Model Bites: Juice Served Here

Eating healthy can sometimes be a challenge. We get busy with our jobs and our day-to-day hustle and stuff our bellies with bad foods. Although I try to eat well, I'm still guilty of chowing down fried foods and sweets. It's the Southerner in me. This year I'm trying to push myself to do better and consume things that are good for me. With a big shoot coming up tomorrow that's going to have me in almost nothing, I figured now would be a great opportunity for a juice cleanse. I got up early this morning and went to my new fave spot Juice Served Here to get my drink on.

If you're new to the juicing party, raise your hands. Ok let me break it down. Juicing is a great way for you to get vitamins and nutrients from fruits and veggies. Often when we're preparing food, we overcook our greens leaving behind little for our bodies to soak in. Cold-pressed juicing produces a beverage rich in color, taste and nutrients for you to consume. Juice Served Here offers a variety of fresh, raw juices and tonics for your drinking pleasure. There's a juice for everything. If you need something that helps purify your mind and body, drink the 14: Coco Rosey. You need a juice oozing in antioxidants that will can also detoxify, that's 01: Field of Greens.

Because I've already tried most of Juice Served Here's goodies, I knew I'd enjoy the one day cleanse. It consists of six drinks and you can choose your level of difficulty: soft cleanse, semi and hard cleanse. I'm taking the middle ground for this one by going with the semi cleanse. The first juice is 02:Sweet Greens. I usually get this one when I'm running around LA and I need a pick-me-up. It includes cucumber, apple, romaine, kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, mint, and lime. Yum-may!

The second dose is 08: The Pipe Cleaner. It's got apple, lemon, and lots o' lots of ginger. I drink this one normally too. And boy, does it pack some punch. Whew! I really like Juice Served Here because the drinks don't have all that added sugar that many other companies put in their juices. Like, it's actually good for you instead of pretending to be good for you. Through out the morning Kitty kept wondering what I was sipping on. I caught him sneaking around and sniffing my bottle. Bad kitty! He loves juices, so you can't leave anything unattended around him.

The other juices for the cleanse are Block Rockin' Beets, Green Milk, Green Easy, and Charcoal Lemonade. The caps of each bottled are numbered so you know exactly what order to drink them in. How nifty. Juice Served Here offers some juicing tips on its website if you need extra assistance. Just as advised, I've been doing my usual daily routine including breaking a sweat. Skipping out on a workout is a bad idea, because you need to do some activity to get blood flowing and release toxins. Oh and don't chug your juice. Thats a no-no. Just sip on it and drink water between juices.

Just as I made my way to my third dose of juice, this happened. That little devil snuck up behind me and got in my drink. Kitty! Apparently Block Rockin' Beets is his favorite. It's delicious and has some extra kick thanks to the Jalapeño. After this juice, my body really began to kick into high gear. I can still feel my insides moving around. Although I'm not yet finished with this one day cleanse, I definitely recommend you try it too. Every now and then we need to rid our bodies of all the awful things we put in it, so why not let a juice cleanse do the dirty work for you.

Thanks Juice Served Here for the yumminess. Check them out for yourself here.

xoxo

Model Bites: Southern Snowballs

I come from a family that loves sweets. Every year around this time we're baking up a storm in the kitchen. My mom tackles the cakes and pies while my sister whips up the cookies. I'm the official taste tester and occasional sous chef, and I play my role well. "Ma, I think you need more butter in this," I'll say. Or "Let me taste the batter before you put that in the oven." Such a dessert critic. For this edition of Model Bites I'm sharing a different take on one of my sissy's famous cookies. What's my twist? Bring on the coconut!

For this Southern Snowballs recipe, here's what you'll need:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
A pinch of salt (optional)

Pecans are a staple in Southern desserts, so of course I'm including them in this recipe. Forget the pre-packaged nuts and get fresh ones. They are so moist and will make your cookie taste great. If I were you I'd buy more than the recipe requires. Pecans are great for snacking.

Chop these babies to your liking. I will often break the pecans down into small pieces and then chop by hand. You can also choose to put them in a food processor for a finer consistency. But I like them chunky and a little powdery.

Combine your sugars with your nuts. I add 1/2 cup brown sugar and only 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. You can save the rest of the powdered for later. The mixture should be kind of grainy.


Now add your vanilla to the butter. Blend, blend, blend. You can do this in a mixer or churn it out in a bowl with a spoon. The latter will take more work, but your arms will get nice and toned.


Combine butter mix with your nut and sugar mix. Whip it up! Time for our test. How does that taste? Does it need more uumph? Add a dash of cinnamon and maybe a little salt. That should do the trick. Oh, you should also preheat the oven at 350 degrees.


Ok here's the fun part. Combine your flour with the butter-nut-sugar mixture. Don't just dump it all in at the same time. Add the flour to the rest bit by bit. If you're doing this the old-fashioned way without a big mixer, this may be a challenge. Just remember you're burning off all those calories that you'll be putting back into your body later. I call it the preemptive workout. Now slowly sprinkle in your coconut.

Your mix will be crumbly. If your consistency still isn't right, add a little milk. Continue to mix together. This is when I really take matters into my own hands. Forget the spoon and bowl,and get your hands in there. You can do it, out your back into it!


Form dough into one giant ball. It's ok to get messy with it. Pinch off a little dough and form a nice round snowball. Roll it around in your hands so it's round and pretty. Arrange individual snowballs on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.


Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy a cocktail while you're waiting. This one was concocted by Taye Of Stuff She Likes and is made with Kombucha. It's really yummy and surprisingly healthy. Get Taye's Moscow Mule recipe here.


Your snowballs should be ready. They will be slightly golden. Please don't over cook. Take out of the oven and let cool. Once cooled, sprinkle with the remaining powdered sugar. You can either dust them lightly or pile on the snow. Don't they look fan-freaking-tastic!


Now that you made a couple of dozen of cookies that you can't possibly eat all by yourself, share with some friends. Not only did Taye like them, but her pups wanted some too. The Southern Snowball combines the flavor of the islands with Carolina charm. Perfect for your holiday entertaining. I hope you enjoy eating these as much as I do.

Y'all come back now. Ya hear!

Model Bites: Burgers and Brews

One of the most perfect combinations in food history. Like apple pie and vanilla ice cream or chicken wings and buffalo sauce, a really good hamburger and a beer are a great pair. They can both stand alone without a doubt, but together they're banging! Exactly how did this match made in heaven come to be? The details are a bit fuzzy. I like to imagine some really buff, blond German guys named Sven and Rolf came up with the idea during Oktoberfest after running out of bratwurst and sauerkraut. I could be wrong, but a girl's allowed to fantasize. On the real, finding the right beer to go with your burger isn't easy. There's a method to the madness.

Ok the first thing you need to understand is that every burger isn't the same. To help you get this concept I've come up with PBJ- patty, bun, and junk in the trunk. Fast food places normally give you a thin patty where as your dad probably puts extra thick burgers on the grill. Also take into consideration what goes into a tasty patty. Burgeramt in Berlin puts finely chopped onions in the ground beef to give their hamburgers extra oomph. A number of gourmet restaurants use organic, grass-fed beef to make sure you're eating hormone-free meat. Now... what color do you like your cow? As a kid you probably ate everything well done. But you're a grown-up, it's totally ok to go for pink. A number of great burger spots cook their meat medium rare to medium, and I think the flavor is better that way. Next we've got the bun. Sesame seed, onion, kaiser roll, pretzel bun, hawaiian roll, whole wheat... I can keep going. The bun can either enhance the beef or ruin it. What about the junk in the trunk AKA the fixings. Cheese or no cheese? What kind of cheese? The traditional hamburger comes with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and a pickle. I say get fancy with it. I load up my burger with bacon, roasted red peppers, spinach, provolone, and pesto. Talk about delicioso!

Now add beer. Here's where things get tricky. I like to think I can hang with the boys until someone offers me a brewski. If you're not a pro, drinking a beer can be icky like you're drinking urine. Sorry, I'm just keeping it real. To ease yourself in, try a nice cider or go Deutsch and drink a colaweizen or a Diesel, part coke and part beer. Now if you decide to plunge into the world of pale ales and frothy lagers, go for flavors that are familiar. Give me a brown lager that's got a sweet, roasted taste and a clean finish like drinking dark chocolate. Mmm mmm. That might not necessarily go with the burger I want, so it's important to ask an expert. Good burger and beer joints like Stout know their brews and can recommend something that complements the beef and fixings.

