Savory Cobb

Easy Cobb Craving Recipe!

2 C deep greens (spinach/arugula or romain)
1 C purple cabbage
1/2 C crimini mushrooms
1/2 C diced carrots
1/2 C diced rosemary ham
1/4 C Ricata Salada
1/4 C diced avocado
1/4 C diced tomato
2 slices baked bacon
1 diced egg white
2Tbs Cilantro

Boil water for the egg(s), heat oven to 400 degrees, cook bacon for 15-20min till crispy, chop the remainder of ingredients and add the cooked components at the end. Feel free to add in any veggie ingredients

Add in 1/2 lime juice, or 2 slices lemon juice, 1/4 C balsamic and 1/4 C of yogurt ranch.

EnJOY!

Organic Pizzas

Compliments of Whole Food's fresh ingredients! I have so much left over and filled three hungry stomachs. Pizzas are fun to make and you can personalize it to the T. 

I made one simple "hawaiian style" and then other with 1/2 pesto artichokes, spinach and fresh mozzarella cheese. Whole Foods semi-cooked (it's not dough) pizzas made these super simple and quick. 

 Pesto, artichoke heart, spinach, sprinkled pineapple, basil and fresh mozzarella cheese

Canadian smoked ham (WF), pineapple, fresh mozzarella and dried oregano

* Heat oven to 425 degrees. Load up ingredients of your choice on top of A) a creamy white sauce B) pizza sauce (WF) or C) Pesto

cook 15-20 min, keeping a careful eye on the golden edges shaping up= perfection!

Fat Angel- San Francisco, CA

1740 O'Farrell Street  San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 525-3013

www.fatangelsf.com

$-$$

This restaurant is in the heart of San Francisco. I visited months ago and remember it like it was yesterday. I have since been back to San Francisco and have not found anything like Fat Angel across the state! I caught up with a best friend here after a late arrival flight and with a mouthwatering pizza, zesty salad and a bottle of zin, we made out well under $65. 

Wild mushroom, white truffle oil w/ pecorino-thin crust pizza  

 Endive, apple, candied walnuts, gorgonzola w/ cider vinaigrette salad

I prefer sitting at the bar here, unless its a lunch out on the patio. Service is always much better and I met a wine Sommelier that enlightened me on my favorite types of wine!

View Wine Bar- Las Vegas, NV

At the Market LV, Tivoli Village

VIEW WINE BAR

420 S Rampart

Las Vegas, NV 89142

http://www.viewwinebar.com

View Wine Bar at Tivoli Village is a new favorite with it's versatile, selective wine menu and tantalizing appetizer and food pairings. A Mid-sized bar with comfy booths and a long bar with views of Boca Park and Tivoli, it was a perfect low key birthday destination with close friends this year and a guaranteed return! View has private rooms and little gift stores to wander into while you wat for your food. Modern meets rustic and eclectic design, knowledgable staff 

$$-$$$

 Friends ordered several snacks through the evening, including fried risotto cakes, a BLT flatbread, proscuitto wrapped dates, cheese platter, seared ahi and lobster mac and cheese. Small, rich plates meant for sharing. Now I need to persuade the owner to open up for brunch!

Due Forni- Las Vegas, NV

3555 South Town Center Drive #105  
Las Vegas, NV 89135
(702) 586-6500
http://www.dueforni.com
$-$$

Due Forni is a new favorite, only steps from my office. I only wish I discovered this

charming italiano cafe earlier! The staff is extremely friendly, relaxed atmosphere and a tasty menu selections. They also have an inviting patio, espresso, affogato gelato, a "fresh  

mozzarella bar", happy hour (of course) and a new frequent customer(s)- as I will be taking 

all of my friends. 

 The "fresh mozzarella bar"comes with your choice of a side and ordering bread with any of their entrees is a MUST. Round one my friend and I ordered the stracciatella with roasted tomatos, then we sampled each of the other sides (shortly) after!- roasted peppers, kalamata, and fresh pesto with toasted walnuts  

All of their entrees are reasonably priced and you can plan to share their pizzas, as they cover half the table and fill the entire restaurant with amazing aromas! 

Visit from UK- Cod, Vegetable Medley and Greens

Wild caught frozen cod, frozen veggie medley and mixed green salad. I prefer wild, opposed to "farm raised" any day and Wholefoods has a variety to chose from. This was a simple, light and clean meal for two good friends. 

