flailing in my kitchen 2.1

How can I be sad when I have breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
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Showing all posts filed under: fancy workday lunch

Quinoa burgers

March 5, 2022 8:22 AM

Some of my co-workers mentioned a food blog called Half Baked Harvest and when I hear good things about a food blog, I have to check it out. I've been scrolling through all her recipes deciding on one to make, and I settled on these quinoa burgers, which is kind of a complicated first recipe to try, but I still had quinoa from who-knows-when and I really wanted to use that up.

The recipe also called for making some caramelized onions and sweet potato fries. I love caramelized onions so I was all for that, and I also love sweet potato fries, but this was already getting too involved, so I just bought frozen fries. Plus I also decided to fry up some bacon.

Two quinoa burgers topped with cheese, as well as caramelized onions, bacon, and sweet potato fries on the side
We added a cloth because I said "I feel like this needs something green"

Bacon?! Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a veggie burger?

Hey, my goal wasn't to make a veggie burger. It was to use up the rest of the quinoa. And I want my burger to taste good. The bacon added some nice texture to this.

Closeup of two quinoa burgers with various toppings
This is what I meant when I said it needed something green

Not that the burger tasted bad without the bacon. This came out surprisingly well and had plenty of flavor. The shredded cheese that melted into a gooey blob with crispy edges was a really nice touch. I always thought that getting sliced cheese is better for a burger, but no, definitely go for shredded and sprinkle the cheese all over, making sure some of it spills off the patty to create extra crispy cheese pieces.

I even took the time to sauté more onions and fry an over easy egg during lunch on a workday just so I could fully enjoy my last burger.

Closeup of a quinoa burger (with top bun off) with my laptop in the background
I know, I burned this one a little

Closeup of a quinoa burger, fully assembled
Still delicious, though

Closeup of a quinoa burger, after taking a bite out of it, causing the yolk to spill out
Look at that YOLK

No hectic or busy workday is going to stop me from putting together a delicious gourmet lunch.

Filed under: quinoa burgers vegetarian but not really fancy workday lunch

New Year Tacos

February 4, 2022 10:19 PM

As part of my newly established Lunar New Year tradition, I made fish tacos! I have no idea how long I've been keeping these tilapia fillets in the freezer, but I'm really trying to actually clear out the food in my kitchen. I've made these spiced catfish tacos so many times, and it's become one of my go-to recipes.

Overhead shot of all the components of our fish tacos
I even made a recipe card for it! And then I forgot to take a picture with it.

I am frying up some spiced tilapia
My tiny kitchen space does not make it easy to get a picture from this angle

In the past, I've sliced up the sweet potatoes in thin quarter circle shapes, but this time I went with dicing, and I think that makes their flavor stand out more in the taco. And in my continued effort to not accumulate more food in my kitchen, I bought a bag of "RAINBOW VEGGIE SLAW" instead of buying a head of cabbage. Plus it's easier since I don't have to cut up any cabbage.

Closeup of a fish taco
And look at all the color it adds!

I cooked five tilapia fillets and we just about finished all of it. That mayonnaise + lime + sugar dressing makes it so good. We just had a single half of a fillet left, which I ate the next day (as well as a pork taco using leftover pulled pork from another meal).

One pork taco and one fish taco
Yes, it is always worth it to spend the ten minutes assembling tacos for lunch

Filed under: go-tos tacos holiday traditions fancy workday lunch