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Saffron Cream Sauce

4/28/2022

Saffron is THE BEST addition to a simple creamy pasta sauce. It's honestly impossible to explain the flavor but it's pretty subtle and a perfect compliment to a neutral sauce base.

Have you ever heard of saffron before?? I hadn't until I saw a couple of my blogger friends shared it in their recipes a few years back! The spice originates from a flower called crocus sativus — aka "saffron crocus." After looking it up online, it seems that saffron originated in Greece, but today the spice is primarily grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India. That means the saffron we have in the United States is imported!!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta
2 tbsp butter
1 pinch saffron threads (hard to measure, a pinch is like 10-12 small threads)
1 cup heavy cream
Optional: parmesan for topping

What to do:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat and add the saffron threads. Be sure to stir the threads around in the butter for a minute or two in order to let the heat pull out some of their flavor and color.
Add the heavy whipping cream in two separate portions. (Wait for the first portion to start to bubble before you add the second portion - it thickens up better if it's not all thrown in the pan at once.)
Turn the heat to low/medium and let the sauce simmer until it's somewhat thick and can coat the back of a spoon.
Add the cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water (close to 1/4 cup.) Mix to combine. Note: if you didn't salt your pasta water, you may need to salt the sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

4/14/2022

One pot meals have been my JAM since becoming a mom, they're just so quick and easy and I loveeee that there's not much to clean up afterwards!! So obsessed with the rustic flavor of sun-dried tomatoes right now, it's like sunshine in a bowl!!

As always, the recipe makes enough for two large entrees or 3-4 smaller side dishes.

What you need:

2 tbsp EVOO
1 shallot, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup orzo pasta
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cups white wine
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Cook the shallot in the EVOO until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Mix the garlic in about half way through cooking the shallot.
Add the orzo pasta, white wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn to medium heat and cook until the liquid reduces by half.
Add the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and also the cream. Continue to cook while the rest of the liquid reduces. Pop the cherry tomatoes with a fork to mix some of their juice into the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and then test the orzo pasta to make sure it's done! Cooking time should time up with the boiling time on the packaging for the pasta, give or take a few!!
Top with parmesan and a little pat of butter before serving.

Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

3/21/2022

Had some spicy Italian sausage that I had to get rid of before it went bad and came up with the idea to make a meat sauce!! It's super simple - onions, red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes and an optional splash of cream to make it a little pink!

I like the meat in heartier sauces to be super fine, so I ended up running it through my food processor to make it super smooth and I LOVED the texture afterwards! So good and I highly recommend.

What you need:

1 lb of pasta (if you want to jar half the sauce, just make 1/2 lb pasta)
2 tbsp EVOO
1 lb ground spicy Italain sausage
1 cup diced onion
6 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Parmesan and fresh basil for topping

What to do:

Pour the EVOO into a skillet and cook the sausage until mostly done. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes until the tomato paste is brick red and the onions are translucent and fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes to the sausage, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 15 minutes while you cook the pasta.
Optional - add heavy cream to make the sauce pink and a tad on the creamy side.
Another option which I recommend doing if you like fine textured sauces: blend the sauce in a food processor to break down the larger pieces of sausage and/or crushed tomato pieces.
Mix the pasta into the sauce and serve with parmesan and fresh basil on top!

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Pasta

3/18/2022

I've been obsessed with putting chipotle peppers into all my food lately!! They're so good mixed into pasta sauce...creamy, smokey, cheesy.. AHH!!

Kept this one simple for you guys so that you could customize on your own if you want. Would be really good with spinach and then I was also thinking cilantro might be good in here, but unfortunately I am one of those people who got the "cilantro tastes like soap" genes.

*At first when I made this recipe I blended 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and it was WAY too spicy so I switched things up for you guys and suggest only using 2 tbsp of the adobo sauce - that way there's no need to get a blender dirty. You can freeze the leftover adobo peppers and save them for another time.. or make my copycat chipotle vinaigrette salad dressing recipe!!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used Mafaldine)
2 chicken breasts
4-6 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup reserved pasta water
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook it in a skillet until golden brown on each side. Cut and dice into bite sized pieces.
Cook the garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until fragrant.
Add the adobo sauce to the garlic, then add the heavy cream in, in two even portions - this allows the first portion to warm up a bit so that it emulsifies better!
Season with a little salt and pepper.
Next, add in the cooked chicken from step 2. (If you want to add a little more to this dish, now would be a good time to add in some greens like spinach!)
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, add the pasta water here too. Mix until the noodles are coated in the sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese before serving.

Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

3/16/2022

The “sauce” for this one is more of a gloss…which in my opinion is the BEST kind of pasta sauce. Butter + reduced broth and white wine mixed with the flavorful juices from the sausage. Also, the kale gets super soft while it cooks in the broth/wine and it’s probably the best tasting version of kale I’ve ever had!!

