This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 
#SwansonSummer #CollectiveBias

If I didn’t have a 40 hour a week job outside of my blog and freelance projects, you know what I would be doing?

I’ll go ahead and tell you because, as my husband likes to point out, people aren’t mind readers.

If I had more free time, I would make so many summer recipes. You know the ones. They are the recipes that are perfect for any summer BBQ or, as I call them, “food fests”. I would host a million recipes right here for potato salads (tangy, sweet, vinegary, all varieties!), barbecued meats (both on and off skewers), beautifully full salads, cold soups, fun dips as appetizers, mini foods that can be eaten in one bite, wonderfully intoxicating cocktails… Honestly, the list goes on for forever and ever.

Tune in next summer as I should be more prepared for the most fun season of the year.

In Florida, there’s the summer that lasts about 360 days of the year – the other 5 can be described as fall – and then there are the “official” summer months that are really just a more summery summer. It’s so hot and typically rains every afternoon, but the produce that’s around during the spring and summer time are some of my favorites. Berries and peaches and ahhh so many flavors. Then there are the fruits and vegetables that aren’t necessarily at the peak of season, but available all the time and are still so delicious.

Green grapes (the superior variety, clearly), cucumbers, and then wonderful herbs like basil and mint. Can’t ever go wrong with those. Add some more items, like a zesty dressing, and you have today’s recipe. Which, coincidentally, is perfect for a summer BBQ, but also for some of these other times:

• when you need a quick and easy meal
• for a potluck either at a friend’s house or at work
• when you are in a place where you can’t keep your dish warm
• picnics on the beach or the park…picnics anywhere
• road trips, why not?
• for a relaxing lunch on a relaxing Sunday afternoon
• leftovers for a workday lunch, whenever (!!)

(more…)

There are tons of times, for as much as I love to cook, I just don’t feel like it. It’s much easier and quicker to go to the Vietnamese restaurant down the road for my FAVORITE: spring rolls over rice noodles (bun cha gio). Or the Indian place right across the street for their Chicken 65. And if I’m really in the mood for either of these and don’t get it, I obsess about them until I do. Kinda like Chick-Fil-A on a Sunday. Like, you just cannot wait until Monday so you can get your fix. Know what I’m sayin’?

Around here, it’s been raining nonstop. If I knew I had to endure rain anyway, I’d rather be in Seattle. When it’s so dreary, I don’t want to be gallivanting around to my favorite restaurants, and I especially don’t want to go to the grocery store. Have you ever had to load your car with plastic bags full of groceries? It’s no fun, and I’m pretty uncoordinated so I have an ungraceful go of holding the umbrella and situating the groceries snugly in my trunk, all while trying to remain dry.

Luckily, I had Mother Earth Boxes at my doorstep. I didn’t feel like cooking and then all of a sudden, with a box full of fresh and local produce, I was back in the game.

(via)

I’ve tried another local organic produce delivery company, but I feel like Mother Earth is a better option. It’s so plentiful with over 120 varieties of fruits and vegetables. I received sweet potatoes (massive sweet potatoes), a pineapple, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, lettuce, herbs (much appreciated and rare in boxes like these), peaches, asparagus, oranges, leeks, and much more. The box I received happened to include items I would normally get from the grocery store and things that are easy and familiar to cook with.

Mother Earth, available for delivery to residents in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties only, has three different style boxes:

• The Wonderland: Vegetables and Fruits (my choice)
• The Tooty Fruity: Fruits only
• The Hulk: Vegetables only

Each box is 20-25 pounds and feeds 2-4 individuals for an entire week. The cost of each box is $49.00, but you’ll feel like the luckiest person on earth when you open the box and see everything inside. It’s like Christmas morning.

So, given my limited amount of groceries but my sudden plethora of fresh produce, I knew what was in order for dinner: Vegetable Stir-Fry!

Because stir-fry is that “oops I don’t know what else to do with these veggies” dish. The dish that’s a favorite for everyone because who doesn’t love stir-fry, right?

And it’s filling and healthy and freakin’ delicious. Lots o’veggies. Load them up.

In my Mother Earth box, I received a bunch of green, red, and yellow peppers. I had leftover broccoli, zucchini, onions, and garlic. This simple and fast stir-fry was perfect in that the flavors were SPOT ON, and I was able to finish the meal before my husband left for work (his night shift at the hospital hinders my dinner game in many ways), which always gets two major thumbs up from me. I like to provide him with food for a late night dinner as often as I can. (more…)

I can’t stop talking about pasta. In my last two blog posts, I’ve talked about pasta. Now, it’s time I make it, except for today’s recipe, it’s all about the vegetable pastas. I’m talking about zoodles (still can’t decide if I love or loath the word) and then also yellow squash and sweet potato noodles because COLOR.

It’s funny – I am a carb lover. You won’t find me on a no-carb diet, no way. My heritage doesn’t allow for it, like it’s physically impossible to deny the bread. Still, being able to substitute pasta for vegetables is a great alternative. There were no carbs harmed in the making of this dish.

