Pumpkin Pecan Pie Green Smoothie Bowl

Pumpkin Pecan Pie Green Smoothie Bowl

The Minnie Chef
Drinks

Well, we’re officially in that grace period between Halloween and Thanksgiving…  You know, that time between overloading on sweets and treats and, oh wait, more overloading on sweets and treats.  

Halloween was great this year, as it always is.  This was Zoey’s third Halloween, but the first Halloween that she actually really trick or treated.  Her first Halloween she was too young to trick or treat…  She just crawled around the house as a little strawberry (so cute).   Last year she dressed up as . . .

Roasted Acorn Squash and Lentil Soup

Roasted Acorn Squash and Lentil Soup

The Minnie Chef
Meals

MMMMM there’s nothing like eating a hearty bowl of soup on a cool fall night.  So, maybe it’s not that cool here, it’s a “cool” 81 degrees and so humid from all the rain we’ve been getting lately, but that won’t stop me from opening up the windows and imagining that the house is being filled with crisp, fall air.  Regardless of the actual temperature, I’m fully in fall mode and to me that means warm, hearty soup as often as possible.  

So I can’t say that I mind that we got to (had to) eat this soup several nights in a row...  Yea my first go around at this soup wound up on the blooper reel.  As you may know by now . . . 

Pumpkin "Nice" Latte

Pumpkin "Nice" Latte

The Minnie Chef
Snacks

Who's ready to spice up this Hump Day with a Pumpkin “Nice” Latte that’s cruelty free and won’t break the bank??  I’ll admit that I might have been craving a Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte since the moment fall officially began this year, but, unfortunately, there’s no dairy-free option for the PSL.  For about a month now I’ve been able to resist my urge for one, but now that were just days away from Halloween, fall isn’t feeling quite right for me without being able to enjoy one of my favorite seasonal drinks.  So, yesterday, as we were about to sit down and . . . 

Grilled Pear, Beet, and Asparagus Quinoa Salad

Grilled Pear, Beet, and Asparagus Quinoa Salad

The Minnie Chef
Salad

When I think about fall, I instinctively think about pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the traditional warm, nutty, and earthy flavors that so embody fall, but there's so much more seasonal produce that takes somewhat of a back seat to the more traditional flavors.  For example, my mind doesn't jump straight to beets when I think about fall, but I think the juiciest, most flavorful beets are a product of fall and they're just too good to be overlooked.  

I have to apologize for the interruption here, but while I'm on the topic of word association, I can't help but mention that . . .

Cinnamon-Maple Pear and Pomegranate Chia Pudding Parfait

Cinnamon-Maple Pear and Pomegranate Chia Pudding Parfait

The Minnie Chef
Breakfast

Chia Pudding Fruit Parfaits are such a nutritious and healthy way to eat dessert for breakfast!  Who doesn’t love the sound of that?  There are so many different ways to flavor chia pudding itself, and so many different ways to incorporate fruit into the mix.  Since it’s Fall and I just received a new bag of delicious Salba chia seeds from Salba Smart, I was inspired to make a chia pudding with traditional fall flavors and seasonal fall produce.  The white Salba chia seeds that I used in this recipe . . . 

Guava-Glazed Guava Donuts

Guava-Glazed Guava Donuts

The Minnie Chef
Sweet Treats

Guava-Glazed Guava Donuts people… Need I say more?  The past couple of weeks I’ve been working on some guava recipes with the most delicious Guava Marmalade that PG Bakery so generously supplied for me.  PG Bakery is a local South Florida bakery that makes guava preserves and pastries from locally grown and handpicked Florida Guava.  Their strong commitment to quality—avoiding artificial coloring, artificial flavor and preservatives—shines through in flavor.  The deliciousness of the guava marmalade has inspired me to try it in a number of different ideas.  The other day I made some . . . 

Cleaning Out the Fridge Quinoa Sushi Bowl

Cleaning Out the Fridge Quinoa Sushi Bowl

The Minnie Chef
Meals

My vegetable drawer probably deserves more credit than I do for this dish, so it’s making its appearance as a mid-week inspiration.  So here’s what happened…  We were packing the night before a three-day vacation and realized that we hadn’t figured out dinner yet.  So, I looked in the fridge to see what we had that we could throw together without much effort.  I didn’t really see anything to put together as a cohesive meal so I decided I would just make some quinoa and throw on all the leftover veggies we had so nothing would go to waste.  But plain quinoa and vegetables needed a little something extra, right?  My first thought was to make a quick lemon-tahini dressing, but I wasn’t really in the mood… and then I thought (cue the light bulb) . . . 

Tofu Banh Mi

Tofu Banh Mi

The Minnie Chef
Meals

Fellow Foodies, let me introduce you to the PERFECT sandwich.  This is no exaggeration; every bite of this sandwich is like a party in my mouth.   It’s got freshness from the cucumber and cilantro, spice from the sriracha and jalapeno, sweetness and tang from the pickled vegetables, and saltiness from the soy sauce marinated tofu.  I’ve never eaten another sandwich with such well-balanced, or should I say . . .

Sauteed Kale and Mushroom Wraps

Sauteed Kale and Mushroom Wraps

The Minnie Chef
Meals

For this week’s mid-week inspiration, we’re throwing some sandwich action into the mix with these wraps.  We haven’t posted a sandwich recipe in a while and I absolutely love a good sandwich for lunch, so we decided to share this quick and easy Kale Wrap recipe.  This wrap has the perfect balance of . . .

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Apple Pie Oatmeal

The Minnie Chef
Breakfast

As we dive into fall, there is almost nothing better than the smell of fall flavors cooking on the stove, permeating the air throughout the house.  Let's pause for a minute and try to imagine the smell of apple cooking in maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Is your mouth watering yet?  Because mine is.  I seriously wish someone, one of these app geniuses, would just invent an app to . . . 

Guava Smoothie

Guava Smoothie

The Minnie Chef
Drinks

Why have I never thought to put guava in a smoothie before? Seriously, why haven’t I?  The past couple of weeks I’ve been working on some guava recipes with the most delicious Guava Marmalade that PG Bakery so generously supplied for me.  PG Bakery is a local South Florida bakery that makes guava preserves and pastries from locally grown and handpicked Florida Guava.  Their strong commitment to quality—avoiding artificial coloring, flavor and preservatives—shines through in flavor.  This guava marmalade is so delicious that it’s been inspiring me to get creative and try using guava in new and exciting ways.  I’ve been trying to incorporate it into . . . 

Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Topped with Fresh Fruit Chunks

Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Topped with Fresh Fruit Chunks

The Minnie Chef
Breakfast

This week’s mid-week inspiration is a warm and hearty fall-friendly breakfast idea.  Since fall is finally here, we’re moving away from cold, tropical breakfasts and into warmer temperatures and richer flavors, like maple and cinnamon.  We're so excited about all things fall, including fall flavors, but it is a bit bittersweet as we watch . . .

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