What's the story morning glory?

Sometimes you just need breakfast on the go. And of course, the healthier the better. Since my daughter is now in full eating solids mode, I try to be versatile and prepare the healthiest foods I can.

This morning, in between Chuggington episodes, my daughter's giggles, and me attempting to work out, I threw this recipe together.

Morning Glory Muffins
1 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk (or any milk)
2 Tbsp coconut oil (or any oil)
2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 mashed banana
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

Mix dry ingredients together, set aside. Mix wet ingredients together, combine with dry. Add in fruit and spices. Oil a muffin tin and scoop into each spot. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife/toothpick comes out clean. ***You may have noticed I did not use eggs, I didn't have any so I was resourceful. Great for anyone with egg allergies. Or anyone who has no groceries...like me.***

They are so delicious and my 14 month old gobbled hers down. Perfect for a busy day that needs a boost of healthy energy. Enjoy!

xo Lo

Pizza!

My husband LOVES pizza. Every time I ask him what he wants for dinner, his answer is always, "pizza." Sometimes I'll ask him a question that is completely unrelated to food and his answer will still be, "pizza."

I've always wanted to make homemade pizza but I've failed many times...the crust has always given me a hard time. While grocery shopping a few weeks ago I stumbled upon frozen cornmeal crust pizza crusts. I was elated! Finally I could make homemade pizza! They were gluten-free which is a plus for many people and they were smaller so we could still use portion control.

Next I needed to find the toppings, our family friend gave us a jar of her homemade marinara sauce, so we definitely wanted to use that. Then I decided on leeks, chipotle sausage, and mozzarella cheese. But you can put any toppings you like on it. Leeks are a great alternative to onions, especially when they are all caramelized...yum!

Leek-Sausage Pizza on a Cornmeal Crust
2 frozen cornmeal pizza crusts (or make your own or get regular crust)
1 lb chipotle sausage
1 large leek, sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara sauce

I baked my crusts just a tad so they were a little crisp. Meanwhile I sauteed my leeks until they were tender and caramelized. I also cooked the chipotle sausage until mostly cooked through. Once the crusts were ready, I ladled the homemade marinara sauce on top, a big scoop of sausage, leeks and finally, shredded mozzarella. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. This pizza was outstanding, we can't wait to make it again.

We served this with a simple romaine lettuce salad, raw mushrooms and southwest cheddar dressing.

This is a fantastic meal if you need to whip something up quickly, if you are craving pizza but don't want to ruin your healthy eating habits or just want a yummy dinner for a Friday movie night.

Enjoy! xo Lo

Mountain Getaway

Now that my husband and I live in Colorado, trips to the mountains every so often are essential. This time my husband was bogged down with work so I decided to go all on my own. BUT that didn't mean I had to throw all my meals by the wayside. If this was truly my personal getaway for some solace, I deserved some well-thought out, delicious, soul-warming meals.

October is a beautiful time to visit the mountains, the Aspens are gorgeous hues of yellow, gold and maroon but it is quite cold so you definitely want meals that make you feel comforted.

I decided to make my breakfast for the week before I left:

Uber-Healthy Banana Bread
2/3 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 bananas
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
3 Tbsp chia seeds
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together, add the egg into your mixer. Toast sesame seeds for depth of flavor. I always freeze my bananas once they start to brown, I throw them in the microwave for a minute or so to thaw and then they are perfect for banana bread. Add them to your mixer, once combined start with dry ingredients. Add in flour a 1/4 cup at a time, then baking soda and salt. Next add your oats and seeds. Once the batter is combined pour into a loaf pan. I use silicone loaf pans and they are fantastic, no sticking! Bake for one hour and let cool for 10 minutes before taking out of pan.

I love banana bread, my mom's recipe is delicious but sometimes I like to change it up. For this recipe I added some super healthy ingredients to help keep my energy up while I was out and about in the mountains. If you have little ones, it's super easy to hide healthy ingredients when baking. Eat while warm and you will be in heaven!



French Onion Soup
2 large onions (sliced thin)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 carton of beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
Gruyere cheese
loaf of crusty bread

Heat your butter and oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Add your sliced onions and fold into the butter mixture so each onion slice is coated. Let the onions carmelize and cook down for 10-15 minutes or so. While enjoying your getaway with a glass of wine, pour about 1/2 cup into the onions. Let alcohol cook off and dry the onions, about 5 minutes. If you have flour on hand (I
 didn't) sprinkle a little to coat the onions, this

helps the soup become thick. Next add in the beef stock and let reduce down for another 15 minutes. While soup is cooking down, slice a few slices of bread and sprinkle Gruyere cheese on top, put them in the broiler to get all bubbly. Once soup is ready, ladel into bowls, place a slice of bread topped with the bubbly Gruyere cheese and dive in. This soup warmed up my frigid soul right away while sitting by the fire, gazing out the window at gorgeous snow-capped mountains.