Here’s the thing. I have the smallest kitchen ever. I’m pretty sure it’s smaller and less convenient than a kitchen in one of those tiny houses. I have two baker’s racks (one because we don’t have a pantry) and a large 5-shelf stand for things like bowls and casserole dishes. AND THEN, I have an entire spare bathroom filled to the brim with kitchen items I can’t use yet (most from our wedding) because we don’t have the space for them in the kitchen. It’s first world problems, yes, but it’s terribly annoying. (I keep telling myself just a couple more months until our move…)

There are two kitchen items I’ve always wanted: a mandolin and a spiralizer. Despite my unfortunate situation, I purchased a mandolin because they are flat and so won’t take up too much space on one of the kitchen shelves. But the spiralizer? Well, I’ve been holding back because it’s a more bulky item and I was all, well I don’t necessarily neeeeeed it. (more…)

You root for the underdog, right? Who doesn’t?

Sometimes at night I’m in bed watching Family Feud and that family who is just the worst? I want them to win. Because everyone likes an underdog.

Brussels sprouts are an underdog in the feud of food, and gosh darn it, I’m sticking up for these leafy wonders today (and every day, if I’m being honest). It’s almost like from inception we’re taught that brussels sprouts are nasty and a green that’s only consumed by grannies with no tastebuds. That the bitterness will make you swiftly reach for a glass of water and your toothbrush. That you should stay far away from brussels sprouts because they are the worst green in existence. (more…)

Orzo pasta – one of my favorites. It looks like rice but it’s pasta and it’s teeny and so you can eat more of it and it’s just cute. Because that’s what’s important.

So sometimes you know how you tend to make the same pasta dishes over and over again and they are all lovely because if not you wouldn’t make them over and over again but then eventually you want something different and so you make a pasta dish that’s different yet the same?

That’s this dish. It’s the same pasta you’re used to, but with a new element. Toasted bread crumbs are where it’s at. I’m tellin’ ya. Progresso Italian Style Bread Crumbs are my favorite because you don’t have to add any additional ingredients to the bread crumbs!

There’s no real “sauce” here, it’s just bread crumbs and garlic and olive oil. And awesome. Oh, and make sure to add some spice (though I guess you could opt out if you really have to). And then we have spinach and tomatoes and fresh parsley. Top with some lemon juice and cheese (cheese!) and done! Dinner in about 30 minutes.

The best part is this dish would go well with any kind of pasta you have, any shape, any size. The breadcrumbs and olive oil coat the pasta well and psst, it’s even better the next day.

Want to make this recipe or your own creation for your family? Click on over for a coupon offer to save $1.00 on TWO when you buy TWO Progresso Bread Crumbs at Publix! (Coupon will be available through May 31, 2015 and expires June 30, 2015.)

And guess what? I’m giving away $15 via PayPal. Simply comment below and tell me what recipe you might create with Progresso Bread Crumbs!

Print Recipe

Orzo Pasta with Toasted Bread Crumbs

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2/3 cup Progresso Bread Crumbs, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Dash hot sauce (optional)
• 1 cup torn baby spinach
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Do not drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a deep saute pan and heat over medium temperature. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. Add tomatoes and cook another minute. Add 1/3 cup of bread crumbs and stir, combining all ingredients and soaking up the majority of the olive oil.
3. Add red pepper flakes, dash of hot sauce, spinach, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a small drizzle of olive oil so spinach can cook and wilt down.
4. Straight from the pot, add the orzo to the saute pan. Do not drain beforehand. You want to include some of the pasta water. Toss to combine.
5. Top pasta with lemon juice, cheese, parsley, and remaining 1/3 bread crumbs. Toss again to combine.
6. Add more cheese, salt, or pepper to taste. You can also add additional olive oil as necessary to maintain a slightly creamy texture to the dish.

I have a love/hate relationship with our back patio. On one hand, we have food growing – mostly hot peppers like this one big, menacing ghost pepper that sits in the corner and surveys the scene – and that’s always exciting. On the other, there are frogs back there because we also have tilapia and a filtration system that the frogs love hiding around because it’s humid. And frogs like to jump and one time I was doing the laundry and a frog jumped right over me so I dropped all the laundry and refused to go back out on the patio ever again.

My husband now does all the laundry, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, right ladies?? So I guess I have a love/hate relationship with frogs too.

One of the most used ingredients in my house is red pepper flakes because my husband and I love spice in our food. We have about 50 thai chili peppers ready to be used on our back patio (sans frogs because they are all too busy keeping tabs on the tilapia).

So basically we have all these peppers and we have to think about when to use them in our dishes. What to make, what to make? ‘Cause I’ll be damned if those peppers just shrivel up! If you have any pointers, leave a comment below.

Which all leads me to a recipe that has no thai chili peppers at all. So what was the point of all that? I just don’t know. We like spice and so I have a spicy recipe for you.

GREEN SALSA! SALSA VERDE! I’M SO EXCITED CAN’T YOU TELL!

(more…)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #40DiasMorningStar #CollectiveBias

🙌🏼

🙌🏼

🙌🏼

Let’s talk whole grains and roasted vegetables and proteins and legumes. They.are.delicious.

I made a vegetarian power bowl that’s both inspired by my Latin heritage and filling for this season of Lent when we are refraining from eating as much meat. Mark every Friday from here to Easter as your POWER BOWL day. Come follow along with me. We are going to go on a journey.

