Well, we’re still here, in quarantine and it’s May.  Who would have thought? My son’s school just announced today that they will continue with distance learning through the end of the school year.  I never would have predicted that back in early March.  Wow.

If you want something to look forward to, Cinco de Mayo is on Tuesday, Mother’s Day is next Sunday, and it’s hubs’s birthday on Friday ;).  Maybe next Friday we should do a birthday IG live to keep things fun and upbeat?!  What do you think??

Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

Here’s what’s weird to me – we’re all stuck at home all day and you would think the days would go so slowly.  But just the opposite is true.  The days fly by and I can’t explain it.  I am still continuing my daily Instagram Lives at noon PT, although I just started to take a Sunday family day break.  Honestly, these lives have been the highlight of my day.  It is my social hour and I feel like I am getting to know the people in my community in a way I never could have.  #SilverLining

Oh, and MY NEW BOOK CAME OUT THIS WEEK!!!!  I cried.  I did. I worked so hard to write a book that you would find useful and helpful, one that would make you feel like I’m in the kitchen with you.  I was on the edge of my seat waiting for your responses, and when I started seeing everyone’s DM’s, Instagram and Facebook photos, emails, comments, I sat down and cried tears of joy and relief.  Plus, I also re-read the dedication I wrote to my father who passed away suddenly during my last round of edits and just had a moment.  It has been an emotional week and I am grateful for your support in carrying me through.  Thank you!  Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

Really, friends, there’s no new news other than the fact that my second book, Quicker Than Quick, is coming out on Tuesday.  No big deal or anything.  I’ve only been waiting for this book to come out since I turned in my manuscript last May!  Order it today for a great Mother’s Day or graduation gift.  Signed books can be ordered through my local bookstore, Pages.  Everyone is cooking more than ever, but kind of tired of cooking more than ever.  These recipes are all about quick, but healthy cooking.  Easy stuff, pantry ingredients, tasty food, cooking class tested and perfected.

Not to worry, I know you still need to eat this week!  Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

Happy Easter weekend, friends!  I hope you have a joyful day on Sunday.  I know we are all in different situations right now, so I pray that you and your loved ones remain healthy.  This is the most important thing.

A few things happening in my space right now:  This morning I filmed the April online cooking class for my online cooking school.  Very excited about this menu — Mexican with a Pamela spin!  I am continuing with my Instagram LIVES every day at noon PST.  We’ve been having fun cooking and interacting with everyone.  I will not be going live on Easter Sunday or next Tuesday though.  Tuesday I am launching a 4-week Quick and Easy Healthy Cooking Bootcamp.  It was something I offered to people who attended my free webinar last Tuesday and it sold out immediately.  Click this link to put your name on the waitlist to get a notification (not to sign up, just a notification) of when I open the next one.  Lastly, I love the conversation I had with Elise from Kale and Chocolate for her podcast “What’s Your Food Story.”   Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

I want to just come right out and thank my family for knowing these times require patience, teamwork, and a shift in expectations.  I want to thank my readers, students, social media followers, and community members for showing up here, on my social accounts, to my Instagram lives, and via email with a positive attitude, a generous heart, and the encouraging words that have been keeping me hopeful and my spirits lifted.  Of course, we still pray for all those who work in essential industries like healthcare, grocery stores, and more.  Thank you!

This Monday will complete 3 weeks of daily Instagram lives at 12 pm PST.  I post the videos on IGTV and I am trying to post them all to Facebook as well, but I am behind because uploading videos takes a long time.  I am committed to continuing for as long as I am providing value.  Tuesday I am doing a FREE live webinar at 9:00 am PST.  If you subscribe to my website, you received information about it.  You can register here if you’re interested.

Tuesday for my IG live, I am cooking with my friend and supermodel, Molly Sims.  Should be fun!  Thursday at 10 am PST I am doing an AMA on Reddit. And next Friday I will film the April online cooking class!!  This would never happen if I had toddlers at home.  Props to all you parents who are working from home AND taking care of your children.  I bow down to you.  Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

Hello, dear friends.  In these confusing and uncertain times, there are bright spots.  For me, I am enjoying the quality time with my family, especially meal time where we are connecting in such a special way.  I am also blown away by the community that I have between my social media channels, online and in-person cooking classes.  I am inspired by how resilient you are; how supportive you have been with each other; how much you are willing to share ideas, suggestions, resources.  I am proud of all the healthy cooking you are doing for your families and loved ones, and how you are showing your communities that cooking healthy food is not as hard as it seems; and that it’s worth it.  You are leaders in this space whether you know it or not and I am so encouraged by your words and actions.  Thank you for being a positive force in my life right now.

This week I posted more of a round up of recipes categorized by food group.  You can check that out here.  I am still going LIVE every day at 12 pm PST on Instagram.  All the live videos since March 16th are posted on my Facebook page if you want to watch them there.  Stay healthy and strong.  Sending you all my love.  Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

If we don’t have our health and safety, we have nothing.  We will get through this, I am sure. I am looking for the positive in all this and not looking too far forward.  I am trying not to overthink the “what ifs” because that will cause me to lose sleep and that’s going to do the opposite of help me.  I am avoiding anyone on my social media feed whose posts cause me stress.  I am not reading op-ed pieces forwarded by family or friends that detail hypothetical worst-case scenarios.

I am following the rules and I am in lockdown mode with my husband and children.  I am enjoying teaching my younger daughter how to cook.  I look forward to my Instagram LIVES everyday at 12 pm and to connecting with my community.  I am not trying to get in the best shape of my life, but I am finding time for exercise at home or outside most days because it boosts my mood and gives me more energy.  I am not starting a new business, but I am trying to help my community virtually the way I know best – through teaching.  See the bottom of the post for a special offer on my online cooking classes.

Here’s your dinner planner for the week which includes flexible recipes that can make use of your pantry staples.  Please don’t hesitate to ask me about swaps and substitutions if you don’t have an ingredient!  If you need to vent or share anything outside of your family, use this space.  I love and care about all of you.Continue reading

Oh, friends.  This too shall pass.  BUT, we all have to do our part so this passes quickly.  Doing our part means social distancing, trying to stay healthy, not hoarding resources at the stores and generally taking this seriously.  I am taking the position that if I don’t need to go out, I’m not going out.  All my professional bookings have been canceled for the rest of the month, social functions, too.  We have enough food, but I’ll have to get creative as many of you will need to do, too.  I did a combination of shopping in stores and online.  I focused on as much fresh produce as I could fit in the crisper drawers, and then bought frozen veggies like broccoli, cauliflower rice, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, peas, and spinach plus frozen fish.  I upped the quantities of the staples I always keep on hand: onions, garlic, olive oil, beans of all kinds (canned and dried), lentils, rices, pasta, barley and quinoa.  Plus jarred tomatoes, marinara sauce, canned fish, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes.  I always have nut butters, nuts and seeds, dried fruit.  If you have a recipe that calls for an ingredient you do not have, leave me a comment here!  I am happy to help you!  We are truly all in this together.

Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading