all my faves. The bread was great too - a little buttery and pressed. YUM! Excellent way to close things out :)

Things got even better when I found out I got the job shortly after getting home on Tuesday :) I broke the news to everyone and began the planning process. Who knew so much would go into moving across the country??

I had work at the store on Friday and randomly met up with a few friends from college for dinner at Sabores in Cleveland Park. I've eaten at Sabores a few times before and have had pretty decent (albeit slightly pricey) experiences. Six of us sat down pretty hungry and were ready to order. I'm assuming the kitchen wasn't ready for us because it took almost an HOUR for our food to arrive. Mind you, Sabores serves tapas. UH. WTF?

Our food eventually came out and it was mediocre. I got the Brazilian Chop-Chop Salad (hearts of palm, baby beets, celery, radishes, carrots, jicama and water cress dressing)

and the Brazilian Chicken Turnovers (fried pastry filled with chicken, cheeses, red peppers, parsley and tomatoes)

I've had both of these before and really liked them...which is why I ordered them again. This time around, the turnovers were lacking in flavor and I don't remember them looking so fried wonton-y. Same goes for the salad. I remember there being a lot more chunky veggies and more flavor. Ech.

Aside from the service and food, it was a fun night. I was glad to catch up with friends and I also got a little sad that stuff like that probably won't happen so often once I move :( It started to hit me that I'm leaving everything that's familiar behind.

So Saturday I took a quick train trip up north and about halfway there I realized I packed everything for a Sunday morning run except for a shirt. D'oh! Luckily my sister had to make a quick run to Walgreens for some last minute Easter goodies and what do you know...they have t-shirts! FOR $2.50! hahaha. Yes, I totally bought a $2.50 Hanes t-shirt. Amazing.

I helped fill some eggs up with fun treats and I got an Easter box of goodies too! They showed up later on in the week at the office...

My gummy bunny farm went well with this Spongebob Crabby Patty

For real?!

I slept in on Sunday and played Easter bunny before setting out on a 40 minute run/walk in the old 'hood. I remembered why I used to hate running. The neighborhood I grew up in isn't exactly runner friendly. I dodged a lot of stray bushes/branches and tried not to fall on broken pavement. Oh, and most of the roads don't have sidewalks...

I also paid a visit to my elementary school that seems to have gotten bigger

and my middle school that didn't properly fall into a walk segment so it didn't get photographed. Gorgeous day for a memory filled run :) When I got back, I got bamboozled into cooking Easter dinner...but not before some biking with the tots!

When I got back to the house, it was time to get cooking! My mom had a pork tenderloin and lamb chops and I decided to go with a larger scale version of the Tropical Stuffed Pork Tenderloin I made awhile ago.

Unfortunately the store didn't have the couscous I wanted so I got frisky with a box of A Taste of Thai Coconut Ginger Rice and Mango. I basically tossed in some mango chunks while the rice cooked...very nice together! I also made use of the extra juices/sauce in the baking pan by adding some flour and reducing the liquid. No waste!

For some ruffage, I blanched some snap peas, sliced some red peppers and chopped some red onions for a Soy-Ginger Snap Pea Salad

Soy-Ginger Snap Pea Salad

1/4 c soy-ginger sauce (see below)

3 c snap peas, blanched and cooled

2 red peppers, thinly sliced

1/4 red onion, minced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marinate for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Soy-Ginger Sauce

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp oyster sauce

1/4 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

salt

pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

That was the tropical end of the table. I went basic when it came to the lamb chops. Let it be known I've never cooked a lamb chop in my entire life. In hindsight, I'd probably french the chops, but who am I kidding, I don't have the skills for that...yet.

I took a chance and tossed a bunch of flavors together and pan seared the chops (I had no patience to deal with the oven/broiler). I served them with some bitter greens to round the meal out.

Rosemary Lemon Lamb Chops

8-10 lamb chops

1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

zest of one lemon

olive oil

Combine rosemary, salt, garlic, salt, pepper and zest in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on lamb chops and liberally sprinkle rosemary mixture on each side. Heat a pan over medium high heat and cook chops for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Arugula Salad with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

3 c baby arugula salad

1/4 c red onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato, quartered and cut in half

1 tbsp dijon mustard

salt

pepper

splash rice wine vinegar

splash maple syrup

juice of half a lemon

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Whisk mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, syrup, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl, set aside. Combine arugula, onion and tomato in a large bowl. Mix in dressing (you won't need all of it) to lightly coat greens.

After dinner, we quickly packed up since my parents and I had a long drive to DC. See, I may have coerced them into driving down with me to help pack. What? I'm all by my lonesome! hehe. No joke, my parents got SO much done on Monday while I was at work. I came home and bookshelves were taken down, furniture taken apart. SUCH a relief! They walked down to the store and we decided to grab dinner at...wait for it...Paragon Thai! Surprise!

We split three dishes family style (duh) and had a bunch leftover. I told my mom about the Tofu Pad Thai (slightly spicy) that I like

And my dad eyed the Spicy Tofu with Crispy Thai Basil special (and of course I forgot the actual name since it's been a few days). It was no joke spicy...and slightly sweet. Sort of like a really spicy General Tso.

Also on the table was the Angel Eggplant special (eggplant, minced chicken, tofu in a light brown sauce?). This was probably my favorite dish of the night. What can I say, I love eggplant! The flavor reminded me a little of Chicken Ka Pow, which I love. Two thumbs up!

AGH! So much food! It doesn't end there! My mom took charge of the kitchen on Tuesday and whipped up a Broccoli Rabe, Shrimp and Corn concoction.

I have no idea what went into this flavor-wise...except I did see some garlic...and she asked for some teriyaki sauce, which I didn't have.

WOOH! *BIG deep breath* Sorry for the length...I had a TON of photos I needed to dump in here. I think I've got all the weekend goodies covered :) I'll see if I can get that last recipe from the momma.

Off to crash...looking at all these piles of things to be packed/sold/tossed is making me tired!