The star of the show are the MorningStar Farms® Meal Starters® Steak Strips (I purchased from Walmart and also have the Chipotle Black Bean Crumbles™ which will work just as well). You know how you want some meat, but you can’t or perhaps are being more mindful of what you eat, and so you go for a vegetable-based product, hoping it’s amazing? These are like that except add “widely exceeds expectations” to the list. Along with low cost, a quick preparation and definitely the best veggie cuisine I’ve ever tried.

The base of the power bowl is brown rice, naturally. It’s what power bowls are made of. Seasoned with lime and cilantro = me 💃🏻

Next up: my Cuban black beans. The flavors are tremendous: cumin, jalapeño, onion, garlic, white vinegar, olive oil, bay leaf. My ideal way to cook them is with uncooked beans and cook low and slow for several hours, but since I’m here talking to you about a meal that doesn’t take that long to prepare, use canned black beans! (Just make sure you give them a good rinse.)

Top all of this with some roasted vegetables! My favorites to go with this bowl are potatoes and broccoli, but you can use absolutely anything you want. I’ve made this bowl with just root vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.

It’s a use what’s in your fridge, use what’s in your pantry, use what doesn’t take a lot of prep time type of power bowl. And you can feel good about all of these things. You can also feel good about the aioli drizzled on top!

🙌🏼

Print Recipe

Latin-Inspired Vegetarian Power Bowl

Ingredients:

Rice base

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• Zest from half a lime
• Juice from half a lime

Roasted vegetables

• One bunch of broccolini, hard stems removed
• 2 white potatoes, sliced thin into half-moon shapes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Large pinch of salt
• Small pinch of black pepper
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Cuban black beans

• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeds discarded and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 cup distilled white vinegar

Cilantro lime aioli

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• Zest from half a lime
• Juice from half a lime
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Rice base

1. In a small pot, boil two cups of water. Once boiling, add 1 cup brown rice and turn heat down to low. Cook for 20 minutes and then remove from heat.
2. Fluff rice with a fork, add cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.

Roasted vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Place the broccolini and potatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to toss together and cook for 20 minutes.

Cuban black beans

1. In a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium. Add onion and jalapeño and a pinch of salt, sautéing until they are softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. In a small pot, add the canned black beans and the sautéed onion mixture. Add bay leaf, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, cumin and white vinegar. Cook for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.

Cilantro lime aioli

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined. Adjust seasoning as needed.

To assemble

1. Brown rice is the base, then top with black beans, roasted vegetables, and MorningStar Farms Steak Strips. Drizzle with aioli.

Do you have any go-to meals for the season of Lent? Let me know in the comments!

This campaign has received compensation from Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VidaAguacate #EchaleLoMejor #CollectiveBias

Raise your hand if you love avocados.

The thing about avocados is they can be used in so many recipes, from breakfast to snacks to salads and even as a substitute when you want to focus on having nutritious food in the new year. We all have goals on what we want to improve and work on in our lives. For me, it’s balancing my meals a little better. Small, incremental changes in what you consume can make a world of difference.

Avocados help me in my own personal challenge. I incorporate avocados into my meal planning because they are nutritious and help to create a balanced diet. Plus, they are incredibly easy to prepare for a number of dishes and flavors. Growing up, we had a lot of food prepared for family meals. Indulging is part of who I am, but we all know you can’t indulge all the time. Avocados are that perfect food for when you want to indulge without feeling guilty.

It helps that Avocados From Mexico are always fresh and always delicious. So I can indulge whenever I want to, in the guilt-free way I like to.

Go ahead and join Vida Aguacate! 

When it comes to working toward my goals, I like to challenge myself with ingredient substitution.

Did you know that you can use avocados to substitute other ingredients like cheese? Yep, avocado.

One other great thing about Avocados From Mexico (among the many) is they are always in season. There are so many fruits and vegetables that I seem to really want outside of their normal seasonal schedule. I can enjoy these avocados any time of year. So, you know, when it’s winter and all you want is a bowl of macaroni and cheese (your favorite comfort food? ME TOO), you can easy use avocado as a cheese substitute.

In this recipe, you’ll find a little bit of cheese, although you can just add more avocado if you want to leave the cheese out completely. Remember, though, the idea is to make small, sustainable changes to your eating habits so you can strike a more perfect balance in your daily meals. My Latina culture really comes through when my family gets together for big meals. It’s hard to resist the great food in large quantities because you’re laughing and telling stories and the act of eating is automatic because you’re having such a great time. If the changes you make are small, the habit tends to be easier to stick with and then you can have balanced meals and still keep to those family traditions. Win-win!

Avocados From Mexico empowers me with the perfect solution for providing convenient, nutritious, and delicious excitement to the foods I prepare for the ones I love, while also instilling a little piece of where I came from.

This macaroni and avocado dish is just as good, if not better, than the cheesy macaroni you may be used to. It’s nutritious, yes, but still rich in flavor so you don’t miss the macaroni and cheese of your childhood.

