Fish Cakes with Garlic-Caper Roasted Mushrooms

Good morning, readers and welcome to another fantastic week! Today in Raleigh is a comfortable 82 degrees with 90% humidity! I hope you can detect my sarcasm. I cannot wait until the South gets the memo that we're in Fall now - I want to break out my scarves, sweaters and UGG Boots pronto.


Anywho, I'm trying very hard to stick to my meal plans and use all ingredients I buy. This can result in some delicious albeit strange-sounding combinations - like my Fish Cakes with Garlic-Caper Roasted Mushrooms!




Served with a 2017 Chateau Rochecolombe 

Since the mushrooms took longer to prep/cook I'll give you that recipe first. I took this recipe from an issue of Cooking Light magazine from last year.


Garlic-Caper Roasted Mushrooms


18 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley, or 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley


Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.


Arrange the halved mushrooms cut-side down on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.


While your mushrooms are roasting, combine the capers, butter, garlic, lemon juice and parsley and set aside until the 20 minutes are up.


Drizzle the butter mixture over the roasted mushrooms and bake for an additional 10 minutes.


Cooking Light suggests this recipe serves 6 - Nate and I both cleaned our plates so keep that in mind if you're hoping to serve this for a crowd. The mushrooms are meaty and have a magnificent umami flavor. The capers are a great little briny treat to pop in your mouth and break up the savory and salty flavor of the mushroom.


Fish Cakes


1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
12-15 oz canned/pouched fish (I used a mixture regular chunk light tuna, flavored salmon and flavored tuna)
2 Tbsp roasted and chopped green chile, drained
1/4 C flour
1/4 - 1/2 C seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C plain non-fat Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
Chipotle aioli (recipe to follow)


In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture looks too wet to stick together.


Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Use a 1/2 C scoop to form fish patties. Cook in oil for 5-6 minutes per side. When both sides are cooked, remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining ingredients.


This recipe yielded 6-1/2 C portioned fish cakes. We each ate 2 at dinner, which means I have 2 leftover for my lunch today! I'm going to eat them cold over a fresh salad. Sounds yummy, right?


Somehow, even though I used different types and flavors of fish, the cakes came out tasting wonderful and there were no competing flavors - which I was actually pretty nervous about.


Chipotle Aioli


4 chipotle peppers, diced
3 Tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 C plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 C mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tsp garlic powder


Mix all ingredients in a bowl until fully combined. Taste check and drizzle over fish cakes.


The aioli was a great addition to this dish. It was spicy, smoky, lemony and paired well with the fish cakes and the mushrooms!


Stay tuned for tonight's dinner - Pumpkin Sage Ravioli with Toasted Pinon Nuts and Brown Butter-Sage Sauce! Happy eating!

Bida Manda

Good morning, dear readers! Guess what day it is?! IT'S OCTOBER 3RD also known as Mean Girls Day! Also this year is monumental because October 3rd falls on a Wednesday! If you're a fan of the movie, you know that "on Wednesdays we wear pink!" so I'm sporting my hot pink tank top in celebration.




It's October 3rd. *I was not in motion when this picture was taken*

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me tell you all about the amazing date night Nate and I had this past Friday night!


Nate and I don't do fancy date nights often, maybe only once a quarter but Friday night seemed like the perfect opportunity. Our 6-year dating anniversary was Thursday night and it was really the first time we've gone out since he's returned from New Mexico.


We met at The Haymaker. This is one of my favorite bars on Fayetteville Street. It is low key, has beautiful décor and is typically empty or close to it. It's a great spot to unwind after a hard day at the office or cozy up with your sweetie in an intimate setting.


They have a fun and unique cocktail menu that changes seasonally, champagne and gin and juice (yeah, you read that right) on tap and punch bowls!


Seriously, if you're ever on the 500 block of Fayetteville stop in for a cocktail and some ambiance.


Bida Manda


Now for the main event -- Bida Manda.

This highly rated Laotian restaurant is located at 222 S Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 and is a true wonder to behold.


