Sun Basket Two Breakfasts

Cheers to the long weekend! I just got back from a day retreat to Connecticut. It was such a scenic drive up to the country. I simply love fall and everything about it. We went up to escape NYC-living stress (trust me, there's nothing else quite like it) and more importantly, to catch up with a dear friend. Her parents house literally looks like a treehouse on top of the mountains. The foliage this time of year is also epic. So many rich vibrant colors, driving back today with the heat on in the car as the rain came down was somewhat magical. Romantic even. I think the reason I love taking drives so much is because of the amazing conversations I always used to have with my father. It never fails to remind me of what he taught me and to never forget how far I've come.

He wasn't the one to teach me how to cook, however. Basic 101, yes - but it was my Korean mother who taught me everything in the kitchen. And here we are on this rainy Sunday morning back home, and the usual outing is brunch. But sometimes it's even better to just stay home when the weather is really gross out. Extra cuddling equals extra warmth. And cooking at home is something I absolutely love! This morning I worked with a special two breakfasts meal kit from Sun Basket. 

Each meal serves 2, the first meal: Fried eggs with spinach and romesco. Catalan romesco is made with sweet roasted red peppers, garlic, almonds, and paprika. I never tried this sauce until today! It's sweet and nutty flavors are pure magic with the fried eggs and wilted spinach. I love a breakfast/brunch meal that's not too heavy from time to time. Food-induced comas are also pretty damn terrific, but I do try to make a habit of eating on the healthier side as well. The smoothie is even more nutritious. 

Sun Basket Two Breakfasts

photos by Suzanne Spiegoski recipe by Sunbasket

Serves 2

Fried Eggs with Spinach and Romesco

Ingredients:

4 pasture-raised organic eggs

2 ounces baby spinach

Romesco (roasted red peppers - almonds - fresh garlic - sherry vinegar - olive oil - salt - sweet smoked paprika)

1 tbsp butter

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium frying pan, heat butter until hot but not smoking. Crack the eggs directly into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are slightly runny, 2 to 3 minutes. If you prefer firmer yolks, cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the spinach to the pan, season with salt, and cook just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Transfer the spinach and eggs to individual plates and spoon the romesco on top. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Mango-Matcha Smoothie

photos by Suzanne Spiegoski recipe by Sunbasket

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Fresh ginger

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 cups mango pieces

1 ounce baby spinach

1 tbsp black chia seeds

2 tsp matcha powder

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine coconut milk and maple syrup with the ginger, mango, spinach, black chia seeds, and matcha. Add 1 cup of ice. Season lightly with salt. Blend until smooth

2. Pour into glasses and serve.

Packed with finely milled green matcha tea, this smoothie delivers a mega-dose of antioxidants and a deluxe detoxer. Also with fresh ginger, mango, spinach, black chia seeds, and coconut milk, this smoothie is heralded as an energy booster, a calorie burner, and just a great way to start your day. It certainly packed a punch and jumpstarted my morning! I couldn't wait to share my experience with Sun Basket and their amazing meal kits!

For a special discount of $30 off your purchase, please click here! Aside from the two breakfast meal, they also have a variety of other dishes such as Moroccan chicken and green curry shrimp with bok choy. I can't wait to try more of Sun Basket again! If you love healthy, fresh, and affordable meals with an ethnic twist, you definitely need to go and check them out! What are you guys up to for the long weekend? Apple picking? Pumpkin patches? Hay rides? Haunted houses? (Oh He** no). Ha ha! Whatever you're doing, I hope it is with joy and love. And lots of snuggles. Enjoy!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Matcha Popcorn with White Chocolate and Black Sesame Seeds

Happy October! My favorite month always starts off with a bang. Come the 1st day of October every year is my beautiful boy, MaQ's birthday! He is four years old today and officially a grown-up. He's still young at heart, but his demeanor is more calm nowadays. More gentleman-y. The hubby and I had plans for his birthday but unfortunately the New York weather is being extremely uncooperative, and will be raining for the next couple of days. All. Day. Long.  

photos + recipe by: © Suzanne Spiegoski 

Matcha Popcorn with White Chocolate and Black Sesame Seeds

Ingredients:

4 ounces white chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon Japanese matcha green tea

1/2 cup popcorn kernels, popped (about 8 cups popped)

Black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Place white chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring between each one, until melted.

