Hi there! It's shaping up to be a nice Friday so far. After getting some work done and having a conference call, I took a break to go for a hike with Harley at the park down the street. It felt good to be outside! Today is a bit cooler and sunny - and by cooler, I mean that it felt like a lower 60 degree temp, because ya know, I've turned into a spoiled San Diegan... Hey, anything between 60-85 degrees is a-okay with me. ;-) Onto food.... I used to shy away from eating things with high amounts of fat, but then I learned to differentiate between ''good" fats (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s) and ''bad" fats (saturated & trans fats). Nowadays I'm not afraid of using a tablespoon of olive oil, and I eat a serving of nuts, avocado, and peanut butter all the ... [Read More]
healthy recipes
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]
Roasted Fennel with Parmesan Vinaigrette
A couple of weeks ago, I found an intriguing recipe on the Vegetarian Times website for roasted fennel. I began experimenting with fennel somewhat recently, and have been a bit surprised to find myself liking its licorice-like flavor. With this recipe in mind, I picked up some fennel bulbs with the intention of roasting them for the first time... and then totally forgot about them in the back of one of my produce drawers. Today I was digging around my fridge and found them, slightly browned but luckily still useable... And I turned them into this... To make the dish, I first sliced the fennel bulbs into wedges... Next I mixed olive oil, minced garlic, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then added grated parmesan cheese to the mix. I tossed the fennel with the dressing, ... [Read More]
A Yummy Sunday Lunch: Greek Pasta Salad, Spicy Salsa & Yogurt + Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
A very fun weekend is coming to an end! The only thing that put a damper on my weekend was the NY Giants just losing to the Eagles, especially because my hubby is a gloating Philadelphia fan! I guess I can't blame him though, I would certainly do the same if the Giants had pulled out a win. ;-) This afternoon we had a few special guests over for lunch - my girlfriend Angi, her hubby John, and their adorable 3-month old baby girl Zoie. I've talked about Angi on my blog before. She was one of the first women I met when I moved out to San Diego. I thought she was an awesome person within a few minutes of meeting her, and she's been my close friend ever since. Last year her Marine hubby got stationed in Arizona, so now she doesn't live quite as close. I haven't seen her in awhile and miss ... [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]
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins
I awoke this morning to waves crashing against the shore... Yesterday our friends got married on the rooftop of La Jolla Cove Suites, and we stayed at the hotel overnight. Our room had the above gorgeous ocean view. It was a beautiful night to spend on a rooftop celebrating a great couple! Here are a few shots from the wedding: Adam and I had a lot of fun and probably too many drinks, so I awoke not only to the sounds of the ocean... but also to a not so nice headache. Photo evidence of our good times: Since neither of us were feeling too hot today, our Sunday was definitely a lazy one that involved a lot of football watching and couch lounging. One productive thing I did was experiment in the kitchen and come up with these babies: I've had baking on my brain since I recently picked ... [Read More]