The idea for avocado macaroni and cheese came about because my husband and I make sure to prepare avocado for Max to have every day. And I thought there had to be a way to get more creative with my avocado consumption. This avocado mac and cheese is so good, so unique, so flavorful, so rich, you’ll never miss the cheese pull of past macaroni and cheese dishes. This is my promise to you.

Print Recipe

Baked Avocado Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe Avocado From Mexico
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jalapeño, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Sprinkle of Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Set a pot with salted water to boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to directions on the box, or until al dente. Remove from heat and drain.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño, lightly salt and pepper the vegetables and sauté until translucent and softened. (See note) Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Prepare the avocado cream: Remove the pit and skin from the avocado. Add the inside of the avocado to a blender along with the lime juice, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water. Pulse until you have desired consistency. (I like very little chunks in mine.) Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine avocado cream, sautéed onion mixture, drained elbow macaroni, cilantro, parsley, and mozzarella cheese.
5. Divide into even servings or spread into a large casserole dish (I like to use small coquettes) and sprinkle with a very thin layer of breadcrumbs. Bake for 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are slightly browned and crispy.

I like to sauté the onion and jalapeño together first and then when they are almost done, I add the garlic. This prevents the garlic from burning.

You root for the underdog, right? Who doesn’t?

Sometimes at night I’m in bed watching Family Feud and that family who is just the worst? I want them to win. Because everyone likes an underdog.

Brussels sprouts are an underdog in the feud of food, and gosh darn it, I’m sticking up for these leafy wonders today (and every day, if I’m being honest). It’s almost like from inception we’re taught that brussels sprouts are nasty and a green that’s only consumed by grannies with no tastebuds. That the bitterness will make you swiftly reach for a glass of water and your toothbrush. That you should stay far away from brussels sprouts because they are the worst green in existence. (more…)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #40DiasMorningStar #CollectiveBias

🙌🏼

🙌🏼

🙌🏼

Let’s talk whole grains and roasted vegetables and proteins and legumes. They.are.delicious.

I made a vegetarian power bowl that’s both inspired by my Latin heritage and filling for this season of Lent when we are refraining from eating as much meat. Mark every Friday from here to Easter as your POWER BOWL day. Come follow along with me. We are going to go on a journey.

The star of the show are the MorningStar Farms® Meal Starters® Steak Strips (I purchased from Walmart and also have the Chipotle Black Bean Crumbles™ which will work just as well). You know how you want some meat, but you can’t or perhaps are being more mindful of what you eat, and so you go for a vegetable-based product, hoping it’s amazing? These are like that except add “widely exceeds expectations” to the list. Along with low cost, a quick preparation and definitely the best veggie cuisine I’ve ever tried.

The base of the power bowl is brown rice, naturally. It’s what power bowls are made of. Seasoned with lime and cilantro = me 💃🏻

Next up: my Cuban black beans. The flavors are tremendous: cumin, jalapeño, onion, garlic, white vinegar, olive oil, bay leaf. My ideal way to cook them is with uncooked beans and cook low and slow for several hours, but since I’m here talking to you about a meal that doesn’t take that long to prepare, use canned black beans! (Just make sure you give them a good rinse.)

Top all of this with some roasted vegetables! My favorites to go with this bowl are potatoes and broccoli, but you can use absolutely anything you want. I’ve made this bowl with just root vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.

It’s a use what’s in your fridge, use what’s in your pantry, use what doesn’t take a lot of prep time type of power bowl. And you can feel good about all of these things. You can also feel good about the aioli drizzled on top!

🙌🏼

Print Recipe

Latin-Inspired Vegetarian Power Bowl

Ingredients:

Rice base

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• Zest from half a lime
• Juice from half a lime

Roasted vegetables

• One bunch of broccolini, hard stems removed
• 2 white potatoes, sliced thin into half-moon shapes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Large pinch of salt
• Small pinch of black pepper
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Cuban black beans

• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeds discarded and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 cup distilled white vinegar

Cilantro lime aioli

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• Zest from half a lime
• Juice from half a lime
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Rice base

1. In a small pot, boil two cups of water. Once boiling, add 1 cup brown rice and turn heat down to low. Cook for 20 minutes and then remove from heat.
2. Fluff rice with a fork, add cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.

Roasted vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Place the broccolini and potatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to toss together and cook for 20 minutes.

Cuban black beans

1. In a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium. Add onion and jalapeño and a pinch of salt, sautéing until they are softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. In a small pot, add the canned black beans and the sautéed onion mixture. Add bay leaf, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, cumin and white vinegar. Cook for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.

Cilantro lime aioli

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined. Adjust seasoning as needed.

To assemble

1. Brown rice is the base, then top with black beans, roasted vegetables, and MorningStar Farms Steak Strips. Drizzle with aioli.

Do you have any go-to meals for the season of Lent? Let me know in the comments!

This campaign has received compensation from Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VidaAguacate #EchaleLoMejor #CollectiveBias

Raise your hand if you love avocados.

The thing about avocados is they can be used in so many recipes, from breakfast to snacks to salads and even as a substitute when you want to focus on having nutritious food in the new year. We all have goals on what we want to improve and work on in our lives. For me, it’s balancing my meals a little better. Small, incremental changes in what you consume can make a world of difference.

