easy strawberry frozen yogurt

I only had time for one picture for this treat, because I couldn't wait to eat it! 

It's this easy:

Ingredients-

2 cups full fat Greek yogurt

1 cup roasted strawberries (just place 1 cup chopped strawberries for 20 minutes at 350 degrees)

2 tbsp. honey

3 mints leaves, shredded

Method- 

Place all ingredients in your icecream attachment for about 20 minutes. That's it! You definitely won't have time to take pictures of this summer treat! 

Ballard Brewery Tour

The quaint suburb of Seattle that we live in has over ten breweries to it's name! Last week we decided to appreciate them from atop our very own bicycles. 

First stop was Northwest Peaks. Tucked away from the bustle of Ballard's main thoroughfare, this tidy spot hosted some delicious brews. 

My husband had an IPA while I enjoyed a pale ale.

Next we peddled to my favorite spot, Hilliard's. Now known for their "twelfth man" brew. (Read, Seahawks) once there, we enjoyed the benches outside and the warm sunny day. I would recommend the oak aged Saison. 

Last, but certainly not least, we raced under the Ballard Bridge to hit up Populuxe, where I sipped on some dry cider. There was also some local art that I loved.

All in all, it was a perfect Sunday filled with good ales, local flavor, and a sun filled experience right in our backyard. 

My Chi Delights

I recently had a really special (and delicious) opportunity to try out the especially tasty and super healthy snacks, My Chi Delights.

Not only are they locally handcrafted right here in Seattle, but they are:

- All natural
- Gluten Free
- Vegan
- Contain 5 g. of protein
- Crunchy, wholesome, and downright delicious

I tried the Coconut, Almond & Sesame flavor after a particularly difficult vinyasa yoga class, and they brought me right back to planet earth.

I loved the sharp, clean crunch and instant flavor.

And the variety of flavors was remarkable, it is hard to say which was my favorite, you have Seaweed, Almond, & Sesame; Coconut, Almond, & Sesame; Almond & Sesame; Ginger, Almond, & Sesame; and even Green Tea, Almond, & Sesame. Try an Assortment Box and you will get the full spectrum experience!

You can take these little beauties hiking, biking, or on your way out the door to the gym, Cross Fit, or your son’s soccer practice. I know that many mornings it is all I can do to get myself out of bed in the morning, let alone grab something healthy to sustain me throughout a hectic work day; but these handy little packages of wholesome ingredients like coconut, almond, ginger, and green tea, lasted me throughout the morning. Combine them with a stiff soy latte, and you have a power duo.  Nutritious and filling, you definitely won’t regret their flavor and convenience.

Find these at your local markets, such as PCC or Metropolitan Market, and even REI, or the University Bookstore.

Happy Friday!

K

my new favorite salad.

It's so simple, so fresh, so healthy, and so comforting. No, it's not a chocolate salad. In fact, I didn't even put any dressing on it.

There are only five ingredients. I find that this is a quick pick me up on the weekends, after yoga, for breakfast, or when I don't want a full lunch.

Ingredients:

1 ruby red grapefruit, supremed

1 blood orange, supremed

1 ripe avocado

1 small bunch cilantro

1 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. pistachios, optional (I chose not to add them)

Method:

Gently combine all ingredients (that's it!)

Refresh.

Happy 2014!

2013 was a great year, full of personal growth and all that nonsense. And of course I have a few resolutions to get started on.

My awesome new bosses gave me with a fabulous Amazon gift card this year for Christmas, and I used it to make the plunge and buy a juicer. I've been so intrigued about juicing since the green smoothie endeavor and have been impressed with the purported health benefits.

This morning we shared this magical mixture:

12 baby carrots
2 apples
1 grapefruit
3 handfuls green spinach

It was better thn I thought it would be and surprisingly filling. While I know it's not better than actually eating the above fruits and veggies, I know we wouldn't have eaten all these in one day!

So far this endeavor has been super fun and rewarding! I'll be documenting the reaches we come up with as well!

Live, laugh, juice!

Eataly!

When we visited in the grandest city of them all, that being New York, we stopped in for lunch at a little place called Eataly. I had heard of this place from my sister, who also loves all things gourmet and Italian (together if possible!) and after a bit of research, we decided to hoof it up to the Flatiron District to take a peek.



It was amazing!
 

The place reminded me a lot of the outdoor markets we visited in Florence, Italy and even Quincy Market, in Boston. We were lucky to have arrived just before the hectic lunch crowd and had the chance to walk all around, perusing the wares and even listening in on a cooking demo and tour.

The candies were arranged in the prettiest packages and tins!

Say "cheese"!

Meats galore.

This way to the most incredible meal!

I was intrigued by the inky black linguine.

And loved the smell of the garlic wafting everywhere.

If you haven't tried Panettone for Christmas, you should this year!

 For lunch I ordered at the vegetarian cafe-- a divine eggplant caponata. If caponata can be described as "creamy", this one was. The meal literally had layers of flavor!

We finished off our lunches with a doppo espresso, a mini chocolate "Bacio" and walked away warm and content... off to our next NYC adventure!

