• Gluten Free,  Kids

    A Berry Good Day Wrap

    I had sinus surgery this week and I’m still in recovery mode but the ambition to create and the need to show more patriotism by sharing red, white and blue foods with my loved ones beckoned me.  I have a lot of love for our soldiers and love a day where we honor them in the past, present and future.  I truly believe this country is the home of the free because of the brave. My prayer for this holiday and for the future is that we can stand on that bravery in the face of fear and do better at uniting. Celebrating our differences and honoring our country as…

  • Appetizer,  Gluten Free,  Kids

    Asian Pear Salad

    Apples are abundant in the state of Washington.  We are fortunate and can have a sense of pride here because apples are such a nutritional powerhouse.  They are so versatile too. You can enjoy apples a million different ways and they always hit the spot, don’t they?  I love how many different kinds of apples there are. Today though, I want to mention a fruit that resembles an apple in flavor (the guts, not the skin) that is now grown in the United States and is just as nutritional. It’s called an Asian pear. Plantings on the west coast exist in Yakima and Wenatchee, Washington, and in Hood River and…

  • Kids

    Mango And Cod Tacos

    Fruit salsa is a great thing to have around for picnics and potlucks this time of year. Making a fruit salsa from scratch is really easy. It’s a great topping for salads which I eat all the time when the weather is warm. You can use fruit salsa as a chip dip and you can use it to top chicken, beef, fish or even tofu.  Don’t forget that fruit salsa can be really good on top of desserts too.  There are just a few variations that are necessary to remember depending on what you use the salsa for.  When it comes to savory dishes like on top of meat, I like…

  • Gluten Free,  Kids

    Gluten Free Vanilla Coconut Pancakes

    Sometimes, you just want breakfast, for dinner. It happens. I do think breakfast foods, like eggs, fluffy pancakes and some salty breakfast meat can really hit the spot sometimes. My version of comfort food looks something like this.  I’ve wondered why these foods are traditionally eaten in the morning, in America.  Tonight, I went all out and even made the pancakes from scratch because I’ve wanted to try a new flour. The selection I chose tonight was coconut flour. Yep!  It was really good! This recipe also uses stevia which I liked better than regular sugar. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute that has no calories or carbohydrates which is…

  • Appetizer,  Kids,  Vegetarian

    Spring Soba Noodle And Edamame Salad

    One of the trickiest allergies that I, as a chef work with on a daily basis is an allergy to soy and products that contain soy lecithin.  I would like to take a brief moment to speak on why soy is so widely used in The United States starting with the fact that it is inexpensive and plentiful here and in many countries globally. Because soy is so versatile, it is commonly grown. You can notice the versatility of soy just by understanding how many thousands of products use soy. Isolated soy proteins are used to bring together oil, fats and water creating a longer moistness and stability in products keeping…

  • Appetizer,  Gluten Free,  Kids,  Vegetarian

    Coconut And Broccoli Salad

    Oh Broccoli! You’re one of a kind.  Broccoli is such a dramatic food. It’s versatile too. You can see broccoli as a main ingredient like the recipe today or broccoli can take a backseat to be just a component in your meal. Either way, it’s a very delicious choice because of all of its amazing properties. I love to introduce fresh broccoli to toddlers by steaming it to get them used to the flavor. It has so many good vitamins. I often like to serve broccoli almost raw because the texture and smell tends to be more favorable. However, I find roasted broccoli delicious. Not everyone does though. I think it’s great to try…

  • Gluten Free,  Kids,  Vegetarian

    Quinoa And Brown Rice Custard

    Why is Quinoa so AWESOME? Pronounced keen-wah, this is a seed that is healthy and quick cooking. It has a great soft flavor that blends well with rice. Health Benefits of Quinoa 1.     It’s protein balance is similar to milk and has more protein compared to rice, millet or wheat 2.      A good source of riboflavin — riboflavin helps reduce the frequency attacks in migraine sufferers by improving the energy metabolism within the brain and muscle cells. 3.     Quinoa is used to promote healing of skin injuries in South America, making it a good antiseptic. 4.     It only has 172 calories per ¼ cup dry quinoa. 5.      Since it is…