Chocolate-Raspberry Tiramisu
6 oz container of marscapone cheese
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups espresso (warm)
2 packages of Lady Finger cookies
chocolate shavings (garnish)
2 packages of raspberries

Chocolate Zabagilone
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup prune juice (or Marsala)
pinch of salt

Scoop your marscapone cheese out of the container into a large bowl, set aside so it can reach room temperature. Meanwhile, beat the heavy cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a standing mixer until soft peaks start to form. Fold this whipped cream into the marscapone cheese, set aside while you make your chocolate zabagilone (mousse mixture).

Add two tablespoons of cream and chocolate bits to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until smooth and melted. Set aside and keep warm.  Whisk the egg yolks together, add the prune juice, sugar and salt until well blended in a glass bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Cove and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Once chocolate mousse is chilled, fold into the marscapone mixture. Then chill this mousse completely, about another 30 minutes. Meanwhile brew your espresso and pour into a bowl, whisk remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until dissolved. Find your glass trifle container and dip your lady finger cookies into the sugary espresso mixture, place on the bottom of the trifle. Be quick when dipping the cookies because they are fragile and will fall apart fast. Once mousse is cooled, you will spoon the mixture over the first layer of cookies, top with a layer of raspberries and chocolate shavings then repeat until you've reached the top of the trifle. End with a layer of raspberries and chocolate shavings. Let cool for about six hours before serving so the layers can marry together.

You can also put this in a loaf pan if you don't have a trifle, then when you serve you'll place the solidified tiramisu on a serving platter (what I did in the picture above). My company loved this dessert so much I am thrilled to share it with my family for Christmas!

When you spend a getaway on your own, it is a perfect time to make your favorite recipes or try out new ones you can potentially share with company. As much as I love writing, it's time for me to spend some time outdoors in the gorgeous mountain air!

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Italiano Rustica

I love looking at separate ingredients and watching them marry into one fabulous, delicious meal. Italian food is a house favorite and one of the meals I truly love to make, tweaking it every time I make it.


Grilled Flank Steak
2 pounds of flank steak
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
1 clove of crushed garlic

I chose flank steak because it is inexpensive, versatile and scrumptious! I marinated the steak in olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed garlic for 20 minutes, while I got my sides ready.

Cilantro Pesto Linguine
1/2 box linguine (or whole, depending on your guests)
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup parmesan
salt
pepper

I use either chicken stock or salted water to cook my pasta in (whichever I have). Add the pasta when the liquid is boiling with a bit of olive oil, so the pasta won't stick. While the pasta cooks, roughly chop your cilantro and parsley. Add all pesto ingredients together in a deep bowl and use an emulsion blender (or regular blender/food processor) to combine. Once pasta is done, lightly toss in the pesto and keep warm.

Roasted Carrots & Parsnips

bundle of carrots
bundle of parsnips
olive oil
salt
pepper

Rinse your veggies and slice lengthwise, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

By this time you should be able to put your steaks on the grill, cook 4-5 minutes per side. Let rest for 7 minutes before slicing.

When plating, add pasta on the plate, slice steak and add to plate and finally the veggies. This meal is loaded with healthy carbs, protein and several other nutrients, plus it was at a low cost!

Try this next family get together, everyone will be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Mediterranean Seafood Salad

Now that April is finally here, spring has sprung! Which means it's time to kick up our healthy diets and hide away all those heavy, holiday foods. Combining seafood, a light pasta and greens is an excellent way to rejuvenate your body with energy, protein and antioxidants.

Mediterranean Seafood Salad
1/2 pound calamari
1/2 pound shrimp
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
5 cups herb salad (you can find this packaged together at your grocery store, if not you can pair together any of your favorite herbs: I love fresh dill, arugula, endive, radicchio and spinach)
1 bag of frozen speckled butter beans
1/2 lemon
4 cups chicken stock
2 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 green pepper
3 scallions
olive oil
salt
pepper

First you want to slice your veggies and toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper then place them on the grill for about 4 minutes per side. While the veggies are grilling, heat up your chicken stock to cook the orzo. Once the veggies are grilled, place the squid and shrimp on the grill for two minutes per side. Once they are done, place them on a cutting board to cool before you add to the salad. Heat up your butter beans in a few tablespoons of chicken stock, until tender. Add the herb salad to your large serving bowl, add in the grilled  veggies, cooked orzo, then slice up your squid into rings- add that in and lastly place your beautiful shrimp atop your lovely, earthy, scrumptious salad.

This salad would be perfect for any girls night in, in-law dinner, or just a romantic evening- pair with a bottle of Becker Chardonnay (my favorite) and you're perfecto! Ciao!

xo Lo

House Divided

For the month of February I gave up meat...I was on my last leg of this meatless 29 day marathon and was running out of ideas for vegetarian/seafood dishes. My husband on the other hand refused to take part in my no-meat-for-me party and requested to remain a carnivore.

I took a look in my pantry and found whole wheat spaghetti, eggplant, ground beef, tomatoes, onion and garlic. I decided to go Italian, for his  meal I would make classic spaghetti and meatballs, for mine I would make crispy eggplant pasta.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
1 pound of ground beef (or turkey!)
1 1/4 cups stone ground oats
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 box of whole wheat spaghetti (or any pasta)
4 asparagus stalks

Chunky Tomato Sauce
1 large tomato
1 can diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 diced carrots
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup water

First start your sauce (or you can use canned), saute chopped onion, then when they start looking golden add in the carrots and tomatos. After a few minutes add in the garlic. Add chicken stock and water to the sauce. Let come to a boil then lower heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally--will take about 30 minutes-1 hour to reduce down to a proper tomato sauce.

