RECIPE | HEARTY KALE AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

Spring may be here but there are still those chilly evenings that call for a pot of hearty soup.  I found this recipe in the January edition of the Oprah Magazine and with a few tweaks, this one is sure to stay in my cold weather arsenal.  There are so many textures, flavors and colors in this soup, making it filling without being heavy.

Nutrition Fast Facts:
Kale: rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
Sweet potato: also rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, slow-release carbohydrates to regulate blood sugar levels, and potassium

RECIPE | BLOOD ORANGE-WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE MACARON FILLING

Macarons are perhaps the most frustrating yet satisfying things I have ever baked.  Still, I am determined to master these finicky cookies one day. For this round, I used Food Noveau's detailed step-by-step guide and aside from under baking the first batch, these were a success.  Since blood oranges are in season, I filled my macarons with blood orange-white chocolate ganache.  The combination is delectably sweet, creamy and a tad tart. Mmm...simply divine!

      

RECIPE | GARLIC CHIVE SALAD

Finding garlic chives at my local farmer's market instantly reminded me of the chive salad (buchu muchim, I believe) I had at Korean barbecue a few weeks back.  My rendition is much different than that I had experienced at the restaurant, but this recipe is still tasty and most importantly, quick to make.

Nutrition Fast Facts:

Chives: detoxifying sulphur and quercetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid

Garlic: contains antibacterial and antifungal sulfurous compounds, stimulates nitric oxide production in the blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure 

Sesame seeds: good source of vitamin E and calcium 

RECIPE | THE BEST BRINE

Thanksgiving may have come and gone but that doesn't mean this turkey brine recipe has to be put away for another year....it works great with chicken too! This recipe by the Pioneer Woman produced the best tasting turkey I have ever had. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the best. Dry, crumbly white meat? No more. Every bite of meat is juicy and the skin has a wonderful crunch of citrus, fresh herbs and the right amount of salt. 

DIY | MINION BABY OUTFIT

Minions, assemble!

Yesterday I created this minion baby outfit for a friend's baby shower and with Halloween just around the corner, I thought I'd share this relatively simple and absolutely adorable DIY project. Enjoy!

RECIPE | PASTA WITH VODKA SAUCE

Today's feature is a pasta sauce that has become a bit of a family specialty.  I have brought it to multiple potlucks and every time, someone will always ask who brought the pasta.  It is a simple tomato based vodka sauce adapted from Linda Steidel's For Every Season There is a Pasta cookbook.  As always, feel free to adjust the ingredients according to your own preferences.

RECIPE | CRISPY QUINOA

Today's quick meal once again uses the nutritious, yet wonderfully delicious quinoa.  It is quite similar to my last quinoa post [here] but with a new technique.  I didn't have much to work with, so all I did was fry some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in olive oil and added about a third of my already cooked quinoa in the pan.  Once the chicken was fully cooked, I added a generous serving of kale and the rest of the quinoa.  Frying some of the quinoa gave the dish a nice crunch and flavor.  I will definitely be preparing quinoa like this more often.

Nutrition Fast Facts:
Quinoa is a complete source of protein, contains omega-3 fatty acids, and contains high levels of antioxidants. One type of omega-3, oleic acid, helps reduce LDL ("bad cholesterol") levels in the blood and helps reduce inflammation that could contribute to atherosclerosis.