 

3 Cod filets...
Ground salt and pepper
dried oregano
Stove medium 5-6min, cover last 2 min.

Veggie medley
*Wholefoods organic frozen section carrots, lima, peas, corn and green beans
Stove top medium covered 10-15min

Organic green salad
1/2 red pepper
1/2 beefsteak tomato
1 avocado
3 cups mixed greens

Dressing...
1/4 Organic italian mixed with 2 Tbc balsamic and a squeeze of lemon

Benedict's- Las Vegas, NV

344 E Desert Inn Road
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
(702) 472-7799
www.facebook.com/BenedictsByChefPhilipDell
www.sincitychefs.com/breakfast

A new friend in Las Vegas introduced me to Benedict's for a Saturday brunch. Though difficult to find, inside of Blair's Hotel, seconds from Las Vegas Blvd, Benedict's is a quiet cafe with outside seating and delicious menu items. 

 Our server was happy to obligue to several requests from a strong coffee to whipping up a veggie scramble. My friend ordered two eggs, any style, homestyle potatoes  bacon and a side of pancakes (along with her toast) that I believe was included on the menu! I ordered an eggwhite scramble with onion, peppers, tomatos and gruyere, perfect portion size, served with fresh fruit. Outstanding simple menu breakfast, all items reasonably priced. This is a hidden gem for anyone looking to have a business meeting, read a book outside, or relax with a sunday paper.

Looking forward to my return to try their lunch!

Portabella Shirataki Noodles

I am thrilled to have discovered the shirataki noodle! Compliments of Whole Foods for less than $2 and only 40 Calories in an entire pack. These would be great in any pasta dish and will be  regular in 

my fridge!

Here's how I made it

1 pack shirataki noodles 

1 chopped portabella mushroom

3 cloves diced garlic

1/2 yellow or white onion

1 cup cooked brussel sprout slaw (Trader Joe's)

1/4 C Gyoza sauce (Trader Joe's)

2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs Aioli mustard (or spicy dijon mustard)

1/4 CBalsamic Vinegar

In one pan saute the brussel sprout slaw (or cabbage) with 1tsp olive oil, salt/pepper and 1/4C Balsamic Vinegar. In another larger pan, heat olive oil, garlic and onion to sweat out, add mushroom and simmer on medium. Strain and cook the noodles in a microwave for 1 min, add to the large pan. When slaw had simmered down, add this to the large pan, along with the noodles. Add the Sauces and voila! My first semi-asian dish was a success!

Ace Hotel- Palm Springs, CA

701 E. PALM CANYON DR
PALM SPRINGS, CA 92264
TEL: 760.325.9900

FAX: 760.325.7878

Whether it's vacation time, bbq hut out by the pool, the cave bar, or their diner style restaurant... my favorite order is out by the pool summer or winter time. The bbq hut serves up homemade sausage dogs, tacos with sides and their ceviche/sandwiches are IRRESISTIBLE with a tacate. My photo says it all. Favorite pool spot in the coachella valley 

Kona Grill

750 South Rampart Boulevard  Las Vegas, NV 89145
(702) 547-5552

I'm finding this is a local happy hour spot. In Boca Park, close to Tivoli Village, this is a great spot for lunch and happy hour with little shops, including total wine closeby. For those with Bevo's, Total Wine is the equivalent, but more on a vino costco layout. Kona served up an amazing yellowtail sashimi appetizer I had trouble sharing! ~$8 

They have regular large entree's I would highly recommend splitting with your company. Come early for the patio... 

Daily Kitchen-Las Vegas, NV

3645 South Town Center Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89135‎

(702) 685-7100

Daily Kitchen was my original breakfast spot in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. A perfect meet-up spot for friends at lunch time, or a quick breakfast to grab on the way to the office. I've nearly had everything on menu, here's the photo's I kept!

Acai granola bowl- reasonable, power breakfast on the run... 

 Burger with Acocado and cute ketchup-paired with fruit to ensure fiber intake

 Perfect Portion Garden salad with Seared Ahi

 Kale salad with speckles of cranberries, toasted pine nuts and avocado

Imagine a coffee bean transforming to a healthy cafe spot... Perfect for breakfast/lunch!

Mastrioni's- Las Vegas, NV

3330 S Hualapai Way #160
Las Vegas, NV 89117
at Desert Inn Road
Summerlin

Upon moving to Vegas, I had the luxury of my aunt being traveling to Vegas for business. She filled me in on where to go and where not to go in Vegas. Mastrioni's is in Summerlin, very close to my office, romantic, a quick lunch spot (since their service is amazing) and incredible seafood/main italian courses. The family restaurant environment makes you feel at home and the service/overall meal was impeccable . 

I had the crab cake appetizer, which wound up being a meal in itself, alongside a deep green bunch and two dipping sauces. Lightly fried, moist, clump crap meat with zesty sauce... I also tried their homemade pasta e fagioli soup, made to order and delicious! Happy Hour is Monday through Friday 4-7PM and I fully intend on returning!