Next mix your ground beef, oats, milk, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper together (using your hands is best). Make sure the mixture is evenly mixed throughout. Then start to make golf ball sized meatballs, place in a bowl or plate-- once you are finished, let the meatballs refridgerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.

While your meatballs are firming start your water to boil for the pasta.

Once the meatballs are firm, you drizzle a little olive oil in a pan, roll each meatball into the flour mixture (flour, salt, pepper) then brown each side for about 3 minutes per side. Then add to an ovensafe dish. Pour big spoonfuls of the tomato sauce over the meatballs and bake at 325 for 20 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, chop up your asparagus and add to the pan you cooked the meatballs in, saute until crisp and bright green (five minutes).

Crispy Eggplant Pasta
1/2 eggplant (depending on how much you're making)
4 Tbsp flour
salt
pepper
(You will use the above pasta, sauce and asparagus for this dish as well.)

Slice your eggplant in thin slices and put on a plate, sprinkle with salt and let sit for one hour (switch sides at 30 minutes) the naturally bitter juices in the eggplant will ooze out. Once the hour is up rinse in a colander, dip the eggplant (while still moist) into the flour mix and then into the saute pan for about 3-5 minutes per side. You want your eggplant to be brown and crispy.

Once the eggplant is done, meatballs are baked, pasta is al dente and tomato sauce is ready you will plate your dishes accordingly. I sprinkled the sauteed asparagus on each dish for some healthy color. Layer your eggplant pasta with pasta sauce, eggplant, etc. These dishes will surely satisfy any carnivore or herbivore in your home. Never let picky eaters keep you from serving healthy, delicious meals.

Enjoy! xo Lo

Indian Made Easy

How many of you love Indian food but when it comes to cooking it at home you have no clue where to start? I LOVE Indian food, the powerful flavors, punchy spices and health benefits keep me coming back for more. Recently I've been trying to incorporate more turkey into our diets, it is low in fat and high in protein. Plus like chicken it is very versatile.

This night in particular I had a package of turkey cutlets, I also had jasmine rice, Greek yogurt and plenty of spices. I combined them altogether for an easy, healthy, delicious Indian meal.

Easy Curry Turkey & Rice

4 turkey cutlets
1 cup Greek plain yogurt
2 cups jasmine/basmati rice
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt
pinch pepper
2 Tbsp butter
3 cups water

First you want to combine your Greek yogurt, salt and curry together into a thick paste. Then chop up your turkey into one inch chunks, add the turkey to the curry paste and use your hands to make sure every piece of turkey is covered. Then cover and let marinate for one hour in the refridgerator.

When the turkey is done marinating, add to an oven-safe pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. While the turkey is baking, boil three cups water, add salt and rice. When the rice absorbs most of the water, add in the butter.

When the turkey is done, plate a big spoonful of the rice in a bowl and smother with the turkey and curry sauce. This plate will have your mouth saying "Dhanyawaad!"(Thank you in Hindu).

Enjoy! xo Lo

All to entertain you with my dear

Who doesn't love to entertain?? Ok a few of you might not...but who doesn't love to laugh, carry on meaningful conversations, and enjoy delicious food? That's what I thought. When entertaining, you shouldn't have to spend a lot of money or cook for 10 hours to indulge in some fantastic food with wonderful company.

When I invite guests over I always like to entertain with a few nibblies when they first arrive. That way when conversations are starting, wine bottles are opening and the main course may still be cooking, we can snack over some delectable treats.

One of my favorites and one of the easiest appetizers to serve is hummus with veggies, crackers or pita bread. You can either make your own hummus (I  highly recommend) or you can purchase some from the nearest grocery store.

Homemade Hummus
2 cans of garbanzo beans (drained)

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/2 lemon

1/3 cup tahini (smashed sesame seeds)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup water

roasted red peppers for topping

black pepper
paprika for garnish
olive oil for topping

Combine all ingredients into a food processor, blender or in a bowl and use a emulsion blender. Stir as the ingredients smooth out and combine. If the mixture is too dry add olive oil to help smooth it out. Once all blended, add to a festive dish, top with a drizzle of olive oil, add roasted red peppers and paprika. Then cut up some cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, pita bread, crackers...any thing you want to dip inside this lovely hummus.

Another great appetizer, that I made for the Superbowl this year was my deviled egg dip. We love deviled eggs in our house, so I thought, why not create a dip? You use exactly what you would for deviled eggs but blend it all up til smooth and serve with chips, crackers, toast points, veggies, anything you want.

Deviled Egg Dip

8 medium-boiled eggs (being cooked less than hardboiled helps keep the dip smooth and creamy)

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup horseradish dijon mustard

1/3 cup dill pickle relish
1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Add all ingredients into a blender, food processor or in a bowl for the use of an emulsion blender. Blend til smooth, stirring along the way. Add to a bowl and serve with any chip, cracker or veggie like. I chose to serve my dip with the new Pop Chips (regular flavor) they were delicious. If you want to kick this dip up a bit you could add some crispy bacon!

