Valentines Day is just a few days away and if you want to skip the crowded restaurants and impress your partner with a simple, but restaurant quality dinner at home instead, I’ve got just the dish! Not only does this walnut crusted salmon cost a fraction of what you’d pay for it in a restaurant, but it’s surprisingly quick and easy to throw together and can be prepped the night… Keep Reading
If you haven’t embraced cauliflower into your life yet maybe this will be the post that makes you do it! I never used to be a fan of it myself, but after learning how to make it taste like hot wings.. I was sold! For a good throwback recipe you can see what I’m talking about here. I decided to challenge myself with THREE new flavor variations and the best… Keep Reading
Beets will forever be on that fine line of you either love them or hate them and if you hate them… this recipe is NOT for you. I like to channel my inner Dwight Schrute and fully embrace beets and their earthy flavor. This time I went even further by using their greens in this salad and pickled the stems to use in other dishes, putting every bit of them… Keep Reading
If you want to know how these delicious veggie-friendly tacos taste you can go on and skip to the third paragraph, but I wanted to start out by explaining why recently I’ve opted for making more vegetarian recipes on the blog. Being born and raised in Iowa I’m definitely a meat and potatoes kind of girl. I love a good rare steak, sizzling bacon, and fried chicken, however I want… Keep Reading
Typically when I make a big batch of chili, it lasts about a week around here.. this chili lasted only two days! Surprisingly simple to make, affordable ingredients, and it’s vegetarian, which no one seemed to notice until they were down to the last few spoonfuls. It’s spicy, zesty, hearty, and pairs perfectly with tortilla chips or my Jalapeño Cheddar Skillet Cornbread I shared yesterday!
With busy schedules and a lot of moving pieces in my life right now, I’ve been feeling very disconnected from cooking. My dinners have been about what’s quick and economical, which doesn’t provide a lot of variety or creativity. Rather than watch one of my passions slip down the drain and become just another chore I said.. SCREW THAT. I have the ability to take affordable ingredients and elevate them… Keep Reading
I’m very deliberate about my grocery shopping and if it’s not on the list, I’m not buying it. Okay.. maybe Ben & Jerry’s is never “officially” on the list, but it’s sort of a given that it will make it’s way into the cart. Guilty pleasures aside, I started to walk past these cherries and stopped dead in my tracks. They were far too vibrant, plump, and juicy looking to… Keep Reading
While I was back in Iowa this past February visiting family, I made this salmon dish for my parents and it was quickly requested again the very next night! I shared the recipe with my mom, who said they’ve made it about 3 more times since then and that she doesn’t think they’ll eat salmon any other way! She has now made multiple demands that I publish the recipe here,… Keep Reading
I am fully aware that I’m a grown woman and have the right to choose whether I consume fruits and vegetables, but sometimes I find that I have to resort to my mom’s old trick of “hiding” them or presenting them in a way that’s more appetizing to me. This smoothie is a prime example of that maternal trickery and hidden away in that beautifully bright green layer is two… Keep Reading
A while back I found myself in a dinner rut and consuming the same 3-4 meals on rotation for weeks. I finally broke the pattern by throwing together some of my favorite ingredients in a completely new way. Tender juicy chicken smothered in a rich basil cream sauce and topped off with roasted tomatoes and bits of garlic… holy goodness! This is one meal that I wouldn’t mind eating on… Keep Reading
Anytime I’m sick or just craving something to warm me up on a cold winter day I go for pho. If you haven’t yet tried this phenomenal Vietnamese noodle soup, then make that your goal for the weekend. Ask around, read reviews, and find yourself the best pho spot you can! Since I’m a DIY person through and through, I of course wanted to try a homemade version. The only… Keep Reading
The holidays are always a great time to gather your loved ones to sit down for a huge home-cooked meal, but it does place a tremendous amount of pressure on you to come up with a menu that will appease everyone, including those with dietary restrictions. Let’s start with one of the staples like stuffing. Typically made with bread cubes and sausage or turkey, and then cooked inside of the… Keep Reading
