An Engagement At Abe & Arthur's

How could you possibly say "no" when your boyfriend uses a tower of injectable donuts as his proposal prop? Congrats Tom and Jennie- and thanks for sharing (the engagement and the donuts)!

Market Mondays: Roasted Beet And Yogurt Salad

This week's edition of Market Mondays focuses on beets- one of my favorite, go-to winter veggies. A roasted beet is incredibly delicious standing on its own, but I decided to pair one with a creamy, tangy yogurt for one of the simplest salads I've ever made. Fresh microgreens, crunchy caramelized walnuts, and bright Meyer lemon olive oil round out the dish. My recipe for roasted beet and yogurt salad is below.

Roasted Beet And Yogurt Salad
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plain yogurt (preferably Greek)
2 tablespoons microgreens, washed and dried
1 large beet, roasted, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon caramelized walnuts, coarse chop
salt and pepper, to taste
Meyer lemon olive oil, to finish
Preparation:

1. Spread yogurt on plate, top with greens and beet chunks, and sprinkle walnuts over top.

2. Add a dash of salt and pepper and finish with a drizzle of Meyer lemon olive oil.

Plain yogurt works well, but the tanginess of Greek is preferred in this dish
A basket of microgreens- a rarity in winter
Red beets- in all sizes
The finished salad- perfect to brighten up a winter day

Fat Fridays: New York Natural Pudding Co.

New York Natural Pudding Co.'s rice puddings are made in small batches in Westbury, New York and recently became available in my local gourmet food store, Garden Of Eden. Flavors include Broadway Belgian Chocolate, Verazzano Vanilla Bean, Coney Island Coconut, Cobble Hill Coffee, Soho Orange Zest, and this week's Fat Fridays indulgence- Canal Street Cookies'n Cream. Packaged in a 12 oz. container (it supposedly serves 3- I ate the entire thing solo), the Cookies'n Cream pudding is undeniably creamy, loaded with soft rice and flecked with chocolate cookie pieces. It is an instant winner.

A spoonful of New York Natural Pudding Co.'s Cookies'n Cream rice pudding

Flu Remedy: The Juice Press

I was completely out of commission the past several days (hence no Market Mondays this week). Like a silent assassin, flu symptoms took over my body in the middle of the night and wreaked havoc for days. I honestly can't remember being so violently sick, and so weak, and so sad that I couldn't get near my baby (not surprisingly, my husband proved he could easily manage as a single dad- although somehow the ability to do laundry escapes him, so our son would likely be sporting a new outfit every day of the week). Once the illness worked itself through my system, I focused on recovering with rest and plenty of fluids. My drink of choice for a surefire flu remedy- The Juice Press' pineapple tropi-zyme.

Combining pineapple juice, ginger, and wheatgrass, pineapple tropi-zyme is touted as a great recovery drink for workouts, hangovers, flu symptoms, and burning man events (it also apparently stops hallucinations in case you're in the market for a hallucination stopper). Not the most appetizing of beverages (I'm a fan of ginger, but this drink is incredibly ginger heavy- so much so that it burns your nose), the 8-ounce bottle worked its magic quickly...I was back in business later that day, a little worse for the wear.

A small bottle of the green concoction will set you back $7

Fast acting, allowing me to get back to more important things...

Fat Fridays: Argo Tea

It's no secret that a hot cup of tea is my all-time favorite drink; a tall glass of smooth chocolate milk is a not so distant second. Argo Tea's White FrosTea Chocolate perfectly combines the best of both drinks in one froth-topped treat. Made with white tea, white chocolate, steamed milk (as always- nonfat, 2%, soy, or almond milk are available), and a hint of mint, the seasonal specialty has become a favorite Fat Friday's indulgence this winter.

The seasonal White FrosTea Chocolate
Topped with frothy goodness

Market Mondays: Baked Eggs In Jersey Tomato Sauce

I love eggs- breakfast, lunch, dinner- I can eat eggs all day long. That's why this week's edition of Market Mondays brings eggs center stage- for a quick, wholesome, protein-packed dinner. I picked up a vegetarian sauce from the Union Square Greenmarket; made with Jersey plum tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, salt, pepper, white wine and extra virgin olive oil, mixed in torn spinach, and poured it into a small casserole dish. I cracked two eggs over top, gave it a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and let it bake in a 350 degree oven until the eggs whites were set and the yolks were still runny, about 15 minutes. When the dish was ready to come out of the oven, I topped it with fresh thyme leaves and scooped it up, piping hot, with a crusty sourdough baguette.

Tomatoes were scarce at Monday's Greenmarket, but jars of canned tomato soup and sauce were in abundance

Fresh spinach leaves
I picked up a dozen free range eggs after passing on Raghoo's elk meat
A reasonable price for a bunch of fresh thyme sprigs
Bagged sourdough baguettes
Before the parmesan is added
The finished dish, with two slices of sourdough bread

Steel-Cut Oats In Almond Milk

Chewy steel-cut oats, nutty almond milk, sweet currants, crunchy caramelized pecans, and smooth maple syrup combine for an energy boosting breakfast, so good it could easily double as a dessert. As a time-saver, the base of this simple two-step recipe can be prepped in advance, stored in the fridge, and re-heated in the microwave.

Steel-Cut Oats In Almond Milk (serves 2)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 tablespoons caramelized pecan pieces
Maple syrup, to finish
Preparation:
1. Bring almond milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add oats and currants and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer uncovered until liquid is absored and oats are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
2. Divide oat mixture among two bowls and top with caramelized pecan pieces and a drizzle of maple syrup.