thelocaltaste

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. Life has been, well….busy. I finished up another semester of design school (only 2 more semesters to go!) and just returned from my first European adventure. I was in Paris, France, and various cities in Switzerland. It was magical and I can’t wait to plan my next trip to Europe. I am so excited to share some of my favorite photos from my trip as well as a yummy new recipe for homemade (3 ingredient) granola bars! Oh Paris, you’re a dream…

  Zurich, Switzerland is really as magical as it looksLucerne, Switzerland Swiss Alps View from Mt. Pilatus Now, to these super easy and utterly delicious three (yes, three!) ingredient granola bars. I’ve made two batches in two days…oops. The recipe couldn’t be easier. All you need is uncooked oats, peanut butter, and honey.These are no bake which makes them perfect for summer! The last thing I want to do when it’s 90 + degrees outside is turn on my oven. Am I right?!

NO BAKE GRANOLA BARS

Cuisine: Snack

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 8 bars

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked oats

1 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup raw local honey

Instructions

In a saucepan on medium heat, heat peanut butter and honey for about 2 minutes until ingredients have warmed and become slightly melted (not boiling)

Pour oats and peanut butter honey mixture into a large mixing bowl

Stir together ingredients until oats are coated with the mixture

Pour mixture into a parchment lined 9 x 9 baking pan and press down firmly

Let it set overnight in the refrigerator

Cut into bars

3.2.2885

  Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Happy first day of Spring! This winter has been brutal in too many ways. First off, it was SO cold. Living in Nashville I always feel thankful that we don’t get a ridiculous amount of snow, but we definitely got far more than we usually do. The snow is somewhat magical, but the ice is no fun. I’m hoping we are in for some beautiful warm weather from here on out!

Spring always makes me want flowers. Today, on my way home from my kickboxing class I stopped at Trader Joe’s to get these beauties. Something about having flowers in my house makes me a little happier. Today I’m sharing a Southern staple with a twist. Growing up my mom would always fix deviled eggs. Every holiday and family gathering we would have deviled eggs, and I was the official taste taster. They were full of mayo which is an ingredient I rarely buy these days. These deviled eggs are SO simple. They are simply eggs, plain greek yogurt, salt, pepper, paprika, fresh parsley, and Neat breakfast mix.

Neat is one of my favorite Vegetarian brands! It’s a healthy meat alternative. I’ve shared a few other things using Neat such as my Meatless Vegetable Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, and Vegan Whole Wheat Banana Bread. The thing I love most about Neat is that the base of this product is garbanzo beans. It’s a great way to get your protein in.

BREAKFAST DEVILED EGGS

Recipe Type: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Breakfast

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

6 eggs

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

Salt, Pepper, and Paprika to taste

1/2 cup Neat Breakfast Mix (or any ground meat or meat alternative)

Parsley for garnish

Instructions

Hard boil eggs and allow them to cool, shell eggs.

Cut in half. Mash the yellow part of the egg with the greek yogurt, salt, and paprika. Taste as you add spices to get your desired taste.

Pipe yellow mixture back into the egg whites.

Garnish with cooked ground Neat breakfast mix (or ground meat) and freshly chopped parsley.

3.2.2885

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Sometimes you make something so good that you can’t put it into words.  I’ve honestly never been someone who takes the time to make my own soup, but this soup may have changed my mind. There is no comparison between homemade soup and store bought. Also, how awesome is it that this soup has ZERO preservatives. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s almost impossible to mess up a soup recipe.

Fun fact for you: I hate carrots. I will not eat them raw and I won’t eat them cooked by themselves, but  I love them in soups. You could probably modify this recipe slightly and still yield amazing results, but do not leave out the green apple. Just don’t! It adds the most perfect flavor and I would be sad for you to miss that.