See you soon

I have so many awesome recipes I've been saving up, including pumpkin custards and gluten free spaghetti carbonara with butternut squash...so get ready!

We just returned from NYC and Long Island, what a beautiful, whirlwind trip we had!

For the time being, here's one of my favorite New York pictures... they're right, it is the greatest city in the world.

Welcome, Fall!

Hello friends!

Well, after taking a month or so off, relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous summer, I'm back with some healthy, fresh, and satisfying treats!

Here's a little preview... Pumpkin custard! It's gluten free and paleo friendly.

We only have two weeks until we set off for New York, the Hamptons, Brooklyn, and more! I'll have so many food adventures, I can't wait.

In the meantime, I'll be watching New Girl and Homeland, and eating this delicious dessert. Recipe to come!

Picklin'

We were gifted some sweet little cucumbers, so I thought I'd pickle them!

gin bucks

I can't remember the last time I made my own cocktail. Oh, well, yes I do, it was when we visited my parents on the mystical San Juan Island. It's pretty wonderful there, all you want to do is stick a piece of hay in your front teeth, kick off your shoes, and sit in a rowboat with the love of your life. It's pretty nice, I'm just saying.

Anyways, I've recently fell in love with Moscow Mules. They're refreshing, summery, and can put you right to sleep after one or two. My favorite one can be found at The Sexton these days.

Moscow Mules are made with vodka but the favorite cousin is a gin buck. Lime, ginger beer, mint, and gin. That's it!

(this is chocolate mint!)

Ingredients:

for two cocktails-
1-2 shots of gin, per drink
1/2 lime, squeezed and sliced
1 tbsp. mint (I used chocolate mint!), sliced and crushed in your glass (so the juices release)
2 c. ginger beer

                                 

Method:

Roughly chop your mint leaves and place in the bottom of your glass. Add gin, lime, and mix around with a teaspoon or some snazzy cocktail tool, pressing your mint against the side of the glass. Next, pour in your ginger beer and top with a few ice cubes. And... insta-relaxation!

pretty produce

I've been so inspired by the abundance of beautiful fruits and vegetables everywhere! I hope you are too!

summer salad

I just love summer. It's a season that has always been overshadowed by Spring in my opinion. But this year, maybe because of the giant (green) tomatoes in my garden, I've learned to appreciate it a little more. A week or so ago, I whipped up this salad when I was craving some fresh fruits and vegetables. Obviously after a long day of work + gym + dog walking + who knows what else, I had to add a little lean protein. So I threw in some chicken breast that I had cooked the night before. (I'm really  getting into food prepping on Sundays!)

This salad reminds me of one I had a couple of months ago on a vacation to the Washington coast. We stayed in the beautiful town of Pacific Beach, WA and got some sand between our toes. There was a charming little restaurant, called Mill 109 that we visited for dinner and brunch.

One night I had a starter salad with pears, almonds, and a honey vinaigrette dressing. It was divine. I tried to recreate that dressing here. Although it wasn't spot on, it was very close, and in my opinion, perfect for summertime.

Another inspiration for the salad was from one of my favorite blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. I know I've said it before, but I just adore that blog. I've made so many recipes from there, I think I've lost count. The Triple Berry Salad made my mouth water just looking at it! I'm usually not a huge fan of mixing fruit in salad, but fresh berries and spinach is definitely something I can get behind!

This salad is very simple with loads of good nutrients to get you through your next adventure!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh spinach

2 cups fresh kale 

1 cup organic raspberries

1 sliced pear

1/2 c. sliced almonds

for the dressing-

2 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

1/4 c. olive oil

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Method:

In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients, in no particular order. Next, in a mason jar or bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your dressing, mixing well.

It's that easy, now get started!

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I recently (as in today) got back into sketching. I've spending some time on Etsy, and thought, hey! I could draw that. So here's the first two. Our new goal is to start an indie greeting card company and travel the world on our Etsy profits. Career schmareer. Obviously my first sketches had to do with Julia.

garden update.

There must be something special about Seattle rain. We complain about it, whine about it, want it when the temperature rises above 75 degrees, and it makes our garden greens grow like weeds!

This is been our first foray into the gardening scene, which happens to be huge in our neck of the woods. People fit their tidy, colorful, and bohemian gardens wherever they can, in nooks on their porch, on their rock ledges, or even hanging from the side of their house. Our neighbors a few blocks away have a beautiful vegetable garden, and document their adventures on their blog Eatin' Your Yard. Most days when Molly and I go for our morning run or walk, we check out the newest greenery springing up in our neighbors' raised beds. While we're not quite at that level of expertise, I have to say the garden in our rather giant backyard has yielded wonderful results! There's two tomato plants that are growing by leaps and bounds every day, rows of spinach that multiply overnight, butter lettuce, and strong, hardy, purple kale.

Oh yes, and arugula and basil. I couldn't live without those two, I love arugula mixed green salads and the thought of my own basil in our caprese salads makes my mouth water.

Now, on to our Farmer's Market for some new raspberries. Happy Sunday!