Inspired Edibles - ~ real food, balanced living ~

Southwestern Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

March 7, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 36 Comments

Today’s delightful recipe is from The Clever Cookbook, a beautiful debut work written by the talented, humorous and fun-loving Emilie Raffa.

I was first drawn to Emilie’s blog, The Clever Carrot, a number of years ago through her distinct visual artistry. If you enjoy quality food photography, or are a food blogger looking to improve your own, my advice is to pitch a tent, get installed and bring your popcorn. This girl has the magic touch — a clean at times ethereal aesthetic that will leave you breathless in its wake. Most infuriatingly, (and I mean that only in a loving way), she makes it look easy. A couple of my favorite examples are here, here and here. …

Blueberry Yogurt Banana Bread (+ The Sights & Sounds of Costa Rica)

February 27, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 37 Comments

Recently back from the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, my hands are busy unpacking, sorting laundry and paying bills but my mind is flush with images — swimming against the current in sparkling turquoise waterfalls, trekking in the lush rainforest with polls in hand and tucans overhead, soaking our trail-weary muscles in volcanic warmed hot springs and taking a bumpy boat ride across an endless lake in the unrelenting wind and rain to catch a glimpse of the majestic Arenal volcano – its upper slopes wrapped in mist and cloud. …

Roasted Garlic & Creamy Potato Soup with Seared Mushroom

February 2, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 49 Comments

I started making Béchamel sauce in my late teens. It was a technique I learnt from one of my sisters who served it to me one evening over ravioli with a red sauce on top. At the time, I had no idea that this creamy, luxurious white sauce was called Béchamel (nor that it was one of the famed French mother sauces). What I did quickly realize back in my university kitchen was that through a simple act of alchemy I was able to transform a pile of goop (melted butter and flour) into a delicious silken sauce through the addition of milk. …

Simple & Delicious Slow-Cooker Peanut Chicken

January 21, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 29 Comments

Here’s a new one.

I recently purchased two movie tickets online (so far, so normal).

My husband and I make our way to the theater and are unable to print our tickets from the dispensing machine (so far, so normal). …

Roasted Sweet Potato & Persimmon Hummus with Flaxseed Crackers

January 6, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 42 Comments

The first time I tasted hachiya persimmon, I gagged profusely and then proceeded to spit every ounce of it back up on the kitchen counter. My cheeks felt like they had been vacuum packed, my tongue went numb and I thought I might be going into anaphylactic shock.

(have I got you excited about the recipe yet?) …

Baked Quinoa -Pecan Appetizer Balls with Yogurt Dip (Gluten-Free)

December 15, 2015 By kelly / inspired edibles 37 Comments

Northern friends, if you’ve been wondering where the cold weather is, wonder not. It’s here in sunny California where we’ve been freezing our tushies off ~ (my sons say I’ve gone soft).

Warming things up over here however are these fragrant little bites.

Some of my favorite meal experiences have been built from appetizers. Sometimes it’s by design but more commonly, it happens when we visit an eatery and everything on the menu sounds so good that we literally can’t decide on that singular appetizer – and nor do we want to! Happen to you too? …

Favorite Things – Holiday Edition!

December 5, 2015 By kelly / inspired edibles 33 Comments

As I write this entry, the rain is pounding on my window and the wind is lashing against our back door. It’s not snow but I love it just the same. I’ve got a candle flickering beside me, the warmth of my dog underfoot and a cozy blanket wrapped around my body (I’m also craving penne arrabbiata – extra picante – but that’s another story).

December is settling in and in the spirit of celebration, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite holiday decorating and gift-giving inspiration with you. …

Sweet & Savory Braised Butternut Squash with Yogurt Sauce (Kadoo Boranee)

November 17, 2015 By kelly / inspired edibles 49 Comments

Imagine soft succulent morsels of butternut squash braised in the warming spices of ginger, turmeric, chili & cumin and tucked into a bed of tzatziki-style sauce and you will have an inkling of the culinary pleasure that is Kadoo Boranee.

This Afghan style braised butternut squash is quite simply the most memorable dish I’ve eaten in the past couple of years and my new favorite way to enjoy seasonal squash.

My husband and I discovered it at this restaurant when we were celebrating our 19th year wedding anniversary this past summer. If you’re ever visiting the beautiful Santa Cruz area, I highly recommend it for its outstanding food, friendly and attentive service, intimate courtyard and proximate views. …

6 Ways to Arm Your Immune System for Cold & Flu Season

November 4, 2015 By kelly / inspired edibles 25 Comments

It’s no fun being sick. We’ve all experienced the nasty symptoms that can accompany a cold or flu and know how difficult it can be to carry out our day to day functions. Reoccurring and enduring illness can also impact our ability to care for our loved ones and manage our work responsibilities.

By building a strong immune system, we put ourselves in the best position to stay well during flu season and lessen the frequency and duration of illness when it does set in.

Beyond exercising appropriate personal hygiene (our first defense against colds and flu), here are some of my favorite strategies for staying healthy through the long winter months. …

Pumpkin Oatmeal with Macadamia & Beurre Noisette

October 29, 2015 By kelly / inspired edibles 24 Comments

Growing up in the country with miles between houses, trick-or-treating by foot was not really feasible (nor was biking in a costume). Instead, my Dad would drive my younger brother and I along the country roads making as many stops as he could and waiting in the car as we knocked on doors and worked our magic. We would travel around 3 different lakes before retiring back at home to spill our pillowcases full of candy (yes, pillowcases!). My brother, clever as a fox, always ended up with more loot than me. He figured out that if he left his pillowcase in the car and went to the door with a tiny Jack-o-latern pail (which he usually left empty or with one or two feeble candies) it would look pathetic next to my massive and bursting-full pillowcase and the neighbors would naturally take pity on him and give him twice the amount of candy. It worked like a charm. Back in the car, he would dump his loot into his pillowcase and start all over again with an empty bucket at the next house.

All I could do was admire the kid’s ingenuity (although I really should have been asking for a cut of the spoils since his success depended on my compliance – I was half the act). …