I didn’t want to throw away all of the seeds from my butternut squash, so I decided to sprinkle some sea salt on them and roast them for about 5-10 minutes. Oh my goodness…so yummy! They are the perfect garnish for your soup and make such a great little snack. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Ingredients

2 medium sized butternut squash (about 1.3 lbs. each), cubed

1 green apple, sliced and cored

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4 small-medium sized carrots, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cube butternut squash into 1-inch cubes (leave the peal on and save the seeds)

Chop the onion and carrots and slice and core the apple.

Place the squash, onion, carrots, apple, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin into a large bowl. Stir all ingredients together until the vegetables are coated.

Spread coated vegetables onto a parchment lined baking sheet. On a separate parchment lined baking sheet place squash seeds (after you rinse them off) and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave the baking sheet with the seeds on it in the oven for 5-10 minutes then remove.

Roast vegetables for 20 minutes then stir. Roast for another 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot on the stove. Add the roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Using a food processor or immersion blender puree ingredients.

Serve warm with toasted seeds on top.

3.2.2885

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Depending on what part of the world you’re in you may be experiencing what I am today. It’s bone chilling cold here in Nashville. This morning when I woke up it was a whopping 9 degrees! I don’t do winter. I despise cold weather. I’m dreaming of sunny days..sigh. One perk of cold days is staying indoors and baking. What is it about the cold that makes me want to be all homemaker-ish?

If you’ve followed my blog at all you know I love me some bananas.  There is so much you can make with those brown bananas. Banana bread is one of my favorite comfort foods. Give me that along with mac n cheese and I’m in heaven. I’ve been dying to try out my new food processor! It’s a definite upgrade from my cheap-o food processor that sounded like a train was going through my kitchen when I used it. 

In this recipe I used some of my new favorite products. Instead of eggs I used NeatEggs which is a healthy egg alternative made with garbanzo beans and chia seeds. I am in love with Neat products. A few months ago I tried their “Mexican mix” in my vegetable quinoa stuffed peppers. It was a total hit with my husband! I also recently bought some Singing Dog Pure Vanilla. I like that this product is all natural and the designer in me loves their logo and company name. I’m a sucker for a logo that catches my eye!

Vegan Banana Bread

Recipe Type: Vegan

Author: The Local Taste

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium bananas, cut into chunks

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 Neat Eggs (or another egg alternative, or 2 eggs)

2 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Use coconut oil to grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In your food processor blend together sugar and coconut oil until combined.

Add in vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas. Blend until fairly smooth. It’s okay to have small banana chunks in your mixture.

Add in maple syrup and “eggs”. Mix until combined.

Pour mixture into a large bowl and stir in flour( Batter will be pretty thick)

Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.

Allow batter to rest in pan for about 10 minutes before baking.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes (or until top starts to brown). Then cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).

Allow the loaf to cook for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Notes

Your loaf may cook faster or slower depending on your oven. Watch the loaf carefully to prevent it from burning.

3.2.2885

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Happy 2015! My goal (not resolution because I never make those and I definitely could never stick to them) for 2015 is to make time to rest and enjoy life. I am one of those people that simply doesn’t know how to “rest.” If I’m home I’ve got a project going on. Usually I’m reorganizing something, painting something, or making some sort of list. I’m the ultimate list maker. This week I finally got back in the kitchen to make this easy, but tasty dish!

I’m not going to lie and act like I’ve been cooking away for the past month. In all actuality I’ve been working weird hours and eating an abundance of Chipotle. I’m completely addicted to Chipotle and their guacamole (I could eat buckets of that stuff!). I’ve been wanting to make some homemade pasta again for a while now. Remember when I shared my recipe for easy homemade whole wheat pasta WITHOUT a fancy pasta maker. Once you make homemade pasta you won’t want to go back to store bought (trust me).

For this recipe I wanted to incorporate some of our favorites: almond milk, cheese, and broccoli.

To get the recipe for homemade whole wheat pasta check out my post here. 

HOMEMADE PASTA WITH BROCCOLI CHEESE SAUCE

Author: The Local Taste

Ingredients

Homemade Pasta ( or 12 ounces of pasta of your choice)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup almond milk (or another kind of milk)

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

3 1/2 cups steamed broccoli

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

While your pasta is cooking start preparing sauce. Also, you will want to steam your broccoli which will be added at the end of your sauce.

