Earlier this week a dear friend gave me three rutabagas from her garden. I hadn’t cooked rutabaga before, but I was excited to give it a try. I treated the rutabagas like I treat many root vegetables: I simply cut them up, along with some carrots and parsnips, and roasted them in my oven. They turned out delicious, and the dish was so easy to put together.… Continue reading
egg-free
Simple Homemade Applesauce
As promised, once my boys picked all of the apples off of our tree [see HERE], we processed them to make a big batch of applesauce. Applesauce is so simple to make, and delicious to eat. For us, it was a great way to make use of our harvest of super-tart apples.
Applesauce is one of those things that is made almost entirely to taste (well, when you make it yourself instead buying it pre-made), so I’ll describe how we made ours below.… Continue reading
Grain-Free Breaded Zucchini Spears (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
We seem to be in a vegetable rut lately; always eating the same vegetables prepared in the same ways. So the other day I decided to try something new: breaded zucchini spears.
While the outside breading didn’t crisp up quite as much as I’d hoped, the final spears tasted great and were different from what we’d been consuming.
Everyone liked them, and, importantly, they were very easy and quick to prepare. … Continue reading
Homemade, Healthier “Almond Joy” Bars
The other week, my favorite chef – who also happens to be one of my dearest friends, had a discussion with my boys regarding their favorite treats. When he mentioned that his one of his favorites were Almond Joy bars, my boys stared at him blankly. They had no idea what he was talking about. Because of their food allergies, they have never tasted an Almond Joy bar.… Continue reading
Simple Hot Spiced Herbal Chai
When it’s cold and snowy outside, as it is today, I find myself desiring hot drinks. While I typically drink plain hot herbal tea, I sometimes mix it up with other things. Today, I wanted a Hot Spiced Chai.
The warming spices were perfect on a cold, blustery day, heating me up from the inside out. The richness of the cream made the drink feel like a special treat. … Continue reading
Pumpkin Ice Cream
The other day I was talking with a friend who lives in Southern California. When I said something about all of the baking with pumpkin we’ve been doing (recipes HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE), she responded, “It’s still 90-degrees here. It’s too hot to bake. Can you make up a recipe for pumpkin ice cream?”… Continue reading
How to Make your Own Pumpkin Puree
It’s fall, and delicious looking pumpkin recipes are popping up everywhere. They’ll soon be appearing here too. We all love pumpkin.
Most of these recipes call for canned pumpkin puree. Did you know that while a can is convenient, preparing your own pumpkin puree is actually quite simple? Not only is it easy to do, it tastes amazing – there’s none of that canned taste (which I don’t know if I could adequately describe, but is a common underlying taste that I can pick out from anything that comes out of a can).… Continue reading
Fruit-Sweetened Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
We had a warm afternoon, and my boys asked if we could make ice cream, since we haven’t made any in a couple of weeks now. Of course, I said yes.
We were at the bottom of our jar of milk, which – because it is raw and non-homogenized – is the leanest part (even though I shake it each time before pouring). … Continue reading
Macadamia Nut and Blueberry Trail Mix
We eat a lot of trail mix in our house. The simple combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit is easy to grab when we need a quick snack, and is perfect to bring as a snack when we’re on the go. We simply grab the jar out of our refrigerator, toss it into the backpack, and we’re off.
Our latest favorite trail mix blend is super simple, but wonderfully delicious (and addictive!).… Continue reading
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds (works for other squashes too)
Whenever I cut open a fresh winter squash (pumpkin, butternut, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and so on), the first thing I do is scoop out all of the seeds.
Did you know that with just a little bit of extra effort, you can roast those seeds and make a delicious, nutritious snack? Next time, instead of scooping those seeds into your compost or garbage, scoop them onto a baking sheet instead.… Continue reading