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...
Always fun to see what the top ten recipe posts of the year were. In 2017, Hawaiian foods were popular as were decadent desserts. Can't wait to see what 2018 will bring! I am working on updating my recipe archives and in the process thought it might be fun to put together a top ten...
It is really hard for me to say if I prefer this version of chocolate chip pumpkin bread or the other version I made last week. I made both on the same day and one loaf was finished off a lot faster than the other. Any guesses which one that might be? I used the...
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...
Are you doing the Whole 30? I haven't kicked one off for 2017 and I am still not sure that I will--at least not this month*. I love the Whole 30 plan as it is simple, healthy and I really saw results, not just with weight loss, but mental clarity, anxiety and depression. I was...
I have decided that I am going to start posting even the most simple recipes that I have had success with. There are a couple of reasons for this. 1) Even though they might seem simple now....I didn't use to think that way. Before I started to really learn my way around the kitchen, I...
Pulled this from the archives because it is too good to not share again and again..... We moved to Florida from Hawaii years ago and every once in awhile, something will really, really make us miss the islands. We always kind of miss the islands--but sometimes we REALLY MISS them. And, that happened to us...
Homemade malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) are nothing to be afraid of.
My mom is visiting. It's great. She does our laundry, loves working in the yard, and when I ask her to bake cookies, she does. The unfortunate part is that she is not a very good cook. She just doesn't like it at all and gets in the kitchen and immediately doesn't want to...
About a week ago I heard about the Whole 30 program--basically a super strict version of the Paleo lifestyle to really break you of sugar cravings and food associated mood swings. I decided to do it. June 1st was my first day of my self proclaimed, " 30 days of boring" yet I am learning...
We have a grapefruit tree in our backyard and each year it gives us more and more perfect fruits. The first year we lived here, we got one grapefruit. The next year, three. This year we have had about 15! I made grapefruit curd for Christmas gifts (win!) and attempted to make chocolate covered...
We don't do much to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries around here. Every year, I make a vow to change that because I really do think it is a good habit to celebrate special days--it is just not one that we have gotten into. This year for our 12th anniversary, I made Aaron homemade cheese...
It is beginning to feel like spring which to me, means lots of fresh strawberries. I seem to eat them daily during this time of year. One of my favorite more treats is a berry kale smoothie. It is just as easy to jump out of bed blend together a smoothie as it is to brew...
A go to chocolate ice cream for the most devoted chocolate fanatics......the chocoholics dream ice cream.
A pound cake with a tangy, spring-like flavor...thanks to fresh grapefruit from my tree!
I make guacamole every other day during avocado season. And, in my guacamole making life I have tried many different recipes. This one is the best guacamole. It is simple. It is tasty and it is vegan. I was inspired by a restaurant in Washington DC where they make it at your table. I need...
Looking for something quick and easy when you the kids are craving pizza? Since we avoid prepackaged foods, I will NOT buy those little hot pizza bites. I know that they are tasty but they are full of so many ingredients that I want to avoid for myself and the family. Instead, I can throw...
I LOVE chocolate peppermint pretzels! I don't normally see them at the grocery store until the holidays and I remember last year, they seemed to sell out of them quickly. I am not the only one that likes these things. I decided to make my own! They were delicious but since I eat them at...
I had a request from the Bean for homemade Nutter Butters and did my best to try to make them for him. Unfortunately, every time I baked the cookies in the peanut shape they would expand and grown and turn into giant misshapen beans. I finally gave up and made traditional round peanut butter...
Ahh....chocolate chip cookies--one of my most favorite things. I made vegan chocolate chip cookie bars for my students this week. We are talking about food diversity and the fact that a vegan diet is considered one of the best things a person can do for the health of the planet as well as their own...
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...
Popovers made with extra sharp cheddar add a little heft to a light weekday meal.
Soft frosted sugar cookies in celebration of fall!
Freshly baked doughnuts and hot chocolate in bed...what more can little girls ask for?