What you need:

1/2 lb (usually 1/2 box) rigatoni
2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 lb ground spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
2 handfuls finely chopped kale (about 1 cup, I used lacinato kale)
4-6 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup broth
1/2 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
Brown the spicy Italian sausage in the EVOO in a skillet on medium heat.
Add the onion, kale, garlic and red pepper flakes in that same skillet and cook until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, if it starts to turn brown the heat is too high/you should start the next step ASAP.
Pour the broth and white wine into I usually turn the heat up to med-high here in order to let the liquid aggressively simmer and reduce into a glossy sauce.
Once the liquid has mostly evaporated, it's ready for the pasta, butter and pasta water. Turn the heat to low-medium and add the pasta to the sauce - slowly mix in the butter slices and reserved pasta water to take the glossy factor to another LEVEL you might not have known to exist. Season with salt and pepper here too.
Top with parm, more red pepper flakes and more black pepper.

GOlden CREAMY CHICKEN NOodles

3/15/2022

NGL, this dish is totally inspired by the creamy chicken Maruchan Ramen packets I used to eat as a child!! I remember when they first came out with the creamy flavor my family went crazy over it and we literally ate it EVERY day after school for weeks.

The recipe concept is basically to cook noodles in chicken broth on the stove and then once the broth has reduced, add butter and cream to make a lush, creamy chicken flavored sauce!! It's so freaking good. A little tricky with what size and shape noodles you use so pay attention to the tip where I mention to drain out some broth if there's too much in the skillet by the time the noodles are finished.

Last thing -- the noodles are not meant to be al dente, they're supposed to be slightly overcooked and pretty soft.

What you need:

2 cups noodles (smaller flatter shapes work best)
2 - 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (enough so that the noodles are mostly covered in the skillet.)
*1 tsp salt if using unsalted broth
2-3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chicken seasoning (optional for extra flavor)
Parmesan cheese for topping

What to do:

Add the pasta and broth to a large and deep skillet and bring to a boil using the high heat setting on the stove. (I used a 12" non-stick skillet.)
Once boiling, turn the heat to medium and let it continue to boil for as long as the cooking instructions say on the packaging of the pasta that you're using. The broth should evaporate and decrease by at least half or more. (If there's a ton of excess broth, you can discard some of it using a strainer.)
Once the broth has been reduced and the noodles are done cooking, add the butter and heavy cream. Keep the heat on medium and stir the pasta on and off while cooking for 4-5 more minutes. The butter will melt and the cream will thicken and you should have a super luscious sauce texture.
Optional but I seasoned with a pinch or two of chicken seasoning here. (I used Trader Joe's chicken-less chicken seasoning which has been discontinued but the taste is veryyy similar to a chicken bouillon cube or powder if you want to use that!)
Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot!

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Tacos

3/7/2022

This chipotle chicken is a staple in our house!! We love to use it to make tacos, burritos, salads, nachos and/or burrito bowls!! The chicken can be paired with any sort taco/burrito faves but we like it with chopped romaine lettuce, white rice, my greek yogurt-based chipotle ranch sauce and then either monterey jack or white cheddar cheese. Basic, but amazing.

What you need:
For the chicken

5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt for the saltwater brine
1 tsp chipotle seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

For the chipotle ranch

3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
1-2 garlic cloves
1 pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 tsp dried oregano or similar herb (parsley or dill)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of salt

What to do:

Soak the chicken thighs in a salt water brine for at least one hour or up to overnight.
While the chicken is brining, make the chipotle ranch sauce by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until smooth.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the chipotle, garlic and onion powder. You can dice the chicken here, raw or cook it whole pieces and then dice it. I like to dice while it's raw because I like the shape and flavoring better but it might be easier to cut the chicken thighs once they are already cooked, so, up to you!!
Cook the thighs in a skillet with a little neutral oil on medium-high heat until the pieces start to brown and crisp up a bit. (If you didn't brine your chicken it will need to be seasoned with a little salt here.)
If you're making tacos or burritos, I always love to warm them in the same skillet with the chicken juices so the tortilla gets super soft and flavorful.

One-Pan Homemade Spaghettio's

2/28/2022

I am HERE for the one pan/pot recipes!! Sometimes I don't like the texture of pasta sauce that's full blown pasta water but for this recipe it's absolutely necessary to mimic that thicker texture of the classic Spaghettio's in a can. Obviously, you can leave out the meatballs or use your own meatball recipe - and yes, it's pretty annoying to roll them into such tiny balls but hey, this recipe is fun and it's worth it in my opinion!!

I didn't salt the pasta water since the meatballs are salty and the 1/4 cup of parm bring some saltiness into the dish as well. I highly recommend using freshly grated parm from a block - the pre-shredded stuff never melts as well or tastes as good and it's not great for texture. Also, if you don't grate the garlic there will be little chunks of it in there so that could throw off the texture too, FYI.

