This post is a test. A simple test to see how quickly I can share a truly tasty little something. I just got back from spending a super fun day with my kids. We had a fun lunch out, a trip to Barnes and Noble for some new books & my expensive international food + design magazines. I can’t live without those beauties (my kids and the mags!) in my life.

The timer is set. My posts usually take hours and hours. I want to see if I can blast this one out in 40 minutes or less. Here goes!

Continue reading: 1 Minute Blueberry Citrus Shake

Remember the chocolate truffles recipe I promised to share with you in my Valentine’s DIY printables post? Well here it is! I need to make another batch asap as they were polished off very quickly. Have you ever made homemade truffles before? They are so simple, quick and easy to prepare. Growing up I always thought of this decadent little treat as the quintessential opulent dessert. These days you can find them everywhere in all kinds of unique flavor combinations.

Let’s make some truffles!

Continue reading: Citrus Cranberry Chocolate Truffles

Spaghetti squash is a true life saver for those of us on lower carb meal plans. (I hesitate to use the word “diet” ~ that implies deprivation & I never, ever believe in that.) I love the subtle and unique flavor & texture of this squash. I also enjoy that you can top it with any of your favorite sauces or spice up with a ethnic twist. Recently I posted my recipe for Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles and I am having a blast watching you cook it up around the globe.

Once you dig into these noodles you will become obsessed with them. We sure have!

Continue reading: Spaghetti Squash Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce

I have been enjoying seeing all of the hearts, cupids and Valentine’s Day inspirations around the web. I wanted to share some lovey dovey goodies that have particularly caught my eye. I am totally addicted to Pinterest so between there, Starbucks and the gym you know where to find me.

Thankfully in the next few weeks I will be hitting the slopes. Then you will find me riding my favorite chairlift, soaking in bright bluebird skies, high altitude sun and swishing down fluffy snowy trails at my favorite place on Earth.

Continue reading: Style, Design & Treats for Valentines Day….

I’m not sure if it a a good thing or not, but as a food & lifestyle blogger I start thinking about holidays about 2 months before they happen. Since September/Back to School it has been a wild ride with Halloween, then Thanksgiving onto Christmas, New Years and now Valentine’s Day! Let’s not forget about all of the travel, work, kids, school and family activities.

Way before a holiday approaches my mind spins in all kinds of creative ways. I think about food, recipes, crafts & photography. All. The. Time.

I love sharing ideas that go way beyond recipes. My plan is to design more & give you DIY printables and crafts a bit more often.

Continue reading: Valentine’s DIY Printables “Little Angels”

If there is one place in the world that I must travel to some day it is Switzerland. I dream often of this gorgeous land with snowy peaks, cows with bells, stunning farmland, warm people and of course the food! Thankfully I feel like I am whisked to destinations around Europe every time I visit my friends blog, Rosa’s Yummy Yums. I picture Rosa May & I touring cafes with cameras and treats in hand ~  discussing art, fine food, color, light and life. She feels like a kindred spirit. Rosa has a beatnik, Betty Page edge that makes her unique and fabulous! She travels often, her wanderings & musings always entertain!

Please welcome my guest today, Rosa from Rosa’s Yummy Yums…

*All of the stunning photography in this post is ©Rosa Mayland Photography

Continue reading: Valentine’s Treats by Rosa’s Yummy Yums – Guest Post

Lets talk about fruity crisps today…. are you a fan? I sure do hope so because they are simple to prepare and the texture/flavor play is irresistible! What’s not to love about heating up your favorite fruit and topping it with crunch. Lucky for all of us because my recipe is light & healthy and is topped with Uncle Sam’s whole grain cereal.

Yup, that’s right…a breakfast crisp that is great for snacks, dessert and also a healthy treat to pack in your lunch box.

Continue reading: Cereal Topped Apple Date Crisp

Can you believe the color of these oats? All of the purple and blue hues have me even more excited than usual for my favorite meal of the day! This breakfast is a creamy, dreamy combo of coconut + almond milks, hearty steel cut oats and as many combinations of blueberries as I could fit in. This could double as dessert it is that good. A vegan & gluten free meal to suit anyones cravings!

