when life hands you a lemon. . .

Pucker up party people! These bite size delights will be a hit with your family and friends, I promise! I brought a batch of them to the shop for our customers and the platter was empty by noon. Success! My husband was really bummed that I didn't save him one, oops. That just means I am going to have to make them again very soon. Plus, the sugary, lemon aroma that fills the house as you are baking them is beyond mouth watering! Enjoy.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix until combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Incorporate flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until just combined, don't over mix.

Spoon dough onto your cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Top cooled cookies with lemon glaze and a raspberry.

Lemon Glaze 

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix to combine. Add more lemon juice if necessary to achieve glaze consistency. 

recipe provided by Kelsey Nixon

vegetarian patchwork pasta salad

By the end of the week, our fridge looks like a patchwork of leftovers! Time to get creative and pull together a fabulous meal to celebrate the weekend. We grabbed all of the fresh veggies that we had straggling around and the last box of pasta noodles that was hiding in the back of the pantry. Mixing them all together turned out to be a very happy medley of flavors and a guiltless night of grubbing! We think that the patchwork pasta is worth adding into our weekly meal plan. . . and it is great for lunch the next day too! Only if you don't eat the whole batch in one sitting like we did!

ONE

 cook and drain whole wheat pasta

TWO

 chop your organic veggies:

carrots

red onion

red bell pepper

fresh corn

peas

edamame

THREE

 saute veggies in a skillet over medium heat

FOUR

 add a little:

garlic

salt + pepper

extra virgin olive oil

FIVE

 toss veggies and pasta together, adding feta cheese (optional) and a little balsamic vinaigrette

enjoy!!

quick + easy veggie pot pie

Okay. So if you are like me, there are some nights that your belly is just craving something warm and comforting for dinner!  This recipe is super healthy, quick, and will satisfy that dreamy desire to indulge in something beyond the green salad that you have had for the past 3 nights in a row!

2 bags of Trader Joes Frozen Vegetable Melange
1 pie crust

3/4 Cup Canned Chickpeas, Undrained, use entire can of liquid
1/8 Teaspoon Cumin
1/8 Teaspoon Coriander
1/8 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Prepare the 2 bags of vegetable melange according to the package. While the veggies are cooking-

in a food processor put chickpeas with liquid, cumin, coriander, turmeric, nutritional yeast and corn starch. Process until liquefied. Pour into the pot with other ingredients and remove from heat.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

Spray 8X8 glass casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour ingredients from pot into baking dish. 

Place in oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until top is lightly brown.

Enjoy!!

Vegan Tip: If you want to try this vegan-style just use a regular frozen veggie mix, add some seasoning salute and a touch of olive oil. You can also make a half whole wheat crust if you have time!! Get the recipe here.

credit: trader joes ,  my vegan cookbook

big fat greek quesadillas

The oufit? A classic one shouldered Halston. The setting? A magical white linen tent on the bewitching sands of Santorini. What are we serving? The most bold and delicious quesadilla that you have ever tasted. Vitamin rich organic vegetables delicately scattered on top of a whole wheat tortilla and toasted to perfection! Enjoy this savory favorite with hummus or spicy red pepper sauce. . . These are getting tagged "husband approved". As the wife of a meat lover, it is hard to pull off a vegetarian meal without complaints. I am satisfied to tell you that he was so overwhelmed with joy from these veggie filled  delights that he didn't make a peep. And the cherry on top?  These babies are just as enjoyable the next day!

Market List

8 whole wheat tortillas {substitute gluten free or wheat free for those with sensitivities}
Fresh organic spinach (about 2 cups) 
One red onion 
Jarred red peppers or sundried tomatoes 
Falafel CrumblesMozzarella cheese, shredded (a handful or so per serving)  {optional}
Feta cheese (a few tablespoons per serving)  {optional}
Fresh Oregano 
Red pepper flakes

Get to Work

1  Chop the spinach. Thinly slice the red onion and red peppers

2  On a plate, place a tortilla. Sprinkle with your desired quantities of spinach, red onion, red pepper, falafel crumbles, mozzarella, feta, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Be careful not to get carried away!

3  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Place the loaded tortilla on the griddle and place another tortilla on top. Cook until browned on the bottom, then flip and cook until browned on the other side (a few minutes per side).

Remove the tortilla and cut into wedges with a pizza cutter. If making several quesadillas at once, you can keep them warm in a 300°F oven.

credit: a couple cooks , fashions most wanted , tourism on the edge