This . . . → Read More: Italian Vichyssoise]]> You guys, it got up to 80 degrees yesterday. I’ve been telling my hubby for weeks to put the AC units back in, and finally, finally last night he did it! This was just as much for his benefit as it was mine. It’s the only way he could get me to stop complaining.

This is a turning point for us. We’ve been grilling for the past two months or so (we were overly ambitious and debuted our grill for the first time this season as soon as it hit, what, 50?), but this is the beginning of lighter, feel-good eating. Grilled veggies, salads, things that make you feel good in the summer. While soups, stews, and chili have become fall and winter staples in our family, I’m not quite ready to give them up for the year. Solution? Cold soup!

Last spring I made a delicious vegan strawberry gazapacho. It was everything you’d hope it would be: refreshing, light, and above all else, simple. Soup in the springtime? Absolutely. (I should make this again for Ethan, I bet he’d love it!)

A few weeks ago I was flipping through channels and wound up on the Food Network. And there it was: an Italian vichyssoise. After watching maybe three minutes of the show, I made my grocery list and headed to the store to pick everything up. I’ll admit that I was a little intimidated going into this. When John was in college, I came up to visit him from Florida and remember his roommates attempting to make vichyssoise. An ambitious dish for a bunch of college kids, no? The end result was fantastic, but I recall one roommate in particular sitting over a ricer for a lengthy amount of time trying to make the world’s smoothest potato puree. It seemed far too labor intensive for me. Luckily, this recipe calls for the use of a blender (I use my handheld immersion blender when making soup — no transferring back and forth necessary!).

There are a couple things that make this soup so wonderful. First, arugula. I love arugula. It is without a doubt my favorite leafy green. It’s spicy, peppery, and complements so many other flavors. It adds the little kick that I’m looking for here.

Tomatoes. This is by no means a heavy soup (there’s no cream to be found!). But the acid from the tomatoes really brightens this dish.

And, of course, croutons. Do not skip this step. Truth be told, I think we’re all in agreement that soup is merely a vessel for consuming bread. Yes? The more, the better.

Alright, NY summer weather. Bring it.

Should I hold the door open for others? Yes. Should I take my dog for a walk when he dances at the door (puppy dance either means ‘throw my raccoon’ — a toy, not an actual animal — or ‘let me outside to pee’)? Absolutely. Go in for that . . . → Read More: Chipotle Salmon BLT]]> Some decisions are easy.

Should I hold the door open for others? Yes. Should I take my dog for a walk when he dances at the door (puppy dance either means ‘throw my raccoon’ — a toy, not an actual animal — or ‘let me outside to pee’)? Absolutely. Go in for that second (or third) glass of wine? Obviously. Yes. Without question.

See? Easy.

This sandwich is a no brainier. BLTs already top the list as one of my favorite sandwiches ever. And adding avocado is as necessary a component as peanut butter is to jelly. So why add salmon? Why not?

Fresh out of lettuce, I used baby spinach as the base. Thinly sliced plum tomatoes, a couple strips of the good stuff (bacon, obvi), some avocado, and a good slathering of tex-mex ranch from Chop’t. You could use any spicy sauce or dressing that you have on hand; I love the little kick you get from adding some heat.

Form your perfect little bundles on the roll of your choice, grab a napkin, and dive in.

Messy in the best possible way.

If you’re on team ‘granola’, you know all that crunchy, nutty goodness is delicious on it’s own, mixed with yogurt, formed into bars, or simply sprinkled on top of fresh fruit.

If you think you hate granola, you obviously . . . → Read More: Homemade Granola]]> So here’s the deal: you either love granola or you hate it.

If you’re on team ‘granola’, you know all that crunchy, nutty goodness is delicious on it’s own, mixed with yogurt, formed into bars, or simply sprinkled on top of fresh fruit.

If you think you hate granola, you obviously haven’t tried mine.

I could eat this by the spoonful — no, the bucketful. I’ve included my favorite ingredients (cashews, almonds, and peanut butter chips), but granola is the perfect blank canvas for adding your own special touch. Replace raisins with dried apricots or cranberries. Add pistachios or macadamia nuts. Throw in some chocolate chips or leave the sweet ingredients out altogether.

Make it yours.

I love healthy takes on burgers, I love Thai food, and I generally love the blog where this recipe came from (How Sweet It Is). . . . → Read More: In Case You Were Wondering…]]> …not everything I make is blog-worthy. In fact, sometimes the things I’m most certain will be ah-mazing fall flat. Like these Thai turkey burgers I made last night.

I love healthy takes on burgers, I love Thai food, and I generally love the blog where this recipe came from (How Sweet It Is). Should be a home run, right? Sadly, like most turkey burgers, they were too dry and lacking that punch of flavor I was hoping for. (Don’t be deterred from visiting her blog, though! The unbelievably delicious shrimp burgers I made a few weeks back were adapted from her recipe.)

Then there was my take on lasagna primavera.

Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian comfort foods. Just looking at it makes me all warm and fuzzy. The flavors here were okay, but texturally it was all over the place. Big pieces of broccoli just don’t belong between two sheets of pasta.

Thai noodle soup? Big fail.

I had to add double the amount of recommended liquid to give it some sort of soup-like consistency. Clearly, something went wrong.

