I’ve been on a bit of a dessert kick lately. It seems I just can’t get enough sweet treats, and I’ve been whipping up goodies to curb my cravings like mad over the past few weeks. However, I don’t like anything overly sweet. Instead, desserts with a balance of sweet and salty or a bit of spice make me absolutely weak in the knees….

…Which is precisely why I can’t get enough of these cookies. I first whipped up these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies right before Mother’s Day as a treat for my amazing mom. Like me, my mom has an overwhelming sweet tooth–I think it’s safe to say that I inherited it from her. But, my mom has also been trying to eat healthier lately, so I figured I might help her out by making a yummy dessert that she can enjoy guilt-free. Little did I know how much I would fall in love with them!

The first time I made these cookies, my stepson came running into the kitchen yelling, “You’re making cinnamon rolls!” I had been drooling so heavily over them–just hovering over the oven and waiting for them to finish baking–that I hadn’t made the connection: that’s exactly what they smelled like! (Apparently I’m also on a bit of a cinnamon roll kick lately, too). Although they smelled like cinnamon rolls, they didn’t quite taste like cinnamon rolls– instead, they tasted similar to the cinnamon graham crackers I obsessed over as a kid and still dream about to this day. If I could, I would easily eat an entire package of those cinnamon graham crackers in one sitting. These cookies, though, are even better. And when I finished half a batch of cookies on my own, licking up all of the crumbs I could find when I was done, I didn’t feel the least bit guilty

What happens when you combine two of the most deliciously decadent breakfast foods?

Answer: You get the mother of all dessert-like breakfasts!!

I wish that I could claim the idea for this recipe as my own, but the truth is that I got the inspiration from something I saw on Instagram recently. And once I went to the website of the genius who thought of this fabulous creation, I knew that I had to try my own hand at this recipe IMMEDIATELY! So, I combined my two favorite previously-posted recipes for pancakes and cinnamon rolls–and what results is absolute magic!

The general idea for this recipe: create monster-sized pancakes, spread with yummy cinnamon filling, slice into strips……

……roll, bake, and drizzle with icing.

Sounds easy enough, right? That’s because it is!

So what are you waiting for?!?! Too late for breakfast? Make these for dessert! Too early for dessert? Breakfast is good any time of day! (You like how I can justify eating these Pancake Cinnamon Rolls any time of day?)

If you’re like me, you probably read the title of this post and thought, “carrot and cantaloupe?” I know it sounds like a very odd combination, but you’re just going to have to trust me on this one.

The inspiration for this Cantaloupe Carrot Smoothie came from a similar juice I had recently. When I saw the ingredients I thought, “that sounds so odd…I have to try it!!” I just love trying weird flavor combinations. I used to play it extremely safe and would only eat “logical” food pairings or things that sounded “normal.” How limiting! I’ve finally come to realize that some of the best flavor combinations spring from joining unexpected ingredients. No, they’re not always winners–almond butter and mint, anyone? (don’t ask)–but by being a bit more experimental, you might come across something you really love!

So, since I prefer smoothies to juices because they retain much of the fiber that is beneficial to digestion and nutrient absorption, I decided to turn that surprisingly yummy juice into an equally tasty smoothie! Thank goodness for successful kitchen experiments!

With a hectic schedule, I find that smoothies and quick meals that can be made in massive quantities and eaten as leftovers have suddenly become my best friends. This Pad Cashew Nut is the perfect example of the latter. In fact, the most difficult part of this dish is waiting for the rice to cook and chopping up the veggies. Aren’t fresh veggies beautiful?:

The inspiration for this dish came from my favorite nearby Thai restaurant. I drive my husband crazy, begging him to go there every time we eat out. While I’ve tried some of their other dishes, the vegetarian version of their Pad Cashew Nut is to die for! Seriously, I have dreams about that dish. It’s overflowing with veggies, which are balanced perfectly by the pineapple and slightly sweet soy sauce (I dare you to say that ten times fast).

While this version is decidedly lighter (and healthier) than the version I get at the restaurant, it still packs a flavor punch. What’s more, the leftovers are amazing! In fact, I almost think it tastes better the next day after the veggies have had time to marinate in the sauce overnight. Plus, it makes my hubby happy–now that I can make this dish at home, he might actually have some say in where we eat when we go out for a change

Woohoo!!

I’m so excited to officially be on Summer Break (well, at least until my Summer courses begin in June)! This is definitely cause for celebration, and what better way to celebrate than with dessert?!

