Archives

Caponata Red Lentil Salad

Sometimes I feel the need to infuse more vegetables into my diet, and this week was one of those times.  Perhaps it is the generous amount of jelly beans I have eaten, or it could just be that the jewel like color of the eggplants at the grocery store were beckoning me. Whatever…

Italian Cobb Salad

Like many of you, I colored Easter eggs with my children this week.  What I had in mind for this craft was a method that would be easy for both of my kids (ages 3 and 5) to do.  A while back I had seen a method using shaving cream or whipped cream…

Parmesan-Jerk Sugar Snap Peas

Do you ever get in the doldrums about your vegetable side dish for dinner? Sometimes I think we forget just how easy it can be to whip up a fast, tasty, and – yes – fresh vegetable dish.  My Parmesan-Jerk Sugar Snap Peas are something I pulled together a few years ago, but…

Habanero Watermelon Skewers

Move over caprese skewers, a new, hotter appetizer is in town.  These Habanero Watermelon Skewers are just as easy and fun as their cousin. I happened to find hot habanero cheese at the grocery store this week and I was wondering how to work it into a dish.  It turns out this particular…

Orange Creamsicle Kefir Smoothie

Sometimes breakfast deserves a healthy, yet fun drink.  For instance, when the weather brings a hint of spring and you can enjoy your patio snow-free, even at the early morning hours. It is for that reason that I whipped up these Orange Creamsicle Kefir Smoothies, donned my sunglasses, and ventured outside for an alfresco…

Samoa Granola Bars

So far I have resisted the tempting display of Girl Scout cookies at the entry of the grocery store.  Growing up, my mom always bought thin mints and tag-a-longs so it wasn’t until I was an adult that I really got to appreciate the perfect flavor combination of the Samoa cookie – a…

No Bake Dragon Cake

It all started with a batch of corn flake cookies I made for Christmas this year. A simple thought transformed into a theme for my 3-year-old’s birthday party . . . .  My family has been making corn flake cookies for as long as I can remember.  These treats are similar to a…

Spinach and Goat Cheese Steel Cut Oat Risotto

I’ve mentioned before that I love when I can use a premixed spice blend as a time saving measuring in my cooking. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Blogger Challenge.  I get my creative cooking thinking cap on and experiment with a new spice mix, with…

Valentine Brandy Ball Cookies

If you like to add a bit of extra flair to your Valentine’s Day meal, these Valentine Brandy Ball Cookies are right up your alley.  Much like the Christmastime favorite rum balls, these cookies are a no-bake option that are easy to whip up. Simply crush some vanilla wafers, add a few mix-ins,…

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Sometimes life gets busy, which means taking an easy route to a dinnertime meal is in order.  Take for example last Fall, when I was in the midst of packing and unpacking boxes to move into my newly purchased home and the latest round of our church small group – which we host!…

Skinny Spinach and Artichoke Dip

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, many of us are thinking about what finger food to serve as we gather friends to watch the big game.  An easy go-to is a spread of chips and dip, but all too often this poses a big threat to the renewed resolutions to eat…

Langostino Lobster Bisque

Whenever I am in a restaurant and see Lobster Bisque on the menu, I am draw to the dish just like a kid to candy.  I can’t seem to consider any other appetizer and my entrée selection is impacted by the need to first consume a bowl of this delicious soup.  On a…