Don’t we all enjoy a crispy, salty, buttery cracker with a piece of cheese or a dip? Usually those crackers aren’t very nutritious or filling, leaving you unsatisfied. Plus most of them are laced with a ton of salt, preservatives, unnecessary fats, and contain a ton of other crazy ingredients you can’t pronounce. Seriously, read the label; do you know what half of that stuff is? And they are heavy on the gluten and carbs. Moral of the story: store-bought crackers really are not a healthy … [Read more...]
Peach and Sweet Corn Soup
Soup is by far one of my favorite ways to enjoy food. There are so many different flavors and textures you can make. Smooth and creamy, or chunky and hearty. Brothy and light or stewy and filling. Soup is comforting and healing. It can be relaxing or energizing. When soup is made with love and care, in my opinion, it is one of the best meals you can have. If I could I would eat homemade soup every day all day. However, there is one time of year that soup is not usually desired. The summer … [Read more...]
Grilled Sweet Corn with Curried Butter Compote
It is the middle of August and that means one thing in Iowa: bucket loads of sweet corn! Iowa may not have the freshest sea food or the greenest avocados but we do have amazing sweet corn. That has to be worth something, right? My August is not complete without gnawing on an ear of the most delicious sweet corn. Seriously, sweet corn is so tasty with some melted butter and a kiss of salt and pepper-- it doesn’t get any better than that. Wrong! Sweet corn just got better. Enter Curried … [Read more...]
Roasted Red Pepper White Bean Hummus
I am in love with hummus. Hummus is a staple in our household. I make some kind of hummus at least once a week, maybe twice, or three times. What is not to love? It is smooth, creamy, and robust. You can eat it with a variety of veggies, pita chips, pita bread, tortilla chips, crackers, or smear it onto a sandwich. Did I mention that hummus is good for you? It contains fiber and protein from the beans. The olive oil and tahini paste add healthy fats. Plus the garlic; did you know that … [Read more...]
Salmon Cakes
Growing up I hated salmon. My mom would always try to get me to eat it by dousing it in rich buttery sauces, and this would only sometimes work. Sometime between being a teenager and an adult a switch flipped and I began to absolutely love salmon. I no longer needed to douse it in a rich butter sauce. Now I eat salmon all sorts of ways, now salmon is one of my favorite types of fish. Salmon cakes is a delicious fun way to enjoy this super healthy fish, especially if you are not a salmon … [Read more...]
Salsa Verde
Recently Paul and I found a delicious Mexican restaurant. After just one meal there it will be our go-to Mexican restaurant. I ordered a pork quesadilla that had a tomatillo salsa generously served on top. The salsa was incredibly good. So, I set out to make my own version at home. This salsa verde is reminiscent of tangy green apples with a juicy spice and hint of cilantro. Most of the time jarred salsa verde is cooked. If I had to guess the salsa verde at the Mexican restaurant was raw … [Read more...]
Creamy Carrot Dip
If you love to eat something creamy, something that you can dip a crunchy cracker, chip, or veggie into repeatedly, raise your hand! If you didn’t raise your hand, are you even human? I love, love dips. There is something comforting about the smooth creamy texture of a dip being transported into your mouth by a crunchy, edible spoon. This is probably the reason that I enjoy eating both guacamole and hummus so much. This creamy carrot dip is incredibly addicting. It is smooth and creamy, … [Read more...]
Pesto and Mozzarella-Stuffed Potato Skins
After making my Taco-stuffed potato skins, I realized that potato skins are a blank canvas for any combination of flavors. I needed more of these crunchy little dudes in my life. This time, we are keeping it light. Homemade pesto, homemade roasted red pepper, and fresh mozzarella slices that are melted to perfection. That’s it. Simple, yet bursting with flavor and a hint of sophistication. The pesto is nutty, salty, and herby. The roasted red pepper adds a roasted sweetness, and the … [Read more...]
Tuna Sweet Potato Cakes
Tuna is what I grab whenever I want something quick and packed with protein. I usually whip up a tuna salad with whatever kind of veggies I have on hand. After a while tuna salad can get quite boring... So, let’s mix it up a little. How about tuna-sweet potato cakes? Yes Please! Tuna-sweet potato cakes are the perfect way to take your ho-hum tuna to the next level. They are simple to make and even easier to eat. The sweet potato adds nutrition, flavor, and keeps the cakes moist. I … [Read more...]
Mixed Nuts with Thyme and Rosemary
This July I am going on two separate week-long trips that are back-to-back. I am super excited! First is a trip to Canada with Paul’s family and the second trip is my annual family vacation in South Carolina. Two very different trips with a tight schedule. I am only back in the Midwest for one day and I am not even coming home to Iowa. I am transferring cars at a rendezvous point in Illinois and going to my parent’s house in Wisconsin to fly out with them for our family vacation. I will need to … [Read more...]
