Most days, I find asparagus doesn’t need more than a simple steam or roasting, and usually my first inclination, but for Passover, I wanted something special. Something with a bright spring color, light enough to make room for the ridiculous amount of food I prepared, make ahead, and of course, better be delicious. With all the beautiful asparagus at the market, a velvety smooth soup was the obvious choice – spring flavors in a bowl!
Broccoli salad with Tahini Honey Dressing (gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly, nut free, refined sugar free, vegan friendly)
Although hearty cold salads are a staple at summer picnics and outdoor gatherings, you shouldn’t wait that long to try this broccoli salad slathered with a creamy tangy kick-ass tahini honey dressing that has, what some may call, the boring broccoli, doing cartwheels. And just look at those bright colors – hello happy school or work lunches!
Nightshade Free Marinara Sauce (gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free, refined sugar free)
To all who have a sensitivity to nightshades and tomato have I got a marinara sauce for you! This has brought on so many new recipes and I’m thrilled to be sharing this with you – oh the possibilities! After many attempts, this sauce is bound to trick your taste buds. Use it for pizza, quesadillas, pasta dishes, lasagna, stews, anything that calls for tomato or marinara sauce. No more missing out on your favorite dishes. The recipes makes 5 cups that goes pretty quickly in my large household but can easily be halved if needed and freezes well too!
Takeout-style Peanut Sesame Noodles {gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan optional}
If you love Thai food, then this take-out style peanut sesame noodles is something you need to try. It’s one of our favorites – something we enjoy often. Not only does it deliver on deliciousness, it’s a necessary convenience when there’s only, say, 24 minutes on the clock. It makes a great make-ahead meal when re-living biology and algebra 1 (for the third time, with child number two, to be exact) and tied up until well after five. Kids or not, this will certainly satisfy your carb craving – something salty, sweet, vinegary, and a whole lot of creamy …
Chocolate Fudge Bats + Pumpkin Spice Brownie Milkshake
I’ve been thinking about chocolate.
Not chocolate bar chocolate, more like chunk-of-fudge chocolate to dig my teeth into. Not something easily attained, as you know, when gluten, dairy, and soy free. So when I saw this fudge recipe last week on Alisa’s Go Dairy Free blog I thought this just may be what my fudge tooth is looking for.
Simple End of Summer Peach Arugula Salad
Summer stone fruit has nearly run its’ course, which I take cue overstuffing my farmer’s markets bag (lucky to have this in southern California) without a care in the world as to what I’m going to do with them.
Stone fruit: they have a way of figuring these things out like ending up in this simple salad, or here or here. Though I’m a sucker for fruit desserts, I will admit sometimes there’s nothing better than leaning over the kitchen sink (preferably an empty sink) eating a big fat peach with its’ juices dripping down my chin, or arm, as I take a minute to enjoy the moment.
Easy Cherry Quinoa Salad + Honey Ginger Dressing
Michael and Ely (my twin boys) started school today (5th grade already!), Mr. teenager started high school (yikes!) last week. With all three in school now I decided to take a breather for a minute to enjoy some quiet time sitting outside, slowly sipping my americano and letting the sounds of nature consume me.
Blueberry Cornmeal Cake
My husband loves a good piece of cake with his coffee for breakfast. His breakfast-of-choice for many years, pretty much every morning. That was before we married and my heckling him about eating a healthier breakfast like oatmeal or avocado on toast. Not much fun, but I do want to keep him around a long time.
Easy Green Enchiladas
Blackberry Pie, adapted Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book recipe
So hubby and I are strolling through Costco with our three younger boys in tow pushing through some heavy aisle traffic (of all days, we go on a Saturday, ugh) with our huge shopping cart when we pass by stacks of fruit pies, you know those humongous pies full of every ingredient we cannot and will not eat. My boys couldn’t stop ogling. You would think it was some hot babe who just walked by in short shorts.