I’m dying right now. Not literally of course, but this Minnesota girl can’t handle the sudden heat out there. I need time to acclimate… four weeks ago was a wicked snowstorm and today it’s mid-80’s. With this gorgeous sunshine happening, I planted about half of …
I am SO in the mood for grilled food now that it appears spring has finally sprung up here in the northern states. We’ve been grilling ALL OF THE THINGS from meat, to veggies, to fruit. One of my new favorites is this margarita salmon. …
Eggplant is one of the few vegetables that I remember my dad eating as a kid. That, and parsnips. I’ve never really been fascinated by the taste of eggplant but then again, I never tried it roasted or in a dip. Roasted eggplant is a completely different experience as it brings out a little smoky sweetness giving a dip, like this eggplant hummus, amazing flavor. You can also use smoked salt in this dip for a little extra smokiness. Eggplant hummus is just like a traditional hummus recipe but with eggplant used instead of the chickpeas! The taste and texture ends up being very similar to traditional hummus but with more veggie value.
The first time I had eggplant hummus was in a Lebanese deli paired with pita bread. It was pretty fantastic! I actually didn’t know it was eggplant at first because it’s also knows as baba ganoush, which is what it was called on the menu. Baba ganoush (or eggplant hummus) starts by roasting the eggplant until it is completely soft. I roasted mine on the grill at medium heat but a broiler or plain oven roasting will also do the trick. I like the slight smokiness that the grill imparted into the dip. Then you simply scoop out the soft eggplant and put it into a blender or food processor with tahini, lemon, cumin and garlic and you have a dip that’s aimed to please. Serve this vegetarian dip with additional veggie dippers or pita bread! This can also be topped with a few tablespoons of chopped kalamata olives.
I’ve been creating (and eating) a lot of keto diet appropriate meals lately and spiced okra is one of the fun side dishes I’ve come up with to use as a fiber rich, low carb side kick to any protein meal mail dish you wish …
I’ve been working on a ketogenic recipe series for the peeps over at BreakingMuscle.com where I just completed a really fun series on 20 ways to prepare poultry. You’ll have to check it out! I’m really enjoying the new keto challenge as it’s been really …
It’s cookie season and I am not immune to all of the delectable holiday baking and candy making. My girls and I recently made my all time favorite cookie, chocolate mint cookies and also made a few batches of toffee. This is the time of year I play by the 80% clean eating rule… or maybe more like 60% 🙂 These Christmas breakfast cookies are a throwback to the traditional thumbprint cookies but made with cleaner, healthier ingredients and made more breakfast-y. Plus, these breakfast cookies look super cute and a little like bejeweled bite-size ornaments.
These Christmas breakfast cookies have less sweetness to them than most cookies which makes them great as a breakfast treat. I’ve used a gluten free oat flour as the base of these cookies to give them a good chew. Combining this with flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) and shredded coconut gives them a fantastic consistency that’s a combo of breakfast bar meets granola. I use a vanilla bean paste for more intense vanilla flavor in the cookie base. Top these little guys with a dollop of homemade raspberry jam or use your favorite all-natural jam. Set these jovial little breakfast cookies out for Santa (and save some for yourself, of course) and I’m certain your Christmas morning will be full of twinkly tinsel and tasty treasures! I wish you all the very merriest holiday!
Need another awesome holiday cookie? These chocolate mint cookies are my childhood favorite… and these Swedish inspired coconut spritz are to die for!
Take your (wild) game to the next level of flavor with these venison steaks smothered in a sweet smoky aioli! Venison is a deliciously high protein meat that’s also low in fat which makes it perfect for individuals who are watching their calories but still …
This week my littlest little went off to kindergarten embarking on a new adventure for himself and spreading his wings. Of course, that makes me a little teary-eyed because the house feels a little too quiet but I welcome the change. I’ve been home with …
I returned from immersing myself in nature camping on the bluffs of the Mississippi river this past week rejuvenated and ready to eat roots. Not tree roots or anything THAT crazy… just beet roots. Which, if you know me, is sorta along the lines of me saying I’m going to eat tree roots crazy since I’ve never enjoyed beets. Then again, I’ve never tried fresh-from-the-garden chioggia beets sliced raw in a chioggia beet caprese concoction. The only beets I’ve ever tried were in a beautiful bacon borscht soup which I then recreated. I had been converted.
This summer, I planted a beetroot assortment in my garden and just harvested some of them. I ended up with one of these gorgeous candy striped chioggia beets and it was calling my name. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity (and my first experience) to eat a beet in it’s raw form. OMG. I sliced this little guy thin on a mandolin and topped it with pesto, fresh basil, feta, sliced shallot and then a sprinkle of lemon, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar in a non-traditional version of caprese…a chioggia beet caprese salad. Hello, delicious little beet! I never new how much I would enjoy you! Chioggia beets are sweeter than red beets so they don’t have as strong a flavor and therefore don’t need to be roasted to invoke sweet tasting characteristics. These beets, as well as golden beets, are the stars of raw beet salads. Bonus points that they look super pretty on the plate too!
When chioggia beets are sliced, they look like discs of peppermint. This candy stripe appeal worked wonders on my kids so they did actually try them without complaint. Score one for team MOM! Since my dehydrator is running, I also salted a few of these slices and placed them on the drying rack to make cute little chips. I’m SUPER excited to sample them when they’re done!
This weekend, I’ll be hosting a number of my mom’s side of the family for great food (quinoa tabouli!), great games (badminton!) and great conversation. It’s been a year since I’ve seen many of these amazing peeps so it’s about time we make an occasion …
