Today I had to argue before a judge for the first time ever! Okay, so maybe the judge was really a professor pretending to be a judge…and maybe the case is a fake one for one of my classes…but STILL! It was scary. I haven’t done any public speaking since my thesis defense senior year of undergrad. But it went better than I expected and I actually won! Great feeling. But coming through the door after that and needing to come up with a fast dinner with not many groceries in the house…not a great feeling. Lately I just haven’t had the time. But only an hour later and dinner was served!

I got some canned crab from Trader Joe’s a while ago and decided earlier today that I would attempt some crab cakes with them to have with a salad. It was super easy and only required things I already had in my pantry! I whipped up an avocado aioli to go with it and it was mmmmmm good.

Quick & Easy Crab Cakes

• 1 6 oz. can of crab meat, drained well
• 1/2 egg
• 2 T. mayonnaise
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• 1/2 t. Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 2 t. lemon juice (optional)
• 1 c. Panko bread crumbs
• olive oil

-combine the egg, mayo, mustard, seasonings, lemon juice, and 2 T. of the breadcrumbs in a small bowl until completely combined. Fold in the crab. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

-Remove the bowl from the fridge and shape into 4 equal sized patties with your hands (you may need to drain off some liquid first). With the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish, coat each cake with crumbs on both sides. Refrigerate for at least another 10 minutes.

-In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon or so of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, remove the cakes from the fridge and gently transfer them to the pan. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve on a bed of greens and enjoy! Makes 2 servings (4 crab cakes).

Note: DON’T ADD SALT if there’s salt already in your canned crab (check the ingredients, there probably is). It doesn’t need it, trust me!

Avocado Aioli

• flesh of 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 t. salt and pepper
• 2 T. lime juice

-Blend ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth. Enjoy with fish cakes, burgers, or sandwiches! Makes about 2/3 c.

Best part, it didn’t cost me anything extra! Canned crab is not ideal, obviously, but for a law student budget it’s fantastic. I need to start cooking more fast meals like this!

I’m watching a special on TV right now called “Our Nation, Overweight” and it’s getting me so FIRED UP! I get SO ANGRY thinking about how unhealthy our nation is and how the government, drug companies, and food corporations are not only just standing around and letting it happen but PROFITING off it on top of that. Honestly, it’s an issue I’m extremely passionate about and I’m starting to realize that I need to find a way to make sure that my career is based around that passion. It’s actually job searching season for law students and so these are things I really need to start thinking about! So many decisions to make…it’s crazy. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks for reading!

-Lauren