Categories
DIY

DIY Mason Jar Herb Garden

Say goodbye to overpriced, ‘how fresh can these really be?’ supermarket herbs and hello to fresh, beautiful herbs right on your windowsill! This fragrant little herb garden can be completed in under fifteen minutes, and the best part?

It’s mega cheap!

Chances are you’ve got everything (besides the herbs, of course) already in or around your house! But even if you’re like me and buy every supply (including the rocks…cause… there’s no excuse, I’m just plain lazy) you’ll still have a beautiful, cheap herb garden right in your kitchen! For me, one jar worked out to be only a couple dollars more than it’s packaged superstore counterpart!

Endless fresh herbs year round for a couple dollars more? Now that sounds like a good deal!

(Plus, let’s be real here… those supermarket herbs only have seven sprigs in them anyway).

Featured in my herb garden are peppermint, thyme, and parsley. I was dying for more, especially rosemary but when you live in a small town, you take what you can get. Moving past my bitterness, this DIY is created in typical Humble Kitchen style. That is, this DIY is meant to be customized to you!

So go ahead and plant whichever and as many herbs as your tummy desires!

  • Mason Jars (spaghetti jars, pickle jars, whatever you’ve got lying around!)
  • Your Choice of Herbs
  • Potting Soil
  • Rocks

Set yourself up outside. This is gonna get messy!

Start by filling each jar with at least 2″ of rocks. This step is incredibly important. Since the jars don’t have any drainage themselves, the rocks will create a barrier between the roots and any excess water. This prevents the roots from rotting from being submerged.

Next, fill half of your jars with a new layer of potting soil.

Pull your desired herbs out of their old, plastic homes. Gently loosen the soil around the roots, then firmly (but still gently!) ‘shove’ the herbs into the mouth of the jar.

Add even more potting soil to your jars. Don’t be afraid to pack it in there, because the soil will settle when watered.

Last but not least, water your herbs and set your new mason jar garden in a sunny windowsill.

Then enjoy the aroma and ease of fresh herbs within arms reach!

Once plagued with a black thumb, I killed all plants in sight. Whether it was from love or neglect, I may never know… (neglect. It was neglect). However, through sheer pigheadedness, a few helpful hints, and several poor plants left in my wake, I’ve begun to retrain my black thumb into a green one!

Personally, I’d say its in the in-between stages. It’s more like the yellow-y purple of a healing bruise. It’s not pretty, but at least almost all of my plants survive now!

Here’s a few helpful tips and resources I’ve stumbled into along the way to keep your new herb garden thriving all year round!

  • On average, most herbs need to be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. Although keep in mind that there are exceptions to this guideline. Some herbs like basil need to be kept in moist soil while other herbs such as lavender need their soil to be bone dry before watering. Check out The Tasteful Garden’s article on How to Grow Herbs and Electro Saw HQ’s professional tips on How to Grow Basil Easily.
  • Most herbs need approximately four hours of sunlight per day. Again, there are exceptions to this guideline, depending on the herb.
  • Properly trim and prune your herbs. Miss Purple-ly Yellow Thumb over here is gonna let The Urban Cultivator tell you how… cause let’s face it this is an aspect of gardening makes up the ‘blacker’ part of my thumb.
  • Remember that you need more fresh herbs in a recipe than dried ones. The ratio is typically 3 to 1, that is three times the amount of fresh herbs to dried herbs.
  • Learn how to properly preserve your herb harvest, this particularly comes in handy when you dramatically lessen the trimming over the winter. See 11 Secrets For Harvesting and Preserving Your Herbs (then if you’re anything like me, spend the next hour reading related articles from Natural Living Ideas until you can’t remember how you got there in the first place!).
  • And lastly, for all my black-thumbed friends out there looking for a chuckle and a cut to the chase article with no confusing gardener lingo check out the 10 Mistakes New Herb Gardeners Make from The Skinny Gourmet.

There we have it! A simple, (nearly) black thumb proof mason jar herb garden for fresh herbs and fresh cooking all year round!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

  • Tags garden, gardening, herb, mason jar
Categories
Health

What To Expect On An Elimination Diet

I don’t just talk the talk -I walk the walk too.

For the past month and a half I’ve been going through the motions of both keeping a food diary and being on an elimination diet. It was tough at times, and tears were shed, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks to a little bit of perseverance (and a whole lot of daydreaming about ice cream!) I’ve discovered all of my food triggers and (as of now, fingers crossed) my skin is just as clear as it was before that first little patch of itchy red skin appeared over a year ago!

If  that’s not enough incentive to start an elimination diet then I’m not sure what is.

