When I first got pregnant I really thought I'd be better about blogging - talking about new creations I came up with due to weird food aversions, or at least posting about fun things that were happening.  Clearly I've done the exact opposite, and while there have been times I've felt guilty, I also recognize that I needed the break.

Life has been a bit hectic, I must say.  I spent so much time, prior to getting pregnant, focusing on my health (mental and physical) that I am ashamed to admit I've slacked off since actually becoming pregnant.  It drives me crazy when people use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want and not exercise.  Now that I've experienced those lazy moments, I understand - not 100% - but I've definitely eaten more doughnuts than I care to admit. There have been work stresses, family stresses and, now, "am I a bad mom if this is my second milkshake of the day" stresses.

Either way, my husband and I were both in desperate need of a vacation and Belize was the perfect getaway.  We slept in, we relaxed, we snorkeled and fished.  We laid around, read magazines, talked about baby names (no decisions yet!) and just enjoyed each other's company.  Oh, and we ate delicious food.

The freshest fruits, veggies and seafood were right at our fingertips. It didn't matter where we ate, everyone had delicious options that left us wondering if we could find a meal to top the last one.  One of our favorite things to snack on was pineapple salsa.  It was so simple and yet so refreshing, I knew after the first bite, I'd have to recreate it and share it with all of you.




Pineapple Salsa

serves 4

1 pineapple, cleaned and cored

1/2 white onion

1 can black beans, rinsed

juice and zest from one lime

small bunch of cilantro

salt & pepper to taste


Chop your onions first and then let them soak in water while you prepare the rest of the salsa, this will help lessen the strong flavor of the onion.  Chop the pineapple - roughly the same size as your onion pieces.  Put the pineapple in a bowl and add your black beans.  Zest your lime and then juice it over the mixture.  Add in your onions.  Chop the cilantro and add it, as well as 1/2 t salt and pinch of pepper (more or less to your tasting).

Let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving with your favorite tortilla/corn chips.  You could also eat this salsa over fish or chicken too!

Enjoy.....I'll have a couple more Belizean inspired dishes coming soon!




XoXo,

Nicole

Zucchini is one of those foods that grows like weeds.  Honestly, I get more questions about what to do with all the zucchini people have than any other veggie.  Recently I was out walking my dogs and saw that a neighbor had a table at the end of her driveway with a ton of produce.  The sign said free, and she had plastic bags so you could fill up with as much as you wanted.  Majority of what was left was tomatoes, green peppers and a ton of zucchini.  Since I'm not one to pass up free, homegrown veggies, I helped myself to a bag of zucchini.  I knew exactly what I was going to do with it.

I love cookbooks.  My husband built me an extension on our kitchen island so that I could house them all.  While I am thrilled to experiment on my own in the kitchen, sometimes I like to be inspired by other dishes, and who doesn't like looking at those delicious photographs?  Yum!

While on vacation a couple weekends ago, I picked up The Farm by Ian Knauer.  While a lot of the dishes include heavy cream and white flour, there are some magical dishes filled with fresh veggies from the garden.  I couldn't wait to dig into his Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette, and I'm sure you won't be able to either!

Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
The Farm by Ian Knauer
serves 6

3 large zucchini
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 t pepper
1 garlic clove
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 T lime juice

Preheat the grill and oil the grill rack.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Rub the cut sides with 1 T oil and then sprinkle them evenly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Grill the zucchini over direct heat, covered, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and soft all the way through (about 6-10 min). 
Mince the garlic, chop your onion, tomatoes and parsley.  Add together with the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. 
Place the zucchini on a serving plate and top with the tomato vinaigrette to serve.

If you're looking to get rid of your zucchini, this is a super yummy way to do it!  Such a refreshing side dish to any summer meal!

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

Labor Day weekend is usually packed full of end of summer events: festivals, parades, cookouts, picnics, etc.  No matter how you celebrate there is usually some food involved.  Those of you who know me, know that I like to entertain - when I entertain I can control what I'm eating and not feel bad about passing on a dish that includes things normally not found in my everyday diet.  I hope I'm not being taken off of invite lists as we speak, but paying attention to what I eat doesn't end because I've been invited to someone's home for a gathering.