Recipe makes enough for two and the whole thing is done in 20-25 minutes depending on how fast of a meatball roller you are, lol.

What you need:
For the meatballs:

1/2 lb ground meat (I used 80% lean ground beef)
2 minced garlic cloves
A handful of chopped herbs (I used basil and parsley)
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used one slice of bread that was going bad and just
1/4 cup parmesan
1 egg

For the Spaghettio's:

3-4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup anellini pasta
3 cups broth (I used chicken)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

What to do:

Make and cook the mini meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and roll into marble sized balls. Stir and cook in olive oil until browned (about 5-7 minutes.) Set aside until a later step.
In the same pan/leftover oil that you cooked the meatballs, cook the grated garlic cloves on low heat until translucent. (Only a minute or two!)
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste to the garlic and cook until it turns brick red and becomes caramelized.
Add the pasta, then the broth. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be boiling at a lower pace. Do not cover, because some of that sauce will evaporate and thicken up as the pasta cooks.
Once the broth has decreased by almost half, add the parmesan cheese and stir in.
Add the meatballs back in and let them warm for a minute or two in the sauce before serving.

ONE POT LAZY LASAGNA

2/22/2022

Okay so I really wanted lasagna the other day but didn't want to do all the work of layering and mixing and baking! This isn't an exactly pure lasagna recipe so don't come at me -- just a quicker way to achieve lasagna vibes and it's SO good!

What you need:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 diced shallot or onion
4-6 minced garlic cloves
optional: 1/2 - 1 lb ground meat of choice
1 handful (about a cup) of leafy greens (kale or spinach)
1/4 cup fresh torn basil
2 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
about 2 cups broken lasagna noodles
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan shreds
shredded mozzarella
ricotta cheese

What to do:

Cook the shallot and garlic in the EVOO in a large and deep *oven safe* skillet or dutch oven on medium heat until fragrant and translucent. I recommend using a non-stick skillet to prevent the noodles from getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
If you want to add meat to the dish, cook it in the skillet here. (It's okay if it's not done all the way through because it will continue to cook throughout the rest of the recipe!)
Add the greens, herbs, tomatoes, broth, noodles, salt and pepper and stir. (I always poke the broken lasagna noodles to make sure they are covered by the liquid so that they cook more evenly.)
Preheat the oven, use the broil setting.
Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Every stovetop is different so give or take a minute for cooking time -- you'll want it to be saucy, but not too saucy where it looks like soup. (Do not cover the pot, the liquid needs to evaporate in addition to being soaked up by the lasagna noodles - and if you do notice that too much of the liquid has evaporated too quickly, you should turn the heat to a lower setting and/or add more broth.)
After the 15 minute timer goes off, top with the three cheeses. Parm and mozz first, then dollops of ricotta.
Stick the dish in the oven and use the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly and golden brown -- only about 2-3 minutes!
Top with basil and fresh cracked black pepper before serving.

Double Garlic Parmesan Noodles

2/16/2022

When it comes to garlic, the limit does not exist. Just cover me in garlic.

This recipe is perfect for garlic lovers because it has TWO kinds of garlic. Fresh and then crispy fried garlic which is one of my all time favorite toppings. Pro tip: if you have or know someone with a nut allergy, crispy garlic can replace that crunchy nut factor in recipes like pad thai or pesto!

Recipe makes enough for 2 entrees or 3-4 smaller side portions. Store any leftover fried garlic in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

What you need:

1 cup peeled garlic cloves (there will be extra, you can thank me later!)
neutral oil (enough to cover the amount of garlic you fry)
1/2 lb pasta (I used bucatini)
4 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (don't use the pre-grated stuff, grate it yourself for best results!!)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

What to do:

Mince the garlic - I used a food processor to save time.
Scoop and set aside two tablespoons of the freshly minced garlic.
Place the rest of fresh garlic in a small sauce pot and pour the oil over it until it's fully submerged.
Put the sauce pot on the stove and turn it to medium-high heat. Once the garlic starts to fry, stir it on and off (every 10-15 seconds) until you start to notice it's color changing.
AS SOON as the garlic starts to turn the slightest bit golden brown, lower the heat and pay close attention to it so that it does not burn. (Only takes a minute for it to burn!! I've done it several times lol.) The garlic is done once it's a pretty golden brown color, remove it from heat and strain the oil into a heat-safe storage container. (Makes an awesome garlic infused oil!!)
Place the fried garlic on a paper towel to dry off until you're ready to use at the end of the recipe.
Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Cook the fresh garlic and butter in a large skillet on low heat until fragrant.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, then sprinkle the parm over top somewhat evenly and then the pasta water. Mix vigorously over heat to combine.
Plate and top with desired amount of fried garlic, more parm and fresh parsley.

