“All we need is a little bit of momentum. Break down these walls that we’ve built around ourselves.” The Hush Sound, a Chicago-based indie band, breaks walls by delivering music and lyrics that liberate vulnerable feelings. Greta Morgan and Bob Morris, the originators of the band, have the scarce talent and ability to captivate their audience with sincerity and susceptibility.

Chicago-based indie band performed at Philly’s Theatre of Living Arts May 15. The band is now touring after a five-year hiatus.

After a five-year hiatus, the band reconnected, produced two new singles and started its current tour. The Hush Sound played a show at the Theatre of Living Arts May 15 to promote its new EPs, “Not a Stranger” and “Scavengers.”

I’d never been to or heard opinions on a The Hush Sound concert, so I excitedly journeyed to South Street to get a fresh perspective with a live performance from a band of which I am a fan. Despite inexpensive tickets and a notorious venue, the Philadelphia following for The Hush Sound, to my surprise, was very small. Philadelphia missed out on an energetic show that promoted good vibes with the harmonious sounds of an upbeat piano, strong guitar, Morgan’s soft and distinct voice, Morris’ stronger tone, subtle drums, and an impressive bass.

The small but devoted crowd interestingly contained different spectra of people. This observation, in my mind, indicates that the band’s music speaks to a multitude of people from different backgrounds, and shows the opportunity for the band to grow. The TLA was mostly filled with teenagers and twenty-somethings, but a good fraction of the audience was middle-aged. They sang along, danced and enjoyed themselves as The Hush Sound jammed.

The interaction between the band members was absolutely awesome. Morris and Morgan have known each other since they were in middle school, and it showed. The whole band let off a comfortable family and best-friend vibe. It was as if the stage was their laid-back haven where they could be themselves and have fun.

Between songs, they talked about Morris’ love of the Chicago Bulls and how they lost to the Miami Heat that night. The band shared a story of when Morgan, after being discouraged from doing so, decorated the guitars of Morris and bassist Chris Faller with red and green tape. The time between songs is an underrated aspect of concerts that tells a lot about artists. Without a doubt, it was fun to watch The Hush Sound poking fun at each other, but it would have been more exciting if they talked about the drive behind a few of their songs, especially considering the emotional lyrics and the type of music they perform. Of course, the band also interacted with the audience; they kept it interesting with an onstage dance-off with prizes for the winner.

If you’re a fan of them, I suggest you listen to their new songs and see them live if they ever come back to the city. If you’ve never heard of them before, give “Momentum” a listen and add it to your summer playlist this year.

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Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia:

What comes to your mind first when you hear the word chia? I bet you’re thinking of the grassy decorative pet-plant that was the star of those catchy infomercials over the past couple decades. What most people don’t know is that the same seeds that sprout fuzzy green hair for Chia Pets are also extremely nutritious. I tried my first chia seed drink after a yoga class. I looked into the fridge of drinks for sale and saw a number of natural juices. One specific product stood out because there were seeds floating inside the bottle. In the spirit of trying new things, I bought the drink. After one sip, I was hooked. Not only is it delicious, but chia seeds are also fun to drink. They are extremely water-soluble, so after being soaked in liquid, they will form a jellylike coating around the seed. After I got home from yoga, I researched the nutritional facts and food applications of the seeds. 

The results of my research made me go out and buy the seeds the next day. Chia seeds are extremely helpful when it comes to hydrating your body. They help in weight loss by reducing cravings; they make you feel full faster; and they’re a good source of omega-3s, protein and fiber. The list of healthy reasons to consume chia seeds goes on and on. Chia seeds are commonly made into pudding; added to yogurt, oatmeal and smoothies; can be used as an egg substitute; and more.

I decided to experiment a little with the seeds and make my very own juices. I recommend you do the same! Play around with some of your favorite flavored drinks, and add chia seeds for a fun blast of nutrition.

For all the drinks:

1. Add half a tablespoon of chia seeds to ⅓ cup of water.
2. Stir gently and allow to sit for five minutes.
3. Repeat step 2 once more, and then your chia seeds are ready to be added to drinks.

Orange-Chia-Ade

Add ⅓ cup freshly squeezed (store-bought if you don’t have it) orange juice to ⅔ cup seltzer water. Add ¼ cup of small chopped mango pieces. Add a packet of your preferred sweetener.

Kiwi Pink Chia Lemonade

Chop up half a kiwi into small pieces. Add to either homemade or store-bought pink or regular lemonade. Mint is a nice herb to add to this drink.

