One of my cheap, go-to dinners is spaghetti. A box of noodles + a jar of sauce = food that everyone in the family will eat, and it all comes together in less than 20 minutes. Toss in some rolls and add a side of salad or frozen veggies, and it’s a fairly healthy meal.… Read More Happy Meatballs
I love the saying, “If you’re gonna make a mess, you might as well make the most of it”, especially as it applies to cooking and baking. This, my friends, is a big mess of butter. Yep – a lot of butter. One and a half pounds, to be exact. I was softening it for… Read More Making the most of a mess
This recipe is definitely up there in my top 5 favorite salads: “Avocado, Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad with Lime Dressing”. I can never seem to make enough of this dish. It’s always – poof – gone within 24 hours. Chris will even eat it for breakfast. Why do I like it so much? … Read More Avocado, Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad with Lime Dressing // One of My Faves
I’m enjoying being back in a proper kitchen. One with a decent amount of supplies, cooking utensils, a full-sized oven and stove, and a freezer that will fit more than an ice cube tray. It’s also nice to be back in New Zealand with familiar ingredients, familiar brands, and my usual recipes. Yes, flour is… Read More It’s nice to have a real kitchen once again.
Thank you to everyone who expressed their sympathy regarding my grandmother. I learned today that she passed away very peacefully. She was holding my grandfather’s hand and simply stopped breathing. I’m glad that he was by her side. Joe is still feeling pretty crook. His temperature has remained fairly steady at 40C/104F. And I discovered… Read More Thanks, and Enchiladas
Hey everyone! My post is up over at ExpatFocus.com. Click on over to read about how moving to New Zealand made me a better cook 🙂 Happy Monday!
I give up. I wave the white flag of surrender. This cold virus has me beaten. I’ve tried just about every remedy – homemade and otherwise – and none of them give me much relief. I’ve decided that if this cold wants to be declared the winner, then fine by me. Just so long as… Read More Pizza that’s good for you
I was so glad to see butternut pumpkin squash at the grocery the other day (yes, I know that it’s called “pumpkin” in NZ). I scooped up two of them – one for a lasagna and the other to try out this new recipe. I was in a rush when I made it. I had… Read More Butternut Squash + Parmesan Bread Pudding
Please tell me that I am not the only one who does this… I’m notorious for it. I get to the grocery, find myself asking, “Was there anything that I forgot to put on my list?” and inevitably end up in the baking aisle. Something about the spices. I apparently… Read More A Spicy Secret
I’ve heard about overnight oats before. Thought, “Eh, that sounds interesting” and then moved on with my day. I’m not sure what inspired me this time around, but I decided to give them a try. Before Joe, Chris and I had a fairly even split as to who decided what we ate. I did most… Read More Overnight Oats: Vegan Version
I tried a new recipe tonight. And you know what? It was sooooo good. Healthy, too. And yes, it was pizza. And I love pizza. You should try it. It’s pretty easy. And the crust? There’s no grains in there – it’s made from cauliflower. Cauliflower. Check it out. This is what fresh cauliflower looks… Read More Pizza Made From Cauliflower? Yes, Please!
I love that Joe loves to eat. It’s wonderful, but it’s also a lot of work. There have been times where I’ve missed the ease of a solely breastfed baby, but I’m also appreciating the bit of freedom that it’s given me. I try to keep his meals as simple and economical as possible. My… Read More Adventures in Baby Food: Banana Sweet Potato Bites
I made these for dinner tonight: So delicious! If you’d like to give them a try, just follow the recipe below: 4 whole wheat tortillas 2 C spinach leaves, chopped 1 medium red onion, diced 1 red capsicum {bell pepper}, roasted and chopped 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil + salt 1… Read More Greek Quesadillas
Joe usually eats whatever we eat. I might omit some spices and pulse it once or twice with the hand blender, but that’s about it. There are a few things that I make up especially for him, though, such as homemade snacks. I like to have food that’s easily portable, doesn’t require utensils, and won’t… Read More The Weirdest Pancakes I’ve Ever Made
If you’re like me, then you’re often on the lookout for recipes that are filling, nutritious, easy to make, and easy on the pocketbook. Here’s one that satisfies all of those criteria, and it’s a cinch to modify based on taste. It can function as a side dish or, if you’re like us, work as… Read More Lentil Rice Supper
Here’s what happens when you’ve got too much on your mind: Yeah, my handheld blender is not supposed to look like that. I made another batch of applesauce in the crockpot and was waiting for it to finish. For some reason, it went longer than usual and I was in a hurry. Once it finally… Read More Whoops
This week’s recipe is a good one – Carrot Raisin Breakfast Cookies. They remind me of a sweet muffin or bread, only in cookie form. And I love muffins and bread! They do have added sweetener, but the sweetener is real maple syrup – something that’s naturally occurring. I’ll admit that they’re a little on… Read More Easy, Naturally Sweet, Homemade: Carrot Raisin Breakfast Cookies
I had a whole bunch of apples that were starting to get a bit soft. Rather than letting them go completely bad, I decided to make applesauce. Applesauce is easy to make in a slow-cooker. And it tastes so delicious and looks so yummy. To make the applesauce, follow these 5 steps: Peel, quarter, and… Read More Easy, Unsweetened, Homemade: Applesauce
Hey everyone – I hope that you’ve had a great weekend! Joe and I have a few things going on this week. We’re going to a Plunket parenting class where we’ll hopefully meet some other mums and bubs. The menu for the week will be pretty low-key with lots of veggies and healthy options. Here’s… Read More Menu Monday
Moving to NZ has forced me to pay a lot more attention to what we eat. Food is more expensive here, and things that are readily available in the States aren’t on the shelves of our local grocery. While I wouldn’t mind if the food prices came down a bit, overall, this increased attention to… Read More Easy, Unsweetened, Homemade: Granola Bars
