Couscous with Chicken, Chevre, and Cranberries

I feel like dinner has been a struggle lately. Can anyone else identify with that? When I get home from work, I'm so hungry that all I want to do is shovel down a bowl of cereal for my evening meal. (And I'm talking Lucky Charms or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I'm not messing with the healthy stuff.) I can't imagine putting forth the effort to make hot dinner; it would be at least as hard as climbing Mt. Everest. Maybe harder.

When I can think of something to make that's fast--something that involves leftovers or cooks at warp speed--I'm sold. And if it can be eaten all together in a bowl (as if it was cereal), all the better.

P.S. Today's recipe made me chuckle to myself: Four words that start with "C" in one recipe. I'm so clever.

Couscous with Chicken, Chevre, and Cranberries
Serves: 4

1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Water will get the job done, too.)
1 7.6-ounce package couscous*
2.5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups cooked, diced chicken
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2/3 cup dried cranberries
3 ounces crumbled chevre (a.k.a. goat cheese...but that didn't start with a "c")
Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Allow couscous to sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Stir lemon juice, olive oil, chicken, almonds, and dried cranberries into couscous. Gently fold in crumbled goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*I usually have a 7.6-ounce box of couscous on hand. If you buy your couscous in bulk (which is probably the smarter and thriftier way to do things), 7.6 ounces is about 1 1/3 cups of uncooked couscous.

Sponge Bobs (a.k.a. Yogurt-sicles)

The husband and I drove way down south to Illinois last weekend to meet up with some pals from college and their three beautiful children. While the men went golfing, the women-folk spent some time around the homestead. We ate a leisurely breakfast, took a walk, and chatted up a storm.

When hunger pangs struck around 12:30 and the husbands were still on the links, Sarah came to the rescue with a delicious snack to hold us over until lunchtime: Sponge Bobs.

I'll pause here because the name of this treat may be a bit confusing. You see, Sarah has a 2-year-old who loves a certain cartoon character who lives in a pineapple under the sea, and she named the snack after the illustration on the packaging. Sponge Bobs are actually yogurt-sicles. (And "yogurt-sicles" may not be any less confusing.)

Anyway, this is a little bit of a cheat in the recipe department, since you don't actually make Sponge Bobs, but they are so easy, refreshing, and wonderful that I had to share the "recipe" with you all. As you can see from the photo below, they are the perfect, portable treat to enjoy while you're working on your laptop. In fact, I might go get one right now...

Sponge Bobs (a.k.a. Yogurt-sicles)
From: Sarah

Buy a box of yogurt tubes (such as Go-Gurt*).

Put them in the freezer until they have frozen solid.

Cut off the top of the packaging, wrap it with a napkin so your fingers don't get too cold, and eat the frozen yogurt like a popsicle.

*Sarah had Go-Gurt at her house, but I bought Stonyfield Farms yogurt tubes when I tried this at home. I have to admit, I think the Go-Gurt ones are the best.

Balsamic Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese

I was looking for an easy side dish, and I decided to throw together a few items from my pantry and fridge: Quinoa from the ginormous bag I bought at Costco, my favorite balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese that was on its last legs. It was simple and easy, just what I was looking for.

But the best part? The leftovers.

The husband and I were standing in the kitchen the next night, debating what we wanted to do for dinner. Again, I started rummaging through the cabinets. When I told the husband my idea, he was dubious. He thought take-out might be a better option than the concoction I dreamed up, but decided to trust my taste buds. And he was glad he did; we were fighting for the last forkful.

Balsamic Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese
Serves: 4-6

1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper

Place water, broth, and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Stir in vinegar, olive oil, and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan cheese.

And here's the bonus recipe for your leftovers! Sorry I don't have any pictures; we ate it too fast.

Balsamic Quinoa with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Serves: 2

1 cup leftover Balsamic Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
1 cup cooked, diced sweet potatoes (I used these frozen ones.)
1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Salt and pepper

Gently stir together Balsamic Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese, chicken, sweet potatoes, and pecans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm (the husband's preference) or at room temperature.

