Restaurant Review: Phans 55

One of my clients recently mentioned that I should try Phans 55. She said that it is 5 times better than our favorite local Thai/Vietnamese restaurant Bamboo Bistro. Well...wow! That is a pretty TALL statement there lady, but I am up for anything once!

I have seen this place before, or I guess I should say the sign, but I never quite got it. There is the sign for the restaurant right underneath the sign for an apartment complex.

Is it inside there? Does it just share an entrance? Where is it?

Saturday night was the night, I couldn't wait any longer. We got in the car, went over there and sure enough, it is in a condo complex. I know it sounds so weird, but once you actually drive in there it isn't that odd. There was plenty of parking (always a plus) and the vibe inside was great. They have a combination of booths and tables with very cool chandeliers hanging from tall ceilings. As the reviews say online, it is a little more expensive than Bamboo Bistro, but before I wrote this I just looked at both menus, and we are talking about on average a $2 difference on each dish. The food is 5 times better. $2 is a small price to pay.

The food was fabulous. So fabulous I wanted to go back the next night. I know, I'm a pig, but it was that good. So good we didn't have leftovers. Okay, my husband is a pig too.

All I can say is that you have to go there. I wish I had pictures to show you the light, but alas I was too hungry to take pictures of the food before we ate it. Not to mention that I think Brian would have fought me off with his knife if I would have made him wait.

Usually I would never get dessert at a place like this, I am more into Carrot Cake or Creme Brulee over Fortune Cookies and Fried Bananas. That is until I saw this little lighted case with these French Pastries inside and I remembered this little Vietnamese Bakery my mom used to go to that used French techniques to make the most wonderful tiny delicacies.

Try the dessert too...you wont be sorry.

And Brian says I need to get new hobbies. I ask you, what is wrong with Food, Shopping and Literature? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Take a Trip to the Bookstore

I just finished this book last week and, as usual, James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge did not disappoint in their latest Michael Bennett adventure. I have been reading James Patterson novels for years, but only recently got into the Michael Bennett series and don't know how I missed them before. I can't say I like them more than his Alex Cross series, but they are defiantly tied. The only thing I am sad about now is that there isn't another new one at my fingertips. Supposedly there is a Michael Bennett TV series coming out based on the books, but for all I know that is just a rumor...this leads to the rest of this post...

If you have not already set your DVR to record the show Blue Bloods, go straight to your TV and do it now. It is a wonderful show based on a family of law enforcement and their lives. You have to watch it! It reminds me a lot of the feeling I get from reading the Michael Bennett books.

Lastly, if you don't read or have a DVR...I feel bad for you and I encourage you to change that! Take a trip to the bookstore, you never know what you may find!

Renovated Falafel

Do you ever have a craving for something, but either are too far away to get it or don't want to waste the calories?

For some reason, I was craving a falafel, but after feeling like a blob all week there was no way I was going to eat something fried. Not to mention, I don't even know where to get a falafel around here. What to do, what to do?

I decided to create my own Mediterranean Israeli Feast the low calorie way. And no, I have never made this before, actually any kind of Falafel before,

but I am enthusiastic about the way it turned out!

Israeli Salad

Ingredients:

3 Japanese Cucumbers, diced

4 Roma Tomatoes, Seeded and diced

5 Green Onions, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced

1/3 cup garlic, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the the salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Some Persian Bread I toasted from my reserves (aka. The Freezer)

Renovated Falafel and Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Garbanzo Beans, 15 oz can well drained

1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/2 Tablespoon Ground Cumin

3/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/8 teaspoon Paprika

Black Pepper, to taste

Non-Stick Spray

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

Place all ingredients (except non-stick spray) into a food processor and pulse till still slightly chunky. Do not make it smooth.

Spray a cookie sheet with the non-stick spray. Use a spoon and your hands to make 18 small balls and place on cookie sheet. Each ball should be about the size of a golf ball. Spray the tops of the balls with the non-stick spray. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn over. Reshape the balls gently if the bottoms have flattened. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes till golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes.

Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Fat Free Greek Yogurt, 6 oz.

1 Persian Cucumber or 1/2 Regular Cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped

1 teaspoon dried dill

3/4 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse till blended and somewhat smooth. Place in refrigerator till ready to serve.

Nutrition:

1 serving (3 balls) and 3 Tablespoons Dip is 139 calories, 2 grams fat,

6 grams fiber, and 7.5 grams protein. Enjoy!

I served these with some Pita Bread, Hummus (just in case Brian needed more beans) and my Israeli Salad. Check these recipes out and let me know what you think!

Cooking for One, Part II

There are a lot of reasons that I love having my husband around, but I do have to say one of the positives to him not coming home for dinner is that I can eat whatever I want...even if that means Lucky Charms! I didn't get a chance to make myself breakfast this morning or eat a normal lunch, I just ended up eating junk and snacks all day. Horrible. I needed protein, and some Lucky Charms just for good measure...

I made myself a beautiful egg white omelet with diced grape tomatoes, fresh spinach, mushrooms and a sprinkling of reduced fat cheddar. I bought myself a piece of filet, I know how decadent, and seasoned it with some McCormicks Grill Mates. That stuff is great, but a little goes a very long way. There is nothing like breakfast for dinner!

The other great thing about this meal is that it is so easy to prepare one or 5, so you aren't stuck with a ton of extra food.

So if you find yourself cooking for one, consider having breakfast for dinner, you might surprise yourself with how delicious it can be!

A Taste of Home

I was running the other morning at Bootcamp and for some reason my mom's pasta fagioli popped into my head. I haven't had it in a really long time...like years, but for some reason I thought of it. Of course, then I had to locate her recipe and make it immediately!

I could not wait to run to the market and then run home to start making it. Just like any memory of childhood, experiencing it as an adult sometimes is totally different and familiar all at the same time. For me, I never realized how simple this soup is to make, but the flavors are still so developed. Warms my soul and reminds me of home, even though home is only 4 miles away. The weather has been so volatile lately, I feel like there are still several more rainy days lingering to enjoy a hearty soup like this!

Pasta Fagioli

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 garlic clove minced

1 cup pasta sauce

1 quart water

1 cup small pasta shells

2 cups cannellini beans

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

fresh chopped parsley

Parmesan Cheese

Saute onions, celery and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes or until soft. Next, add pasta sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, then add pasta and beans. Continue to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, add salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with Parmesan Cheese on Top. Enjoy!

Asian Flavors

I love steak. I don't think I could ever be a vegetarian. I try to limit making any kind of beef to one night a week, and it is hard! So, if you are trying to do the same, have no fear with this Steak with Ginger-Hoisin Sauce...it was excellent!

I love when I can make something quick and easy that tastes like more effort than it actually was. I like to get a good "bang for my buck" with flavor! This meal had some Asian flavors, but they were light enough to really allow the ingredients to shine.

I also made a quick Asian Slaw to go with it. Kind of a hybrid side/salad...I am obsessed with "slaws" lately so you will be seeing a lot of them. I hate mayonnaise, but now that I have found some more interesting ways to make this kind of thing I really like it. I have also found that substituting things like fat free Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream instead of the Mayo makes a really nice slaw and I feel so much better about what I am putting into my body. It is a great way to use up random leftover vegetables in a great new way!

Cooking for One

Brian was on a business trip last week, so I had the perfect opportunity to make something I had been craving. Bridget had recently mentioned the word "BLT" and normally it doesn't sound appetizing because I don't eat bacon, but as I was driving home from work pondering the fact that my husband was gone and I had no cares in the world....

I decided to make my own version of a BLT.

I always think this, but thank goodness for Bristol Farms being so close to work because it saves me from dragging myself to the regular grocery store with my sore feet.

