It’s hot and lately, my go-to meal has been some form of a salad. I posted a quinoa salad recipe on Friday and I have a Swiss chard salad coming your way this week that I can’t stop making.
But let’s face it, not everyone loves salads.
Continue reading
I feel like I can’t get enough basil lately. Every time I think about what flavor I want in my food, I want basil. That’s what made me come up with this basil hummus dressing and that’s also what made me make this pesto quinoa salad. The other reason I made this salad? 
It was ridiculously hot. Continue reading
Summer and the oven don’t really go together. Even if you have air conditioning, turning on your oven heats things up and makes everyone uncomfortable. And really, do you crave a hot meal in the summer? Sure, things right off the grill are tasty but when it gets hot all I want are nice cooling meals. Continue reading
Yes, I know I didn’t put DIY Wednesday in the title of this post. I’m not losing it. Or if you didn’t notice, I’m not a crazy person just prattling on about post titles. Ok, maybe just a little…
Anyways, I’m starting a new “series” if you will but it isn’t really a series at all, just more helpful recipes for the middle of your week. Wednesday is when most of us feel done with the week. We are exactly the same amount of days away from Friday as we are from Monday and for some reason, it feels like the weekend will never get here. We’re tired of work and we come home and realize we have nothing to make for dinner. That’s where many of us throw in the towel and order pizza.
Or maybe you’re like me and prep a few things on the weekend so you don’t have to figure out your dinners but you are getting bored of the exact same meal and want to throw a little variety into your food. That’s where these Wednesday recipes are going to come in handy. They are all things that are made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen and can be thrown together fairly quickly. 
I don’t have a catchy name for these recipes yet. I know DIY Wednesday was creative genius so I will have to top that one. But I do know this basil hummus dressing is amazing and goes well on anything. It’s like summer in dressing form. Just a few ingredients and a quick whir in the blender and you can use this for salad, coleslaw, chicken, fish, zoodles, or as a dip for vegetables. Plus, if you want to keep it bean-free you can just use a few tablespoons of raw cashews that have been soaked in hot water for 15 minutes to thicken your dressing. 
See? I’m always thinking of solutions for you!
Basil Hummus Dressing 
You can use any type of hummus you would like whether it’s your favorite store brand or your own homemade. I just happened to have a little of my favorite hummus leftover so that’s what I used. Enjoy!
Since I’m still on vacation, I thought that instead of a new DIY post I would share some of my favorites so you can get in on the DIY action. These are a few of the things that I constantly make so that I always have them on hand. They’re quick, easy, and most of all save me money since I don’t have to buy them at the store!
Seriously, I can’t stop making this and why should I? It’s cheap, the easiest non-dairy milk to make, and doesn’t have the additives that most store bought coconut milk contains. You also don’t need a high-speed blender and can even use an immersion blender to get awesome results. My coconut milk has been making its way into curries, my coffee, and my morning smoothie bowl. Speaking of which….
Now that it’s starting to get warm, smoothie bowls are hitting the spot. You can make them with your favorite ingredients and get your daily fruit and vegetables. Here’s a simple guide to building a smoothie bowl.
I have this every morning and I love it. Since I’m not a huge fan of plain water, this is a great way to get some water first thing in the morning without choking down a glass of plain water. Plus it’s good for your digestion and your skin!
Dairy-Free Ranch and Basil Dressing
Summer means more salads and fresh vegetables and what better way to eat them than with delicious dressing?! As much as I love my vegetables, I love my dressing even more. Don’t buy dressing at the store because not only is it more expensive but it can quickly turn your healthy salad into a calorie and chemical bomb. Whip up one of these dressings yourself and thank me later!
This is the definition of an easy recipe. Your slow cooker does most all of the work and you end up with delicious caramelized onions that you can put in everything. I freeze the onions in ice cube trays and then just pull out what I need when I’m making dinner.
These are the best snack ever. A little sweet, a little savory, and all delicious. I actually made a huge batch of these before we left for Michigan because they make a great road trip snacks. I may have even shared a few with Adam… Maybe.
I have a ton more DIY recipes over on my recipe page so if you’re feeling the DIY vibe check it out!
Life Healthfully Lived 