My rules of thumb: Lighter colored beers work with almost anything especially fresher ingredients like veggies. It may not add to the flavors of your burger, but it won't destroy it. If you've got a hamburger with some kick, go for a bold brew that's got kick too. Match flavor for flavor to create a symphony of tastiness in your mouth. Don't be afraid to experiment. Your tastebuds may require a challenge, so discover a pairing that no one else has even thought about. Make the beer gods proud. Cheers.

Model Bites: Cool Breeze Cocktail

Aaaaah yes. The end of summer is officially upon us. Trust me, I'm not ready for it to be over. But before we say farewell, let's say cheers to all the good times with a refreshing cocktail. For those hot summer days, I like sipping on drinks with fresh fruits and flavors that really kick. I love the sweet and spicy. So why not bring together some of my favorite ingredients for a fun concoction. Shall we?

I just got this new pre-mixed vodka cocktail called XB at event, so I thought I'd throw that in the recipe too. It's similar to Sex on the Beach and features premium vodka with a blend of orange, cranberry, peach and grape juices. You can drink it alone, but I want to do something extra with it. Here's what you'll need to get this party started:

2 oz XB
1/2 oz honey or simple syrup
3/4 oz lemon
cucumber slices
fresh mint
ginger beer

First chop or use a rolling pink to crush the mint. Place in glass. I use a mason jar because it looks rustic and pretty. Pour in XB. Add lemon juice. You might as well drop a few pieces of lemons and sliced cucumber to make the concoction pretty. Pour in the simple syrup or honey. Put a lid on it and shake. Now add ice or pour over a fancy cocktail glass full of ice. Finally top off with ginger beer and garnish with a slice of cucumber and a sprig of mint.

Tadaaa! Now you're set to relax by the pool or barbeque with your friends. You can make a big batch of this as a party punch. And yes, it does taste better as the flavors sit. It's so yummy. Enjoy the last few days of the season.

Cheers to an endless summer!

Model Bites: Juicy Summer Salad

Lunchtime is upon us. During the warmer months, you don't want to eat really heavy food. I once made the mistake of snacking on a croissant while lounging around the pool, and it felt like the thing was baking in my belly. Bleh. A great alternative is a crisp salad with fresh ingredients. For this edition of Model Bites, we're combining a Southern summer favorite with a little Mediterranean flavor for a sweet and tangy dish. Hope you're hungry.

When it comes to certain recipes, I'm very much like my grandmother. I don't use specific measurements unless I'm baking. It's always a pinch of this, a dash of that, or just add however much you like. Got it!
To get the recipe started, here's what you'll need:
Cucumber
Watermelon
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mint
Lime
Arugula
Sliced Almonds
Prosciutto
Honey
Olive Oil
You can either get a whole watermelon or a small package of pre-cut seedless watermelon. Either way cut the melon in small cubes. Grab a few leaves of basil and mint. Chop finely. If you like cilantro, you can add that in the mix too. The more the merrier. Place cut items to the side.


Next get your cucumber ready. I normally go for your typical cucumber, but this time I decided to try out Persian Cucumbers. Cut to match the size of the watermelon. Now it's time for your prosciutto. I suggest taking the thin cut, rolling it, and then slicing into small ribbons. Set to the side.


Get ready for the dressing. I'm not really a dressing girl, but I like for this salad. Pour a little honey in a small bowl. Then add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Next squeeze in your lime juice. If a few juicy pieces of lime fall in the mix, then great. If you like a citrusy dressing, then add more lime. For sweeter, just a little more honey. Remember to taste as you go because that's part of the fun. Whisk thoroughly.


You're ready to combine your ingredients with the arugula. In a large bowl, add your basil, mint, watermelon, cucumber. Toss in your prosciutto. Slowly add your dressing. Sprinkle in the almonds. Continue to toss. Once it looks pretty, you're ready to serve. Garnish with flatbread or pita.

This dish is a delicious experiment of flavors. Instead of adding salt, add more prosciutto. For a little more kick, add cilantro instead of pepper. You can also switch the almonds out for feta. Or maybe go for the classic Italian prosciutto and melon instead of watermelon. The possibilities are endless. You should definitely try and let me know how it turns out. I love this salad because it's a great balance of salty, sweet, and tangy. I hope you enjoy it too.