For sauce:

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for approximately one minute.

Whisk in flour and saute for an additional minute, stirring occasionally.

Slowly add in vegetable broth and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in milk and turn heat to low. Let the mixture cook for an additional minute and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

At this point you will want to drain your pasta and set it aside in a bowl.

Once the cheese has melted in your sauce you can stir in steamed broccoli.

Pour broccoli cheese sauce over pasta and serve immediately.

3.2.2885

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

I’m done with my hiatus! I’ve literally been MIA for about a month. This month has been full of good things and has left me incredibly busy. Let’s do a little recap of this month: I finished up another semester of design school (yay) and started my own business. Yep, it really happened. I officially launch LRA Photography & Design. Seeing this dream come to life still doesn’t feel real!

So that’s why I’ve been missing lately, but today I’m back and ready to share a childhood favorite. Who doesn’t love pop tarts. No really, does anyone NOT love them?? They are so irresistibly good and ridiculously unhealthy. The ingredient list on pop tarts scares me because I can’t say so many of the words. I prefer to not eat things that I can’t pronounce. So, clearly these are not “healthy”, but you only live once, right? I did however use clean ingredients for the most part (minus the sprinkles!). I used white unbleached flour, organic cane sugar, cage-free eggs, unsweetened almond milk, pure vanilla extract, sea salt, organic confectioners sugar, and butter. The sprinkles could be left off and that would eliminate the use of food coloring, but my husband is obsessed with them.Please note: I clearly did not measure the dough which is why they look super “homemade”, but if you want to whip out the ruler go for it!

Homemade Pop Tarts

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 cups white unbleached flour

1 tablespoon organic cane sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter cut into squares

1 egg

2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

1 egg (for assembling)

Filling:

8 tablespoons strawberry jam (or another filling of your choice)

Frosting:

1 cup organic confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Stir together flour, sugar, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together almond milk and egg.

Pour flour mixture into a food processor and add butter squares (approximately 1 inch each).Pulse butter/flour mixture until it becomes crumbly. Butter squares should be about the size of a pea.

Pour butter/flour mixture back into a large bowl and stir in milk/egg mixture. Use your hands to combine and knead on a floured surface.

Divide dough into two halves.

***If you want to be very precise you could use a ruler here, but I just eye balled it.

Roll out one half of dough into a large rectangle. Cut small rectangles (approximately 3″ x 4″).

You should be able to get about 8 rectangles from each half of dough. Totaling 16 small rectangles of dough.

Lay rectangular dough pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Whisk remaining egg and use a pastry brush to put an egg wash on half of the pastry rectangles. This will help keep the pieces together.

Put one tablespoon of strawberry jam over the pieces you have just egg washed. Lay the other half of the pastry rectangle on top and use a fork to seal the sides.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

FOR FROSTING:

Stir together confectioners sugar, almond milk, and vanilla.

Top each cooked pastry with frosting and add sprinkles (optional).

3.2.2802

Recipe adapted from Jacquelyn Clark 

When you cook a lot like I do you pretty much always have a stocked refrigerator and cabinets. I hate reaching into my refrigerator to find a complete and total disaster. I recently started working at The Container Store, but I bought many of these organization items long before I started working there. When it comes to organization bins I’m always willing to pay a little more to get better quality. I’ve gone through entirely too many cheapo baskets in my day, and it’s always worth the few extra bucks!

Here are some tips to help you tackle that nightmare refrigerator:

1. Invest in quality organization bins!

I am totally obsessed with these clear handled storage baskets. They are super sturdy and the handle makes it so easy to pull out the basket from the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry. I’ve had mine for over a year and they still look brand new. You can find these here. 

If you prefer a bin without a handle, but with the same sturdiness these bins are fabulous. They come in different shapes and sizes to fit your space perfectly. Find these here. 

