I know what you’re thinking…. “Isn’t it a little late to be writing a post about pumpkin seeds?” Well, the Fall pumpkins may be long gone, but the New Year is upon us, and that means its resolution time. Like the rest of us, you have probably resolved to develop a healthier diet. Most of the time it’s not too hard to find delicious and healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but what about the in-between times? What about when its nearing 3pm and that salad you had for lunch isn’t holding you over until dinner? You need a healthy go-to snack, and Lynne has just the thing!

When Lynne wants a healthy and tasty snack she bakes up these spicy roasted pumpkin seeds. On her blog, Cafe Lynnylu, she tells us that “pepitas are not only a rich source of magnesium, which helps build and strengthen bones and keeps the circulatory system running smoothly, but are packed with protein Vitamin B and Iron as well as monounsaturated and omega6 polyunsaturated fats. To boost the protein in salads or bread, add a few tablespoons of pepitas.” Lynne’s pumpkin seeds are not just a great tasting snack, they are great for you!

Most of us don’t have time for a ‘well-balanced breakfast’. Trying to make it to work on time early in the morning is a challenge in itself! But we can’t argue with the facts; eating breakfast is definitely the way to start our day off on the right foot, even if we happen to wake up on the wrong side of the bed :).

Instead of going for the stale sweet muffins in the vending machine that always seems to eat your change anyway, why not go for something savory? They say breakfast will help jump-start your metabolism, but I doubt that’s the case when breakfast consists of a sugary muffin or fried donut with too many sprinkles to count! It’s time to try Aimei’s Cheddar Bacon Savoury Muffins!

Aimei from Baking Cottage tweaked a recipe to her liking. Instead of using herbs, she added bacon. Anyone disagree with that choice?! Yum! Even if you aren’t a bacon lover, she says you can add sausage or ham. Though she ate these for breakfast, Aimei also suggests enjoying the muffins with a bowl of soup! If you’re a fan of carbs, like I am, then you’ll have them for breakfast and then again at lunch!

I think the reason people love cookies so much is because they are convenient little desserts. No worrying about slicing even portions, piping creative borders, fretting over your crust cracking, or washing a bunch of dessert plates and forks. People love cookies because you can eat 5 or 6 without even realizing it, and when you need to run you can just pack them up and take them with you.

After receiving a generous amount of apples from a coworker Tracey ate about half of them before cooking up apple dumplings, pork chops with apples and apple cake. Fearing that her family would begin throwing the apples back at her she decided to bake their favorite cookies, apple cobbler cookies. Tracey has been working on perfecting her apple cobbler cookies over the years and has finally come up with the perfect formula. Her baking methods are very precise, and should be followed carefully. After quite a bit of trial and error Tracey has learned that these cookies bake up best in muffin top pans or on a parchment lined baking pan.

On her blog, Chocolate and Chipotle, Tracey tells us that her cookies freeze very well, and that the apple can be substituted for peaches or any other cobbler fruit or berry that you love! Just think of all the possibilities! Now you can have your favorite cobbler on the go!

Remember the confession about salmon that I made last week? I admitted to just eating it for the health benefits, even though my taste buds didn’t approve of salmon’s fishy flavor? Well, I discovered a recipe on Tara’s blog, Seven Spoons, that will surely change the way I view (or taste :) salmon from here on out.

She uses words like hot, sweet, and salty to describe the flavor of the glaze on her Sticky Soy Glazed Salmon. The soy sauce, Thai chili sauce, and ginger add the salty spiciness and the brown sugar provides just the right amount of sweetness. If you’re hesitant to combine sweet ingredients with fish, don’t be. It really works!

This is a recipe that even the most finicky eater will appreciate. If you want to introduce your kiddos to fish, this is the recipe to start with. You can even make a special mild version for them that doesn’t include the chili, but we wouldn’t be surprised if even they loved the kick in Tara’s Sticky Soy Glazed Salmon.

Pull out your forks and knives and tie on your bib because Ricardo has prepared a feast! Not only has he prepared the most gigantic enchiladas I have ever seen, but he created two different variations: classic chicken and a vegetarian option.

