Dessert Pasta

Yes, that's right.  Dark chocolate linguine.

Obviously not dinner fare.  If you want the official recipe, check out Pappardelle's website.  If you want yummy pictures of our version, look out below!

We added in some rhubarb to the strawberry sauce and subbed out heavy cream in favor of mascarpone. 

Locals, check out the Issaquah Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings to get your own dark chocolate linguine.  This stuff would be killer with a peach topping as well.

The rest of you can order the pasta directly online.  Let me know what toppings and serving ideas you come up with!

Summer Sweataway: Part III: The No Shoe Solution

Back in the hotel after our tour and tasting, we decided to hit up the fitness center before using our gift card at the hotel's restaurant.

Gorgeous room!!!

We planned to run on the treadmills together...but instead we ran into a problem.  I'd left my running shoes at home.

So...Jared ran and I did abs and yoga...really not a bad idea after being crammed in your car for 6+ hours.  I felt refreshed and relaxed, just in time for happy hour!

Not the greatest...but we rarely get photos together...

The atmosphere was so relaxed...no noisy crazy folks!

And here's what we ate...Jared got the burger, obviously.

We decided to forego dessert - it's a great way to save on money and calories.  Instead, we headed back to our room and broke out some special caramels I bought Jared at the Bellevue Farmer's Market!

Good way to end a great day!

Coming up...we finally got our bike ride!!!

Cheese, Gromit!

Any Wallace and Gromit fans out there?  Everyone knows the moon's made of cheese, but if you aren't the type that can build an orange spaceship in your basement, try your local farmer's market for some equally tasty varieties!

Cheese is pretty much awesome, because it can be a vibrant part of any meal, dress up salads, or form a tasty snack all on its own!  This particular special cheddar found a great gig as a leading player in a healthy and delicious omlette.

I love eggs.  Love, love, love them.  Breakfast is probably my favorite meal...I eat it three times a day and sometimes even again for dinner.  (I swear I'm part hobbit - I eat breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, etc.) 

Back when I wasn't much of a cook, I would joke that I made a mean eggs and toast...which was, in fact, true.  I would load up with ham, shredded cheddar cheese, and serve it all with a buttered english muffin...or a QFC maple bar.

These days I still love my eggs...but I try to make them a little healthier so I can relish the taste and the effect on my body.  Omlettes are a super awesome ninja spy sneaky way to add more vegetables into your diet.  The one below is particularly good for ladies since it packs a walloping iron punch.  The spicy sausage and intense cheese offer a lot of flavor, so you can nix the salt!

I'm not going to provide a recipe for this guy since the photos are pretty self-explanatory.  If you're a desperate rule-follower and you want a recipe...let me know and I'll make one up to soothe your conscience.

Black Bean Pasta

The Issaquah Farmer's Market has this amazing pasta booth with all kinds of variety in pasta types and ingredients/flavors.  Pasta is awesome because it's a great simple start to dinner (all you have to know is how to boil water) and then you can add whatever protein and veggies you want!  Here's what we did with the black bean version:

Black Bean Carbonara Pasta

What you need:

• Black bean pasta
• Bacon
• Eggs
• Orange bell pepper
• Parmigiano reggiano
• Olive or canola oil

What you do:

• Cook pasta for no more than 8-10 minutes...al dente is more Italian and also makes for better leftovers.
• Fry bacon and eggs with canola oil in a pan.
• When eggs and bacon are half-cooked, add chopped bell pepper.
• Put pasta in bowls.  Add bacon, eggs, and bell pepper.
• Grate fresh parmigiano on top and serve.  Add ground black pepper if desired.

Note: don't overcook the egg yolks.  Serve one egg in each bowl of pasta and allow the yolk to be the sauce.

Meghan and the Five Dollar Tomato

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Meghan, who loved working out and eating fresh, healthy food.  One fine spring day, Meghan decided to walk around at a local farmer's market, looking for produce to use during that week's meals.  She bought cilantro and dill and a large bunch of rainbow chard...and then she saw it: a booth full of all kinds of wonderful, multicolored tomatoes!  It was like walking into a vegetable production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The most fearful point of our tale comes when Meghan nearly collapsed from the agony of choosing just which beautiful tomato to take home.  Rest assured, dear readers, she struggled bravely on and finally made her choice: a large Pineapple Tomato in vibrant yellow.  She picked it up, sacrificed her five dollar bill, and gently placed the rescued P.T. in her reusable shopping bag.

And they lived happily ever after.  THE END

Farmer's Market Tomato and Rainbow Chard Salad

What you need:

• Rainbow chard
• Pineapple tomato
• Olive oil
• Brown sugar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Black pepper
• Sweetened dried cherries
• Pumpkin seeds

What you do:

• Cut your tomato into pretty slices
• Chop up rainbow chard (raw for optimal nutrient value) and put into bowls
• Arrange tomato slices atop chard
• Mix about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• Add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and freshly ground black pepper
• Drizzle dressing on your salad
• Add a handful each of pumpkin seeds and dried cherries
• Round out your meal with cilantro steak tacos

Taco Time

Half the battle of healthy eating is that it's inconvenient - so here's a pretty quick way to give yourself two healthy meals:

TACOS.

Easy dinner with onions from the farmer's market...plus you can take KILLER leftovers to work!!!

When chopping veggies, chop more than you need and save them. 
It'll save time on your next meal.

See?  No boring sandwich!

Farmer's Market Date

Out of good date ideas? 

Check out your local farmer's market! 

PNWers, here's a list of markets near you.

These Danish pastry balls were AMAZING. 
All kinds of fillings (raspberry/walnut, lemon curd/blueberry...)

We REALLY like pastries

Pasta titles at this place indicate ingredients, not just flavor!

Our pick for this visit

Me with my Fitness-Face-off reward!

Seriously...one of the best things you can do for your marriage is make time to keep dating each other.  The stress of work and alarms and laudry is REALLY unromantic and turns even the most devoted lovers into tired, cranky roommates.  When money/time is tight (it's always one or the other...or BOTH), get creative!  Keep it chill and just focus on enjoying each other's company.



Obviously flowers and sweets never hurt.