2. Sort EVERYTHING! 

Go through all of your food and sort by category. Some possible categories for your refrigerator may be: vegetables, fruit, snacks, leftovers, dairy, meat…etc. This makes it easier when you buy groceries as well. Instead of trying to find a spot to squeeze that cheese in you simply place it in the “dairy” basket.

  3. Invest in a label maker

I’ll admit I’m a little (okay, a lot) OCD when it comes to organization, but I truly think everyone needs a label maker. Just think how much time is saved when your things are labeled for you instead of having to dig through bins and baskets everyday. I’ve had my eye on this beauty for a long time, and finally purchased it! I love this label maker because it prints different fonts and sizes. Find one here. 

4. Label EVERYTHING! 

Now that you have hopefully invested in (or dug out from the junk drawer) that label maker it’s time to label! Label all of your baskets to make your new organized refrigerator easy to maintain. When things are labeled it’s much easier for everyone in the house to keep it organized as opposed to them guessing where things are supposed to go.

Oh chocolate why must you be SO good? For real though, I am a chocolate addict. Thankfully there are products out there to help make sweets a wee bit healthier for those of us who feel as if we could live solely on dessert. These “faux Reese’s cups”  as I like to call them are made a bit healthier by using dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is my favorite brand!), almond milk, and a almond butter + medjool date filling.

Last night I attended my first blogger potluck with two fellow Nashville bloggers, Mary & Brita.  Mary hosted us in her gorgeous East Nashville home where she cooked up Slow-Cooker Chick Pea Curry (a-ma-zing!) and Brita and I brought the dessert. Brita brought some insanely delicious truffles to satisfy my sweet tooth even more. I could lie and tell you how ridiculously hard these were to make and that I slaved away for hours to get them perfect, but they were quite the opposite. After soaking your dates in warm water for about 45 minutes the rest is a breeze. These bad boys stay in the freezer and are just as good the next day (I may or may not have eaten one for breakfast).

I’m thinking I will double this recipe for the holidays because I’m sure they will go fast!

Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Cups

Recipe Type: Vegan

Cuisine: Dessert

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 9

Ingredients

18 medjool dates, pitted (bought mine at Trader Joe’s)

3 tablespoons almond butter (or other nut butter of your choice)

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups mini semi- sweet chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life dairy-free chips)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

Remove pits from dates and soak them for 45 minutes in warm water (this softens them and makes them easier to blend in the food processor)

After dates have been soaked, drain them and place them in a food processor

Blend together dates, almond butter, and sea salt until smooth (add water if mixture seems too dry)

Set date mixture to the side

For chocolate:

Using a double broiler heat chocolate chips and almond milk until melted.

Pour half of the chocolate mixture into parchment muffin cups (9 cups) covering the bottom of the cups.

Place muffin cups in the freezer for five minutes (until chocolate is firm)

Remove muffin cups from the freezer and scoop in date mixture (caramel) into each chocolate cup

Finish each cup off with more chocolate and freezer for at least 3 hours.

Notes

* The longer you freeze the cups the more firm they will be.

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Oh Monday, we meet again. I had THE BEST weekend with my mom this past weekend. We drove to Atlanta on Friday and stayed the night, and woke up the next morning and went to IKEA. I’m obsessed with IKEA and it was my mom’s first trip! We found all kinds of awesome stuff and I probably could have spent a few more hours in there.  Sunday I finally decided to cook (it’s been a while). I’ve been super busy lately and we have eaten out quite a bit. I was ready to get back in the kitchen! I’m SO excited to share this recipe with you because it features one of my favorite new products, Neat, which is a healthy replacement for meat.

Since deciding to eat a Vegetarian diet I’ve struggled to find a meat replacement that is both delicious and healthy. So many meat replacements are full of unhealthy ingredients such as preservatives. When someone from  Neat  contacted me I knew that I had to try this product. For this recipe I used the “Mexican Mix” which is made of …[INGREDIENTS: PECANS, GARBANZO BEANS, ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN GLUTEN FREE CORNMEAL, GARLIC, ONION, SEA SALT, SPICES.]

