Spring Forward with Fresh Eats!

Spring is upon us already in Western North Carolina. Despite a recent dip back into cool temperatures, the trees are budding, daffodils are blooming, and my baby boy is knee-deep in puddles at the park. 

I'm much more fond of the moderate seasons - Spring and Fall - and they both energize me. Fall pushes me to do all the #basic activities like apple picking, pumpkin carving (pumpkin everything, really), baking all the cinnamon-y things, and breaking out my infinity scarves and duck boots. However, Spring makes me want sweeping changes in my life. 

Saturday was a gorgeous, warm day and I took baby for a stroll downtown. As we walked, I daydreamed of all the Spring Cleaning - literal and metaphorical - that I want to do. Update the curb appeal of our house with plants, patio furniture and string lights; buy a whole new classy/cute mom wardrobe; schedule more (any?) dinner parties; commit to buying a bouquet of cut flowers every week...the list goes on and on, just like the bill. 

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture
You buy "stock" in a farm & get regular shares
 of produce throughout the growing season.
You support local farms & get the freshest produce,
often at much cheaper than supermarkets.
Area farming organizations, like ASAP,
can help you find a CSA in your area. 

Spring also changes the way I want to eat. Maybe Lenten scarcity (man, I miss deep-fried food!) is part of it; but I think the upcoming abundance of fresh produce makes me most eager to lighten things up. I want to eat brighter, more vibrant flavors, with less of an emphasis on warm, gooey comfort foods and more on flavors, textures, and ingredients that invigorate me. 

J has already jumped into this Spring eating, using Lent as an opportunity to do a Whole 30 (40+), which is already veggie-heavy, but is a smorgasbord of freshness in spring and summer. And we're signing up for our first CSA, too! 

To celebrate spring this weekend, we made one of my go-to warm weather recipes: a surf and turf salad. I know what you're thinking, "Salad. How original. Yippee for roughage." But really, this is a delicious, filling, and easy meal. And despite its fancy appearance - perfect to wow a crowd or a date - it's surprisingly affordable. 

I shared a link to this Food Network Magazine (FNM) recipe in 2016 when I was just beginning to cook with a newborn baby on my hip/screaming in my ear/precariously lolling his (giant) head around. The point of the post was sharing tips on how to manage the steep learning curve of parenthood: how on Earth do you cook healthy, quality meals AND keep the small humans alive? This salad was a lifesaver during that transition. 

The body of the salad rests on a bed of assorted greens. FNM recommends mixing baby spinach, watercress, torn frisee, and fresh chives. But you could use practically any greens you prefer (except iceberg because I refuse to consider that a real vegetable) and I swap in green onions, too. That quick swap to bagged spring mix and scallions saves several bucks and minutes. 

Next, you prepare a homemade vinaigrette. The mustard (we used whole grain/brown for Whole 30 compliance) make the dressing burst with bright flavor and pairs so beautifully with the meat. 

#TruthHurts

Now, before you snarl your nose, let me tell you to get over yourselves about the anchovies. Yes, they're bizarre little bony canned fish. And they are the butt of any pizza commentary (second only to you pineapple pizza people). But they impart SO MUCH unctuous, briny flavor. You should always have a can in your pantry to use in pastas, sauces, and dressings; just don't share your secret with your guests. 

Marinate the steak in half of the dressing for at least an hour; I find this recipe makes too much dressing for us, so I only make half. FNM calls for flank steak. Now let me be honest with you dear readers: I know diddly squat about cuts of beef. J, who just became a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judge this weekend, knows a fair amount about pork cuts; but we're both fairly clueless about beef, especially steak. We pick out steaks by appearance and yes, price, at the deli counter. With that said, I think you can "upgrade" or simplify this recipe to fit any budget. Steaks go through a well-defined sale cycle at supermarkets (think: Valentine's Day and "grilling holidays" like 4th of July or Memorial Day) so keep an eye out for sales on fancy cuts (and freeze) or grab whatever you prefer. This week, we bought small steaks and they set us back about $4. They were thin, but not papery like breakfast steaks, so it was harder to get that medium temp because they cooked so quickly; but they brought plenty of flavor. 

Refer to this; I have a serious beef-cut-knowledge deficit. 

