With the recent 90 degree weather, I have been craving all things refreshing. Tomato Puff’s have become a recent obsession that I just can’t seem to get enough of. They’re simple, flavorful, and healthy. It’s a win all around! This is a great for breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack at any time of the day! 🙂
Last weekend, Eric and I went to Cape May. They were calling for rain all weekend but we decided to make the best of it and catch up on some snuggles and reading. As always, one of the things we were most excited about was our reservation at The Ebbitt Room. They are a farm-to-table restaurant with a menu that made my mouth water just reading it.
We dressed up and walked into a dimly lit room with live piano music, the bartender doing his job flawlessly, and an extremely attentive staff. Honestly, they were SO professional, friendly and knew what they were doing. We started with a charcuterie board, wine, and bourbon on the rocks. I proceeded to order Pan Roasted Organic Salmon with Spring Vegetable Fricasse, Sauce Bearnaise and Eric ordered Roasted Duck with Couscous and Spring Vegetables. The food was more than just food, it was an experience.Every bite was worth every penny, and more. It bursted with freshness and flavor, while the portions left you feeling completely satisfied.
Hemp hearts. What are they? Well, I’m so glad you asked. 😉 I bought them for a muffin recipe after realizing the abundant amount of nutritious value in them. They are a great source of protein, vitamin E, and omega three’s. The neutral taste can be added to a variety of recipes. After making the muffins, I wanted to try out these little guys for something else. Something new. Naturally I went to Pinterest and found this fun smoothie recipe. We conveniently had all of the ingredients and it took about one click before I was making this concoction in our Vitamix and sipping its goodness. I had Eric try it and we both loved how refreshing it tasted. You can read the original recipe here! Yum! Enjoy! 🙂
Last year we bought a tomato plant to test out our gardening skills on a very low scale. 😉 We were SO excited to have fresh tomatoes at our fingertips. There’s something to be said about growing your own food. Seeing the progress, feeling the accomplishment, and tasting the goodness of real and wholesome food. The plant started off slow and only produced a handful of tomatoes a week. Right as we were getting discouraged, the plant went crazy on us and provided more little red beauties than we knew what to do with! As always, it was a blessing in disguise. After using tomatoes in every recipe possible, we decided to try drying them to preserve them. The result? Amazingness! They are great as a soup topping, salad topping, on a charcuterie board, or even by themselves. 😉
Ingredients:
Cherry Tomatoes
Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For packing, optional)
What to do:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees F. (Your oven is going to act as a dehydrator). Cut all the tomatoes in half. Scoop out all the seeds. Place on a baking sheet with the cut side facing upward. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Place in the oven until shriveled. This will take about 8 to 10 hours.
You can fill a mason jar with the tomatoes and fill the remaining space with extra virgin olive oil for packing purposes. Keep in refrigerator. They will last about 2 to 3 weeks.
I’m a sucker for a good recipe. One that can’t be messed up and is easy to remember. I love healthy and flavorful recipes. Most of all, I love talking to people about food and seeing what combinations of flavors they mix and match.
I have followed Lindsay over at Seven Layer Charlotte for a while and have loved getting to know her. When I stumbled upon her Peanut Butter Banana Blender Muffins, I was convinced she was a genius. I have made several of her recipes but two of my favorites are the Peanut Butter Banana Blender Muffins and her Winter Vegetable and Falafel Bowl. The muffins are perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. The Falafel bowl can easily be adapted with any seasonal vegetable and bursts with so much flavor! I love a great recipe, but I love a great recipe that comes from a person with a heart and passion for healthy living and real food.