Australia: Part III

This is the third and final installment of Australian food from our vacation. Part III: Melbourne. I hope you've enjoyed eating around Oz as much as I did!

Acland Cake Shop

The husband and I took a train from Melbourne to the darling suburb of St. Kilda. We strolled on the boardwalk and soaked up the sun. Then we ate cake for lunch. Don't judge. Check out the window of this place:

How could we not eat cake for lunch? I ordered some magical concoction called a caramel slice. Shortbread, a thick, creamy layer of caramel, and dark chocolate on top.

The husband chose a vanilla slice with flaky layers of pastry, vanilla custard, and a Milwaukee-style snowfall of powdered sugar. Glory be. I wanna go back there right now.

EARL Canteen
Website: www.earlcanteen.com.au

As you may have gathered, I love sandwiches and eat my fair share of them. The Chicken & Chips sandwich at EARL Canteen will go down as one of my all-time favorites. The restaurant's menu describes it best, "roast free-range chicken, crushed peas, candied bacon, aioli, potato crisps." Sigh. It would be worth a 14-hour plane ride just to get this sandwich again.

Cafe Vic
Website: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/your-visit/eat-drink-shop/cafe-vic

When we were in Melbourne, the husband and I went to the opera for the first time. "How cultured!" You may be thinking to yourself. Well, I won't burst your bubble and tell you that I got sleepy and had to take a little snooze during the second act.

Before "Fiiiiiiiiigaro!" we grabbed some grub at the Melbourne Arts Centre's cafeteria, Cafe Vic. I use the word "cafeteria" very loosely. Yes, you carried your food to the table on a tray, but the entree wasn't mystery meat. It was crispy pork belly with roasted potatoes and veggies. Now that's a cafeteria I can get on board with.

Cafenatics
Website: www.cafenatics.com.au

The entire city of Melbourne is crazy for coffee. Seriously. The cafe culture rocks my socks off. The only sad thing is...I don't drink coffee. But I really enjoyed the tea! And I loved to listen to people place their orders for exotic concoctions. Apparently a "flat white" is like a latte without the foam. Who would've thunk?

At this little cafe tucked into a side street, I enjoyed one of the best muffins I've ever eaten in my life. It was a raspberry pear muffin with streusel topping. Just the right amount of fruitiness and sweetness and tenderness. And with a steaming cup of tea, it was just so lovely.

Australia, you are lovely. Thanks for the memories. And thanks for the food.

Australia: Part II

On Wednesday I gave you Part I of our vacation. Vegemite, capsicum, Weetabix...it was good stuff. Today, I'll share a few meals the husband and I ate while we were in Sydney, Australia.

Sydney Fish Market
Website: www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au

Look at these fun guys! They're called "bugs!"

I knew we were at a good fish place when it didn't have a fishy stench; it smelled like the ocean. In addition to the fresh seafood you could purchase to prepare at home, there were tons of places to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, my preggo guts weren't feeling like fish, so I ordered a prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich. It wasn't seafood, but it was delish.

The husband made up for it, though, with lobster bearnaise: Australian lobster (not as rich as the stuff we get in the States, he said) slathered with a buttery cheese sauce and broiled to perfection.

Food on Five
Website: www.westfield.com.au/sydney/store-profiles/cafes-restaurants/level5

When I was in junior high, my friends and I would go to the mall food court for Auntie Anne's cinnamon sugar pretzels. If we asked nicely, they'd give us a double-dip of the buttery sugar mixture. I was always keepin' it classy.

The husband, being a clever fellow that he is, did a little Yelp research on Sydney and discovered a food court for us to grab an easy dinner one night. I was expecting Auntie Anne's. Maybe one of those Chinese food restaurants with free samples of General Tso's. I didn't know what I was in for. Food on Five at the Westfield mall in Sydney is bonkers. They have every kind of food you could imagine, and it's nice. Fancy food. Stuff they serve on real plates...no Styrofoam clamshells here.