Picnics and cookouts tend to be culprits for showcasing heavy side dishes that could be meals on their own.  Not only is there typically way too much food, but the tables are filled with salads caked in mayo, jello mixed with fake whipped toppings and cakes, cookies and desserts galore!  While those things are fine every now and again (except jello - I don't understand how people eat that), eating a ton of it in one sitting (and then going back for seconds or thirds) means a heavy crash later.

I'd rather enjoy the company at a cookout and not feel like I need a pair of elastic-waist pants or a nap. 

If you're headed out this weekend, and still looking for a wholesome side dish to bring, look no further.  This salad has all of the classics of summer, but can really be made with whatever fresh veggies you have laying around.  Carrots?  Sure.  Zucchini?  Absolutely.  Green beans?  Toss 'em in.

It really is that versatile.

Garden Potato Salad
serves 4-6

1 lb. baby red potatoes, cubed and cooked
4 ears of corn, husked, cooked and cut off of the cob
1/4 c red onion, minced
mixed baby bell peppers, minced (or one of your favorite colored pepper)
cherry tomatoes, quartered
fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, green and purple basil
salt & pepper
4 T apple cider or champagne vinegar
1/4 c olive oil

Cube your potatoes and add to a pot of cold, salted water.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender (about 10 min).  Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.  Bring the remaining water back to a boil and add your ears of corn.  Cook for about 5-7 min or until tender.  Remove from the pot and let cool.

Meanwhile chop all of the remaining veggies and herbs and add to a large mixing bowl.  Cut the kernels off of the cobs, add the corn and potatoes to the mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk your vinegar and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and pour over the potato salad.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs. 

This salad can be eaten warm (delicious) or refrigerated until later and served cool or at room temperature.  No matter how you eat it, the tanginess from the vinegar and sweetness from the corn give this potato salad a refreshing facelift!

However you're celebrating this weekend, enjoy!

XoXo,
Nicole

I'm a huge advocate of eating seasonally.  While I try and get majority of my food from local farmers, some things we eat make their way by truck or plane.  Sadly, tropical foods just don't grow in Wisconsin (sad face).  These aren't things that I get often, but I don't like to deprive myself of yummy flavors - especially when there is limited time to get these foods in the midwest.  Tropical foods like pineapple, guava and mangoes are foods I try and get once or twice each summer.

I'm always surprised when people tell me they've never eaten mango.  Mangoes are such a delicious and versatile fruit.  I love frozen mangoes in smoothies (and margaritas!), grilled, over ice cream or in a salsa.  As a salsa it can be eaten over grilled chicken, pork or fish - heck, eat it with tortilla chips, if you prefer.

You really only need a handful of ingredients to give you a mouthful of flavor!

There are a couple things to know when preparing mango, the first is peel the skin away from the flesh, and then know that there is a stringy core in the center.  You'll need to cut around it - much like you would cut an apple if you weren't using an apple corer.

Mango Salsa

1 mango, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
a handful of your favorite tomatoes, diced
1 jalepeno, seeds removed and minced (optional - if I'm eating this over fish, I usually leave out the jalepeno)
juice from one lime
1 T fresh cilantro, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Spoon over your favorite fish or meat and enjoy!

Super easy and very delicious.  I'd encourage you (before the summer is over!) to experiment a little and see if you can find a way to enjoy these yummy fruits.

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

I love a good burger, a juicy grilled burger to be exact.  As I've been experimenting more with my diet, and *listening* to what my body tells me that it wants, I'm finding that it wants less and less meat.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up meat, not intentionally anyway, but I've noticed that I really don't want it much.  I am still eating a lot of fish, but really crave greens and veggies lately. 

My husband hasn't been very receptive of the change (I do almost all of the cooking), as he declared one evening "I am not a vegetarian.  Where is the meat?"

It's hard cooking for two different tastes.  I try and compromise when I can, and will often make something with meat and then save a little on the side without for myself.  But I refuse to cook two different dinners each night, so some nights he has to deal with it (;  Unless of course, as I politely told him, he would like to cook dinner.

Since it doesn't look like I'll be replaced in the kitchen anytime soon, the vegetarian experimenting will continue - within reason, of course, since I know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  And my man's got a meat loving stomach!

To be frank, the reason I made these wasn't because I was craving a good burger - it was because I hadn't planned ahead, a friend gave me the recipe and I realized I had everything on hand (love when that happens!).  They turned out delicious, although, if you're expecting a burger you will be disappointed. 

