If you don't love, and I mean love garlic, go ahead and ignore this recipe. This recipe is for my fellow garlic lovers. I stumbled upon this recipe in 2009, in the May issue of Real Simple magazine. It embodied what I loved most about Real Simple recipes: the recipe was, well, real simple! Garlicky Pinto Beans became my go-to side when I needed to whip up something quick and easy. I almost always have all the ingredients in my pantry, so no running to the grocery store. Coming up with a fast side dish is one of the hardest parts for me on my healthy eating journey, so I'm always happy to have recipes like Garlicky Pinto Beans in my arsenal. Without dishes like this, I would resort to eating double the appropriate portion size of my entree (i.e. two burritos instead of one). What is your go-to healthy and simple side dish? If you have a good one, I'd love for you to share in the comments!
I've always loved Cream of Asparagus soup, but indulge only rarely, because it's so high in calories. However, with asparagus being in season, I kept finding myself craving that rich, creamy soup. So I decided to rework the recipe and create a healthier version. I reduced the amount of butter and cream, and upped the veggies, but I promise you can't tell. My version of Cream of Asparagus Soup tastes just as rich and creamy as its higher calorie counterpart. This recipe also gets high marks in my other two important areas: it's easy and quick to make, and it's kid friendly. If you find yourself craving this soup when it's no longer asparagus season, don't fret: it works wonderfully with frozen asparagus too.
So today I have some news to share. You may have noticed that my blog entries have decreased a bit since January. The reason? Well, I've been exhausted and sick. Just the thought of most food makes my stomach uneasy. Yup, that's right: I'm pregnant! Baby #2 is expected in early October. I had a very tough first trimester, but now that I'm finally in the second trimester, I can start to feel my appetite and motivation trickle back. Woo!
The seafood used in a recipe can make or break a meal. My husband actually thought he hated shrimp until I was finally able to get him to try some fresh shrimp while in Savannah. Now he loves it...as long as we get it from a reputable source. This is a particular problem in a town like Athens, where the ocean is is a good 5 hours away, with no interstates leading from the coast. Needless to say, most of our grocery stores don't sell the freshest seafood. So we rely on our local Earth Fare, where they always have a great selection of fresh seafood.
