I’m sorry, but what month is it?! It’s a little unbelievable that five whole months have already passed, and I’m starting to feel the metaphorical fire under my bum to get moving on this year’s goals before I find myself writing about how I can’t believe it’s 2017. As much as I want to deny that summer is happening now, I will admit that I miss sitting out on our… Keep Reading
Pita pizzas are my go-to when I’m pressed for time and not wanting to wait 2+ hours for homemade dough. I thought I would try out a sweet and savory combination to switch it up a bit and I think I found my new summer pizza! Fresh basil, sweet strawberries, and rich goat cheese get topped off with a simple balsamic reduction making this quick, easy, and delicious!
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
If I’m being completely honest these aren’t just breakfast burritos.. these are I-would-gladly-eat-these-for-every-meal burritos, but I initially sought out to make a savory new breakfast dish and these were the result. Red quinoa, black beans, and roasted sweet potato seasoned with a blend of spices make for a satisfyingly filling breakfast without leaving you feeling bloated afterward. Top it all off with my zesty Avocado Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce and… Keep Reading
I seem to be a glutton for punishment because I decided on a 90 degree day in Portland (with no air conditioning) I would bake a pizza at 450 degrees. All of my literal “slaving over the hot stove” became completely worth it though when I took a bite of this pizza. I chose my favorite summer ingredients to create a tangy, fresh, and savory new pizza combination. I will… 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 had no idea when I planted my zucchini that they would grow to such monstrous sizes and take over the container I put them in, but it has resulted in a lot of delicious zucchini recipes this summer. Fried zucchini is always a classic summer snack and while I was cooking it up one day, I thought I would document and share the recipe with you all! It only… Keep Reading
A few years ago I challenged myself to try a vegetarian diet for one month. My first attempt ended at three weeks after I drunkenly scarfed down a pulled pork burrito AND a deli sandwich containing seven different types of meat… it’s a long story. My second attempt, however, was much more successful! I made it the entire thirty days and tried a lot of different foods I had otherwise… Keep Reading
If you’re looking for a delicious appetizer for tonight, look no further! I’ve whipped up one of my favorite zucchini recipes and paired it with a zesty lemon parmesan aioli! Head over to Dream A Little Bigger for the full recipe!
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
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
Last Saturday we had some friends staying with us before we all went to Mt. Hood for a wedding. I knew we would need some good fuel to start the day and since they’re both gluten-free I decided on these simple Greek frittatas.. in miniature form! Fluffy baked eggs, fresh vegetables, and crumbled feta make these a healthy and balanced breakfast for everyone to enjoy!
Portland has been getting some rainy, fall-like weather over the last week so I’ve been snuggled up in hoodies and blankets and craving comfort food! As I’m about to fry up a batch of veggies I remember that my love handles and my wedding dress will probably not appreciate it, so I made a “skinny” version instead! They have the same crisp, crunchy flavor and texture as fried vegetables do,… Keep Reading
I found myself wanting to start this post off with an apology because I’ve been on a huge strawberry kick, so many of my posts lately are strawberry this or strawberry that. But hey.. ‘tis the season right? I’m not exactly sure how I went 20+ years never trying guacamole, but from the moment I did, I’ve been hooked! We’re always concocting new versions of it and I think this… Keep Reading
A few months ago I asked what types of posts you would like to see more of or if there was anything specific you wanted me to try and this eggplant lasagna is a result of those answers! You guys asked to see more healthy recipes and one reader in particular wanted to see an eggplant recipe. I combined the two and made a vegetarian and gluten-free (sorry vegans –… Keep Reading
With Memorial Day in just a few days you’ll no doubt find yourself at a family gathering, BBQ, or picnic of some sort and crap… you forgot to cook something ahead of time! Hit the store and pick up these six simple ingredients to make a fresh watermelon salad that’s packing a punch! Not only does this take just a matter of minutes to put together, but it’s way tastier… Keep Reading
Mother’s Day is this Sunday and instead of taking dear old mum out to a brunch of greasy hash browns and bad coffee, cook for her yourself! A few months ago I posted my Salmon, Bacon, & Potato Hash recipe, but if you’re looking for something a little lighter or vegetarian, this Sweet Potato Hash is just as delicious! It’s simple to make, feeds the whole family, and shows your… Keep Reading
Caprese salad is always such a simple and perfect blend of flavors that there’s really not much else you can do to improve on it…but I did! I used toasted slices of the homemade French baguettes I posted yesterday, melted mozzarella, roasted tomato slices, fresh basil leaves, and topped the whole thing off with a bit of homemade red wine vinaigrette. If you have a party coming up you can’t… Keep Reading
As promised on Monday’s post.. the delicious roasted veggies that accompanied my ribeye steaks! What’s great about this recipe is that you can add or substitute different vegetables depending on your preference and make the dish different each time! We still have a few chilly days lingering before we head into the days of grilling, so get your oven fired up and enjoy some healthy comfort food!
This month has been an interesting balance for me.. On one hand I’m trying to exercise and watch what I’m eating (upcoming dress fitting) and on the other I’m concocting beer and ice cream floats and rum spiked cupcakes for the blog! I think they call that ‘maintaining’ haha. Anyway.. besides the sweets and drinks, I love snacky foods, which of course, aren’t always the healthiest either. I’ve been seeing… Keep Reading
Last week I found myself thinking that I might just scream if I see another quinoa recipe.. then I had inspiration for a burrito bowl and realized, ‘Crap. I’m going to be the one that makes ANOTHER quinoa recipe.’ I guess it should be no surprise that quinoa isn’t going anywhere. It’s versatile, easy to make, and doesn’t just turn into sugar like rice does. I paired mine a mix… Keep Reading
My first attempt at risotto didn’t turn out so hot.. the veggies were soggy and the rice wasn’t fully cooked. It was disappointing and discouraging, so I didn’t attempt cooking it again until now. I picked up Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite book awhile back and decided to try out his risotto recipe. Not only was it extremely easy to follow, but it resulted in some of the best risotto I’ve… Keep Reading