Do you see any crazy ingredients?? No! That’s why I love this product. Not to mention the taste. My husband didn’t even know what I was cooking when he came in our kitchen and he grabbed a piece of this “meat” and he was blown away. Check them out!

 Now onto these gorgeous brightly colored beauties. Let me introduce you to this Meatless Vegetable Quinoa Stuffed Pepper. They look very impressive, but they are in fact super easy to prepare and assemble. They feature quinoa which I can’t get enough of. They are also full of vegetables and make the perfect main dish or side dish. 

Meatless Vegetable Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 small white onion, chopped

1 cup sweet corn

1 cup black beans

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1 package Neat “Mexican Mix” Meatless alternative (equivalent to 1lb. ground meat)

optional toppings:

salsa

avocado

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook quinoa according to package.

In s separate skillet on medium heat warm olive oil. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent.

Add corn and black beans to onions and cook for a few minutes.

Stir in grape tomatoes, spices, and cooked quinoa.

Cook on medium heat for five minutes.

Line a casserole dish with parchment paper and place halved bell peppers inside.

Stuff bell peppers with vegetable quinoa mixture (use an ice cream scoop for easy stuffing).

Place stuffed bell peppers in the oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes.

While bell peppers are cooking prepare Neat “Mexican Mix” meatless alternative (equivalent to 1lb. ground meat.)

Once bell peppers are taken out of oven top them with the meatless alternative and toppings of your choice.

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

For today’s Fab Friday post Amy from Mod City Mag has put together a fabulous menu to help you plan for your Thanksgiving feast. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

In just a couple short weeks it will be the one day that officially kicks off the holiday season for most people. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays… however when you are lover of food like me, what is there not to like? It’s also a time of reflection and gratitude for all of the things that have come and gone in your life. And family… we can’t forget family. It’s a time to gather with family – both by blood and the family of friends you hand picked – to share memories, catch up, laugh, and eat. Let’s not forget it’s also time to carb up in preparation for your Black Friday shopping blitz.

I love putting together parties, gatherings, and dinner parties so it was just natural when I took over the duty of Thanksgiving. In fact, when time comes for me to handover the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner crowns someone is going to have to pry them with the jaws of life from my hands. I’d love to say that’s a bit of an exaggeration. As you can imagine I love to put together the perfect menu and tablescape. I can spend hours on Pinterest just scouring boards and pinning away all the delicious recipes that rank as possibilities to make it onto my final menu. This year I may have gone a little trigger happy on my pinning finger because I have one heck of a list of delicious possibilities to choose from. If you love a good party and a food lover you can imagine the difficulty this is for me. But someone has to do it, right?? When it comes to choosing the perfect holiday menu it’s kind of like putting together a puzzle… a delicious puzzle. To help you put together your holiday menu my Type-A Personality has put a little something together to help you create the perfect thanksgiving menu.

Roasted Mixed Nuts Cheese Tray Meatballs Cranberry Pecan White Cheddar Cheese Ball

Bacon Wrapped Roasted Turkey Honey Smoked Turkey Apple Bourbon Turkey Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Brussel Sprout Gratin Mini Sweet Potatoes Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Roasted Root Vegetables Cheesy Bacon Green Bean Casserole Corn Casserole Mashed Potatoes Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Brown Molasses Rolls Honey Butter Rolls

The Great Pumpkin Pie Mississippi Pecan Pie Apple Pie Caramel Coconut Cream Pie

Oh my goodness where do I start? I have been a bit MIA on my blog lately. I’ve been super busy with school and my new job. I honestly haven’t had much time for creating recipes, cooking, and photographing. These pumpkin biscuits have been on my mind for a while now. I knew I wanted to tweak my almond milk biscuit recipe.  I just added some pumpkin, a little sugar, and cinnamon to give it that pumpkin taste we all love!

