Pure, unadulterated crab cake goodness topped with a colorful salsa that’s bursting with flavor- it’s the perfect summer entertaining dish!

I received free samples of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Zespri Kiwifruit and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

For the most recent Recipe Reduxcontest, we were challenged to “surprise and delight” with a recipe featuring Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit.  I was really excited to start experimenting in the kitchen because I’d never tried SunGold kiwifruit before.  This new variety of fruit is a natural cross between other gold varieties of kiwifruit (non-GMO) and is one of the fastest growing new fruits globally.  With their sweet flavor, pop of color, excellent nutritional profile and culinary versatility, these beauties are a must try! 

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Bursting with flavor, this easy 5 ingredient salsa is perfect for summer!

I always have fresh strawberries in my fridge in the summertime when they’re at their peak.  Strawberries are my daughter’s favorite fruit and we love them too.  They’re so easy to incorporate into a wide variety of dishes, from breakfast to lunch, dinner, and of course, dessert.  And you can use them in both sweet and savory dishes.  Check out my post on 10 fun ways to use summer berries.

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Nutritious sweet potatoes and a classic summer salad come together in this elegant appetizer.

This month’s Recipe Redux theme is “Get your fruits and veggies in shape… Show us how you’re serving the bounty of gardens and orchards in shapes like ribbons, noodles, cut-outs, or other creative cuts.”  When I read this, my first thought was- perfect!  Finally, I had an excuse to pull my spiralizer out of the closet!  My husband Pete actually got it for me as a gift about a year ago and I think he’s (not so) secretly been a little disappointed that I haven’t been cranking out spiralized dishes every night for dinner.  It’s not that I don’t love my spiralizer- on the contrary, the first time I used it to make zucchini noodles (aka zoodles), they came out great!  The sad truth is that as a food blogger, I tend to get so bogged down with my blog schedule, that it’s hard to find time to just play around in the kitchen and experiment with new tools and recipes.  I know my fellow food bloggers can relate!

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A fun take on a classic kid favorite, these tater tots are packed with nutritious zucchini instead of potatoes.

Now that my daughter Sienna is in school, I have to pack her lunch three times a week.   Even with all of the cooking I do, I must admit that I still sometimes find myself in a lunch rut.  I have my usual standbys that I turn to when I’m short on time or creativity like cashew butter and jelly sandwiches (one of her classmates has a peanut butter allergy), yogurt and fresh fruit.  But when time permits, I love coming up with fun and healthy new ideas to pack in her lunchbox. 

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5-Minute Pineapple Frozen Yogurt

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield blogger, I received free samples of Stonyfield organic yogurt to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  


My daughter Sienna has very interesting eating habits.  Like many kids her age, one day she’ll love something and the next day she’ll refuse to eat it.  But there’s one food that’s remained a constant in her diet from the beginning- yogurt.  She’s loved yogurt since she was a baby and we first introduced her to solids.  If it were up to her, she would probably eat yogurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  

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These delicious rice balls are a healthy remake of classic Italian arancini.

Thanks to USA Rice for sponsoring this post.  I was asked to participate in the “#ThinkRice” campaign as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network.

If you’ve never had arancini before, then you must try this recipe!  Arancini are Italian rice balls and they’re one of those dishes that I have to order when I see them on a menu.  These delectable bites are traditionally made with risotto, an Italian rice dish that has a rich, velvety taste and texture, but is a little time-consuming to prepare.  The risotto is formed into a ball and can be stuffed with various treats like meat, cheese, raisins or pine nuts.  Then the balls are coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.  The end result is delicious mouthful that’s crispy on the outside with an ooey, gooey, cheesy center.

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Colorful, vibrant and delicious, this nutritious, vegetarian flatbread is a feast for the senses.

Thank you to organicgirl for sponsoring this post!

