NomNom: Cheesecake Parfait

When I have guests over, I like to have a little something delicious waiting for them. However, I'm all about efficient, simple, and obviously delicious food, so when I came across this ridiculously easy cheesecake parfait recipe, I knew I had to try and make it for my friend.

Growing up, my mom was a stickler (and still is) for manners and etiquette. I would watch her host dinners or have a simple get together at our house where fruits would always be peeled and cut up or fresh baked goods would be waiting to be placed on a pretty plate. She was definitely the hostess with the mostest. Food is love in my parent's household and that motto has now become something I live by. Whether it be the last delicious bite I offer to my friend or the last piece of cheese I give to Mandu (my lovable dog), food represents something more then just having something to fill your hunger with.

This parfait tastes exactly like a cheesecake would without the baking involved--how great is that?! A deconstructed cheesecake (and a major time saver), if you will. Each layer is what you'd find in a slice of cheesecake, and topping wise, you could alternate with another fruit of your choice. No biggie.

The weather is finally starting to warm up again starting today, which is a perfect way to start the weekend. Make yourself this easy cheesecake parfait, enjoy the beautiful weather, and have a great weekend.

Ingredients (Adapted from Food Network Magazine Apr 2011) 
8 ounces cream cheese (I used low fat)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 Teaspoon of graham crackers
Fresh pears or chopped canned
Sliced crystallized ginger (optional)

Procedure
1. Beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with sugar and heavy cream.
2. Put a heaping teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs in each glass
3 Top with the cream cheese mixture, chopped canned or fresh pears and sliced crystallized ginger.

Balance

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blazer, shoes-Alice&Olivia

Shirt-H&M

Leather shorts, ring-F21

Clutch-Nancy Gonzalez

Sunglasses-Chanel

Bracelets-David Yurman, Neiman Marcus

I like to have balance when I wear clothes, especially when I'm choosing a "going out outfit." If what I'm wearing on the bottom is tight fitting or short, I like to keep the top part covered or loose fitting. You could wear this outfit to a night out with friends or to a date. The leather shorts give the outfit somewhat of an edge, pops of color are found from the shirt and clutch, and the blazer brings together a polished look.

What are some going out outfits you wear?

NomNom: Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Over the weekend I celebrated Easter Sunday with my family and one of the side dishes I helped make was this quinoa dish. I've been curious about quinoa for quite some time now because I see it popping up in several recipes and in articles regarding the health benefits from it. It's basically a type of grain that originates in the Andean region that is highly packed in fiber and protein. I'm usually weary (aka low expectations) when it comes to dishes that only contain vegetables, especially when grain is the main ingredient, but this dish proved me wrong in so many ways.

When cooked, it has a fluffy texture and a nutty taste. It reminds me of couscous but texturally not as tough. The bold citrus flavors of the lime butter dressing really make this dish stand out, along with the freshness of the tomatoes and cilantro. I could probably eat this as my main meal and still feel happily satisfied--it's just that good. Now that I have turned into a quinoa fan (along with the whole family) I'll be on the hunt for more quinoa recipes so get ready for some healthy stuff coming atcha.

Oh! Here is the link to the BYT spring work wear photo shoot I participated in a couple weeks ago that I mentioned yesterday in my weekend snapshots. The full editorial came out yesterday--enjoy!

Ingredients (adapted from www.epicurious.com)
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure

1. Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

2. Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

3. Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don't worry if lid doesn't fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.

4. Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Weekend Snapshots

 

This weekend I...

1. Scored a pair of J Brand jeans in a gorgeous eggplant color for an amazing deal at Nordstrom Rack. I bought it for $47 which is such a bargain because they're normally priced over $100.

2. Made my pimiento spread again and made sandwiches out of it. I also made a really easy cheesecake parfait the same day. My friend Melanie from LaBelleMel came over to visit and I wanted to make something yummy for her. I'm pretty sure she left my place happily stuffed;)

3. Also made rasberry and chocolate ganache macarons with Melanie for the first time. It was definitely a trial and error session but the end result was worth it. I love to cook and try new recipes but when I can share that experience with friends, it makes it that much better.

4. Dined at Vermilion. I've been wanting to try this restaurant (located in Alexandria, VA) for awhile now and finally had the opportunity this weekend. Everything, and I mean everything, tasted heavenly. You know you had a good meal if you're still thinking about it a couple days later. It's a bit pricey but worth it. If you're looking for a place to dine for a special occasion, I'd highly recommend this restaurant.

5. Finally found a rug!!! I've been searching for months to find the perfect color and design that would mesh well with my furniture/color scheme in my living area and found it at CB2, along with an awesome lamp (not pictured). So happy that my place is finally starting to come along to my liking.

6. Several weeks ago I was contacted to see if I was interested in "modeling" a spring work wear shoot for Brightest Young Things (BYT) and Pleathertte. It was a fun experience to play dress up in cute clothes and play "model" for the day. The full editorial is coming out today but the preview behind the scenes video debuted this weekend. Please check the video out=)

7. Helped cook Easter dinner with my family. The menu consisted of Hoisin marinated pork tenderloin, black bean and tomato quinoa (a huge hit at dinner and will post recipe this week) and sauteed green beans with bacon. Everything was nomnom worthy.

How was your weekend?

Wanderlust: Bahamas

These are snapshots I took through my phone while vacationing in the Bahamas. I didn't take my DSLR camera with me on this vacation because I actually have been to the Bahamas twice already so it wasn't somewhere new to me. I usually love to travel to places I've never been before but this time around, I just really wanted a relaxing getaway so I went back to the Bahamas.

I love to travel as much as I love food and fashion, which should speak volumes. If you can, I highly encourage you to see the world, visit another country, and experience different cultures. It will change you.

Have a great weekend.