Go Mediterranean: Pros of the Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean diet cooking ingredients

What exactly is the Mediterranean diet – and is it worth following?

The Mediterranean Diet is all the rage, but what is it? Is it healthy? Is it a fad? As someone who has struggled to keep their weight down for most of her adult years, I am always curious about new diets.  Some of them seem  more believable than others.  I try to avoid the ones that seem too good to be true and instead focus on diets that are healthy and contain foods from all of the food groups. I've always thought that completely eliminating one food group from my diet probably isn't the ... Continue Reading

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Delicious & Devine: Crunchy Butterscotch Bark Recipe

Butterscotch Bark Recipe

A delicious candy concoction for a fraction of the cost.

I love those expensive candy bars that have pieces of dried fruits and nuts in them.  I seriously have to restrain myself from buying one or three when I'm grocery shopping each week.  Many of them are fairly expensive and I started to think ... I could make one just as delicious at home for a fraction of the cost.  The best thing about this bark recipe is that it can be customized based on what you have on hand.  If you change the flavor of the chips and what add ins you use, you can have a ... Continue Reading

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Cheese Appeal: Creamy Celery Au Gratin Recipe

Creamy Celery Gratin Recipe

A delicious meatless recipe to use as a side or main dish.

Lent begins on February 13th and goes through March 30th this year.  This season is often when people begin searching for a new meatless recipe to add to their menu.  Whether you are giving up meat for Lent or simply to reduce your ecological footprint, this delicious meatless recipe for Creamy Celery Au Gratin is one of my favorites. The word gratin is used to refer to any dish that is topped with a browned crust of breadcrumbs or melted cheese.  In this recipe, I use cheddar cheese and ... Continue Reading

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Surprising Ingredients in Your “100% Juice” Drink

Girl enjoying fruit juice

That 100% fruit juice drink isn’t just juice from a fruit.

Many parents feel they are offering their children a nutritious beverage when they head to the juice aisle of the grocery store. Looking down the aisle you see many products touting that they are "100% Fruit Juice". This seems a healthy choice, right? Fruit is great for children, so why not 100% fruit products? Sadly, when you reach for the 100% fruit product you may not be getting exactly what you intended. What is 100% Fruit Juice? This question may seem silly on the surface. Of course ... Continue Reading

Get Grocery Shopping: Easy Meal Planning

grocery shopping

Quick tips for easy meal planning by implementing a master grocery list.

Making a grocery shopping list isn't always easy, and sometimes can be a downright bore of a chore. But there are a few simple tips you can use to easily create your meal plan for the week - and save a little time and money in the process: Make a Master List One day I sat down and wrote out all the meals we like to eat. I made a list of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, side items, and snacks. I created this list so I could easily go down the list of foods to create our meal plan. This also ... Continue Reading

The Ultimate Vegan Muffin Base Recipe

muffins

An amazing vegan muffin base recipe and list of fillings to try a variety of flavors.

If you are vegan, vegetarian, have nut allergies, or dairy allergies - I have the muffin recipe for you. I am not a vegan, but I do appreciate some vegan style recipes. This is for all those out there who think that vegan food is not tasty. First I'm providing the base to any muffin recipe. From there you'll find a variety of different fillings, also vegan. The base is nut free and dairy free, so it is friendly to almost anyone. It's a perfect snack for any party if you aren’t sure if any ... Continue Reading

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Puree Baby. Learn To Make Your Own Baby Food From Scratch

steamed vegetables for baby

Learn to make your own baby food from scratch and in bulk – saving time, money, and the environment.

When we think of baby food, the first thing that usually comes to mind is green or orange puree inside a little glass jar. It's what we see at the grocery store, and what many moms feed there babies. There is nothing wrong with baby food from a store shelf - but you could make the same food at home, using fresh produce, and save money at the same time. These little jars of baby food might seem inexpensive at less than one dollar a piece, but that can quickly add up. It is much more ... Continue Reading

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Seafood Recipe: Spinach and Feta Topped Salmon

feta salmon

Recipe for salmon, topped with spinach and feta for an extra burst of flavor.

We love to eat fish and I am always creating new fish dishes at home. I cook with salmon frequently and have a kitchen full of baked salmon recipes. Once I find a recipe that I like, I take note of the flavor combinations. I have always been a fan of salmon served with wilted spinach leaves topped with feta, and recently I made a topping out of salad. To my surprise it turned out nicely and was a big hit. So if you are in the mood for some salmon, give this recipe a shot. Spinach-Feta Topped ... Continue Reading

Easy to Bake Individual Plum Tart Recipe

plum tart

Plum tarts are the perfect, elegant dessert for any occasion.

I am a lover of all baked goods, but tarts are really something special to me. There is something elegant and almost magical about serving up a tart for dessert. Plum tarts are my absolute favorite. They are simple to make, look gorgeous, and when they're fresh out of the oven you will inevitably feel like a master baker. My husband is not a big cake eater. He doesn’t like many desserts and is a tough critic when it comes to anything pie or cake related. I also have three small children ... Continue Reading

Eggs, Eggs, Everywhere: Yummy Recipes for Leftover Eggs

eggs

Leftover eggs, what to do? Here are a few of my favorite recipes that include hard-boiled eggs.

We love to dye eggs for Easter in our home. We dye dozens of them, but with three kids, we end up with an over-abundance of hard-boiled eggs after Easter is over. So what is a mom to do with all those left-over eggs? Here are a few of my favorite recipes that include hard-boiled eggs. Deviled Eggs With a Curry Twist These are not your traditional deviled eggs. If you are looking to spice up your traditional deviled egg recipe, try out these fantastic lemon curry deviled ... Continue Reading