Cozy Winter Fruit Crisp

Cozy Winter Fruit Crisp

Now that we are back home, I am so excited that I can stay inside and be cozy on this overcast, freezing day, instead of feeling the need to get out and explore a new city. Today calls for a warm treat, and this Cozy Winter Fruit Crisp is exactly what I need. This dessert is filled with pears and apples and topped with a walnut oat streusel. This recipe is gluten free and uses minimal amounts of added sugars. Seasoned with maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and cloves truly makes this the perfect winter treat! Top with some vanilla ice cream to add some additional flavoring and sweetness!

Read More

Nutty Fruit Chocolate Bites

Nutty Fruit Chocolate Bites

This recipe LITERALLY only has 4 ingredients - chocolate, hazelnuts, pistachios, and dried cranberries. It is the perfect post holiday treat when you want something sweet, but not heavy like most holiday desserts. These chocolate bars are gluten free, and you can even change the type of chocolate that you use in order to also make them vegan/dairy free. And the best part is that they are incredibly easy to make! Not a hazelnut and/or pistachio fan? Feel free to change out the type of nuts that you use (keeping to the same overall quantity, of course). The versatility, yet simplicity  of this recipe are my favorite things about it!

Read More

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

The day after this past Christmas, Alex and I headed north to a resort on Lake Superior for a mini getaway to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary! The weather that week was even more freezing than normal. The coldest day had a high of -15°F (feels like -35°F), and the warmest it ever got was 2°F. Like, why?? On the way there we stopped at REI and gifted each other new, fancy Norweigan gloves as our “cotton” anniversary present...

Read More

Flourless Peanut Butter S'mores Cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter S'mores Cookies

It has been a busy last couple weeks, filled with traveling, the holidays, hosting, and working. We were so fortunate to have our friends Josh and Cate come to visit us for New Years. They live in the Bay in California – and when California friends voluntarily come to the artic tundra that is Minnesota during the winter to visit you and your husband, then you know they must really love you lol. Unfortunately was unusually colder than normal while they were here – staying below zero degrees Fahrenheit for the majority of the time, with the “feels like” temperatures ranging between -30F to -15. But they were troopers...

Read More

Chunky Monkey Energy Balls

During this past week and a half, most of our evenings have been characterized by staying up late to watch the NBA Finals. I remember last year by the time it got to Game 7, I couldn’t sit down while watching because I was so nervous about the outcome! Fast forward back to this year, and it was unsurprisingly amazing to watch the Warriors face off against the Cavs for the 3rd consecutive year. When the Warriors lost Game 4, I was upset, because of 1) the game loss and the Warriors losing the opportunity to make NBA history with an undefeated playoffs record and 2) Alex and I were both scheduled to work during Game 5. Lame. But thankfully we got...

Read More

Coconut Honey Granola

Coconut Honey Granola

Happy Monday, friends! This past weekend was one for the books. My husband was on spring break from medical school, which means that we got to go on errands together, cook together, sleep in, snuggle (practically all day, oops) - and this past Saturday he decided to plan a surprise date day for me - full of fun activities and delicious foods. When school is in session, Alex's studies take up almost all of his time. So our quality time together during this stage of life looks different than other married couples, but I found the key is to not compare our relationship to others, but rather to do what is right for our own relationship. One of which, includes taking advantage...

Read More

Gluten Free Chai Protein Pancakes

Gluten Free Chai Protein Pancakes

How would you describe your perfect weather? For me, it an overcast and quiet day. Sitting on my bed, covered in soft blankets, and listening to the rainfall. Windows open, I would feel the cool air travel into the apartment, prompting me to wear fuzzy socks to stay warm. Sipping on hot green tea with lemon and honey, while surrounding by fragrant burning candles as I read one of my favorite books. My husband finds me odd that ...

Read More

Panang Sweet Potato Curry

During college I studied abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I spent the summer studying Thai culture, traveling the city with my sweet Lilo & Stitch scooter, and learning to cook Thai food. Prior to traveling to Thailand I had little to no tolerance for spicy foods. When eating at restaurants though where no one speaks English, the way you order is to point at a picture of a meal, and hope that that is what they bring you (although most of the time it wasn’t). By experiencing more and more meals that I essentially didn’t order I was slowly able to tolerate spicier and spicier food items. Although, word to the wise, if the color of a meal looks red hot, it likely is extremely spicy and will make your eyes water with just one bite. If that happens, and yes it happened a few times to me, stop and say sorry to your taste buds with some soothing mango and sticky rice.

Returning to the states, it took me nearly 3 years to find a restaurant that could remotely compare to “real” Thai food. It is a tiny food truck in Portland, Oregon near the nursing school that I attended. Their close proximity to my areas of study was very dangerous, yet very welcomed. There’s nothing like warm, delicious, authentic curry on a cold, rainy day to brighten your mood. Because I am a huge curry fanatic I love eating my curry like a soup with just a little bit of rice. This curry dish I am sharing with you all is a staple in our household.  If you are looking for a warm, cozy meal for a night in or a meal to share with friends, give this curry a try! 

PANANG SWEET POTATO CURRY

Takes: 40 minutes

1.  Coat the bottom and and sides of a wok with:  
                 3-4 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2. Add: 
                 10 teaspoons panang curry paste
3. Stir the curry paste frequently over medium heat for about a minute, until the paste is fragrant. This is releasing the natural oils and flavoring of the curry. 
4. Stir in until the curry paste dissolves: 
                 1 can coconut milk
5.  Mix in: 
                 3 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
6.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes to allow sweet potatoes to soften. 
7.  Add: 
                     3/4 pound of chicken, cut into 1" pieces
                 1 can coconut milk
                 1/2 cup water

8.  Cover again, and let simmer for 5 minutes. 
9.  Stir in: 
                     1/4 cup basil
                 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

10.  If the curry is too spicy you can add more sugar, one teaspoon at a time. Serve over rice. 
 

Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Autumn is hands-down my favorite season, which is why I was so excited to experience my first REAL autumn here in Minnesota. I could spend hours just sitting outside, staring at the beautiful changing leaves as the cool breeze blew across my face. I read a quote once that said, "Fall is the beautiful moment between sweating and hypothermia." I couldn't agree more! The summers here...

Read More