Avocados help me in my own personal challenge. I incorporate avocados into my meal planning because they are nutritious and help to create a balanced diet. Plus, they are incredibly easy to prepare for a number of dishes and flavors. Growing up, we had a lot of food prepared for family meals. Indulging is part of who I am, but we all know you can’t indulge all the time. Avocados are that perfect food for when you want to indulge without feeling guilty.

It helps that Avocados From Mexico are always fresh and always delicious. So I can indulge whenever I want to, in the guilt-free way I like to.

Go ahead and join Vida Aguacate! 

When it comes to working toward my goals, I like to challenge myself with ingredient substitution.

Did you know that you can use avocados to substitute other ingredients like cheese? Yep, avocado.

One other great thing about Avocados From Mexico (among the many) is they are always in season. There are so many fruits and vegetables that I seem to really want outside of their normal seasonal schedule. I can enjoy these avocados any time of year. So, you know, when it’s winter and all you want is a bowl of macaroni and cheese (your favorite comfort food? ME TOO), you can easy use avocado as a cheese substitute.

In this recipe, you’ll find a little bit of cheese, although you can just add more avocado if you want to leave the cheese out completely. Remember, though, the idea is to make small, sustainable changes to your eating habits so you can strike a more perfect balance in your daily meals. My Latina culture really comes through when my family gets together for big meals. It’s hard to resist the great food in large quantities because you’re laughing and telling stories and the act of eating is automatic because you’re having such a great time. If the changes you make are small, the habit tends to be easier to stick with and then you can have balanced meals and still keep to those family traditions. Win-win!

Avocados From Mexico empowers me with the perfect solution for providing convenient, nutritious, and delicious excitement to the foods I prepare for the ones I love, while also instilling a little piece of where I came from.

This macaroni and avocado dish is just as good, if not better, than the cheesy macaroni you may be used to. It’s nutritious, yes, but still rich in flavor so you don’t miss the macaroni and cheese of your childhood.

The idea for avocado macaroni and cheese came about because my husband and I make sure to prepare avocado for Max to have every day. And I thought there had to be a way to get more creative with my avocado consumption. This avocado mac and cheese is so good, so unique, so flavorful, so rich, you’ll never miss the cheese pull of past macaroni and cheese dishes. This is my promise to you.

Print Recipe

Baked Avocado Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe Avocado From Mexico
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jalapeño, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Sprinkle of Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Set a pot with salted water to boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to directions on the box, or until al dente. Remove from heat and drain.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño, lightly salt and pepper the vegetables and sauté until translucent and softened. (See note) Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Prepare the avocado cream: Remove the pit and skin from the avocado. Add the inside of the avocado to a blender along with the lime juice, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water. Pulse until you have desired consistency. (I like very little chunks in mine.) Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine avocado cream, sautéed onion mixture, drained elbow macaroni, cilantro, parsley, and mozzarella cheese.
5. Divide into even servings or spread into a large casserole dish (I like to use small coquettes) and sprinkle with a very thin layer of breadcrumbs. Bake for 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are slightly browned and crispy.

I like to sauté the onion and jalapeño together first and then when they are almost done, I add the garlic. This prevents the garlic from burning.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PeriodConfidence #TryTheDivaCup #CollectiveBias

Ladies: it’s time to talk periods. Not just today, but anytime you feel like it. As a normal part of our lives, it’s not something to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. I used to go to the store for my supplies and then go out of my way to find a female cashier because I was embarrassed to purchase my items with a male. I hid my supplies in the deep recesses of my bathroom cabinet so my boyfriend (now husband) wouldn’t need to see them. I would go out of my way to sneak to the bathroom so I could do my thing without anyone noticing what I was holding in my hand.

And, I would refuse to attribute any attitude I had to the very real PMS…because I didn’t want to talk about it. Well, it’s time. Maybe this freedom comes with being over 30 and having gone through childbirth where your inhibitions no longer exist, but today I want to talk about it out in the open. We’re friends.

There are many phases of your monthly cycle, from the time one period ends until the beginning of the next (and also the dreaded week or so you’re actually on your period). It’s not fun and it’s not exciting and yes, it can be a little gross, but it’s life and so let’s make the best of it! If you’re wondering what to eat during each phase of your menstrual cycle, I have suggestions so you feel and look your best! Note: Each phase is about a week.

Menstrual Phase

I’m going to start with the menstrual phase which is ultimately the topic of today’s post anyway. This is the week (or so) during your period. Your hormones definitely fluctuate during this time so it’s best to consume fatty acids and root vegetables. These types of food help with mood and the processing of estrogen, respectively. There are so many dishes you can make that combine these two things, like a root vegetable bowl with a cilantro tahini dressing!

This is the perfect recipe to share now because it’s fall and most root vegetables (with the exception of beets) come into the prime of their season in the fall and winter. My favorite root vegetables are parsnips, carrots and yuca, but you can also use turnips, rutabaga, potatoes, radishes, pumpkin, or any combination of these you feel like. I roast all of these vegetables, but I make sure to boil the yuca first because yuca tends to need more help breaking down. Once everything is on a roasting pan and tossed with your favorite herbs and spices, this dish comes together in about 25 minutes. Let us waste no time during this phase so we can just go back to lounging on the couch, right?

