Category Archives: Recipe

Perfect Pumpkin Pie.

IMG_6022With Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I’d share a recipe with you all for the perfect Pumpkin Pie.  My mom is from the mid-west and therefore she is a pie master.  However, this recipe came right from the can of pumpkin but is perfect because it’s not too sweet but it’s still extremely tasty.  Also, Chelsea and Lindsay got me this awesome pie pan and server from Anthropologie for my birthday so it was so fun to put it to use!

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3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/4 Tsp Cloves
2 Large Eggs
1 can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk

Mix the above together and bake @ 425 degrees for 15 minutes then 350 degrees for 40-50 mins.  I used a pre-made pie crust but you can choose a crust of choice.

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Baked Blueberry French Toast.

Last weekend I needed to find a breakfast recipe that could supply enough tastiness for at least 11 people and I discovered a gem! I should tell you the majority of it needs to be prepared the night before, but the morning of your breakfast all you’ll need to do is pop it in the oven which is a plus!

What you’ll need:

2 medium sized loaves of french bread, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup and 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup blueberries, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 5 eggs, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 maple syrup

DSC_0764(Slice the medium sized loaves of french bread into cubes)

DSC_0768(Spray a deep dish pan with baking spray and place half of the bread cubes in the pan)

DSC_0772(Mix cream cheese, 1 tb of milk, and powdered sugar together to form a thick mixture)

DSC_0774(Pour that mixture over the pan of bread crumbs and sprinkle the majority of your blueberries on top. Place the remaining bread crumbs on top of the blueberries)

DSC_0780(Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup together)

DSC_0785(Pour that mixture over the breadcrumbs and sprinkle more blueberries on top. Cover with foil and let that sit over night.)

DSC_0786(The next morning bake the french toast at 375 degress with the foil ON for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30 additional minutes)

DSC_0789(Serve with either maple syrup or a blueberry simple syrup which can be made easily as well)

Looking back on it, I would have added a touch more cinnamon and nutmeg for a little extra kick. If you are looking for something that will go over well for a large group, this is a great recipe to try!

Zucchini Ribbon Pesto.

DSC_0762Interested in carb free pasta? Simple, just use zucchini! This is one of my favorite dishes because it is quick and fresh, it is also filling.

DSC_0738(Wash 5-6 zucchini’s which will make enough for about 4 people)

DSC_0740(Start peeling all of the zucchini with a mandolin or a basic vegetable peeler)

DSC_0745(You’ll fill a bowl pretty quickly)

DSC_0753(Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil or flavored olive oil to a large pot over low-medium heat)

DSC_0756(Add the zucchini to the pot)

DSC_0758(Mix up the zucchini- it will cook down fairly quickly)

DSC_0760(Add pesto to the mixture and cook for a few minutes longer until all warmed)

DSC_0761(If you want to add something extra, you can add in cooked chicken or in this case we used Trader Joe’s mushroom ravioli’s)

DSC_0763(Voila, you have a delicious dish)

All in all, this takes about 15 minutes to cook making it a great meal after a long day at work!

Garlic Broccoli.

DSC_0702I love broccoli and it’s fun to cook all kinds of different ways. Sautee, boil, barbeque, fry, air dry, whatever. But if you’re not a super fan like me there is always one way to add flavor and that is GARLIC!

DSC_0677(Begin by sautéing 5 cloves of garlic in some olive oil)

DSC_0681(Add a few bunches of chopped broccoli over medium heat)

 DSC_0685(Squeeze one lemon over the mixture)

DSC_0686(Add some red pepper flakes if you like a little heat)

DSC_0689(Splash a little balsamic)

DSC_0690(A teaspoon more of olive oil and cook until you are at the consistency of your liking)

This is a great side dish for pretty much any meal. It adds a lot of texture and flavor to a basic dish!

Bacon Brussel Sprouts

DSC_0710I spent my weekend in an insanely beautiful house/mansion on the lake in Tahoe. While the views were gorgeous accompanied by a hot tub and fire pit, I was in love with the industrial sized kitchen. We took the opportunity to cook a great meal and I wanted to share one of my favorite sides with you. Our friend Jeff cooked up this amazing dish so all credit goes to him!

DSC_0655(Dice up 4 cloves of garlic)

DSC_0649(Cook up a batch of bacon until it is just barely crispy)

DSC_0648(Halve a pound of fresh brussel sprouts)

DSC_0673(Add a bit of olive oil to the bacon and add the brussel sprouts and garlic. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes)

DSC_0675(Place the mixture on a baking sheet. Cook at 350 for 10 minutes or until browned if you like it crispy)

This side is super easy to make and has so much flavor! The bacon adds some saltiness so you don’t need to season it at all. Enjoy!