Buon appetito!

Model Bites: Well Dunn with Jourdan Dunn

So it's been a really long time since the last Model Bites. While you know I've been eating a lot of really good food just by checking out my Instagram, I just haven't been digging into any new recipes lately. I promise I'll get back in the swing of things. But for now, cooking with supermodel Jourdan Dunn will just have to do.

Can you believe this British babe has her own cooking show?! After watching a few episodes, I'm not so sure she really knows how to throw down in the kitchen, but she's still pretty adorable. In this installment, Jourdan gets back to her family roots and shows us how to hook up Jerk Pork, Beans and Rice, and Caribbean Salsa. Mmm mmm.


To make this yourself, here's what you'll need...

Jerk Pork:
Belly Pork

Marinade:
4 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
1 Garlic Bulb
Fresh Ginger
Spring Onion
Fresh Thyme
Soy Sauce
Dark Rum
Honey
Salt
Black Pepper
Nutmeg
All Spice
2 Limes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Rice and Beans:
Basmati Rice
Red Kidney Beans
Spring Onion
Garlic
Coconut Cream

Caribbean Salsa:
2 Plum Tomatoes
1 Mango
Cilantro
Red Wine Vinegar
I'm definitely trying this out soon although I doubt that I'm as graceful in the kitchen as Jourdan. Ha. Ok lovelies, bon appetit!

Model Bites: Homemade Ceviche

Just about every weekend my friends and I get together to cook and stuff our bellies. This past weekend was no different. Since the weather was unseasonably warm and the oven was broken, it was the perfect time to break out a tasty dish that would require no real cooking at all. Ceviche. Never had it... shame on you. Traditionally from the coastal regions of Central and South America, ceviche is a delicacy made of raw fish marinated in citrus juices and combined with onions and chili peppers. To do this recipe justice, I got in the kitchen with my friend Diego of Crafty Mr. D.

If you've ever watched a genius in the kitchen, you'll notice they don't use exact measurements. It's always a dash of this and a pinch of that. Diego's instructions are in the same fashion. To get things started here's what you'll need:

• Lots and lots of lime
• A good helping of fresh Mahi mahi
• Red onions
• Green peppers
• Red peppers
• Yellow peppers
• Jalepeno or Chilli Pepper
• Tomato
• Fresh Cilantro
• Kosher salt
• Avocado (optional) 

Squeeze a large quantity of limes for at least one cup of juice. Chop fish into medium-sized cubes. Combine lime juice and fish into bowl. Make sure the juice is enough to fully cover the Mahi mahi. Cover bowl and let marinate for about an hour or until Mahi mahi is no longer pink. The citrus juices actually cook the fish. Cool, right?!

Chop peppers, onions, and tomatoes into small cubes. Diego gets so emotional during this step that he starts crying. Gotta love those onions. Also, finely chop the cilantro. Mix veggies in large bowl. It should look like a colorful salsa once you're done. If you like things spicy, throw in a few more chili peppers.

Take Mahi mahi out of the refrigerator and combine with onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Pour out excess lime juice. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate again for at least 2-3 hours. The longer the ingredients marinate, the better the flavor will be.

Now you're ready to chow down. Serve with tortilla or plantain chips and maybe a side of avocado. The ceviche should stay good for nearly three days, but I'm sure it will be eaten pretty fast. You can substitute the Mahi mahi for shrimp, tuna or even squid. Add mangoes for extra flavor.

Ceviche is the perfect Sunday Fun Day snack and goes well with margaritas. I certainly hope you enjoy the dish. Thanks to Diego and the crew for such an awesome time "cooking". Sharing is caring. If you have any recipes for Model Bites, do tell!

Model Bites: The Holiday Edition

The days leading up to Christmas are always a busy time at my family's home. The kids are all running around talking about Santa Claus. The boys are all sitting around watching football and eating my sister's cookies. My mom is baking her famous Red Velvet Cakes. Meanwhile, my friends and I are watching mom bake waiting for a little piece of deliciousness. Oh, and somehow my mother convinces us to help her wrap Christmans gifts. These are the holiday traditions that I look forward to every December.

