Usually, the mention of cooked carrots doesn’t elicit cheers of excitement in my house. Everyone tolerates roasted carrots but would really prefer them raw. Until this recipe! While making a smoothie recently, I realized how beautifully orange juice and zest pairs with pumpkin. I figured this winning flavor combination would translate to other orange vegetables,…
This tried-and-true breakfast offers a deliciously wholesome, make-ahead way to start the day. The recipe even won a national contest! I love oatmeal. I eat it almost every morning. Old-fashioned or steel cut oats, baked oatmeal or boiled, it’s all good. I have experimented with countless baked oatmeal recipes and this is a hands-down…
This is the way I got my kids to like sweet potatoes: mixed with regular potatoes and cooked like steak fries. I started by sneaking just one on their plate. Having had one especially picky eater, I have a whole lot of dinnertime tricks up my sleeve! I like to think those tricks actually worked,…
If you are an egg fan and haven’t yet tried making a frittata, I highly recommend you do! Not only are frittatas easy and quite versatile — allowing for the incorporation of a wide variety of vegetables, cheeses, herbs and protein — they are economical and so very satisfying. I think this savory egg dish…
The arrival of cooler weather always puts me in the mood for steamy, savory bowls of soup. Each fall, I start with one of my favorite tomato soup recipes (see the “Soup” category for my top two tomato picks), then work my way through butternut squash and several other fall vegetables before starting in on…
Stocked with fresh pumpkin puree and having recently made pumpkin pancakes, muffins, and baked oatmeal, my mind turned to smoothies. My first thought was to combine pumpkin and fresh orange juice to keep the color bright and add natural sweetness. But guess what? No oranges. No orange juice either! We have been on a cider…
I like to keep a package of fresh pasta and a package of sausage–turkey, chicken or pork are all good options–in my refrigerator for a quick, easy meal. These two ingredients, paired with any number of vegetables, cheeses, and herbs can be the foundation for what is essentially a delicious pasta stir fry. Since the…
Pumpkin and almonds hold a special affinity for one another. Generally speaking, combining these two ingredients has the potential for greatness. Yet the concept of combining them to create a gluten-free pancake—baked in the oven, no less–had the potential for epic failure! I remember well the first time I made this recipe. The batter tasted…
The salted, lime-infused crunch of a favorite store-bought tortilla chip is easy to recreate at home with a short list of ingredients and in minimal time. My family adores the store-bought “hint of lime” tortilla chips. As I was making my Tex-Mex Chopped Salad one evening, which includes a crunchy element on top, I realized…
This is a super simple dressing I created for my Tex-Mex Chopped Salad. While you can use your favorite store-bought ranch, I like this easy-to-make and healthier version. It is delicious and, combined with the salsa, offers a bit of a kick and just the right flavor to enhance a variety of southwestern dishes. Use…
With the right ingredients, a salad can be a hearty, delicious, and wholesome meal. Good proteins, healthy fats, and different textures help. So does a homemade dressing. The simple mixture of salsa and ranch dressing lends great flavor and a little kick to this dish. While you could substitute your favorite store-bought dressing, I really…