Egg, Spinach & Parm Flatbread

Who's ready for brunch? Me when I made these this past weekend! And hopefully you after reading how super easy and yummy these are. I guarantee they are eggactly what you're looking for...eggstra tasty...eggstraordinarily delicious? Okay that's all I've got.

Puns aside, I kind of get stuck in a rut sometimes with breakfast. I end up eating the same thing pretty much all week long, especially since I've started doing meal prep more. It gets a little boring, so on the weekends, when everything is a bit more leisurely and relaxed, I like to switch it up a bit and try something new (unless my husband is cooking, then I like to sit and do nothing).

This past weekend I decided to try a spin off of the ole egg sandwich classic. I used flatbread instead of English muffins, added spinach (because for some reason we have a Costco sized bag of spinach for just two people??), and topped it off with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Yum! The buttery, toasted flatbread combined with the egg and Parmesan was perfect; plus, it actually ended up being easy enough for a weekday rotation! I'll definitely be making this again soon - perhaps with sauteed mushrooms or grape tomatoes next time! Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below :)

Vegetarian Friendly PB&J Smores

One thing that was hard to give up when I first became vegetarian was all of the candy I could no longer eat because of the gelatin used. This meant no more gummy bears, no more jello, no more fruit chews, and no more marshmallows, which was the worst part. Marshmallows were once one of my go-to treats when I had a sweet tooth. I loved making smores, eating the heads off the little peeps at Easter, and generally just snacking on them here and there when I wanted something sweet. They were pretty much always in my house - how could they not be vegetarian?? I was indignant! I didn't like it! But there was nothing I could do about it, and so I resigned myself to a life of mallow abstinence. That is, until I discovered that there actually are vegetarian marshmallows out there. Cue cheers! I was so happy! Of course I immediately ran to the store, bounding down the baking aisle with glee. I could almost taste the fluffy, gooey sweetness. But, to my dismay, they weren't there, and neither were they lining the shelves of any other grocery store in probably a five mile radius. My dreams were crushed, but at least I took solace in the fact that they existed and that some day I could order them online if I really wanted to.

Mixed Greens Topped with Roasted Yams, Feta, and Kalamata Olives

Since having a baby 4 months ago, I have been trying very hard to eat healthy and lose the extra baby weight, Superbowl indulgences aside. I've made a lot of progress so far (28 lbs down!), but, if I'm going to be honest, it's much, much harder than I anticipated. I've fluctuated with my weight over the years, so I'm no stranger to having to lose it, but the added stress and lack of time with having a new baby really makes it more challenging than it's ever been. When I do have a minute to eat something, if it's not already prepared and ready to go, or something that can be made without much effort or commitment - forget it. Suddenly the bread on the counter looks good enough, and the number on the scale stays the same.

One thing that has helped is having healthy food in the house and lots of options for salads. They are easy to throw together, or make ahead of time, and lots of options mean I don't get bored. One of my faves right now is this yummy concoction of mixed greens, roasted yams, feta, and kalamata olives. I top it with my favorite vinaigrette, and that's all there is to it! I'll tell you how I roast the yams to perfection, so you can make one of these yummy salads too. Whether you're trying to lose baby weight, eat healthier, or just like yams and salad, I know this will be a hit.

Winter Fruit and Nut Oatmeal

I don't know about where you are right now, but it's definitely oatmeal whether in my neck of the woods - cold and stormy, with seemingly no end in sight. And while the rain pours down and the wind whips through the trees, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a hot cup of tea, and watch movies all day. Of course, my almost-four-month-old has other ideas. No leisurely watching movies and lounging around for this tired mommy. But I am still in need of a little cozy, so that's where the oatmeal fits in.

I've always been a huge fan of oatmeal, especially during the cold winter months, and there are so many things you can do with it. I love to add fruit like apples, bananas, and berries; different kinds of nuts; and sometimes I'll toss in flax or chia seeds. It always makes me feel really healthy and fueled for the day. I call this particular concoction my "forage porridge" because it stemmed from literally throwing into the pot what I could find left over in the fruit drawer. I had never put pears in oatmeal before, but it was so good, and now I don't like to make it without them. Depending on how long you cook it, the pear kind of becomes one with the oatmeal and adds a great consistency, along with adding a lot of volume to really fill you up.

