Dave and I have always had a weakness for eating out. We love date nights, and splurge more than we should on good food. We have many fun family memories of eating out at simple (family-friendly) restaurants with the kids too -- especially back when they could just eat a bit off our plates or split a burrito between two of them. While I remember often leaving a restaurant asking myself, "Why did we try that again?" I am glad for the memories we have at our local Mexican spot,
Gluten Free
The Very Best 5-Minute Gluten Free Bread
A recipe for delicious Gluten-Free bread. I think we can all agree: There's nothing like a loaf of home-baked bread, fresh out of the oven. The smell that fills a home with comfort and happiness...The feel of a slice - familiar and warm in your hand (especially if there's a bit of butter melting into it.) The taste -- which somehow can transport you back to Grandma's house, or a bakery tucked away in your memory (I'm personally transported back to the incredible
Kale Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Candied Walnuts
Happy Thanksgiving week! I'm excited to share a recipe for one of my personal favorite ways to eat kale -- tossed with roasted sweet potatoes, candied walnuts, and a light vinaigrette. Seriously this is SO good! Though this salad is great all year long, I am pretty sure it could solve once and for all that question that comes up every year in homes all over the country (or is just ours?): "Do we need both mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving?" I say: Yes! And this is a
Favorite Pumpkin Granola
Sharing our favorite pumpkin granola recipe below. But first: You guys. I have a son in college. Does anyone else feel weird about that? No, this has nothing to do with my Pumpkin Granola recipe (except that maybe I should be sending some to him in a care package?) I guess I just needed to get it off my chest. Truth is, I just sat down at a coffee shop to put this post together, and got side tracked on Instagram (it happens.) When I saw that my college son, who has not posted any
Kale, Pear, Gorgonzola Salad: Fall is in the Air.
Well Hello, and Happy September! September is so great because it is the lead-in to autumn. Fall! And fall...whether real, or (in my case) only imaginary, is the best!! If you've been around a while you know that I am a big fan of fall. I always have been. In my dream life I spend every September through November somewhere with crisp autumn air and falling leaves... (it's only fair that the tables are turned and I get to be jealous of some of you for a few months a year, right?...)
Cookie Dough Balls {inspired by Oh She Glows Everyday.}
I don't know about the rest of you, but in the heat of summer, cooking is just not high on my priority list. Who wants to think about a hot stove when you feel like you live in a hot stove? We've been eating a lot of quinoa salads, yummy burrito bowls, and anything that can go on the grill. Oh, and ice cream. Obviously. But kids still need snacks, right? So I've been trying out some new recipes for snacks that: A) kids like, and B) have some nutritional value. :) You might remember that I
Mile High Black and White Freezer Fudge, (Inspired by Oh She Glows Everyday)
Sharing my love of the Mile High Black and White Freezer Fudge from Oh She Glows Every Day Cookbook. True story: When it comes to sweets, fudge is my favorite. I'd trade most cookies, cakes, or pies for a simple pan piece of chocolate fudge. I could eat it every day. But I don't. Of course. I might make fudge once or twice a year, and that is usually during the holidays. Because, there is pretty much nothing at all healthy about fudge, and like it or not, adulting means making grown-up
Sweet Cinnamon Apple Yogurt Parfaits
healthy cinnamon apple yogurt parfaits, great for breakfast, snack, or dessert So it's September. And though some of us are still sweating in summer-weather, September puts me in the mood for all kinds of fall flavors. Beginning with apples. Growing up in Washington state, our family had a few apples trees, and every year my mom and grandma would spend a couple of days making all things apple: apple pies, apple sauce, and just slicing and freezing apples for year-long snacking. (So
Family Favorite Energy Balls.
Energy balls are one staple snack food I have in my fridge almost all of the time. I shared a recipe for our favorite energy balls within another post a couple years ago, but as I am cleaning up my archives, I wanted to give the recipe it's very own post. It is worthy. ;) Energy balls are perfect for breakfast, a snack, on-the-go, or late night...Kids love them, and they are packed with great ingredients. They take a little time, but the end product is so worth it. The awesome thing about
Easy Roasted Vegetables
I've been slightly obsessed with roasting vegetables lately. And since my promise to you has always been to share what our family is actually eating, I figured I ought to share. We've been eating roasted veggies along with all kinds of things: With fish, steak, garden burgers, or just on their own as leftovers for lunch. (Mmmmm) Roasted veggies are so easy, and so, so good. I think most kids appreciate roasted veggies, especially if you nail the whole slightly-crispy, plenty-of- salt
Grandma’s Quick and Easy “Pantry Soup.”
