Housewarming Party

I recently moved into my new apartment, which of course calls for a housewarming party! Friends came over to help me break in my new abode, and celebrate with Tacos and homemade Watermelon Margaritas.

My new home

Time for food 

I can't wait to host many more parties in my new place!

Shrimp Ceviche

For my Mexican themed Housewarming party, I decided to try making homemade shrimp ceviche. I have only recently started liking ceviche myself, and only with shrimp. So, I decided to document the recipe! I followed this recipe, but made some of my own modifications. 

First, the ingredients you will need:

• 2 serrano chiles
• 2 limes 
• cucumber 
• raw peeled and deveined shrimp
• red onion
• cilantro
• avocado 

First, add salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. 

Once the water is boiling, add the raw peeled shrimp, and turn off heat immediately. 

Remove the shrimp after about 3 minutes, and allow the shrimp to cool.

While the shrimp is cooling, begin chopping the other ingredients. 

Cut the shrimp into small 1/2 inch pieces. Put the shrimp in a bowl, and add the juice of 2 limes. Mix in the chopped cucumber, serrano chiles, and red onion. The recipe calls for juice of a fresh orange, however I didn't have that, so I added a splash of grapefruit juice!

Put the marinating shrimp in the fridge for at least 1-4 hours. 

Afterwards, add the avocado and cilantro to the mixture, and continue refrigerating until ready to serve.

Serve and enjoy!

Shopping Spree

This is my first of my weekly "shopping spree" posts. Each week, I will highlight an item of the moment that I love, and where you can get it for even less!

This week, in the spirit of spring, I highlight a pair of adorable sandals.

Snack Wrap

I am a huge fan of avocados. Living in CA, I am lucky, because I am constantly surrounded by fresh ones. A delicious way I have found to eat them are by making a lettuce-taco. All you need are 3 simple ingredients: romaine lettuce, an avocado, and Spike. I've recently been introduced to Spike, which is this delicious spice that adds some delicious flavor to just about anything.

1. Take a full leaf of washed romaine lettuce 

2. Fill this lettuce "shell" with sliced avocado

3. Top with a bit of Spike

4. Eat and enjoy!

Simple, quick, easy - delicious.

Restaurant Review

IL CIELO
Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $$$
Website 

Il Cielo has been voted the "most romantic restaurant" in Los Angeles. Although I didn't go there for the romance, but rather with family, I did witness another couple in quite the date - with a large candle stick and rose petals covering the table.

The restaurant has the feeling of eating outside under the stars, when in reality you are in a small enclosed space with a clear ceiling and numerous twinkle lights. The ambiance is quiet and beautiful. The staff is friendly and incredibly attentive.

The bread is fresh and warm, with a hint of cheese and tomato cooked into it - yum. 

My order:
Vellutata Di Piselli Frescai - Sweet pea soup with shallots, onions, and leeks
Spaghetti Latini - Imported drum wheat spaghetti with spicy italian peppers and cherry tomatos

The food was so delicious! I would go back in a heartbeat, and definitely recommend it. It is the kind of place to celebrate a special occasion, or go on a romantic date.

Overall out of 10, I would rate it:
Food: 9
Ambiance: 10

Diet: Revised

Last week, I received some great news! After going in to my doctor and asking if he could re-test each and every thing in my no-no list, to see if perhaps I could bring something back into my diet...I was completely surprised with what I am now able to eat again - almost everything!

My restricted list is so short now; I am thrilled. I apologize for not having posted in a while, I have been extremely busy stuffing my face.

1. Sugar (regular and brown)

2. Corn

3. Grapefruit and Orange

4. Dried Fruit 

Don't worry - that doesn't mean the healthy recipes will stop! They just will involve some great new ingredients. 

Chopped

I spend a great deal of time with my older sister and 11-year-old twin niece and nephew. However, in this day and age, apart from watching Disney, it can sometimes be a challenge to find something to watch on TV that we all enjoy. Recently, I have turned them on to watching the Food Network, as we all share a passion for food and find joy in cooking. 

The show we have been obsessed with most recently is Chopped. We all love watching these expert chefs come up with mind-blowing creative dishes out of the most repulsive ingredients (ex: dessert from Bone Marrow, Kale, Cottage Cheese). After watching an episode, my niece suggested we have a competition of our own.

We paired into two teams: my sister and niece were one team, my nephew and I the other. We picked four ingredients to make our "appetizer" with. Our ingredients were a bit more user-friendly, but hey, we aren't trained chefs. 

It was required to use all of these ingredients, however you could also help yourself to anything else in the kitchen.

{my teammate}

{opposing team food prep}

{scrambling to plate their dish}

Even though we used the exact same starting ingredients, both teams came up with completely different recipes.

{my team}

 CHOPPED SALAD

Finely chopped butter lettuce, apples and chicken, with a minced carrot, ginger and rice vinegar mixture. Topped with a fresh squeeze of lemon, and crumbled nut thin crackers.

{opposing team}

LETTUCE WRAPS

Thin sliced carrot, cucumber and chicken, with fresh mint, in a rice-vinegar and honey reduction. Topped with nut thin flakes. 

You be the judge - which recipe is most creative, best presented, and looks most delicious, and which team should be chopped?