Next month I will be graduating from college. As I near this monumental time in life, my tendency towards nostalgia is stronger than ever, and I constantly find myself reflecting on these past four (and a half) years with great joy and yes, a tinge of sadness as well. From Florida, to Spain, back to Texas and everywhere in between, my college years have been replete with constant adventure and growth. There has yet to be a dull moment….
Confession time: I am a diehard snacker. Sometimes I will go all day without eating a real meal… You know that “6 small meals instead of 3 big ones” advice? Well, I take that to a whole new level. And, while I realize this isn’t the healthiest of habits, I certainly don’t intend on giving up snacking anytime soon. For that reason, I try my best to make it as nutritional as possible. Hummus is one of my absolute favorite feel-good snacks. While some store-bought brands are indeed delicious, when you start making your own, you won’t want to go back. There are ubiquitous variations you can do, so let your creativity run wild!…
I know, I know. Another Italian recipe. I am well aware of this kick I’ve been on lately. I think it’s because for me Italian=comfort, and I have been in great need of comfort lately. Life is pretty crazy, and something that almost always makes it better is a good meal to enjoy with good company and good conversation (and good wine)….
This delightfully simple appetizer evokes fond memories of Italy and many of its gastronomic gems. Just look at it! It’s a red, white, and green beauty. For me, just saying the word “Italy” puts me in a happy state. Doesn’t it you? It is my favorite comfort food of all. I can close my eyes and almost taste the lemony, salty air of Lago di Como or the world’s most mouth-watering ravioli with brown butter and fried sage at a corner trattoria in Roma. Swoon….
When people ask me what my favorite food is or what I like to cook most, I normally have to rack my brain (and my stomach) for an answer because, quite honestly, that is an impossible question! It depends on the day of the week, my mood, the occasion, etc. However, I would be lying if I said the image of crustaceans didn’t float across my mind. I adore seafood, especially shellfish. Luscious lobster, shrimp, and crab are undoubtedly some of God’s greatest gifts to man. And, speaking of crab, you cannot do me wrong with a perfectly moist-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside crab cake. What follows is a recipe just for that. Served with creamy, tangy lemon chipotle remoulade, this crab cake just can’t be beat. ¡Buen provecho!…
Cheese. Queso. Fromage. Formaggio… Every culture and country speaks its own unique cheese language. It’s a universal understanding. And, out of every country I’ve ever visited, I have yet to find one I don’t like. It’s my number one indulgence, and reasonably so. Some people say they have a sweet tooth, well, not me…I’d take a sliver of Robusto over chocolate cake any day….
Ahh…finally…the weekend! Was your week as long as mine? If so, this blog post is just for you! This fresh and vibrant cocktail will ease you into the weekend spirit in no time. What else is there really left to say? I think the picture speaks louder than any descriptiveness my foggy mind has to capacity to put into words at the moment. So, in light of that, I’m off to mix myself up one of these bad boys and go relax…Enjoy! (responsibly :)…
Living in Austin allows a certain degree of Tex-Mex snobbery, more specifically, breakfast taco snobbery. May sound weird to “outsiders,” but Austin proudly boasts itself as home of the breakfast taco, and that is a-ok with me. From Taco Deli to Texas Honey Ham, there are more than a few places to help cure a person’s Saturday morning Tex-Mex temptation….
From summer sunshine and ample free time to benchmark testing and dry ice experiments, my life has done a complete 180 over the course of the past few weeks. The majority of my days now revolve around 29 fifth graders, and I love every lively second of it. While some might expect a certain mourning of my beloved college schedule to occur, I try to find the silver lining in every day, which isn’t very difficult to do, really. At least not yet!…
Some mornings I wake up and my body is undeniably demanding, “ I need greens!” And while I do consider myself a healthy eater, I will never be one of those people who can eat a big green salad first thing in the morning. So, I cheat. This smoothie looks healthy (and pretty) due to the oh-so-clever addition of spinach, but you can’t even taste it, and you get an added iron boost. Win-win. Furthermore, it is packed full of protein from the creamy almond butter and almond milk, the cinnamon helps stabilize blood pressure and can help lower LDL (bad cholesterol). Oh…AND it’s delicious and keeps you satisfied for hours! What’s not to love?