There is a few things that nobody mentions when it comes to elimination diets. From the tears, flares, cravings, healing, (and even losing weight!) I’m here to highlight the highs and the lows of this diet that has changed my life for the better… despite the hardships!

 

At first, the elimination diet can seem a bit daunting. At least 23 days without fast food, alcohol, dairy, eggs, and gluten (just to name a few!) can make anybody shake in their boots. 

What am I supposed to eat? Am I stuck drinking water and eating ice for a month? I’d rather die.

I thought the same thing, but eventually, everyone finds their breaking point.

Where enough is finally enough, and you refuse to let eczema destroy your life any longer. After this breaking point, it’s easy to push past the fear of starting this (daunting) diet. For me, this breaking point was a day or two after My Terrible Mistake. With my skin (which took weeks to partially heal from the last flare) becoming absolutely destroyed in mere hours, enough was finally enough. I decided I was no longer going to live in fear, clueless about what would absolutely destroy my skin, cause itchy sleepless nights, and what wouldn’t.

Where you take the plunge and vow that for at least 23 days you will keep a food diary and remove the top 8 eczema triggers (plus fast food and alcohol).

Good for you! This step alone deserves a huge pat on the back!

While daunting at first, this seemingly restrictive diet quickly becomes less of a menacing grizzly bear and more like a teddy bear right before your eyes. It is at this stage where you discover that there really is a whole lot of food you can still eat and enjoy!

Push a little further and you’ll see that there is not much food you’ll be lacking -even when it comes to desserts! In fact, I enjoyed many desserts such as ‘Dad’s Goodie Squares‘ (which taste so good you think they must be bad for you!), ‘Choco-la-ti-da‘ (for fondue) and ‘Peanut Butta’ Cookies‘ with no fear of a nasty flare up. Some of these did include nuts (read the ‘Cheater’ section down below for an explanation!) however, there are still plenty of desserts you can enjoy without nuts such as ‘Nice Cream‘ or ‘Gluten and Dairy Free Cookies‘ -so don’t be afraid to experiment!

Besides my killer sweet tooth insisting I eat dessert, common staples for me included fruit, vegetables,salads, chicken, salmon, rice, and smoothies. I ate whenever I wanted, as much as I wanted and never felt like I was lacking. Not once did I ever count calories or portion servings. I listened to my body and ate real  food -mostly plants.

Side note: Words cannot even describe just how much fruit and veggies I ate. It was  A LOT  as they were perfect to grab when you’re feeling hungry right now, when you’re on the go, or when you needed a quick snack!

Of course, at this stage you are also still discovering any hidden sensitivities that don’t consist of the top eight triggers (thanks to your trusty food diary!). For many people this can be anything from nightshades to even herbal tea! So again, keep writing in your food diary.

Note: At this stage, some people’s symptoms actually get worse. Keep at it, and allow your body to get it out of it’s system and it will get better in no time. If there are strong links between what you ate and your flare, remove the suspected food culprit from your diet and  re-introduce it at the end of your  diet once again.

Despite all the yummy and healthy foods you’re eating (and the fact you’re eating as much as you want!) sometimes cravings sneak up. If you’re anything like me, wanting sweets happens at least every other day!

To get through those 23 days (I actually did 30) and the tough cravings I had several tactics:

  1. I made sure to go through my diet one day at a time. “One day.” I would say, “I just have to get through today without eating ___________ (insert: pizza, ice cream, chocolate, bread -you name it) “. Then the next day I would tell myself it again, and again, and again. Focusing on one day rather than 23+ of no naughty (but delicious foods) kept me feeling motivated rather than distraught at how many days I had left.
  2. If my killer sweet tooth really started acting up, I would quiet it down with a serving (or two!) of a tummy safe desserts. Again, I ate what I wanted, as much as I wanted (as long as it was tummy safe of course).
  3. I carried tummy safe food with me at all times. If I got hungry, I wouldn’t be tempted to eat something bad simply because it was there.

Over time as your skin begins to improve, the desire for naughty foods disappears. Choosing between healthy, itch free skin and 20 minutes of naughty foods becomes a no brainer. Eventually I could watch people eat ice cream, cake, pizza, chocolate -you name it and not be fazed.

At some point within your 23 days, one of the biggest obstacles comes to surface: Eating at other people’s homes or perhaps worse, restaurants.

At this stage, eating food you didn’t prepare can feel like a game of Russian Roulette. You don’t know exactly what’s in this food and whether or not it will affect you. On top of it all, having to be the one people have to accommodate for can be awkward and embarrassing. Refusing food a host has made for you or sending food back to the kitchen can make you feel even worse.

