Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by GOODFOODS but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

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Hi, everyone! I have to admit - this week hasn't been my best week. I've had all sorts of technical issues when it comes to work, but I just keep telling myself,

"Chill. It's just a camera, not an arm or a leg."

However, having one of my 'babies' behave erratically during an already chaotic time is not exactly in my favor. And I also experienced, once again, the lesson of saving your work every five minutes. I know, I know. Before you lecture me about this, writers, perhaps, have a tendency to get in 'the zone' and will automatically forget to save every few minutes. I know, hit CTL + S and you're good to go - alas, when I did, my computer crashed and needed to restart. So three hours of (IMO) a pretty snazzy article had to be redone from the start. Dislike button, much? Ugh, it really irks me when too much is happening all at once and you feel like you'll never finish anything. But with discipline & hard-earned perseverance, there's nothing I cannot do! I will overcome and conquer! It's all about knowing what's really important and keep on keeping on, right?  

Which is why I partnered with GOODFOODS and had to #SHARETHEGOODNESS of fresh, never artificial-anything, ingredients when it comes to pre-made foods. Whenever it get absolutely crazy around the Spiegoski-Decamps house, I try and 'cheat' my way around certain steps when it comes to cooking. No, nothing like a tv-dinner, but rather, shortcuts or an alternative way to get through a recipe and save time & energy. Yet still remaining true to healthy eating and incorporating that into our lifestyle daily. 

Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon

photos + recipe by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large Sweet Potato, cooked, unpeeled and mashed

4 slices Bacon, cooked

4-5 GOODFOODS Grab N' Go Chunky Guacamole

1/4c. Kimchi, chopped

1/4c. chicken broth

salt & pepper, evoo

Directions:

1. Clean sweet potatoes leaving skin on. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes until tender.
2. Remove potatoes from water and cool. Peel and smash with fork. Mix in chicken broth, evoo, and s&p.
3. Plate tortilla chips down on serving plate. Use a dollop of mashed sweet potato on each chip, followed by GOODFOODS Chunky Guacamole, bacon and kimchi.
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

What I loved about GOODFOODS's Grab & Go Chunky Guacamole was not only did it come with tortilla chips perfect for appetizers along with the freshness of the guacamole, but its high quality taste. When you think of anything pre-made, your first instinct would be, 'no', but you want to know what is on their ingredients label? Hass avocados, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, lime juice, sea salt and garlic. Doesn't get anymore fresh than that! And this appetizer is perfect for any game day, no matter the team or sport, the combined flavors will leave everyone happy! Can make it for any tailgate or just an everyday snack too! I have to admit though, I'm more of a basketball fan rather than my husband's fascination with football. Boys.. ;)

You can find other GOODFOODS products here. They have different kinds of guacamole and other dips like a Greek yogurt one. Does artichoke jalapeño or feta cucumber sound enticing? Trust me when I say this, you won't be disappointed when you #SHARETHEGOODNESS with #GOODFOODS. To find a GOODFOODS store near you go here.

This post is sponsored by GOODFOODS, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

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PHOTOS + VIDEOGRAPHY BY: SUZANNE SPIEGOSKI 

{NEW VIDEO PRESS PLAY} The latest on our YouTube channel - How to Make Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon! Mmmmm... Catch the RECIPE at www.suzannespiegoski.com Be sure to #Subscribe for new videos every week to see more of my style, food & cooking, beauty tutorials and more!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Lavender Soju Lemonade

Happy Thirsty Thursday, everyone! I'm delighted to share with you not only a new cocktail recipe, but my very first food & cooking video, made by yours truly! I literally did everything by myself! Just a quick mention: I know a lot of you have asked me in the past who does my photos, who edits them, etc.; when many have assumed they were strictly done by my husband (who, yes, is a pretty well-known and very talented photographer) but besides the editorial fashion shoots we try and do once a week, everything else is my own content! And when it comes to video editing, that's all done by me too. Interesting fact? I learned how to cut & edit music, plus video, from my childhood figure skating days! And with photos of myself, if it is not mentioned that it's a self-portrait photograph, the pictures of me are done by my love. :)

Now back to the lecture at hand... ha ha! I've been in a creative rut lately, feeling like my recent work has been flat. Something didn't fit quite right. Yes, I'm a perfectionist and am completely guilty of being hard on myself (too much at times). But as they say, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!' I've never worked with lavender in terms of culinary use, and when the idea of a refreshing yet soothing cocktail came up on a 'last days of summer' drinks story, I knew these little enchanting flowers were the perfect choice! Plus, having the excuse to buy extra lavender is always a good one. My whole apartment smells inviting yet calming. 