Ginger Citrus Chia Tea

Finely chop ⅛ cup of fresh ginger. Squeeze half a fresh lime and half a fresh orange into the drink. Add an extra 3 tablespoons lime juice. Add to a cup of tea.

Mix chia seeds with your drink, and it’s ready to be enjoyed. However, from experience, I like to chill my drinks for at least an hour in the fridge before consuming. The drinks can last in your fridge for up to two weeks in proper storage. Another quick tip — I like to store my drinks in bottles so that they’re easy to shake up before I sip.

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Some people are content with the typical toast and butter. I am definitely not one of those people. Adding an assortment of your favorite ingredients can transform an ordinary piece of toast into a gourmet dish. 

Mexitoast is something I concocted while studying for and taking midterms during my sophomore year. When I was growing up, my mom always made omelets for breakfast on days when I had tests. She taught me about the importance of breakfast: that feeding your brain in the morning will help you function throughout the day.

In college, many students lose good eating habits by forgoing breakfast. People have told me they don’t have enough time for a good meal in the morning; making eggs takes prepping, cooking and cleaning time. I came up with a substitute breakfast that’s scrumptious and full of nutrients. Mexitoast is fast and easy and can be taken on the go! It was originally intended for breakfast,, but it works for any meal!

Mexitoast

1 large piece multigrain toast

¼ average size avocado

½ small tomato

2 tablespoons fresh cut mangos

Chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Cilantro Dressing

Sriracha

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Dash of salt

A squeeze of fresh lime

Toast your bread.

Cut the avocado into fairly thick pieces. Cut your tomato and mango into small pieces.

Lay the avocado on the toasted bread. Spread the tomato and mango on top.

Sprinkle on the cilantro dressing. Add Sriracha and red pepper flakes. Dash a little bit of salt, squeeze fresh lime and spread chopped cilantro on top.

Enjoy!

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Now that I’m on co-op, I’ve joined the majority of corporate America in having a daily routine. With my new schedule, I’ve had a lot more time to devote to hanging out with friends, working out and cooking. I’ve also had the chance to try new things, including Bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is basically yoga in a sauna or steam room — not kidding; it’s in a 105-degree room set at 45 percent humidity. It can be unbearable at times, but you feel a great sense of accomplishment the minute you get out of those doors, and overall you feel amazing. Sometimes after I go for a run, all I want is a nice plate of fries, but without fail, every time I do Bikram yoga I crave healthy food.

My quest for easy, healthy and nutritious meals met my desire to try to cook salmon; that is how I came up with this recipe:

Lemon Dill Salmon with Rosemary Honey Carrots and Garlic Couscous

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Salmon

1 pound fresh deboned salmon
1 lemon
4 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter

Coat the skinless side of the salmon with dill and lemon pepper.

Put one tablespoon of butter in a pan in an oven that has been preheated to 475 degrees for about five minutes. Putting the butter in first will give your salmon a good flavor and a crispy bite. Squeeze half your lemon onto the salmon and add the fresh dill to the side without skin. After the butter cooks for five minutes, take the pan out and put the salmon on the pan with the skin side up. I like to put the lemon peels on top of the salmon in the oven for added flavor. Cook it in the oven for five minutes. Take the salmon out and peel off the skin. Add salt and lemon, and put lemon pepper on the other side. Cook for approximately 10 more minutes. Cut into two pieces and enjoy.

Carrots

3 cups baby carrots
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dry rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Small ceramic dish

Coat the ceramic dish you plan to cook in with oil. Make sure you oil the whole ceramic dish because you don’t want the honey to stick to the pan.

Mix all the ingredients and cook in the oven at 475 degrees for 40 minutes or until the carrots start to brown a little and are soft on the inside.

I serve both of these with couscous prepared the way my specific package instructs and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of olive oil per 2 cups of couscous.

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I like Asian food and culture, including bubble tea, pineapple buns and sushi, so naturally I love Chinatown. I’m from New York, so comparatively speaking, Philly’s Chinatown is considerably smaller than New York’s and not conveniently next to a Little Italy. However, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. Philadelphia Chinatown is authentic, lively and filled with amazing restaurants. Situated only a couple blocks from Reading Terminal Market and the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the location of this Chinatown is seemingly perfect. 

