Marina Delio's Blog, page 29

Slow Cooker White Bean and Quinoa Veggie Chili

When we began this kitchen remodel I thought I would love using the slow cooker all the time. But I have a confession to make… it's a love-hate relationship. I absolutely LOVE how easy it is to throw a bunch of fresh ingredients in and have a warm dinner ready whenever we are. Washing the bowl in my little laundry room at 9PM after the kids go to bed, however, is not quite as enjoyable. Sill, the ease is worth it. One of our favorite slow cooker dinners right now is this white chili. It's so super easy to make and light enough for spring and summer.

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Beet Hummus Recipe

For my birthday this year my wonderful Yummy Hubby and kiddies gave me a morning away at the spa for a facial. It had been years since my last facial and just what I needed to de-stress. Us moms (and dads) of littles give and give and give, and often forget to have a moment to ourselves to regroup. The spa staff was so warm and attentive that it made me realize what a difference the quality of service can make. After my treatment my esthetician brought me complimentary fruit and a fresh plate of veggies and hummus. She invited me to stay and relax in the spa for as long as I liked before heading back home to my sweet monkeys. The caring hospitality and attention to detail made all the difference in a rejuvenating spa day. I only hope I can make my own guests feel as welcome when they come to my house. One recipe I love to make when girlfriends come over is hummus. It’s a great make-ahead snack that is tasty and good for you. Homemade hummus is incredibly easy – it’s just a can of garbanzo beans, a spoon of tahini, some lemon juice and olive oil. From there you can spice it up however you like. One of my favorites is the Edamame Hummus in my cookbook, but I also love adding beets. The color is an incredible magenta. It’s so vibrant that’s almost hard to believe came from nature and not a neon food dye.

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Summer Garden Prep and Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza

Spring has sprung, which means we are looking ahead to summer and planting some of our favorite crops of the year. I tend to let my edible garden go during the winter months as the rabbits and chickens  seem to always mow down my leafy greens anyway. When spring comes around I am excited to get back into it. Today I'm going to share what we have planted this week and my dear friend Danielle of Delightful Mom, is sharing a delicious recipe I can't wait to make with my homegrown zucchini. As we are still without a kitchen, I asked Danielle to share a recipe and she kindly agreed. Our cabinets are being installed today so I'll share a kitchen update soon! Eeeek! CONTINUE READING THIS POST »

A Make-Ahead Brunch Menu

A delicious brunch menu you can make ahead of time. 
A few months ago I had the honor of making brunch for about 20 lovely ladies as a fundraiser for our school. My friend and amazing personal trainer, Erin, hosted the event at her home and taught a Foundation Training class before brunch was served. Foundation Training is something I plan to incorporate into my fitness routine. The idea is that gravity is constantly pushing our bodies down, and our sitting lifestyle doesn't help either. Foundation Training strengthens and lengthens upwards against gravity. Since I was was brining the food to Erin's house (and I really wanted to participate in the class myself) everything needed to be made ahead of time. 
This menu is perfect for an Easter brunch. You can make everything early and then actually get to spend time with your guests. CONTINUE READING THIS POST »

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Vegan Coco Almond Smoothie Bowl

Vegan ice cream or smoothie bowl. I really had a hard time deciding what to call this one. Almond butter, flaked coconut, dates, and a little cinnamon come together to create this rich, creamy, sweet, satisfying and guilt free treat. Topping with fresh berries is a must for a little freshness.

For the past few weeks I've amped up my yoga practice and have been feeling better than ever. Though I"ve taken yoga classes for years, this month I bought a Groupon for a month of unlimited yoga at CorePower Yoga. As the name implies, this practice focuses on strength and is a "power" yoga class. I leave the CorePower 2 class energized and calm at the same time... and sweaty. Not like a little glow sweaty - like just showered in my clothes sweaty. I practiced Bikram yoga in college, but I'm enjoying this heated class even more. It has an upbeat vibe but still maintains the meditative aspect of yoga I crave.

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Loaded Sweet Potato Fries

I am so excited to share this super simple recipe today. My kiddos absolutely loved this when they arrived home from school ravenous the other day. Although I've been known to make my own sweet potato fries, as a busy mama I need my shortcuts too. We use Alexa frozen onion rings and fries on busy nights quite often. It's just so easy to dump them onto a cookie sheet and bake them. And though I'm suspicious of most convenience foods, I'm totally okay with Alexia's because they have many options that are certified non-GMO and organic.

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Dragon Fruit Smoothie Parfaits

How to make a dragon fruit or pitaya smoothie. 

One of my kids' most requested breakfasts and snacks is this stunningly beautiful dragon fruit smoothie parfait. Sometimes we have this with yogurt and granola, and other times just as a simple smoothie in a jar with a straw. Although you could use fresh dragon fruit, there are frozen smoothie packs next to the frozen fruit in many natural foods stores.
Just blend the pitaya up with a little more frozen fruit and coconut water. Can you believe that color!!! 


Enjoy!

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Recipe 
Ingredients: 1 frozen pitaya smoothie pack 1/2 banana 1/3 cup frozen pineaple 1/3 cup frozen blueberries 1/2 cup coconut water Instructions: Place pitaya, banana, pineapple, and blueberries into a blender or food processor. Add just enough coconut water to turn the blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer into a glass or bowl. Top with yogurt and/or granola and berries if desired. 




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Yummy Mummy Kitchen Remodel (phase 1)

If I've been a little quiet on the blog lately it's for good reason. I am so excited to share what we've been up to. After dreaming, planning, and saving for years, we have finally begun to renovate our kitchen. There are big BIG changes happening and right now my makeshift "kitchen" is a toaster oven, slow cooker, and Vitamix in the laundry room and the outdoor grill.  It's... definitely challenging my creativity. And after packing today's lunch, my laundry room smells like fish sticks. 
So here's what's happening. The photo above is from when we bought our home about 5 years ago. 
Before moving in we replaced the tile and white carpet with wood and my dad and I gave the cabinets a fresh coat of white paint. Oh and some kitchen jewelry too - pulls and knobs from Restoration Hardware. We also replaced the dishwasher and trash compactor. Already a nice improvement, no? Now on to the dreaming... our good friend John of Eleven Modern is a fabulous architect and designed a new layout that's both functional and beautiful. Next we hired an awesome contractor: Below Magid Construction. My mom loved working with them on her gorgeous bathroom renovation so it was an easy decision. 
Having the kitchen so separate from the rest of the living areas in the house has been difficult. The kids want to play in the family room, but I haven't been able to see them in there. With babies and toddlers, I was constantly worried someone would choke while I was cooking, cleaning, or washing dishes. I'm always running around checking on my girls, so I knew this wall separating the kitchen and family room had to go. In its place there will be an island. A glorious island! I can't wait for my kids and friends to eat and chat at the bar.  Another reason I've been extra busy lately. We have a new baby, Winston! And are launched right back into potty training. 
The weekend before the crew came in for demo the girls and I had some fun and painted on the wall. They couldn't believe it when they woke up in the morning and I had painted a sea turtle. It was so much fun, and I loved the result so much, now I want to paint murals in their rooms. 
Bye bye wall! 


Here's a little inspiration board for my new kitchen. It's dreamy and bright with lots of neutrals and a touch of European charm. So far I have these French Bistro stools from World Market, white farmhouse sink, English bridge faucet, and double range. I also pin a lot of gorgeous kitchens on Pinterest if you want to see more inspiration.




Visit Marina Delio's profile on Pinterest.

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Easy Lunchbox Solutions

With our kitchen remodel fully underway, packing healthy lunches and snacks has become a challenge.  I love that there are healthy convenience foods that are fun for kids and make my life a little easier. When I was asked to share some products from Horizon Organic's new snack line I was definitely  up for trying them.  Right now I'll take all the help I can get with lunch packing! I love seeing lunchbox ideas, so I'm happy to share a couple of our typical kids' lunches today. 
My preschooler absolutely loves mac and cheese. The boxed variety has long been on my no-no list, as many include artificial colors which may cause hyperactivity, among other scary ingredients and pesticides. So I was excited to find an organic mac & cheese for my girl. I find pasta is an easy way to get more veggies into my kiddos. When I make the mac and cheese I add a handful of frozen veggies into to the water for the last couple of minutes. I also love to add some beans for more protein, and little sprinkle of Parmesan on top. Although the original organic mac is the favorite in our house, I wanted to share the gluten-free version, since so many friends have gluten-free kids and struggle with kid friendly meals. CONTINUE READING THIS POST »

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Healthy Valentine's Day Recipes

Valentine's Day is this weekend! It's such a fun time to celebrate love and pink and hearts and did I mention love?  I've rounded up some of my favorite heart recipes in case you're in need of some healthy Valentine's Day inspiration. Or just some eye candy. Sugar makes me feel absolutely awful and makes my kids a little nutty, so these recipes are all free of refined sugar. And that means you can have more than one. 
From the top, drum roll please... 
1. Valentine Avocado Toast. I posted this one on Instagram, not here on the blog yet. I simply cut pretty pink and purple radishes into hearts by cutting a "v" into the top and then slicing vertically. 
2. Fry an egg in a piece of toast with a heart shaped cut-out. 
3. French Toast Hearts with Stewed Berries 
4. Chocolate Covered Healthy Hearts (no sugar added) 
5. Healthy Peanut Butter Cups 
6. Chocolate Peanut Butter (or Sun Butter) Puffed Quinoa Cups 
7. Chocolate Dipped Pretzels 
8. Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites 
9. Heart Shaped Ravioli 

10. Raw Frozen Raspberry Cheesecake 

oh oh oh! And Paleo Chocolate Muffins! 
Enjoy my loves! What is your favorite Valentine's Day treat? 

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