Sheet Pan Gnocchi + butter, Garlic, ChilIes, Tomatoes and Goat cheese

1/18/2022

A couple of things about this dish that I LOVE: it's easy, it's quick, and it's versatile! The gnocchi pieces crisp up to perfection from the oil and also, roasted tomatoes are good on their own but tomatoes roasted in butter, garlic and spicy chilis...along side of goat cheese...and then drizzled with honey...way better.

If you want to leave out the gnocchi, this would make the most perfect appetizer/dipping spread for a good crusty bread. Also, sometimes I'm not feeling gnocchi (it's a very filling pasta!) and I'm thinking you could very easily boil your own pasta while the cheese/tomatoes bake and add it to the sheet pan once you pull it out of the oven. Like I said earlier, very customizable dish!!

What you need:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 minced garlic cloves (4 big or 6 sm/med cloves)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups gnocchi - fresh, not frozen
2 tbsp chopped calabrian chili peppers
8 oz goat cheese (in log form)
2 tbsp of butter, sliced into 4 pieces
salt and pepper to taste
optional: honey or balsamic glaze for topping

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Prep: mince the garlic and add it to the olive oil and then slice the goat cheese log into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces.
Add the cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, garlic in oil and chilis to a cookie sheet and toss to combine.
Add the butter and goat cheese slices, distribute them evenly throughout the pan and season the entire thing with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then turn the oven setting to broil for the last 3-4 minutes. The tomatoes should be somewhat bursted and the goat cheese should be slightly golden brown around the edges.
Remove the tray from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before digging in! Don't forget about the optional toppings of balsamic or honey -- also, bread is really great dipped into it!

Eviction Notice Pasta

10/12/2021

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I kept getting messages about this pasta dish from a restaurant called Frank Papa's in St. Louis that apparently has put a lot of very pregnant women into labor! The restaurant's "Eviction Notice" special is a penne amatriciana which is a spicy tomato sauce with meat (typically guanciale.) I've been served a ton of different versions of amatriciana so I'm sharing how I prefer to eat it -- not the traditional Italian version. ;)

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I love it with bucatini)
2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup diced onion
2-3 minced garlic cloves
Crushed red pepper flakes (as much as you can handle - I do 1 tsp)
1/2 cup diced guanciale (pancetta or thick bacon works too)
1/2 ground spicy Italian sausage
28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Heat a sauce pot and cook the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in the EVOO until translucent and fragrant.
Add both meats and cook until it starts to brown.
Pour the whole peeled tomatoes and all their juice into a large bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. (You could use crushed tomatoes here instead but I like crushing them myself for a chunkier texture!)
Add the tomatoes and juice from the can to the sauce pot and let simmer for at least a half hour. It should thicken up a bit, if the sauce needs thinning - add pasta water.
Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese before serving!

Cheesy Sriracha Noodles

9/27/2021

I’ve been making different versions of this since college!! (Started off with ramen in the dorm room microwave and a Kraft single lol…it’s come a long way.)

Sometimes I make a cleaned up version, sometimes I use all the indulgent stuff. My go-to way is plant-based butter, coconut milk, regular cheddar and my fave brown rice ramen!

ALL THE DETAILS and how to customize:
Any noodle will work..udon, rice noodles, even pasta! I love using Lotus Foods brown rice & millet ramen or knife cut noodles from any Asian grocery store. My fave sriracha is Fix Hot Sauce.

Reg version:
salted butter, regular milk for heavy cream for extra thick sauce + @tillamook cheddar

Plant-based version:
Plant-based butter, vegan cheddar (I like Violife Foods), unsweetened coconut milk or Nutpods oat milk creamer.

What you need:

2 bricks of ramen (or enough noodles for 2 portions)
2 tbsp butter
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella are my fave to use)
1 cup milk of choice
2-3 tbsp sriracha (amount depends on how much heat you prefer!)

What to do:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions.
Melt the butter, cheese, milk of choice and sriracha together in a skillet until it gets saucy.
Mix the cooked noodles into the sauce and serve plain or with a simple garnish like scallions!

Rigatoni with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto

9/14/2021

FINALLY, the recipe I made a couple years back has a home online. Until now, it's been floating around in an Instagram caption!

Think french onion soup vibes, but creamier with pasta and more varieties of the best kind of cheeses - gruyere, goat cheese and burrata on top. Oh, and also, crispy prosciutto!! All of the best flavors.

What you need:

3-4 tbsp butter
1 large white onion
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream (trying to sub milk will result in a less creamy sauce texture!)
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
salt and pepper
buratta cheese
4-5 slices of prosciutto

What to do:

Slice or dice the onion in to pieces and cook in the melted butter until fragrant and translucent. Add the wine and continue to cook the onion on low-med heat until it turns very soft and brown aka caramelized.
Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream to the skillet with the onions and melt both the gruyere and goat cheese into it. Add the other half of the cream portion and bring to a boil.
Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and let simmer until the pasta is ready to be added.
Cook the prosciutto to crisp it -- either quickly in a hot skillet with a little olive oil or stick the slices in the oven with the broil setting on for a minute or two.
Once you add the rigatoni to the sauce and mix, top with the crispy prosciutto, burrata cheese and a bit more black pepper before eating!