Décor: the restaurant is filled with natural elements like handwoven screens around the bar and walls. The lighting is also low and intimate. The restaurant is smaller than it's next-door-neighbor Brewery Bhavana, which is also owned by the Nolintha family. This intimate space only seats about 150 people including the bar space.

Food Appearance: Everything is plated artfully and is a feast for the eyes. Chef Lon Bounsanga certainly runs a tight ship in terms of his kitchen and it is abundantly clear in the food.


Food Taste: After being greeted and settled with our menus, we were given a complimentary basket of Shrimp Chips to enjoy with our drinks. Now, if you've never had shrimp chips, don't knock them 'til you try them! These amazingly crunchy and airy chips are made of tapioca flour and seasoned with shrimp seasoning. They're slightly fishy in flavor but not overpoweringly so.

We opted for two appetizers the Fresh Summer Rolls with Vegetables and the real star of the show -- Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps. Don't get me wrong, the summer rolls were also delicious! They were filled with fresh, crisp veggies and served with a delicious plum and peanut sauce. But the Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps, I would return for these specifically. I have no idea what sort of wizardry concocted these crisp and crunchy wraps but they ain't your mama's lettuce wraps.

Left: Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps
Right: Fresh Summer Rolls with Vegetables

For my entrée I had a difficult time narrowing down what I wanted because frankly it was all appetizing and quite a large number of dishes were either vegetarian, vegan or pescitarian friendly! No 2 options for this gal!


Our server finally sold me on the Green Papaya Salad with Dill and Lime Leaf Sea Bass. This dish was not green, cold or a traditional salad so don't let the name fool you. What I was rewarded with for my obvious curiosity was thinly julienned un-ripe papaya marinated in a tangy and spicy sauce housed in a purple cabbage leaf with a side of sticky rice and a giant buttery fillet of Chilean Sea Bass. I have never had Chilean Sea Bass and it has now ruined me for all other fish. It is so buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I still salivate when I think about it. I would've licked my plate clean had I not been in public. The dill and lime also went exquisitely with the chardonnay our server recommended. I however did not eat this dish in the traditional Laotian way with my hands, which our server also recommended.

Thum Mak Houng aka Green Papaya Salad

Nate ordered the Crispy Pork Belly Soup. It was a giant crock of soup that looked delicious, you know, minus the pork. I'm sure he can fill you in on the specifics.




Mee Ka Tee AKA Crispy Pork Belly Soup

We both cleaned our plates so there was no room for dessert, but we were treated to complimentary non-alcoholic digestifs.


Service: Our server was extremely knowledgeable and great at his job. He had mentioned working for this fantastic restaurant for 4 of the 6 years it's been open and is truly passionate about the food. He described dishes with so much affection and fervor I felt like I could taste them. All the gold stars to this guy! He was also the perfect balance of friendly and attentive without being overbearing.


Cleanliness: Everything in this restaurant just works. Including the cleaning. Dishes were cleared and tables reset with such quickness if you blinked you missed it.


I am eagerly planning a trip back to Bida Manda at the soonest possible moment! I will devour more Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps and sip more fantastic wine!

Cheers, readers and happy eating!

September Catch-Up

Hello there, readers! I know I've been a ghost for the better part of a month and for that I sincerely apologize. It has been a whirlwind since Nate came home. We've been reconnecting with each other, re-arranging and updating our apartment and for awhile we were also preparing for Hurricane Florence. Thankfully Raleigh was largely spared, but pretty much everything East of Raleigh is either under water or completely devastated. It is absolutely shocking how quickly something as seemingly benign as wind and rain can leave entire towns and cities in ruin.


While we were hunkering down and preparing for possible loss of electricity, I cooked many vegetable-centric recipes to avoid waste. One such recipe was this delicious Mediterranean Zoodle concoction.


Mediterranean Zoodles

3 medium zucchinis, spiralized
2 C spinach
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, fine diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 C sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
10 Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 C parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese


This recipe really couldn't be easier, which makes it absolutely ideal for a busy weeknight meal!