2. Add matcha powder and stir until completely incorporated. Hello, green!

3. Place the popcorn in a large bowl and drizzle with the white chocolate mixture, tossing as you go, until popcorn is evenly coated. Season with salt. Set popcorn in refrigerator until white-chocolate coating has firmed, about 10 minutes. Break up any clump and serve. Popcorn can be stored in the refrigerator overnight using Ziplock bag.

So you know what rainy days call for. Cooking times with Suz! :) Aside from MaQ's birthday being one of the reasons why I love October so much, I also am a big fan of Halloween. I decided to make 'Frankenstein' popcorn! This is matcha green tea incorporated into melted white chocolate and the best part, with the popcorn. Mmmmm... let's not forget the wonderful black sesame seeds. Its deep, rich flavor complements with the mild sweetness from the white chocolate, overall giving this dessert a well-balanced combination in taste. Tell me a kid who wouldn't want to try this popcorn - just look at that green color!  

Instead of venturing out in the rain for MaQ's birthday this weekend, we've postponed our plans and we'll be keeping it low key and just trying to recuperate from the crazy busy month we've had. The key is to try. ;) Everyone needs to recharge their batteries every now and then. I want to check out 'The People v. O.J. Simpson' TV show, munch on some 'Frankenstein' popcorn, nap, and munch down on more deliciousness I'll be cooking later. Chicken Jardinière anyone? Perfect for gloomy, dreary days like today.

Hope you have a nice weekend. Coming up Monday on the blog, I'll be sharing another outfit post featuring my most recent pieces of jewelry and a twist on the latest reverse/backwards shirt trend, where you any shirt that buttons down in the front; you switch it to the back. Playing a lot with masculine and feminine tones together lately. Stay tuned...

LOVE & XX'S,

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MaQ Shepherd's Pie

Sponsored Post: This post is intended for 21+ and sponsored by Wente Vineyards, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Check out Wente Vineyards Wine Here.

Happy Sunday! The fall season has arrived and you know what that means - I get to cook all my favorite recipes to share with you guys! I am also discussing more about my passion in cooking today with Wente Vineyards wine! You'll rarely see me drink a glass of red during the warmer seasons, but as soon as that crisp air kicks in, I'm stocking up on a ton of pinot noir! And Wente Vineyard's Riva Ranch Pinot Noir is absolutely delicious! I had to create a hearty Autumn dish to perfectly go with my new favorite wine!  

One of my go-to fall meals is the classic Shepherd's pie (or Cottage pie as it's sometimes called). Rich in ground beef with carrot, onion, & garlic, and topped with gorgeously browned mashed potatoes, I did a tiny twist on my creation. Using the German Shepherd rolling pin from Stodola, I created thin-like biscuits to put on top of the pie. I was going to go for a rectangular pastry puff piece, but was concerned it might come out too mushy on top of the mashed potatoes. So instead I made circular biscuits using a glass. I loved how the pastry gave the dish more texture. It's flaky goodness made me oh so happy!  

MaQ Shepherd's Pie

Photos & recipe by © Suzanne Spiegoski 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1.5lbs ground beef or lamb
Olive oil
1 large carrot
1 onion
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves
1/2c red wine (Wente Vineyard Riva Ranch Pinot Noir 2014)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2c chicken broth
2Tbsp tomato paste
salt & pepper
5 large potatoes
1/4c heavy cream
3Tbsp butter
2 egg yolk
1c Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
2. Peel potatoes. Boil in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
3. Grate onion and carrot. Mince garlic and fresh herbs.
4. Add olive oil in pan and cook meat until brown. Drain grease.
5. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and salt & pepper.
6. Add thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
7. Add chicken broth. Cook on medium heat until most sauce has thickened.
8. Meanwhile, mash potatoes in a bowl. Add salt & pepper, butter, heavy cream, egg yolks and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
9. Place meat in casserole dish. Then layer with mashed potato mixture. Take a fork and lightly poke.
10. Cook in oven for 20-22 minutes. Serve immediately.

