Peach Salad with Chili and Lime Recipe

Did you know August is national peach month?  It is peak peach season right now and we are enjoying them in every meal, both sweet and savory.  Peaches are my husband’s favorite fruit and probably in my top 3.  One of the things I find so interesting about produce is how many varieties exist of any particular kind of fruit or vegetable.  There are actually well over a hundred different types of peaches!  When I was growing up, we had one peach tree and it would give us all its fruit at once.  We would also go peach picking at a farm on the East end of Long Island.  I used to take my kids there as well when we were visiting my parents.  So much fun picking and then creating deliciousness with all our peaches.Continue reading

Yerba Mate Slushie Recipe

This post is sponsored by the National Institute for Argentine Yerba Mate. All opinions are my own.

I feel like I have barely gotten into the summer groove and there are kids already back in school.  Say what???  Well, the writing is on the wall and I know my son will be back to the regularly scheduled programming before he knows it. It’s a rough adjustment for me in many ways, between waking up earlier and being really organized with all meals, to keeping up with all the driving to activities and such.  Plus, have you noticed it’s still really hot out??Continue reading

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart With Gluten-Free Crust Recipe

Supermarket tomatoes have nothing on summer, garden tomatoes.  Tomatoes need sunlight, heat, and rich soil to develop their sweet flavor and juiciness.   And once picked, they should not be refrigerated in order to preserve that sweetness.  Even though tomatoes are super versatile and can be showcased in a million ways, my favorite way to eat them is literally picked right off the plant with a sprinkle of salt. When I was growing up, I would go out into the garden with a salt shaker!  Continue reading

Clamboil Recipe

Photos by Aliza Sokolow

The favorite meal during my summer week on Long Island is always, hands-down, the clam boil.  What’s not to love?  It’s super fun, delicious, and just screams summer.  In past years my son and my nephew have actually collected mussels at the beach to contribute towards the clam boil.  They require a lot of cleaning, so that doesn’t happen every year.Continue reading

Fruity Iced Yerba Mate Recipe

This post is sponsored by the National Institute for Argentine Yerba Mate. All opinions are my own.

Summer fruits are my favorite and I often put them in pitchers of water with or without fresh mint, with or without cucumber, and tell my kids it’s “spa water.”  🙂  The fruit flavors the water so subtly and makes it look beautiful which is my goal so that everyone is more inclined to keep hydrated during the hot summer months.Continue reading

S’mores Bars Recipe

 

Hello from Portugal!  It’s our first time to this beautiful country and we are both totally smitten.  I’ve been posting many stories every day on Instagram and I am considering saving them all to highlights at the end of the trip.  Many people have asked about my husband’s plant-based diet and how he is managing.  He introduced fish back into his diet several months ago and is doing well with that, better in fact than without any animal products.  When we travel, he isn’t quite as strict about small amounts of dairy or egg in dishes. That gets to be too stressful and vacations should be about enjoyment and relaxation.Continue reading

Spicy Tequila Cocktail Recipe

I haven’t posted a cocktail in a long time since this mint, cucumber, and vodka cocktail.  The fact is, I am not much of a booze drinker.  I like my hot water all day every day 😉 plus a yerba mate or matcha in the morning.  But cocktails have come a long way in the last few years.  There are so many creative and delicious drinks that I have come across in local restaurants and when I travel.Continue reading

American Flag Pie Recipe

I don’t know what took me so long to make a pie like this since pies are MY FAVORITE thing to bake.  The irony is that pies aren’t exactly the most healthful thing in the world to eat, and I hardly touch them when they’re offered.  But it’s hard to beat a homemade pie.  They taste light years better than store bought and now more than ever, it’s imperative to be using the cleanest ingredients possible, especially when it comes to grain flours (see this article about glyphosate and wheat and other grains)  and sugar, which is often genetically modified and overused in commercially prepared desserts.Continue reading