Hello! I am very honored to be guest posting today for Kristina at Whipped. If you don’t know Kristina, I suggest getting to know her ASAP. She is a brilliant and creative cook who mixes lovely healthy recipes with yummy desserts. My favorites include Homemade Oreos, Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, Turkey Sloppy Joes, and Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Crostini. When Kristina asked me to guest post, I agonized over what to contribute. I wanted something healthy and flavorful. I settled on my favorite superfood: quinoa. This Quinoa salad combined creamy roasted squash with tangy Thai flavors. It’s a great make ahead vegan meal that will give you [...]
About Dara
Dara is a lawyer by day and a foodie by night.Author Archive | Dara
Takeout Makeover: Baked Falafel
I LOVE falafel. It is one of those foods I only have once in a while from a food truck or a take out restaurant and I always think to myself “I should make this at home.” After Craig and I grabbed falafel last weekend he persuaded me to make a healthier version. Challenge accepted! Falafel is actually an incredibly simple vegan recipe. Just combine chickpeas with parsley, onions and a whole bunch of spices and cook. Traditionally, falafel is deep fried, but I decided to bake them instead. I baked and then broiled for a few minutes to get a crisp exterior. There are many fabulous ways to eat [...]
Super Slaw
So, a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win the most amazing giveaway. The lovely Katherine Martinelli was giving away a Magimiz by Robot-Coupe food processor to celebrate her 2 year Blogoversary. I was the lucky winner of this giveaway and I have been BLOWN AWAY by this food processor. It has a whole bunch of different blades for slicing, julienning and pureeing. In addition, I was lucky enough to get the juicer and smoothie attachments as well. So, I’ve been having a blast experimenting with my new toy. I’ve done some soups, some baking and some slicing but I decided it was time to try a slaw! [...]
Friday Links & Carb Love
Another week goes by and March begins to wrap up. I for one can’t wait for April. March has been plagued by lots of snowstorms, colds and the inability to wear cute spring shoes. Things are looking up – when I leave work it is still light out (sometimes) and I am begining to get a bit of spring fever. I have the overwhelming urge to go out and buy sandals and shorts despite the fact that today is a warm 40 degrees. Anyway. Have you checked out my CARBS Pinterest Board yet? I am constantly updating it with lots of carby goodness. I also just started a BACON board, [...]
Pistachio Quinoa Pilaf with Harissa
Quinoa is one of those amazing healthy foods that I enjoy but nonetheless neglect when it comes to thinking up fun recipes. Lately, my grain experimentation has mainly included bulgur and farro, but I decided to fix that pronto. Quinoa is a seed, actually – not a grain, but you catch my drift… Did you know? Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain and related to the spinach family. It has been grown for centuries in South America, where it was a staple of the Incan diet. Quinoa is a great source of both protein and fiber. It contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. [...]
Skinny Carrot Cake Muffins
I love carrot cake. Although I am a self diagnosed chocoholic, I think that, given the choice, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting would probably win out over chocolate cake any day. There is something awesome about making a sticky, sweet and unhealthy dessert out of a simple veggie like a carrot. I think I also associate carrot cake with Spring and Easter. I am currently desperate for spring, which seems like it will never arrive. In fact, the forecast for tomorrow is for more snow. I long for temperatures above 40 degrees! Craving carrot cake the other day, I decided to try my hand at some healthy muffins instead. [...]
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