All of the flavors of a leisurely Sunday brunch baked into a muffin that’s perfect to take on the go. 

Now that my daughter Sienna has started preschool, our mornings have become quite a whirlwind as we get her ready for school and ourselves ready for work.  And like her mommy, Sienna definitely likes to sleep until the last possible minute!  So although I hope to be able to sit down to a nutritious, homemade breakfast as often as possible, the reality is that there will be plenty of days when I’ll need a faster breakfast option. Enter these delicious savory breakfast muffins!   

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With the holidays right around the corner, here are two festive rice dishes that would be the perfect addition to your family table.  Both dishes celebrate fall flavors and ingredients.  My Stuffed Acorn Squash pairs Tasty Bite brown rice with aromatic vegetables, crunchy pecans, sweet dried cranberries and salty Parmesan cheese.  The earthy flavor and chewy texture of brown rice works well in this hearty baked dish that would make a lovely side dish for the holidays.  My Pumpkin Spice Rice Pudding uses fragrant Tasty Bite jasmine rice, and is the perfect holiday dessert.  Flavored with delicate pumpkin and warm fall spices, it has a rich, creamy consistency that your guests will love. 

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Cookies that are healthy?  Yes, it’s possible.  These delightful morsels are packed with nutritious ingredients and are perfect for the holidays. 

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.


I get nostalgic around the holidays, especially since I moved to Fort Lauderdale, leaving most of my family in the Northeast.  The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones, spend quality time together and enjoy good food.  Although we won’t be going up north for Christmas this year, I’m excited that my family will be coming to Florida for Thanksgiving and I’m cooking dinner!  I’ve already started bookmarking dozens of recipes for my holiday menu.  I'm trying to narrow it down, but I’m sure I’ll end up cooking way too much.  The focus of our holiday meal is usually on the appetizers and main course and by the time dessert comes around, everyone is too full to have much more than a thin slice of pie.  Specifically, apple pie was always a staple at the holidays when I was growing up.  Although my mom is a great cook, she's not a baker so it was usually store-bought.  When I heard about a recipe contest sponsored by siggi’s yogurt through the Recipe Redux, I immediately knew what kind of dish I wanted to make.  I decided to create a lighter dessert recipe that has all of the warm flavors and spices of the holiday season but won't leave you feeling over stuffed.  My Spiced Apple Skyr Quinoa Cookies with Vanilla Maple Drizzle are small and light and bake up soft and fluffy.  These delightful morsels are perfect for a little nibble after a heavy meal and they pack all of the flavors of yummy apple pie into one nutritious cookie.

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Enjoy the delicious flavors of fall with this hearty and nutritious breakfast parfait. 

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received samples of Nature's Path and Stonyfield products for use in this post. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Are you a fan of the pumpkin spice craze that occurs this time of year?  Once fall comes around, the stores start lining their shelves with pumpkin spice products and the internet abounds with pumpkin recipes.  Personally, I’m still a fan of pumpkin spice because I love this time of year.  Since I moved to South Florida, I definitely miss the change of seasons (but not the brutal winters!).  It’s just not the same drinking a pumpkin spice latte in 80 degree weather.  But even if I can’t have the fall weather, I can still enjoy the wonderful autumn flavors.

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My Banana Flax Bread is packed with nutritious whole grains, flaxseed and Greek yogurt.  When it’s baking in the oven, it will make your whole house smell absolutely delicious! 

Banana bread is the ultimate fall comfort food.  When the weather starts to get cooler, I often crave warm, comforting foods, and banana bread definitely fits the bill.  

We buy a lot of bananas in my house.  When they get a little past their prime and start to turn brown, I either freeze them for smoothies or make banana bread. And when it comes to making banana bread, the browner the better.  Brown bananas will be softer and sweeter- perfect for a delicious and moist final product.  

When I heard that this month’s Recipe Redux theme was Fantastic Freezer Meals, I knew I had to make my Banana Flax Bread.  Quick breads like banana bread are perfect for freezing.  When I get in a baking mood, I often bake large batches of cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. and then freeze them.  This way you always have a convenient, heat-and-eat breakfast or snack when you want one.

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This nutritious twist on lasagna uses spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  Spaghetti squash has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and is loaded with nutrients.  Packed with protein and fiber, this dish will keep you feeling full and satisfied!

I’m excited to announce that I recently became a member of a wonderful community of bloggers called The Recipe Redux.  Started by three registered dieticians, The Recipe Redux was founded on the belief that healthier eating should always taste delicious.  It’s right up my alley!  I’m so happy to be a part of this unique and talented group. 

For this month’s challenge, The Recipe Redux asked us to share a healthier “redo” of one of our favorite food memories.  It’s the perfect challenge for this time of year with Thanksgiving right around the corner.  For many of us, some of our most treasured memories revolve around sharing festive holiday meals with family and friends. 

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With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I'm sure many of you are in menu planning mode.  I know I am!  As one of the biggest, if not the absolute biggest food holiday, Thanksgiving gets its fair share of attention from the food blogging community.  It seems like social media has been taken over  with holiday inspired recipes, and I've been seeing so many incredible dishes on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.  So I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.  The 20 recipes below include some appetizers, entrees, side dishes and desserts.  Many of them are healthy and some are a bit more indulgent.  Enjoy and happy cooking!

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Brussels sprouts are definitely a polarizing food- people either love ‘em or hate ‘em.  Personally, they weren’t my favorite vegetable growing up.  This is probably because my mom never cooked them at home so my only experience was at restaurants where they were usually boiled to death and served with absolutely no seasoning.  But, in recent years, the humble Brussels sprout has definitely had a huge growth in popularity.  You can find them on any restaurant menu from casual to gourmet.  Shaved, deep-fried, roasted, braised and of course everyone’s favorite- cooked with bacon.  There’s something about the salty, smoky flavor of bacon that pairs really well with the slight bitterness of the sprouts.     

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This recipe was inspired by my mom and is one of the recipes included in my upcoming book, The Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, which will be released in 2015 (so stay tuned!).  Having grown up in a vegetarian household, my mom has always made the most delicious, vegetarian Indian dishes.  This is definitely one of those dishes that I turn to when I want something comforting that will deliver a taste of home.  

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In an informal poll that I recently took on Facebook, I asked what kinds of recipes people wanted me to post.  The most popular response was slow cooker dishes.  It's not surprising considering how convenient slow cooker recipes are. And now that I have a toddler, I appreciate these recipes even more!  With most slow cooker recipes, there's minimum prep- you can simply toss all of the ingredients into the bowl of the slow cooker and turn it on in the morning.  When you get home in the evening, dinner is ready to serve.  This Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwich recipe is also part of my Cook Once, Eat Twice series where I show you how to make a large batch recipe and use the leftovers in a variety of other dishes.  Besides sandwiches, pulled chicken can be used in soups, salads, omelets, burritos, pasta dishes, casseroles, you name it.  It also freezes well so it's great to have on hand when you need to make a quick meal on short notice.  In my next post I will feature this delicious chicken in my Pulled Chicken Quesadillas.

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