Only once during my 30 days did I accidently eat food at a friends house that once again, ruined my hands and destroyed my courage. I wept for hours, and hours, and hours. To this day, I’m not sure what was in it that made me flare but I suspect it was some sort of dairy.

 Even now that I’m off the super restricitive diet -eating at friends homes or restaurants is an intimidating event. Check out this guide on How to Eat At Friends and Loved Ones Homes With Dietary Restrictions for some tips that saved me along the way!

Over the weeks, you’ll notice your skin getting better and better! There really is no better feeling than waking up from a peaceful, itch free sleep, with healthy and happy skin.

As the end of the diet draws near, butterflies of  both delight and fear dance in your stomach.

This stage is Re-introduction, where you learn what foods you can tolerate, and what you must go without. This stage was the scariest, even more so than the Russian Roulette feeling of eating at restaurants.  When you’ve worked so hard getting your skin so clear and itch-free, it becomes very difficult to expose yourself to foods that might make you flare. Alas, to finish the diet and know once and for all the foods we can and can’t tolerate, it must be done. This can be a bit heart breaking, but in the end you’ll be better for it.

For me, fear danced in my stomach more than delight did. So much that I actually put off introducing certain foods like gluten and eggs for a lot longer than I needed to. When I finally did try gluten, I went straight to my favorite bagel that I’ve been missing. That was a BIG mistake, especially because when I finally was ready to try gluten I didn’t even bother reading the ingredients which included my food devil -dairy.

So I ate this bagel I’ve been dearly missing and the very next day bubbles surfaced under my skin. Once again, I cried for hours, and hours, and hours mourning gluten’s part in my life. When I told my mother what happened, she just shook her head and jokingly scolded my choice for re-introduction. She insisted that I try again, this time with a simple bread.

I was scared, but I did. For days I anxiously awaited another flare….but nothing happened. Anxious I tried once more, and nothing surfaced. To my delight, wheat and gluten could once again be added to my diet! That was a hard lesson that reminded me to pay attention to the ingredients.

Dairy was a whole other obstacle and the very last one to be introduced. No surprise, I was terrified. I didn’t want to. I’d seen the damage this devil caused in the past and I wasn’t ready to invite it back to wreak havoc on my body again. So I put it off for days, and days, and days. My mother suggested that if I was gonna go down, might as well eat something I really missed -like icecream.

A plan was born to get a Dairy Queen Cake with the words ‘Doomsday’ written on it and… I almost did it. Again, I got scared. I already knew I was lactose intolerant, and even if I didn’t react eczema wise (like I was 98% sure I would) I didn’t want to suffer the other bodily consequences of eating dairy when you’re lactose intolerant! If you don’t know what I mean… first of all lucky you and second of all… to paint a pretty picture it’s a lot of bloating and poop. Yay…

I didn’t wind up eating dairy, and I don’t regret it at all. My terrible mistake, my lactose intolerance, and my food diary all alluded to the fact that dairy was my culprit.

A couple weeks have gone by and with my skin completely healed (again, fingers crossed it stays this way!) I am one happy girl! I bake and cook with coconut milk, use a coconut butter, and even found a coconut ice cream that is to die for! As for calcium, my sources include dark leafy greens, nuts, chia seeds, and salmon just to name a few. To my delight, a couple of unexpected surprises came out of this whole thing.

First and probably the most important, this habit I developed for eating healthy foods and mostly plants has stuck with me even after the diet. On very, very, very, rare occasions, I reach for something pre-packaged. For the most part though, my diet still consists of fruits, veggies, salmon, chicken, salads, rice, and smoothies… with the welcome addition of eggs, nuts, and wheat!

Second, while eating whatever I wanted -even when indulging in tummy safe desserts I had lost some weight! While I didn’t go on this diet for that purpose, it was a pretty great bonus!

I trust that with my new found habit in place, I’ll keep the pounds off  and keep my skin clear!

You get what you put into this diet. If you cut corners and cheat, this diet isn’t likely to pay off in the way that you hope. In the end, the only person you’re cheating and hurting is yourself.

That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that I cheated too.

I’m only human after all.

However, it’s important to note what I did cheat on. I never decided to have eggs, bread, or milk the one day and then swear off them for the next little while. That is inconsistency and provides inconsistent results. The exact opposite of what we’re trying to achieve here.

On the contrary, I cheated by including an entire group early on. Swearing that as soon as I noticed any flares linked to this food group, I would remove it entirely. The group I included three days after starting my elimination diet was peanuts and nuts. I had never noticed an adverse reaction to them before and I desperately needed some snack fuel that would keep me full for hours when I was busy working or out and about exploring (like going to Ing’s Mine -which was AMAZING!).