My favorite part was removing the flowers from its stems. The aroma is intoxicating, I couldn't get enough of it! You can steep it for less or more than the 10 minutes I did. For a lighter scent, I'd recommend 5 minutes. If you really want to kick it up a notch, I'd go for a little bit longer than the 10. Observe the coloring, as the more it steeps, the darker the color. I also really enjoyed watching the colors combine with each other. The dark purple with the bright, vibrant yellow from the lemon juice. You can also use a juicer if you're not a fan of squeezing 'em by hand. 

Lavender Soju Lemonade

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1c. lavender flowers
2c. boiling water
2c. cold water
1c. lemon juice
1c. sugar
5fl. oz. soju
1 tray ice cubes

Directions:

Place freshly cut lavender flowers in a pitcher; pour the boiling water over lavender; cover with plastic wrap and allow to steep 10 minutes; strain and discard the lavender from the water and return the water to the pitcher. Add cold water, lemon juice, and sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in soju, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a stem of lavender. Enjoy!

I also used pure organic cane sugar to be on the healthy side. (Even though I'm a sugar addict) And then the most important ingredient! I always use Charm Soju when it comes to this Korean liquor. It's my favorite and the quality is high. The secret is to add it last. You'll want the sugar to completely dissolve before mixing in the soju. I kept it light and simple when it came to serving the drinks. Over several ice cubes and a stem of lavender, I kept the garnishing straight-forward. But the idea of also turning these cocktails into a slushies did come to mind. Or perhaps Korean shaved-iced? Now that would be a fun cocktail to do! (Hint, hint!) 

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the latest cocktail recipe I created! Be sure to check out the how-to video I also made down below! (Full steps included.) We hope you enjoyed the lavender Korean-fusion inspired lemonade we shared with you today and that you are soaking up as much fun in the sun before summer ends. Coming up on the blog, a brand spanking new travel diary (so excited to go!) and lots of NYFW coverage. It's gonna be a crazy, hectic next couple of weeks so brace yourselves! ;) Stay tuned... 

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Videography + photography, styling + editing by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Hey everyone! I got into a bit of a creative funk the past few days, so instead of whining about it I did this! It's my first food & cooking video! Better yet, it's how to make lavender soju lemonade! Cheers!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Ramen Breakfast Toast

Every now and again I come across a recipe that completely blows me away. Case in point: Cravings. Christine is a writer/food blogger with a talent in food photography as well. I'm always left inspired after visiting her work, but when I came across her ramen breakfast toast on Beautiful Cuisines on Instagram, I had to re-create it! I've never tried making ramen 'toast' and was extremely curious how this recipe would pan out, let alone how it would taste together with all the different flavors. And oh boy, let me just say - they invented #foodgasm specifically for this toast. 

First the latest food trend was all about rice buns, and now ramen toast. And I can understand why. All you need is some salt and eggs to coat the cooked ramen before frying it in a pan (individually) with a little bit of vegetable oil. It was not that difficult to make, though I will say that if you're not that confident at boiling eggs, just be sure to make extra for back-up. To get that nice, soft runny egg, time it at 6.5 minutes. But like I said, it depends on a lot of factors so just put a couple more eggs in for good measure. You'll be good to go!