I’ve had this Raw Vanilla Cheesecake with Rhubarb and Blood Orange Compote on my mind for weeks now, but I haven’t been able to find the time to come up with the recipe. As soon as I was done with finals, I finally decided that it was time to work on this recipe–and I’m so glad I did!

I love the creamy, smooth texture of this dessert. There is also a perfect balance between sweet and tart flavors that keeps this cheesecake from becoming too cloying. Better yet, there’s no butter, dairy, or refined sugars in sight, and it still somehow tastes unbelievably, sinfully decadent!

While the cheesecake is raw, the recipe for the Rhubarb and Blood Orange Compote is not. However, if you prefer to keep this recipe completely raw, simply blend the compote ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Also, you will likely have some compote left over if you make the full recipe–fear not!! I’ve been using it on everything from toast to quinoa to pancakes and have yet to find a combo that isn’t amazing!

Although I’m slightly obsessed with roasted beets and would gladly eat them every day, I’ve also recently developed a love for raw beets. While raw beets lack the subtle sweetness that develops in roasted beets as they caramelize in the heat, they possess a wonderfully earthy flavor and crunchy texture that’s just divine in salads. In addition to their flavor and nutritional value (they’re rich in B vitamins, manganese, and antioxidants), red beets also turn everything they touch a beautiful shade of fuchsia. This is bad for clothes and cutting boards, but great for food. (Seriously though, you might want to change into a ratty old t-shirt when it comes time to shred the beets. Consider yourself warned.)

As if the beautiful beets weren’t enough, this salad also includes bright and flavorful blood oranges. Blood oranges have a brilliant crimson-colored flesh and are sweeter than most citrus fruits, making them the perfect complement to the earthy-flavored beets. And like the beets, the juice from blood oranges will turn almost everything they touch (including quinoa) into a bright reddish-pink color.

Combine all of that hot-pink goodness with other vibrant veggies like spinach and carrots and you’ve got one very beautiful and very tasty salad!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

When I was in college, I ate Taco Bell all the time. I mean all the time. Back then, I was poor, lazy, and didn’t think much about my health. Now, well, I’m still poor and I still have a tendency to be lazy, but I’m much more concerned about my health. And let’s face it, while Taco Bell is cheap and easy, the greasy, high-fat foods they offer are not the best if you’re watching your waistline or your cholesterol level.

Since today is a special day–Cinco de Mayo–I thought I would come up with a tasty, Taco-Bell-inspired lunch that is made from healthy ingredients, easy to prepare, won’t break the bank: Mexican Ensalada Pizzas. But first, I thought I would share some of my other favorite Mexican dishes:

This yummy salad was inspired by my Raw Tacos. Basically, it’s just chopped up Romaine lettuce topped with cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, avocado, and the ‘meat’ from the Raw Taco recipe. SO GOOD.

The Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes pictured below are on my regular rotation–I make them at least once or twice each week. I also like to make extra sweet corn and black bean salad to throw on top of lettuce for an easy salad.

I LOVE this White Bean and Tomatillo Chili. It was inspired by one of my coworkers and I can’t thank her enough for the amazing idea!

These Quinoa and Adzuki Bean Tacos combine so many of my favorite ingredients. The best part is, a little bit goes a long way–I can eat just a couple of these tacos and feel completely full.

And last but not least: Guacamole! What would Cinco de Mayo be without guacamole?!

Now for my newest addition to the Cinco de Mayo lineup: Mexican Ensalada Pizzas!

It really doesn’t get much easier than this. I basically just layered together many of my favorite Mexican-food ingredients, cut into slices, and was ready to dig in! Honestly, it’s that simple. I’ve provided a recipe below, but feel free to add ingredients you like or subtract any ingredients you don’t like.

I hope you enjoy your Cinco de Mayo!

Whenever I go on trips–no matter how short they may be–I always bring food along with me. In fact, I’ve been known to pack more food than actual luggage. I just like to be prepared and to know that I have options, especially when I’m going somewhere new and unfamiliar. Yes, I probably look like a crazy bag lady, but at least I’m a happy crazy bag lady.

So when my hubby and I drove to my friend’s wedding in a quaint Louisiana town last weekend, I knew I had to make up something special that could serve as breakfast, a snack, or a healthy late night treat (or all of the above). After rummaging through my fridge and spotting the fresh strawberries and rhubarb I had stored away, I knew exactly what I wanted to make: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins.

While I should have been packing my suitcase and preparing for the trip, I resorted to “procrastibaking” instead (my new favorite word). My only regret with these muffins is making them on an empty stomach. The smell alone coming from the oven had me drooling and ready to pounce. It took all of my strength not to eat every single one while they were piping hot and still in the pan.

