Robust Recipes

Healthy, Flavorful Food

Vietnamese Pork Chops with Spicy Carrot Salad

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When I was a kid I always found pork chops to be rather boring and bland. I mostly experienced them plain with a little barbecue sauce brushed on top or some cheese melted on top. Not bad in a quick pinch. But it gets old pretty fast. Let’s spice things up-literally-with our pork chops, shall we? Vietnamese Pork Chops with Spicy Carrot Salad is everything I had dreamed it would be.  It is: Full of flavor Spicy Sweet Asian-esque Hearty yet light Tender Simple to make A few months ago … [Read more...]

Roasted Butternut Squash and Fennel Soup

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Hi friends, how has winter been treating you?  Good, I hope. Last week we had temperatures at a high of negative 13 with wind chills of negative 20 degrees! That’s right; I said N-E-G-A-T-V-E 20 degrees! I am pretty sure that my ears got frost bite just from sticking my head out the door to grab the mail. Not fun! So, I hunkered down underneath blankets and sweatshirts for at least 3 days. I drank a cup of hot tea at least once an hour and refused to eat any food that was at room … [Read more...]

Eggplant Pizzas (GF)

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  Paul and I both love pizza, Paul especially. He worked at a local pizza place for 8 years and received free or discounted pizza almost every day that he worked. As you can imagine, Paul requests pizza quite often and most of the time I am happy to join him in enjoying a good quality Take-N-Bake pizza. It is a treat for me to not cook that evening. When I am trying to eat healthy, such as right after the holidays, I have to deny Paul his pizza requests. I know, I am such a mean … [Read more...]

Beet and Raspberry Smoothie

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Hello 2015! How did you sneak up on me like that? Last I knew it was still Christmas. Did everyone have a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s?  I sure hope so. We had a fun time visiting with family and playing with kids, and we overindulged in lots of food and yummy sweets. I come from a long line of exceptionally great cooks; it’s kind of our thing. Naturally people who love to cook delicious food love to eat delicious food, and we sure did eat. A lot. Which is what the holidays are for, am … [Read more...]