Almond Butter Curried Chicken

True story: When I met Brent back in 2010, I was living on salads, cereal, spaghetti and (store-bought frozen) meatballs. Every so often I would get the urge to make something that was relatively fancy or sophisticated. One go-to was a peanut butter curry. I would heat and stir peanut butter, milk, and curry powder in a sauce pan until melted and fully blended. Then, I would add some extra salt, pepper, garlic and/or red pepper flakes for extra heat. I typically cooked the chicken separately and simply slathered on the sauce just before serving.

Reflecting back on that, I have to laugh. I had no idea dairy was the cause of all my sinus issues and I never even thought to look at the peanut butter ingredients on the label; I just purchased whichever brand was cheapest! I’ve come a long way, but sometimes, I still crave that peanut butter curry. Even though we are not strict about legumes, I usually don’t buy peanut butter. So, when I planned this recipe, I decided to use almond butter. I made a few other enhancements, too, including using the tagine so it could all cook together and make the chicken super tender. I hope you enjoy it as much as Brent, Otto, and I did! (Yes, our nearly 11-month-old had some and loved it!)

Spring Pea and Prosciutto Soup

The past few weeks, the weather here in Washington, D.C., has been oscillating between wintery chills and summer-like warmth. Seriously, a 30-degree swing in temperature from one day to the next is crazy. The cold days leave me wanting stew and steamy roasts and the hot days have me wanting salads and fruit.

A couple of weekends ago, we were having a warm day but I was craving soup. After a bit of research, Brent and I came up with this recipe. Now, you could easily do it in a pot over the stove; but we actually cooked it in our Instant Pot. When finished, I was pleasantly surprised that this tasted a lot like split pea soup but was much lighter. I hope you enjoy as much as our whole family did!

Roasted Rainbow Beets and Spring Onions

For nearly a month, every time I walked through the produce department of our local Whole Foods, I’ve seen large and vibrantly colored spring onions. I didn’t care for onions as a kid, but I’ve learned to appreciate the flavor they add to dishes. I even enjoy caramelized onions on my burgers! The spring onions were beautiful. I suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about them.

Meanwhile, there were also “rainbow” beets. Rainbow beets! I’m not a rainbows and butterflies and ribbons and bows kind of girl. That said, sunny spring days make me feel a little more colorful, and I love colorful food. How could I resist them? Onions and beets taste great together. I’ll admit, though, I was more excited that they would look great together in photos. We served this pretty little dish for dinner on Easter with smoked brisket and it felt perfectly appropriate. We hope you enjoy it!

Homemade Dairy-Free Irish Cream

It’s after St. Patty’s Day, but I’m sure you won’t mind a post about a delicious drink that’s inspired by a commonly imbibed beverage—Baileys Irish Cream. We didn’t celebrate much this past weekend; we kept a fairly low profile, doing the typical weekend activities of grocery shopping, cooking, and laundry. We also managed to tidy up the garage a bit and spend some time enjoying the lovely spring weather. Still, I found myself inspired and whipped this up as a celebratory treat. I hope you enjoy it!

Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew

I hesitate to call anything Otto’s favorite. He’s only 9 months old and unable to speak for himself, after all. But, he loves this stew. I mean, he devours it. The first time I made it for him about a month ago, I puréed it really well because he was still getting the hang of swallowing solids, and he gobbled it without hesitation. Tonight, I didn’t blend it quite as much. He was just as enthusiastic.

Otto literally leans forward in his high-chair, mouth open, eagerly waiting for the next spoonful. Sometimes he grabs at the spoon and pulls it towards his face. I also let him have a few carrots from my bowl, not blended, to pick up with his fingers tonight. He happily ate them, but also continued to lean forward for more of the purée.

To be clear, Otto does not do this with other foods. So, I think it’s safe to say, this super easy dish is his favorite. Brent and I really like it, too. Like many Instant Pot recipes, all you have to do is put the ingredients in and let the gadget work its magic! We hope you and your family, however young or old, will appreciate its simplicity and delicious flavor as well.