I have so many recipes bookmarked from so many
great food blogs out there but somehow or other I always seem to fall back on
Kalyn!
This Broccoli and Cheese Breakfast Casserole was inspired by
a recipe I found over on
Kalyn's Kitchen. I know you guys know who Kalyn is by now...
I wanted to make something new and fun for Katie (that B and I could eat for dinner too!) and just couldn't get fish sticks off the brain!
Now, traditionally speaking Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce do not exactly fall into the "nutritious meals" category BUT by making a few simple changes to this dish we can easily change that!
Call me naive but I never realized that beets kinda, sorta have a bad rap.
While I was researching different beet recipes, I came upon article after article speaking of the universal challenge people tend to have with beets.
They are too earthy. They taste like dirt. They are too messy to work with!
I think there is a fine line between
"healthy eating" and
"depriving yourself of foods you love".
There are a lot of "not so healthy" foods that I would never give up simply because the pleasure I get from eating them nourishes me on a whole different level than the simple science of micro and macro nutrients.
For instance...
I admit that I have been less than consistent when it comes to making Katie "baby / toddler" foods.
It's just that when it comes right down to it, it can be challenging enough just to get a nutritious, homemade meal on the table for Beng and I, never mind a separate meal for Katie! But that does NOT mean that I have not been making great food for Katie because I have, but here's the deal...
Tabouli is a very popular Middle Eastern Salad that is made up of fresh herbs, bulgur wheat, tomatoes and scallions.
It's usually served as a side dish, but in this video I'll show you how to bump it up to a "Clean and Delicious" main meal that you can feel good about eating!
Okay, I wanna know the truth... how many of you were intrigued by this salad until you got to the "Topped w/ Sardines" part?
Better yet, how many of you think that you HATE sardines but in reality you have never even tried them so technically speaking you don't really know whether you hate them or absolutely LOVE them?
Don't worry, I've been there too, so let's chat...
Although I often approach pasta with a
very strategic (yet delicious) game plan, sometimes I just need to
step away from all the rules and just enjoy a simple, seasonal dish.
I was not in the mood for meat or fish or beans or dairy.
I was simply looking for a QUICK and TASTY way to use up the last lovely bunch of asparagus that was hanging out in my veggie drawer.
HOLY CULINARY RUT!
Have you ever just been stuck? Uninspired? Or simply unexcited about what your next meal is going to be??
Sad to say, I have been in these shoes for a little over a week now - just kind of blank about what to cook up next! (Definitely not the best place to be when you want to talk and write about food!)
So what to do??
Growing up, there was always a fifty-fifty shot that "macaroni" (as my parents like to call it) would be on the dinner menu.
We easily had pasta three times a week.
Spaghetti and Meatballs, Linguini and Clam Sauce, Pasta Fagioli, Cheese Raviolis, Lasagna, and Fusilli and Meat Sauce were just some of our childhood staples.
And as a mother who wants to get a simple meal on the table rather quickly, I get it. Pasta is a fast, easy, and delicious solution BUT how oh how can we ensure that that we are not sitting down to a nutritionally void meal??
My Dad is Italian.
My Mom is Irish and German.
But other than some pretty mean stuffed cabbage and a potato salad that is no joke, my Mom kept our kitchen 99% Italian.
Have we ever discussed my love of "Slaw" before?
I can't remember whether or not we have so I'll just keep this short and sweet:
Ever notice how fresh, nutritious foods not only taste great BUT also happen to be absolutely beautiful?
I mean honestly, I could walk circles around a good produce section or a local farmers market just ooohing and aaahing at all the beautiful colors and shapes that surround me.
Hip hip hooray for an extra hour of light.
This is huge in my world because it buys me that much more time to get a decent picture of what I'm making for dinner so I can share it with you guys!
No light = No picture = No new recipes on the blog - So needless to say, I'm a happy camper!
AND can you guess what was for dinner last night?
I am not a big "frozen food" person.
It's not that I have anything against frozen foods (as a matter of fact I can see how they could be a lifesaver for many) I just rarely think to use them.
I have no groceries in the house, I haven't cooked in about five days and I ate enough chocolate and drank enough "Skinny Girl Margaritas" over the weekend for each and every one of you!!
After a three day getaway to Palm Springs (first one since pre-Katie), this clean-eatin' Mama needs to get her rear in gear.
Pre-Baby = Dani makes
fast, easy, nutritious meals.
Post-Baby = Dani makes faster, easier, nutritious meals.