Now for the dressing. The main flavors you’ll get here are from the cilantro and tahini, but there is a whole avocado in this dressing and an impressive amount of olive oil. (Following the recipe, you will likely have leftovers and this dressing is perfect for roasted salmon, salads, grilled chicken, etc.)

I love the creamy texture of this dressing and I just drizzle over my root vegetable bowl for a really wonderful punch of flavor.  (more…)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ExperienceFrontera #CollectiveBias

Whoever said starting a family is easy is mistaken. Oh, but wait, I don’t think anyone has ever said those words, ever. It’s because it’s not true. Starting a family is very hard work and, as rewarding as it is, a life adjustment needs to take place, right? If you’ve been around this blog at all in the past year, you probably know that I have a child (Max is now 16 months old) and my husband is a weekend night shift nurse at the local hospital. That means that we basically have opposites schedules and our time together, with each other and as a family unit, are limited.

While I don’t believe our strong bond will ever be broken, it takes work to find creative solutions.

Use meal time shortcuts

One thing I still find very important, and this won’t ever change, is meal time together. When I come home on Fridays after work, I have about 1 hour to get everything prepared and ready and for us to eat together as a family before my husband leaves for work. That’s not a lot of time when you consider a son and husband you haven’t seen for 8 hours, the dog who needs to be taken care of, and all the little things that may delay any part of your meal time.

I have my go-to meals that I can prepare in 30 minutes or less (it’s a struggle, but it can be done!), but I also rely a lot on meal solutions that can be warmed up and eaten in less than 10 minutes. They are a lifesaver for stressful days, or even days when you just don’t want to be in the kitchen. I’ve been trying the Frontera® Frozen meals from Kroger and find that the varieties they have are commendable by the whole family. Plus, Frontera is prepared with expertise and passion with an award-winning Chef who is utilizing the time-honored cooking method of fire roasting to get a really robust flavor.

Click here to save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Frontera meal. Download this awesome deal before it’s gone!

We tried the Tinga Taco Bowl (made with seasoned, roasted tomatoes, chipotle chile, and slow-simmered chicken) and Veggie Taco Bowl (fire-roasted tomatillos, peppers, corn in a zesty green chile and cilantro sauce). And then, I paired these meals with my favorite dip of all time: my Cuban Black Bean Dip!

Yum!

Have a number of quick meals in your back pocket

So I know that black bean dip doesn’t necessarily count as an entire meal, but fajitas are a quick dinner option, or tacos, especially if you’ve prepared your protein the night before! This dip is basically just the Cuban black bean recipe from my family pureed until smooth. My aunt would always bring the black beans for our Cuban Christmas Eve family dinner where we would have traditional Cuban food like roast pork and yuca. Ever since finally asking her for this recipe, I’ve made her black beans on the regular.

They are so simple! My aunt doesn’t tend to measure anything in her cooking (most of the time I don’t either!) so it look a little bit to get the flavor just like hers. This dip obviously has a distinctive black bean flavor, but it’s also slightly spicy from the jalapeño and the four garlic cloves don’t hurt either!

Find highly enjoyable, but quick activities

You know the saying that time flies when you’re having fun, but that’s the point! Time is moving at the same pace, but you might as well be doing something that you love so much it leaves you wondering where the time went. For us that’s taking Max for a walk around the neighborhood. It may sound silly and a little corny, but that little boy loves looking at the trees, the cars, all the dogs going on their evening walks. It makes our time together that much more special because the interaction on those 15 minute walks are ten-fold.

We also take quick swims in the neighborhood pool, play baseball outside, water the plants. There is so much fascination at Max’s age that coming up with fun activities is easy and Mike goes to work and I settle into the house with these memories in mind.

Do household chores together

There was a time when we were all, “Okay, you tackle the upstairs and I’ll work on the downstairs.” Not so much anymore. I find we get more done when we work together and keep each other company. For example, we did the laundry (all 5 loads…) together in our bedroom while watching one of our new favorite TV shows, Master of None. We were laughing while folding clothes. I mean, who does that?

Go to bed together and turn off all electronics

We calculated that my husband and I get about 6-8 hours of one-on-one time together per week, all of which are on weeknights after Max goes to bed and our house has been cleaned up enough to return to some semblance of normalcy. In those moments, we sometimes put off the laundry and the dishes and just go to bed and talk. We laugh, we catch up, we do a lot of “remember whens” that typically involve funny Max stories. It’s just nice to only have the sound of each other’s voices without a blaring TV or bright phone screens.

What do you do to spend quality time together?

Print Recipe

Cuban Black Bean Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and stems removed and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Once heated, add onions, green pepper, jalapeño and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper (about a pinch each). Cook until vegetables are tender, 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
2. Add can of black beans to pot, along with cumin, oregano, white vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium-low to medium heat for about 20 minutes. Adjust any of the ingredients depending on personal preference.
4. Transfer to a food processor and puree. Drizzle top with olive oil and garnish with cilantro.

Welcome to Thanksgiving month!