If you want to “leave” America for a couple hours, take a stroll around Chinatown and be sure to stop in a Chinese market. You’ll likely see things you’ve never seen before, and unless you speak and read Chinese, you won’t know exactly what everything is in the store. My advice to you is to be daring and try something new. I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but when I was in the candy aisle I couldn’t really help it. I bought a couple Asian candies based on the pictures of what they were. In an interesting and delicious kind of way, they turned out to be unlike any American candy I’d ever had.

While visiting Chinatown, I was on a mission to buy authentic spices and sauces to make one of my favorite Asian dishes — udon noodles.

Udon noodles with spicy soy teriyaki garlic chicken, hoisin sauce tofu, ginger plum chili onions and a medley of vegetables, including green and orange peppers, snow peas and mushrooms in a teriyaki sauce.

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup teriyaki sauce

½ tablespoon minced garlic

½ pound chicken breast

Add all the spices and sauces to thawed chicken and allow it to marinate for at least three hours.

Cook the chicken in its own pan, and while it’s cooking, shred the chicken with a fork and knife. Cook the chicken thoroughly until it is white throughout.

For the onions:

1 medium-sized onion

2 tablespoons plum sauce

1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon freshly chopped ginger

Chop the onion into small pieces. Add a little bit of olive oil to a pan, put it on a medium setting and add the onion. Allow the onion to cook for approximately five minutes, then add all the sauces and ginger and cook until onions are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Be careful while taste testing for assurance.

For the vegetables:

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

½ orange pepper

½ cup mushrooms

1 cup snow peas

½ cup teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chop the peppers into small pieces and dice the mushrooms. Put all the vegetables in a pan with a dash of oil and 4 ounces of water. Cover to steam for approximately five minutes to quicken the cooking process. Uncover and allow to cook through. When the vegetables are almost done, add the teriyaki sauce and pepper flakes for flavor.

For the tofu:

½ cup diced tofu

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Mix the hoisin sauce with fresh tofu. Add the tofu to the mixed vegetables at the same time you add the teriyaki sauce.

Cook three 7-ounce packets of fresh udon noodles as directed on the packet. Be careful, as udon noodles cook significantly faster than regular pasta (my packet took about three minutes).

After everything is ready, mix all the previous ingredients into the noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and add Sriracha sauce for extra spice if wanted. Enjoy!

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Some people get excited when they buy new clothes. Some like new electronics, books, running shoes, etc. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy getting all those things, but I really get excited about new kitchen supplies. That being said, I finally bought myself a slow cooker! Slow cookers are electronic pots that run at a relatively low temperature for an extended period of time. The beauty of a slow cooker is that it barely requires any work. Not to sound corny, but you can literally set it and forget it. 

I challenged a friend to tell me what should be the first thing I make with my new appliance. When he said chili, although I had never made it before, I was really excited about a new recipe.

Spicy Turkey Chili with diced tomatoes, roasted corn, black beans, onion, zucchini, a medley of spices, and fresh cilantro with vegetable and flaxseed tortilla chips

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey

12-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 zucchini

1 onion

8-ounces Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn

½ cup tangerine lime soda

½ can black beans

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons minced onions

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon kosher sea salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Fresh cilantro

Cook the turkey on stovetop until the outside has browned.

Cut the zucchini twice lengthwise intersecting. Then cut the zucchini widthwise to make four relatively small pieces with each cut. Chop the onion into small pieces.

Add all the ingredients except the cilantro into the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly and cook for 6.5 hours on high. Top with freshly chopped cilantro, serve with vegetable flaxseed tortilla chips and enjoy!

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There are some words that I’ll probably never say correctly. Either they’re too hard to pronounce, or more often, I have said the word incorrectly my entire life to the point where it’s ingrained in my mind. Sometimes friends will point out that I’m not saying the word right, and I just won’t believe them. It has taken multiple searches on YouTube for pronunciations in order to end multiple disputes about words I still can’t say correctly. 

For instance, I once had an argument with a friend about the articulation of the word “quinoa.” YouTube ended the dispute, and neither of us ended up being right. In case you were wondering it is pronounced “keen-wah.” If you’ve never had quinoa, you should definitely try it. I like to describe it as a cross between couscous and rice. There are many benefits to quinoa over other whole grains, including less cooking time and a distinct, delicious taste and texture. It also provides nine amino acids and is both gluten and cholesterol free.

Quinoa dishes are great because you can bulk them up and make them your main meal or serve them as a side dish. This Mediterranean recipe is great on its own, and I eat it as a full meal. However, you could add chicken or serve it as a side dish with fish. This recipe is filled with many flavors and incorporates lots of vegetables, allowing  you to serve it as your only side if you so prefer.

