food4passion

I've been more and more interested in experimenting with other whole grains besides rice so here we go! You're already familiar with some of the common ones; wheat, corn, oats, rye, and rice. But, did you know that those grains aren't necessarily 'whole' unless it hasn't been overly processed? Some dietitians will recommend you consume… Continue reading Jambalaya with Barley

Hello from Charleston! I've been wheat-free for 5 days now and it's really made me put on my thinking cap. Now, the reason I'm going wheat-free is not because of an intolerance or allergy; I want to eat less processed foods, eat MORE whole foods, and....maybe lose some weight. Luckily, I like gluten-free products. Disclosure:… Continue reading Lemon-Parm Chicken, Sweet Potato Fritters, Sautéed Spinach

I was born and raised in south Louisiana where gumbo is a mainstay. You know I love cooking and I love exploring new dishes. I'm a little ashamed to say that, within the past year, I've only just learned to make a shrimp stew, and most recently, a gumbo. I can say that the roux… Continue reading Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

Marinara sauce is very simple to make. The awesome thing about it is that you can add almost anything to make it your own. Some people add carrots, onions, pine nuts, red wine and even chopped spinach. Ingredients Two 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes 10.5 ounces package of Cherubs tomatoes, or grape/cherry tomatoes 2… Continue reading Simple Chunky Marinara Sauce

How sweet it is. One of my favorite inspirational blogs. This recipe is light and delicate and tasty. Tasty meaning you can actually TASTE the food. Simply put, this recipe includes protein, whole grains, vegetables and a delicate taste of Thai. Ingredients 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 1 cup uncooked quinoa 2-3 carrots, diced… Continue reading Thai Chicken Quinoa

I've always been the girl to use the prepared taco seasoning packets but tonight...oh, tonight...I went for it. I absolutely love Mexican food. And after moving to Texas, that love has increased. It's so easy and so delicious to make and it also makes for wonderful leftovers. Ingredients 2 lbs 90/10 ground meat 2 tablespoons… Continue reading D’s Tacos

My idea of puff pastry apple dumplings evolved into something I am quite proud of. I took one of my favorite ingredients, cream cheese, and combined it into a sopapilla, apple pie, ooey-gooey dessert. I get a lot of ideas that I want to see come to fruition but I'm just not sure how to… Continue reading Apple-Cream Cheese Mini Pies

Most of you know that one of my favorite movies to watch is Julie & Julia. I've wanted to make Julia's Boeuf Bourguignon for months and months. The recipe really intimidated me. With the wine, the patting of the beef, the 3 1/2 hours of cooking and preparing! I finally broke down and gave it… Continue reading Boeuf Bourguignon

I really enjoyed creating this dish. If you are someone that truly enjoys the textures and flavors of all things fresh, then you'll love this recipe. This is the first time I cooked with millet. Millet is a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder.… Continue reading Mexican Millet Salad with Paprika Chicken

I spent the day in Avery Island, Louisiana. If you've never taken the Tabasco/Jungle Gardens tour, you must. It's such a unique thing to do on a wonderfully sunny day. It just so happens that they were giving away free bottles of their coarse ground mustard! That gave me the inspiration to make salad dressing,… Continue reading Quickie Chicken and Tomatoes

Here's a recipe that I got from one of my favorite blogs I follow. I just had to try this since it involves 4 of my favorite things: Brie, strawberries, chocolate and bread. I didn't quarter the strawberries like the recipe said. Instead, I sliced them but now I know why they work better quartered.… Continue reading Roasted Strawberry, Brie and Chocolate Sandwiches