There’s something about imitation crab that just really creeps me out! It’s like the SPAM of seafood. I don’t want to eat something POSING as crab.. I want to eat real crab! Rather than splurge on the real stuff or take the gamble with faux crab, I decided to skip it altogether! Instead I added diced jalapeño and green onion to make vegetarian friendly “crab” rangoon! Not only did they… Keep Reading
The Super Bowl is coming up and if you made a resolution to stick to a healthy diet this year, this day could really test your willpower! Instead of sitting as far away from the snack table as you can, try this ‘skinny’ approach to mozzarella sticks! They have all the flavor, crunchy outside, and gooey melted cheese inside as regular mozzarella sticks, but a fraction of the calories! I… Keep Reading
I’ve been scarred from eating canned tomato soup for several years now. If you’ve ever accidentally burned it then you know where I’m coming from. Not only does the soup ruin the pan it was in, but it tastes like someone used it as an ashtray during the cooking process, rendering it inedible. In an effort to get past my phobia and also move away from consuming canned products, I… Keep Reading
Ohh January.. the month of new diets, cleanses, and gym memberships. It’s always great to start a new year off with the intentions of making it a happier and healthier one, but it doesn’t mean you have to eat nothing but rice cakes and water! If you haven’t tried out quinoa yet, you need to get on it! It’s a great alternative to starchy rice or other pastas and it… Keep Reading
Whenever I tell someone that I’m cooking quinoa the response I get back is usually, “Keen-what?!” If you’re unfamiliar with this super seed, quinoa is much like rice, but with more fiber, protein, and vitamins. You won’t be left with that bloated feeling that rice gives you after eating either. I adapted my cilantro and lime rice recipe using quinoa instead and it’s now my go-to side dish for chicken,… Keep Reading
It seems like we live in the age of ‘dietary restrictions.’ Gluten-free, vegetarian vegan, pescatarian, raw organic……… the list goes on. I believe in enjoying a bit of everything in moderation, but since I have friends that eat with some of these restrictions, I try to come up with a few meals that they can enjoy too. These delicious and hearty Portobello mushroom pizzas are easy to make and friendly… Keep Reading
We’re heading into the season of comfort food and I couldn’t think of anything better to indulge in than a decadent deep dish pizza filled with creamy homemade mac and cheese! Chewy, crunchy, cheesy, and rich! This will quickly become a family favorite on chilly fall days!
A few weeks ago we stopped at a great Southern-style cooking restaurant for some food after the big move. The food was phenomenal, but I wished I would have ordered another side of collard greens! I’ll admit that I was a little hesitant to try them in the beginning.. it just looked like soggy cooked lettuce to me, but I’m so happy I got over that! To satisfy my craving… Keep Reading
Last fall I made stuffed peppers using ground beef and rice that were delicious, but also pretty heavy. After just one I felt pretty stuffed myself! I recreated them using quinoa instead of rice and black beans instead of ground beef to make a healthy and light combination that’s also vegetarian friendly! You can swap the cheese on top for avocado slices to make it vegan as well! In today’s… Keep Reading
My favorite salads are always a combination of sweet and tangy with a bit of a crunch. This particular medley was a perfect blend of all three! So dress up a boring salad with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette and candied walnuts that take only 5 minutes to make!
Pizza is my heart and soul. My death-row meal. The one item I would never give up for a diet. Now let’s turn that classic dish into miniature deep dish cups of holy deliciousness! A nice crunch on the outside and soft on the inside with bursts of flavor from fresh cherry tomatoes and basil. I’m dying to find an excuse to throw a party because these make wonderful… Keep Reading
Spicy Garlic Brussels Sprouts I can honestly say that I had not tried brussels sprouts until just this year! I think I just always had it in my head that they were gross or hard to cook. Was I ever wrong! Not only are these extremely beneficial health-wise, they’re extremely flavorful and delicious!
Tuscan Kale and Balsamic Plum Salad I get bored with eating salads pretty quickly, so I love finding new ways to transform a plain one into a zesty and hearty main course. Adding fresh plums and ricotta did just that!
Scallion Quinoa Cakes with Cilantro Lemon Sauce I’ll admit, I was a little weary about trying quinoa for the first time, hell I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly, but a friend made it for us and we loved it! We recently went out to eat and the salmon I ordered was placed on top of a scallion quinoa cake. I was in heaven! It was such a great meal and… Keep Reading
Oven Roasted Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Acorn Squash I have no idea why, but I used to be squeamish about squash! I gave it another shot and I love it! It makes an amazing side or main dish and has the consistency of mashed potatoes. This particular recipe is a favorite of mine because it reminds me of fall. We’re still about 8 months away from that time, but I’m… Keep Reading
Kale and Green Apple Salad with Zesty Strawberry Vinaigrette I used to loathe salads..or anything healthy for that matter, but we acquired a juicer several months ago and I love it! We’ve only used it for juicing so far, but I decided I wanted to get more use out of it. I found a simple recipe for using strawberry juice, a bit of the pulp, and balsamic vinegar to make a vinaigrette… Keep Reading
Spicy Garlic Cauliflower Bites I could easily eat Buffalo Wild Wings every night of the week! Now although my appetite would appreciate the over-indulging, my ass and thighs would not! So to have my wings and eat them too, I tried this vegetarian alternative! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the taste and texture was no different than boneless wings! I made mine spicy garlic flavored since that’s my… Keep Reading
Vegetable Tortellini Soup This delicious and hearty soup is the perfect meal to warm you up on those arctic winter days!
Healthy Greek Omelet I used to be awful at making omelets so I finally gave up.. Gave up in the sense that if they didn’t turn out looking great, I would just chop up the egg and have scrambled eggs with vegetables! Haha it seems once you stop caring so much, they turn out wonderful! Greek omelets are by far my favorite to make now. They’re packed with good veggies and protein… Keep Reading
Mediterranean Pizza with Garlic Parmesan Sauce For all of my fellow pizza lovers, here’s a new one for you to try! It’s a vegetarian pizza but I’ve also made it with chunks of cooked pancetta. The garlic Parmesan sauce is delicious and really compliments the pizza. I had some leftover so we put it on top of chicken breasts for dinner the other night and it was amazing!
Since I have several friends that are vegetarians, I decided that at least once a month I’ll be featuring a veggie-friendly dish! I made this roast acorn squash for a friend on Thanksgiving and she really enjoyed it! I fine-tuned it a bit more and even I, the steak and bacon loving carnivore that I am, found it delicious! So whether you’re a die-hard vegetarian or just looking to eat… Keep Reading
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins It’s been awhile since I’ve done any baking so I thought I would make some zucchini muffins while zucchinis are still in season. If you don’t have a muffin pan don’t sweat it.. I’ve also included instructions for making chocolate zucchini bread!