I feel like we’ve been going, going, going for days. A crazy week followed by an even crazier weekend out of town meant lots of eating on the go and in restaurants. Finally back in NC, we had cause for a delicious celebration dinner in the comfort of our very own home.
TJ’s frozen green beans – cooked with nothing more than simple salt and pepper, and then tossed with a teaspoon of coconut oil right at the end – aaaaamazing.
Rice cooker millet, with coconut oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Since this wasn’t toasted, it was a little mushier than usual, but the flavor was still really good.
Giant roasted portabella mushrooms, with a drizzle of delicious coconut butter on top to finish. Mmmmmm.
I LOVE cooked mushrooms – definitely a top five favorite food.
A delicious dinner and a fun reason to celebrate!
We’ve talked about moving and all our possibilities for the future for SO long – hard to believe it’s really happening. Now that we have a new house, city, and moving date secured on paper, it finally feels real. I’m so excited!
But before we move, I have some business here in Charlotte to finish. And with that, I’m off to pickle cucumbers at the farm…
42 Comments so far
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Congratulations on your new home! :)
When you use coconut oil is it refined or unrefined? I know one has more coconut flavor and different temp recommendations, not sure which to use. Thanks!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
We get the unrefined, which is less processed and supposed to be much better for you. I didn’t know that when I got my first jar, and got the refined stuff by accident – whoops!
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That’s my kind of dinner. So healthy! Congrats on your big move. :)
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Congrats on the new place, so glad you found a perfect fit! :)
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I LOVE mushrooms!!! Congrats on the house and the move! I am really so happy for you. Have fun on the farm today!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Thank you! :)
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I had millet for the first time last night and loved it!
Question though, what settings do you use to cook it, and quinoa, on the rice cooker? I have a Zojirushi too, but have only used it for rice!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
I usually use quick cooking for quinoa and millet – seems to work the best. We do quick cooking on brown rice too, when we dont have time for the longer settings.
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Lauren Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Awesome, thanks! I will have to try it out, I guess I have always been scared to play around with the rice cooker.
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I have found that just about anything works on quick cooking. Except for oatmeal – ONLY works on porridge. Learned that one the hard way. :)
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That coconut oil in the millet sounds delicious. Your recipes inspire me! On another note, congrats on the move! Super exciting – nothing better than moving somewhere new and exploring!
Maria
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I haven’t read your blog in a while and was surprised to hear you’re moving out of Charlotte. Why the move – did you get a new job?
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Now that I’m done with school, there isn’t really anything keeping us in Charlotte. To be honest, I think it’s a bit small for us – we’re excited to move to a bigger city! Welcome back to the blog :)
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Congrats on the new home! :)
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your rice always looks so yummy! :)
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Congratulations! I want to be one of the first to welcome you to Old Town–you will absolutely love it here!!
I’m always looking for a running partner, as well and can run at crazy times of day, even. I’m training for the Wilson Bridge HM, Steamtown (trying to qualify for Boston) and MCM (for…fun?).
Good luck on your move!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
THANK YOU! I would LOVE to run together! I want to do that Wilson half too, and I’m doing MCM – hopefully our training runs line up and we can do them together. :)
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Your posts inspired me to register for a rice cooker for my wedding in September – I’m so excited to start using it!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Yesssss! It willl be your favorite wedding gift – I promise :)
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I am confused by the coconut oil, when I picked it up at whole foods I expected it to be liquid, but its a solid. If I want to make a grain with a coconut flavor, do I just cook the grain and add in the coconut oil (beginning or end of process)? Forgive me if you already have a post that explains how to do this…if so you can just point me to the post :)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
No worries – YES the coconut oil is solid. It’s actually a saturated fat, so it’s solid at room temp, but it’s much much better for you than animal saturated fats. If I am using it at the end of something, I scoop a little into a bowl and microwave. But for grains, I just add a solid tsp to the cooking water, and it melts and distributes as the grains cook! Hope that helps.
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Rachel Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Thanks for the advice, now I can make coconut flavored jasmine rice…I’ll let you know how it turns out!!
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Congrats — certainly worth a celebration! We also had some simple and delicious green beans for dinner last night. Garden fresh, steamed about seven minutes, and tossed with some garlic olive oil that we made up last week — so flavorful! How many more days/weeks of your farm internship?
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
My last day is August 19th! It will be here before I know it…
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Congrats! Can’t wait to read about all your adventures in DC
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Congratulation on your new home and upcoming move! So exciting!
I made some millet the other day in the rice cooker an it was a little mushy as well. How do you normally toast it first? On the stove top in a dry pan? In the oven?
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Congrats on finding a place to live! I am bummed that you’re leaving Charlotte, but I know that you’ll be so happy and successful in your new home. :)
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How exciting Emily! I’m so glad that you found a place you love——now let the fun part begin!
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Can I just say how your dinner is almost exactly what my husband and I ate last night!? We had portobello mushies, green beans, and risotto — yummy!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Ha, fun!
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Love the blog.I’m currently living in Charlotte. Question, and maybe I’ve missed this in reading your blogs or am having a brain fart.. What and where is the farm you intern at? I’m in the food industry and am just curious..
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Poplar Ridge Farm down in Waxhaw, NC!
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For those of us who are cooking virgins, what’s the best way to prepare the mushrooms?
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Spray a baking sheet with olive oil, and then lay the mushrooms on facing up. Sprinkle with salt ad pepper and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, and then flip them over so the juice runs out. Cook an additional 5 minutes, and then flip back over and drizzle with coconut butter. Delicious!
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Yum – coconut on everything, can’t be bad!!
How long until the big move? I bet you’re super excited!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Just a few weeks – should be moving on September 3rd – eeeek!
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Congrats!
And a well deserved celebration dinner thats for sure :)
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Emily- congratulations on the house!! I must admit I forget why you are moving?
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
August 5th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Nothing really keeping us here in Charlotte, and we’re looking to move to a bigger city.
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Meagan Reply:
August 6th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Thats REALLY nice you can just pick up and leave!
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Dinner looks delicious! I love coconut oil ;) Congrats again on finding a place and good luck with your move!
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Congrats Emily! I can understand your apt. hunting frustrations. I have lived in DC for 1 1/2 in a lovely apt. downtown but my new roommates have a dog and 2 cats. It made things very complicated! We’ve ended up out in MD which I don’t mind since it is much cheaper…but BOY was it a headache finding a place that takes pets! I think you guys will love it here :).
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