And simply put, "Unless we're talking peanut butter and jelly...
Gotta love a quick meal that comes together with no plan... just a few random ingredients hanging around the kitchen and BAM...
Two things that hold true for me when it comes to food:- I do NOT skip meals (I don't think I've ever skipped a meal in my life AND I'll never understand people that "forget " to eat).
- I do NOT compromise on flavor (this means even if I don't have time, am uninspired, or am in a rush - I ALWAYS manage to find a way to be sure that whatever I am eating tastes good! [I mean really... why eat a meal if it doesn't taste good?!]).
As you read the title of this post you are probably thinking, "Summer Squash at the end of October? Hmmm, a little out of season, no?"
And to this I respond....
During the summer months, I often make salad the main course for dinner at least once, if not twice, a week. Not only is a light and refreshing option during the hotter weather but it also doesn't require me to turn on my stove (or do any actual cooking for that matter) which is a nice option when your husband REFUSES to turn on the air conditioning unless the temperature is ABOVE a hundred degrees and there is NO breeze (which never happens here in SO.Cal - so you can understand why I like no-cook options during the summer months!)
This is the salad that I have been
ADDICTED to the past two weeks and am considering putting on the "
Weekly Menu" for the third week in a row!
It's a simple spin off of a Chinese Chicken Salad and let me tell you...
Slight change of plans from the
weekly menu plan! Originally these were going to be Black Bean Tacos but I couldn't resist the big fat pre-cooked
sweet potatoes sitting in my fridge! So I took the same idea BUT swapped
sweet potatoes for the taco shells and let me tell you...
Canned salmon is one of the most economical ways to incorporate wild salmon into your diet and
these burgers are a great way to make one can of salmon go a long way!
I grew up eating the real-deal Sloppy Joe's (a.k.a. "Manwich") and I'm not gonna lie... they were one of my favorites! But as my eating habits shifted, Sloppy Joe's just kind of fell off the radar.
Who likes to eat the same old leftovers again and again? Not me!
This video is all about ways to recreate your leftovers into a fresh new meal! Here a few things you want to keep in mind:
Holy delicious sandwich!!
This is basically a Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato Sandwich stuffed with a Veggie Burger!
D'lishes and beautiful, I will definitely be making this
Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad again! I just love the idea of using the flesh of the squash in a salad, it just goes to show you just how darn versatile
Butternut Squash really is.
What makes this Turkey and Avocado Sandwich so super you ask?! Well other than the fact that it is absolutely d'lishes and super nutritious, it only takes about four minutes to make and requires only three ingredients... pretty super, huh?!
I mean, tell me you don't wanna just take a bite of this thing!?
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!
Spring time is naturally a very cleansing time of year. After a long, cold winter of heartier, heavier foods, Spring rolls in with its fresh, light flavors that are designed by nature to help clean us out and lighten us up a bit!
Leafy greens are the number one ingredient missing in the American diet which is why I've decided to focus on Spring Leafy Greens this month!
My initial plan was to make this salad using farro, but I couldn't get my hands on any so I turned to the cupboard for a convenient alternative.
I wanted to use a heartier grain or rice and thought Israeli couscous would do the job. Couscous is really just another form of pasta (it's like really little pasta balls). The only difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous is the size. Israeli couscous is bigger and the size makes for a great texture (just be sure to cook your couscous like you would your pasta... al dente!).
Here's another quick recipe starring, "Cabbage". The cabbage with it's cool, crunchy self was perfecty paired with the tender, spicy watercress. I served this with some Curry Coated Tilapia (which I'll be posting soon) and I've gotta say, it was d'lishes!
I'm not really a winter girl. Although I love a good snow fall for the most part I'm not a huge fan of being cold... but with that being said, sometimes I like it. Which brings me to my point. If I had to choose one month that I most relate to it would have to be March.
Okay, so soup was not on my cabbage agenda this week.
I was planning braised red cabbage with apples and goat cheese served with some type of protein; possibly experimenting with chicken or pork moo shu, and/or whipping up an asian style cabbage salad.
What changed things you ask?
Can you believe February is just about over?! Wow. Wow. Wow. What can I say, time really does fly by when you're having fun!
So this will probably be my last Quinoa recipe of the month and I am hoping that you guys have at least given it a try by now. I mean jeez, I've been eating this stuff all month and I haven't gotten sick of it yet... that's how good it is! Not to mention, I haven't even made a dent in the quinoa recipes I would like to try!
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