Hopefully I've helped you see that it doesn't have to be difficult to entertain. Pop a few things in a blender and you've got some fabulous dips that your company will adore.

Happy entertaining! xo Lo

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." - John Gunther

I passionately agree with Mr. John Gunther... every week I look forward to my weekend mornings so I can wake up slow in my pillowy duvet, slink out of bed and make coffee...go back to bed, waiting for my coffee. Then finally when I muster up enough willpower I meander into the kitchen to chef up some le petit dejeuner.

There are many different paths you could take while creating a breakfast meal. You could go savory, you could go sweet, you could go with eggs, pancakes, french toast, lox in bagels...there are about a million scrumptious options! I will show you a few of the diverse paths I have trodded down during the morning hours of the day.

Cherry-Blueberry Granola Bars
1 cup uncooked oats (old fashioned)
1 cup flour

1 cup granola (any kind you like- I used vanilla-almond)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1/3 cup blueberry preserves (the good stuff)
1/4 cup cherry preserves (the good stuff)

I've always wanted to make my own granola bars versus buying them at the store...most of you think, "Yeah if I worked at home." Well you can still make your own granola bars and be busy. These don't take long and are WAY more tasty than any store bought granola bar. Start by pouring 3/4 cup of the oats, granola and flour together in a bowl, mix together and add brown sugar, almonds, agave and butter. Fold everything together so it is all evenly mixed. Pour into a 9x9 inch greased pan. Then spread your preserves over the top (stay away from the edge so they don't stick to the pan) and top with the remaining oats. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Serve after about two minutse of cooling so you can eat them while they're hot...trust me these suckers are to die for! And who knew they could be so healthy?? Packed with healthy carbs, protein and healthy sugars this is a great option to begin your day on the right path.

Healthy Bacon-Herb Frittata

6 eggs
fresh parsley
fresh cilantro
fresh rosemary
2 chopped bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese (leftovers!)
1/4 cup colby jack cheese
2 slices of canadian bacon
1/4 yellow onion
4 mushrooms (any kind you prefer, I used button)
salt
pepper
olive oil

This option is magnificently healthy and great for anyone trying to help benefit their cholesterol levels. Many people are afraid of making frittatas thinking they will taste too healthy (I can vouch for that one) or they are too difficult. But this is one of the easiest egg dishes known to man. First you wan to fetch your fresh herbs and give them a fine chop. Save a bit of the cilantro for a garnish and put the rest in a bowl. Slice up your onion and mushrooms, add them to a cast-iron skillet. After a few minutes add in your canadian bacon and bacon wrapped dates. Once carmelized, turn the heat to medium-low. Crack your eggs into the bowl with the herbs. Give a good whisk, add salt and pepper and pour egg mixture into the skillet. Do not scramble. Let the bottom cook over the stove for about 6 minutes. Once the bottom has settled then finish top with cheese and finish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. The frittata will puff up, once the eggs are cooked you are ready to serve. Remember the skillet is very HOT!

These two dishes are perfect to pair together! A little sweet with the fresh, warm granola bars and a little savory with your hot, gooey egg frittata. Your family, friends and neighbors will all be begging for the recipe!

Strawberry-Banana Pancakes
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp  baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk (you can use any kind, whole, skim or buttermilk)
2 Tbsps melted butter
1/2 cup sliced bananas (fresh)
1/2 cup sliced strawberries (fresh)

Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Once both are well mixed, combine. You can either add fruit directly into batter or you can add add fruit once you pour mix into the skillet, I did the latter. Once you have a semi-thick batter use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop the batter into your hot skillet. Pour in a bit of olive oil first, once your batter is poured drop a few slices of banans and strawberries right on top of the wet pancake. Once the pancake starts to bubble up and the sides are cooked you can flip. Continue til all of the batter is used.

Chive 'n Cheese Scrambled Eggs
6 eggs
1/2 cup colby jack cheese
1/4 cup freshly chopped chives
salt
pepper
olive oil
2 Tbsp water

Chop up your chives and shred your cheese, add to a medium sized bowl. Crack your eggs directly into the bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Start to whisk your eggs together for scrambled eggs. Add in the water and continue to whisk. Grease your hot skillet with olive oil and pour into pan. Move the egg mixture around until it starts to solidify. Continue to "scramble" the eggs until they are fluffy and cooked but not overcooked (you don't want your eggs to brown). Serve with a bit of cheese and chives on top. Fabulous meal full of healthy proteins, calcium and carbohydrates.

All of these combinations of breakfasts are fantastic options to help start off your day right. Sweet and savory are a classic combination for breakfast and will leave any appetite satisfied. So whip out your apron and start a scramblin'!

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Good ole steak & potatoes

This year I decided to give something up every month...since food is one of the things I love the most, I chose certain food items. In January, I gave up carbs...bread, pasta, rice, etc... now that January is over I have to admit that I wasn't completely turning my head to those scrumptious, fluffy, hit-the-spot pieces of bread, but most of the time I stayed focused.

This month I am giving up meat...so I will only eat fish. Rightly so, in the last days of January I picked up some New York strip steaks to cook. Every now and then a homemade dish of classic steak and potataoes is all one needs to get through the day.

Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
1/2 package of fingerling potatoes
salt
pepper
3 green onions
1/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter

First you want to, dice up your potatoes then boil them until a fork can slide through them. Then you drain the water out, add in the butter, salt, pepper, milk and green onion...before you start to smash them let them sit for a few minutes. This gives the butter time to melt. Then smash away, your potatoes should be left between chunky and creamy. We love to keep the skins on our potatoes (they are packed with nutrients!) and we like some chunks. If you prefer smooth mashed potatoes use a hand mixer to blend them together. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Sauteed Kale
1 bunch of fresh kale
salt
pepper
olive oil

You always need greens on your plate, right?! Kale is a great alternative to spinach or broccoli, they are super healthy and delicious. Wash your kale, cut off the stems and roughly chop them up. Heat up your skillet with olive oil, drop in the kale and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cover for the first five minutes to help circulate the heat and soften the kale. I don't want my kale to get mushy so I remove the cover to let them saute and get slightly crispy before serving. (You could always add mushrooms, onions, or other spices to jazz up this green!)

Classic New York Strip
2 steaks (or however many you need)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

This is the classic way of cooking up a steak. Steaks have a lot of flavor and you don't want to overcrowd that natural flavor with too many spices. I let my steaks rest in olive oil for about 10 minutes at room temperature, I get my pan nice and hot, sprinkle on the salt and pepper then place the steaks down on the grill pan.

My amazing, culinary friend, Amanda, taught me how to tell if your steak is done as you'd like. If you feel the palm of your hand regularly that is rare, if you move your thumb to your forefinger that is medium-rare, the middle finger is medium, ring finger that is medium-well and the pinky is well-done. So if you press on your steak as it cooks you should be able to gauge when it is done to your liking. We prefer our steaks to be medium to medium-rare which is about 4-5 minutes per side.

Once everything is done, plate up and eat up! Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Sweet & Savory

One of my favorite combinations is sweet & savory...I love the way they compliment each other. Ice cream and caramel for example...delicious union! The recipe I am going to share is one that does the very same thing. Pork is one of those meats that greatly compliments sweet tones. I had some butternut squash in my fridge that I needed to use, which became the perfect partner for pork.

One of my favorite ways to cook pork is by using a crust with nuts, any nut combination will do. Two of my favorite are almonds and pistachios. They create a crunchy texture and salty finish which leaves this pork to die for!

Almond-Pistachio Crusted Pork
4 pork chops
1/4 cup crushed almonds
1/4 cup crushed pistachios
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup milk


First I take my pork out of the package, grab a fork and poke holes all in it to help tenderize the meat and allow flavors to reach inside the pork. Then I pour the milk over the chops in a bowl. I let that sit for 30 minutes while the milk helps tenderize the pork even further and makes a creamy coating. While the pork is taking a milk bath I get my butternut squash ready.

Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
1 medium sized butternut squash
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 chopped onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp marscapone cheese

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and sprinkle on all the spices/onion, drizzle with olive oil then pop in the oven for one hour at 350 degrees to get nice and tender.

Meanwhile you can get your brussel sprouts ready, warm a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and pour in your brussel sprouts. Sprinkle with a bit more olive oil, salt and pepper. Keep them on medium for about 10 minutes then reduce to low until ready to serve. Mix them around a bit to get crispy on the outside.

When your pork is ready to go, remove from the fridge. Put your chopped nuts in a bowl, add salt and pepper and mix together. Dunk your chop into the nut mixture from the milk mixture and onto a baking sheet. Make sure the pork chops are evenly coated with the nut mixture, to create a crispy crust. Pop that into the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

One the squash is roasted, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, peel off the skin and chop up into squares, add to a bowl. Add in the milk, chicken stock and marscapone cheese, stir together. Then use your emulsion blender to smoothly blend all the ingredients together. (If you don't have an emulsion blender, use a regular blender or food processor instead.) Once blended make sure to taste to see if you need any more salt or pepper. The mixture should be thicker than soup, more like a puree.

Then check on your pork by cutting into the meat, if it is dark pink you want to cook it a little bit longer. Once it is done, take it out to rest. Then turn the heat off on your brussel sprouts. Spoon the puree onto your plate then place the brussel sprouts on the outside and place the pork on top of the puree. Then dig in!

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Wingin' It Football Style

When the NFL playoffs start my husband craves wings...there is something about football and wings that just go together like biscuits and gravy. Well instead of purchasing the overpriced, extremely fattening and greasy wings...I chose to make them myself. How hard could it be? Turns out, it wasn't hard at all.

First you want to come up with an easy appetizer that you can entertain with before you serve up the delicious wings. Then choose which kind of wings you want to make. I decided I definitely wanted to do buffalo wings but wanted another option as well, I settled on sesame-soy sauce wings.

When you go to the grocery store you can either purchase regular wings or you can choose drumettes, which I did. I chose two packs of 30 drumettes for each flavor. Then the next most important part is your marinade and giving your wings enough time to marinate.

My easy appetizer was homemade raspberry jam and brie.