It used to be that I was only a spectator in the sport of holiday cooking. All that baking and making a turkey just seemed like too much work for little ol' me. But recently I've surrounded myself with good people who enjoy cooking as much as they enjoy life itself. During Thanksgiving, we concocted the feast of all feasts. Each person was asked to bring a dish and we pulled out all the stops. For some strange reason, I was in charge of the turkey. I've never done this before, and in order to feed everyone I had to cook not one, but two birds! I tried to play it cool, but the day of the party I was freaking out. Much to my surprise, the turkeys were perfect. Days after that success, I made a sweet potato soufflé and two sweet potato pies. I don't know what's gotten into me.
On my quest to becoming a domestic goddess, I picked up a few tricks that may be helpful to you too. First of all, start early. Find a recipe you love and make sure you have all the ingredients you need before you start cooking. I'm really into fusing family recipes with new things I find on Epicurious or the Food Network. Next, pace yourself. When you have a lot of cooking to do, a simple recipe that should only take 30 minutes might end up taking over an hour. If you're feeling overwhelmed, recruit some help. Every chef needs a sous chef, a line cook, and all that the usual staff of a five star restaurant even if you're just in your own kitchen. Finally, I like to cook with music. If I'm singing and dancing, then I'm putting love into the food. You can taste the difference between someone who just follows a recipe and someone who really put their foot in it, if you know what I mean.

Share the gift of good food this holiday. Cook from your heart. Eat enough that your tummy is full, but make sure you have enough for leftovers. Spread the love.

Model Bites: Simplethings

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

I always say you've got to eat to live.  For guys that means an endless smorgasbord of meat, meat, and more meat, unless of course he's vegan or pescetarian. Occasionally they'll throw some veggies or grains in the mix and maybe a dessert or two.  For this edition of Model Bites, I wanted to try something manly which is a little difficult for me since I don't like stuff. And by stuff I mean all the extra fixings dudes like to pile on food especially sandwiches.  It can get messy, but they like it. So I went somewhere with yummy goodness that both guys and dolls can enjoy... Simplethings.

In order to prepare myself to dine like a dude, I had to build up my appetite. Think about it, men can out eat women by a long shot. We take petite bites of food while they stuff their faces as if they've been starving on a desert island.  Simplethings specializes in sandwiches and pies, and I wanted to try everything on the menu. Talk about Mission:Impossible. So my good friend Taye and I devised a plan. She'd order one thing and I'd order something else.  I went for the BBQ Pulled Pork Pot Pie. Mmm, comfort. When you think pot pie I'm sure 1960s tv dinner comes to mind, but this was no frozen food.  Covered in a tangy barbeque sauce, this flaky goodness was stuff with every man's standard meat and potatoes but it was far from bland.  I like to think of it as a quiche for guys but without all the egg fluff we women like. As usual, my eyes were bigger than my tummy and I only got through half of it. 

Moving right along to the Pulled Chicken Sandwich.  This is a guy's sandwich if I've ever seen one. Pieces of chicken smothered in a chipotle barbecue sauce, arugula, pickled onions, garlic aioli with a chevre spread nestled inside a pretzel roll. Please take your time and savor the flavors with this one. Oh and use a napkin, you messy animals! Add the Butternut Squash soup to your meal, and your belly has officially been warmed up just right. Seriously, if your mouth isn't watering, you have issues.


Even though I was so incredibly full after all the food, I always leave room for dessert. Simplethings is known for having the most amazing pies in town from blueberry to this delicious one Chipotle Pumpkin. The bakers make them fresh every morning with seasonal ingredients and with fruits and veggies from local farmers. It's all made with love and from scratch. Guess what? These pies also come in different sizes to fit your appetite: cutie pie, simple pie, and big pie for sharing. Taye and I went for one cutie pie each, and then went back for seconds. What gluttons! 
Simplethings made me realize that chicks and dudes do share the same love for food, it's just that our palettes and portions are a bit more refined.  Rim shot. So stop by this wonderful little shop and try some grub for yourself. Get stuffed!
PS If you're looking for a great place to get desserts for Thanksgiving, Simplethings is the spot for you. Put in your orders ASAP.