This week, the eating was not so clean. But I got to try a lot of recipes that are totally different from my usuals so that was pretty fun! Some were keepers and some totally bombed. Read more below to find out which are which!

MONDAY: SPAGHETTI

The week started off a little boring, I'll admit. Regular spaghetti. I'd actually planned on trying another recipe, but I couldn't find spaghetti squash. So I put that one on the back burner and went for traditional spaghetti. I used a jar sauce with extra veggies and some shredded chicken. There's a reason it's a classic! Yum.

TUESDAY: SESAME NOODLES

I wanted to try this recipe for sesame noodles. It's geared a bit more towards being a side, but I beefed it up a bit with some shredded chicken and then a side of rice and steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, and onions). I tried a few noodles straight out of the pot and was pleasantly surprised. However, I let it all sit for a few minutes in the oven after plating up and somehow, the flavour had vanished. I'm not really sure what happened there! I'm not against trying this one again and using a normal soy sauce (I used low sodium) and beefing up the flavours.

WEDNESDAY: SPIRAL VEGGIE PIE

I found this Italian recipe for a "spiral cake" and couldn't wait to try. I figured if it worked out really well it would be a good dish to serve for guests because it's so pretty. I'm sure that it's something I did wrong, but this did not work for me. I'd say not even a little, but the flavour combo was gorgeous. I have a feeling that it went wrong with the tomatoes. My problem was that the dough remained so wet that it was soggy instead of crisp, and ended up tasting like raw dough. It ruined the whole dish unfortunately. I think that the tomatoes were maybe too juicy, because the ham and eggplant sure weren't! It was actually easy enough to make and looked just as pretty as the picture, but I don't know how you'd get rid of the moisture from the tomatoes.

THURSDAY: EGGPLANT BURGERS & CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

I've kind of fallen in love with eggplants. I think it's because they're so versatile. I came across this recipe for a meat-free veggie burger (not vegan) and was curious about trying an eggplant-based patty. And woah baby, this turned out great. It was really easy to make, which is always the best. Cause who has time for a complicated dinner? I switched out panko for ground almonds to make it a bit healthier but kept everything else the same. 100% will be making this again! Side note, I think these were my fave version of caramelized onions ever.

FRIDAY: WHITE BEAN KALE QUESADILLAS

I go through love/hate phases with quesadillas. Usually when I'm in love with them, it's because they're super loaded up with different toppings. This particular recipe has been on my to-try list for quite some time. I am a huge fan of white beans. And cheese. Bring it on! As expected, this was another big win. I did mine as the recipe is written and added some lightly seasoned shredded chicken to Killian's. I loved everything about it! The creamy BBQ sauce on top was, in a sense, the cherry on top. Perfection. And also surprisingly perfect as far as portions go. Maybe not health-wise, but it was just enough to leave you really full without being stuffed and rolling around after. Please try this! You won't regret it.

SATURDAY: GRATIN

I haven't watched Pretty Little Liars in a long time, but I am a really big fan of Shay Mitchell's travel videos on her Youtube channel. She posted this recipe video and it looked so delicious I had to try it the next week! I have mixed feelings on this one. I loved the flavour combo. And I loved that it was different from my usual veggie combo. However, as Killian also noted, it was a bit much on the bread front. I think what I might do next time is double-layer the veggies and keep everything else the same. That way the proportions won't be so off. But other than that, it was fun to try something different. I'll admit, though, that it's not the prettiest in presentation when serving. It is, however, gorgeous when making. The chef's the only one who matters, right? No?

SUNDAY: SESAME CHICKEN

To end the week, one of my fave go-tos when I'm getting food at any Asian restaurant. I distinctly remember being at a restaurant with my grandparents when I was around 11 years old and being a seriously picky eater. I had no interest in trying anything new, and the things I did like were super basic. My grandpa convinced me to try sesame chicken for the first time (by ordering it as a separate dish so I could eat what I wanted if I hated it) and I ate the whole entire bowl. I loved it. I haven't ever made it at home though, so I was excited to come across this recipe for "better than takeout" sesame chicken. I am sad to say that I was sorely disappointed. This did not taste like sesame chicken at all in my opinion! Was it good? Yes. Was it fabulous? Meh, no. Was is sesame chicken? Hell no. If you want an asian-inspired chicken go for it. While you do that, I'll be searching for a good sesame chicken recipes. Any suggestions? Do tell!

What I Ate This Week: 20-26 June