So yes, I cheated too. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re going to cheat on this diet, pick an entire food group early on and stick with it. No caving into bread cravings one day and then swearing off of it the next few. But remember, you get what you put into this diet -the more you remove (and the less you cheat) the better!

If this diet didn’t work for you, you need to take a reflect inwards and be 100% honest with yourself. As above, the only person you’re cheating (and hurting!) is yourself.

  • Did you fully commit to staying on the elimination diet?
  • Did you keep up with your food diary and monitor your symptoms? This is particularly important for people who are reacting to foods that are not in the top 8 triggers.
  • Did you refuse cravings to eat off limit foods?

If you answered ‘Yes’ honestly to all of the above, don’t despair. As you are well aware, not everyone with eczema reacts to the same triggers. Perhaps over this diet you found some food sensitivities. Perhaps you didn’t. Perhaps you found some sensitivities and despite avoiding those foods your skin is still worse than ever.

All three scenarios are entirely possible.

Take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back. I know it’s frustrating, but you just completed some major detective work when it comes down to curing your own eczema. Whether you found triggers or not, you are one step closer -even if it doesn’t feel like it.

If your skin is still bad after this whole diet, wipe away those tears and stand up tall. It’s now time to tackle the next eczema monster:

Contact Dermatitis.

An allergist will be able to help immensely with this monster, but in the meantime check out 120 Ingredients Known To Cause Contact Dermatitis and get to throwing out all those irritating soaps, shampoos, and lotions.

In summary, no matter what you choose to do, diet or not. I hope you find health and the end of the road. Just know I’ll be right beside you trying to find the answers too.

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Recipes

Spinach Raspberry Salad Recipe

Welcome the sun and warm weather with this sweet and sunny salad! From the bright red berries, the sweet dressing, and the candied almonds -you’re gonna start to wonder how a salad so sweet (and delicious) can be soo good for you!

Salad isn’t supposed to taste this good after all.

But I insist -it is!

All that spinach isn’t just sitting there looking pretty!  Spinach is a major superfood loaded with nutrients important for skin, hair, and bone health. Not only that, I heard that after you eat some you acquire a secret strength… enough to defeat your worst enemies in a single (…okay, a few) punches!

Don’t believe me? Just ask Popeye.

(and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you definitely need to watch this!). 

If that’s not a good enough reason to eat spinach then I don’t know what is!

So thanks to its valuable nutrients, sweetness (and not to mention the strength acquired after eating spinach), this lovely little salad makes the perfect addition to any meal -from patio lunches to candlelight dinners. Speaking of which, it’s a real easy dish to make your sweetie after they’ve had a long day.

Just a hint-ity hint hint to you romantics out there!

What are we waiting for? Turn up “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley and let’s get started!

Serves: 8   Prep Time: 15 minutes   Total Time: 15 minutes

  • 1lb (16 ounces, or approximately 10 cups) of baby spinach, washed
  • 2 cups of raspberries, washed
  • 0 – 1/4 cup of red onion, thinly sliced  (depending on how much you want to kiss your sweetie later. I used an 1/8th of a cup  …cause I only kinda wanted to…aha)

  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of paprika

  • 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon of Sel Gris or Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (Just a pinch!)

Start with the candied almonds. Begin by combining almonds, brown sugar, water, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. Turn the burner to medium heat and  stir constantly for 2-3 minutes or until the almonds are evenly covered and most of the water has boiled off.

Remove from heat and spread out almond slices on a layer of wax paper. Allow to cool while you work on the rest of the salad.

P.s. These make a tasty snack! If you’re anything like me, you’re gonna wanna make extra!

Just a side note: The almonds will be slightly sticky if made right before mixing the salad. I think it’s great, as it sticks to the leafy greens! However, if you don’t want that, make the candied nuts an hour or so before preparing the salad to allow the almonds to cool thoroughly.

In a jar or other container combine sugar, olive oil, vinegar and paprika. Shake well until evenly mixed. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine together all the ingredients that make up the raspberry salad base. Add the dressing and candied almonds. Toss until the leafy greens are evenly coated.

Dish up and enjoy!

Want a savory twist? Try adding just a pinch of Crystal Maldon, Sel Gris, Japanese Matcha, or Himalayan Pink Sea Salt overtop of your salad for that mouthwatering, salty-sweet taste!

