by on January 20, 2014   •   8 Comments Dinner

12 meals from the whole foods pantry

When you have a well-stocked pantry, the hardest part of a meal is often just coming up with recipe ideas.

Whether you are looking for vegetarian dinners, hearty meat main dishes, or even just a healthy lunch idea, these 12 recipes will put your whole foods pantry to good use.

If you are still looking for guidance on stocking your 2014 pantry, check out these posts to get started:

Now here are 12 meals to prepare and enjoy using those ingredients. Grab a pen and paper and make a menu plan for the week!

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by on August 15, 2012   •   27 Comments Pantry & Spotlight Ingredients

Back to School Breakfast {Recipe: Pancake Mix}


Photos and article by Kristen Doyle

I am one of those moms who likes to hold on to summer as long as possible. I love it when my kids are home and dread sending them out of the nest each fall for another year of school. Don’t get me wrong… I appreciate their education, but I also love the slower pace, more relaxed days that come with school being out.

With four kids, school mornings are hectic. Getting everyone up and dressed, hair and teeth brushed, backpacks packed, and everyone well fed takes some planning on my part. We set clothes out the night before, have backpacks ready and sitting by the door before bedtime and hope that advance planning will help with a smooth school morning. It works sometimes, but not always. There’s always one who is resistant to getting a move on in the morning and pokes around, causing stress on the rest of us. [Read more…]

by on April 27, 2011   •   89 Comments Cooking School

How to Make Soup From Scratch

Do you love soup?  I sure do. It’s a delicious and simple meal that can be tailored to any season. It contains a wide range of flavors and highlights vegetables in season.

Most often, when people want to make soup, they go look for a recipe.  “Do you want chicken noodle…vegetable beef…or clam chowder?”  But you don’t really need a recipe to make a great soup.  Even less experienced cooks can learn how to make soup at home; it’s very simple.

The next time you want to make soup, try this method.  You’ll be able to use whatever you have on hand (no last-minute trips to the store for one ingredient!) and you just might love the result.

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by on March 18, 2011   •   255 Comments Dinner

The Everything Beans e-Book (recipe: Black Bean Burgers)

Beans are a staple in our home and I’m fortunate that both Danny and the boys enjoy them any way I serve them. While they insist they don’t get tired of bean & cheese burritos or Frijoles rancheros, I sometimes feel like I want to mix things up in the bean department.

Enter a new e-book from Katie Kimball, The Everything Beans Book: 30 Frugal, Nutrient-Packed Recipes for Every Eater.

Perfect! Back in January, Katie of Kitchen Stewardship and I shared a drink at Blissdom where she told me about the exciting new project she was working on. If I wasn’t already convinced that a bean cookbook sounded right up my alley, a sample of Katie’s Black Bean Brownies was the clincher. They were moist, rich, and totally credible, – and yes, the recipe is in the book (as Grain-Free Fudgy Brownies).

The Everything Beans Book

Since my time with Katie, all the recipes have been tested, the writing completed, and The Everything Beans Book is now available. I have to tell you, I’m eating up my copy.

Hit the jump to read more about the bean cookbook, get a recipe for a healthy burger, and enter to win your very own copy of Katie’s e-book. (Sorry!  this giveaway has ended)

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