Lemon Asparagus Prosciutto Pasta

Lemon Asparagus Prosciutto Pasta

:: Lemon Asparagus Prosciutto Pasta ::

{gluten-free}

Hello, everyone! I feel like it’s been ages since I last posted! I took last week off from blogging to thoroughly enjoy my Maui vacation with my handsome man! Our trip was AMAZING! Truly… just what we needed! {I will share some photos and highlights of our trip soon!}

So… on to this delectable dish! I have been making this tasty pasta for the past few years {adapted from the fabulous Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network}. The original recipe was completely delicious… however, I added the juice of a fresh lemon, and grated parmesan to jazz things up a bit! Since I’m not currently eating wheat… I also made it gluten-free by using quinoa pasta! It was so good… and a great alternative to using rice pasta {also a gluten-free choice}. 

Lemon Asparagus Prosciutto Pasta

I love how fresh this pasta dish is! It uses only the finest, simple ingredients… asparagus, basil, prosciutto, garlic, creamy smoked mozzarella, grated parmesan, and tangy lemon. {Yum! Such a lovely Spring or Summer dish!} [Read more…]

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars

 Chewy Homemade (Gluten-Free) Granola Bars from Simply Happenstance #glutenfree #granolabars

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars //

{gluten-free}

Have you ever made homemade granola bars? They have been on my “must bake” list for quite some time. I did my research, and have read numerous reviews before finally adapting this recipe from Smitten Kitchen {which was originally adapted from the King Arthur Flour site}. What I love about these chewy, flavorful bars… is that they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste! You can customize them by adding in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, cherries or apples, and sesame or pumpkin seeds… the list goes on and on. Although I think these decadent bars are already pretty healthy… you absolutely can make them healthier by changing out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar, and replacing the melted butter with coconut oil. Also… make sure if you use honey, it’s in its raw form so you can get rid of some of the processed sweeteners. 

Ingredients for Homemade Granola Bars via Simply Happenstance Blog

[Read more…]

Fancy BLT Salad

Fancy BLT Salad {recipe via Simply Happenstance} #paleo #blt #salad

 :: Fancy BLT Salad ::

Nicole and I both have a thing for cookbooks… {Anyone with us, out there?} Although it’s fabulous that nowadays one can go on the internet and search for tasty recipes, I still love thumbing through traditional cookbooks.  I recently bought a new favorite a few weeks ago {which I highly recommend!}… Against All Grain by Danielle Walker. I first found her lovely paleo-friendly blog, and then bought her delectable cookbook. This Fancy BLT Salad was adapted from her Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon and Mushrooms recipe.

Fancy BLT Salad #paleo #blt #salad {via Simply Happenstance}

I am not crazy about two kinds of meat in my meals… so I left out the grilled chicken, but you could easily add that back in. I had leftover turkey bacon from breakfast that I had placed in the refrigerator. {I love being able to use extra ingredients that are already prepared and ready to go! It made this salad recipe so quick to make!} I reheated the bacon pieces in a skillet along with the mushrooms. I then tossed all the ingredients together and drizzled a homemade balsamic dressing over the top! Delicious, my friends… simply delicious!  [Read more…]

Healthy Taco Salad {vegetarian}

Healthy Taco Salad Recipe {via Simply Happenstance Blog}! The perfect lunch or dinner! #vegetarian #recipe #lunch #dinner #easymeal #wholefoods

:: Healthy Taco Salad ::

Confession: When my husby is home from work… I do very little cooking. With our new life in the mountains, he not only does 100% of the grocery shopping, but also cooks, so I can focus on homeschooling our four little ones. We eat very well when he is home! He’s super creative in the kitchen {thanks to the near decade he’s spent as a firefighter}. I am truly one lucky wifey!

This healthy Taco Salad is one of our family favorites. We love it because it is so versatile, quick, and easy to prepare. You can basically cut up and add-in any fresh veggies you have on hand from your garden or market. {For meat lovers… you can grill up some chicken, or prepare ground turkey, or lean ground beef to add to the salad.} To be honest… I rarely use dressing, instead I mash up the avocado and add a dollop of salsa. {If you like sour cream or plain greek yogurt, it would make it even creamier!} For those of you that love a simple dressing… a Creamy Cilantro Avocado or Italian drizzled on top tastes divine! [Read more…]

Chicken Pesto Pasta

:: Chicken Pesto Pasta ::

Oh Chicken Pesto Pasta… how I love thee.  I have a pasta addiction.  If you were to ask me what my favorite meal would include, it would have to be some sort of pasta.  I know I have a little Italian buried somewhere in my lineage {wink}. Though it is summer and some of you can’t think of eating a heavy meal, this light yet savory sauce makes this pasta not as weighing as a traditional lasagna.  This pasta was created from a combination of herbs and tomatoes from my garden box, basil pesto sauce, and burrata cheese.  Giada’s first book, Every Day Italian, has a ton of hidden gems and basic sauces that can be built into entirely creative pasta meals.  Easy, simple, and delicious.  It is one of my favorite Italian cookbooks.  As for the garden boxes…  in this sunny yet mild California climate for summer, my basil and sun burst yellow tomatoes have taken off like crazy! So why not combine the two with chunks of creamy burrata cheese? [Read more…]

Strawberry Lemon Zest Yogurt Pops

  

 :: Strawberry Lemon Zest Yogurt Pops ::

One of my dear friends gave me these Zoku Mini Pop Molds at the end of the school year for being one of her room parents {Such a great gift idea!}. Since we are nearly settled into our new house, I thought it was about time to pull them out of the box and whip up a delicious summer treat for my littles!

I don’t know about your kids, but mine rarely finish an entire large popsicle. Inevitably, it ends up as one sticky mess {which may be half the fun}! They either grow tired of the flavor, or end up dropping the leftovers on the ground, it seems. These Zoku Mini Pops are honestly the perfect size! While they are much smaller than your average ice pop, I did find that the kids were still able to spend several fun-filled minutes enjoying them! [Read more…]