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,
Lunches and Dinners
9 Recipes To Finish Your Summer Well
Try these favorite recipes before summer is over! Hey friends...I'm sharing a special summer NOBP (new-old-blog-post) that brings back all kinds of delicious memories. If you're needing a little extra inspo in the kitchen these days (and who isn't?) then this post is for you! Hope you enjoy- ----------------------------------------------------------- Well my personal summer is about to come to a sudden, painful, emotional, (insert all of the dramatic adjectives here)
Insanely Delicious Lemon Garlic Pasta with Broccoli and Pine Nuts
Lest you think I have quit cooking altogether, I thought it was time for a recipe post! And not just any recipe...this is sooooo good. You should plan to make it, like, tonight. You might remember that recently I was in Southern California visiting my son at Westmont College, and making the rounds at friends' homes. It was so much fun! I love California for many reasons, only one of which is eating all of the amazing, healthy foods there.
Easy Lentil Veggie Shepherd’s Pie
I love October for so many reasons, only one of which is the return of all of the comfort foods! I'm not great about following seasonal food rules (I could, and do -- eat soup year -'round) but I somehow feel good knowing it's legit time to start making hearty, warm, wintery foods. Yay! Since this Shepherd's Pie recipe has been making the regular rounds in the Swanson household lately, I thought I ought to share it with you. LENTIL, VEGGIE, SHEPHERD'S PIE: There could
Fall Recipe Roundup
A roundup of some of my favorite fall recipes. There's only one time of year that I ask for just a *tad* bit of pity for the fact that I live in Hawaii. Fall. I am pretty sure that I love the autumn season more than the average person, yet, unless I travel, I don't really get to experience it at all. (any sympathy yet?) So, while we continue to have our tropical balmy evenings, and the ocean is bath-water warm, I tend to whine and complain a teensy bit around October and
Healthy, Sweet, Carrot Salad
Healthy, sweet, carrot salad recipe. Perfect for spring, (Easter!) or anytime. Happy Easter Week! I hope you are well, and that your week is both fun and meaningful. Our week has been packed with Jonah's Hawaii Regional Debate tournament (he and his partner took 2nd in the final!) as well as church gatherings, and (more) guests in town. :) It's all kinds of exhausting fun. I'll be hosting for Easter dinner, and as I pondered the menu, I knew salad would be a
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
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?...)
Poisson Cru: The National Dish of Tahiti
Though the friendly people were the highlight of my recent trip to Tahiti, in close 2nd was my new love for the dish that seemed to pop up almost everywhere we went: Poisson Cru. Don't let the name fool you (Poisson looks awfully similar to a word you don't want in a recipe.) This dish is not only delicious, but also HEALTHY, and...as it turns out-- very easy to make! Poisson Cru (pronounced Poi-sahn-crew) is similar in many ways to a Hawaiian Poke (pronounced Poh-kay). (By the way,
Champion (Vegetable) Chili
I'm sharing a delicious recipe for Champion Chili (Vegetarian) from the How Not to Die Cookbook. Thank you guys so much for all of the great comments over at my last post. It's so interesting to read about all of the food journeys in this community--A lot of you have either been vegetarian in the past, or are moving that direction now. I loved hearing that the post was timely for many of you! (I recently read somewhere that there are 60% more vegetarians in America now than just a few years
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
(Easy) homemade ranch dressing. {Getting kids to eat their veggies}
Somehow we raised three (out of four) little boys who ate their vegetables willingly. I mean, they ate their vegetables gladly. Like: no battles. Sure, they avoided a few specific varieties: mushrooms and beets I believe, but from asparagus, to steamed broccoli, to spinach and kale salads, they were all in. In fact, raw onions were a favorite to those first three. Of course those first three were born during my husband's medical school and residency years, when Dave was especially aware of
Monica’s Mini Meatball Minestrone
Monica's mini meatball minestrone. Go ahead, I know you want to: Say it five times fast. Well done. But really, this is serious business: You see, if you haven't decided what to make for Christmas Eve dinner yet, then I'm pretty sure this post was written especially for you. Like really. You see, I started obsessing about this soup weeks ago. I pondered the hearty minestrone base (minestrone is like one of my favorite things in the world). Then I couldn't quit thinking about
Grilling Fish with Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
Spring and summer are upon us, and there is nothing better than barbecuing with family and friends this time of the year. Fish is one of our favorite things to cook on the barbecue. I think grilling fish is the easiest, tastiest, and best way to cook fish without smelling it in the house for the next two days. ;) A lot of people say they are intimidated by cooking fish, but I have found a way to make it quite simple. Whether you’re preparing it with a
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
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with Kale
I love soup. Maybe you get tired of me saying that, but it's true. I have some funny dreams for my life, and one of them is to write an entire recipe book full of soup recipes. Of course people would be like "Soup? Who eats SOUP in Hawaii?" and I'd just shrug my shoulders because I can't explain everything. Soup is just great. And split pea soup has always been a family favorite. My boys love it when Grandma makes it old-fashioned style-- ham-bone and all. I like to make it vegetarian
Thai Peanut Chicken Coconut Soup
You guys know by now that I love soup. Like, I could eat it every day. Even here in Hawaii, and even all year-long. No shame. All kinds of soup. love love love. Well, now I have a confession: I have been making this delicious coconuty, peanut-buttery, hint-of-ginger-and-lime, chicken and vegetable-packed soup for a long time now. And somehow it just occurred to me that I've never stopped to get photos and share it with you here. Shame on me. I feel like I've been keeping something from
Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Soup is my love language. Soup makes me happy and comfy, and just the thought of it gives me all of the feels. I could eat soup every day for the rest of my life. Yep, even here in tropical Hawaii. So you know how loved I felt on my birthday when, after an early-morning beach walk with my good friend Jules, she sent me home with a care package of food for both breakfast and lunch. In the package was gluten-free blueberry muffins, Thai Veggie
Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies.
