Sweet raspberries, tangy lemon curd and creamy yogurt come together in this craveable summer dish!

Stonyfield and prAna have partnered in the #SummerCravings campaign!  I received samples to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  

What are you craving this summer?

For me, summer means taking a little break and slowing down a bit.  What I crave is time off with my family to enjoy the simple things- lazy days at the beach or pool, grilling outdoors, outdoor music festivals, food truck events, etc.  I crave cute summer dresses, colorful salads with vibrant summer vegetables, fresh berries, locally caught seafood, and plenty of sweet treats.

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Cool down this summer with my Key Lime Pie Frozen Yogurt.  Making frozen yogurt has never been so fun!

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received the YayLabs Ice Cream ball and a sample of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt free to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

As the mother of a very active toddler, I’m always looking for new and fun activities to do with her.  So when Stonyfield teamed up with YayLabs!, I jumped at the chance to try out their SoftShell Ice Cream Ball.  A fun summer activity to share with my daughter and at the end of it all, we would have a delicious frozen yogurt treat- how can you beat that?

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An incredibly refreshing dessert, my Cherry Lime Granita just sings summer!

This month, the Recipe Redux challenged us to share how we showcase lovely July fruits and veggies, whether it comes from the farmers’ market, a CSA share or a plot of dirt in our backyard.  Unfortunately, I don’t have my own garden but this time of year, the local farmers’ markets are just brimming with beautiful, vibrant produce. 

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Jump-start your day with this Strawberry Almond Breakfast Quinoa- a hearty whole grain dish!

Start your day off right with this nutritious whole grain breakfast.  Quinoa might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of breakfast dishes but it’s a nice alternative to traditional oatmeal and it cooks up quickly.  Quinoa is an ancient grain with spectacular health benefits.  It’s packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals- no wonder the Incas referred to it as the Mother Grain!  To read more about quinoa, CLICK HERE. 

Quinoa can be cooked in milk instead of water, which will give it a slightly creamier consistency.  I use unsweetened almond milk in this recipe but you can use any type of milk like regular milk or coconut milk.  Then you just top it with your favorite ingredients for a filling breakfast that will jump-start your day. 

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Put a spring in your step with this energizing green smoothie.

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m a big fan of smoothies.  They’re quick and easy to make and they’re such a great way to get lots of fruits and veggies into your diet.  Plus, my toddler loves them, which is awesome for me because I can add in a whole variety of nutritious ingredients that she normally might not try on their own.  Now that I live in sunny South Florida, I love making smoothies all year round.  It's great being able to take advantage of the abundant fresh produce, but if you live in a cooler climate, you can always use frozen fruit.  In the freezer section of the grocery store, you’ll find plenty of fruits and vegetables that are frozen at their nutritional peak, just waiting to be popped into the blender to make a healthy, refreshing smoothie.  

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Your family will swoon over this lovely breakfast dish that puffs up high in the oven.  Light and airy yet satisfying and filling, serve it straight from the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar.      

A Dutch baby, also called a German pancake, is a baked breakfast dish that’s like a cross between a popover and a pancake.  It’s traditionally baked in the oven in a cast iron skillet and has a delightfully light, tender and eggy interior with crispy edges.

The batter is extremely easy to make- simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender and blend away.  My version has sautéed apple slices that are baked into the batter for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients. 

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I’ve never been a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions because they’re easy to make but also so easy to break.  However, I do think that the New Year is a great time to start developing healthier eating habits, especially after overindulging during the holidays.  But rather than setting unreasonable goals for yourself (and invariably ending up disappointed), why not try making small but significant changes to your diet and lifestyle?  Changes that will positively impact your health and put you on the road to success for the whole year.    

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A couple of weeks ago I posted a One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream recipe- a quick and easy ice cream recipe using only fresh bananas.  Since then I’ve been on a quest for more healthy dessert recipes.  Let’s face it, it’s hard to find easy, guilt-free dessert recipes that also taste great.  That’s why I’m really excited about my Super Fast Peach Frozen Yogurt.  This delicious treat simply involves putting frozen peaches, Greek yogurt, honey and a bit of lemon juice into a food processor and blending until smooth and creamy.  You only need five minutes and the end result is a creamy, luscious treat that the whole family will love.  It’s hard to believe it’s so easy to prepare- no ice cream maker needed. 

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For some time now, I’ve seen a recipe for a simple one-ingredient banana ice cream circulating on the internet.  The other day I had some really ripe bananas sitting on the counter and I decided to give it a try instead of making the usual smoothie or banana bread.  Now that I've tried it, I want to spread the word!

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If you’re looking for the perfect drink to quench your thirst on a hot summer day, then my Strawberry Coconut Lassi is for you.  Lassi is a classic yogurt-based Indian drink.  Served cold, lassi can be savory or sweet.  I grew up drinking salted lassis in the summertime, which my parents would make by blending yogurt with ground cumin, salt and ice.  Sweet lassi, on the other hand, is made by blending yogurt with sugar or fruit along with other flavorings like cardamom and rose water.  Mango lassi, which is very popular in Indian restaurants, is made with yogurt and mango puree.  You can make your own flavor lassi at home by blending yogurt with your favorite fruit and sweetener.  Any type of berry or tropical fruit like papaya, pineapple or banana would work well in this recipe.  You could even try making it with stone fruit like peaches, plums or nectarines.  

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This Carrot-Ginger-Banana Smoothie is just one of over 400 recipes included in The Complete Book of Raw Food Volume 2, by Lisa Montgomery.  I had the opportunity to read this new book published by Hatherleigh Press and I must say that I learned a great deal about raw foods.  What exactly is a raw diet?  It’s a diet that consists of raw foods such fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds that are uncooked.  The philosophy behind a raw diet is that because the food is not heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, it retains all of its nutrients that would otherwise be lost during the cooking process.  This allows your body to get the most from your food.  Montgomery does a great job of discussing how eating raw is not simply a diet but rather a whole lifestyle change.  She stresses the importance of taking positive steps to improve your health and well being in all aspects of your life, not just your diet.        

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When my daughter Sienna was born, one of the most common questions that people asked me was whether I was going to make my own baby food.  Usually I would just laugh nervously and say something along the lines of “We’ll see…” The truth is that even though I had always pictured myself creating culinary masterpieces for my baby, in reality I couldn’t imagine finding the time to do it.  Now that Sienna is nine months old, I am happy to say that I’ve been making all of her food and it’s not as hard as you would think.  In fact, it’s pretty easy.  All you need is a food processor, blender or immersion blender and preferably a steamer (or steamer basket).  If you can set aside a couple of hours one day, you can make enough baby food to last for weeks.

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Here's an easy, delicious smoothie recipe to get your day started. My Cherry Almond Smoothie is packed with flavor and nutrients. The base of this smoothie is made with almond milk, which gives it a nice nutty flavor. Almond milk has become particularly popular in recent years because it has a lot of great nutritional properties.  You can buy it at the store or make your own at home by soaking almonds in water overnight and then pureeing them. 


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When most of us hear the word "chia," we think of the novelty plants that were popular in the 80s. But lately, chia has been gaining super food status in the culinary world because of its numerous health benefits. Chia is actually an ancient seed native to South America and has been a staple in Mayan and Aztec diets for centuries. It has a mild flavor and is available in black or white seeds. It can be found in specialty food stores or health food stores.

Chia seeds have a similar nutritional profile to another super food- flaxseed. Head to head, chia seeds actually have even more omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants than flax. And unlike flaxseed, chia seeds can be digested whole and don't have to be ground. They also have a longer shelf life.

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