Inspired Edibles - ~ wellness, wonder, words ~

Easy Breezy Slaw & The Rhythm of Summer

July 19, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 22 Comments

with the late day sun hitting our spokes and ice cream running down our arms, we pedaled frantically, our bodies shaking with laughter until we couldn’t hold on any longer and tumbled off to the side of the road. Our bikes followed in a heap beside us landing on the dusty earth. Tiny gravel stones pushed into my sides and I had that unmistakable feeling that all was possible again ~

Summer has a way of restoring our childhood. It’s not much of a mystery I suppose, the birds find their way back every year and so do we. …

Lemon Basil White Bean Dip with Creamy Cashew

June 14, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 15 Comments

If hummus and pesto got together and decided to have a baby, I suspect it would taste something like this.

Fresh, creamy and deliciously aromatic, a full-bodied spread infused with peppery notes, hints of piquant garlic and tangy lemon all wrapped up in a delicate shade of chartreuse. …

Cara Cara & Hemp Smoothie

May 26, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 31 Comments

Sometimes a blender can be a girl’s best friend.

Particularly during those phases we all occasionally encounter when time is tight, sleep is short and days are spent mostly running. Funny enough, it’s precisely during these hectic times that our nutrient needs are at their highest while our ability to tend to them is often at its lowest. …

Savory Quinoa Pie with Sweet Potato

May 11, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 31 Comments

We expected to be on the road (and the soccer pitch) a good chunk of the weekend but when a change in circumstance gave rise to a free Saturday at home, my husband hit the yard and I started putzing in the kitchen. A nest-worthy day if ever there was, the cool drizzly weather helped seed my meanderings into an eight hour session of baking and cooking.

I started with two different batches of flourless peanut butter cookies (yes, I’m on a bit of a quest), made and photographed this savory quinoa pie and then moved on to play with a grain-free version of chicken piccata (so good!). …

Maple Glazed Balsamic Tempeh Two Ways

May 3, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 30 Comments

Just when you were ready to give up on the drab slab of soy for good, this happens.

Marinated in a base of maple and balsamic and roasted to lip-smacking deliciousness, the depth of flavor and appetizing texture of this plant protein may surprise even the most reluctant. And you don’t have to limit yourself to mock burgers either! You can dress this recipe up to elegance alongside fresh berries, soft feta and seasonal greens or enjoy it as an appetizer with a delightful spring guacamole.

I’m serving it up two ways today but first, a little background. …

Simple & Delicious Quick-Pickled Red Onions

April 7, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 30 Comments

With the notable exception of making 125 jars of strawberry jam for our wedding guests some 20 years ago and the occasional flirtation with infused oils, my adventures in canning, curing, pickling and preserving (beyond freezing) have been rather restrained.

And yet there is everything to love about this age-old practice. Sensible, economical and the ideal way to enjoy food captured at the peak of freshness throughout the year, notably during off-season. Plus, you get to think of yourself as a real home cook à la pioneer woman when you’re sterilizing bottles. …

Crispy Baked Spring Chickpea Cakes with Lemon-Dill Yogurt Sauce

March 29, 2016 By kelly / inspired edibles 28 Comments

You can plan things as meticulously as you like but the universe has its own sense of humor and sometimes the best thing you can do is roll over and laugh along with it. …

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. …