This recipe has been added to the Slow Cooker Challenge hosted by The Naptime Chef and Big Girls Small Kitchen.

Continue reading: Blueberry-Coconut Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

I have this awesome friend from Telluride named Chris Rauchnot. You might remember him from last summer. He is the one my hubs and I went mushroom hunting with. Chris and I met a number of years back at the Telluride Elks Club for the annual spaghetti cook-off and we hit it off immediately. We have lots in common, some of that being our passion for healthy living, snowy Colorado winters and exercise. We love the outdoors and clean + delicious food.

While poking around Facebook this morning I stumbled on this post by Chris. I will uses his words exactly. I stand behind them 100% they are highlighted in orange.

Continue reading: Why Exercise Works: Fitness A True Gift

Telluride, Colorado is known for many things. Among that is it’s stunning natural beauty, distinct box canyon location, high altitude, awesome people, skiing, hiking, mountain biking….. The list is endless. Thankfully I call this slice of heaven my second home, I always want to call it simply home. Among the praise I have for this gem of a town, the amazing food has me jumping for joy every which way I turn. I love to cook when I am there and I also enjoy the good eats in spots like The Butcher & Baker Cafe located on Main St.

It thrills me that I can indulge my active lifestyle and food even more when in Telluride…the altitude and views enhance every single experience!

Continue reading: The Butcher & Baker Cafe – Fall in Telluride, CO

Do you remember the mason jars I filled with homemade granola for the holidays? I am so excited to finally share the recipe with you! We have been enjoying this healthy, sweet & crunchy mix for breakfast and snacks. This is a simple and tasty way to treat yourself to all natural whole foods. It will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth with pure & healthy ingredients.

Let’s make some granola!

Continue reading: Tropical Granola

Sometimes the most simple of things can be made even simpler when we take them into our own hands. All it takes is a quick glance at the ingredients of some popular food products to figure out that things might be not quite right.

I won’t get to heavy into the politics here but from my understanding our bodies can better utilize the energy from un-processed whole food ingredients. (Yes, there is salami in these bentos, but I am showing you how easy it is to source higher quality, lesser processed ingredients.) Here we pack our own lunches each day. We love our little Easy LunchBoxes bento style containers.

Let’s discuss a few positives about packing your own lunchable style lunch. For this bento we have your own little Charcuterie platter!

{By the way, I am giving away a copy of the Best Seller book “The Happiness Project” on my Facebook fan page. Enter over there.}

Continue reading: DIY Lunchables for Project Lunchbox: Salami & Cheese

What better than to start a new year with a super duper healthy recipe. Here on Family Fresh Cooking my recipes are created with real, whole food ingredients. If you are on the quest to detox and get yourself back on track after the holidays then you have come to the right place.

This spaghetti squash is a grain free, gluten free, dairy free alternative to a dish that is often made with floury pasta…which makes it quite a bit more calorie dense. I do not count calories, but I crave foods that are light, healthy and give back tons of great energy!

Continue reading: Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles with Edamame

Can you believe we are on the cusp of 2012?! By the time you get to reading this post it might all ready be a new year. How was your 2011? I hope it was grand. Any big plans for 2012? Do you make new year’s resolutions? I am not so into them, but I do plan on making each second of every day *sparkle and shine*

I believe there are great things ahead for all of us! A big thanks to all of my pals out there. You pop over for visits, leave comments and are great friends.

I am forever grateful….

Continue reading: Happy New Year 2012!

There are quite a few trends I have noticed in the past year that we can use in 2012. Special touches that make a blog extra special no matter what kind of blog you have. We all want our unique qualities to shine through. That’s the point right? You want people to pay you a visit for your excellent content…no matter what your specialty is.

I cite some examples here, please note that I read tons of blogs and can only fit a smidgeon of my favorites in this post. These blogs fall into many & quite possibly all of these categories.

Continue reading: 12 Successful Blog Trends for 2012