The husband got himself a "haute dog" called the Backyarder at Snag Stand, an Australian beef sausage with coleslaw, BBQ sauce, and cheddar. Bonkers.

I, of course, got a sandwich from Reuben & Moore.

The Depot

Bondi beach is gorgeous. GORGEOUS. See?

Eating breakfast with the sun pouring down and looking out over the waves was a pretty wonderful start to the day. Add to that toasted banana bread with ricotta and berry compote, and I think it may have been perfect.

I really thought I'd only have two days worth of Aussie food to share, but there's more. I can't withhold any of these fantastic finds! I need to share this stuff! Monday will be the last of it though. At least I think so...

Australia: Part I

As I mentioned, the husband and I were lucky enough to spend our vacation in Australia. We visited Sydney and Melbourne, and both cities were wonderful. The scenery was gorgeous, and the people were very kind. But since we're hungry folks, the husband and I were curious what the land down under would have to offer in the food department. We were not disappointed. I hope you enjoy my little foodie tour...

Australia Part I: "Different" Food

Vegemite
A post on Australian food wouldn't be complete without a mention of Vegemite. The husband and I were enjoying breakfast one morning, and we had the option of jam, peanut butter, or Vegemite for our toast. Obviously I grabbed PB&J. (I've told you how I feel about peanut butter and jelly.) Being the brave one in our family, the husband reached for a packet of Vegemite and spread a thin layer on his bread. Tasting it, he proclaimed, "Not bad!" My fears assuaged, I gave it a nibble, too. I would describe the flavor as soy sauce condensed into a paste. Let's just say it's not my favorite.

Weetabix
At that same breakfast, a cereal choice was Weetabix. I asked the hotel proprietor for a description, and he said it was kind of like Shredded Wheat. Then he offered to prepare me a bowl the way he would for himself. I couldn't turn that down. He placed two "bricks" of Weetabix in a bowl, poured milk over the top, and heated it up for a minute. Then he suggested I sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. It was pretty darn good! Sort of oatmeal-ish. (Is that a word?)

Potato Chips
Different countries have the most interesting potato chip flavors. The husband and I both enjoyed Honey Soy Chicken chips very much.

Capsicum??
I kept reading about "capsicum" on restaurant menus. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what it was. So I asked. "What's capsicum?" The waiter looked at me like I was a crazy person. "It's CAPSICUM." After about a week, I figured it out: Capsicum = Red Pepper. Now when you go to Australia you won't look as dumb as me.

McDonald's
Even McDonald's served up different grub in Australia. For example, the El Maco burger is garnished with taco sauce and sour cream. Although I managed to pass on the El Maco, the husband and I had to try a Double Choc Fudge McFlurry. Good gosh was that delicious. But the real question is, what's a "Bubblegum Squash McFlurry"? I guess we'll never know...

Stay tuned for Australian Food Tour Part II on Friday.

I need a vacation from my vacation.

The husband and I got back from vacation on Saturday, and I spent all day Sunday recuperating. There was  certainly no cooking, although I bravely changed out of my pajamas long enough to go to the grocery store.

Why did I need a day of utter and complete sloth after two weeks of vacation, you ask? Two reasons: 1.) The husband and I tend to vacation pretty hard. We can relax at home, but we don't want to miss anything a new town has to offer. 2.) It was a long trip home. Looooong. 14 hour plane ride + 3 hour plane ride + 2.5 hour plane ride + 2 hour drive = TIRED. 

Where did we go that required so many stinkin' hours in the air, you ask? We went to a place where Vegemite flows freely, koalas climb the trees, and The Wiggles call home. We went to the land down under. (And, yes, I am currently singing the 1982 classic by Aussie band Men at Work.) Beautiful Australia.

Of course I documented some food adventures to share with you all, but more on that later in the week. For now, I'm going to continue trying to conquer the jet lag. Wish me luck...