As soon as they were cool enough to touch, I ate three muffins before I even had a chance to think about taking pictures. If it weren’t for the fact that I needed to save some for the trip, I’m pretty sure I would have eaten them all in one sitting. Fortunately, I was able to show some restraint and these muffins ended up saving me from starving while on the trip (OK, so that might be a slight exaggeration).

On a side note, I just love the beautiful pop of color the rhubarb and strawberries add to these muffins! I haven’t made much with rhubarb before, but it’s in season now and oh-so delicious! Just make sure you buy rhubarb that is crisp and taut, not rubbery and dry. If you don’t have either strawberries or rhubarb on hand, don’t worry! You can make these muffins with all of one or the other and they’ll still be delicious (although the combination is amazing). Also, they’re wonderful eaten plain, but I love to warm them up and spread a little bit of coconut oil, almond butter, or maple syrup inside. Heavenly!

Since I’m in a lovey-dovey sort of mood, I thought I should keep that good mood going and Share the Love.

Today I want to share with you a wonderful line of organic beauty products that I recently discovered! I have been searching high and low for quite some time now to find beauty products that are free from harmful chemicals and preservatives, yet effective enough to improve the quality of my skin. Unfortunately, it’s slim pickins out there. Organic products that are free from toxins usually don’t have any noticeable impact on my skin. And the products that do have an impact usually contain ingredients that are impossible to pronounce and more preservatives than Hostess Twinkies. I had basically given up trying to find a skin-care line that meets my requirements until I stumbled upon Odacite. Not only are Odacite’s products made using certified organic ingredients, they’re also toxicity-, paraben-, and fragrance-free! As if that weren’t amazing enough, Odacite connects customers with a skin coach who asks tons of questions, then analyzes your skin type and specific concerns based on your responses and suggests the products that will be most beneficial for you. Then, when you place your order, they make the products fresh so that each ingredient maintains 100% of its antioxidants and vitamins. This also ensures that each product is guaranteed to be effective.

I’m not kidding you, when I received my Odacite package in the mail (pictured above), I squealed like a little girl! That was over a month ago and I’ve been using my products religiously–morning and night–since then. My face did break out a bit at first and I was afraid that my skin wouldn’t be able to handle the new products, but after a week it started to clear up again and now my skin is supple and healthier looking.

If you’re searching for an effective and organic skin care line, I highly recommend looking into Odacite. Right now they’re also having a Mother’s Day special: you can save 20% on beauty packages when you enter the discount code, CARE4UMOM. Click here to check it out!

I also want to quickly highlight some of my fellow food bloggers’ recent recipes and posts that I find absolutely inspirational.

It wasn’t long ago that I discovered The Alkaline Sisters‘ blog and instantly fell in love. Their photography is just stunning and their recipes are nothing short of drool-worthy. Take, for example, this photo (below) of their Coconut, LIme & Red Cabbage Cole Slaw with Macadamia Nuts. If the picture isn’t enough to make you want to run to the kitchen and start prepping, the short but perfect list of ingredients should be enough to convince you.

And then there’s Oh She Glows, a blog that I’ve been loving and visiting for years, particularly when I need a little inspiration. One of the recent posts, entitle “8 Things I’m Loving Lately–Spring Edition!,” offers up everything from recipes (such as a fantastic smoothie containing goji berries; pictured below) to tips on how you can create your own homemade beet juice lip gloss (genius).

Although there are hundreds millions of other products, recipes, and blogs I would love to share with you, I’m going to have to save them for the next time I share the love <3

Much love to you all!

Despite the random cold front that moved through Dallas a couple of days ago, it’s been wonderfully warm and spring-like here lately. I just love this time of year! Right now everything is nice and green, my basil is growing like crazy (yay!), and I’m craving cold, fresh food like nobody’s business.

A couple of days ago I decided to make one of my favorite warm-weather desserts: Raw Lemon Coconut Bars. It wasn’t until I started searching for the recipe on the blog (yep, I have to visit my own blog often because I’m always forgetting recipes) that I realized I never actually posted the recipe. So since I couldn’t possibly let this one slip through the cracks–and because it only takes about 10 minutes to throw this recipe together–I gathered my ingredients, jotted down the recipe, and (im)patiently waited while the bars set in the freezer. I’m terrible at waiting.

In the end though, it was completely worth the wait! The result: a light, fresh, sweet, and tart dessert. I’m officially prepared for summer!