shrimp – Fervent Foodie

Viddlz Alertz {plus a sneak peek of J. Sam’s}

June 7, 2014 1 Comment

I have a few food obsessions. Yes, besides my well-documented love of barbecue, there are some foods I simply cannot go without ordering. Burrata. Scallops. Caramelized onion anything. Housemade bread. Bread pudding. Bread. We all have our trigger foods. How cool would it be to get an automatic alert any time one of the foods you’re craving was offered by a restaurant? Blackberry cobbler, softshell crab, meatloaf. Whatever! That would cut out, like, hours of food research a week. Am I right? That’s why I’m super excited about a new concept in Charlotte called Viddlz Alertz. It’s an online tool that lets you manage your cravings by alerting you when your particular food obession is offered in the area. Plus, the Alertz system displays daily drink and food specials from restaurants and bars you follow (you can also get daily email updates with this info), and the Viddlz app is expected to be rolled out later this month.

Recipes

Kale Caesar Salad with Pan-Seared Shrimp

June 5, 2014 1 Comment

Back in 2010, I made a personal vow to focus on healthy eating (read all about it here). This was a challenge for me, the girl who considers bread, brie, and wine a square meal, so I started with small things, like packing a homemade lunch each day, instead of relying on Lean Cuisines and fast food. Slowly, I established a routine of making healthy choices whenever I was the one in control of the preparation (well, MOST of the time, anyway), which lets me enjoy eating at restaurants without worrying quite so much about all the salt and the butter and delightful carbohydrates I’m consuming.

One of my healthy eating goals for 2014 is to incorporate more kale into my diet, as part of the Kale Up campaign. Kale is a green I’ve shied away from in the past, other than occasionally tossing a few handfuls into a nice bean soup. Kale is a very hearty green — you don’t have to worry about it going limp or getting soggy. I often find kale salads are even better when the kale has a bit of time to “marinate” in the dressing.

Restaurants, What I ate

Should I stay or should I go {the week in food}

March 5, 2013 9 Comments

I’ve been incredibly distracted the last couple of weeks, spending every breath of free time surfing Craigslist and property management company sites for a new apartment. It’s one of those life moments when I just wish someone would tell me what to do. Should I stay in my current rental and pay the (exorbitant) rent increase or move? And if I move, where? One bedroom or two? Is it safe? Can I walk to work? Does it get good light? Is street parking a deal breaker? Is shared laundry?! Where will I put my shoes? Is there a coffee shop within walking distance? What about good restaurants? Will my beloved green couch fit in the new rental? GAS STOVE!!!! Will my friends and family still come to visit???

It’s a lot to ponder.

With all this rental business looming overhead, I’ve been a stranger to my kitchen. You know what that means. It’s time for a little restaurant recap!

Let’s start with the Common Market hot mama panini–tomato, red onion, red pepper, spinach, Havarti, and mayo plus turkey–that I devoured right there in the parking lot.

No shame, this girl.

Recipes

Baked Shrimp with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes {recipe}

February 25, 2013 10 Comments

One of the perks of working in the city is having the world at your fingertips on your lunch break. When the clock hits noon, I like to hit the street. Often, I’ll swing through the library or take a stroll through the 7th St Public Market. When it’s warm, I find a nice table in the shade and read while I eat, and when it’s cold, I saddle up next to the fireplace at Carribou. There’s a grocery store just a few blocks away, and I’ve found squeezing my shopping into my lunch break to be not only productive but surprisingly liberating.

Last week, on a lunch-break grocery shopping spree, I picked up ingredients for this shrimp and tomato bake. It’s a low-stress meal that can easily be made after work or prepared the day before. (I find that recipes using canned tomatoes taste even better when they’ve had time to sit.) Shrimp, tomatoes, and a bit of cheese–it’s a dish built for carbohydrates. I recommend a crusty bread or a twirly noodle.

Restaurants, What I ate

Lunches, lattes, and lust-worthy onion rings {the week in food}

February 14, 2013 12 Comments

Over the years, I’ve developed a bad habit of eating at my desk and working straight through lunch. Bypassing a midday break means more work gets done, and, all else equal, I get to leave an hour earlier than I would otherwise. It’s a horrible, horrible thing.

Lately, in an effort to maintain my sanity and some degree of happiness, I’ve been making a conscious effort to break away from my desk every day for lunch. Most days, this means me, my salad, and my iPad huddled next to the fireplace in the back of Caribou Coffee. It’s incredibly relaxing sitting next to the heat of the fire and feeling the buzz of the city whirling by. Though, I’m quickly developing and addiction to afternoon lattes. Good thing or bad thing, I’m not sure.

This week, I also squeezed in a lunch at Pure Pizza at the 7th Street Public Market, which I capped off with a delicious latte o’ love from Not Just Coffee. (See? Addicted!!)

Friday, I met my new friend Keia (check out her blog: the Sunnyside Up) at Harvest Moon Grille. Keia and I first met via phone when she interviewed me for her Creative Loafing article on what is means to be a foodie. This was our first official lunch date, and in true Mary fashion I started our convo off by awkwardly exclaiming “So… I want to be you!” I quickly followed our laughter with an explanation that I’d love to work as a freelance food writer and attend an abundance of fun food events as she does. And now you want to be her too, am I right?

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