I find that a lot of people try and substitute ingredients, but then expect they will taste the same.  Here's a tidbit of useful info as you experiment in the kitchen:  if it's not beef, it's not going to taste like beef.  A veggie, chickpea, mushroom, tofu, etc. burger is NEVER going to taste like a beef hamburger, so if that's what you're looking for - make a beef burger. 

These other options will; however, open your palate to new tastes and allow you an opportunity to test out new textures, flavors and ingredients. That's why I like this recipe, there are flavors that I would never have considered putting together and they worked beautifully together!

Chickpea Burgers
makes 4 patties

2 T oil
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
1 t cumin
1 can chic peas, rinsed and drained
1 ½ T peanut butter OR tahini (I used PB)
¼ chopped fresh parsley
½ t salt
1/3 cup flour (I used buckwheat, but you could use any flour)
1/2 c cornmeal, for dusting before grilling

Sauté the onions in 1 T oil for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the cumin and sauté one more minute.

Put mixture in food processor and add chic peas, peanut butter (or tahini).


 

Remove and mix in flour, salt and parsley.
 
Shape into patties and pat into cornmeal.  I used an indoor grill pan, brushed with EVOO, and grilled each patty for about 3 minutes on each side, until I had nice grill marks.  I grilled my sprouted grain buns as well.

Knowing my husband, I knew I couldn't just serve the burger as is so I topped mine with shredded gouda and mashed up avocado.

What is your favorite way to experiment and put a new twist on an old classic?

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

Before we left for Ireland we were told not to expect much from the food.  Afterall, Ireland is known for meat and potatoes - lots of filling meals (think shepard's pie, boxty, bangers and mash, etc).  We were pleasantly surprised that even the pubs had lighter options.  We had no trouble at all finding healthy, fresh food to eat.  It helped that we were traveling the coast of Ireland, which allowed us fresh seafood for the entire length of the trip.

One of our favorite towns was Kinsale.  In the south of Ireland, right on the water, we found some of the freshest seafood.  At Max's Wine Bar, my husband had a starter that included crab three ways.  One of them was ceviche and it was delicious.  I love ceviche, but have never made it at home.  I concluded after eating that dish that I would attempt it when I returned to the states, and I'm happy that I did!

I couldn't find crab on sale at my local grocer, so I opted for shrimp and scallops.  Ceviche is a dish that calls for raw fish that  you "cook" in citrus juice.  Most ceviche recipes call for lemons and limes, but I added some orange to this one too and it was yummy!

I started with the veggies.  The ceviche we had in Ireland had carrots, an ingredient I don't typically see in ceviche, but I liked the extra crunch it added.  I used 1 cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 jalepeno (remove the seeds), and half a red onion.  Chop all of these veggies on the smaller side - I used a knife, but if you're not great at chopping, you may want to use a food chopper or processor.  Just be sure that you don't puree it!

Next I boiled my shrimp - just for a couple minutes.  When they were cooled, I chopped them into bite sized pieces, as well as my scallops and added them to the veggie mix.

Next, I juiced my citrus.  I used 3 limes, 1 lemon and 1 orange.  If you don't think you have enough juice, use more lime or lemon.  I added salt and pepper and then placed in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

While that was "cooking" I used up the remainder of the pita I had from our lamb meatball dinner and made pita chips.  I cut the remaining 4 pitas into triangle pieces, unfolded them and placed them in an even layer on a baking sheet.  I brushed a little EVOO and sprinkled salt on them and then baked them at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.  Watch them as they'll darken quickly.  As soon as they get brown and toasty, take them out and let them cool.

After a couple hours I removed the ceviche and let it sit at room temperature for about a  half hour.  Give it a taste and see if it needs more salt and pepper.  I drained out some of the liquid and added just a splash of EVOO to balance out the flavors.  You should taste the citrus, but not have it too overpowering.  I like to dish it up in a margarita glass, and garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a pita chip.  Serve with the pita chips and enjoy!

This was another example of a non-traditional dinner. I served this with fresh guacamole on the side.  It was light and refreshing....perfect for a hot summer night!

Do you like ceviche?  Have you ever made it?