Priced $$-$$$

Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas-Happy Hour

Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas 
3960 Las Vegas Boulevard South 
Las Vegas 

Nevada 89119

http://www.fourseasons.com/lasvegas/dining/

My parents came to visit a couple weeks ago and I have multiple blog entries, they wanted to see everything! One of the first places I took them over the weekend was Four Seasons at the end of the strip. Tucked away, this spot is not in a casino and reminds me of Santa Barbara. Gorgeous setting and casual enough for happy hour out on their patio. We had two appetizers off the "early menu" and a strawberry lemonade cocktail with fresh lemon juice and crushed strawberries-upon request. Perfect spot to start the night off!

$ (early)-$$$ dining 

We split the flatbread margarita pizza and a grilled eggplant panini type wrap with a tasty pesto side-which wound up on as a dipping sauce for the pizza as well.

PS: Endless nuts as well to munch on before and after if you want to enjoy the scenery. We waited for the sun to go down before heading to our next of many destinations! 

Rachel's Kitchen- Las Vegas, NV

Summerlin Location

3330 S. Hualapai Drive #190
We are located on S. Hualapai Way near W. Desert Inn Road in Summerlin.
Open Mon-Sat 7am-7pm and Sunday 7am-4pm

702-459-6789

$-$$
http://rachelskitchen.com/

Rachel's Kitchen- Semi-new location in Summerlin off Hualapai, conveniently located steps from my work when I am starved in my office! My favorite menu items are their salads, large enough to split and plenty for a 2nd meal later into the afternoon-dressing is to die for! zesty, healthy and modern, Rachel has something for everyone. A tantalizing pastry/muffin display and organic tea/coffee will let you know you're in the right place.


Today I was recovering from a spring cold and ordered up a bowl of their homemade soup of the day. Chicken, barley vegetable filled me up just enough with a side of toasted sour dough. My friend ordered a spinach goat cheese and apple salad which will indefinitely be my next togo order! I have also tried and loved the lite chopped salad-made from shredded broccoli in their tangy balsamic dressing and the curry salad with green leafy (large portion).


Must try if you're in the area for lunch or a healthy dinner!

DW Bistro- Las Vegas, NV

6115 South Fort Apache Road  Las Vegas, NV 89148 (702) 527-5201dining@dwbistro.com $$ $10-30 After taking a glance at DW's simplistic menu and overcrowded bar (that required the occupancy of an entire block, let alone 10 bar stools!) I knew everything on the menu would be amazing! The wait was 20-30 min and worth every second. No one was leaving, instead hovered over the bar with coffee and mimosas topped with raspberries and blueberries.  We were seated on the patio and I quickly noted  bottomless mimosas were flowing...!  Every dish was fresh and flawless, reasonable and the details throughout the seating areas matched the menu, including tangy and spicy sauces, a small dish of berries before our meals and Jamaican ginger mints. I ordered one of the specials and tried two other menu items. A perfect way to spend a Sunday morning with great company, or solo at their champagne bar!

I ordered...(special) 

Chicken chilaquiles & eggs- 2 eggs any style, corn tortilla layered with queso fresco, marinated chicken, salsa verde, avocado cilantro dressing. yummmy! I can eat this for brunch, breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

 

My 2nd bite...

Eggs Benedict- homemade melt in your mouth hollandaise, atop a lightly toasted english 

muffin brushed with olive oil, flakey salmon and sautéed spinach. The hollandaise made each 

bite incredible!

3rd bite....
Jamaican style omelet- (would have been my first pick!) Simple and different with the 
three hot sauces to choose from, with fresh corn, NM green chilis and jack cheese. Too big of a 
dish for one person!

Dessert!!!! This may have been enough without the breakfast, but it's sunday bunch. After a long hike and a combining breakfast with lunch, why not have a couple bites. Blueberry and white chocolate. Add a espresso or coffee and you will be in heaven!

Karma Chocolate Biscotti Cookies

 Palm Desert's Bikram studio at University Village has karma Friday hot yoga, they accept gifts of any form in exchange for 90 min of a seriously sweaty workout! I recruit people, then try to make something a little special when I have the time!
Today after work, I squeezed in 45 min to make BISCOTTI. My favorite treat with coffee or a good cappuccino. Biscotti is simple and difficult to mess up, even if you are like me and do not like measuring!

What you need...

1/2 C creamed butter

2/3 C raw sugar

1 egg white, 1 egg

1/2 C cocoa powder (Trader Joes_

2 tsp baking powder 

1 3/4 C unbleached flour or wheat flour

add mini chocolate chips/nuts of your choice * dried fruit is always great too

Preheat oven to 375

Cream softened butter with raw sugar, add eggs one at a time

Add in remaining ingredients, folding in additions towards the end

Create 2 logs and flatten, apx 1 1/2 in in height, bake 20 min

take out and cut in slices, lay on the sides and allow to cool

bake another 15 min to make xtra crispy (2x baked=BISCOTTI)