bye bye baby weight

Loosing weight takes time. For some of us, a lot of time. But you can whip up one of these spaghetti squash recipes in no time at all. Not to mention, it's recipes like these that help you shake off the baby weight.

Bake spaghetti squash in oven at 375degrees for about 45 minutes, or until you can pierce it with a fork. Let cool and slice down the center. Scoop out and discard the seeds. With a fork shred the squash, it will turn into spaghetti looking strands. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

* For the easy turkey bolognese: Chop 1/2 onion, 1 clove of garlic, and 1 carrot (if you have one). In a large skillet or dutch oven, add about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add veggies and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1lb ground turkey breaking it up with a fork. Once turkey is browned add in salt, pepper, and additional seasonings of your choice ( I sprinkle in a little oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, and parsley). Add your favorite jarred sauce and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

dinner for the in-laws

The first meal I made for my in-laws was ziti with meat sauce. The second meal I made for my in-laws was spaghetti with meat sauce. The third, well you get it, some rendition of meat sauce.

Change is good they say, so for our next meal, I made my in-laws this orecchietti with sausage and broccoli rabe. It is simple yet impressive. It won't leave you frazzled, unable to carry on conversation, yet it is comforting enough to make everyone a little more relaxed. Most importantly, delicious enough to have your father-in-law comparing your cooking to his off-the-boat Italian Grandmother. Apparently change is really good.

So next time your in-laws are coming for dinner, don't panic! Grab these ingredients after work, put out some fresh flowers, pour yourself a glass of white, and start cooking.

And remember, they are going to love you.

ingredients

1 lb quality orecchiette pasta

1-1.5lb quality sausage (I use tomato&cheese or hot Italian)

1 large bunch broccoli rabe
1 clove garlic, minced
extra-virgin olive oil

quality peccorino Romano cheese

red pepper flake (optional) 

Bring two large pots of water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse and trim the broccoli rabe removing the hard stems.You can keep the leafy part and the tender stems. If they are really large chop up the leaves slightly. However, they will fall apart though once you cook them.
When the water starts to boil add in the rabes and cook for about 20 minutes to remove the bitter flavor. About 10 minutes before the rabes are done, add a large pinch of salt to the second pot of boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente. Typically, about 7 minutes for dried and 2-3 for fresh.
While the pasta is cooking, use a sharp knife and make a long slit piercing the skin of the sausage in-order to make it easy to remove the meat from the casing. Add about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot saute garlic for a minute. Add the meat that has been removed from the sausage casings and break up with a fork. Cook sausage until golden brown.
Once pasta is cooked, drain, and add to the skillet with the sausage. Drain the water from the rabes and add toss them with a little oil. Add the rabes to the sausage and pasta mixture.
Toss all ingredients to make sure they are well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add in a sprinkle of red pepper flake (optional).
To serve, add a drizzle of oil and a generous pinch of Romano cheese.

summer picnic

With a new season, comes new bucket list items. For this spring season, picnicing is definitely on the top of my list. I can't wait to pack a basket full of my favorite goodies, head to the city, and park it for the day.

1. Neon Beach Blanket, lemlem  2. Swansea Beach Radio, Anthropologie 3. Wooden Cutlery, Shop Sweet Lulu 4. Organic Chevron Pillow, Etsy 5. Fishnet Tumblers, Target 6. Straw Tote Backpack, Dot&Bo 

tacos and margs

When I was little, the first question I would ask my mom in the morning was "what are we having for dinner?" So I guess it shouldn't be surprising that it is only Tuesday and I already know what we will be having for dinner Friday night. These fish tacos with pico de gallo, cabbage, a drizzle of lime crema, and these blood orange margarita popsicles . The only question now, is it Friday yet?!

breakfast to-go

I am a morning person. I love waking up before the kids, working out, showering, and enjoying a cup of coffee with this yogurt parfait, while perusing my favorite virtual worlds. 

But for those mornings when it takes a mack truck to get out of bed, and I am wondering if I will have time to brush my own hair let alone the kid's, it is comforting to know that we can at least enjoy this quick and healthy breakfast before we start the day.

High in protein, low in fat, big on flavor, and little on time... what more could a mom want? 

ingredients 

plain Greek yogurt

fresh strawberries or blueberries

granola (Grape Nuts if your on a diet) 

honey or agave nectar

Rinse, dry, and chop strawberries into small pieces. Layer a bowl or mason jar with some plain Greek yogurt, the fresh fruit, a sprinkle of granola for crunch, and a drizzle of honey for sweetness. Adjust ingredients to your preference.

Maple Glazed Popcorn

I'm a true believer in making everyday special. Yet some days, like Mondays, are hard to get excited about.

So to make this Monday a little sweeter we are having a popcorn and movie night. Bootleg version of Argo, and this maple glazed popcorn. Sweet and salty always does the trick. Plus, making your own popcorn feels a little more festive than say, opening a bag of chips.

So here's to Monday, the start of a new week, let's make it a sweet one.

ingredients 

1 cup popcorn kernels (or 6 cups popped popcorn)

3 tablespoons butter, separated

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

sea salt (kosher is fine too) 

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour in popcorn kernals. Cover pot with lid and occasionally shake to move kernals around and prevent burning. When popping slows remove from stove top and set aside. 

Meanwhile in a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Once butter is melted add in maple syrup. Stir to combine and heat syrup through. Take off heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn and quickly toss to coat. Add salt and combine. Allow to cool before eating. 

{Recipe via This Homemade Life}

the honeymoon salad

As a child I ordered my salads with just lettuce. Apparently this is called a honeymoon salad (lettuce alone, let us alone). 

But eventually the honeymoon was over. I became bored of the same old bowl of lettuce with dressing. Yet I couldn't bring myself to part with this healthy dish for good. So I created new ways to keep the love alive. I introduced new ingredients, added healthy grains, topped with delicate cheeses, and just like that my heart fluttered like a new bride about to embark on her...honeymoon.

Here are my top four lettuce free salads to bring back that lovin' feeling.    

1. fattoush

2. buckwheat salad

3. orzo salad

4. chop chomp salad