As I mentioned in last week's post, my son Josiah and I took off last week for a quick visit with my family in Gig Harbor, Washington. We made the visit to attend my Uncle’s funeral, so we knew the visit would be a combination of happy and sad. The weather was supposed to be cold and rainy, but we were pleasantly surprised by quite a bit of sun. If you've been to Gig Harbor then you know that it's hard to beat the beauty there on a clear day. Here's the view from my parents' front porch:
3 Burrito Bowls Your Family Will Love
When you serve a meal that makes your kids say (and I quote) "I could eat this every single night!" you know you did something right. But when that meal happens to be filled with: healthy protein, a rainbow variety of veggies, wholesome (gluten-free) grains, and it is served in one simple bowl (hello easy cleanup) then you're basically high-fiving your own bad self. So let's talk burrito bowls. Rice bowls? I don't know, call them what you like, but they are our family's latest
4 Ingredient, 5 Minute (no bake) Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Our boys are currently going through a stage called eating everything all of the time. I'm not sure what's going on, but it's testing both my creative cooking abilities and our budget. So it may not surprise you that I'm a sight to behold at Costco. You can't miss me: I'm the one with groceries piled high and spilling over the edges of my wagon. (I know most of America calls them "shopping carts" but here in Hawaii they are "wagons.") I've never been gifted with
Tropical Mango Salsa.
Isn't this such a great time of year? The sun has been popping out all over the place, (I mean, besides just in Hawaii) and everyone seems to be a little extra happy. Plus, Mother's Day is just around the corner, and despite the fact that my five-year old accused me of making up the holiday ("Mother's Day isn't a real holiday MOM!") indeed it is a real holiday and it's an important one, and I'm not gonna let any smarty-pants five year old take that away from me. (amen?) Well, spring and
The Best Gluten Free Muffins: Banana, Berry, or Your Choice Add-ins
So, it seems that I'm surrounded by Gluten free folks these days. My poor bread-loving father was diagnosed with Celiac disease five years ago. My dear friend Jules, who I spend a lot of time with, is also gluten-free. And we've recently brought into our crazy family life a part-time helper ("family assistant" though her title is still up in the air) named Morgan who is also hashtag-gluten-free. (and yes, you'll hear more about Morgan here in the days to come, and yes, you'll adore her.)
Tropical Smoothie Bowls: Make your own Acai, and Super Green Bowls
So, let's start this one with YUM!.... If you're not hooked on tropical smoothies and smoothie bowls yet, then let's just get this party started, shall we? Smoothies and smoothie bowls have been popular in Hawaii for years, and if they haven't hit your neighborhood yet, then just give it some time and...they likely will. But no need to wait, you can start making your own smoothie bowls right at home! A smoothie bowl is basically all of the goodness of a fruit smoothie, with a little more
White Bean Chicken Chili. For Cowboys and the rest of us.
I started playing with a recipe for White Bean Chicken Chili last fall. I love all of the spices and flavors in chili, and wanted to master my own chicken-version. With just enough spice, diced green chilis, and corn. Then last December Bryan Jennings was on island filming the latest Walking on Water movie called "Surfers and Cowboys," and Dave and I invited the whole crew to our place for dinner. The whole crew, including the surfers, and the cowboys. And when I say cowboys I mean the PBR
Easy Crockpot Burrito Bar
I used to try to think of creative, lovely, or unique recipes to make and share here on the blog. Like this dinner and this dessert...(and those are both really great recipes.) But somewhere along the way, I decided that maybe you'd benefit more from my showing what we really eat. Like: All of the time. So, I decided that I would go ahead and share anything that we eat a lot around here... Even if it isn't the healthiest in the world. Or the most unique. Or the prettiest... Because let's
Baked Gingerbread Oatmeal, Two ways. {Gluten-free}
I'm trying to figure out if it is normal develop brand new tastes or cravings in the middle of your life. (?) I've never really thought about it before, but I guess I assumed that by now my taste buds have probably made up their mind about most things. But I must be wrong, because out of nowhere I have recently developed a brand new obsession: GINGER! It all started a few weeks ago with the first head cold I've had in a long time...and a stop at our local Coffee Gallery. Now normally I'm a
Healthy Butternut Squash Mexican Casserole
It's Thanksgiving week. And here I am posting a Mexican casserole. What IS wrong with me? I'm really not trying to throw the Universe out of order, but I figure that there's a few more days left before Thanksgiving. And you might just want this for a warm, sweet and savory weeknight meal. And if nothing else, you can always just Pin it for later! The truth is, I've been wanting to share this recipe for two weeks, and it keeps getting pushed aside. And after my last post, which was a little
Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls
Please don't tell me you're already over all of the pumpkin everything. I know, I know, people get really into pumpkin this time of year, and some find it a bit overkill. But not me. I love pumpkin. As far as I'm concerned, pumpkin could just set up camp and move in for good. It's such a mild, sweet, comforting flavor...Who says it should only be welcome from September through November? I might just have to start a petition. But I will say...After baking a few loaves of traditional pumpkin
Barbecue Chicken Salad
This salad is so much a staple in our diet, I've never even thought to post it. It's my go-to, family-favorite, crowd-pleasing dinner. I mean, I'm pretty sure I've made it more than any other meal in our family's history (unless you count PBJ's, obviously.) But when I serve it to guests, they often ask me for a recipe. And I'm like "A recipe!? There isn't one..." as if everyone out there makes barbecue chicken salads. Off the top of their heads. But maybe not? I do clearly remember the
Papaya Bars {Gluten Free & Honey Sweetened.}
I get really happy when I get to create something delicious with the fruits we grow on our property. Even on the most stressful day, cooking relaxes me. And it's a good thing, because with four growing boys and a hard working man around, I do a LOT of cooking. The beauty of our tropical climate is that most of the fruit on our property grows year-round. But right now, it seems like everything is abundant: Bananas, avocados, pomelo, and papaya...Lots of papaya. Well, for a long time now, my
Quinoa, Peanut Butter, and Oat Cookies.
