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Summer Lemon Chicken & Asparagus
Asparagus is a vegetable that is easily misunderstood. Just like Brussels sprouts and artichokes, there is a specific way to prepare asparagus. It isn’t like green beans, peas, or corn where you can boil or steam then serve. While some people do love asparagus from a can, I will only eat it if it is roasted or grilled. Additionally, preparing asparagus is important. The thicker the asparagus stock, the more fibrous. It is difficult to figure out what part to trim and what to eat. The way I prepare asparagus is I hold each end of the stock. Then I bend it until it snaps. The stock naturally snaps in…
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Perfect Instapot Pot Roast
Pot roast is something my husband grew up on, almost every Sunday dinner was pot roast. Whereas it was definitely not a common meal in my family, we would have beef stew and the roast or pot roast probably once every other month, but it has quickly become a go-to for me since I have been preparing it in the Instapot. It took several tries, I had to figure out how to not drench the potatoes and carrots so they wouldn’t end up overly soft. The secret…use the steaming basket that comes with most electric pressure cookers. With being a family of 6, two of which are teenage boys, I…
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Meatless Meal: Veggie Lo Mein
I’ve been on a no meat meal kick as of late. While I know this is a rather unpopular statement, some might even say controversial…I LOVE MUSHROOMS. And…of course, I married a man who loathes them, or at least the texture of them. Mushrooms are very much a hated vegetable. Typically it is a texture thing because most mushrooms take on the flavor of whatever you add them to. So I have made it my mission to sneak mushrooms in as many meals as I can and see which of my boys’ notices. When I am adding mushrooms to something, I prefer cremini or the white button mushrooms as opposed…
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Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots
Contains affiliate links My dad loves beets. I mean he LOVES beets. We always dreaded the dinners where beets were a side dish. It didn’t matter if they were canned, boiled, baked…I always thought they tasted like dirt. After a while, my parents gave up forcing their children to like beets. I hadn’t consumed beets since then, but I always wanted to try my hand a roasting them. Visiting my parents this last week, I knew I would find several pounds of fresh beets sitting in the refrigerator waiting to be consumed. Remember when I said my dad LOVES beets? He eats them as a snack if they are available.…
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Southwest Spaghetti Squash Casserole
My children have all gone through picky eater stages. Some lasted longer than others, but inevitably, I’ve pretty much forced them out of the pickiness. I decided a long, LONG time ago I would not be a tall-order chef (unless I had a child who had food intolerances or some sort of chronic illness that required a special diet). Believe me, my twins were SO terrible with trying new foods they would throw up just looking at a new food they thought they wouldn’t like. I KNOW the picky factor. In fact my twins ended up going through occupational therapy to help them overcome their food aversion. Keegs gag reflex…
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Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup—aka: Homemade Spaghetti-os
I have a tumultuous relationship with tomatoes…I want to love them, but in fact, I cannot stand them! I don’t know if it is texture, or it could be I have some PTSD from my childhood when my parents would can stewed tomatoes in the fall and it was one of the worst smells I’ve ever encountered. The smell was SO potent that my hair and clothes smelled like stewed tomatoes and inevitably some kid at school would comment on the smell. That being said, tomatoes are gorgeous! The vibrant color, the smooth texture of the skin. Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite, there is just something about their ugliness that…
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Philly Stuffed Peppers
A couple of years ago when Matthew and I decided to go Paleo, I started converting my recipes to make them Paleo and even Whole 30 compliant. My Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches were one such recipe. These stuffed peppers are also Keto-Diet friendly as well. My kiddos are NOT fans of peppers, but they absolutely love these Philly Stuffed Peppers…it may or may not be due to the cheese topping-which is not Whole 30 compliant-but is sure tasty! Not only are these stuffed peppers delicious, but they are extremely easy…only 7 ingredients! These stuffed peppers are SO tasty you almost don’t miss the bread. They are also extremely filling. I can…
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Autumn Fruit Salsa
One of my favorite past-times is visiting my grandparent’s strawberry farm/orchard in Oregon and helping eat pick strawberries, cherries, apricots and all things yummy and sweet. For a long, while I refused to eat strawberries that had been washed, I would only eat dirty strawberries right off the bush. My love of fruit has been passed along to my children, so keeping it around long enough to actually do something with it, other than consuming it, is rather rare. BUT…every once in a while, I am able to throw together what I like to call fruit salsa. My favorite is the ripe fruit around this time of year, peaches, apricots,…
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Copy Cat Viva Chicken Stuffed Avocado
If you are a giant foodie like I am, then you too come across some truly amazing finds that you can’t easily obtain. Viva Chicken is one of those finds for me. There is only one…yes…ONE location on this side of the Rockies. Thankfully it is located in St. George, UT which happens to be about a 90-minute drive away. While I am not completely up a creek without a paddle, it is still rather unobtainable on a daily basis. If you have had the privilege of frequenting a Viva Chicken, then you know the amazing Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken flavor they exude. If you live on the Eastcoast, then please…
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Easy Homemade Smoothie Bowls
A recent food trend has been acai bowls or smoothie bowls. They are super yummy and filling. Most often they are also packed with vitamins and minerals and very heart-healthy. The place that is close to my house is one of my most favorite places to treat myself to…but, one bowl is $9 and for that much, I can make my whole family their own smoothie bowls at home. While it is super convenient to have someone else make one for you, I do enjoy creating them at home where I can control the ingredients. The key to smoothie bowls is to make sure the thickness of the puree is…