Mediterranean quinoa with roasted red peppers, sauteed eggplant and zucchini, olive tapenade, sliced cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and feta cheese

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups quinoa

¼ cup Kalamata olive tapenade

½ cup feta

3 tablespoons fresh cut-up basil

2 cups sliced mini cherry tomatoes

Roasted red pepper

1 pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Olive oil

Spray a cooking sheet. Slice the peppers lengthwise into approximately 10 pieces. Lightly coat with olive oil. Evenly distribute the minced garlic onto the sliced peppers. Spread out on pan and cook at 350 until peppers start to bubble and are lightly black. Flip and allow the other side to cook until bubbled as well.

Eggplant and zucchini

1 small eggplant

1 small zucchini

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning

Olive oil

Chop the eggplant into small pieces. Cut the zucchini twice lengthwise intersecting. Then cut the zucchini widthwise to make four relatively small pieces with each cut. Sprinkle Greek seasoning on all the chopped vegetables. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the eggplant and zucchini to the heat. Cook until eggplant is mushy and zucchini has a little bit of crunch to it. You can taste test for assurance.

Cook the quinoa as directed on your quinoa package. Add the Kalamata olive tapenade and cherry tomatoes to the quinoa, and mix. For a good plate setting, put down the quinoa mixed with some veggies first, then add the feta and top with fresh basil.

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It’s beginning to feel a lot like spring. For me, that means lots of walks around Philadelphia exploring the shops, the culture, and most importantly, the food. 

After purchasing some produce and having a small lunch with some friends at Reading Terminal Market, we strolled around Philadelphia, had coffee in Rittenhouse and stopped at one of the best places to get cheese in Philadelphia — Di Bruno Bros.

If you’re ever inquisitive about cheese, the experts at Di Bruno Bros. can help you out. They’re knowledgeable, friendly and never chintzy on the free samples. I had tried a variety of cheeses, but once I tasted the rosemary goat cheese, I knew I needed to incorporate it into this week’s column. And that’s how beautiful weather, meandering around Philadelphia with friends, and the taste of sweet cheese initiated the idea for this luscious sandwich.

Rosemary goat cheese with grilled balsamic lavender eggplant, caramelized onions and roasted garlic peppers on Parmesan-crusted focaccia bread, served with lemon pepper green beans and toasted almonds.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

For the eggplant:

1 small eggplant

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh lavender

Olive oil

Chop the eggplant width-wise into pieces half your thumb’s length thick. Coat the eggplant with balsamic vinegar and seasonings. Lightly add olive oil to the eggplant pieces. Grill until cooked thoroughly. If you don’t have a grill, or in my case a George Foreman grill, you can cook the eggplant on the stovetop.

For the peppers:

½ red pepper

½ orange pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Olive oil

Spray a cooking sheet. Slice the peppers lengthwise into approximately 10 pieces. Lightly coat with olive oil. Evenly distribute the minced garlic on the sliced peppers. Spread out on pan and cook at 350 degrees until peppers start to bubble and are lightly black. Flip and allow the other side to cook until bubbled as well.

For the onions:

2 very small white onions

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ tablespoon butter

Pinch of salt

Peel the onions and chop lengthwise to a small thickness. The smaller you slice it, the quicker it will cook! Heat the butter and salt in a pan until the butter melts on a moderately high setting. Add the onions and brown sugar. Cook until brown. The longer you cook them, the more of a charred taste you’ll get, which some people prefer when it comes to onions.

Other items for the sandwich:

¼ lb rosemary goat cheese (Trader Joe’s sells a less expensive version than Di Bruno Bros.)

2 Trader Joe’s Parmesan focaccia rolls

Add half the goat cheese to each roll. After all the ingredients are cooked, evenly divide them into two sandwiches. Cook at 250 degrees for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and heat up the roll.

For the green beans:

2 cups raw green beans

Olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted almonds

½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

¼ lemon

½ teaspoon rosemary

Heat olive oil in a pan on a medium setting. Add the green beans and seasoning. At the end of the cooking process of the green beans, add the toasted almonds. Remember to add these at the end because they cook quickly, and will burn and give an undesired charred taste if you throw them in too soon. Once completely cooked, give a squeeze of fresh lemon to the green beans.

