Food & Recipes

While this reads more like and online journal than a food blog, what remains constant is the honesty and the commitment towards accomplishing new goals. I (Molly – the person who actually posted this blog) feel inspired and just after I publish this am going to go for a run. Seriously.

She is an amazingly talented writer, photographer, baker, pastry chef and, and...need I say more. We were delighted when she agreed to guest blog for us just before the Labor Day holiday and scrambled to post her amazing looking recipes for you to enjoy.

I know that the odds of any of you also hosting a birthday party this Labor Day weekend are probably on the low side. I offer up to you my family’s most recent Labor Day-Birthday Cake. Four orange-perfumed gluten-free layers, stained with wild blueberry sauce and wrapped up in orange whipped cream, with a crown of the season’s best berries. A cake to elevate any occasion, and a cake that will certainly make everyone feel special.

Whether it’s bacon belts, bacon earrings, or bacon undergarments, there’s no denying that Americans have become entrenched in a bacon culture. And here’s why…

The depth of the terms antioxidant and phytochemical definitely means job security to scientific researchers. But to us, it means that even the smallest amount of natural ingredients can make a huge health impact on our bodies.

To concoct a culinary analogy (as I always think in terms of food), lunges are like cooking a burger. Of course everybody knows how to make a burger and can do it with almost minimal cooking experience, but once you’ve done it right, you dream about it (or at least I do). Also, be sure to check out my secrets to the best gourmet burger recipe.

Planning is essential. It simply requires taking a few minutes to think through the mealsyou will eat for the week. You will find that some items show up weekly on your list, which makes planning even easier over time.

Yesterday the ever-so-talented Eva Kavanagh detailed the first of a series of insider information when it comes to properly designing a kitchen. If you missed it, do yourself a favor and check out Design a Kitchen - Part One. You will be entertained and all the better for taking the time (and if you are short on time, you will be long on ideas from the pictures alone).

The amazing people at The V Collective have agreed to give away some of their industry secrets and have shared some of their ideas for creating creative, innovative and functional ideas for the perfect kitchen. We owe it all to our friend Eva Kavanagh (featured below). I personally laughed out loud several times reading this (and was taking notes the whole time). If you are in any way interested in learning how to dress up your kitchen (or your home), check it out my friend. P.S. Be sure to check out Design a Kitchen - Part Two

Looking for clever and delicious ways to serve up your favorite summer fruits? You've come to the right spot, my friend.

I love a freshly organized cabinet where all of the Tupperware containers have a matching lid, a refrigerator with all of the jars and containers facing in the same direction and easily accessible...

There are many badges of honor amongst home cooks. There’s the “cooking for screaming kids” badge, the “won over the mother-in-law” badge, and the “Thanksgiving dinner without losing sanity” badge. That’s a tough one. However, one badge stands above as the finest achievement a home cook can earn: the “mastered a dish you had in a restaurant” badge...

Cooking is a lot like working out (stay with me here). When you’re working out, once you figure out a series of great routines or specific workouts, you are set. With cooking, once you get comfortable with a specific tool or set of ingredients, figure out different ways to play with that tool/ingredient. Master it. Own it.

Introducing new guest blogger, Shana Stull, registered dietitian from Venturepax. She is a wealth of knowledge and we are quite excited to have her on board!

Kelly and I are extremely lucky to get to have Caitlin on speed dial when we need a little help in the kitchen (FYI - Kelly is no stranger to calling up Caitlin with 5 completely random ingredients and then saying…”So…what can I make with these?” ).

Healthy eating continues to be a priority for me (thank goodness). I just have always had a hard time when it comes to my own personal diet. After working all day (in the kitchen), I usually have no interest in cooking for myself and would prefer a 30 minute nap.

In honor of the Summer, Danielle and I decided to create “Top Ten Lists” this week. To promote overall health, we wanted to list out simple choices and habits that we both recommend....Just for kicks, here's a photo of me in action following Danielle's coaching. Hope you get a little laugh.

The Top 10 list and some tips from Caitlin when it comes to food choices.

In an effort to understand food better, I enrolled in culinary school in early February of this year. 90 sunsets have now past since I first buttoned my white chef’s coat. Here is some of what I’ve learned:

Running at the same pace for a long period of time is great if you enjoy it, but if you are trying to change the way your body looks, burn fat and cut down on your time at the gym, you NEED to get hip to sprint training....I like to run early in the morning because it is easier for me to run with minimal food in my belly. Plus, (and let’s be honest) after I’m finished working out, I can eat a big meal – of healthy breakfast foods, of course...