Pico de gallo is one of my all-time favorite summer recipes. Now, I use the word recipe pretty loosely because it’s definitely a simple combination of foods, tossed together, and endlessly customizable. That being said, traditional pico de gallo is a fresh salsa (and is also sometimes called salsa fresca) typically made with tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime, and salt. It is always coarsely chopped, never blended, and it’s uses are endless. 
…
Good Food Reads: Thinking Outside the (Lunch) Box
I don’t know about you, but I frequently feel like I’m in a bit of a lunch rut. Either I’m busy and forget about lunch altogether or I jam in a quick sandwich or protein bar and call it a day. One of my “grown up resolutions” this year was to make lunch feel a little more special. To make things that are tasty, beautiful, and (mostly) nutritious. While I haven’t always kept to that plan, I’ve definitely noticed that on the days I make a little more effort for lunch, I’m always glad I did. We recently reached out to some blogger friends (hi, friends!) and asked for their recommendations for new lunch ideas. Boy, oh boy, did we get some great new recipes. This week on Good Food Reads, we are Thinking Outside the (Lunch) Box. 
…
Veggie Quinoa Cakes
I’m not gonna lie, sometimes feeding my daughter is tough. She is the sweetest, funniest little girl in the world but at 18 months old, she’s also a tiny tyrant when it comes to food. If it isn’t a fruit, yogurt, bread, or cheese, she isn’t having any of it. I’m fairly certain that if it weren’t for those handy pouches with veggies mixed in, she wouldn’t get within 10 feet of a vegetable. It breaks my food blogger/veggie loving heart just a little. So, in an attempt to get my daughter to eat something other than cheese, I recently came up with these delicious little Veggie Quinoa Cakes. They’re easy to make (and freezable!) and packed with protein and veggies, making them a great option for the entire family!
…
Good Food Reads: Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa. Keen-wa. High protein, gluten free, versatile. We love quinoa and think you should too! This edition of Good Food Reads: Quinoa Recipes will give you 20+ of the best and most diverse quinoa recipes! Looking for some new powerfood recipes to add to your meal planning? Look no further than our ODE TO QUINOA!
Many fabulous bloggers have been kind enough to share their quinoa recipes with us, and are allowing us to share their recipes with you (along with their drool worthy photography!). We’re excited to show you what we have planned for our quinoa!
…
Southwestern Frittata
This is the frittata of my dreams. Cheesy, packed with flavor and so, so easy, Southwestern Frittata is a keeper.
Drool alert!
Last weekend was our cabin blogging weekend. Imagine, two of my besties, a ton of fresh ingredients, wine, a beautiful view and lots of imagination. And with no kids and no husbands to cook for, we had full artistic license! SO MUCH FUN. I’m so excited to share all of the new recipes we created, starting with this Southwestern Frittata!
…
Instant Pot Thai Butternut Squash Soup
This Instant Pot Thai Butternut Squash Soup is a unique twist on an old favorite-made fast using the Instant Pot!
Winter is here in Minneapolis. Oh sure, it’s not TECHNICALLY winter (which I’m reminded of frequently by my rule following 6 year old), but Thanksgiving is over, the cold has moved in, and it’s dark hours and hours before we go to bed. (Notice I don’t say before I’m READY to go to bed…). With the cold comes the need for soup. Warm, comforting, fill-you-up soup. Like this Instant Pot Thai Butternut Squash Soup. …
Good Food Reads: Plant Based Basics!
As many of you know, I’ve long been a fan of Meatless Mondays – one day a week where I try to eat meatless. It’s not usually much of a stretch for me (I’m a former long time vegetarian), but it was an adjustment when I started cooking for my meat eating family. I’ve found, over the years, that the key to really great plant based cooking is not trying to replicate meat based meals (i.e. veggie “bacon” etc) but to celebrate the amazing flavors, textures, and nutrients of the plants themselves. Plant based cooking is a fun, economical, and tasty way to enjoy food! When I became a vegetarian, classic books like Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook and Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone were key to learning how to really eat as a vegetarian (and you should still check out those books, by the way, they are classics for a reason). Now, the internet also provides a treasure trove of recipes and techniques to make plant based eating an easy reality for you and yours! This week’s Good Food Reads is a collection of plant based (mostly vegan, all vegetarian) recipes full of flavor and fun!…
Roasted Chickpeas with a Hint of Lime
Well, now that the solar eclipse craziness is over for a few years (or at least until 2024!) we can all get back to our lives and stow away those hard won eclipse glasses for next time, right? Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate well where I live and so even though we were predicted to have about 82% totality, all I saw was a bunch of storm clouds. A bummer, for sure, but definitely not as disappointing as if we had driven down to Nebraska to try and catch totality! Did any of you get great eclipse views? While waiting for the eclipse yesterday, I had a huge craving for something salty and crunchy. Despite my love of baking, I really do prefer salty snacks. One of my favorite savory treats is the Tostitos Hint of Lime Chips. I can’t get enough of that salty, lime-y crunch. After a weekend of food indulgences, however, I figured I had better try for a healthier treat that would satisfy my need for crunch. So, after a rummage through the pantry, these salty, crispy Roasted Chickpeas with a Hint of Lime were born and eclipse snack time was a huge success. …
Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Soup
The Instant Pot. It’s all you hear about these days. But a pressure cooker? I wasn’t sold. And my husband was threatening me if I bought ONE. MORE. KITCHEN. GADGET. But, me, being me, went ahead and got an Instant Pot (read further for my marriage saving advice). And when I finally took my Instant Pot out of the box I found I just cannot stop using it. This gadget is magical! Pure magic! If you don’t have one, it’s definitely time to go get one. In fact, I like mine so much, I shipped one to my in-laws, just so I could keep cooking with it when we visited on Spring Break!
So, like any discerning person, I bet you are asking yourself-sure it’s great, but what are you actually making in it? Well, this Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Soup for one. You haven’t heard about the Instant Pot? Read further for some great information and this fabulous recipe!…
Falafel with Lemon Tahini Dressing
I’ve always had a thing for Falafel. Never thought I could MAKE it though! Turns out it’s not too hard…and oh so worth it!
I recently read a book where all of the characters went outside of their comfort zones and ended up reaping some great rewards. I truly wouldn’t have believed how much greatness was going to come from going outside of my culinary comfort zone! I decided to dabble in vegan cooking-and YOU GUYS…!!!!
Turns out you don’t need meat, nor dairy, nor eggs to create an amazing flavorful meal! Just try this Falafel with Lemon Tahini Dressing!…