XoXo,
Nicole

I probably should have started with this post, since it's really what helped get me back on track after we came back from a two week long trip that resulted in a number of pounds (that won't be disclosed) added to my body.  I typically allow myself to indulge a bit on vacation, but the typical vacation usually doesn't last 2 weeks.  I found that even though we were only eating 2 meals a day, Guinness adds quite a bit to the calorie count when you're drinking it for 16 days straight (yep, you read that right - no apologies either). 

Needless to say, when we got home I wanted to make something light and clean.  I opted for a fresh summer salad and whitefish.  Our grocer had some lovely wild caught seafood on sale, so I stocked up and added lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

This salad is one that could be eaten plain or as a part of a main dish like I made it.  It would also pair nicely with salmon or chicken.

For the tilapia, I just rubbed with a little EVOO, salt and pepper and baked at 350 for about 15 minutes.

The salad was a simple mix of romaine lettuce, fresh parsley and mint.  You could sub in any greens: spinach would be nice too!  I added sliced peaches, fresh blueberries and chopped almonds.  The dressing was 1/2 c EVOO, 2 T champagne vinegar (can add more or less depending on how tangy you like it), 1 T honey, salt and pepper. 

Assemble on a plate and enjoy!

Simple, satisfying and refreshing!

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

About two years ago I gave up drinking coffee and soda.  Whenever I would crave either, I would drink a huge glass of water and carry about my day.  I found that it was actually very simple, and decided not to stop there.  I no longer drink milk (for other reasons saved for another post), juice (unless it's fresh squeezed) or any other sugary beverage.  I do still drink wine and beer, but on a daily basis I drink tea or bone broth in the morning and then water throughout the remainder of the day.

Whenever I'm working with someone that needs to drink more water, I encourage them to add flavors to it.  No, not those gross crystal light packets - real flavor, from real food.  You'd be amazed at what a cucumber or lime can do to a glass of water!  While plain ol' H2O doesn't bother me, it is nice and refreshing to add citrus to it in the warm summer months.

While you can mix and match whatever fruit you have on hand, I find that citrus produces the most refreshing flavors.  This time I had oranges, lemons and limes on hand.  I also had cucumbers and some fresh herbs.  Citrus helps to detoxify, so adding it to your water is a great way to stay hydrated while flushing out your lymphatic system.

Citrus Water
makes 6 servings

2 oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
1 cucumber
1 handful of fresh basil
fresh, purified water

Peel your fruit and cucumber.  Slice each piece of fruit into 6 slices.  Slice the cucumber into even slices.  Put 2 slices each of the orange, lemon and lime, an even amount of cucumber slices and a few basil leaves into a mason jar.  Fill with purified water and refrigerate overnight to a week.

I found that once I drank the water, I could usually fill it up throughtout the day (with the same fruit), shake the water a little and keep drinking.  I used the soaked fruit, cucumber and basil the next morning in my smoothie (don't throw it away!)

You could easily use berries or pineapple in your water too.  I would stay away from bananas though, as they don't hold water very well (;

Do you have trouble drinking enough water?

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

This is the first year I planted herbs.  I have such a difficult time growing anything in my yard because I get very little sunshine.  There is a spot on my deck; however, that gets sunlight for at least 5 hours or so a day.  I thought I might try planing herbs in planter boxes and containers to see how they would do. 

I love using fresh herbs, but find that they are so expensive to get at the store, and I never need the full bunch at once.  Rather than than throw unused herbs away, growing them on my own allows me to snip what I need for my meals - and (bonus) some of them will come up each year.

I used a couple of websites to help me determine which herbs would do best on my deck.  Better Homes and Gardens had a great overview of each type of herb, how it should be planted, how often it should be watered, etc.  When it came to fertilizer/soil, I went to the Herb Gardening Guru.  I ended up going with an organic blend that I found at my local co-op, but there were still some great tips.  The Tasteful Garden had some great tips for beginners, as well.

For someone like me who loves to cook, but DOES NOT have a green thumb, I'm really hoping that I can make this work.  So far, so good.

If your weather has been anything like ours, it's probably not too late to plant some herbs for the summer and fall.

This is what I ended up with:
Basil
Mint
Chives
Thyme
Oregano
Sage
Tarragon
Parsley
Lavender
Dill
Cilantro
Rosemary

Do you have an herb garden?  What do you grow?

XoXo,
Nicole