Creole Black-Eyed Peas

As we have done many times before, we started out this new year with Black-Eyed peas. I strayed from the traditional ham hock in favor of something a little bit different (and healthier). The result was fantastic and I'm excited to share it with you.

Tabbouleh Salad

I love the simplicity of a basic tabbouleh, especially with some hummus and fresh pita, but as I continue on my quest to fill my arsenal with fresh tasting whole grain salads I wanted to come up with something that could stand alone. This is nothing more than a dressed up tabbouleh, great as a side dish yet also good enough to stand alone as a meal.

Healthy Granola Bars

These granola bars are soft and chewy. They're not your typical sugary treat, but they make a good snack. I have a feeling kids would gobble these down without so much as a clue that they're a healthy snack.

Basic Hummus

This is basic hummus. Simple. Good. Food.

Sriracha Garlic Hummus

I'm a slave to the hummus. It's the truth. One of my favorite meals to take to work is a bunch of chopped up vegetables with whatever hummus we have around for dipping. It's light and fresh, and since I work nights it's important my dinner doesn't bog me down and put me into an unwanted food coma. If you know me, you know I love spicy food so it was only a matter or time before this concoction made it's way into my life. Now I'm in love. This will always have a place on hummus making day.

Kalamata Hummus

My husband is a fiend for olives. While I was on a recent hummus making mission he requested a Kalamata Hummus, and this is it, flavorful without being overbearing.

I'll send him your thanks. 

Roasted Red Pepper Balsamic Hummus

We love the hummus. Seriously, when I buy a container it's gone in a day, two days max. I hate spending $5 or $6 on something I can make for a couple of dollars in ingredients so I'm writing off store bought hummus, with the exception of the rare, but very real, hummus emergency of course.

Zucchini Muffins

I love zucchini bread, so why not zucchini muffins? They're appropriately portioned and portable, what more can I ask for?! Well, if you were going to say they should also be moist, delicious, and full of flavor then we've hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Chocolate Chips Ahoy!

For days I was craving something sweet and I just couldn't quite put my finger on what was going to satisfy. Of course it was sometime around 3am when I realized what it needed to be, and this was it. The picture is bad, but these cookies are awesome! They have great flavor and remain soft yet crisp. It's too bad they're gone, because I could really go for one right about now!

Cranberry Currant Granola

Granola.

Not just for hippies anymore.

Brown Rice Salad With Soy Ginger Dressing

I thought this would be another delightful cold salad I could keep in the refrigerator and pack for lunch several days in a row. Then I put it out onto the dinner table to see if I could get the family to try it. Well, let's just say this was a definite success in our new foray into a plant based whole foods diet. Most of it was gone the first night and what was left disappeared sometime in the early morning hours the following day. I'm not complaining.

Soy Ginger Dressing

This dressing is so awesome I put it on everything for a straight week and I'm still not tired of it!!

Curried Quinoa Salad

I've been working so much lately that keeping these grain salads in the refrigerator has been more helpful than I ever would have thought! This is a simple Quinoa salad, the first of many I'm sure. I enjoyed this over a bed of baby spinach for dinner every night this week!

Veggie Veggie Dip

I know this looks like guacamole, but it's not. It's beans! That's right, I said beans. I'm pretty excited about this super simple edamame bean dip. It's simple and would make an easy throw together item for a potluck or work function.

Winter Corn Salsa

Sometimes you just need a taste of summer in the dead of winter. This is a simple corn salsa that you can make with ingredients available year round.

Slow Cooker Lentils with Poached Egg

Ahhh.. Lentils. So good for you and so filling. This is a simple dish that lends itself to a nice warm breakfast or dinner. This isn't the most flattering picture, but it's really beautiful in person.

End of Summer Salsa

 

Even though it means summer is coming to an end I do so love when everything has ripened and amazing fresh vegetables are everywhere. After overloading my basket at a local farm I had to figure out what to do with my loot. This is an easy to make salsa, it has great flavor and is good for everyone since it's not too spicy.

White Bean Salad

Mmm.. beans.  I love beans, but I sometimes don't think to incorporate them into my meals like I should.  This is a simple marinated white bean salad.  When I say simple it's pretty much the understatement of the day, it practically makes itself. This salad is a summer standard, you've probably met before at a barbecue.  The beans are great as a stand alone side dish, but I love them even more on top of a green salad.  I wish there were leftovers right now....

Blueberry-Orange Freezer Jam

Ahhh summer.  I love any opportunity to go out to the U-Pick farms and load up on fruits and vegetables, and last week I did just that.  This was my first attempt at freezer jam and I can't believe how simple it is. I don't want to clog up my freezer with tons of jars of jam, but knowing how easy these are to make is going to be dangerous.

Edamame Mango Salad

I think this might be the easiest thing I have ever made.

The flavors are well balanced. Light, fresh, healthy and delicious.  It's the perfect side dish for just about any summer meal, but I also like to put it over some fresh leafy greens and eat it as a stand alone dish.

If you're motivated and fairly efficient with a kitchen knife you can be done with this in 15 minutes start to finish.