This afternoon I got together with an old friend of mine, Diana. It’s funny, we were going to meet at Starbucks, and there are literally two Starbucks within 2 city blocks of me. I was at this one and took a self-portrait… Until we realized that Diana was at This Starbucks, so I boogied over there! I met Diana about seven years ago (2003) in Maya Tulum, Mexico on an ashtanga yoga retreat....

Here’s some of what I’ve been eating and doing this weekend… I’ve been enjoying green & white for dinner this weekend. Only green or white made the cut: *Broc *Greens *B.S. (yeah lotsa bullshit going on around here, too, but I actually mean Brussels’s Sprouts) *Cukes *Jicama (tasty, full of fiber & potassium) And after the green and white kick was over, here’s another Plate of Veggie Love: *Greens *Radicchio *Yellow Peppers *Carrots *Cukes *Creminis *Jicama Fruit: White peaches, nanners, blueberries, watermelon Brekky bowl of oats, 1 banana, cinnamon, and some pudgy raisins from TJ’s that I made for Scott....

I took this pile of empty MAC makeup containers and brought them to the MAC Store Tip: Every 6 empty MAC containers = 1 free lipgloss/lipstick so save them and turn them in for your freebie! I traded them for a few other items and….. …Prrr. I love Prrr It’s really iridescent and has great shimmer. And you can play around with liners from Plum to Spice and change its look....

Don’t want to break the bank this year? Want to pick something up that’s small yet practical for a certain someone? Here are my suggestions for Ten Gifts Under $10: This Cookie Scoop as mentioned here and here. This $3.99 item has done more for my baking and overall cookie results than any other item from Silpat to oven temperature to type of cookie sheet. Highly recommended. 2. I’ve bought two donut pans in the past few months: one regular and one mini....

Easiest Dijon Baked Salmon Recipe This Dijon baked salmon recipe is a spinoff of my recipes for Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Salmon, Honey Dijon Salmon, and Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon. You can tell just from the titles that I have a thing for salmon with any combination of lemon juice, honey, and Dijon. The flavors pair so perfectly together. The butter that’s infused with Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a touch of honey helps give this salmon tons of flavor and keeps it extremely moist and tender....

I may have mentioned this before, but I take my cookie game pretty seriously. Like, we’re talking Level: Cookie Snob. There are not enough meals in this lifetime to waste even one bite on a medium-good cookie. No, friends. We go big (and soft, and chewy, and leaning towards salty) or we go home. comment icon 76 more comments When I first flipped through the new Love Real Food cookbook that my friend Kathryne wrote, I just FELT like a boss....

A little confusing? Basically in 6 words, describe: Happiness (6 words on the secrets to life and happiness such as “Break some rules. Enjoy the euphoria.”) Love (6 words on love & heartbreak such as “caveat emptor. read the label honey.”) I found that site based on Angela’s post about 6 word love stories. So let’s play along, here’s some of my 6 word phrases about happiness and life: Caramel machiattos on weekend mornings rock....

I took this quick bump selfie in the doctor’s office yesterday literally 15 minutes before our lives came crashing in on us. I went in for a check-up, thinking I’d be home in an hour, and ended up getting admitted on the spot for having a 4cm dilation on my cervix with my water bag threatening to break through at just 23 weeks. Bjork and I are here in the high risk neonatal unit and we will stay here with me being on strict bedrest until baby arrives, which is not supposed to be till the end of April, but with these new developments, could happen anytime....

In keeping with my goal of highlighting the noteworthy recipes I made each month, here are the April 2012 recipes: White and Dark Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake Bars National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day Recipes Buttery Toasted Captain Crunchies Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch (vegan, GF) Milk Bar Mondays: Crack Pie Creamy Mixed Berry White Chocolate Crumble Bars Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Buttercream Frosting Day of the Mushroom Recipes...

comment icon 195 more comments And the b-b-b-b-bacon. As if there were another way. So there’s a holiday coming up and it starts with T and ends with hanksgiving. We food lovers know this holiday well because it’s the perfect time for us to say Hi Turkey! Hi Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sage Stuffing and Gravy and Cranberries! Hi Pumpkin Pie with a hearty thwap of fresh whipped cream! I see you and I appreciate you....