Peloton Workouts

7/25/2021

Working out consistently plays a big role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially for someone like me who likes to eat a TON of carbs.

I love using my Peloton for workouts because there is such a wide range and so many styles of workouts! There's something for every kind of person and helps make things feel more approachable when it comes to finding a consistent workout schedule.

In March 2019, my husband bought a Peloton. (We did the monthly payment plan, and pay close to $100 a month for the plan + Peloton membership so we basically look at is as if it's like we're paying for a gym membership!) It sat in our office for a couple of weeks and I dreaded the idea of climbing onto it and sweating. At this point in my life I was NOT working out at all, I was eating pretty unhealthy and wasn't happy with my appearance. I was also having trouble sleeping and experiencing a lot of anxiety.

I finally hit a breaking point with the rut I was in and climbed onto the Peloton a few different times. Once I found the right style workouts, instructors who I resonated with and that played music I enjoyed...I started to really look forward to working out and I went from going years without exercise to working out every single week...consistently for more than an entire year! Still going strong on that same streak and it's been life changing.

Intervals and Arms Rides
I LOVE intervals and arms rides because these classes have a few short arm sections between all of the cycling. It's a great way to catch your breath while still working hard on another part of your body. I'll link a few of my favorite classes that I've taken several times since the start:

Groove Rides
All my fave groove rides are taught by Emma Lovewell who is one of the instructors that I vibe with a lot. I love all of the music she plays, especially in her groove rides! Groove rides are so fun, and lightly choreographed which means there are a few different moves like tapping your booty back to the edge of the bike seat, or hinges where you bend your head down and up from the handlebars. Everything goes hand in hand with the beat of the music and once you hit those moves along with the beat it's that much more motivating and exciting. Here are my favorite groove rides:

Low Impact Rides
Low impact rides have been my favorite type of ride to do while pregnant. They are also great for days when you want to get a good sweat in, but not push yourself too hard. I do the 10 minute low impact rides on days where I'm really not feeling a workout, and the 15, 20 or 30 minute low impact rides on days where I'm looking for more of a challenge and a workout that will feel more fulfilling. Here are my favorite low impact rides:

Prenatal Workouts
All of the prenatal Peloton workouts classes are taught by Robin Arzon! During my pregnancy, I paired these prenatal strength workouts with low impact cycling rides. Robin is full of energy and highly motivating. Working out during pregnancy has helped me to feel strong mentally and physically and I know it's helping me to prepare for labor, delivery and recovery!! Here are my favorite classes:

Miscellaneous Rides
These ones are mostly just because I loveeee the playlists!! Music can truly make or break any ride and I always have to be feeling the tunes to be feeling the workout.

Strength: Stretches
It's so important to stretch, every Peloton instructor will mention that in every kind of class they teach. If I'm really not feeling a workout day, they're a great way to move the body and no where near as hard as an actual workout. Here are some of my favorite stretches:

5 min Full Body Stretch - Emma Lovewell

Strength: Arms and Light Weights
I love the arms and light weight workout classes and almost always tack one onto every cycling class that I take!! I notice most instructors use the two pound weights but the ones I have are three pounds!! Here are some of my favorite arms and light weights workouts:

10 min Arms and Light Weights - Emma Lovewell

Strength: Core
Love that there's the option to do different length core workouts! From 5 minutes to 20 minutes, so many good options. I keep finding myself going back to Olivia Amato's core classes, I really like them and I love the music she plays.

Clams + Red Thai Curry Broth

7/1/2021

Amazing with or without noodles - that's something I feel like I rarely say since I am such a carb lover!! Lol. In the photo, I served the clams and broth over wide rice noodles. When I make the curry clams without noodles, I serve this dish as an app with some crispy toasted bread in order to soak up all that luscious sauce!

Like most of my recipes, this one is portioned out for two entree servings or a few small side dishes!! The whole thing takes about 15-20 minutes to make so it's a super quick and simple recipe.

What you need:

15-20 little neck clams
Optional: rice noodles or pasta to serve with the clams and broth
3 tbsp butter (I use plant-based)
4-10 minced garlic cloves (depends how much you love garlic, lol)
1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp red thai curry paste
Optional: 1/4 cup white wine for extra flavor
Optional: a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup chicken broth
Basil leaves
Fresh lime juice

What to do:

Wash off the clams and scrub until clean.
If you're serving with noodles or pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil so that you can cook them while the clams steam at a later step.
Mince the garlic and ginger and cook in a skillet with the butter until fragrant. (Make sure you select a skillet that comes with a lid!)
Add the curry paste and optional red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant as well.
If you're using wine, add it here and cook until the sauce reduces a bit and the alcohol evaporates a little.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and coconut milk until things start to simmer.
Place the cleaned clams into the broth and top with fresh ripped basil leaves before covering with a lid to steam for 10 minutes or until all the clams have opened. (The heat should be low-med here.)
Discard any clams that stayed shut! Serve as is or ladle the broth and clams over rice noodles or pasta of choice. Garnish with basil and squeeze a little fresh lime juice on top to finish the dish!

