Simplicity Relished

minimalism for the adventurous heart

Our 2015 Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration

It’s that week again… when I’m wandering down the aisles of our local grocery store like a child in a candy shop. I just can’t wait for our family gathering on Thursday where we get to feast on delicious, seasonal dishes that I’m creating this week.

For the past month, I’ve been gearing up for our festivities with a Pinterest board focused on fall and Thanksgiving recipes. If you’ve taken a look at it, you’ll know that I have the hardest time deciding what to do about dessert. There are just too many delicious autumn-inspired treats!

Since I’ll be doing some shopping today, I thought I would share some recipe inspiration– especially for anyone who’s still looking to round out their menu. Here goes!

Our 2015 Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration

Crispy Prosciutto-Baked Brie Bites (Half Baked Harvest)

Thanksgiving Inspiration 1 …Continue Reading

Late Summer Green Apple Juice with Cucumber and Mint

As we transition into fall, apples of every color are showing up at farmers markets. This is an exciting time of year in terms of produce, because summer fruits are phasing out just as autumn fruits are phasing in.

If you like to make juice or smoothies, apples are a gem of an ingredient. Their agreeable flavor, water content and high nutritional value can improve pretty much any green juice. They go well with kale, beets, carrots and lemons, making them the perfect partner for less-tasty “superfoods”.

Anyway, I digress.

Lately, we’ve been receiving an intriguing mix of produce from our weekly box of community-supported agriculture. Cucumbers and herbs signify the end of the summer, while apples and pears mean that autumn is approaching.

So why not combine them in one delicious, healthy, and soothing green juice? This recipe is so simple and easy, but the results are marvelous.

late summer green apple juice with cucumber and mint recipe …Continue Reading

Effortless No-Squeeze Lemonade with Basil

Summer is THE time for lemonade, right? There’s nothing quite like that sweet-tart nectar we guzzle on sweltering hot days. And, when it comes to lemonade, the real stuff is where it’s at! I understand the appeal of Minute Maid concoctions, but real lemons taste so much better.

Effortless No-Squeeze Lemonade with basil garnish

If you’re like me, then you may have grown up with citrus juicing contraptions of all kinds. They’re fun, messy, and rather laborious. Can we make lemonade without squeezing the heck out of lemons for a few drops of sour goodness?

The answer is yes.

I bring you a no-squeeze lemonade spiked with basil leaves bound to make your lemon-loving friends shout for joy!…Continue Reading

Strawberry Lime Chia Seed Jam

Strawberry-Lime Chia Seed Jam 2

Is chia seed jam all the rage or what! It’s a brilliant idea– to use the natural gooey texture that results from combining chia seeds and moisture– as a way to give a fruit spread all of its gooey potential.

Since strawberries are in season, I decided to try my hand at making my own chia seed jam, with a twist: lime! This spread is so delicious and tastes a bit like a strawberry margarita. …Continue Reading

Farmer’s Market Vegan Lettuce Cups

Like most people, I often find myself trying– and struggling– to “eat more vegetables.” Ever since we started subscribing to our community-supported agriculture, we’ve been up to our ears with fresh, organic produce.

But have we been great about eating them? I’ll admit, it’s been challenging at times, even for enthusiastic home cooks like my husband and me.

Vegan Lettuce Cups 3

The trouble with veggies is not that they don’t taste good; they do. But they often don’t provide enough energy for the amount of time they take to prepare, which can be frustrating for busy individuals.

The other issue with vegetables is that we forget to be creative with them. We get stuck between steaming and roasting, the result of which are usually uninteresting side dishes accompanying a far more interesting entree….Continue Reading

Eating Organic for $50 a Week: 7 Tips

I wish healthy, clean eating were possible for everyone. What I think most people don’t realize, though, is that it actually might be possible for them.

Eating organic does not have to mean purchasing hundreds of dollars of groceries every week. Simple, all-organic homemade meals can cost as little as $50 a week per person (or less with more people!), so if you have that much to spend, it’s time to start!

7 Keys to Eating Organic on 50 dollars …Continue Reading

Simple Spring BBQ Menu (& a few tips on stress-free hosting)

There is nothing that says SPRING better than the ability to start dining al fresco. Granted, here in SoCal good weather occurs almost year-round, but outdoor dining is still something we tend to save for spring and summer. And now that we’re officially in April, it’s time to start hosting gatherings outside.

I used to think that the food I prepared for parties had to be extraordinary. But now I’ve realized that I would much prefer to do simple gatherings often rather than fancy gatherings never.

I’ve reduced so much stress by creating simple dishes that are fun and nourishing; and this makes it more likely that I’ll host more often. While not everything is picture-perfect, the important thing is that our guests have a great time.

So what’s on our spring BBQ menu? Nothing that can’t be purchased for $20 or less, and we fed six!…Continue Reading

Peach and Heirloom Tomato Caprese

As friends head back to school and summer’s last-hurrah holiday is upon us, I’m savoring the final bounty of hot-weather produce before getting ready for fall. Two trademark fruits of this season are, of course, tomatoes and peaches, easily found at any local farmer’s market in the mid-late summer. And this peach and heirloom tomato caprese is as easy to make as it is delicious to eat.

…Continue Reading

Grab A Button

Simplicity Relished
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.simplicityrelished.com" title="Simplicity Relished"><img src="http://simplicityrelished.com/wp-content/easy-cache/others/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/200x200_Button.jpg" alt="Simplicity Relished" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Archives

THANK YOU FOR VISITING SIMPLICITY RELISHED.

Disclaimer: Simplicity Relished is a for profit blog. Any company that I collaborate with is chosen by me and chosen because they fit the theme and readership of my blog. Copyright: If you see something you like here, please be encouraged to share it along with a link back to my site. All of the images and content here, unless otherwise noted or linked, is my own original work.