In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt olive oil and butter and cook onion, bell pepper and garlic until softened. Wilt the spinach and cook zucchini for 3 minutes. The goal is to obtain a perfect al dente texture. Drain excess liquid. Season with salt and pepper, use salt sparingly because there will be a latent saltiness added by the olives, capers and cheeses.


Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, capers, parsley and olives. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss in parmesan and feta cheeses.


This meal was delicious, filling and tasted even better the next day! I was able to get 3 servings out of this recipe and they were not small portions by any means.


Would definitely make this recipe again in a heartbeat. I could see it going very well as a cold side for a grilled chicken or salmon.


Do you have a sweet tooth? Nate and I certainly do. We love ice cream, good quality dark chocolate bars, cakes, cookies, brownies. It is all fantastic. I adapted the following recipe from my dear friend Ashley, you may remember her from my Trip to Florida blog post. She described this dark chocolate pudding and I immediately began salivating at the thought of velvety dark chocolate. I had to make it for myself and inspiration led me to this amazingly rich and decadent mousse.


Dark Chocolate Mousse

1 can coconut milk, solids only
1/2 C liquid from coconut milk
1 bag 50-70% cocoa chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 C whipped topping


Melt chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in coconut milk solid. Stir the mixture constantly to keep the chocolate from burning. If the chocolate becomes too thick add in a little bit of the coconut milk liquid to thin.


After the chocolate is mostly melted, stir in the vanilla and remove from heat. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes.


Fold chocolate into whipped topping and stir to fully combine.


Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to set.


The fruits of your labor will be rewarded with a rich and luscious chocolate mousse! The chocolate is rich, the texture is fluffy and the richness goes remarkably well with a full-bodied red wine.


Stay tuned for an upcoming restaurant review and the promise to do better about posting in a timely manner!


Have a fantastic week, readers!

Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole

While Nate was in New Mexico he adopted a low-carb, high protein diet and he lost a great deal of weight as a result. He looks fantastic! He's trim and fit and I am only slightly worried he may catch the eye of some other interested parties (just kidding, sort of).


Anyway, he worked so hard to get the weight off and is determined to keep it off, so I am attempting to make low-carb dinners for us and I will say, it's hard. I just like carbs. I love bread, beer, pasta, all the other things containing carbs. Plus it's more difficult to be low/no carb as a vegetarian. EVERYTHING HAS CARBS. Anyway, last night's dinner I think was a good kick-off that made me almost forget there were no chips or tortillas.


Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole


16 oz Hatch green chile salsa/green chile sauce
3 medium-sized zucchinis, ends cut and sliced into thin ribbons
1/3 red onion, fine dice
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 beefsteak tomato, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper, to tase
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2 avocados, pitted and sliced


Preheat oven to 375.


Pour 1/2 C of green chile salsa/sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish and spread evenly. Make a layer of zucchini ribbons on the bottom.


Top the zucchini with 1/3 of the onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapenos, tomato, beans, salt and pepper, and cheese. Top with more sauce and repeat the layers using all remaining ingredients. I ended up with 4 complete layers.


Top the final layer with remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through.


Serve up the casserole with sliced avocado and voila!


This meal was hearty and flavorful! I got 6 servings out of this beautiful casserole and didn't feel the least bit hungry despite it being very few carbs. The avocado was a great addition to soak up any additional sauce on the plate, too. I am eagerly awaiting my next serving for lunch tomorrow!


Tonight we are keeping with the low-carb and having some Cauliflower Wings and watching the first night of football together! Have a wonderful evening readers and stay tuned for some fun recipes and event recaps!

Jackfruit Adovada

You're almost caught up! After this post there's only 1 left to write! Woohoo! This one is again about this season's ingredient du jour - JACKFRUIT!