--- For the MaQ Shepherd biscuits, I used puff pastry and the German Shepherd rolling pin from here.

What's the secret to getting that nice golden color on the mashed potatoes? Parmesan cheese! I tried to focus the browning around the edges so the biscuits would have all the room they needed to also bake nicely on top.

Karl Wente, a 5th generation winemaker, blends his two passions of making wine and making music together. I love music and normally have some on while I cook (and maybe dance), and blending passions with Wente Vineyards is something you can do too! Watch Karl's video and share what inspires you or what you might pair your bottle of Wente wine with! I know I will be going through a ton more of red wines from them. :) 

Try Wente Vineyard wines and take advantage of their free shipping for a limited time only! Use code, 'JRNYSHIP1' and join the Wente newsletter to stay in touch with all things Wente! I used the Riva Ranch Pinot Noir 2014 wine to cook the minced meat with. Smooth and full of body it was also the perfect wine to accompany dinner with! I even got to enjoy dining al fresco afterward! Got to take advantage of this gorgeous weather we've been having in New York!  

What are your unexpected ways of pairing wine with your passion? I'd love to hear and see what favorite wines you all drink while out and about doing your favorite thaaaannng! Are you more into reds or whites? Maybe only rosé? Alright, Sunday Brunch is here and leftovers of MaQ Shepherd's Pie is calling my name! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everyone! 

LOVE & XX'S,

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Chilled Avocado Salad

Long holiday weekends call for easy-does-it recipes. And poolside! I'm sharing one of my oldest recipes: a chilled avocado salad. It is simple, fresh and healthy. Delicious. And the best part? AVOCADO. There's really nothing to it. Let me show you how you can make your own!

Start by whisking olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt, oregano and cumin together in a large bowl. Add chopped avocado, then toss gently to coat. I always use a silicone spatula to prevent mushing the avocado. You don't want it to look all squished together, as it looks messy. Not as appealing to eat, let alone serve.  

Chilled Avocado Salad

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into bite-size pieces
1 c. cooked brown or white rice
1/2 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

1. Whisk oil, vinegar, salt, oregano, and cumin in large bowl. Add avocado; toss gently to coat.
2. Add rice, black beans, tomato and green onion; toss gently to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy with tortilla chips. :)

Add in cooked rice, brown or white, but in this recipe I used white (non-sticky), canned black beans, tomato and green onion. Toss again to mix, season with s & p, then refrigerate for an hour before serving. I normally serve it with yellow corn chips, but any kind of tortilla chips will do just fine. 

Optionally you can also add in a little tabasco sauce for added spiciness. But sometimes it's nice to keep a dish fresh and true to its recipe. Every time I serve this at a dinner party, it's gone lickety-split. People love this appetizer, and rightfully so! What's not to enjoy?! ;)

Check out the step-by-step YouTube video down below! And be sure to subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on style, food & cooking, beauty tutorials and more! I've been passionate in my adventures in videography and love sharing not just my experiences, but the learning curve that has come with it. What's been your latest passion? Or what have you learned recently that's taken you on a new journey?  

Thanks for stopping by! We love reading your comments, questions & feedback! Be sure to comment down below and to share! We hope you enjoy the long holiday weekend! We'll be traveling for the next few days and can't wait to show you where! It's another place I've never been AND I'll also be experiencing something I've never done before either! It's going to be amazing!!! So excited! Stay tuned...

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videography + photography, styling + editing

by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I whipped up a chilled avocado salad to enjoy during the long holiday weekend! Subscribe for new videos every week http://bit.ly/21XFK0K 

Cheers! xo.

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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