During fall I love incorporating as many seasonal vegetables into my meals that I can and squash is definitely my favorite to use. After coming across Cooking Light’s Acorn Squash Egg-in-the-Hole recipe I knew I had to recreate it for myself. I loaded mine up with fresh vegetables, bacon, and of course a healthy dose of Sriracha for some heat. Not only do they look beautiful once plated, but they’re… Keep Reading
Salmon is one of my favorite go-to proteins to cook with. It’s healthy, lean, full of great flavor, and quick to cook, but to be honest, I’ve been a little bored with it lately. I decided to switch things up and pair it with a fresh cucumber cilantro yogurt sauce. The vibrant flavors from the sauce paired perfectly with the citrus and herbs I used to season the fillets. I added… Keep Reading
When I initially sought out a mango ice cream recipe I thought I would find a much healthier version since it involved fresh fruit.. Boy was I wrong! A lot of these recipes called for large amounts of sugar, heavy cream, and required an ice cream maker to make it happen. Not to be discouraged, I decided to turn back to my own blog for some inspiration. I recently put… Keep Reading
Pizza, eggs, seafood, cocktails.. everything just seems to taste a little better with Sriracha on it and this Zesty Garlic Sriracha Hummus is no exception! Using just a few simple ingredients you can create your own smooth and spicy hummus right at home! A warning to the single folks though.. don’t eat this before or during a date and expect a goodnight kiss! 😉
I’ll be honest.. butternut squash soup never sounded all that enticing to me. Maybe it was the baby food-like consistency or that I didn’t really start eating squash until recent years, but I just discovered that I have been missing out! I was inspired to try my own recipe after my friend, Bridgette from The Flamingo Tribune (an adorably wonderful rockabilly lifestyle blog), shared a photo of her own butternut… Keep Reading
We’re in the heart of the fall season right now and hearty chilly weather dishes are all I want right now! Spaghetti squash is one of my favorites to work with because of its pasta-like consistency, so I seasoned it with brown butter, sautéed garlic, and crispy sage leaves to bring out its natural flavor! This is an excellent dish to serve up to any vegetarian guests you have at… Keep Reading
I was craving stuffed peppers a few weeks ago, but was a little bit bored with the basic Italian sausage stuffed pepper recipes out there. I decided to lighten them up a bit by using lemon pepper chicken, crumbled goat cheese, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes straight from my garden. I wrapped them in pancetta and baked them to create a zesty, hearty, and healthy dish that the whole family… Keep Reading
Sometimes you just want a “man’s meal” and when I think of the ultimate man, I think Ron Swanson. As he once said, “Bacon wrapped shrimp are my number one food wrapped around my number three favorite food.” How do you make something so simple, yet delicious, even tastier? Marinate those suckers in bourbon and glaze them with barbecue sauce, that’s how! They make a great appetizer or snack and… Keep Reading
As summer is coming to a close (at least in my mind it is.. who’s ready for pumpkin spice recipes?!) I wanted to do one last recipe that really captures the flavors of the season. Grilled corn, sautéed zucchini and squash, fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers blend together perfectly in this crunchy zesty side dish. Most of the ingredients can be plucked straight from your own garden or found at… Keep Reading
Okay so before you click away because you don’t own an ice cream maker, know this.. I don’t either! All you need is frozen bananas, a food processor or blender, and a sweet tooth to make this delicious homemade ice cream. I made up a batch of flourless brownies that ended up not looking so hot after I cut them, so I decided to crumble them and add to the… Keep Reading
Instead of fighting for the best view on a hill to watch the fireworks this past Fourth of July, we decided to stay right at home, watch our neighbors nearly blow their faces off, and enjoy some delicious grilled foods and spiked lemonade! One of the items on the menu.. chicken wings! I decided to bake these while my fiancé manned the grill with other items, but you could just… Keep Reading
I have a love/hate relationship with salads. A really great hearty salad can be satisfying, but after eating so many of them you finally hit that point. The point where your inner carnivore screams, “I’m not a rabbit! I need bacon.. and steak!” But after making this blackberry vinaigrette I’m finding myself back on the ‘love’ side of salads. The dressing is sweet, tangy, and fresh.. taking a regular salad… Keep Reading