You’ve probably heard the old adage that “you eat with your eyes first.”  How a food looks visually is one of the first sensory impressions we get before we dive in.  So it makes sense that if a dish looks visually appealing, it will be more appetizing to us.  People often ask me how they can get their families to eat healthier foods.  Ultimately, how a dish tastes is the most important thing so my tips usually revolve around how to maximize flavor without maximizing the calories and fat.  But almost equally as important is how a dish looks.  Perhaps it comes from all of my years doing food styling for the blog and my cookbooks, but the truth is that I love to make my food look pretty.  So here’s another tip- get creative and dress it up!  It doesn’t have to be complicated- something as simple as a garnish of colorful herbs, chopped nuts or a sprinkle of freshly grated cheese can dress up a healthy dish and make your family more likely to want to eat it.   

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Millet forms the base of these crispy, gluten-free cakes that are packed with nutritious veggies.

For me, the New Year is all about starting fresh, making healthy choices and trying new things.  And that’s exactly what the Recipe Reduxchallenged us to do for the first month of 2016- pick a new ingredient that we’ve been wanting to try and cook up a new recipe with it. 

I make a lot of recipes with whole grains.  After all, the dietary guidelines recommend that half of all the grains we eat be whole grains.  But most of the time, I end up making either brown rice or quinoa for dinner.  Sometimes I’ll make barley or farro.  I've been wanting to try some new whole grains so this week when I was at the grocery store, I ended up buying a bag of millet.  Although millet is a new grain for me, it’s actually quite ancient.  According to the Whole Grains Council website, “Before rice was widely consumed in Asia, it’s thought that different forms of millet were the staple grain in this region, as long ago as 8300 B.C.E.”      

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An explosion of flavors and textures- these dumplings are pure bliss in a bite!

I received free samples of Progresso Cooking Stock mentioned in this post at no cost. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Progresso Cooking Stock and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Did you know that bone broth is one of the hottest recent culinary trends?  High quality cooking stock is made by simmering real bones, flavorful vegetables and aromatic herbs for hours.  It’s this process that gives it rich depth of flavor.  That’s how Progresso’s new line of premium Cooking Stocks are made.  All of that flavor is packed into a carton that you can open up and use immediately with none of the work.  It's a great addition to soups, stews, sauces, chili- the possibilities are endless!  And at just 15-45 calories and 0-1 gram of fat per serving, it's a quick and clean way to boost the flavor of any dish.     

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I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  This year, we had a quiet Christmas at home.  It was just my husband, daughter and I, but we couldn't have asked for a better day.  Watching Sienna open all of her gifts was so much fun.  And when she was done playing with her toys and jumping around in the wrapping paper, she took a much needed nap.  She passed out surrounded with her new toys while still in her Christmas jammies and Cinderella dress- it was the cutest thing!

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These bite-sized meatballs are packed with the flavors of fall and are the perfect addition to your holiday table. 

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by siggi’s yogurt and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest.  I received coupons for free samples of siggi's yogurt.

When I think about holiday recipes, pumpkin immediately comes to mind.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes, you name it- I’m a fan of them all.  If you read my last post, then you know that I’m especially excited about Thanksgiving this year because my family is coming to Florida and I’m doing the cooking.  Because the main course is going to be a big meal, I plan to make just a couple of small but delicious appetizers to whet everyone’s appetites.  My Pumpkin Spice Meatballs with Orange & Ginger Cranberry Sauce are the perfect holiday appetizer.  They’re light, nutritious, and packed with the flavors of fall.  Plus, these adorable morsels are bite-sized, so they won’t fill your guests up too much before the main course. 

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Turn up the flavor at your next tailgating party with this Mediterranean-inspired pizza dish made with hummus and a simple chickpea crust.

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Sabra Dipping Co. LLC, and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Now that football season is underway, Sabra hummus is the perfect ingredient to use in your tailgating recipes.  It’s delicious, versatile and can be used to make your game day grubs more nutritious.  When I heard about the Sabra #TwoSpoons Tailgating Recipe Challenge through The Recipe Redux, I knew I had to enter.  After all, I’ve never been one to turn down a recipe challenge.  Plus, we eat Sabra hummus all the time in my house.  It comes in so many different flavors and pairs well with so many ingredients.  Hummus is made with chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), oil, garlic and spices.  It’s commonly used as a dip but I also use it in sandwiches, wraps, salads, dressings, chili, you name it!  It’s also really good for you!  It’s filled with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and plenty of important vitamins and minerals like folate and iron.  Just two tablespoons of hummus will fulfill your bean recommendation for the week!

