Dinner Diva: Can you live without the microwave?

I don’t use a microwave and this has nothing to do with following a Paleo lifestyle. I started avoiding microwaves when I was a new mother. My distaste for microwaves actually came from a lactation nurse. A week after my son was born, he was in the hospital for a week with RSV. He was […]

Dinner Diva: Design your own potato salad

We’re smack dab in the middle of outdoor eating season and no matter where you live in North America, chances are you grew up eating potato salad at family picnics and BBQs. I love potato salad as much as the next person but I’ve had to learn how to lighten this side dish up quite […]

Dinner Diva: Gluten-free finger foods

In one of my last posts, I shared some strategies for you to use when you’re trying hard to stay on track with a healthy eating plan when the family BBQ invite comes along. Today, we’re going to look at the flip side of that by talking about what sorts of finger foods you might […]

Dinner Diva: How to roast a whole chicken

For many new chefs, roasting a whole chicken can be an intimidating task. But, really, there are few things that are as easy to pull off (or impressive) in the kitchen as a juicy roasted chicken. The most important thing is to start with local organic free-range poultry whenever possible. I always reach for smaller […]

Dinner Diva: Making the perfectly balanced salad

I serve a large green salad with almost every meal, and this is the time of year I love most, thanks to all of the gorgeous fresh spring greens and vegetables! Since I have this salad thing down to a science, I thought I’d share some tips with y’all as to how to make amazing, […]

Dinner Diva: Something to stew over

I recently wrote blog posts teaching you how to braise and how to sear. So it just occurred to me that I should go ahead and combine the two and tell y’all about how to stew. What hits the spot on a cold day better than a nice steamy hot bowl of thick beef stew? By definition, a […]

Dinner Diva: Sizzling tips for searing meat

Cooking meat well is something that takes practice. There’s a knack for getting that perfect golden color on a chicken breast and making those dark grill marks appear on a steak. While a nice color on a piece of meat looks nice, more importantly, that color basically translates to flavor. A good sear is required […]

Dinner Diva: Rich Food Poor Food

I have to tell you, I get a bunch of the same questions every day about what to buy in the grocery store. I get that—it’s a maze of possibilities (and confusion) that needs particular navigation when you venture out to the weekly grocery procuring for your family. There is so much to think about—what […]

Dinner Diva: Grow your own lettuce bowl indoors

I don’t know about you, but I have a really hard time buying produce that I can easily grow myself. At my house, we eat a lot of salad. As many of you know, I serve a large green salad with almost every meal that goes on the table. All of those heads of lettuce […]