I served this on a beautiful cutting board, sliced some pieces of brie and placed a small dollop of jam on top with thin crackers...yum!

Sesame-Soy Sauce Wings
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp of freshly crushed ginger
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 fresh lemon (juiced)
salt
pepper
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 Tbsp olive oil
sesame seeds for garnish

Place wings in a deep bowl and pour over soy sauce, ginger, garlic, lemon and cilantro. Use your hands to coat the marinade all over the wings. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate and let marinate for two hours. After the first hour re-mix to make sure the marinade is coating each wing evenly.

While those wings are marinading start the other set of wings:

Buffalo Wings
2 cups hot sauce
2 Tbsp worchestire sauce
cayenne pepper
salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

With the next batch of wings, place them in another deep bowl and pour over one cup of the hot sauce, worchestire and salt. Use your hands to make sure they have coated the wings, then cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for two hours. Same as the first batch, after one hour re-coat the wings. Once the buffalo wings are done, place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees.

Bleu Cheese Sauce
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 Tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 minced shallot
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 lb bleu cheese
salt
pepper
celery sticks

While your wings are marinating, make your bleu cheese dip. Mix all the ingredients together and let merry in the fridge until ready to serve. Super easy! If you think the sauce is too thick, add more sour cream/mayo to thin it out.

Once the sesame wings are done marinading, place them on a greased baking sheet  and pour agave nectar on top to create a sticky sauce while they bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

When the buffalo wings are done, pour the remaining hot sauce on top and coat evenly. When the sesame wings are done baking sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Once all wings are cooled place on two platters for serving.

Simple Salad
arugula
dried cranberries
roughly chopped walnuts
goat cheese

For a simple salad with your hearty wings, mix all these ingredients together. Make sure to wash your arugula and get rid of the root. Add as much of the nuts, cheese and cranberries as you like. Serve with a simple lemony-olive oil dressing and voila a meal that will please any football watchin' man as well as his better half.

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

2012 Resolutions

Part of our family's new year's resolution was to eat healthier, lose weight and get my husband's cholesterol down. The first thing I did was do some research on cholesterol-healthy foods. Then I came up with a menu for the week to serve these ingredients.

Last night I created broccoli-gruyere stuffed chicken divan with a kidney bean puree and southern collard greens. It was packed with flavor and nutrients to boost our healthy bodies for the new year.

Broccoli-Gruyere Chicken Divan
4 chicken breasts
1 head of broccoli
3 leaves of kale
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
2 garlic cloves
fresh oregano
olive oil
salt
pepper

Start by roasting your broccoli, kale and garlic in the broiler for 15 minutes. Meanwhile work on your kidney beans. Once the puree is ready to go take out the roasted vegetables and let cool for five minutes. While cooling start on your southern collards. Once the collard greens are on their way, shred up your gruyere cheese. Then pull your chicken breasts out of the fridge and slice a line in the middle of them, push through with your fingers to make a pocket inside each breast. Roughly chop up your roasted veggies and mix with the cheese. Stuff this mixture into each breast, place the breasts back on the roasting pan and broil for 25 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown on top.

Rosemary-Kidney Bean Puree
1 can of kidney beans
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt
pepper

First I roughly chopped the rosemary and added that to the beans in a saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring the bean mixture to boil, in order to release the rosemary flavor. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Then use your emulsion blender (or blender) to emulsify the bean mixture. You may have to add more chicken stock if the mixture gets too thick. Then put on low and stir occasionally until ready to serve.

Southern Collard Greens
1 bunch of collard greens
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock

Chop up the collard greens and get rid of the inner spine (hard to eat). Pour a little olive oil into a larger sauce pan and add greens plus diced tomatoes. Cover and let greens wilt- about 5-7 minutes. While the chicken is broiling, stir around your collards to make sure they are being evenly coated by the tomatos. Put on low until ready to serve.

Once all components are cooked, plate by adding the puree first, curve your collards around the puree and place a chicken breast on top of the puree. Your company will love this dish!!

Happy 2012 everyone!!

xo Lo

Start your Winter day off right

In order to start your cold, blustery day off correctly a fulfilling breakfast is much needed. Eggs are a fantastic way to fill you up without a lot of calories or fat. Enjoy this simple yet mouth watering breakfast recipe.

Omelete

6 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
salt
pepper
3 English muffins
ground turkey
fresh berries
green onion
shiitake mushrooms

Slice disks out of the ground turkey and cook until juicy and slightly crisp. Chop up your green onions and shiitake mushrooms, add them to a pan on medium-low heat. Scramble the six eggs, whisk in milk, salt and pepper. Toast up the English muffins. Remove the onion-mushroom mixture and pour in 1/3 of the mixture, once the eggs start to solidifiy flip and add in onion-mushroom mixture plus shredded cheese. Flip one half over to create an omelette, leave for one minute then remove from heat.

Plate the omelete top with cheese and a few green onion slices with a side of turkey sausage, English muffins and berries. This meal will jumpstart your metabolism and give you energy to conquer the day!

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Big fish in a little pond

With all the mix of chicken and beef sometimes it's nice to grub on some fresh seafood. One of my husband's favorites is fresh tuna steaks. Now you have to be cautious because tuna tend to be unusually high in mercury levels which in big doses can be toxic to our bodies. But if you shop for your seafood at a local market and they catch wild then you should be better off.