Breakfast Ramen Toast

Serves 4
Recipe by: What Do You Crave

Photos by: Suzanne Spiegoski // Recipe by: What Do You Crave 

Ingredients:
2 packets instant ramen
4 eggs
Salt
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup diced tomato
1 small jalapeno, minced
¼ cup diced red onion
1-2 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce*
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 lime
1 avocado
Nori
Chili flakes, optional
Sriracha, optional

Directions:

Make the Ramen “Toast”
Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water for about 15 seconds.
Whisk together two eggs with a little salt and carefully mix in noodles.
Divide noodles evenly into 4 ramekins or bowls. Use plastic wrap to press noodles into bottom of the bowls and help hold shape.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Soft-boiled Eggs
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Carefully add in 2 eggs, one at a time, with a slotted spoon.
Cook for about 6.5 minutes for a soft, runny yolk and set white. Use a timer!
This takes practice to get right and sometimes you may find you need to adjust your cooking time to get it just right. I would recommend cooking a few extra eggs at different increments just to test it out.
Remove eggs with spoon and place into an ice bath to stop cooping process. Carefully peel and set aside until ready to use.

Prep your Toppings
Combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, ginger, and juice from half a lime in a bowl.
Add in 1 Tbsp. of sweet soy sauce and taste test before adding more. Not all soy sauce is created equal, some are saltier than others.
Mix to combine and set aside.
Slice avocado however you see fit and use the other half of the lime to prevent it from turning brown.

Cook “Toast” and Assemble
In a large non-stick pan heat a thin layer of vegetable oil over medium heat.
Carefully plop noodle “toast” out into pan. I’d do one at a time.
Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until lightly crisp and golden.
Top each toast with nori, ¼ of the avocado slices, ¼ cup pico de gallo, and ½ of a soft boiled egg.
Serve with chili flakes or Sriracha and enjoy!

In the recipe there's a delightful homemade pico de gallo (I always manage to sting my fingers after chopping up jalapeños ha ha) with a nice heat to it. Adding thin layers of avocado brings a creamy buttery sensation to the mix. And the seaweed combined with the soft boiled egg? It's tastes a lot like regular ramen noodle soup, but without all the slurping and with varied textures. For more spiciness, add Sriracha sauce and red pepper chili flakes. I totally loved making this dish! And it's not just for breakfast, you can have this for lunch and dinner too!

I can't wait to do my own twist on the ramen breakfast toast. There's so many ways to make it! You could use kimchi, sausage, radish, and other breakfast-like toppings. So glad I was able to work with a recipe first that not only was had me try something new, but more especially, discovering new tastes in flavors. Thanks again, Christine for such an awesome recipe! I could have waited and done my own creation on this idea, but this one was too good not to share! To see more of Christine and her overall super star-ness, go check out Cravings now!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Kimchi Potato Salad

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! On this day it is my tradition to cook like a mad woman in the kitchen. I normally barbecue ribs or fry up some chicken, but since creating my blog, I've been heavily creating most of my recipes to be Korean-fusion inspired. One of my favorite side dishes for an occasion like today is classic-American potato salad. If you know me well, I could survive off of potatoes. Must be the Polish in me.    

So I created my traditional potato salad, but with a twist! I added in some Napa cabbage Kimchi, juice included, to give this dish some heat and tanginess. For extra spice, I also included a couple of generous tablespoons of gochujang, a Korean red pepper paste. I would say this can be optional if you're not as much into spiciness like I am. If you're not into spice at all, you can omit the gochujang along with the kimchi and still make an awesome OG potato salad. :) 

Be sure not to over cook either the potatoes or eggs. A mushy potato salad is neither appealing or very tasteful. In terms of texture, you want to make sure the potatoes are cooked tender but still firm. This usually takes about fifteen minutes. As for the eggs, always submerge them in cold water rather than hot when you first begin to cook them. This prevents the eggs from cracking and becoming overcooked. 

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Kimchi Potato Salad

Ingredients:
5 potatoes
3 eggs
16 oz cabbage kimchi, chopped with juice
2 Tbsp gochujang
1c celery, chopped
1/2c red onion, chopped
1/2c sweet pickle relish
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp Alderwood smoked sea salt
1/4 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp prepared Dijon mustard
1/4c mayonnaise
fresh ground black pepper to taste
black sesames seeds and scallion for garnish

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine kimchi, gochujang, celery, onion, relish, garlic salt, alderwood smoked sea salt, celery salt, mustard, mayonnaise and pepper. Add in potatoes and eggs. Mix together well and refrigerate until chilled.