I wish I had more photos to share, but I accidentally deleted most of my photos (oops!).  This is the first time that’s happened, so I guess I can’t complain too much. I’m also super excited to share something I’ve been working on for school. In my Vector class I’m learning to design with Adobe Illustrator. We recently were given an assignment to design a diagram and I chose to illustrate a recipe. I love when I get to combine things I love! What do you think? Here’s my sweet potato smoothie recipe illustrated:

If you missed the actual recipe for this sweet potato smoothie you can find it here. This smoothie is so filling and delicious!

ALMOND MILK PUMPKIN BISCUITS

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups unbleached white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons coconut oil (room temperature)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon organic sugar

1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Combine almond milk and vinegar to create “buttermilk”

In your food processor bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar) until blended. Add in coconut oil and pulse until crumbly. Slowly pour in almond milk mixture and pulse until combined.

Stir in pumpkin.

Place your dough onto a well floured surface and knead well.

Use a rolling pin to roll out dough to ½ inch thickness.

Use a glass cup or cookie cutter to cut into circles. Makes approximately 6 large biscuits.

Place biscuits onto a parchment lined pan.

Cook for approximately 10 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure they do not burn.

3.2.2802

Happy Friday! It’s time for another Fab Friday post. This one is brought to you by the lovely Amanda Gates of Gates Interior Design Blog. She’s giving tips on how to set up the perfect holiday tablescape!

Over the years we have created many beautiful tablescapes. Table tops are a great way of showcasing your holiday spirit. With so many  possibilities and limitless ideas, anyone can use their own table to create a masterpiece of holiday joy. This time of year we receive numerous emails from curious design enthusiasts on what creates a beautiful table. And what can be used to create a beautiful table? The options are limitless!  Here are some tips we live by for Holiday Tablescaping:

1) There are no rules!

Often times, people think they have to adhere to certain rules when decorating. Rather than sticking to restraints, have fun with it!

2) If it speaks to you use it!

If you have something that is near and dear, makes you laugh or is something special, with out a doubt, use it!

3) Decide on a theme. Whether you are having a simple get together or an elaborate dinner party, pick a color, an object, a pattern or material and use it through out your table.

Your theme can be the holiday, a color, or an object. I’ve used a holiday and family photos as a theme.

4) Have fun with it. (Remember number 1)

Use what you have, mix it up and make it special!

5) Dont be afraid to mix the expensive with the inexpensive. The photo above is a great example. I’ve mixed heirloom china, with inexpensive linens, and chargers from Pier One. Use what you have, incorporate the outdoors, have fun with it, and make it your own!

Amanda gates

Interior designer and feng shui adviser

Find her on twitter, Facebook, pinterest and sign-up for her newsletter!

One question I get asked quite frequently is, “What is the best way to cook spaghetti squash?” I’ve known people who’ve cooked it and it’s turned out less than desirable and then they think spaghetti squash is not all it’s cracked up to be. Well, I’m here to tell you it is TOTALLY all it’s cracked up to be. The secret is in the way you cook it.

I personally have not mastered the art of baking spaghetti squash. It’s always a little too crunchy in my opinion, and it takes too much time to bake when I’m ready to eat. The crock pot is the perfect solution to get noodle-like spaghetti squash that is cooked and ready to eat when you get home. If you’re looking for a quick, healthy, and delicious sauce I highly recommend this Tuscany Pumpkin sauce from Cucina Antica. Not only is it the taste of Fall bottled in a jar, but it also contains no preservatives and simple wholesome ingredients. If you’ve got more time on your hands, then try my homemade tomato sauce which is made with four simple ingredients.

If you’ve never made spaghetti squash in the crock pot the steps are simple. Simply wash your spaghetti squash and pierce it a few times with a knife (do not cut it, only poke holes). Place the entire squash into your crock pot and add 1 cup of water. Cook on high for 3 or 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Carefully take out the squash (it will be soft and very hot). Cut the squash in half and take out the seeds. Use a fork to scrape out the squash “noodles”. Season with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite sauce.