I love November. Not only is the weather getting cooler, but the leaves are changing, the Black Friday ads are coming out (it’s like intense window shopping because I don’t actually buy anything), it’s MY BIRTHDAY MONTH (does anyone else sign up for free goodies from restaurants?), but most importantly, it’s a time to eat Thanksgiving dinner and express your gratitude for good food and good company.

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Sooo marinated eggplant. Yeah, I love it and it’s delicious and turns out to be the flavor generator of this pasta dish.

But let’s back up a little bit because I should really start with the pasta. I grew up with the pasta you’re used to (I’m not even sure anything but existed in the 80’s and 90’s), but lately I’ve been loving alternates.

For this recipe I used Tresomega’s Quinoa Fusilli Pasta and I can honestly say that you’d never be able to tell the difference. It has a wonderful texture that I love so much!

So here’s what you do: grill, then marinate half an eggplant in sherry vinegar, olive oil and – a flavor I’ve always loved, but have been particularly obsessed with lately – stone ground mustard.

These flavors pair so well with eggplant that I’m not too sure I’ll marinate my eggplant in anything but these ingredients ever again. The mustard is tart and deep, the sherry vinegar is wonderfully acidic and stands up well to the eggplant.

You honestly could just eat the eggplant on its own, but it’s so much better tossed with the pasta and other ingredients, trust me.

After the eggplant marinates for about an hour, the dish comes together in almost no time at all. The ingredients are simple, with most of the flavor coming from that delicious eggplant, and with the lemon juice and zest, cheese and parsley making up the rest.

It’s important, too, to save some of the pasta water because it’ll adhere to everything and make a nice “sauce.” It’s also important to use up every last drop of eggplant marinade that’s left over in the bowl. Because it’s delicious, clearly.

Enjoy!

Tresomega Nutrition is on Facebook and Twitter. Or, visit their website! You can purchase their products at: Tresomega.com, Sams.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.

Print Recipe

Fusilli Pasta with Sherry Marinated Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces Tresomega Nutrition’s Quinoa Fusilli Pasts
• 1/2 an eggplant, sliced into quarter-inch half moons
• 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil (or you can use olive oil here too)
• 1/4 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• Zest of 1 lemon *see note
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Toss eggplant slices with avocado oil and salt and pepper. (I used 2 pinches of salt and 1 of pepper.) Heat a grill skillet over medium heat, then add an even layer of eggplant slices, being careful not to overcrowd. You may have to do this in two batches. Grill slices for 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and grill for another 2 minutes on the other, then remove to a cutting board to cool.
2. Once cool, roughly chop the eggplant so there are still large pieces, then add to a bowl along. Toss with the sherry vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and stone ground mustard. Set aside as room temperature for 1 hour.
3. In the last 15-20 minutes of marinating time, heat a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
4. Drain pasta and add eggplant (and all remaining marinade from the bowl) to the hot pan. Heat over medium until heated through, then add the pasta back in along with the reserved pasta water, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese; toss.
5. Remove from heat and into a serving bow. Top with lemon zest, additional cheese (if so desired), and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make sure to zest the lemon and set aside before juicing. 🙂

Tresomega provided me with product, but all opinions are my own.

Hey, you. Yes, YOU. How are you? Feeling good, loving life, ready to eat?

If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking about your next meal WHILE YOU EAT YOUR CURRENT MEAL. There’s no shame in it, just call it “being prepared for your future.”

When my husband and I know we have a date night coming up, we research the hell out of where we are going to eat. We love trying new places, especially since there are so many in our city of Tampa, and I have to stalk the menu in the hours leading up to feasting. We recently went to a local favorite, Rooster & the Till in Seminole Heights.

Chef Ferrell Alvarez is a locally recognized and respected chef who was also recognized by the James Beard Foundation as one of the Best Chef Semifinalists. His creativity with the food served at Rooster & the Till has earned him rave remarks from local foodies and it seems that this restaurant is just as busy now as when it first opened back in 2013! For a restaurant to be that much in demand five years into its existence is saying something.

What it’s saying is that Chef Alvarez is big on locally grown ingredients. It says that the farm to table movement is not slowing down, and certainly not going away. It says that the care and selection and creation of dishes shines through for their appreciative guests.

Chef Alvarez, along with the other Best Chef Semifinalists across the United States, are participating in “Rediscovering America,” an innovative culinary program aimed at showcasing Walmart’s commitment to supporting local farmers, as well as chefs both in our restaurants and in our homes. By participating, they are featuring fresh, affordable and locally grown produce from Walmart in their restaurants over the summer.

In Tampa, Walmart supplied white, baby bella/cremini and portabella mushroom caps from Monterey Mushrooms® of Zellwood, FL to Chef Alvarez to be used in a tartine that we had at Rooster & the Till that was so out-of-this-world amazing! It is a tartine of smoked mushrooms, duxelle, bleu cheese, balsamic gel, topped with dressed leaves.

I loved this dish so much, I attempted my own version at home. It turned out so good, and came together so quickly. A tartine is kind of like an open-faced sandwich so after I toasted my bread, I spread a generous layer of goat cheese on top.

There is ALWAYS room for goat cheese in your life. And trust me, the mushrooms pair really well with it.

