Fruits and nuts are tribute to the vitality of nature's bounty and such a treat in island and coastal areas. These recipes taste good and will make you feel good too. Think fig topped pork, fresh smoothies, crunchy homemade granolas and nutrient packed chia pudding.
A recipe for a Mango Sticky Rice Smoothie, inspired by a popular drink from Down to Earth, a health food store in Hawaii. The recipe recreates the flavors of the traditional Thai dessert (mango, coconut, and condensed milk) in a layered smoothie format.
This mango and peach smoothie is ideal for back-to-school season when mornings get hectic but you still want something nutritious. The Greek yogurt gives you that protein boost to keep you going, and the fresh fruit makes it feel like you're still hanging onto summer.
Papaya Bowl with Chia Pudding and Fresh Fruit recipe, inspired by a dish from the Hau Tree restaurant in Honolulu. This recipe has a beautiful presentation, simple assembly, and nutritional benefits, is vegan and customizable.
Mochi banana bread is a twist on the traditional banana bread but adds rice flour for a bit of a springy texture. This version is full of ripe banana flavor and can come together in just a few minutes. Why I love this recipe This recipe is a variation of classic banana bread with the...
Once summer hits, I start to want to cook with fruit, especially peaches and berries. Luckily, we have some great sources for peaches in Southeast Florida. This homemade peach crisp recipe could not be easier. Summer peach season is upon us and this recipe is a great way to use up some of the beautiful...
We eat a lot of granola around here. It is a perfect whole food snack that we all like. At one point, we imagined opening a granola business so that we could share our creations with the world. That didn't happen. Instead, we like to experiment with granola recipes as much as possible. This granola...
The holidays are a time to celebrate and that doesn't have to include alcohol. This is one of my favorite fall mocktail recipes. I realize that since it is only September 8th--the holidays are still a ways off. But, it doesn't really feel like that to me. The grocery stores are filled with great fall...
Everything you need to know about this smoothie recipe is in the title. It has chocolate. It has banana. It has peanut butter. It is a smoothie. But, I didn't mention that it is a super quick easy breakfast filled with protein. If you are vegan and will like to find a chocolate that goes...
This watermelon-basil-feta salad is not really a recipe. It is more of a suggestion. I read about this recipe years ago in some autobiography and it has stuck with me. Until then, I only thought of watermelon as a fruit. Something that you eat a big bowl of for a summer dessert. I had never...
I am a sucker for quick breads, see pumpkin bread, chocolate fig bread, and now this, the best ever banana bread. There is something about using super ripe produce and making an entirely new creation. Plus, I feel that it is sort of good for you, since you know, fruits and vegggies. Ahem.... Anyhoo.....I seem...
Chocolate fig banana bread is a decadent way to use up leftover bananas for an elevated quick bread recipe. I bought dried figs to serve on our cheese platter for the holidays and then just forgot about them. During some digging through our too deep cabinets, I found them and decided they must be used...
It's flu season and it's a bad one. I'm downing these berry and green smoothies to keep my immunity up. It is just one of those morning where nothing really sounds good but I know I need some nutrition to get going with the day. This berry and greens smoothie usually does the trick--loaded with...
I think there should be some sort of lesson given to that explains the HUGE benefits of using sauces when cooking. True Food Kitchen, one of my favorite restaurants, takes a bowl of quinoa, sweet potatoes and grilled chicken and elevates it with the addition of cilantro pumpkin seed pesto. Just a simple addition of...
Chia pudding to the rescue! It's an absolute lifesaver, especially when you're embarking on another Whole 30 journey and the thought of having eggs for breakfast again is starting to feel monotonous. We all reach a point where we crave something different, like a comforting bowl of oatmeal or a refreshing yogurt parfait. But fear...
You may have noticed that other food blogs have been all about Thanksgiving for a month or more and over here I haven't posted very many Thanksgiving related dishes ( I did post Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese , wasabi mashed potatoes, and instant pot apple cider . Plus, I have a good sweet potato recipe coming up). ...
Sawyer is obsessed with this particular chocolate and cashew butter granola and eats it multiple times a day. We started by buying it from the store but it is just getting too expensive. Every couple of days, Sawyer announces that he needs more granola and we head back to load up the cart. In an effort...
I was first introduced to cashew butter a few months ago at a new restaurant in downtown Sarasota called Lila's. We ended up there because 1) it was new, 2) I love to support new businesses and 3) it had all kinds of options for various food restrictions. One of my most memorable parts of...
It is definitely not cold enough around here for maple apple cider. If you have an Instant Pot, this maple apple cider can be made in 30 minutes without heating up your house and still making it smell amazing. In the recipe, I give notes to make it in a slow cooker as well. If...
Last week, I needed this chia pudding with mango and coconut in order to start to feel a bit more normal in our house, my body and in our life. After our two weeks dealing with our Hurricane Irma drama, I came home completely wiped out and overwhelmed. We didn't sustain much damage other than...
Hawaii is still on my mind after spending a few weeks there. I can't decide if I am ready to move back although I am definitely considering it. We had such a great time and I keep having to remind myself that it could have been because we were on vacation. I know there is something...
Need an extra kick of energy? This high protein super energy smoothie is a great way to kick start your day or give you a bit of energy later in the day. Making great smoothies doesn't have to be hard. Save yourself time and money by making these high protein super energy smoothies at home....
Lately I have been getting lots of inspiration from restaurants that we end up at. This is no exception. A few weeks ago we went over to Cocoa Beach for a quick visit. We stayed surfed at the Beach House Guesthouse, which is one of my favorite places. We surfed right out in front...
Happy February! I have been so sick lately and haven't wanted to look at this blog or even try to cook. I didn't make a cake for Nova's birthday until yesterday (two days late) and our Super Bowl snacks were bought from Trader Joe's and just heated up. What kind of food blogger heats...
A pound cake with a tangy, spring-like flavor...thanks to fresh grapefruit from my tree!
My friend gave me a gift the other day. A bunch of lemons from her tree. AND....she decided to take my kids to the movies on a weekend day, which meant free time for me. I had no plans--and all of the sudden--I had no kids either. What to do with my day? While most...