My name is Mary. I love cooking healthy food for family & friends, making specialty coffee, wine tasting, finding great beauty products, traveling, and organizing everything. I document it all here! xo
Hosting a dinner party doesn't have to be stressful, but there's definitely an art to it. I love preparing a thoughtful meal for family and friends because it's a way to express how much I care about them. As opposed to going out, hosting a dinner at home is more relaxing for guests and offers a more intimate setting. Use these steps to help guide your own dinner party game plan.
Last week my family and I rented a beautiful home in the Montecito neighborhood of Santa Barbara. The house was set high up in the hills and overlooked the Santa Barbara and Ventura County coastline. We had a pool, hot tub, BBQ, a breathtaking view (pictures to come!), so naturally we didn't want to leave our lavish digs.
Since there were usually between six and eight of us for dinner, we wanted to plan meals that were simple and could feed a large group of people. I scoured through some of my favorite cookbooks to find some tasty, family style recipes. This pasta dish was adapted from one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks, Love and Lemons by Jeanine Donofrio. Jeanine's recipe uses roasted brussel sprouts which would be delicious, but brussel sprouts really make my IBS symptoms flair up. You can honestly throw in whatever vegetables you fancy and substitute ingredients depending on what's in season. We easily doubled this recipe and had leftovers to take on our picnic lunch in wine country the following day.
Summer is officially here...and so is the heat! Hopefully you're cooling off at the beach, or staying inside with the air-con on full blast! Did you know there are designated cooling centers around the Los Angeles area?
This year we've made a conscious effort to cut down on any waste we produce. We avoid buying produce that's packaged and try to make things from scratch when we can. Our boxed milk alternatives have been one of the last things to go, although for years I've complained about the additives in these milks. Even if you buy the more "natural" ones, they still have some sort of binder and tend to be very pricey. I wish I hadn't waited so long! Homemade nut milk, of any kind, is easy to make and tastes fresh and delicious. And just one cup of almonds can yield over three cups of milk! We calculated the cost of making our own, and it's under a dollar (about 78 cents).
I've been curious about making energy balls, but always thought they were more complicated. But au contraire, they're quick and easy, and very forgiving as long as you have a mixture that is not too dry and tastes good. You can get creative in how you choose to coat the energy balls--hemp seed, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds, cocoa powder, you name it!
The best part is that they require no baking and no extra accoutrements--they are the quintessential healthy, grab-and-go food. Be advised: these suckers are delicious and easy to pop in your mouth one after the other, so pace yourself.
In the last three years Joshua and I have become somewhat of coffee aficionados. The specificity for our coffee has sparked comments from our family that we are annoyingly picky. Sometimes I long for the good old days when we weren't so particular--any decent cup of coffee from Peet's or Whole Foods would do. Nowadays, when we go on road trips, we lug along our various coffee accoutrements--we even have a portable hand grinder!
Although the pour over method is more time consuming than an automated coffee machine, the process has become almost spiritual and an important part of our morning ritual. The time and care that goes into our handmade coffee makes us truly appreciate it. Not to mention, the taste is incredible. Mmmmmm, just writing about it brings me back to the Kenyan Roast we sipped this morning.
In the spring, the farmer's market is filled with an array of beautiful lettuces. The greens are so tender, and delicate, all they need is a simple dressing.
This is my new go-to "parmesan" recipe. The brazil nuts have a moist, fatty texture that closely resembles real, grated parmesan cheese.
Summer is right around the corner and it is getting HOT in our little house. So, we be grillin'!
The inspiration for this recipe came from Tal Ronnen's Crossroads cookbook. Ronnen owns and operates a completely vegan restaurant (Crossroads) in Los Angeles.
It takes my stomach a few hours to wake up in the morning and I'm content just as long as I have my morning cup of coffee.
There are so many different ways to make pesto, using arugula, kale, walnuts, parsley, etc. It's truly a sauce you can play with, and it usually turns out delicious and flavorful.
Freshly baked gluten and dairy-free bread costs a pretty penny. At my local bakery, it goes for about $7 per loaf.
Meyer lemons are in typically in season between late fall and the early spring. During this time, I buy an eight pound bag each week from the vendor at my local farmer's market.
This recipe is an excellent substitute for sour cream or try adding to salad dressings, even pasta sauce.
Oh galettes, how I love thee! Savory or sweet? The choice is up to you! Lately, they have been my dinner party go-to.
Avocado toast needs no real recipe, but it deserves to have the limelight.