Ricardo takes his cuisine pretty seriously, so it is no surprise that his enchiladas are the biggest and best! From his extensive list of ingredients you can immediately see that these enchiladas are packed with flavor and spice. Ricardo tells us that these are enchiladas my way, but they are one of those easily customizable dishes, so play around with the flavors to figure out your way. Ricardo tops them off with his famous bechamel sauce, and has graciously given us his recipe. You can find it on his blog, Rico.

Ricardo’s enchiladas would be prefect to serve at your upcoming Superbowl party! With his “man-sized” portions there will plenty to go around, and his various ways to prepare them keeps everyone happy!

The secret’s in the sauce when it comes to Mag’s Lebanese Style Roast, or we should say gravy :). At first glance, her roast might look like a traditional all-American Sunday night dinner. You’ve got the tender pieces of beef covered in gravy served alongside a generous serving of rice. But at first taste, you’ll be convinced that this is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before. And that isn’t just rice, it’s basamti rice sprinkled with nuts!

A roast is usually what I crave on a cold day, to me, it defines comfort food. But there are certain flavors that I also enjoy using during the winter months, like cinnamon and allspice. Though I usually add these spices in small amounts to my favorite seasonal desserts, Mag cleverly adds them to her roast. It’s what adds depth and mystery to her Lebanese Style Roast with Gravy.

On her blog Hommus and Tabbouli, Mag recommends slicing up the roast and simmering it in the gravy. I think that’s the best way to really taste and appreciate the many layers of flavors. Who knew that you could literally spice up your dinner roast with something as simple as cinnamon?

Zoe, from Cheese and Garlic in a Windmill Far, is a baker with a keen sense for flavor combination and an optimistic outlook in the kitchen. The winter months can be pretty harsh and relentless, but Zoe sees this as the perfect opportunity to turn on the ovens and generate some heat by baking one of her favorite dishes, zucchini leek tart. Zoe says, “baking is a cheap way to heat the house with the bonus that you get to eat something delicious at the end!”

This tart will not only warm you to the core, but it is melt in your mouth delicious! Zoe has experimented with this tart using both a cornmeal and regular pastry flour crust, and has concluded that the regular pastry crust compliments the flavors much better, but she also encourages you to try them both out and decide for yourself! This dish takes a bit of time, but is simple to prepare. Zoe tells us that the best part about her tart is that it “tastes great fresh from the oven and even better after a night in the refrigerator.” Don’t you just love it when last night’s dinner tastes even better the next day?

Usually, my go-to fish is either Tilapia or Wild Salmon. I know, it’s quite boring. It’s sad to admit, but I usually prefer the mild taste of tilapia over the fishy taste of Salmon, I only eat the latter because of the health benefits it provides!

It’s time I move on to bigger and better foods, like Chriesi’s Pecan Crusted Cod. Her dish allows me to enjoy all the health benefits of eating fish without having to torture my taste buds in the process! Cod contains a good amount of heart-healthy nutrients; Salmon isn’t the only fish in the sea…packed with Omega-3!

Though bread crumbs create the cod’s outer crust, Chriesi from Almond Corner creates a gourmet-like foam using savory ingredients like heavy cream and Pecornio cheese. You no longer have to dress up in an evening dress or tux to enjoy fine dining; Chriesi’s recipe is easy to follow so that at home cooks like you can enjoy a high quality meal without having to worry about the tip or fishy after taste ;)!

There are tons of blog groups you can join that give exciting monthly or weekly challenges, but my favorite kitchen challenge is self assigned. I love going into restaurants and carefully examining and tasty the ingredients and flavors that are used, so that I can try to recreate the dish at home. Whether I search for a recipe that sounds similar or create one myself, the experience is always fun, and produces something new and tasty.

Not long ago, Pati joined a friend for dinner and ordered a delicious butternut squash ravioli. She was so impressed by the dish that she couldn’t wait to try her hand at making it when she returned home. After experimenting with different flavors, Pati came up with her own version, Pumpkin Tortelli with a Lemon Cream Sauce (Tortelli is essentially that same thing as ravioli except that it is often shaped like a triangle). To finish the dish off Pati topped the tortelli with a bit of white and black Oregon truffle, and her husband Bruce prepared a beautiful salad with a white balsamic and champagne vinaigrette dressing. Yum!

Diner with Pati and Bruce is always delicious and exciting, so be sure to stop by and check out their amazing dinner spreads.