Hello!

Foodie & Fabulous friends. It's me. I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm sorry! I haven't posted in over a month...because I've had a few things going on.

1) I went to Hawaii with my sweet friend Chris, who competed in his very first triathlon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! It was amazing.

Parmesan Asparagus with Fried Eggs

You know what I love? Simple, elegant, beautiful food. I'm talking about straightforward flavors, simple presentation, and delicious tastes that don't have to be fussy or fancy. Of course, there's definitely room for very extravagant, "I slaved over the stove for hours!" kind of dishes--but on some days, like today, less is more.

It's a quiet, rainy day here in Dallas, and I found myself searching to create a meal to match the peace and tranquility of my mood. I bought some beautiful asparagus recently, and decided to give it a go, following Justin at Salt Pepper Skillet. I've never worked with asparagus before--this was my first time--and I was thrilled at how easy it is to make!

Strawberries 'N Cream Pancakes

Did you know: this past Tuesday, March 4, was National Pancake Day? Normally, I celebrate at IHOP because on National Pancake Day, they serve free short stacks of pancakes all day long. Delicious! Of course, with free pancakes come long waits and crowded restaurants, so at the end of my busy day, I decided to make my own pancakes in hopes that they would be healthier and just as tasty (if not tastier).

Enter: Strawberries 'N Cream Pancakes! Wowww. These are as delicious as they are beautiful! It was really late when I started cooking (hence the poorly-lit photos--sorry!), so for simplicity's sake, I used a pancake mix shortcut--but to add a little fiber, I ground up some whole oats to make oat flour and added them to the mix. Bonus: it made for a heartier pancake, especially with the addition of freshly-chopped strawberries!

Pan-Fried Salmon with a Balsamic Blueberry Reduction

Hi, I'm Esther--the most neglectful food blogger of 2014 :( *Hangs head in shame* So here's the deal: each semester, the gym changes its group exercise classes, so what worked perfectly last semester is completely different this semester, and I've had to make some accommodations to maintain my exercise routine.

Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Soup

*Note: I actually wrote this recipe and this post in January, but haven't had time to take photos until today! Keep that in mind while reading. Sorry for the delay :(

Guys. It's 2014. Oh my goodness! And it's almost the end of the month! How did this happen?! Well, I wish you a VERY belated Happy New Year!! This has been an extremely busy month so far; largely work-related--so I haven't had the chance to get into the kitchen at all, and as usual, I miss it so much!

Holiday Recap

Guys. It's December 31, 2013. HOW?! Wow. For fear of repeating myself ad nauseum, I'll spare you the "this has been the toughest/weirdest/craziest/most challenging year of my life to date" spiel, and just say--2014, you're going to be a better year! :)

The past couple of weeks have been busy and full of family, fun, and naturally, food! Here's a brief photo recap of the holidays as I bid farewell to 2013 in anticipation of a wonderful, adventurous, exciting, and fulfilling 2014.

Vanilla Christmas Tree cupcakes (Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting)

Baked Eggs in Baked Potato Shells

Christmas is coming! Hooray! :) I'm thrilled. I hope you guys are well and enjoying this December! 
And...school is out for the semester!! WHEEEEE!! Oh my gosh, guys--the past couple of weeks at work have been rough, mostly because the students who procrastinated all semester were rushing in to get things done last minute--and also because the students who performed poorly in their classes received notification about their academic standing.