Tag Archives: mmm

GG LaRue – eat up!

Hi hi.  For today’s post I thought I’d send a shout out to an old friend and fellow blogger, Gina of GG LaRue.  By old, I mean we went to the same grade school and high school.  Her mom was even my high school english teacher but honestly I haven’t seen her in like 10+ years.  Whatev, I think her blog is beautiful and inspiring so I thought I’d share!

Gina shares delicious, beautiful recipes that are the epitome of health.  They make me want to go vegan, paleo, raw, and gluten-free, as long as I don’t have to be them all at once, wink.  Here are a few I’d like to try out – stay tuned and I’ll give you a recap of how they go!

1. Zucchini Ribbon Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce - I used to make zucchini pasta for myself in college but I would dice it into long thin strings (a la spaghetti).  Gina’s recommendation of using a veggie peeler is such a time saver.  Maybe I’ll get back into my old habit.  Plus, hello Avocado sauce?? Sign me up.

2. Maple Glazed Salmon – We still have 1/2 a freezer full of Josh’s wild alaskan salmon he caught fishing this summer and we are always looking for new ways to cook it.   The salsa on top of this looks great and I’m intersted to see what the dash of chili powder tastes like mixed with the maple glaze.

3. Black Bean Burgers - We are big fans of The Burger in this house.  I’m not sure I could sway Josh away from his beloved organic grass-fed beef, but maybe I’ll test these guys out on a solo night and save some left overs for him to try?  I think Tilly would be a fan for sure. 

For all of Gina’s recipes, click on over to her blog.  I’m looking forward to a cookbook, aren’t you?

What’s Cookin’

I’ve been working on adding some new standards to my recipe repertoire*.  Here are 3 successes I’ve found recently.  Click the name for a link to the recipe:

1. Sweet Potato Biscuits - my friend Shari told me about using up baby food puree by adding flour, salt and baking soda and baking biscuits out of them.  Well I used up the last of my baby food puree months ago, but I cooked up some sweet taters just to make these because Tilly needed a little variety.  It’s weird, the sweet potato part turned green (which apparently is a normal reaction when it’s mixed with baking soda).  But other than that they’re yummy, healthy, and super easy for 1 year olds to hold and much on (29 year olds too…).

2. Tortilla Soup - Whole Foods had whole roasted chickens on sale for $5 this week, so I couldn’t help but pick one up.  They shared this soup recipe on their facebook page and it was so easy and delicious!  Shred the chicken, add a can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth, some salsa, and cilantro.  I also added some plain yogurt mixed with cumin and hot sauce, a few avocado slices and some chips on top to make it more of a meal.  DELISH and warm on these cold San Francisco evenings!

3. Egg and Avocado Salad - My stepmom recently spent the weekend with Tilly and told me that she really liked her egg salad sandwich.  I had never thought of that, but since I love them too I thought I’d whip some up.  I searched for it on The Kitchn because they always have fun variations on normal foods, and sure enough, they recommended adding avocado in place of 1/2 the mayo.  RIGHT?  So I used 6 hard-boiled eggs, 1 avocado, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and some salt/pepp.  Boom – breakfast ready for the week.

*I’ve been inspired by these super cute recipe cards that I got for my birthday!  I needed some new menu items to fill em out.  Thanks Jack-a-roon.

Happy St. Paddys

Oooh Kate brought me chocolate and flowers today!  I put them in a beer glass in honor of St. Paddy’s day.  I may be a Pendleton but I will always be the daughter of Patrick O’Malley Mahoney!

Thanks Kate!! 

26 weeks

26 weeks

26 weeks

oh HI!  I have been super super busy!  Here’s what’s been going on lately:

  • Josh turned 28!  We went to Campo di Bocce with a group of friends and mastered our Bocce skillz.  I’m so happy to share his name.  :)
  • My 6 month check up went great.  All’s well, not much to report!
  • We’ve been making room in our apt for the baby slowly but surely.  My office will be a nursery eventually – i really want to get a bassinet and crib soon!  Like really bad, it’s all I can think about.
  • I’ve put my maternity pants on the back burner and reverted to my old favorite jeans.  They button when I’m standing, but I have to unbutton them when I sit down.  I’m not sure if I’ve gotten really good at buttoning them slyly when I’m in public, or if I have just stopped caring.  (Okay I know which one…)
  • This week I’ve been addicted to Kale Smoothies at lunch (usually accompaning a grilled cheese).  You just put raw kale, spinach, frozen mangos, blueberries and some vanilla yogurt in the blender and let ‘er rip.  It’s delish and a great way to trick myself into eating veggies.  And so pretty!
  • speaking of food – a Whole Foods opened 2 blocks from our apartment!  It is honestly one of the best things to happen since we moved here.  (slight exaggeration but only slight).  We’re still trying to support our local Haight Street Market, but it’s fun to run to Whole Foods for last minute things or to hit up their sandwich/burrito bar for lunch.
  • The babe got hiccups yesterday.  It was such a weird feeling!!

Happy Valentines Day Eve

Happy Valentine’s Day eve!  I made “eggie in a heart shaped basket” this morning.  :)

Bay Area Staycation

This weekend was AMAZING.  My aunt (and boss) came to visit, so she, Josh and I walked through the Panhandle to our favorite restaurant Nopa on Friday night and followed it up with a drink (sprite, naturally) at our favorite bar, Vesuvio, in North Beach.  The food at Nopa is local/organic and seriously so delicious.  And they always bring you a surprise little appetizer!! 

Saturday morning Rose and I walked to Cole Valley for brunch at Cafe Reverie – we sat out on the sunny back patio and chit chatted about the future.  Soaking up the sun is such a treat here!  Then we took little cat naps before taking Tank on a 2 mile walk through Golden Gate Park.  Rose got a good laugh out of the people watching – you never know what you’re going to get in my neighborhood.  We wrapped up our day by walking through the local shops in the Ferry Building, and then got Rose to her flight in Oakland by 5.  Perfection!

Sunday, Josh and I woke up early and drove 8 miles north of the city to Muir Woods – I was giddy, like a kid on Christmas morning, on our way there.  I’ve been wanting to go for over a year!  And, of course, it was everything I imagined and more.  Muir Woods is a national historic monument and holds the world’s tallest living creatures, the coastal redwoods. John Muir himself called it “The best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.”   Um, HELLO.  We went on a 4 mile hike and saw plenty of banana slugs, vermillion mushrooms, and of course, super super tall, gorgeous trees.  Once we got back to the trailhead, we had an early lunch at the cafe and WOW.  I had heard about this cafe on Best Thing I Ever Ate, and it was 100% dead on.  We both got grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup – they were to die for, literally.  Acme bread, Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese & Pt. Reyes Farmstead Creamery Toma cheese made it the single greatest grilled cheese of my entire life.  Maybe it’s the preggo speaking, but Josh agreed.  Even the man that made them behind the counter commented on how delicious they looked.  After we ate, we went to the gift shop and bought a mug.  :)  The lady that rang us up put the icing on the cake when she asked when I was due!  A non-crazy lady noticed I was pregnant!  I can’t quite explain the feeling of elation I had as we walked back to the car, but I was just delighted with my whole Muir Woods experience.  If you can, go there!  (Oh I know, I’ll take you when you come to visit us!)

homemade heaven

I hope you all know that you’re getting this homemade nutella from me next year.  No ifs, ands or buts about it.  <3 <3

We love Molly (and cooking…)

I finally finished my sister’s bridal shower cookbook!  Wow that took a while – but I’m happy with the results.  :) 

At the shower we took fuji instax photos of everyone holding an “i <3 molly” sign wearing aprons (or not as it turned out…). 

Christine of cevd designed these recipe cards to match the invitation.  Aren’t they cute!  I also worked in a lot of the pretty cards Molly got with her gifts. 

I had a lot of fun putting this together – and I scanned in all the pages so I can have the recipes forever!

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. Think About It.

I made this rosemary olive oil cake on Tuesday in celebration of Josh’s return to San Francisco!  It has big chocolate chunks in it and is DELISH.  None of my pictures looked quite as good as this one, so I’m borrowing it from the recipe’s website, 101 Cookbooks

And even though it’s called cake, I’ve been eating it for breakfast every day since I made it.  :)

flower power food

Let’s all make these Sunday morning.  Learn how here.