I confess: When it comes to cookies--I get in a rut. I've been making my low fat banana oatmeal chocolate chips cookies, A LOT, for a couple of years now, and they really are so good. But I wanted to put some healthy ingredients together to come up with a new go-to cookie for our family. It's time for a new cookie-rut. I have zeroed in on making a cookie from quinoa, because we use so much of it, (like in This Salad, and in These meatballs,) and it seems like there is always just a couple of
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls
PEANUT BUTTER BALLS: Four ingredients. Easy to make. Super satisfying. Welcome to one of my happiest happy places. These little guys have been a favorite in my house since...Well, since I was in my own mom's house. Maybe you grew up with them too? (I've been surprised by how many of my friends never heard of them, that's why I'm here now.) They were a childhood favorite of mine, and somewhere in the old-photo-files there is even a photo of a stack of them with a candle on top, next to a
Family Favorite Fish Tacos
Does your family have some favorite meal or food traditions? Like pizza on Fridays, pancakes on Sundays, or maybe something like breakfast in bed on birthdays?... Well, somewhere along the way, Taco Tuesdays started happening in our family. And that is kind of a big deal, because we haven't had a lot of food traditions in our home up until now. It's not that I don't like the idea--I do. It's more that I'm inconsistent and lack organizational skills, haha. But somehow, most Tuesdays over the
Hugs and Kisses. A 3-Ingredient Mother’s Day Treat.
It's beyond a busy week here. To make up for our craziness, I decided to make a treat that is SO SIMPLE, it even fit easily in the middle of our chaos. Fifteen minutes and done. Not lying. And I thought THIS would be a super fun Mother-son, or Mother-daughter, or Mother-anyone thing to do this week, because it is all about HUGS and KISSES. And chocolate. And we all know that those are three of the most cherished things in a mother's life. (just don't make us tell you in what order,
Quinoa, Chickpea, Avocado Salad…
I've confessed before that I am not a good lunch mom. Lunches stump me. Bore me. I have very little interest or enthusiasm for most lunch options, at least as far as eating in my own home goes. (Take me out to lunch and I'll love you forever. But then again take me out anywhere, and....well, you know.) However, *Newsflash*. I have begun to keep a regular supply of cooked, and chilled quinoa in my fridge which, when tossed with all kinds of flavorful and healthy ingredients, make my midday
Easy Coconut Rice with Papaya and Pistachios
I have a theory about people... Most people fall into one of two categories: They are either of the PASTA-persuasion, or more RICE-oriented. Which one are you? I like both, but I'm definitely more of a rice girl. I LOVE rice! I prefer it mixed up with flavors and textures...Fried rice being an absolute favorite, and coconut rice being one of our family's favorite treats! We always order it at Thai restaurants. I decided it was time to make my own coconut rice, and add some tropical mix-ins
Simple, Quick-Rise Cinnamon Rolls {Gluten-free or Regular}
The holidays may be over…But long live the Cinnamon Roll! Amen? I know I know, I should be sharing some healthy recipe for all of you New-Years Resolution types who are trying to behave well for AT LEAST the month of January…But since I made my fourth batch of these this morning, I felt that the honest thing to do would be to share. And really, they tasted just as good to me this morning as they did on Christmas morning. Maybe even better. Everything in moderation, right? I
Eggnog Cheesecake Bars: Regular or Gluten Free.
I may not have my act totally together for Christmas yet, but at least I know what I'll be serving for Christmas dessert. GLUTEN-FREE EGGNOG CHEESECAKE BARS! **The Captain Surfs giveaway winner, announced at the bottom of this post! By the way, have I ever mentioned my strange habit of experimenting with new recipes when we have company? You could call that unwise, or even foolish. I prefer "gutsy." Ha. I guess it happens because I get excited when we are having people over, so I want to
Homemade Magic Shell
I'm not claiming originality here. However, where I lack in originality, I make up for in enthusiasm. Some of you have seen homemade magic shell on Pinterest, Facebook and all over the place, and you'll find this post to be old news. In fact, some of you have probably been bottling this stuff up for years, and just forgot to tell me. Others of you (LIKE ME) might just live under a rock and somehow missed the magic shell memo. And (like me) you might have assumed that the magic shell that
Coconut Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi {Gluten Free or regular}
From the ocean…to our table….Now THAT'S what we're talking about. Remember THIS 40 pound Mahi Mahi catch? Well, besides being the highlight of my boys' summer---That catch turned into approximately 32 fabulous meals! {Four meals, each serving eight people (my family and my parents!)} We loved every one of them, and I plan to share at least one more recipe here, but today--I just have to share this Coconut Macadamia Crusted fish recipe. It is SO good, and soooo Hawaii! If you don't have Mahi