Garlic Edamame.

One snack that I always have in my freezer is bag of edamame. They are super tasty on their own and provide a lot of extra protein. My friend Aya jazzed these guys up pretty quickly and they were so delicious. Check out what she did!
DSC_1821(Lightly boil the edamame for about 10 minutes)

DSC_1820(While those are boiling, chop up some fresh garlic and ginger)

DSC_1824(Grab olive oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce)

DSC_1823(Drain the edamame and mix in the chopped garlic and ginger, then the oils to taste)

These were so simple to make and such a great side to our freshly made sushi!

Sushi Rollin’

This past weekend, we made sushi at home which was a lot easier than I thought it would be! We picked up some sushi grade sashimi and dried seaweed sheets from nearby Japantown and had a lot of the other essential ingredients at home already.

DSC_1825(The sushi rice takes about 8 minutes to cook; be sure to add some rice wine vinegar and a pinch of white sugar)

DSC_1835(We sliced thin pieces of avocado, cucumber, lemon, salmon, tuna, and yellowtail)

DSC_1828(We placed the cooled rice onto the seaweed sheets and decorated it with our favorite fish and veggies. We used plastic wrap to roll the sushi together, be sure to wet your fingers so they don’t stick to the plastic or seaweed)

DSC_1833(Slice the sushi with a thick bread knife)

DSC_1839(The sushi crew got really serious!)

DSC_1841Served with some gyoza, our sushi was excellent! This was one of the easiest meals to make and a quarter of the price.

 

Smart Chia Seed Almond Breakfast.

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I’ve never dabbled with the chia seed craze but a friend at work shared this super simple recipe that I love.  She even brought some into work for a few of us to try to sell us and it’s so delicious!  It’s easy to make but you need to let it set over night in the fridge.  Here’s the skinny on what you need and what to do:

  • 1 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 T chia seeds
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 2-3 t agave nectar syrup
  • Dash of cinnamon (I actually didn’t have cinnamon so I substituted with ground ginger)
  • Wisk or shake in mason jar make sure that all seeds and syrup is incorporated
  • Refrigerate overnight
  • Eat with berries and chopped raw almonds if preferred

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Pre mixed and pre berries.

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After it set overnight, I added fresh raspberries.  It’s so tasty and filling.  The chia seeds expand and get soft like boba tea and it’s delightful.  I share this info though in case you are a texture person who does not prefer tapioca type textures 🙂

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The mason jar made it really easy for me to transport.  I never usually have time to eat at home in the morning but was able to eat once I got to work.

Start your week off healthy and strong – enjoy!

Protein Power Breakfast Hour

Lately, I have been reading more and more about eating a protein heavy diet filled with good fats in order to help build muscle and ward off the hungry feelings I get every few hours. I came up with this simple and tasty breakfast the other morning and it certainly has been keeping me full longer. 

DSC_1829(What you’ll need: corn tortillas, avocado, eggs, tomato slices, and feta cheese)

DSC_1831(Step 1: Warm your tortillas)

DSC_1836(Step 2: Cook egg whites while tortillas are warming)

DSC_1832(Step 3: Sprinkle warm tortillas with feta cheese. Goat cheese would work great here too)

DSC_1837(Step 4: lay egg whites on top of feta to melt the cheese a bit)

DSC_1834(Step 5: Grill your tomato slices)

DSC_1839(Step 5 & 6: Place the tomato slices on top on the egg whites and then layer on avocado. Additional salsa is a good option as well)

All of these flavors together make a delicious breakfast or lunch for that matter. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

 

“Whatever’s in the Fridge” Dinner.

Ahhh, Sunday. Lazy, lazy Sunday. It’s the day you don’t want to spend one second in the grocery store but unfortunately you have to eat somehow! This Sunday, I scavenged through the refrigerator and created something using what I had in the crisper drawer. Luckily, Nick subscribes to a vegetable delivery service who delivers us fresh fruit and veggies every other week. I happened to have a few items left over and this was what I whipped up, it was actually very tasty!

DSC_1852(I began by sauteeing fingerling potatoes and adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Once those were almost finished, I added in a handful of grape tomatoes and cooked them just until they were about to burst)

DSC_1854(I boiled fresh green beans and carrots)

DSC_1855(I added some feta cheese to white basmati rice that I had just cooked)

DSC_1856(Finally, I tossed them all together and added some fresh avocado on top for good measure)

This was a very filling and healthy meal that didn’t take more than 20 minutes from start to finish. I love when dishes turn out to be surprisingly delicious!