Creamy Popeye Pasta

6/15/2021

Growing up I always LOVED my aunt's pesto recipe. I used to be able to tolerate the accidental nut or two when I was younger so it wasn't until I was a bit older that I realized I'm allergic to pine nuts and I can't have traditional style pesto!! Lucky for me, pine nuts aren't the real flavor hero of the recipe unlike the crucial and potent garlic and basil components...so it's very easy to omit the pine nuts and still end up with something that tastes very similar to pesto!

A few house keeping notes:

Measuring leaves is hard. If you're finding that your two cups of spinach and 6-7 basil leaves isn't blending as nicely with the 1/4 cup olive oil, add more olive oil in and adjust because the amount of greens you packed into that cup might be more or less than the exact amount I used.
The first time I made this recipe I used TONS of green herbs -- so if you want to experiment and add in some more flavors, go for it!! Cilantro, chives and parsley all are great options. I sometimes make this dish with kale but since kale is a bit thicker I usually remove the stems and blanch or massage the kale in order to soften it up a bit for easier blending.
For a healthier version, you could skip the cream!! (I also think a spoonful of greek yogurt would be amazing mixed in instead of cream as well.) Actually, the recipe without the cream is something I eat often, it's my "Popeye Pasta" recipe that I developed a few years back.

What you need:

1/2 lb (1/2 standard box) pasta of choice
1 cup grated parm
5-6 garlic cloves
6-7 large basil leaves
2 cups packed spinach
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta of choice according to the package instructions.
Add the parm, garlic, basil, spinach, EVOO and lemon juice to a food processor and blend until fully combined and smooth. (If the sauce looks too thick you can loosen it up with more EVOO.)
Transfer the sauce to a skillet slowly and add the cream in, one half cup at a time. Whisk to combine each time and cook on low. It can simmer for a while while the pasta finished up cooking!
Season the sauce with salt and pepper and taste. If you didn't salt your pasta water in the beginning step, it may need additional sodium.
Top with fresh parm and or burrata cheese and more pepper before serving! Good hot or cold as a pasta salad!

Creamy Cajun Pasta

6/9/2021

Creamy, spicy and tangy!! This sauce is so so so good!! The best part about it is that it can be paired with literally any type of protein. I've made it with grilled chicken, scallops, mushrooms and also just by itself!

For a more texture filled sauce, use crushed tomatoes and add diced onion in addition to the tomato paste! And since there's always a handful of people that ask - I haven't tried to make it dairy-free yet but if I did, I would try using unsweetened coconut cream in place of the heavy cream!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used gf fettuccini)
2 tbsp butter
5 minced or grated garlic cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (optional for more texture)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional protein of choice

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Cook the garlic, red pepper flakes, cajun seasoning in the melted butter until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and or crusted tomatoes and combine until it bubbles.
Make sure the heat is on medium - med/high and then add the white wine and cook for a a few minutes while the alcohol boils out and the sauce reduces a bit.
Stir in the cream, 1/2 cup at a time and whisk to combine.
Mix in the parmesan cheese and then turn the heat to low and let the sauce thicken while it bubbles until the pasta is done. (If the heat is too high here the cheese could burn and the sauce could thicken too much and it'll need pasta water to be thinned out!)
Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the cooked pasta and any protein you might be adding.
Top with more parm and a sprinkle of cajun seasoning to finish!

Pasta alla Gricia

3/21/2021

This recipe is Roman and very simple, but classic!! It's like a sister recipe to cacio e pepe and carbonara, sans the egg component and it's traditionally made with spaghetti or rigatoni. Since pecorino romano cheese and guanciale are both very salty, there's an exception here and you do not need to salt the pasta water.

If you don't live near an Italian market or can't find guanciale, you could try using cubed pancetta or even thick cut bacon as a substitute.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta of choice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup of diced guanciale (cured pork cheek)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
2 cups pecorino romano cheese, finely grated

What to do:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Heat the olive oil in a pan on low-med heat and cook the diced guanciale until it starts to brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Remove the guanciale but leave the oil and grease and leave the heat setting on.
Add the pepper to to the grease, then add 1/2 cup of pasta water and increase the heat to medium until the pasta water boils. (It's important to use pasta water because it's starchy and combines with the pork fat in order to create the luscious sauce.)
Once the sauce starts to boil, add the cooked pasta, guanciale and almost all of the cheese - reserve a little cheese for topping.
Quickly mix everything together over the medium heat to melt the cheese into the pasta water and pasta until combined. Don't be afraid to play with and adjust the ratio of cheese:pasta water so that it's to your liking. (The key is to keep it hot so the cheese stays melted and doesn't curdle.)
Top with more cheese and black pepper before serving!