Good thing the BLT requires very few ingredients....

So if you find yourself alone or just in the mood for a simple dinner, try this one out!

TBTG (Turkey Bacon, Tomato, Guacamole):

-3 Slices Turkey Bacon Pan Fried (in Cooking Spray)

-2 Large Slices of Juicy Tomato

-3 Tablespoons homemade Guacamole (Avocado, Salt, Pepper, fresh Garlic, Cilantro, Lemon Juice)

-Toasted Whole Wheat Bread

Note: I do not like lettuce on sandwiches, so I made the "L" part of the BLT into a salad!

Another Year...

I can't believe it is March already again, time just flies by! My birthday was this past week and I am so blessed to have such good friends and family around to celebrate with! My parents went over-the-top and hosted a fun birthday party for me with some of my close friends from college. Things have changed so much from when we were at Pepperdine and just a short walk down the hall to someone's dorm or apartment and when classes were all the responsibilities we had. It is much harder to get together with friends as often as we used to see each other.

This year I feel so fortunate to have been able to have dinner with everyone, regardless of my birthday. Some of my friends weren't able to make it and I missed them, but we will get soon hopefully! Along with great company, my parents hired a chef from a local restaurant to make a gourmet dinner for us complete with my favorite food: PIZZA!

Caprese Salad with Portabello Mushrooms

Penne Arrabiata

Had the best time! Even got a tin full of my favorite Taco Bell Hot Sauce Packets! Love it!

Beautiful Carrot Cake my sis made me! Thank you everyone for making my birthday so special, I will cherish these memories. This is just a small sampling of pictures, I tried to keep them food related, but we sure did have lots of fun!

Restaurant Review: Tuscany

Another gorgeous day at Snowbird! This picture looks like it is from a magazine, but I actually took this on the slopes. We just had the perfect weather and snow conditions, but I think every time I have been to Snowbird, which is many times, I say this same thing.

For my mom's birthday dinner we went to Tuscany, which I found on OpenTable, and it turned out to be such a great choice. We had a big debate about the dinner place while we were resting before dinner, and I am very glad we went here. The restaurant looks like it should be a museum with all sorts of really neat historical things around.

Coolest Menu! Had an internal light that turns on when you open it!

Picturesque

Birthday Girl Blowing out her Candle! To many more happy years and vacations ahead!!

Restaurant Review: Tiburon

For my mom's birthday all she wanted was to take the whole fam on a trip to Utah skiing. Best birthday gift to be a part of because we all had a fab time and laughed the entire time. I read something once that said that laughing does all kinds of wonderful things for your health. If that is true, we all came back a LOT healthier!

Another benefit to skiing is that by using one of the largest muscle groups in your body, your legs, you burn a ton of calories. The week before we left I was feeling like a blob and hadn't been feeling 100% so I wasn't able to workout like I normally do, but I was so happy to get moving again and get those endorphins going!

The second night we were there, after a long day on the mountain, we went to Tiburon and had a great meal. The restaurant is so cozy and feels like you are at someone's home in the middle of the woods. It is small and we sat in a small room that felt really private. It was a very relaxing end to the day and the food was excellent!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Salt Lake? We are planning on making this an annual trip!

Must Read

It has been a while since I have posted, but to be fair, I have been travelling and am just exhausted! I have to share this new book I have been reading. It is so atypical of what I normally am drawn to, but it is hilarious. I read one review where the book was described as "so funny I almost wet my pants several times..." Sold! Had to see what was so funny!

Normally, I read all of the author's books from the first published to the last and will not deviate. It doesn't matter whether it is a series or not, that is just my thing. When researching about the book I read that all Jen Lancaster's books are mostly about her life and this book, although just published, is about her childhood. With hesitation I started this one first because it is the most logical starting point.

I am only half way through, but it is hysterical. I laugh out loud constantly and her dry humor, even as an 8 year-old, is so perfect! I can't wait to read the next one already!