My favorite way to eat tuna steaks is rare, sashimi style with a wasabi-soy sauce drizzle but my husband likes his seared. So I decided to cook for my sweet husband that evening.

Tuna Steaks with Brussel Sprouts and Black Rice

1 tuna steak/person
1 package of brussel sprouts
1/2 yellow onion
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup black rice
olive oil
salt
pepper

This is a pretty simple meal, you want to save the tuna til last. If you want to flash marinate that is great or else keep cool in the fridge. I drizzled mine with olive oil to keep it moist and sprinkled salt and pepper on each side and set back in the fridge.

Next, I sliced up my onion and garlic and added that to a saute pan on medium heat. Once they were golden I added the brussel sprouts. I had chicken stock in a small sauce pan awaiting a boil, once the liquid starts to bubble drizzle in 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil and the black rice, stir occasionally.

When the brussel sprouts start to soften and sear turn the heat down to keep them toasty. Continue to stir the rice, adding more chicken stock if needed. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the rice for additional flavor. Black rice is extremely nutritious and adds a lil depth to your dish.

Once the rice is practically finished heat your saute pan or grill pan, drizzle with olive oil and place your tuna steaks on the pan. Depending on how "done" you prefer your tuna to be, you really should only cook each side for about a minute. Usually tuna is best served with a nice sear on the outside and rarity on the inside.

Plate your dish and serve. This meal is packed with protein, omega-3s, healthy carbohydrates and will give you a great kick start to your week or weekend.

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Acorn Squash Soup

Nothing is better than a hot bowl of comforting soup when the winds are chilly and the clouds unleash rain across the city.

I stumbled upon this recipe as I looked in my fridge and found an acorn squash, the only thing I had made before with this gorgeous ghourd was chutney but this time I wanted to make something good for the soul.

Acorn Squash Soup with Fresh Sage

1 acorn squash/2 people
1 yellow onion
1 leek
1 bunch of fresh sage
1 carton of chicken stock
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream)
salt
pepper

I started as you would with any squash, you cut them in half de-seed them and place on a baking sheet. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating up, slice up some onions, garlic, bits of fresh sage and leeks place those inside of the hole of the squash and drizzle with olive oil. Place the squash in the oven for one hour to soften and bake.

While the squash is baking light your Dutch oven or soup pot on low heat, add olive oil and the rest of the onion, leeks, a few sage leaves and garlic. When they become golden (30 minutes) add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Once the squash is done, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Once the squash are cooled pour the contents inside the squash into the pot. Strip off the squash skin, chop up into inch cubes and add to the pot. Raise the pot's temperature to medium heat and stir. After 15 minutes use your hand emulsion blender to blend the squash soup together. Be careful not to raise the blender above the soup, blend for 10 minutes until creamy and smooth. Then add your milk/heavy cream. Let the soup finish for five minutes then you are ready to serve.

Once you pour the incredible soup into your serving bowls, grate fresh parmesan cheese on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh sage leaves. This soup will knock your snuggie right off, it is down right delicious! Perfect for entertaining or as a quiet Sunday meal.

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Campfire Cookin'

My husband and I went camping this weekend and realized that many people don't understand how delicious your meals can be cooked over an open-fire with a starry night while spending quality time with those you love.

Our first night we chose something pretty simple:

Beer Brats with Blue Corn Tortillas and Mustard

1 package of beer brats
1 package of tortillas
mustard

First you need hangers, sticks or some long fork skewers to fire roast the brats over the open flame. Once the brats are sizzling and brown you toast the tortillas and add the brat, squirt a lil mustard on top and ta da! Simple and delicious.

We spent that evening laughing and holding hands in the middle of the woods.

The next day we planned a big breakfast:

4 eggs
6 slices of thick-cut bacon
2 red potatoes
2 slices of toast (preferably homemade)

Firstly, when you are cooking while camping you want to start with the bacon because it naturally creates grease that you can use to cook everything else. Place bacon in the pot and set over the open flame, take one strip of bacon and slice it up into little pieces. Place these pieces into a separate pot with the chopped potatoes. Once the bacon is sizzled, remove from pot and add to a paper towel and crack the eggs into the greased pot. Once the potatoes are done, pile them into the serving bowls, add bacon on top. Place bread in a pocket of foil and toast on fire grate. Once the eggs are done place them on top of the bacon/potato pile and lastly grab your toast.

For dinner our last night camping we had to create something out of nothing, we had a backpacker's meal of freeze dried chicken and dumplings. Which didn't seem like enough so we had two red potatoes left, some bacon and some extra barbeque sauce. We decided to bake the potatoes, sizzle up the bacon and crumble it on top of the potatoes with barbeque sauce on top...that was a surprisingly, yummy side dish!

Use your imagination while camping, anything you want to have you can...you just have to be creative.

Enjoy life every moment at a time! xoxo Lo

Trick or Treat Casserole

My mom used to make this warm, comforting casserole dish with chicken, orzo, cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms and any other veggies we had at the time. I decided to recreate this delicious meal from my childhood. I already had beer brined chicken, the orzo and cream of mushroom soup, I just needed to put the rest together.

