Disclaimer: I received a free Tiger rice cooker and soup cup for review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m so excited about this post!  Not only am I going to be writing about my new cookbook, I’m also reviewing a wonderful product and hosting an amazing giveaway!  My latest cookbook, Natural Baby Food: Over 150 Wholesome, Nutritious Recipes For Your Baby and Toddler published by Hatherleigh Press, was released earlier this year.  Over the summer, we’ve had a successful “blog tour” where dozens of my amazing blogger friends have reviewed the book and helped spread the word.

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Did you know that it’s really easy to make your own salad dressing?  My Buttermilk Herb Dressing is simple, delicious and healthy.  Store-bought salad dressings often have a lot of added sugars, preservatives and a surprising number of calories.  However, when you make homemade salad dressing, you can use fresh, natural ingredients and make healthy substitutions as desired.  My Buttermilk Herb Dressing is like a cross between ranch dressing and green goddess dressing- two of my favorites.  It uses fresh herbs, which are abundant this time of year, and it comes together in just a few minutes. By using low fat buttermilk and nonfat Greek yogurt, you can cut back significantly on the amount of mayonnaise used and still have a nice creamy texture.  The fresh herbs, dijon mustard and lemon juice add bright flavor and acidity.  This is a nice versatile dressing that can be used on salads or even as a dip.  Try it with my Butter Lettuce Salad, which features delicate butter lettuce leaves topped with heirloom tomatoes and fresh, grilled sweet corn.  

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A lot of people think of scallops as gourmet, restaurant food but the truth is that they’re really easy to make at home.  They’re perfect for a light, fast and easy meal because they only take minutes to cook.  I didn’t grow up eating scallops and didn’t really discover them until I was an adult.  Now it’s a safe bet that I’ll order them if I see them on a restaurant menu.  When I was in culinary school, I learned the proper way of cooking them and now I love to make them at home.  In restaurants, scallops are often basted in butter and served with rich sauces but on their own, they're actually really good for you.  Scallops are low in calories and packed with lean protein.  They’re rich in a wide variety of nutrients including selenium, phosphorus and zinc.  In addition, compared to other seafood, scallops are typically low in mercury.  Scallops are also low in saturated fat but have heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  Because of the numerous health benefits of omega-3s, the USDA dietary guidelines recommend eating two servings of seafood per week.  So the next time you reach for salmon or tuna, consider trying something different and grab some scallops instead.

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If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner recipe that uses fresh summer vegetables, then try my Summer Zucchini and Corn Frittatarecipe.  A frittata is like an Italian version of an omelet.  Mastering a perfect omelet can take years and in fact, many chefs are often asked to prepare an omelet as a test of their culinary skills.  But unlike an omelet, there is no fancy technique or complicated flipping involved with a frittata.  You simply sauté your vegetables, meat or other desired ingredients in a skillet, pour in your eggs and cook on the stove until the edges are set.  Then pop it in the oven and in just 10 minutes, you will have a fluffy, golden frittata ready to eat.  And to make things even easier, you can slice it and serve it right out of the skillet. 

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