I love to experiment in the kitchen, but sometimes life gets just too hectic to spend a lot of time playing around creating meals. This was certainly the case the past couple of weeks with preparing to move, and now, getting all unpacked. When you're not sure where your plates are or have to go digging through boxes to find a knife to work with, meals tend to be pretty simple. That's why lately my dinners have included some quick, staple meals - including brown rice with veggie quesadillas, salad with pasta, and grilled cheese & homemade sweet potato fries. I can't wait to get all settled in so that I have the tools and energy to be more creative in the kitchen again. Just another day or two and I'll be there! Even when I don't have a big life happening going on like a move, some ... [Read More]
goat cheese
Butternut Squash, Spinach, Goat Cheese & Tomato Pizza
YAY for the weekend being here! I came home a bit ago to find the first Christmas gift that I've ordered this year sitting at my doorstep. I love the feeling of getting someone you care about a gift you know that they'll love - 'tis the season right! My Friday so far has consisted of work, hiking with Harley at a nearby park, physical therapy (my calf is feeling pretty good right now!), and last but certainly not least, making this pizza.... If you're familiar at all with my blog, you know that Friday dinners are homemade pizza nights in my household more often than not. Though pizza is often thought of as a ''naughty" food, the ones that I make aren't greasy, and are usually loaded with veggies and made with whole wheat dough. Because I make pizza pretty often, I like to switch it up and ... [Read More]
Goat Cheese & Date Panini
One of the reasons I love to experiment in the kitchen is that is allows you to be creative. Sometimes things turn out better than you expected, sometimes they flop, sometimes not everyone loves it. Creating meals is a form of art, and you can draw inspiration from anywhere. I love to walk around the grocery store and find something new that peaks my interest, then just go with it from there. This week while picking some things up at Trader Joe's, I spotted some fancy Medjool dates. Hmmmm what can I do with these? I asked myself. I chose a few ingredients to come up with a flavorful combo for a panini dinner - date, goat cheese, thyme, and honey on fresh whole grain bread. While I loved my panini and thought it was tasty and different, my hubby decided that he isn't a fan of dates. To each ... [Read More]
Spicing Up Your Salads: Romaine & Artichoke Salad with Avocado Dressing + Baked Goat Cheese & Cranberry Salad
*The recipe page has been updated!* Earlier today I read an article regarding 2012 state obesity rankings (you can read it here). Not surprisingly, the rankings show that the states where people are eating their fruits and veggies have among the lowest rates of obesity. My current state of residency, California, ranks among the highest in fruit and veggie consumption. The study also found that states where people report engaging in the most physical activity also have the lowest obesity rankings. Cali is also listed as one of the highest in this category. However, the article notes that only about 1 in 4 adults in these top-ranked states are eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. I think it's pretty sad that only 25% of people get the recommended servings of produce in a ... [Read More]
Portobello Goat Cheese Burgers
Before I get to my delicious dinner creation tonight, here's a recap of my eats today. As I discussed in yesterday's post about eating ample amounts of goodness to help me get over this dreaded cold, I ate a lot of fruits and veggies today: Breakfast this morning was a chopped Granny Smith apple sprinkled with cinnamon, topped with a Stonyfield Greek caramel yogurt + 1/2 serving of cashew pieces: I had a lunch date with a girlfriend I haven't seen in awhile. We had a fun time catching up at PF Chang's, where I munched on a mixed greens salad + steamed vegetable dumplings: After lunch, I headed to the Marine Corps base to watch a ceremony that my hubby was in. Being that it was 90 degrees outside today (which feels pretty damn hot when you've been spoiled living in San Diego!), I ... [Read More]
Spinach, Goat Cheese & Tomato Ravioli
Hi friends! Oooh, I have a yummy recipe to share with you today! Here are three things I'm loving on this Thursday: #1 - Stumbling upon NBC's Olympics website and discovering that I was able to live stream the women's gymnastics all-around competition this morning. Sure, it sort of spoiled my watching it on TV tonight, but it was cool to be able to see it while it was happening. Gabby Douglas is so damn cute! This distraction may or may not have decreased my morning work productivity. ;-) #2 - Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars: I spotted these babies for the first time at my food store and nabbed the strawberry flavored ones. At just 70 calories a bar with no fat and 6 g of protein, these bars are tasty and might be my new favorite nighttime snack. #3 - Last but ... [Read More]