Pesto and Red Pepper Hummus

Yummmm!!! I am such a sucker for a good hummus recipe. I made this to go with my last post: Roasted Tomato Crostini with Pesto and Red Pepper Hummus. It turned out so good, and we had lots of leftovers for snacking the next day. Check out the recipe below!

Avocado & Chickpea Salad Pita with Cilantro & Lime

I don't know about you, but I practically live on Pinterest these days. DIY projects I'll never get around to, decorating ideas for my future mansion, fashion I could definitely wear if I just lost a few pounds, you name it! I mean, have you seen my Pinterest boards?? I'm pretty sure I'm a pin hoarder at this point...I might need an intervention. My favorite thing, though, is perusing all of the delicious looking recipes out there (these, at least, are within my grasp!). There are so many vegetarian and vegan recipes to try out, and lots of recipes that seem like they could easily be adapted to fit a vegetarian lifestyle. It definitely sets the wheels turning on Sunday afternoons when I'm planning out my meals for the rest of the week, especially when I feel like I've been stuck in a food rut...which is pretty much always.

One thing I've noticed a ton of in my searches lately is garbanzo bean salads. There are so many different kinds out there! And you can make them with just about anything your heart desires, which makes them great for last minute dinners or lunches when you're trying to figure out what the heck to do with the random ingredients in your fridge. I decided to throw in some of my favorite ingredients, like avocado, tomato, lime (I'm addicted to limes right now), and cilantro and came up with this yummy version, which I promptly stuffed into a whole wheat pita. This is a super versatile recipe and you could really add anything you like and have it turn out great. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Mediterranean Salad with Artichoke Hearts, Green Olives, Walnuts & Herbed Feta

I've never been much of a salad person, believe it or not. I know they're good for you and all, but I've just never been a huge fan. When we're at our local pizza place and they ask if we want salad, Dustin almost always says yes, but all I can think about is how I won't have as much room for pizza. When I'm out with friends and we end up at a restaurant with salad as the only vegetarian option, I immediately think about where I will be stopping on the way home to get food. But this salad is different; it's really good, and it's making me rethink my salad-hating ways.

5 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes for the New Year

I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling it right now. The extra difficulty in buttoning those pants, the office stairs that seem a little more daunting, and the general slothness that follows the holiday aftermath of one too many slices of pie, random bowls of candy landmines, and the tempting break room piles of fill-in-the-blank. They holidays were fun, and I loved them, but it's time to start thinking health-consciously again.

If you're feeling like I'm feeling right now, here are some healthy recipes to help keep you on track as we slowly make the trek of shame toward bikini weather.


Vietnamese Tofu Lettuce Cups
Recently I came across a recipe in one of my cookbooks for Vietnamese Pork and Lettuce Cups that looked incredible. As per usual, the first thing I did was think about how I could turn this scrumptious looking dish into something vegetarian friendly. The usual ideas popped into my head, i.e. using mushrooms or eggplant in place of the meat, but I’ve been wanting to try tofu for a while now and...

Creamy Cherry Pistachio Smoothie

Mmmmmmm. Cherries. This has to be hands down the best smoothie I've ever made. It was delightfully creamy, tangy, and sweet with a distinct flavor kick from the roasted pistachios. Usually I lean toward almonds when making anything with cherries, but I'm glad I decided to switch it up a little and try something different. I also used a honey flavored Greek yogurt, which added tremendously to the creamy texture and gave a soft sweetness to combat the tang of the cherries. It was really good. I'm already thinking about making another batch!

Chicken-Less Orange Chicken Wraps

I'm just going to be honest here; I came thiiiiis close to pouring a bowl of cereal tonight and calling it a day, but I convinced myself, despite feeling totally exhausted, that I could make something relatively healthy and tasty in a short amount of time. My internal conversation went something like this:

"You know, I think I'll feel much better if I make a healthy meal tonight. I'm sure I could throw something together really quickly if I wanted to."

"No."

"But I already have all the stuff I need. It really won't take that long."

 "Noooooooo!"

"I even have that orange 'chicken' I can use."

 "Orange 'chicken', you say? Well, maybe just this once."

I'm actually not sure how I prevailed in that conversation, but moving on!