Obviously since you know me by now, you know I'm New Mexican. I hope you've also taken the initiative to study everything about my home state and are fully aware of the State Question: Red or Green? Green chile is in everything from sweet to savory to beer and wine. Red chile is used a little more exclusively and one of the ways it's used is carne adovada. Carne adovada is pulled pork that's slow simmered in red chile sauce. It is succulent and soaks up all the great chile flavor - obviously I don't eat pork so I thought of the next best thing; you guessed it, jackfruit.


Jackfruit Adovada

That close-up though

2 C Red Chile Sauce
3 cans jackfruit in water, drained, cored and seeds removed, shredded
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Yellow rice, for serving
Tortillas, for serving


This recipe really couldn't be easier - after you've made your red chile sauce in a large Dutch oven or pot, add in your jackfruit, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.


Serve your jackfruit in a tortilla with rice and cheese (my traditional way of eating adovada) and enjoy!


The chile is smoky with a little kick and the texture is meaty and delicious. A perfect comfort food to make whenever a dis-placed Burquena like myself is feeling a little homesick.


Enjoy and stay tuned for the last post!

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

Back so soon? I know you just finished reading my Green Chile Pizza blog and you just couldn't wait to see more of my fantastic recipes! Well I can't deny you what you came all this way for! Let's get to it!


It seems like jackfruit is the new "it" ingredient this year. Before it was avocados, then bacon, then chia seeds, and now jackfruit is popping up on menus and grocery store shelves across the country. I have had this ingredient exactly once prior to making this recipe and I must say, I was less than impressed. The texture and flavor left an awful lot to be desired and to say "great substitute for pulled pork" is quite the stretch. So understandably I was a little apprehensive to work with this ingredient again, but I was pleasantly surprised by the results of my labor!


BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

They look like aliens.

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans jackfruit in water, drained, cores and hard seeds removed, and pulled
1 bottle BBQ Sauce (I used Memphis-style but feel free to use your favorite!)
1/4 C brown sugar
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 Tsp paprika
2 Tsp kosher salt
1 Tsp pepper
1 Tsp cayenne
Hamburger buns or crusty rolls, for serving


In a large Dutch oven over medium, saute onions in olive oil until softened. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the jackfruit, BBQ sauce and seasonings. Stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.


Place about 1 C of mixture on each bun and eat up!


This jackfruit was meaty, delicious and just may even fool your coworkers into thinking it's the Real Deal (at least it fooled some of mine!)

Looks convincing, huh?

Green Chile Pizza

Good morning readers! I apologize for the extended hiatus! I've been a busy worker-bee at my company, cooking up a storm and celebrating my husband's return from New Mexico! I'll give you a quick refresher: it's ridiculously hot and humid in Raleigh, Nate is finally home, food is good. Alright, you're all caught up so we'll move along to the recipe. I was inspired to make this pizza after my trips to Golden Crown Panaderia in Albuquerque. The Panaderia makes red and green chile bread loaves and green chile pizza dough! Chile runs through my veins and soul, I had to make this at home.


Green Chile Pizza

Look at all that chile and crusty cheese!

1 Pound Finally Perfect Pizza Dough
2 Tbsp green chile powder, mix to the dough before refrigerating overnight
1/2 C Green Monster Pesto
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 C fresh spinach
1/2 C roasted chopped green chile
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil, for brushing
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning


Preheat oven to 425.


After your pizza dough has risen in the fridge overnight, roll out onto a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Pierce with a fork to prevent bubbles.


Spread on Green Monster Pesto in a single even layer leaving about 1-inch around all the crusts.


Evenly layer vegetables, chile and cheese. Brush the exposed crusts with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning.


Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet half-way through for even cooking.


Serve your pizza up the New Mexican way with some tasty Green Chile Ranch Dressing from Dion's pizza, or regular ranch dressing if you're not located in the Southwest.

Pizza and Dion's Green Chile Ranch - there's no other way to eat a pizza

This pizza was delicious! Chewy, spicy, vegetable-y and most importantly, nostalgic.


I have a stockpile of recipes I've been meaning to blog about so sit tight for more!