For the mushrooms, I sautéed them in butter and olive oil until they were semi-browned (do not salt yet, as salt brings out the water in mushrooms and prevents nice browning), then added thyme and minced shallot and allowed all the flavors to marry while the mushrooms continued to brown and the shallots softened. Add a splash of balsamic and thank me later.

You’ll want to salt once the mushrooms are ready for plating. You’ll retain the browned areas while enhancing the flavor! At this point, feel free to add some red pepper flakes for heat too.

Lastly, we are going to massage some kale with olive oil and balsamic vinegar until a little tender, then top on the mushrooms. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You’re going to love this sautéed mushroom tartine!

And just like that: proof that real, local, sustainable food doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to be a part of an expensive dish, or be so refined that it makes you shy away. Local food, like these mushrooms, can be used in a variety of dishes, depending on your mood and your personal cooking style. And, with locally produced ingredients, you can always taste the difference.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

Print Recipe

Sautéed Mushroom Tartine

Yield: 2 tartines

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + more for kale topping
• 8 oz baby bella
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• Splash of balsamic vinegar + more for kale topping
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 oz log of goat cheese
• Handful of kale, stem removed and torn into pieces
• 2 pieces of toasted bread

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and cook until a little browned. Add the thyme and shallots and cook until shallots are softened. Remove from heat, then add desired salt and pepper, plus red pepper flakes if you'd like some heat.
2. Spread goat cheese in a thick layer over each piece of toasted bread. Top with mushroom mixture.
3. To make the kale topping: add handful of torn kale to a bowl, then massage with a splash each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top on mushroom mixture.

This post is written in partnership with OXO. They provided me with the products in use here as well as the cookbook Now & Again by Julia Turshen. As always, all opinions are 100% my own and my opinion is that I really, really love OXO. #OXOBetter #NowandAgainCookbook

When you think of Thanksgiving side dishes, what comes to mind? Mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing? All true, but your mind is probably also going a million miles a minute. Do you find the holidays stressful? That’s because they are! Or at least, that’s what we make them to be.

What if you could have a no-stress Thanksgiving? What if ‘hectic’ no longer had to be associated with the holiday? Sounds pretty great, right?

Julia Turshen’s new cookbook, Now & Again, makes this a reality for you with her No-Stress Thanksgiving menu, which appears alongside many other menus for literally any situation you could find yourself in based on season. Think: Card Night Enchiladas, Simple Backpack Picnic Lunch, and Grilled Vietnamese Breakfast. Plus, you’ll find important lists like Seven Things to Do with Leftover Wine and Seven Things to Bring When You’re Invited to Dinner. 

This cookbook is literally one of my favorites and I’m just getting acquainted with it. This cookbook matches perfectly with the way my mind works, and my desire to cook an entire menu, with a main and sides for every meal. The Now & Again cookbook features go-to recipes, inspired menus and endless ideas for reinventing leftovers. 

This time around though, it’s all about Thanksgiving. For this post, I made String Beans with Toasted Almonds + Lemon, one of the dishes on the No-Stress Thanksgiving menu. The other menu items: 

• Roast Turkey Breast + Onions with Mustard + Sage
• Apple Cider Gravy
• Sheet Pan Bread Stuffing with Sausage + Spinach
• Radicchio + Roasted Squash Salad
• Maple Roasted Apples with Vanilla Ice Cream + Roasted Pecans
• Easy Pumpkin + Olive Oil Cake

See? NO-STRESS. Julia even tells you what to do when to prepare for the holiday dinner. This is the most important dinner of the year, and it’s important to use the tools (like OXO tools) that are going to make this an easier dinner to complete. 

Although I only made this recipe for now, I will be making the menu for my family’s Thanksgiving. All the guesswork is taken out and I know exactly how to plan. Some of the OXO tools I will be using:

• Mini Angled Measuring Cup: To easily measure accurately from above
• On-The-Go Lunch Container: Because there are always leftovers, right?!
• Chef’s Squeeze Bottles: Easy use with olive oil especially!
• Swivel Peeler: Not just an ordinary peeler because it peels tough-skinner fruits and vegetables
• Greensaver Herb Keeper: This herb keeper is amazing, allowing for proper airflow, controlled humidity and hydration for your herbs to thrive.

So, what does your Thanksgiving menu look like? I encourage you to cook through this menu like I will be!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OXO. 

Print

Yield: 12

String Beans with Toasted Almonds + Lemon from the Now & Again Cookbook

Green beans in garlicky oil with crunchy almonds and bright lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds string beans, topped and tailed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup unsalted roasted almonds, roughly chopped (I used sliced almonds instead)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the beans and cook, stirring, until they're bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside.
2. Put the olive oil into the largest skiller you've got and set it over medium heat. Add the garlic and almonds and cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add half of the green beans, sprinkle them with a large pinch of salt, and stir to combine with the garlicky olive oil and the almonds. Add the remaining green beans and season them with salt and give everything a good stir (this double seasoning helps to season the beans evenly, as there's a large amount of food in the pan). Cook just until the beans are warmed through, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and then transfer the beans to a serving platter. Scrape the almonds, which inevitably fall to the bottom of the skillet, over the top. Give the beans one final sprinkle of salt and serve warm or at room temperature.