Thai Inspired Veggie Wrap

Do you ever find yourself in a serious lunch rut? I do on a pretty regular basis. My crazy kicks mixed with my desire to do as little as possible when it comes to prepping for the busy week doesn’t help. Taking a healthy lunch to work is a high priority for me, but I just don’t want to spend too much of my precious free time putting it all together.  So, in an effort to diversify my lunchtime experience while still being able to maximize my time, I’ve been experimenting with adding different flavors to some of my quick and easy favorites to bring a little life back to my boring noon-hour.

That’s exactly what I did with this spin on a typical veggie wrap. By adding some classic Thai flavors, like peanuts, peppers, celery and carrots, I added a lot more flavor and gave my taste buds a break from my usual hummus and feta combo. It was surprisingly good, and I’m actually looking forward to the work week now! (well, kind of…ha ha)

Quick Post: Berry Mango Fruit Salad with Lime

Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! I hope you are feeling loved and appreciated today. I didn't get to see my mom today (we celebrated yesterday), but I made a fruit salad in her honor. Thanks again for everything that you do, Mom!

This is a super simple fruit salad that goes great with just about anything. I chose to pair it with a strawberry pound cake I had left over from yesterday, and it went perfect together. The cake soaked up all the yummy juices, and the whipped cream paired amazingly with the tartness of the mangoes and zing of lime. It's also just really good on it's own - all you do is toss the fruit together, squeeze the lime over, and sprinkle with a little sugar - done!

Enjoy your day, moms!

Ingredients

1/2 mango cut into chunks
handful of ripe blackberries
4-5 strawberries cut into rounds and spears
1/4-1/2 lime (depending on juiciness)
1/2 tsp sugar

Serving size: 1-2

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Baked Asparagus with Sea Salt and Lime

If you're anything like me, then you probably have some fall back side dishes that don't really taste that great but never get an upgrade because they're quick and easy and comfortable. Asparagus has been one of those side dishes for me - I always prepared it in one of two ways: steamed, or baked with lemon slices...adventurous, I know.

As you may have guessed, I recently upgraded my lowly side dish and wanted to share. Purely by improvisation I used lime juice instead of lemon slices one night when I forgot to pick up lemons at the store (see, being forgetful can have its good points!). And bingo-bango: I had a yummy new side dish! Honestly, I really can't believe what a big difference this small change made.

Sweet & Spicy Grilled Cheese on Sliced Pugliese

The other day I was in the grocery store, wrestling to make my way through the hordes of holiday shoppers picking up their last minute Christmas dinner items (I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who waits until the last minute - high five, guys!), and I noticed these really wonderful looking, golden pineapples. 

This triggered a memory of a recipe I had seen recently for a baked, rice stuffed pineapple dish, and I immediately thought wouldn't that be the perfect side dish to bring for Christmas dinner?! I had visions of presenting this perfectly prepared dish, oohs and awws abounding as I placed it directly in the center of the table (ha!), so into the basket it went along with all my good intentions...then in a bag...then on the counter where it took up residence - long past the holiday festivities. My good ole friends Lazy and TV convinced me that it was too much trouble! (Perhaps it's time to make some new friends in the new year?)

Anyway! There was a point to this story, which was that I needed to do something with this miserable pineapple that I bought before it turned to mush on my kitchen counter. So it got demoted from Christmas side dish extraordinaire, to a sweet and spicy grilled cheese! Sorry pineapple!

Mushroom Medley Burger with Feta and Herbs

Every now and then, while perusing my local grocery store, and usually while feeling totally unispired, I will come across something that totally sets my wheels in motion. What starts out as a mundane venture turns into a sudden surge of possibilities. A furry of ingredients leap into my basket, piling up into precarious positions; bags are flying; produce is being squeezed; and I can hardly keep up with my own train of thought.

I appreciate moments like that because they remind me of why I love cooking so much - that spark of an idea that gets ignited into something I can share with the people I love.

That is exactly what happened when I got the idea for this burger. I came across a package of fresh herbs, diced onions, and cheese intended for topping a steak, and instantly the mushroom medley burger unfolded in mind. I picked up some fresh herbs, two kinds of onions, crimini and oyster mushrooms, and some delicious onion rolls; I couldn't wait to get back and start cooking!