Since Halloween is right around the corner, I decided to make my casserole similar to the traditional outing every child makes on October 31st, decked in their best costume to boot. My casserole would be full of treats and would remind adults why they love Halloween and the Fall season so much.

Trick or Treat Casserole

2 chicken breasts (marinated in whatever you prefer)
1 package of orzo noodles
6 button mushrooms (rinsed)
1/2 head of cabbage
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
2 cups of chicken stock
1 small yellow onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

Heat your Dutch oven or large pot on medium heat, add olive oil and start chopping your onion. Add onion to the Dutch oven and start chopping your mushrooms. Add mushrooms and dry orzo to the pot. Let the orzo crisp up with the onions and mushrooms before adding any liquid. (You may need to add more olive oil, to prevent sticking to the bottom or getting too dry). Next add the chicken stock and stir around. Chop up half the cabbage and add that to the mixture. Pour in the cream of mushroom soup, salt and pepper. Then chop up the chicken into small pieces and add to pot. Place lid on the Dutch oven and cook for 10 minutes. Then finish the casserole in the oven at 375 covered for 15 minutes then lower heat to 350 and remove lid to let the top crisp up for 10 minutes before serving.

This meal will feel like your mouth is trick or treating, full of flavors, textures and nutrients this meal is Halloween approved!

Happy trick or treating! xo Lo

Spooky Spaghetti Squash

During the Autumn season there are several different kinds of produce to take advantage of, there are many squashes, gourds, etc to dive into for your meals. One of my favorite kinds of squash is the spaghetti squash, not only is this squash pretty awesome in creation but it's tasty too. The best part about spaghetti squash is you can make savory or sweet dishes when using it. This time I decided to go savory.

Spaghetti Squash with Baby Portabella Mushrooms and Marinara Sauce

1 spaghetti squash
1 package of baby portabella mushrooms
1 jar of marinara sauce (or see recipe below to make your own)
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
olive oil
fresh oregano
salt
pepper

Firstly, you want to get your spaghetti squash tender, cut in half length-wise, de-seed and bake at 425 degrees for an hour.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in a saute pan over medium heat until tender. Put marinara sauce over medium heat to warm and add mushroom mixture.

Once the squash is tender, let cool for 10 minutes then take a fork and scrape the squash, as you scrape pieces that look similar to spaghetti pasta should start to come off. Scrape all of the "spaghetti" into bowls.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

3 12 oz cans of plain tomato sauce
1 12 oz can of plain tomato paste
2 12 oz cans of tomato pieces
2 yellow onions
5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 bunch of fresh basil
1 bunch of fresh oregano
water (as needed)
salt
pepper
meat (if you are making a meat sauce, use ground beef, ground turkey or turkey sausage)

Cook tomato sauce, paste and pieces over medium-low heat. Add in spices (if dry), water, onion, garlic and herbs. Let simmer for one hour and add fresh herbs for last 15 minutes. Marinara sauce should reduce down, add any veggies or meats you like to it.

Pour marinara sauce over spaghetti squash and grade a little bit of mozzarella or parmesan over the top and dig in!

xoxo Lo

Pork 'n Pumpkin Chili

For those of you who are getting to know me...I LOVE the holidays. Any holiday...I will go above and beyond to celebrate, in a classy way of course! :) When Fall arrives, which is my favorite time of the year, I love to cook with seasonal produce (aka pumpkins), watch scary movies, sip on Pumpkin Ale and submerge myself into the season.

The other day they had sugar pumpkins at the market so I grabbed three and a massive piece of pork butt to make some fabulous, comfort food.

Here's the recipe:

3 medium sugar pumpkins (or as many as people you have plus one extra for in the chili)
1 package of 15 bean soup (15 different kinds of uncooked beans, discard seasoning package)
5 lbs pork butt
1 bunch of mustard greens
5 cups of chicken stock
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
salt
pepper
nutmeg

First I put the oven on 425 degrees and baked the pumpkins (after de-seeding the inside) for about an hour. Meanwhile I started slicing up the pork butt into inch cubed pieces. I placed my Dutch oven on the stove on medium heat and drizzled some olive oil inside. I chopped up the onion and garlic and let that saute for a few minutes, until golden. Then I added the chicken stock and beans. After cutting up the entire pork butt, I placed that into the chicken stock and cover for 30 minutes.

Once the pumpkin is tender the skin should peel off easily, chop up one of the pumpkins into one inch cubed pieces and add to the chili. (The other pumpkins are for serving in.) Add nutmeg, cook for another hour on low heat while stirring occasionally. In the last 10 minutes add chopped, mustard greens.

While chili is cooking, make the pumpkin-nutmeg cream sauce with:

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp pumpkin (from cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin)
salt
pepper

Mix all ingredients up until smooth and refridgerate until serving. Once beans are tender and pork is cooked through then served the chili inside the sugar pumpkins and top with cream sauce.

If this recipe doesn't get you into the Halloween/Autumn mood, then I don't know what will...maybe put on Hocus Pocus while eating and sip on a Pumpkin Ale...that should do the trick!

xoxo Lo