Plated x3

My photography projects/culinary edification continued this weekend under a most glorious sun. It almost felt criminal to stay inside in the kitchen. But kitchen- and computer-based projects, and the hope that I could cut down on San Francisco-style spending (I feel like I bleed money each time I walk around this town), I hunkered down for the weekend, and with some tasty results! Saturday was all about soy-lime shiitakes and sweet potatoes. For those of you that know that my tastes, yes, you did read that correctly: I voluntarily chose to prepare and consume a mushroom-based dish. But with the promise of cilantro and sweet potatoes, I really couldn't hold myself back. And while I would probably swap the mushrooms for some protein source if I were to repeat the meal, the flavor blend was really appealing.

Soy lime shiitakes and sweet potatoes à la Plated

I'd saved the decadence for Sunday afternoon: a creamy, fatty broccoli-cheddar mac and cheese casserole. There really wasn't anything to argue about in this dish, though I did cut down to just half that onion. I wasn't going out and socialising, but even I wouldn't want to be around my own onion-breath after that much onion in one go.

Broccoli-cheddar mac and cheese

The winner for best dish this weekend was far from obvious. The broccoli-cheddar mac and cheese was at a disadvantage since it's hardly a warm weather dish. Give me that and a hot chocolate when I'm chilling in sweats on a snowy Sunday anytime. But given the San Francisco weather, the health benefits, and the more complex flavor profile, I'd probably hand a conditional win to Saturday's recipe, if you could just swap the mushrooms. But no clear winner is a good thing: I'm eating quite well at a fraction of the San Francisco costs. Just six more months of this rhythm and I'll have paid off that options exercise loan!

Plated Week 3. Yummy eats without the city price tags. :)