Thursday Feature!!

Beyond excited to announce a new little series I was asked to be apart of by the lovely Kim, of Paddle To Shore! Every Thursday you will find me over on her blog posting brand new, fresh and healthy recipes with photos, you can whip up at home for breakfast, lunch or dinner! I couldn't be more thrilled and honored to team up with this lovely lady, so go ch-ch-check it outttt!

....Who said I only knew desserts? ;)

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Getaway Weekend

Taking a little break from the food today! 

Head on over to the lovely Paige Lowe Photography and check out some of the awesome moments she captured beautifully of our getaway weekend in Palm Springs!

(left: Bri from The Bear and The Bee; middle: Paige Lowe from Paige Lowe Photography; right: me.)

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Chocolate Chip-Pretzel Cookies

It's quite incredible what a little switch in recipe or one added ingredient can do to a dessert.

like pretzels in your chocolate chip cookie.

......you will thank me later.


Chocolate Chip-Pretzel Cookies
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda-aluminum)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 cups chocolate chips
1 - 1/2 cups crushed pretzels

Directions: 1) Pre-heat oven to 375F. 2)  Mix flour, baking soda, salt in a bowl; Set aside. 3) Cream olive oil, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. 4) Add applesauce to wet mixture, one at a time. 5) Slowly add flour mixture; mixing until fully combined. 6) Fold in chocolate chips and pretzels. 7) Bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Jeff's Vegetable Stir Fry

Not only is my boyfriend a great boyfriend ( brag ), he is a mean cook. Yep. I like to think it's one of the many, many reason's we make a great pair. Despite the fact that he does eat meat, and LOVES it, while I don't (eat it or love it), he sure can whip up a lot of savory vegetable plates.

Reigning champion is his stir fry. Packed with essential vegetables and a kick of spice, this meal is perfectly paired with a nice glass of Pinot Noir. With all of that, I bet you won't even miss the meat!



Vegetable Stir Fry
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 3 tablespoons Szechuan Spicy Stir Fry Sauce
Vegetables -  we used corn, red bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, squash, potato slivers and carrots.

Slice all vegetables, thin enough to cook quick, but thick enough to keep crunch. In a large wok, heat olive oil and stir fry sauce until it comes to almost a boil. Add vegetables to wok. Be sure to toss vegetables thoroughly in stir fry sauce. Cook, constantly tossing, until vegetables are blackened/seared on the outside. (Or, until desired consistency. You can taste test.) Slap it on a plate, and call it a day!

For a side, salad, baguette, or brown rice pair pleasantly.

"The goal is to sear everything. Cook enough to blacken the edges, avoiding overcooking, leaving the vegetable too soft. The best stir fry's have a little crunch." - wise words from the cook, Jeff.

Boy, I love that guy.

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Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I don't think you can ever have too many different varieties of banana bread. Whether it's sweetened up with blueberries, rich with chocolate chips, or simply, plain ole banana bread; It's a bread that will never fail to impress. 

To me, there's nothing better than a warm slice of it and a mug of coffee to start off my midweek morning.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups mashed banana

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1/3 cup peanut butter

3 tablespoons Earth Balance (butter), melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1) Heat oven to 350F. 2) In a large bowl, mix banana's, greek yogurt, peanut butter, butter and eggs until smooth. 3) Add both sugars to this mixture, combining well. 4) In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; Add to the wet mixture. 5) When fully combined, pour batter into pre-greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour (or until toothpick test comes out very close to clean). 6) Cool, and serve.

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recipe card: Carrot Cake

process and finished product photos, here.

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a Summer tart

Strawberries.






How could you not take a gazillion photos of this lusciously, gorgeous fruit?

I especially love them in the Summer, when paired with red apples and pears, baked in a flaky tart and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. But, hey, that's just me.



Summer Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 cups strawberries
1 red apple
1 green pear
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon


1) Remove your sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and allow to defrost for about 30 minutes. 2) While defrosting, chop strawberries, apple, and pear. 3) In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon; sprinkle chopped fruits with sugar mixture until they are decently coated; Set aside. 4) In another small bowl, whip egg and vanilla; set aside. 5) Place your pastry on a lined baking sheet, or small (greased) baking dish. 6) Brush pastry with egg mixture. 7) Arrange your fruits in the pastry, leaving 1/8-1/4 inch space along the edges. 8) Fill that pastry up, but remember that it is thin and your fruits will juice. 9) Sprinkle the fruits with any extra sugar mixture you may have. 9) Fold over the edges of pastry, and place in oven at 375F for 25-35 minutes, or until the pastry is a golden brown.

serve with ice cream, greek yogurt, or tea.

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