Vietnamese Tofu Lettuce Cups

Recently I came across a recipe in one of my cookbooks for Vietnamese Pork and Lettuce Cups that looked incredible. As per usual, the first thing I did was think about how I could turn this scrumptious looking dish into something vegetarian friendly. The usual ideas popped into my head, i.e. using mushrooms or eggplant in place of the meat, but I’ve been wanting to try tofu for a while now and decided that this would be the perfect opportunity.

Although I’ve had tofu plenty of times, I’ve never actually cooked with it myself. To be honest, I was a little unsure about how it would turn out and, specifically, whether or not it would mimic the crumbly texture of ground pork, but a quick internet search regarding how to cook tofu gave me the extra boost I needed to give it a shot.

The end result was surprisingly good, and although the texture of the cooked tofu did not quite match what I saw in the original recipe, it was nevertheless tasty. Fresh bell peppers, carrots, and peanuts added a punch of color, gave the dish the crunch it needed, and also served to keep everything together in the lettuce cups. The peanuts and bell peppers were not in the original recipe, but paired well with the ginger and garlic and gave the dish a little oomph! I will definitely be trying this one again soon.

Black Bean Tacos with Lime Infused Rice

I know I haven't finished part 3 of my European Adventure, but I made these yummy black bean tacos the other night, and I just couldn't wait to share it with you! More of my adventure to come soon, but in the mean time - enjoy!

One thing I adore about tacos is that there are literally endless possibilities for ingredients, flavor combos, textures, and presentations. The resourceful cook (and scattered cook alike!) can cultivate any number of wildly different and seriously mouthwatering recipes by ever so slightly tweaking ingredients, adding fresh herbs, trying out flavored rices and tortillas, adding different types of beans or tofu, grilling, sauteing, chilling, infusing, adding hot sauces, cheeses - whatever your heart desires! In fact, you could probably have tacos every day of the week and never eat the same thing twice! That may be going a little far, but you get the point.

Due to its aforementioned versatility, tacos are a steady thing around these parts, and with the bounty of agreeable veggies during the summer months, you simply can't go wrong!

For this particular recipe I combined lime infused white rice, black beans, and a few simple toppings that paired well, looked great, and tasted even better!

Impromptu Greek Salad

Hello friends! I’m leaving for Europe tomorrow (yay!!), so I thought I would leave you with a quick post before disappearing for 2 weeks! This one is super simple, and I’m sure many of you have had some variation before. It’s one of my summer favorites.

Tomatoes and cucumbers are at their peak during this time of the year, and this salad is the perfect way to take advantage. It’s a cool and refreshing snack or side dish on those extra hot days (106 yesterday?!), and I often just eat it for lunch when I’m feeling lazy and need to get rid of my fruit stand bounty.  I always buy more fruits and veggies than I need and then scramble to find uses for them before they start to wilt, dimple, shrivel, and other unsavory things that make me feel guilty. It all just looks so good; I can’t help myself!

Pesto Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Kale

After taking such a long break from the blogging world, I decided to ease back in with a simple recipe that’s easy to throw together and takes very little time to prepare (basically the time it takes to boil pasta). I used whole wheat spaghetti and loads of vitamin-rich kale to make it a healthier dish that I can make regularly without hurting my waistline. Earthy, meaty mushrooms provide some bulk, fresh lemon juice brightens everything up and compliments the mushrooms amazingly well, and the rest of the ingredients just kind of happened as I was going along, as most of my recipes tend to do. I think it turned out pretty well, and I hope you do too.

Let’s get cooking!

Greek Pizza Bread

I’m always amazed when a handful of ingredients and minimal effort result in deliciousness, and today’s recipe is the perfect example. Last night Dustin and I were both craving pizza, but a combination of laziness and frugality made the acquisition of said pizza a little difficult. I opted instead to make pizza bread, which is always yummy and very easy to make, only with a Greek twist.

The idea came to me when I came across THIS feta dip recipe, which looked so good! I adapted it for my pizza bread, used red onion instead of green, and oregano instead of Greek seasoning (I can’t seem to find it anywhere, and by anywhere, I mean the one store where I looked for it). The end result was so much better than a store bought pizza, and had me wishing I had made more…in fact, I thought about it all day today and couldn’t wait to get home to make it again!