Some useful information:

At Reading Terminal Market you really can find amazing deals on produce and to save more:

OK Produce gives students a 10 percent discount every day.

Iovine Brothers offers a 10 percent discount to students on Sundays and Wednesdays.

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As I walk down the aisles of the grocery store, the variety of sauces, spices and produce inspires me. I sometimes walk in with a specific meal in mind, but I usually end up with completely different ingredients in my cart. 

On this particular trip to the store, I originally intended to make Gorgonzola gnocchi with mushrooms (no worries, it will be in a future article!). I had the mushrooms in my cart, but once my eye caught sight of the tomato basil chicken, the game had changed. I knew I could enhance the tomato basil sauce with mushrooms, spinach and extra spices. Adding cumin to the sauce changed the chicken by giving it a smoky flavor.

When having chicken, I like to also serve a starch and a vegetable. Roasted potatoes and sauteed and roasted asparagus pair very well with tomato basil chicken.

Tomato Basil Chicken with Mushrooms and Spinach, Lemon Garlic Asparagus, and Roasted Garlic Pepper Potatoes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

4 pieces of Trader Joe’s Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Chicken

½ cup tomato basil pasta sauce

¼ cup cooked spinach

½ cup mushrooms

½ teaspoon Trader Joe’s 21 Seasonings Salute

¾ teaspoon cumin

Olive oil

Heat up a bit of olive oil in a pan on a medium-high setting. Add half the tomato basil sauce. Once the sauce is bubbling, turn the stove down to a medium heat and put the chicken in the pan. Add the cumin to the chicken. Be cautious while evenly spreading the cumin on both sides of the chicken; cumin is a very strong and flavorful spice. Add the spinach to the sauce. Add more tomato basil sauce to the recipe if desired. Cook chicken until completely white on the inside, approximately eight minutes on each side.

Heat oil in a separate pan on a moderately high setting. Add the mushrooms and 21 seasonings. Cook mushrooms thoroughly until texture is soft throughout. Add the cooked mushrooms to the chicken sauce.

For the asparagus:

12 spears asparagus

½ lemon

½ tablespoon minced garlic

Salt

Olive oil

Heat olive oil and minced garlic in a pan. Add the asparagus to the pan. Squeeze fresh lemons a couple times while the spears are cooking. Cook on stovetop until almost done. To give a part-sauteed and part-roasted taste, I like to cook asparagus on the stovetop for about three-quarters of the process and in the oven for the last half of the process.

For the potatoes:

2 cut-up Russet potatoes

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

Combine all the ingredients in a large zip-close bag. Shake until completely mixed. Spray a pan. Spread out the potatoes on the pan. Cook each side at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, 40 minutes altogether.

And a little health tip for you:

Use small plates! The larger your plate, the more food you need to add to it to make it look and seem full. Grab a small plate for better portion control to improve your eating habits.

Now I know spring break is quickly approaching, so many of you are catching up on your perfect beach bods, but you should definitely treat yourself to one of these. This recipe is an easy way to become the favorite chef at a party. From experience, I can promise that you’ll hear the whispers of “who made this?” talking about your dessert!

It’s a sugar cookie base with caramel chocolate sauce, crushed up cinnamon graham cracker, chocolate chips and powdered sugar. Anytime I can incorporate my guilty-pleasure snack of Cinnamon Grahams from Trader Joe’s into a dessert, I know it will be delicious. I’ve dubbed my dessert Sweet Graham Bark.

For the sugar cookies:

This is a sugar cookie recipe that is delicious on its own, but if you want to make it faster, you can easily just substitute sugar cookie mix.

1 cup softened butter

1 egg

2 ¾ cup flour

1 ¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

In one mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until it’s a homogenous sugary mixture.

In another mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Gradually add the dry powders to the sugary egg mixture until all of it is added. If you like chocolate, you can add chocolate chips to the dough after it’s mixed.

Grease an entire cookie pan thoroughly. Starting from the middle and moving outward, spread the dough into a cookie sheet (like a cookie cake). Spread out a layer of crunched-up graham crackers and chocolate chips on top of the dough.

Bake at 380 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

For the sauce:

10-ounce jar of caramel sauce

4 ounces chocolate

½ cup brown sugar

½ stick butter

Heat the caramel sauce and butter in a saucepan at a mid-low setting until melted. Add in the brown sugar and chocolate. Top the cookies with the sauce. Crunch more graham crackers on top of the sauce.

Once the sugar cookies are baked and cooled, top with confection sugar and enjoy!