i think it is so incredible how nature provides us with the right types of food for each season.
for example – blood oranges are in season from december to march. which is the perfect time to consume them for that extra vitamin c punch during the winter months!
and aren’t they just so magical?!
the details on the leaves of plants such as cabbage completely fascinate me!
i have been making my own homemade gummy bears for a while now, and i have been meaning to write a post about it…
i have always loved fruit snacks, gummy bears, et al. however, the ingredient list always detoured me – even the natural ones are full of mostly sugar.
so, i did some research and realized that i could be making my own gummy fruit snacks! and not only that, but i could make them GOOD for me!
my curiosity was piqued when i started looking for a clean source of gelatin to help with collagen production and joint support.
…which i don’t have pictured here because i typically transfer everything i buy into a glass jar… {no shame in my game}…
anyway, i wanted to incorporate gelatin into my diet and that’s when i got super stoked about the idea of making my own gummies! so i found these silicon molds on amazon {along with the gelatin} and looked up a few recipes to get me started.
as usual, i like to keep things as simple as possible. some recipes call for honey or a sweetener, but i like to avoid added sugar where i can {so i can guiltlessly enjoy a candy bar from time-to-time}.
so – here is my very simple {2-ingredient!} homemade gummy fruit snack recipe – which yields about 200 gummies and the ratio can be adjusted accordingly :
you could add in some honey or agave for sweetness, but i find the concord grape juice to be sweet enough on its own.
sometimes i’ll add in some elderberry syrup for additional health benefits during the cold-season months. Continue reading
as you probably know by now, i like to eat with the seasons as much as i possibly can. i enjoy it for lots of reasons. i always look forward to eating whatever vegetables or fruit are best during that particular time of year… and it makes me appreciate them more.
that said, i often struggle with “transitional” times of year – such as the month of september. i find myself unsure about what to wear, what to eat, when to go to sleep. it’s kind of funny but it’s true. {this also applies in the month of may.}
anyway, because i find september to be a transitional month, i also find myself eating transitional foods. i made that term up, but my point is that i’m not ready to start eating soups and squash, but i’m also done with light foods like salads and such. during this transitional time, i usually prepare foods that can be enjoyed hot or cold. and pasta salad is one of those dishes i could enjoy every day during transitional months.
i also really love orzo and i don’t use it often enough.
i whipped up this simple {rainbow} pasta salad and made a huge batch to take to work for lunches.
it’s so easy and so i thought i’d share the recipe… even though i didn’t measure anything, as per usual… but it’s so simple – just chop and toss!
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simple pasta salad :
homemade dressing :
i like to serve mine at room temperature and i sprinkle crumbled italian breadsticks on top…
SO GOOD!
i made this delicious riced cauliflower one-pot make-ahead meal for lunch last week and it was so yummy, i just had to share the recipe! i love experimenting with random things in the fridge!
i’ve been really into using riced cauliflower as a replacement for grains and it does a wonderful job as an understudy. 😉
riced cauliflower has a great texture and maintains it well during the cooking process. i’ve purchased it both fresh and frozen and they both seem to hold up just fine.
i made this dish as i was trying to use up some leftover ingredients such as frozen asparagus from another recipe. i also had some frozen jalapeños that i grew last year and wanted to use.
so this is what i came up with {amounts are “ish”} :
heat some butter or oil of choice on medium heat and toss in riced cauiflower. cook slowly until al dente. add in asparagus and jalapeño, cook until slightly tender then throw in black beans and corn and cook for another minute or so. sprinkle in hot sauce and spices and toss together. keeps well in the fridge for a few days. can be frozen for future consumption.
organic chicken or grass-fed ground beef makes a nice addition to this recipe. i made this one vegan because i like to eat vegan at least once a week… not for any particular reason other than keeping things in balance 😉
and i just-so-happen to love cumin! it’s one of my favourite spices… do you like cumin?
i’ve been getting my fill of delicious organic asparagus!
it is a marvelous food to eat in spring because it is very cleansing to the body and blood. asparagus is also in season during the spring, which just further proves how awesome and intelligent nature is! 🙂
i like to enjoy asparagus raw or lightly sautéed in grass-fed butter with a dash of himalayan pink salt and black pepper. sometimes i like to add it to risotto with wild mushrooms. when i lived in the mountains years ago, i had a lot of fun foraging for asparagus because it grows wild on the western slope of colorado. pretty cool, huh?!
a tip for keeping asparagus : treat it like fresh-cut flowers. keep the ends trimmed and leave them in a little water in the fridge until ready to use.
do you love asparagus? how do you like to prepare yours?
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