the love of my salad life

it’s been warming up here and i’ve been craving more salads and spring foods.  and nothing tops my salad quite so pretty as these pickled onions!  i add a beet to make them pink (and always regret not making a second batch of just beets, they’re so good and gone within a day!)

if right now you’re picturing a farmhouse and labor intensive pickling process involving boiling jars and sterilization, than you my friend are getting pickling confused with her high maintenance cousin- canning. pickling doesn’t require sterilization or any special tools.  so it’s basically the fastest, easiest way to feel like you’re on top chef with ingredients you likely already have in your cupboard!  {recipe after the jump}

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cauliflower “cous cous” with leeks and sun-dried tomatoes

what if i told you that you could eat something that was so similar to cous cous that you wouldn’t know the difference, but didn’t have any of the processed carbs AND had all the nutrition of cauliflower?  are you saying you’d want to marry me?  i don’t blame you, not one bit.  recipe and more after the jump!

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Sweet/Spicy Scallion Ginger Soba Noodles

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, noodles!  they’re my happy food.  noodles with a sweet and spicy ginger scallion sauce?  in the eloquent words of rachel zoe:  i die.  that’s right, i love these noodles like zoe loves chanel!  it’s huge.  and i think you will too, especially on those nights when you barely have the energy to make toast but want something totally yummy and satisfying.  guaranteed to please and just a tiny bit more work than spaghetti, i promise.  lastly: this dish is healthy.  I KNOW!!!!!   {more after the jump}

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chocolate {avocado, WHAT?!} pudding

chocolate and i are like bella and edward- meant to be, but constantly facing obstacles in our love affair. and yes, that was  a twilight reference for the three of you that have been strong enough to resist the series (HOW?!).  the obstacle is this: chocolate is always teaming up with my frenemies dairy and sugar. but not here my pals, here it teams up with my BFF’S avocado and coconut milk to make a completely healthy and amazingly rich dessert!  i bow down in reverence to this sweet treat, after i’ve devoured it like i’m on day 38 of survivor, of course.  please, please make this.  it’s easy.  it’s healthy. it’s amazing.  DO IT!   recipe and more after the jump.

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apricot pecan breakfast bars

sometimes i think cooking is a bore and it feels more like a big fat chore than anything.  but there are recipes, like this one, that are mysteriously fun.  i don’t know what the secret is, why sometimes it’s a joy and sometimes it’s a pain in the arse.  one of life’s mysteries i guess.  but this recipe is a good ol time in the kitchen- maybe because it’s just so simple and quick. and are the perfect thing to grab for breakfast when you’re in a rush or snack on in between meals. sweet & healthy goodness, these bars.

recipe and a bit more after the jump

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salted banana peanut butter ice cream with chocolate caramel sauce

confession: i high fived myself when the above happened in the kitchen this weekend.  do you know how awkward that is, a grown woman high fiving HERSELF?  terrible.  but do you know what the complete polar opposite of terrible is?  THIS ICE CREAM.  which, as is stands, contains neither ice nor cream.  but instead is a mixture of unicorn love, bananas, peanut butter and salt.  {ok, one of those ingredients is the best thing ever totally made up}

i should mention that i high fived myself not because i invented this banana peanut butter faux cream, but because i bettered it!  i’ve seen the recipe floating around a bunch, first on a friend’s instagram and then pinterest, tumblr…everywhere i turned it was calling my name.  but when i made it as i’d seen the recipe call for- frozen banana, peanut butter, mix, serve.  it was just sort of meh.  at least, meh in my book. because in my opinion it was missing TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS…. salt, and unicorn love chocolate caramel.  so, proceed below for more about this why this is my new favorite dessert and the recipe after the jump!

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