Recipes

Quick and Easy Tomato Soup

tomato soup.jpg

A perfect after-school snack.

With the leaves falling and cool crisp air, I can’t think of a better thing than home-made tomato soup. I love this recipe because cleanup is a cinch, top with a little avocado, and you’re ready to go.

Look for canned San Marzano tomatoes at your local grocery store. They kick up the flavor of this nutrient rich soup. Continue reading “Quick and Easy Tomato Soup”

Recipes

A Trick for Creamy Hummus

hummusThe secret ingredient…

Ice water. It’s as simple as that. Using about two teaspoons of ice cold water turns a basic hummus recipe into perfection.

When I moved to Greece, I quickly learned that everyone had their own “greatest” hummus recipe. And although each one was delicious in my book, my friends would argue whether to use olive oil or tahini, lemon or paprika, fine sea salt or coarse…a debate that’s been going since Homer wrote the Iliad. One thing everyone could agree on was using ice water.

I ended up merging all of their suggestions into one epic hummus recipe. It became a family favorite, and I can’t wait to share it with you today. Continue reading “A Trick for Creamy Hummus”

Recipes

How to Crack a Coconut

coconut-5

The safe way.

Cracking a coconut is easier than you might think. All you do is soak a husked coconut in water. Then, using the back of a large cleaver, forcefully tap on the horizontal lines of the shell. It breaks within seconds. However, the technique is a little unsafe.

So if you’re not stranded on an island and have a oven at your disposal, there’s another simple trick. Bake the coconut. Here’s how:

Continue reading “How to Crack a Coconut”

Recipes

For the Love of Cupcakes

cupcakes

Don’t forget the sprinkles!

I was on a gluten-free mission to make vanilla cupcakes that are just as moist and fluffy as my original recipe. With a little innovation and the right flour, I think I finally accomplished my goal. For all of you GF families, I hope you try them out. Now that it’s back to school we all deserve a cupcake or two! Continue reading “For the Love of Cupcakes”

Recipes

All-Natural Rocket Pops

Rocket pops

Oh summertime, where has it gone? As you could tell, I took a bit of a blogcation to enjoy the outdoors. With the current heat wave we’re having, I’m now stuck inside. That’s when you know its popsicle time.

We’re in Olympic mode here at home. Rocket Pops are a fun treat to have while watching your teams. They’re so versatile; you could make it with other flag colors too. My version has just three ingredients and is without added sugar. After several attempts, I even found a trick to keep the layers from blending. Continue reading “All-Natural Rocket Pops”

Recipes

Cherry Chocolate Energy Bites

Energy Bites

I don’t know about you, but I tend to do less baking in the summer. Whenever I crave cookies, I make Energy Bites. Packed with dried fruit and nuts, they’re wonderful treats to take on a trips or hikes. I like to roll the dough in coconut flakes. Chopped pistachios or pecans would work well too. The possibilities are endless for these sweet little snacks.

Continue reading “Cherry Chocolate Energy Bites”

Recipes

Blackberry Acai Smoothie

 

Acai Blackberry SmoothieHow to add chia seeds to a smoothie

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with chia seeds. The little seeds are known for their omega-3 fatty acids along with increasing your daily iron, fiber, calcium, and magnesium. I’ve read that adding chia seeds to smoothies is an easy way to get a daily serving. The trick is to soak the seeds in water before blending them into the drink.

If you have any chia seed recipes let me know. I loved trying them in my blackberry acai smoothie. Continue reading “Blackberry Acai Smoothie”

Recipes

Saffron Risotto

Saffron Risotto.jpg
 A Sophisticated and Classic Italian Dish

When I’m cooking for a special guest, I like to impress them with my saffron risotto. The sweetness of saffron paired with the nuttiness of aged nut cheese transforms this risotto into a wonderful dish. You’ll be surprised at how easy risotto is to make. I found the key is using Vialone Nano rice as a base. Today, I’m excited to share my secret recipe with you. Continue reading “Saffron Risotto”