Crock Pot Spaghetti Squash

Author: The Local Taste

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

your favorite sauce

Instructions

Wash the spaghetti squash and pierce it a few times with a knife (do not cut it, only poke holes). Place the entire squash into your crock pot and add 1 cup of water.

Cook on high for 3 or 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.

Carefully take out the squash (it will be soft and very hot).

Cut the squash in half and take out the seeds. Use a fork to scrape out the squash “noodles”. Season with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite sauce.

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted because life has been a wee bit busy! Last week I was on fall break from classes, but I started my new job at The Container Store. Totally in love with my new job and absolutely can’t get enough of our products. I’ll probably go broke working there, but hey, you only live once, right?

Craig and I have  really been trying to eat healthy (with the exceptional cheat here and there) so this egg white omelet totally hit the spot for breakfast. It’s healthy and SUPER easy. I’m going to be honest the thought of flipping any kind of eggs in my skillet scares me. I’m a terrible “flipper”. I can’t flip eggs and I sure as heck can’t flip a pancake. My pancakes are always good, but never pretty. I’m totally getting off track here, but my point is that this omelet is made in your skillet in the oven. How easy is that?? There is no way to mess this up. Just wanted to share something I’ve been working on at school. I just finished up a magazine page layout. I chose to do a food magazine (of course!). I love when I get to combine things I love: food photography and design. 

Oven Baked Spinach Egg White Omelet

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 1 omelet

Ingredients

3/4 cup egg whites

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

1/4 cup onion , chopped

5 grape tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small non-stick skillet on the stove saute chopped onions on medium heat until translucent.

Add chopped spinach and saute for another 3 minutes.

Take skillet off the burner and pour in egg whites.

Top with halved tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake 15-20 minutes.

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Today, Amy, of Mod City Mag is sharing some great DIY cold remedies. With the weather cooling down these are wonderful ideas to keep around when you start feeling a little sniffly!

The fall can be a really great season – it’s full of beauty worthy of being displayed on a canvas, smells of pumpkin wafting through the air, cuddles by the bonfire – you get the idea. While fall can be a fabulous time of year, it can also be a miserable time of year. There’s seasonal allergies, colds galore, and the dreaded flu just to name a few. Your nose will go haywire between being so stuffed up you can’t sleep at night to running a marathon that only boxes of tissues dream about. It’s almost a guarantee that at some point this season your voice will become raspy with a scratchy throat and God forbid you come down with a touch of nausea.

Okay, okay… I’ve made fall sound like all kinds of baskets of joy. I promise fall isn’t all that bad. You can still enjoy the fashions, abundance of festivals, and snuggles under a warm blanket without any ailments. If you are one of the lucky ones that get through a whole fall season without so much as a sneeze I applaud you. However, not everyone is so lucky and that’s why we’ve pulled from the internet the best DIY cold remedies for you to keep handy until spring. 

Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Flu Remedy by Instructables

Ingredients: Fresh lemon Fresh ginger Raw honey

Directions: Slice lemon into quarters and pack into jar Grate ginger, and add to lemon (the amount is up to you – the more the better, I say!) While stirring, fill jar with honey

To Use: Add 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to hot water and stir

Spicy Lemon-Ginger “Intensi-Toddy” by Joylicious

Ingredients: 4 cups water 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cloves Pinch of Cayenne 2 ginger slices 2 tea bags 1/2 lemon, squeezed 3 ounces spiced rum 2 tbsp honey

Directions: In a medium pot, place water, spices, and ginger. Mix well. Bring to a simmer over medium  heat and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Drink while hot.

Homemade Cough Remedy by Barefeet in the Kitchen

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (preferably Bragg’s, if available) 2 tablespoons honey (locally produced raw honey is best, if available) 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions: Place all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Leave at room temperature for a few days or place in the refrigerator for longer storage. Shake well each time, before using. The spices will not dissolve into the liquid. It will not be a thick syrup, it should remain watery. Take as needed.

