I don't think I've ever felt the pressures of graduate school until this past week. I've been MIA and I will explain. Having guests visiting two weeks in a row required a ton of planning, especially during the midterm (breaking) point of the semester. It has also resulted in frayed nerves and a resurgence of my caffeine dependency. That being said, I surprisingly did not stop eating. I wish I could say I'm one of those people who loses her appetite during stressful situations, but alas, I'm the opposite. I reach out and ingest anything placed within arm's/mouth's distance. Like brown butter cumin veggies and garlic spinach.
Had I not needed to study for 3 straight hours post-consumption I may have loved it a little more. This should be repeated, and this time as a bed on which a giant piece of fish will rest. Then I will feast.
*** Brown Butter Cumin Veggies with Garlic Spinach Total time: 20 minutes Ingredients:1 medium carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch circles1/4 butternut squash, cubed2-3 tbsp butter1 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp curry powder1/2 tsp nutmeg2 cups baby spinach, rinsed2 cloves garlic, minced1 tbsp safflower oil + 1 tbspsalt and pepper fresh mint, chopped, for garnishing Directions:In a small pan melt the butter on low heat for about 2-3 minutes, whisking or stirring frequently until it starts to brown. The butter will foam a bit and once it starts to turn brown, remove from heat and set aside. In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp safflower oil. Season the carrot and squash with salt and pepper and the spices. Saute in the pan, covered, for about 4-5 minutes until the squash has softened. Transfer to the pan with the brown butter and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Garnish with fresh mint. Once transferred, heat the remaining 1 tbsp safflower oil in a pan and saute the garlic. Season the baby spinach with salt and pepper and wilt for 2-3 minutes. Serve with the vegetables immediately. *** xo,k.