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I'm all about summer salads that take advantage of fresh, seasonal ingredients. I love going to the farmers markets in the summertime when they’re brimming with beautiful produce and then coming home and figuring out how to use them in new and delicious dishes.  To me, variety is key when it comes to salads.  The ideal salad has to have lots of different ingredients, flavors and textures to keep it interesting.  My latest favorite summer salad is my Summer Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken and Creamy Berry Balsamic Dressing. 

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A delightful combination of toasted bread and fresh tomatoes, this easy recipe is one of the most widely eaten dishes in Spain.

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best.   Originating in Catalonia, this tomato bread is one of the most common and well-loved dishes in Spain.

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Simple and delicious, this classic Spanish dish is perfect for casual summer entertaining.

This dish is near and dear to my heart.  It brings back memories of the incredible trip my husband Pete and I took to Spain in 2010 for our five-year anniversary.  It was quite an adventure filled with plenty of amazing sites, culture and of course, food.  Our trip included some time in San Sebastian, a picturesque seaside town and Spain’s culinary capital.  With 15 Michelin stars, San Sebastian is one of the top foodie destinations in the world.  

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This easy Avocado Yogurt Dip is the perfect, no-cook summer recipe!

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy casual, no-cook dishes like chips and dip.  This month Stonyfield paired up with Late July, a company that makes delicious snacks with all organic, non-GMO ingredients.  We sampled their organic sea salt multigrain snack chips and even my 2-year-old daughter loved them!

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I was recently asked to write a post for the Tasty Bite blog.  If you're not familiar with Tasty Bite, it is a wonderful, socially responsible company that makes all-natural, ready-to-eat, vegetarian dishes with great taste, convenience and value.  All of their products, which include Indian entrees, Asian noodles and rice dishes, can be heated in the microwave in minutes, making them a great option for days when you want a nutritious meal but are short on time.  The subject of my post?  One I am very familiar with... how to introduce new flavors to your kids.  Below is a little snippet of my post.  Click on the link to read the full post and get my recipe for Tasty Bite Taquitos.    

As the parent of a toddler, I know from personal experience how challenging mealtime can be. I make plenty of dishes that I know my daughter Sienna would enjoy if I could just get her to try them. It’s a timeless conundrum that many parents face. How do you get your young children to try new foods and flavors that they stubbornly refuse to eat because they are unfamiliar with them?  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

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Packed with Asian flavors, these mini tuna meatballs are perfect for summer entertaining!

I love summer cooking, don’t you?  When I think of summer recipes, I think of simple dishes that are easy to make and even easier to eat.  I think of recipes that can feed a crowd for a casual backyard get-together, a picnic or even a trip to the beach.  When summer comes around, I definitely prefer dishes that can be popped in the oven or cooked on a grill rather than those that involve sweating over a hot stove! 

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These healthy, gluten-free coconut shrimp are baked instead of fried and are perfect for entertaining guests!

Have you ever had to whip up a quick dish or meal for last minute guests?  It’s always good to have one or two go-to recipes under your belt for those days.  I had an impromptu cocktail party the other night and needed a delicious and fun appetizer that would appeal to everyone and wouldn’t take too much time to prepare.  After a quick search through my pantry and freezer, I decided to go with coconut shrimp.  They’re the perfect appetizer for entertaining- they’re easy to pick up, you can eat them in one bite and most importantly, they taste great!   

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Dried plums boost the flavor and nutrition of this delicious flatbread that's sure to be a hit with your family. 

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Dried Plum Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Did you know that May is National Osteoporosis Month?  To kick off the month and raise awareness for this worthy cause, the California Dried Plum Board decided to challenge us Recipe Redux members to create delicious recipes highlighting this nutritious and versatile dried fruit. 

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