I chose the waxed canvas carrier in gray I love the curved look of the bag when it’s closed and the overall lines and shape of it. The interior is a bright blue turquoise that just pops! I love turquoise so much that it’s the color of the first tattoo I ever got (I was 17 and it’s a tropical fish on my abdomen that used to be vibrant turquoise but has faded) and also turquoise is used in my blog color palette....

comment icon 180 more comments But here it is: I am, in fact, excited today about the start of a brand-new series. It’s called Feeding a Broken Heart, and it’s a collection of recipes that are the food equivalent of a million hugs. As you guys know, life has made me an expert on the topic of feeding a broken heart after the early birth and passing of our sweet baby boy, Afton, just two and half months ago....

This mango salsa recipe tops our favorite salsas list which also includes: Cowboy Caviar, 5-Minute Salsa, and Salsa Roja. What makes my Mango salsa recipe different from others online is it’s smooth salsa consistency, as opposed to a pico-de-gallo consistency. I love the texture and the way the flavors blend when pureed together and I love the added touch of flavor from a dash of cider vinegar. You can make the salsa mild, medium or hot depending on how you add the jalapeño....

Pumpkin Pie… with Pecan Topping! If your family is anything like mine, we end up with so many versions of pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas because no one can agree. This pumpkin pecan pie is the best of both worlds! The soft and tender pumpkin filling is topped with an ample layer of praline pecans. They’re crunchy and candied and even people who don’t like nuts will love pecans like this....

I have a ton of better-than-takeout recipes that I’ve shared over the last 15 years and they’re always a favorite with readers. They tend to be very easy, ready in less than 30 minutes, made in one skillet, and use common and easy-to-find ingredients. Which is exactly how I would describe this better-than-takeout Mongolian chicken, too! Similar to my other Asian-inspired chicken skillet recipes, this one is ready in just 20 minutes, and the sauce that coats every bite of chicken has a wonderful sweet and tangy flavor....

Want to try more breakfast recipes? Try my Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, Yeasted Waffles, or Buttermilk Pancakes! I’m a huge lover of both sweet and savory breakfast foods and cheese blintzes are a newer favorite of mine. I first fell in love with them a few years ago when I had them at great breakfast restaurant on my birthday, and now everyone cheers when I make them for home. They’re easy to make and customize with your favorite toppings, and you can serve them for a special breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!...

comment icon 380 more comments Say hello to this bowl of brown butter scallops + risotto that is about to take you by storm with all of its brown butter glory. But back it up. Brown butter is just the beginning, er, more accurately, the finishing touch. Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read? Get Ready To Be Dazzled This feels-like-a-fancy-restaurant meal combines the love that is a pile of creamy Parmesan risotto (with a splash of white wine bcz this is a fancy restaurant, remember?...

comment icon 83 more comments Then I ate five brown sugar cookies to dull the pain. But the pain is still there. Ouchie. No matter how I feel about becoming a better reading teacher for K-12 (which happens to be awesome), I do not feel awesome about going back to school. How did this happen?! I thought I was done. Sob. But I also thought I didn’t like sugar cookies....

Stuffed Caprese Chicken Recipe I love caprese salads and caprese flavors, so this tomato, basil, and mozzarella stuffed chicken recipe is an automatic winner. It’s hard to resist juicy chicken stuffed with sun-dried tomato pesto, fresh basil, gooey mozzarella cheese, extra tomatoes, and topped with more basil. The chicken is easy, ready in 30 minutes, and will become a family dinner favorite in no time! It’s so juicy, packed with flavor, and is naturally gluten-free....

Caramel corn is one of my favorite snacks. Sweet and caramely with a bit of saltiness and plenty of crunch. It’s really good on it’s own, but it’s even better baked into chocolate chip cookies. I was looking around my pantry and noticed a bag of caramel corn that I had forgotten about. I opened it, shoved three handfuls in my mouth as fast as I could, and was about to demolish the whole bag when I thought there had to be something better to do with it than just shoveling it in fast and mindlessly....