Hold on to summer a little while longer and fire up the grill for my tasty Strawberry Teriyaki Salmon Kebabs. 

In a recent post, I shared my Strawberry Jalapeño Salsarecipe and promised that it would make another appearance soon in a second recipe to pair with it.  Well, here it is- my Strawberry Teriyaki Salmon Kebabs. 

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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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A healthier take on a classic summer dessert, these shortcakes are sure to please.

Can you believe it’s almost August already?  I feel like summer just started!  The other day I was at my local grocery store and the back to school stuff out was already out!  The end of summer tends to creep up on me even faster now that we live in Florida since schools start early here.  Growing up in New York, we had a little more time to enjoy the lazy days of summer since Labor Day traditionally signaled the start of school.

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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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This post was sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

People are always asking me for healthy eating tips.  What’s one of the best ways to make sure that you’re eating the right types of foods?  Cook at home!  When you cook at home, there’s no mystery involved.  You are the one controlling the ingredients and the cooking methods.  Healthy eating is not about following a restrictive diet and denying yourself the foods you love. It’s about eating a well-balanced diet filled with a wide variety of delicious and nutritious whole foods and leading an active, fulfilling lifestyle.

One of the most basic changes you can make to your every day cooking routine that can significantly improve your health is to cook with olive oil.

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These healthy chicken tenders and tomato poppers are the perfect addition to your summer picnic basket.

Don’t you just love summer?  Everything is just more casual and relaxed when the summer season is underway- including entertaining.  All you need is some good friends, good food, and some cold drinks.  Simple is best when it comes to summer entertaining.  No slaving over a hot stove for hours. I’d rather spend the time outdoors! 

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This rich and savory dish is perfect for entertaining- and you can assemble it all the night before!

This blog post was sponsored by Stonefire Naan, but all opinions expressed are my own.

When most people hear bread pudding, they think of dessert.  But there’s a whole other world of savory bread puddings and it’s pretty amazing.  Savory bread pudding, also sometimes known as strata, is a casserole made with cubed bread, cheese and other ingredients like vegetables or meat, baked in an egg-based custard.  This rich and elegant dish is equally suitable for the brunch or dinner table.  It also makes an excellent side dish or vegetarian entrée for the holidays.

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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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These lovely gluten-free mini quiches are the perfect addition to your Easter table.


Like many chefs and foodies, I usually get excited when spring is right around the corner.  It’s nice to see the winter squash and root vegetables at the market making way for the fresh spring vegetables that are suddenly abundant like ramps, fresh peas, asparagus, artichokes, radishes, garlic scapes, and leeks.

I also associate Easter with the beginning of spring.  Did you know that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox?  For those of you who don’t remember your 8^thgrade Earth Science, the vernal equinox (March 20) is significant because it’s one of the two days of the year when day and night are about equal in length all over the world.   

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No more boring tuna dishes!  My Spaghetti with Tuna is an elegant dish that will make you look at albacore in a whole new way. 

I love pasta.  I often turn to pasta dishes when I’m looking for dinner ideas for my family or even when I’m entertaining guests.  I try to keep things interesting by adding a variety of ingredients to my pasta dishes like colorful, nutritious vegetables and hearty, lean proteins.  You may not think of adding seafood to your pasta dishes but fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster, clams and mussels are all excellent additions to your usual dinner dishes.  In fact, the US Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of a variety of seafood per week for those following a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet.  Among other things, seafood is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have numerous health benefits.  

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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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Creamy, rich, and chocolaty- my Chocolate Raspberry No-Bake Cheesecake Jars have all of the flavors of cheesecake without the guilt.  It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received free samples of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt and Divine Chocolate to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you may be wondering what to do for that special person in your life.  I’ve always preferred to stay in for Valentine’s Day.  It’s become kind of a tradition that I make a romantic, homemade meal for my husband with all of his favorite foods.  And while the specific menu varies from year to year, there’s one thing that always remains the same- chocolate. 

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Crispy chicken cutlets are topped with a fresh, vibrant salad.  Dinner is served!

Thank you to organicgirl for sponsoring this post!

Many people start the New Year off with resolutions to eat healthier, and this often includes eating more greens.  But it can be easy to get stuck in a salad rut.  I’m here to tell you that salad doesn’t have to be boring or bland!  There are lots of fun ways to make your salads more interesting.  I personally love adding a variety of ingredients with contrasting flavors and textures like chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and crumbled cheese.  

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