Dani Spies

*Updated 

This is not a new recipe but it is my favorite when it comes to Irish Soda Bread! 

Growing up, my best friend lived right across the street and let me tell you, her dad perfected  Irish Soda Bread!  Using his recipe as my base, I make few clean, simple, & d'lishes substitutions to create my version of this St. Patty's Day favorite.

I like my Irish Soda Bread on the "drier" side... kinda like a big fat scone.  So if you're anything like me, this might be the perfect recipe for you!  

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Apparently, when one becomes pregnant, while the body focuses on nourishing the little blueberry, other bodily systems can have the the tendency to slow down.  Let's just say I've been keeping the local bakeries in business lately buying bran muffins for breakfast and decided it was due time to get into the kitchen and whip up my own!

Here in Southern California, September is one of the hottest months we have so this Strawberry-Vanilla Smoothie is still on my menu.

Besides, I really wanted to sneak in one more summery QuickBite before we start cuddling into the warmer foods of fall.

I wasn't planning on posting this recipe for Protein Pancakes this week, but after this conversation that I had with my Dad, I changed my mind!

It went something like this: 

What can I say, I've been making so many different types of Egg "Pizza's" lately, I just couldn't help but share another Egg "Pizza" flavor combination! 

Hey guys... I'M BACK!  Lot's of fun, long trip, happy to be home BUT most importantly... happy to be back in my kitchen with my knife and my cutting board!  Man oh man, did I miss cooking!

Never underestimate an egg.  Really.  They are so darn versatile!  I've become a big fan of eggs for dinner so when I was at my Yoga class last week and my favorite yoga teacher (Amy) in the whole world told me that she made my leek and potato tortilla (which is not posted) with the addition of smoked salmon I was not only flattered but I couldn't wait to get into the kitchen and give it a try!

Here's another great way to sneak some Quinoa into your diet... top it with some fruit and yogurt.

Once again guys, this is a meal you could make a million different ways!

Mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm am I loving Quinoa!! I made a big bucket of it over the weekend and have been throwing it in to just about everything all week long. 

When I saw this recipe over at Anticiplate,  I just knew I was gonna have to give it a go.   

New Quinoa recipe number two... Quinoa Porridge!

I've made this recipe a few times in the past but was recently reminded of it when I saw this post over at Closet Cooking (I love that site, Kevin is always trying something new).

Batters up!  Here is my first new recipe using Quinoa this month.  I must say, quinoa is one of those ingredients that just has my wheels spinning... there are so many things you can do with it.

For some reason my mind keeps going toward sweets like muffins, cookies, and puddings but don't worry, I'm determined to get some savory dishes in there as well.  As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about making a Butternut Squash and Quinoa Frittata for dinner tonight... I'll keep you guys posted.

So this one isn't so much a recipe as it is an idea. 

Really you can use any veggies or any cheese that you have hanging out in the fridge, it's is less about the details and more about the big picture.

*updated from the archives.

As you may know, I am a big fan of "whole foods" and I think that whole eggs are a perfectly delicious and nutritious food.  I love adding them to just about anything; breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But anytime I am trying to pull back on my calorie intake a bit without pulling back on flavor, I skip the yolks and stick to the whites. 

Here's another simple and d'lishes way to whip up some oatmeal for breakfast.  Remember, I almost always make my oatmeal ahead of time,  so all I  have to do is reheat it with some yummy "add-in's" come breakfast.

What's a Jersey girl to do on Christmas Eve Day when the temperature is about to reach 75 degrees here in Southern California?

Why, make a breakfast that would hit the spot in the middle of a snowstorm, of course!  I mean, c'mon... how else am I gonna make it feel like Christmas??

Okay, so this isn't exactly a recipe, it's more of a strategy that I use to be sure that I have time for a nutritious breakfast.

I just had to show you another way I like to eat the Veggie Brown Rice. 

I'm telling you guys, ya throw an egg on top of just about anything and you've got yourself a meal.  I usually have this for breakfast but it would definetely work for lunch or even a light dinner. 

What can I say... the cool, crisp air really gets me in the mood for baking!  I have to be careful though, because unlike so many talented bakers out there, I have a hard time keeping my fingers out of the batter OR resisting anything that is fresh baked out the oven!

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"  How many times have we all heard this?  Maybe there's something to it...