fall – Page 4 – Strong Roots Nutrition

February 10, 2014

Roasted butternut squash and apple soup

I love the Winter Olympics but they aren't helping my withdrawals from the mountain views and year-round fun in Colorado. St. Louis just doesn't have much going for it in February. When I lived in Vail and worked at a local athletic club, one aspect of my job had me working closely with the restaurant on our property planning nutrition seminars for our club members. These seminars were both educational and delicious: I presented information around a specific topic, and the incredible restaurant staff provided tastings of coordinating dishes. For one of my[...]

fall, side, vegetable, vegetarian, winter

January 13, 2014

Roasted rainbow carrots with creamed honey and yogurt dressing

This time of year can generally be a tough time for creative recipes, but this week, creamed honey made its first appearance in my life. Sometimes it's a creative restaurant chef that transforms an ordinary dish into something exciting and new. Sometimes it's a beautifully-illustrated cookbook. Other times it's good company that makes all the difference. Inspiration can come from a vast array of sources, but when it shows up, it needs to be savored. It's usually delicious. Here's to finding new recipes to keep meals fun through the winter. Did you know t[...]

appetizer, fall, snack

November 26, 2013

Rosemary and sea salt roasted almonds

This will be my first time hosting Thanksgiving. Know that when I say "hosting," I don't mean the entire extended family will be showing up at my doorstep at dinnertime expecting a great meal. Instead, I mean Mike, myself, and two of Mike's work friends will be there. I'm considering it a Thanksgiving practice run - a less-pressure Turkey Day that will prepare me for hosting a larger group in future years. And considering I've never actually roasted a turkey (because who roasts a whole turkey any other day of the year), I am grateful for that. Nevertheles[...]

fall, main dish, pasta

November 11, 2013

Baked whole wheat gnocchi in creamy marinara

One of the most memorable days I spent in Italy was one where I visited Parma Rotta, a gorgeous restaurant in Italy's famous pasta-producing city, Parma. The employees demonstrated pasta making to my study abroad group, and we tasted their swiss chard and ricotta-stuffed ravioli, strozapretti in marinara, and gnocchi with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Hand-made gnocchi is seriously incredible. Gnocchi is really nothing special: just potatoes, flour, egg, and salt. But roll it out fresh and boil it ever so slightly, and you get the most wonderfully s[...]

condiment, fall, favorites, main dish, pasta

November 4, 2013

My favorite tomato sauce

Most of the time, I love to cook. I love creating food, either new recipes or tried-and-true classics. I love anything that gets my hands (and counters) messy - kneading bread dough, hand-rolling sheets of pasta, cutting biscuits. I love the repetitive tasks like slicing cabbage into thin slivers for raw slaws, dicing onions, and shelling beans. To me, the best smell in the world is onions sautéing in butter and the pungent punch of garlic when it hits a hot pan. Put some Sinatra on in the background and the process is just a[...]