Food & Dining

It’s the end of a long day. The husband worked a 12-hour shift. The kids and I had a playdate and a full homeschool day. Together we washed, dried, folded, and put away 4 loads of laundry. And now it’s dinner time. Together time. So we sit down to a delicious meal of liver and onions with a side of sautéed squash. WAIT! WHAT?! Yes, you read that right. My seven and four year old daughters will eat squash, and onions, and liver. How did this happen? Getting the kids to eat well and eat unusual foods didn’t happen overnight, and it was definitely a trial and error endeavor. We’ve had a lot of misses along the way. We STILL have a...

I've written here about mental health, racism and being mom to a special needs child so I figured it was time to lighten up a little and share some recipes with you. Sometimes after working 2 jobs, picking up the kiddo from school, and squeezing in a workout the last thing I want to do is stand at the stove for 30+ minutes whipping up a tasty and nutritious meal. Unfortunately, it seems like my family needs to eat, so I do it. I lean on my slow cooker every now and then and honestly those days are my favorite. There is something so rewarding and comforting about coming home after a long day and remembering that dinner is already cooked...

  Summer is officially upon us! The temperature (and humidity) is steadily rising, and  your little darlings are home from school for the summer and constantly searching for ways to beat the heat. Popsicles are surely one of childhood's simplest pleasure, but unfortunately the boxed grocery store variety can contain ingredients that are less than appealing. With multiple teaspoons of sugar per popsicle, your kids may find sweet relief from the heat but with some pretty unhealthy ingredients. Making your own popsicles is quick and easy, (seriously, you can have a batch ready to go into the freezer in about 5 minutes) and a great way to combine healthful ingredients with a tempting sweet treat that even adults will enjoy! I'll...

As a mom, it can be exhausting to come home after work or a full day of activities, only to look in the refrigerator and see this… I mean, that’s sad right?! Confession, this is what my refrigerator looks like on Sunday night. Notice the bottle of Pinot trying to make an appearance. While you wouldn't realize it from this picture, over the past few years I’ve been meal planning. I know the idea of meal planning can seem overwhelming at first, but I promise it will save you time, money, and sanity in the long run. Here’s how I do it: 1. Pregame. Survey the refrigerator, and throw out all the old left overs and expired food. Whew, that felt good!...

Here is a simple, all-natural way to dye your eggs this Easter! And it can be done with things you already have around the house. Start a new, beautiful tradition as you follow these steps: 1. Start with a dozen of your sister-in-law's fabulous "home-grown" eggs. (Well, at least my sister-in-law's. I'm lucky.) Aren't they pretty? If you don't have a family member who raises chickens, you can most certainly get a dozen eggs at the grocery store. 2. Take out a pile of onion peels from standard, yellow onions. Just save the skins of the onions you cook with (like I do) or go to a grocery store and ask if you can clean out their onion bins. They'll be...