Fabulous Food Friday: Five Guys

It seems like a rare treat when I leave the office to eat lunch out, rather than bringing it with me.  Today was one of those rare days.  I celebrated the near-close of a long week by eating at Five Guys.  And it was the most satisfying meal I've eaten all week.  There are just some days that call for a great burger and fantastic fries.  Oh, and here's some trivia for you: the first Five Guys opened in my 'hood, Arlington, Va., in 1986!  Now they have over 450 locations in 30 states.

If you haven't eaten at a Five Guys yet, go there the next time you're in the mood for a burger and fries.  Don't feel guilty either!  It's good to splurge a little.

Five Guys
http://www.fiveguys.com
-Various locations throughout the country.

Yummy Breakfast: Peach Pie Smoothie

So I tried something new for breakfast this morning rather than my usual eggs or cereal -- a Peach Pie Smoothie!  Talk about a change of pace.  Is it legal to have this kind of "dessert" for breakfast?  Oh, and it's healthy too!


Peach Pie Smoothie
(Courtesy of Ellie Krieger)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim milk or lowfat milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1 T. honey
1/4 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger


Method:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.


Here's the link for more information on this recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/peach-pie-smoothie-recipe/index.html

The Most Important White House Job

I came across this great article that gives a look at one of the most important jobs at the White House: The Pastry Chef.

Sounds like he needs to start his own pie shop so that we can get a taste. Hail to the Chef!

* * *


CAPITAL CULTURE: Obama pastry chef the Crustmaster

By NANCY BENAC (AP) – 9 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Poor Bill Yosses. He's the White House pastry chef. He makes desserts for a living.

He works for Barack and Michelle Obama. They talk about healthy eating. All the time.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Not at all.

Yosses' creations — especially his pies — have won over even the Obamas.

The president calls him "The Crustmaster."

The first lady points to pie-on-demand as one of the big plusses of life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

"I'm the dark side," Yosses joked in an AP interview. "They love our pies."

Read the rest here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jkHlYShdNGqjvzcO_R1z1_AL9bJgD9BSF7J80

Quick Weeknight Meal: Broiled Fish with Citrus and Herbs

I got to wander into Whole Foods this past weekend, which was quite a treat. I came out with two bags of groceries including green beans and a white fish I hadn't tried before: turbot. Whole Foods even gave me some inspiration for a way to prepare this delicious white, flaky fish. I used the Whole Foods iPhone app and found this gem. This is a great recipe that only takes a few ingredients and is super-simple to make. Try it and see if you like it too.

Broiled Fish with Citrus and Herbs

(Courtesy of Whole Foods)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 minced shallot (I subbed in red onion here, which worked well.)

1/4 t. dried tarragon

4-6 oz. mild fish fillet(s) such as sole, tilapia or arctic char (I used turbot.)

1/2 t. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

3 chopped Kalamata olives (optional)

Method:

In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, shallot and tarragon. Simmer until thickened, 15-20 minutes; cover and set aside.

Heat broiler. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with oil, salt and pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil 5 to 6 inches from heat, just until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes per half inch of thickness.

When fish is done, transfer fillet to serving plate, spoon sauce on top and sprinkle with olives.

I served freshly steamed green beans on the side, and you could also add rice as another side dish to soak up the extra orange sauce.