I’m excited to share this power smoothie with you all. This is my go to pre-workout smoothie these days. I have always been a big fan of eating a banana before a workout. It’s easy energy and never makes me nauseous during a workout, which some fruits and nut butters seem to do. I wanted a smoothie that would digest easily but also have some protein to kick off my day. I tend to work out a few hours after I wake up so I wanted something with protein to sustain me through a workout. This smoothie doubles up with both collagen peptides and hemp seeds for protein. I love the Vital Proteins collag ..read more

Summer may be winding down, but canned wine is here to stay – which means there’s no reason to put the rosé away after Labor Day. With so many cute cans of wine to choose from these days, I had no choice but to sample the gamut before hosting gals’ night on the patio and share my take on the top five. All of these porch pounders would pair divinely with our watermelon salad and a snack of green olives. Looking to take on a whole meal? Throw some turkey burgers on the grill and voilà! You have dinner. (Fun fact: did you know that canned wine is actually two glasses? Pretty sneaky way to treat y ..read more

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – pizza is the answer, year-round, rain or shine. And with an abundance of ripening Palisade peaches at my local farmers’ market, I couldn’t resist combining the two for a sweet and savory dinner recipe atop my favorite gluten-free pizza canvas: Capello’s Naked Pizza Crust (first tested on this to-die-for fall version last year). This recipe is especially great for summer when you don’t need a heavy, saucy dinner weighing you down. There’s no tomato sauce involved – just a bounty of fresh ingredients that quell an all-too-familiar craving. Serve this ..read more

Let’s kick off this warm summer weekend with my new favorite patio pounder, the Red Pepper Tequila Spritz. I am obsessed with the subtle red color of this cocktail due to the homemade red bell pepper simple syrup. This recipe is bubbling with garden freshness and a subtle hint of tequila. The reposado tequila is important to the recipe to give it a fuller flavor. You can make these individually or for a girls’ night in make a pitcher. Serve with guacamole and chips for an easy summer happy hour. Print Red Pepper Tequila Spritz Servings 1 cocktail Ingredients 2 oz Reposado tequila 1 ..read more

Summer time and the grilling is easy. And this summer appetizer is our new favorite grilling staple. These snap peas are made in 5 minutes and make and are perfect to enjoy on your patio with a cold summery beverage like a lemon tarragon gin cocktail while you wait for your turkey burgers to cook. I love to make these and then relax for a bit before throwing on my dinner or while cooking longer grill items. The coconut yogurt dip is refreshing and dairy free. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Print Grilled Snap Peas with Lemon Coconut Yogurt Dip Servings 4 people Equipment Gril ..read more

It’s actually kind of hard to believe that I have had the blog for four years and haven’t written a post about watermelon salad before. I once grew a 25 pound watermelon in my garden and threw it a party… True story. Apparently you can make watermelon margaritas and watermelon salad for 10 girlfriends and still have leftover watermelon with one 25-pound watermelon. It’s actually pretty fascinating to grow watermelon because its leaves uncurl in the most beautiful geometry and then sprout little flowers that somehow turn into a gigantic, succulent watermelon. Watermelon is the ultimate abundant ..read more

I’ve been really enjoying simple summer weeknight meals. Recipes that take little effort and are healthy and light. These chicken lettuce wraps do just the trick while also offering bonus points for no carbs at dinner. They are full of flavor and surprisingly filling. And the chili mayo is the cherry on top of this easy, gluten-free recipe. For entertaining, I serve with a dry white wine like a Chablis or a Sauvignon Blanc and a crudités and hummus appetizer like our avocado hummus. Cheers to Summer, Laura Print Chicken Lettuce Wraps Servings 2 people Ingredients 10 oz ground organic ..read more

Spring is here and the farmer’s markets are opening which is such an exciting sign that summer is just around the corner. To me, farmer’s markets mean fresh vegetables from local farmers that I am always eager to support. Enter… Asparagus. I love asparagus and after 4 years of attempting to grow it with no success, I appreciate the uniqueness of this green vegetable even more. I have made a vegan and non-vegan option for this recipe. The vegan recipe features coconut oil and coconut cream to keep this a great option for vegans and vegetarians alike. The not-so-vegan option includes ghee and c ..read more

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I am excited to share my newest favorite tequila-based cocktail, the Mezcal Negroni. Negronis are a classic Italian cocktail that usually consist of gin, Campari and vermouth. Legend says that Count Camillo Negroni asked his friend, bartender Forsco Scarselli, to strengthen his favorite cocktail at the time, the Americano by replacing the soda water with gin. I am all for a strong cocktail so I love this story. And I love this take on the classic Negroni. Mezcal offers a smoky note to the bitterness of the Campari. It is truly one of my favorite patio sippers, b ..read more

Spring is in the air which means longer days and the beginning of patio season. I have a new grill that I am excited to put to use the spring. We moved over the summer last year, and my last place didn’t have a grill so I missed out on a season of grilling. I love these turkey burgers for easy entertaining. I like to serve them with a simple salad, and a glass of dry white wine. You can also make oven sweet potato fries for a more hearty meal or to share with kids. This meal is also easy to prep and can make beforehand, just keep the patties stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Then ..read more