Basic Basil Pesto

Fresh pesto is the epitome of summer goodness. After I made this batch, I sat by the window with the spatula and the bowl of my food processor and licked up every last drop while watching the birds visit my feeder. Every year I forget how amazing a simple pesto tastes, and every year I am reminded as I sample the first spoonful.

This year is special because I have my very own garden with three thriving basil plants, and I picked the basil right before I made this batch. A few words of advice: keep pesto simple. It's better when you stick with a basic recipe like this one because the simplicity is what makes it elegant. In the past, I have used half spinach and half basil, but that was only because I couldn't get my hands on enough basil to make a real batch. Splurge on good parmesan cheese and good olive oil, you can taste the difference. 

I am currently reading a book that is changing the way I think about food and cooking. It's called An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler, and every chapter is driving home the point that good food is often not fancy or fussy. It's simple and fresh and honest. She mentions making a batch of salsa verde first, and then finding inspiration to cook meat and vegetables to drench in that sauce. I'm going to do the same with this pesto this summer. I'll just make a big batch every week and see what follows!

Basic Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth.

Instagram Favorites

Check out these folks on Instagram! 

• fitfluential
• australia
• healthyaperture
• wisslaren
• mammachia

Emergency Snacks

Let's chat for a minute about pregnancy and an increasing appetite. When I really became scared was when I started waking up at 6am with a growling stomach. Before, morning caffeine was my priority and food happened later.

Oh, how the times have changed. I now eat breakfast NO LATER than 7am, and then by 10am and ready for a snack. Lunch happens around noon and definitely not any later than 1 pm. I usually need an afternoon snack before dinner. I've taken to stocking protein bars in my glove box and purse to stay away from the McDonald's drive-thru, as I'm a sucker for hot salty french fries. 

With this giant appetite of mine, I've now created this emergency snack list so that I'm always prepared when hunger strikes.I've also tried to drink more fluids during the day since it's easy to mistake hunger for thirst.

In this list, my current obsessions are all things Vitalicious (found in the organic section of the store) including their chocolate desserts. I also love the BabyBel cheeses and a crunchy apple.  

• Mini Babybel Cheese
• Luna Protein Bars (chocolate peanut butter) and Pure Protein bars
• Fuji apple with 2 Tbsp peanut or almond butter (barney butter is the best)
• Dannon Light & Fit greek yogurt in Cherry
• Sugar-Free Carnation instant breakfast (chocolate flavor) mixed with skim milk
• Cucumber/celery/nut thin crackers with hummus
• A small bag of trail mix with almonds/cashews/craisins
• Vitalicous! (VitaTops) - the banana choco chip is my current obsession
• Edamame
• Cottage cheese with blueberries and honey

Please share your favorite healthy snacks with me! 

Greek Pita Sandwich

I am so grateful to have moved to a beautiful house in a wonderful urban location, and one of the best perks is being just a few miles from the best Greek restaurant in town. The owners of the Veranda Bistro have brought back an intense craving to eat authentic Greek food on the regular, and to save myself money and calories I've been making this pita sandwich at home. We've been practicing frugality in our house, and eating lunch in is a big money saver! 

I follow a couple of inspiring weight watchers foodies on Instagram, and their photos recently have featured sandwiches made with Foldit flatbreads. These girls eat the most delicious looking meals, and make healthy substitutions to save calories. The bread I used here is my favorite Joseph's Bakery miniature whole wheat pitas that are sold at our local Walmart. 

This sandwich couldn't be easier! Start with hummus, then add spinach, red peppers, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and finish it off with a handful of feta cheese. I'm sure it would also be delicious with other veggies, grilled chicken, or red onions.

I've recently taken to putting this seasoning on top of everything, including hummus, grilled chicken, and this pita sandwich. It's called Cavender's and it's sold at most grocery stores. 

Hello June!

I'm going to start sharing my favorite photos from Instagram once a week on the blog. I love waking up every morning and looking at gorgeous pictures and inspirational quotes. Every day starts with a cup of coffee and a few minutes on my favorite app. Remember what I said about how the little things are really what matter. Start every day with happy and grateful heart, for there is so much beauty in the world. 

Here are a few of my favorite folks to follow - 

• BevCooks (cutest baby pics EVER)
• ohjoy (Ruby is the sweetest!)
• alaskafromscratch (the photography)
• yogainspiration (the quotes are awesome)
• etst (one of my favorite bloggers)
• meetjulian
• purposeofenvy
• cabotcheese
• davidlebovitz
• boden_clothing
• whatsgabycookin

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

 Folks, I am a pregnant woman on a mission. The very food that I have been craving is one that my husband does not love - salmon. You'd think with his namesake he would like it, but it's just not his favorite. He likes tilapia, grouper, catfish, and tuna, but he has never once ordered salmon at a restaurant the entire time we've been together! You could accuse me of using my pregnancy to my advantage, in which case you would be completely right. Thankfully my husband is a good sport. 

This recipe is from one of my favorite blogs (damn delicious) and I thought with the teriyaki marinade it would remind him of his favorite asian dishes. I'd be lying if I told you that he begged me to make this again, but he did finish the filet and really liked the sriracha cream sauce on top. I made this with roasted broccoli and quinoa, and slathered the sauce over everything. This sauce would be good on just about anything, though hot crispy french fries immediately come to mind. 

If you have a go to salmon recipe that you love, please share it with me! I was thinking of making a grilled Mediterranean salmon with a kalamata olive tapenade next week. 

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
from Damn Delicious

1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp honey
2 salmon filets

Sriracha Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-3 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

1. Make the Sriracha cream sauce and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, garlic powder, honey, and one cup water, and bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
4. In a glass bowl, combine teriyaki marinade and salmon filtets. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight, stirring occasionally. 
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray. Place salmon filets and marinade onto baking dish and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. 
6. Serve immediately with Sriracha cream sauce, and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

The little choices matter the most.

I had a revelation at the gym this morning. As Oprah would say, an aha moment. It's an idea that I've really thought was true for awhile, and when I follow the rule I find myself so much happier and living the life that I want to live.

Last week was my first week back at the gym. The month before that, I would come up with some excuse on my days off to miss my favorite aerobics class or my morning run. I know that I'm a brighter, happier, healthier person when I exercise, yet I still manage to come up with excuses when the alarm goes off early. Here's a preview: My only day to sleep in. A headache. The temptation of a lazy coffee sipping morning. It goes on and on. 

Today, I got up and made it to my class with enough time to run a few miles on the treadmill before hand. I left the gym brimming with energy and ready to tackle a few items on my project list. I'm now typing this blog with clean sheets on my bed, salmon marinating in teriyaki sauce for dinner, two clean boxers, and a priceless outlook. 

• Going to the gym = little choice.
• Eating a salad for lunch - little choice.
• Taking 10 minutes to read an article in your favorite magazine = little choice.
• Not complaining and being grateful for a day = little choice. 
• Sitting on a quilt in the yard with your dogs to just enjoy the sunshine = little choice.
• Sending a small birthday package to a friend = little choice.

The thing is, all of these little choices after a short period of time have a BIG impact. One choice, maybe not. Habits form and goals are met because we repeatedly do the little things without making excuses, which leads us to that beautiful place where we are living the life we want.