Chicken and Rice Casserole With Cripsy Cornflake Topping

3/3/2021

Every year around Christmas time, my grade school would host a weekend holiday shopping boutique in the gymnasium. Card tables set up row by row with folks from my hometown selling theee most random stuff. I went with my mom every year - started off helping her sell pumpkin pies at the bake sale table and then at a certain point we just attended as guests. However, I never went to shop - I went for the chicken casserole that was served out of the lunchroom every year.

This stuff is pure magic. Not the prettiest, I'll admit. But it's damn good. Comfort scooped into a bowl and topped with love that is crunchy cornflake cereal and melted margarin.

What you need:

2 large or 3 medium sized chicken breasts
1 cup white rice (not instant)
1 1/2 cup of chopped celery
2 10.75 oz can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayo
2 cups cornflake cereal
1/4 cup melted butter

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 325 degree F.
Bring a medium pan of salted water to a boil and cook the chicken breasts in it until the center is no longer pink.
Remove the breasts, cool and shred them and set aside. Reserve 2 cups of the water.
Add the 2 cups of water, celery and rice into a skillet and cook until the water is absorbed.
Add the chicken, cream of chicken and mayo to the rice and celery and stir. Transfer to a 9 x 13" baking pan.
Top with the cornflakes and drizzle with melted butter before baking for one hour.
Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving!

Butter and Mushroom Rice

2/17/2021

I grew up eating this rice dish and completely forgot about it until my mom randomly decided to make it as a side dish for Christmas last year!! I started posting about recipe testing it a few weeks back and got a huge number of responses from people saying their moms used to make this dish too and that it goes by several diff names. "Stick of butter rice" was my personal fave, lol.

The fact that there's an entire stick of butter in it means you know it's going to be amazing and super comforting. That said, there are ways to make it a bit healthier. You can use plant-based butter, I've made it with both dairy and plant-based butter and both turned out to taste very similar. When my mom made it on Christmas, she made her own french onion soup base with caramelized onions and beef broth!! So that would be another way to maybe eliminate some sodium and give it a more natural feel if you don't want to use the canned soup.

I also love how EASY this recipe is - 5 ingredients total and only three steps. It's probably the easiest side dish you will ever make and it's always a huge hit at dinner. Makes enough for 4-6 sides, can be doubled in the same size pan.

What you need:

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (not instant)
1 can diced mushrooms (4-5oz can)
1 can beef broth (10 oz can)
1 can French onion soup mix (Campbell's 10 oz can)
1 stick butter (works with Melt Organic vegan butter too)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all the ingredients in a 9x13 oven safe dish and stir to combine. Slice the butter into 4-5 pieces and place in the mixture, evenly distributed.
Bake for 1 hour and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Sauteed Calamari

2/10/2021

I love a good basket of fried calamari with peppers and marinara dipping sauce but I also love stewed or sautéed calamari too! It pairs so well with crushed tomatoes and garlic and basil!!

It is VERY easy to overcook the calamari. If overcooked, the texture will be very rubbery and ruin the dish. I know cooking seafood is scary and you want to make sure it's completely done but calamari cooks very fast. If you're a newb, test out cooking a single ring in the sauce for one minute and see what you think before cooking all the others.

What you need:

Frozen raw calamari (I buy from Whole Foods)
1 tbsp of good quality extra virgin olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
1 15 oz jar of crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup dry white wine (I use chardonnay)
Salt and pepper to taste
a handful of sliced fresh basil leaves

What to do:

Rinse and slice the calamari tubes into rings, place back in the fridge, covered in a bowl until needed.
Add a deeper skillet or small pot to the stove and turn the heat to low-medium.
Cook the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant and then add whole contents of the jarred tomatoes. (If using whole peeled tomatoes, break them up a little with forks or your hands.)
Bring the sauce to a low bubble, add the wine and simmer for 10 minutes. (This deepens the flavor and lets the alcohol boil out.)
Next, season with salt and pepper and taste test. Once it's to your liking, it's ready for the calamari.
The sauce should be bubbling. Add the rinsed raw calamari and stir to cook. It only takes a minute or two for the calamari to cook - any longer and it will turn rubbery so be careful! I always take it off heat the second I start to see the rings becoming firm and taking on a shape.
Transfer to a bowl and top with fresh basil and serve hot!

Sacchetti + Truffle Cream Sauce and Balsamic Fig Glaze

2/8/2021

OKAY, SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Cleveland, Luca, has this insane pasta dish on their menu that has absolutely changed my life since the first time I tried it several years ago.

The sacchetti is a bucket purse shaped pasta that is usually filled with cheese. At Luca, they use ricotta and truffle and serve it in a truffle cream sauce with an aged fig balsamic glaze and microgreens.