Broccoli and leek pie? Another awesome vegetarian idea.

Too bad the flavor was completely overpowered by tarragon and mustard.

And how could I forget my seemingly clever attempt at make-ahead egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches? Cook everything off, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, freeze, and reheat in the morning.

Horrible. Horrible.

On the dessert front were these raspberry scones. (I think I made these during my second trimester of pregnancy when I was trying to be healthier and eat more fruit. HAH!)

Apparently, these were so off-putting that I couldn’t even bring myself to take an ‘after’ photo.

So you see, it’s not all victories. I’m not discouraged, though. For every lackluster plate of food I put on the table, there are at least two or three real triumphs leading up to it. And thus the joy of being a home cook!

Okay, so perhaps this isn’t a Greek salad at all. It’s a twist on a Mediterranean kebab. Take a protein of your choice, add salty olives, creamy feta, and pita chips. Pita chips. Trust me, you . . . → Read More: Kebab Cobb Salad]]> This is no ordinary Greek salad. Cucumbers? Gone. Tomatoes? Nada. Green peppers? Nowhere to be seen.

Okay, so perhaps this isn’t a Greek salad at all. It’s a twist on a Mediterranean kebab. Take a protein of your choice, add salty olives, creamy feta, and pita chips. Pita chips. Trust me, you gotta have that crunch.

At first bite, I knew we were going to get along. What I didn’t expect was to miss the salad when it was gone.

As with the previous Sante Fe Salad, this takes no time to pull together. Weeknight dinners and healthy eating can go hand-in-hand, guys.

The key to bringing any salad together? A really good dressing. The Chop’t inspired salad that this was made after uses a greek yogurt tzatziki sauce. I almost went this route, but then I found myself wandering around Trader Joe’s and happened upon a creamy feta dressing. It was love at first bite.

Seriously, I can’t wait to make this again. Don’t tell my husband, but I think I’m starting to have a love affair with salads.

Who enjoys giving up cookies or waking up an hour earlier to hit the gym before work? Anyone? No one wants to work for their goals. We want to stick to our bad habits, eat . . . → Read More: Sante Fe Salad]]>

“I love working out, eating small portions, and counting calories,” said no one ever. No one I know, at least.

Who enjoys giving up cookies or waking up an hour earlier to hit the gym before work? Anyone? No one wants to work for their goals. We want to stick to our bad habits, eat something tasty, and have the pounds magically fall off.

Wake up, people. Not happening. (This is directed more towards me than towards you.)

While I usually fall into the make-resolutions-but-never-keep-them category, this year I’m being more proactive. I’ve got a foolproof motivator – my son.

I want to be healthier for him. I want him to watch his parents eat well, work hard, and play harder. Healthy living isn’t easy. I know that eating nuts and berries isn’t for everyone, and that quinoa is a desired taste, but this salad? It’s a crowd pleaser.

Even better? It’s really satisfying.

The inspiration for this salad comes from my favorite salad chain in all the land – Chop’t (seriously, check it out) — it’s what got me through my pregnancy. Once John and I moved to Westchester, I was ecstatic to find a Chop’t right around the corner from us. During my third trimester, I must have eaten this salad at least once a week.

The secret ingredient? French fried onions. Don’t laugh! I realize that doesn’t fall under the “healthy” category, but a little goes a long way, and they add some much needed crunch.

My other favorite ingredient? The salad dressing. Oooooh the salad dressing! They call it tex-mex ranch. It’s basically ranch dressing mixed with chipotles, ancho, paprika, and cayenne pepper. In other words: heaven. I had John pick some up on his way home one evening, but it would be easy enough to make if you have ranch dressing at home.

Sadly, if you don’t currently live in NY or Washington D.C., you’ve probably never had the privilege of eating at Chop’t. Lucky for you it doesn’t matter! In my attempt to eat healthier, I’ve been working my way through their menu and recreating them at home. Obviously, you all are my first priority, so I’ll be sharing them as I go along.

Add chicken or shrimp if you’d like, but this hearty vegetarian salad stands up on it’s own.

Did I mention this comes together in less than 10 minutes? Best. Salad. Ever.

This burger? You’ll want to make it immediately. Juicy, succulent shrimp, fresh avocado, homemade tartar sauce. Ohmygoodness. I made them twice in two weeks, if that tells you anything.

But seriously. Wipe the drool off your face and get into the kitchen now.The prep work . . . → Read More: Shrimp Burgers]]> We need to have a little talk.

This burger? You’ll want to make it immediately. Juicy, succulent shrimp, fresh avocado, homemade tartar sauce. Ohmygoodness. I made them twice in two weeks, if that tells you anything.

But seriously. Wipe the drool off your face and get into the kitchen now.The prep work is easy. Combine panko bread crumbs and spices in a large mixing bowl.

Place peeled and deveined shrimp into a food processor and pulse into a chunky paste. Add to seasoned breadcrumbs, form into patties, and sauté in a little olive oil over high heat.

The creaminess of the fresh tartar sauce… the nutty flavor from the whole wheat bun… the sweetness of the shrimp. Everything just worked. Make sure to add some onion for a little heat and crunch.

And serve with a big pile of sweet potato or plaintain chips.