Discovering health, wellness and the little things in Chicago.
Although Thanksgiving was a week ago and I planned for this post to go up then, I realized that I don't need just one specific day to express my gratitude and what I've been thankful for this past year. Since last week I've been focusing more on reflecting and with only one month of the year left to go, I think now makes for an appropriate time to deliver this post. Each year, I love looking back ...
I often find that most of recipes I create are sparked from something I've come across or eaten when I was a little kid or teenager. There's a specific memory about a comforting dish or baked good that urges me to recreate it but in a healthier way. Like banana chocolate chip bread, for example. My mom would make this for my brother and I when we were younger in loaf and muffin form and I remember ...
Every year when fall hits, I can't stop myself from consuming all things pumpkin. I'm sure you're rolling your eyes thinking I'm like every other person who is on that #PSL train but no really, I'm talking about fresh pumpkin roasted in the oven straight from my mom's garden, canned pumpkin blended in my smoothies and every kind of squash I know dipped in caramelized onion hummus (trust me, it's ...
I never thought I was a baker, or into baking for that matter, even. What I'm sure all of you would be surprised to know is that my dad's dad (my grandpa) owned a bakery pre-1990. It was called the "Martanovic Bakery" in Cleveland, Ohio (where I'm originally from) and sold tons of breads, cakes, and pastries. You name it. Everything was freshly made, contained no preservatives and overall was ...
When I was a kid I had this massive love for watermelon. Like most food-related things in my life, it all stems from my mom. Since Mother's Day is around the corner (tomorrow), I think it'd be fun to bring up a memory about my mom and how she's the one who got me hooked on this juicy fruit. I remember sitting in my dad's den when I was little, watching Law & Order SVU with my mom once and her ...
There's nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a burger. When you get the perfect bite of toppings and that "secret sauce". You go in to take another bite and then ask your waiter (or mom) to deliver you more. As my French teacher in high school would say, it is a "PHE-NOM-ENAL" moment. While I'm not into beef burgers like I once was, salmon burgers are a whole new field that I love to ...