Then, parboil some small potatoes. We've used fingerlings, new potatoes, and red potatoes. Again, choose to fit your budget and your presentation. Fingerlings - or even mini colored potatoes - look a bit fancier, but they all have a very similar taste in this preparation. 

Finally, finish off with a quick grill session. I've found putting the shrimp and potatoes directly on the grill to be a total pain because they're just small enough to slip through the grate, so I highly recommend using foil packs (you won't get the pretty char), kabob-ing (which is time-consuming), or using a grilling basket. 

This makes for a delicious spread - tender steak, fresh shrimp, soft potatoes - it really is everything you'd hope for in a surf 'n' turf platter, plus vibrant greens and tangy dressing. Pair this with a slice of grilled crusty bread and a good beer or cider and you're set for Spring or Summer! 

And it's visually stunning. Spread out on a big platter or arranged in individual shallow bowls, it looks like an elevated dish, even though it only cost a few bucks and less than 30 minutes of cook time. This is what I would will serve at the Spring dinner parties I'm imagining planning. I also think it will have a place at our Easter table where I crave clean, Spring freshness fit for our Sunday best (plus peanut butter cake). 

Light & Flavorful Asian Shrimp Noodle Soup

I try to plan our weekly meals as much as possible. This makes lunch packing much easier and is a spectacular time and money saver at the grocery store. We aren't extreme couponers, but we do comparison shop - buying produce at store one, meat at store two and taking mini-road trips to the best discount store in the area.

When I do my meal planning and making grocery lists, I can be pretty vague about breakfast (a real shame, I know) and snacks, but I try to put thought into dinners to allow for creative uses of leftovers and to fit our schedules. One of my other tactics is incorporating at least one new recipe of interest into each week's schedule.

Hello, my name is Amanda and I am a chronic recipe hoarder.

I have subscriptions to three food-related magazines, I clip recipes and put them in my "to try" binder and of course, I pin to multiple food boards. (

Remember; you can follow Endlessly Delicious Life on Pinterest, too!)

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Picking a recipe a week is really helping me explore new techniques, ingredients and cuisines but also helps me justify cutting out more recipes!

This week, I picked a recipe that wouldn't require any additional grocery purchases and looked delicious and simple: an Asian shrimp noodle soup.

The recipe was such a pleasant surprise. I'll admit I was a little concerned about a soup with shrimp in it; I generally like my shrimp more on the crunchy side than floating in broth (floating in butter or Old Bay seasoning, maybe...).

For having only a handful of ingredients, it was incredibly flavorful and well-balanced. Soy sauce is one of the simplest umami-filled ingredients that brings a well-rounded savory flavor that's only heightened by the kick of spice from the red pepper flakes.

Via Google 

You can also use tamari, which is a low- to no-gluten soy sauce. We bought our bottle at an Asian grocery store, but it is becoming more readily available and inexpensive. I highly recommend it for a gluten-free alternative.

The sliced wonton skin "noodles" become so tender, they're actually creamy and impart that warm comforting feeling that only comes from the best soups. And the Napa cabbage and peas bring a brightness and snap to each bite.

And you can't find a soup recipe easier than this. It's essentially a throw-everything-in-the-pot kinda dish. The ingredients lend themselves to quick, no-fuss cooking techniques and little expense, too. I love that this dish is a really good vessel in which to use some leftover ingredients. It's just the two of us in our house, so we rarely need to cook an entire pound of protein or several serving veggies, which left us with a fridge full of groceries to use. I actually had everything on hand (and in almost perfect portions) except for the wonton wrappers!

Asian Shrimp Noodle Soup

Adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Pinch red pepper flakes (more/less to taste)

2 T low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 small head napa cabbage, chopped
2 oz. wonton wrappers, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (large or extra large)
1/2 c. halved pea pods (snow or snap), strings removed
1 T. rice vinegar (white vinegar, in a pinch)

Method:

Bring the broth, soy sauce and pepper flakes to a boil in a large pot.

Add the cabbage, wonton wrappers and shrimp to the pot and simmer until shrimp are opaque and noodles are tender (about 3-4 minutes). Stir in the peas and vinegar, cook another minute or two to just heat the peas.