Moxie’s Cold Cure-All by Bon Appetite 

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons honey or light agave syrup (nectar) 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger 1/4 teaspoon super echinacea extract of cayenne pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mug with 1 cup boiling water, stirring until honey is dissolved. Let sit for 1 minute before serving.

What are your favorite illness home remedies to use? Share them with us below!

Happy Wednesday! My husband and I started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge this week. I’ve had several friends who’ve had success with the program and we decided it would be a great way to kick start our metabolism and get even healthier! I love that this program lends itself to clean eating and it’s all about NOT eating processed foods. Being a vegetarian I’ve learned to get creative with getting my protein in and this sweet potato is packed vegetables and protein.

With Advocare you can eat carbs, but they should be limited. This sweet potato has black beans and corn, but in moderation. Since I knew we were eating this for dinner I did not eat carbs for breakfast and lunch. I was super excited to use tofu for the first time. To be honest the thought of tofu has always freaked me out (I’m not sure why??). After using it I feel confident that I will be experimenting with it again! Plus, it’s a great way to get in protein if you do not eat meat. This avocado lime sauce is made with silken tofu.

 If you haven’t used tofu before I think you will be pleasantly surprised that it takes the taste of what you’re using it in (maybe you knew that already and I’m just behind). This sauce tasted super creamy like a rich salad dressing.

Of course being the Mexican food lover that I am  you know I had to find a way to make this festive. I loaded this sweet potato with black beans, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, and salsa. I used Mi Elote Salsa which is made of fresh ingredients and no preservatives! It’s delicious!

MEXICAN STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, cooked

1/2 cup corn, cooked

1/2 cup black beans, cooked

1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped

Avocado Lime Dressing:

1/4 cup silken tofu

1 medium avocado

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings:

sliced black olives

salsa

Instructions

Cook sweet potatoes (I cooked mine in the microwave because it’s quicker).

Microwave black beans and corn until warm.

Stuff each sweet potato with equal parts of corn, black beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes.

For Dressing:

Place tofu, avocado, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Top stuffed sweet potatoes with avocado lime dressing, black olives, salsa, and any additional toppings of your choice.

Notes

*Ingredients are for 2 medium sized sweet potatoes[br]*Time is based on microwaving ingredients- times may vary based on cooking method

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow The Local Taste on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!

Before I dive right in to this new dinner favorite I have to talk about our past week. So, last week was CRAZY busy for us. I started my new job at The Container Store (ahh..love this store!) and our anniversary was October 15th. I still can’t believe we have been married three years. That makes me feel incredibly old. Craig did a awesome job of surprising me with these perfect fall flowers and a surprise dinner to Rolf & Daughters! The food was incredible and the atmosphere was perfect. We will definitely be going back!

How beautiful are these flowers?? I’m a sucker for fall floral arrangements. This weekend we went back home and stayed with my in laws, went to a wedding, and got to catch up with friends. I love weekends like that. Now, onto this super addicting new dish that we have added to our favorite dinners. It features one of my favorite things to cook with, quinoa! 

What I love about this recipe is that you can totally make it your own. You could definitely add your own favorite vegetables, or use ground meat if you are not vegetarian. This is the perfect dish for anyone. It also tastes just as good (if not better) the next day for leftovers.

Vegetable Quinoa Skillet

Author: The Local Taste

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup vegetable broth

12 oz. package meatless vegetable crumbles (or 1 lb. ground meat of your choice)

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook meatless vegetable crumbles or ground meat of your choice and keep warm until added to skillet with other ingredients.

In a separate skillet on medium heat add olive oil to coat and add in sweet potato, onion, peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. Cover and cook for approximately 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add uncooked quinoa and pour in vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a boil.

Immediately reduce heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until quinoa has cooked completely.

Stir in cooked meatless vegetable crumbles.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.2.2802

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! Also subscribe and NEVER miss a recipe!