Have I ever mentioned that we don't have a dining room table in our house? Well, there's your little bit of Swanson-trivia for the day. No dining room. No dining tables inside the house. (We do have a large kitchen counter with seven stools, but that's it for indoor seating.) Fortunately, we have a plenty of places to eat under covered lanais on both the front and the back of the house, which we use year-round. We most often have dinner on our front lanai, where we can look out at the sunset
Quinoa Fiesta Salad with Black Beans, Kale, and Corn
Summer, and salad. They're just a match made in hot, lazy, summertime heaven. amiright? Well, we're back from California, and one thing is for sure: After five weeks of traveling, I am so ready to dive back in the kitchen and create some great meals for our family!! Except... Except yes--it's hot. And a bit sticky--at least here on the island. And let's face it, no one feels like standing over a steamy stove when it's hot and sticky. No, when it's hot and sticky you just want to jump in the
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
Basil Almond Pesto.
I love pesto. I have always loved pesto, but somehow the idea of making my own has always intimidated me. Is that weird? I figure we all have those things that we just assume are too hard, or too fancy, or like somehow we'd just never get them right. That's me with pie crust. Double boilers. Shell fish. And pesto. Until recently. The basil in my Tower Garden really began to take off, and I just had to do something. And suddenly I felt like this might be my time. Time to face some fears, and
Weeknight Ricotta Pasta Bake
There is one little thing about kids and food that I am 99% sure of. But first, I should ask your opinion. WHAT IS THE ONE DINNER FOOD THAT ALL KIDS LOVE? Did you say spaghetti? Yes! I knew it! If you said hot dogs or hamburgers you might be right too, but I think spaghetti is the true Universal food of kids. And love. And all of the warm and cozy feelings. (amiright?) But this isn't a post about spaghetti, so what am I even talking about? One day I will post a spaghetti recipe, but first
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
Family Favorite Coconut Curry
If you were to come to my house for dinner this week, there's a good chance this is what I'd be serving. We would gather around the big round table on the front deck, and watch the sunset while we dunked crusty bread into the sweet and spicy curry in our bowls... The boys would slurp down their food with some delighted groans, and then ask to be excused so that they could skate the new bowl in front while there was still a bit of light. Nights on the porch with warm food and friends? One of my
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
One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta w/ Grilled Chicken
This post falls under the category of: I had no intention of blogging about this but it's too good not to. And you've got to hear the story of how this all came to be, because that falls under the category of: Life changing. You see, though Hurricane Ana (or was it Anna?) just missed us, it did come close enough to give us a Sunday full of heavy rains, wind, and a dark sky-- very atypical of Hawaii in October. Or Hawaii anytime. And you might know me well enough by now to imagine that I was
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
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
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
Lightened-Up Turkey Veggie Meatballs!
I'm not sure what started it, but lately I've been craving meatballs. Spaghetti and meatballs, Swedish meatballs, you name it… No, I'm not pregnant. Meatballs. I don't remember ever making meatballs before, however my family tells me I did once. (That's always a little scary to me.) Regardless, I set out to use ground turkey, and anything else remotely healthy to LIGHTEN UP SOME MEATBALLS. Because: WHY NOT. It took a few tries. The first batch I tried serving with noodles and a
Sweet Hot Thai Style Grilled Chicken Thighs {Guest post from Pineapple and Coconut}
Aloha Friends! Today I am super excited to feature my super talented, creative, lovely, and FUNNY friend Shanna, from Pineapple and Coconut blog. Though we've never met in person--I have no doubt we will meet one day. And when we do, I have a good feeling that it will feel like we've known each other forever. And considering the fact that we've discussed moving her family into a yurt on my property--I'm hoping that I like her as much in person as I do on-line! haha. I'll let her tell
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
Lighter Manicotti–Two Ways
First of all--sorry if you tried to visit this place Sunday and found the blog MIA! I have no idea what happened. I tried not to panic, but it did last most of the day. By the time I checked back, it was all here again (thank God!) but that left me no time to finish the post that I had planned for Monday. So, I am quickly editing the recipe I thought I would share on Tuesday. But now that I think about it--Manicotti Monday? It does have a nice ring to it! :) Since our relatively
