Recipes

Greek Chickpea Soup

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chickpea-soup

Now that Thanksgiving is over, soup season is taking full force in my kitchen. One of my favorite light and healthy soups is as simple as it can get.

Revithosoupa or ρεβιθόσουπα (I think I spelled that right) is a traditional Greek winter staple. The secret is adding the lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil once the soup has finished cooking. Because of its unique freshness, I like to serve it as a warm afternoon snack. I’ve also had the soup in tavernas served with freshly baked bread and feta cheese. Continue reading “Greek Chickpea Soup” →

Recipes

Pumpkin Power Smoothie

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pumpkin-smoothie

I feel like it’s that time of year when schedules overlap, flu season has arrived, the holidays are near…the list could go on forever.

I know it’s easy to fall into the cycle of not taking care of ourselves during stressful times. Breakfast is a perfect way to take a few minutes to relax, read something uplifting, and eat a meal that makes you feel good. For me, I’ve been reading Maya Angelou’s Letter to My Daughter while I sip on my favorite pumpkin smoothie. I find myself waking up early just to start the day.

Continue reading “Pumpkin Power Smoothie” →

Recipes

Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Avocado Sauce

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squash-2

Can you believe December is right around the corner? I have a lot of catching up to do with all of your wonderful blogs. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a special recipe.

Spaghetti Squash is one of my favorite things to cook with during the fall. Usually, I’d serve the “squash noodles” with marinara and homemade dairy free parmesan cheese. But I had an avocado on hand and decided to try out a new sauce. The result was fantastic and would pair great with fresh pasta too. Continue reading “Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Avocado Sauce” →

Recipes

Quick and Easy Tomato Soup

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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

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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

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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

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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” →