January 23rd, 2012
I am very picky about black bean soup.
I mean, really picky.
If a soup is going to have a bland (albeit, fiberful) magical fruit as its main ingredient, it had better have some rockin’ good flavors to go along with it. And of course, all the better when it’s a little on the spicy side too!
So of course, I’m here to announce that I think I finally have my own favorite recipe tweaked and ready to share with le blogosphere. If I do say so myself, I think it’s a good one. Like, I-might-have-gone-back-for-thirds-”good”. :)
But to those of you who get a little anxious about the word “spicy” even being in the title, have no fear. You can easily add in the jalapeno and cayenne gradually to taste. But for those of you who like a little kick, this one will bring it. And, it can also happily be made vegetarian or vegan.
Definitely a keeper!
see recipe for spicy black bean soup
January 17th, 2012
Growing up, my family absolutely loved cranberry-orange bread. All of the goodness of sweet cranberries, paired with that yummy citrus zest and loads of glorious carbs — it was always a definite crowd-pleaser! The only tiny downside was that this deliciousness came from (ahem) a box mix.
So when I had a cranberry-orange craving last week, decided to make some cranberry-orange muffins from scratch! Sure enough, found a quick recipe online that didn’t even require me to pull out the mixer. It was a basic muffin recipe with a handful of cranberries plus lots of delicious orange zest thrown in. And then (the best part) you dip the muffins once they have baked in a fabulous sweet orange glaze.
Honestly, these required little more time together than the box mix. So quick and easy! And my friends agreed that they were super tasty!! Definitely a fantastic recipe for a small loaf of bread, or a dozen quick muffins. Look forward to making this old favorite with the new recipe again soon!
see recipe for cranberry orange muffins
January 9th, 2012
Over the holidays, my good friend Ally hosted a huge Thanksgiving dinner for friends, including a bunch of foodies). But amongst all of the amazing dishes, the one I returned to for seconds (ok, then maybe thirds…) was this lovely salad.
I have to admit, I’m typically a must-include-at-least-five-different-food-groups-in-my-salad kind of girl. But this beautiful, simple salad was perfect. Just baby arugula, fresh blackberries, and gorgonzola (or any soft cheese) topped with a fresh, light, citrusy vinaigrette that Ally made with blood orange juice. It was heavenly.
I of course immediately went to the store to track down some blood oranges and made my own version at home, and have loved this salad ever since. You can of course sub in any other berries, cheeses, or even different citrus juices in the vinaigrette, but I will tell you right now that this combination is a guaranteed success. Cheers to recipes from good friends, and delicious, simple salads!
see recipe for blackberry arugula salad with citrus vinaigrette
January 5th, 2012
I have fond memories of grapefruit breakfasts growing up. Every year, the kids in the youth group at church would have a “fruit sale”, and my mom was always that parent you could count on for a fantastic order of grapefruit. Our family loved it!! I remember flying down the stairs many a morning before school, and seeing my dad or mom standing there segmenting out a grapefruit for me to enjoy. (I know, I know, I was a spoiled grapefruit eater!) And then of course, squeeeeezing out every last bit of delicious juice after all of the slices had disappeared. Mmmmm….
Nowadays, of course, I have to segment my own grapefruit! But I still love it, and love experimenting with different ways to enjoy it! Without a doubt, broiled grapefruit is one of my favorite go-to breakfasts. It literally just takes a second to slice the grapefruit, sprinkle on some brown sugar (or some other add-ins I’ve mentioned below, if you want to get fancy!), and then pop it in the broiler or toaster oven for a few minutes. And then a heavenly, warm, and wonderful sweet but tart grapefruit is yours to enjoy.
Healthy, quick, and delicious.
My kind of breakfast or snack anytime! :)
see recipe for brown sugar broiled grapefruit
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