Have you seen the bags of frozen sliced peaches and nectarines at Trader Joe’s? They are a nice change from my usual go-to ingredients. Sometimes I need just a little more sweetness and some tartness to complete what I’m blending into my smoothie. I made these two smoothies during my next-day prep last night and [...]

This is a mega post showing you a complete meal with Asian flair. We all really enjoyed this light dinner yesteray on a beautiful, sunny day in Charlotte. Fall and Spring really are the best here.  Lately it feels like sun and rain are alternating everyday! I made a baked, breaded tofu with the easiest batter, [...]

Tender pockets full of melt-in-your-mouth sweet, smoky, soft pumpkin coated with an aromatic cream. Every now and then, I create a recipe that even leaves me pleasantly surprised. With sheer determination and thought and no experience or research, this very autumn ravioli and decadent sauce turned out so well. It is certifiably a gourmet meal and [...]

My kids’ favorite go-to food when they are sick is those Asian instant rice noodle bowls with the little packet of oil and extra salty seasoning. I decided a while back to concoct my own more healing version and we all gobbled it up. Using ginger, garlic, and miso, produces a broth that is soothing [...]

Just to vent and let you all know I’m human, this was my day and the tortilla soup was still doable!   6:30am-8:20am Get up, get ready, kids’ and my breakfast, packed up lunches & water bottles, put 1 child on the school bus (other felt sick) 9am-9:30am Drive second child who was feeling better [...]

If you are not a green smoothie novice, want something less sweet, but still very palatable, look no further. This blend is refreshing and full of immune boosting vitamin C. It feels detoxing, fatigue fighting, and is just plain satisfying after travel or a major sweat session! Bright & Balanced Banana-less Green Smoothie Charlotte Veggie Original DF, GF [...]

O is for October and all things orange as far as I’m concerned! The beautiful leaves changing, pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes…mmmm. Can you believe how many years I spent microwave “baking” my russets and sweets whenever we had baked potato night? Until a few weeks ago, when my sister served baked-in-the-oven potatoes with the skins [...]

We have officially had a full week of gray, rainy days in Charlotte. I have to really, really push through the way that weighs me down. Even though the kitchen is my oasis and I love love love to cook, I drag when there’s no sunshine. Enter a slow cooker recipe that turned out so [...]

Oh so simple. Oh so good. I wanted a rich dessert but a week of rainy, gray days + sugar just make me feel sticky and lethargic. But I want it all: my temptation satisfied without feeling like a big ball of goo afterwards. This quick and easy recipe hit my sweet, tangy, juicy, crunchy cravings [...]

It is common opinion that fries are extraordinary. Made around the world, containing few ingredients, and dressed up gourmet or just salted, ranging in budget, suitable to all diets, this universally friendly easy to eat food is everything you could ever want. Every fall, I can’t resist buying “The Organic Carrots Of Many Colors” at Trader Joe’s. Compared [...]