For garnish, I used green onion for color and crispness, (red onion is also best in a potato salad, in my opinion, for these reasons as well) and black sesame seeds for the final detail. This side dish is perfect to bring to any barbecue or family/friend get-together, especially on a day like today, or any other summer event you may have planned for the remainder of the season. This did not last long in my kitchen!  

Don't go too far, I've got new and exciting posts coming later this week! One post will be focusing on MaQ and dog walking in a big city such as New York and I will also be sharing my very first travel diary from our anniversary trip to Cape Cod last week! I can't wait to share! In the meantime, have a fun & safe Fourth. Love you all! God Bless America. 

LOVE & XX'S,

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Tuna Poke Bowl with Avocado Rose

I had my first real scare with MaQ. Since Thursday, my baby had not been feeling very well. He's been lethargic with little-to-no appetite. After consistent vomiting from yesterday morning up until the afternoon, his bile had gone from yellow to a rust-like color. I immediately freaked out -thinking it was possibly blood. But I stayed calm for MaQ, because panicking in front of him wasn't going to do any good. I called the vet and was able to get him in within the hour. They ran blood work, with thorough checks for everything, and even gave him some anti-vomit shots (which were NOT FUN. Poor baby was wailing in the room with the doctors - the shots are ginormous and fucking stung like a bitch... even gave him man boobs/injections were on the side of his shoulders.) It completely broke my heart to hear him in pain, even if only temporarily. Let's just say that I did not sleep well at all last night. 

However, the results from the blood work came back this morning and he's as healthy as can be! Looks like he caught a stomach bug or maybe ate something that didn't agree with him. But I'm 100% careful with what he consumes and he's not the type of dog to go off scavenging for scraps through the streets of New York (GROSS). So I'm still not exactly sure what caused him to be sick. Regardless, I am just so thankful my baby is okay. It's the very first time in almost 4-years of being together, he's gotten quite sick. I'd never seen him not act like himself, and quite frankly, this incident had me reeling! Always follow your instincts, it's better to be safe than sorry, and with all the craziness of the world, it's been an eventful couple of days. (So, apologies for being MIA and not being as active on social media.) I am in need of recuperating with MaQ. 

Tuna Poke Bowl with Avocado Rose

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 1 Salad

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ponzu sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 ounces sushi grade tuna, diced in large chunks
½ mango, diced in large chunks or made into mango balls
½ cup store-bought seaweed salad
2 cups loosely packed spring lettuce mix
1 avocado, sliced & rolled into a rose
A sprinkle of black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, ponzu sauce and sesame oil until well blended.
2. Add the tuna, mango and seaweed salad to a bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon or so of the dressing. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and stir to coat.
3. In a different bowl, coat the spring lettuce mix with the rest of the dressing. Top with the tuna mixture. Create an avocado rose and place in center. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

I made a vibrant dish to cheer us up from the scare. There's nothing like a home-cooked meal or a bowl of delicious fresh ingredients to make you feel better. One of my favorite things to eat during the summer is poke bowls. I love a meal where you can variate between common ingredients and elevate it to something more sophisticated. That's what I've been loving from Secret Squirrel Food, an awesome Dubai food blogger who began the 'avocado rose' trend. Karen has created roses with numerous types of fruits and vegetables, from cucumber, tomatoes, to blueberries and even kiwi, she is innovative and promotes healthy-eating along the way. I love her positive vibe and her authenticity. You should check out her videos, great stuff! 

So I placed an avocado rose as a part of the plating for this dish. I even made mango balls, from a melon ball scooper to give it a more aesthetic appeal, even putting one in the very center of the rose, to contrast with the green, yellow, and even purple from the bowl. What do you guys think? Doesn't it look so cute and pretty? I had a hard time devouring it because of it's beautiful appearance! But trust me, it was absolutely awesome. A great, light, healthy summer dish to have on repeat to your diet. 

LOVE & XX'S,

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