What you need
For the sacchetti:

Fresh pasta, rolled out in to thin sheets and cut into 2x2 inch squares (I used a recipe from Pasta Grannies Cookbook, it was 3 1/4 cups flour and 5 eggs - @pastasocialclub also has great fresh pasta recipes.)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parm
1/2 tsp salt

For the truffle sauce:

2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp truffle oil
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp salted butter
Balsamic fig glaze for drizzling

What to do:
For the sacchetti:

Combine the ricotta cheese, parm and salt.
After you've made and sliced your fresh pasta, it's important to remember to keep it covered with cling wrap or a damp towel while so it doesn't dry out and crack.
Working with a few squares at a time, add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling onto the center of each pasta square.
One at a time, fold up the edges up and over the ricotta cheese and squeeze the center to seal. The shape should look like a little bucket purse.
Boil for 7-8 minutes in salted water. Test one of the little dumplings, sometimes it takes a bit for the pinched together part of the pasta to cook through because it's thicker than the rest of the pasta dough.

For the sauce:

Pour the truffle oil into a medium sized skillet and turn the heat up to medium. Grate the garlic into the warm oil and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
Add the heavy cream into the skillet, in three equal portions -- so 1/2 cup at a time. Whisk and wait until the first 1/2 cup warms and starts to bubble a bit before adding the second 1/2 cup. Repeat and add the third cup.
Bring the sauce to a boil, add the parmesan cheese and butter and then turn the heat down to low. Season with salt ad pepper and keep whisking until the sauce turns thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. You can add more cream to even things out or make a bit more sauce, just keep whisking over heat and don't forget to adjust the amount of salt and pepper you're seasoning with!
Once the sauce is done, transfer the fresh pasta into it and toss to combine. Plate and finish with the balsamic fig glaze.

Spicy White Truffle Alfredo Sauce

2/2/2021

I make alfredo sauce with a heavy whipping cream base and I am not sorry!! So many people are scared of heavy cream because of the amount of dairy and fat but this is one of those recipes where you really just treat yourself and don't try to make short cuts. You'll be glad you didn't once you start eating it, I promise!!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta of choice (enough for 2)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + more for evening out the sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp TRUFF white truffle hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste - about 1/4 tsp each

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over low-medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant. (If the garlic starts to turn brown, you have the heat up too high, pull it off before it burns!)
Add the heavy cream to the skillet and crank the heat to medium-high in order to bring the sauce to a boil.
Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and add the parmesan cheese, hot sauce and salt/pepper. Whisk to combine.
The sauce should be slowly bubbling at this point. Use a whisk to stir it on and off so that the cheese doesn't burn and switch the heat back to low-medium. It's ready once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, give it about 10 minutes to thicken up. (If you lose track of it and it happens to get too thick, adjust it by adding more cream or a spoonful or two of pasta water.) Don't forget to taste test before the next step and adjust to your liking with more hot sauce and or salt/pepper.
Add the pasta straight from the boiling water into the skillet with the sauce and combine before serving. Top with parm!

Chipotle Chicken Salad

1/18/2021

I shared a salad I was eating on my story one time and got soooo many requests for the honey chipotle dressing that I was using! It's inspired by the chipotle vinaigrette salad dressing at Chipotle! The main components of it are chipotle peppers, red wine vinegar and honey! It's so good, and also really good when mixed with greek yogurt to make a chip dip!!

Feel free to customize this salad with whatever you like. I like doing a mix of romaine lettuce with iceberg and then adding charred corn, black beans, diced red onion, cheese, a few crushed tortilla chips and then a small dollop of greek yogurt. (Also, you don't have to use chicken, you could do ground beef or a vegetarian option!)

The dressing recipe makes a little more than a cup of dressing and it can last in the fridge for 7-10 days. Since the salad portion mainly depends on how much lettuce you use, I'll leave it up to you to eyeball that part. I recommend cooking one piece of chicken per person having a salad!

What you need
For the dressing:

3/4 cup neutral oil of choice (I used vegetable)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves

For the salad:

Chicken - breast or thighs, (one piece per person eating salad)
Lettuce - I prefer chopped romaine and iceberg
Corn kernels, either canned of sliced fresh off a cob
Black beans
Red onion, diced
Cheese
Greek Yogurt

What to do
For the dressing:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

For the salad:

Dice the chicken and season it with a few dashes of cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt. (I like to add a spoonful or two of the adobo sauce from the peppers used in the dressing, but this is optional.)
Let the chicken marinate for at least a half hour or overnight before cooking thoroughly in a skillet.
After the chicken is done, cook the corn kernels in the same skillet just to char them a bit.
Next, cut up the lettuce and rinse it off with cold water.
Assemble the salad with lettuce first, then corn, beans, and red onion. Then add the chicken and cheese and pour the salad dressing over the top. I always finish with a dollop of greek yogurt and then a few crunchy tortilla chips!