There we go! That’s all there is to this beautiful summer salad. As with the Smashed Blackberry Salad, this dish is best enjoyed outside in the sunshine!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
DIY

How To Start A Food Blog Step By Step

Starting your own blog can be a fun and rewarding way to share your knowledge or passion with the world. While we will be talking about food blogs specifically in this post, all the information down below can be transferred to whichever niche and passion your heart calls for! The best part? It doesn’t have to be difficult, in just half an hour you could have your very own food blog up before you know it.

Trust me, if a doorknob like me can do it -so can you!

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get right into it!

This article contains affiliate links. While at no extra cost to you, The Humble Kitchen automatically receives a small commission if you so choose to purchase a product through this blog. Thank you for your continued love and support <3

  • Passion -No matter what you choose to write about, make sure you are passionate about it! I can’t stress it enough. If you are moderately interested in cooking but are head over heels about goldfish, then write about goldfish! (And then share it with me). The last thing you want to do is create a website that winds up feeling like a chore to manage and write about.
  • Patience – Blogging takes time. Designing your website, writing the posts, taking the photos, and not to mention the social media aspect of it take a lot of time. On top of it all it takes a long time to rank on Google, so don’t despair that the only person reading your blog for the first few months is your mom (p.s. Hi, Mom!). Create quality content and quality images and you’ll go far.

So you’ve got passion and patience, that’s fantastic! Both are often the most overlooked aspects of creating a blog. Look at you -you’ve got the hang of this already! So let’s take a closer look at the steps we need to take to create our blog.

Don’t worry, it may look intimidating but I’m right here to walk you through it.

  1. Domain & Hosting
  2. Installing WordPress
  3. Make it Pretty! (The very best part!)

Your domain is the name of your blog. I said ‘Making it Pretty’ was the best part, but honestly, this is pretty fun too!

What do you want your blog to be called?

The most effective way to come up with a name is to brainstorm as many ideas as possible. Is there a certain ingredient you like to cook with? Any descriptive words someone would use to describe you? Your favorite food? Are you dairy free, gluten free, vegan or vegetarian? All of those can play a part in creating a name that sets you apart from the rest of the blogging crowd.

Take your time. Mix and match phrases, play with words until you’ve hit the sweet spot.

NOTE: It is EXTREMELY important to pay attention to how your domain looks and sounds. Names that are very long, difficult to spell, contain made up words (such as combining two words together), or contain words that are purposely misspelled (such as Fone for Phone or Phat for Fat) can make it very difficult for readers to remember and find you!

Once you’ve found the perfect name, it’s time to decide on a host.

Hosting is a lot like renting an office space for your blog, and you need a large enough ‘office space’ to accommodate all your lovely readers. Too small of a host, and your website crashes whenever you get a large influx of readers (which is never good).

The two hosts I recommend are Bluehost and Netfirms. Both are equal in quality, so you can’t go wrong. The largest difference between the two is that (unfortunately for us Canadians) you are not able to register a .ca domain on Bluehost. On the flip side, Bluehost will give you your domain name for free if you host with them while Netfirms will not. Alternatively, if you wanted both worlds, you can always register a .ca on Netfirms and get Bluehost to host it.

For this post, we will be strictly focusing on how to get a host with Bluehost. Don’t fear Netfirm and Canadian lovers, a post on how to get started with Netfirms is on the way!

To begin, click “Get Started Now” and you’ll be redirected to a webpage that looks like this.

You are required to pick a package first. Which package you choose is up to you, but I would recommend the basic package when you are first starting out.

Now we get to enter the perfect name we chose at the beginning! Remember that Bluehost gives you your domain for free if you sign up with them. If the domain is already taken, you may need to go back to name planning. Again, be wary of names that are too long, difficult to spell, purposely misspelled and so on. Once you find the perfect, untaken name enter it and click to the next screen. Alternatively, if you already have a domain, you can enter it in the right hand box. Next, you’ll be brought to a screen to create your account. You’ll be asked to fill out your standard personal information (name, country, and so on).

Underneath, you’ll see a screen to modify your package. You can choose to purchase your domain for 1, 2, 3, or 5 years. The longer you host with them, the lower the monthly cost and higher the savings.

As for the add-ons, they’re completely up to you! However, out of all of them, I’d recommend the Domain Privacy Protection. The information for who owns a domain is accessible to anyone on the internet. With Domain Privacy Protection, you will remain the owner of the domain, but only Bluehost’s information will be listed for the whole world to see.

Next, you enter your payment information, create your password, and you’re well on your way to your very own blog!

Once you’ve completed registration with Bluehost you’ll need to go through the process of installing WordPress. WordPress is a blogging software, the most popular type of blogging software to be precise. As of 2014, there was 74,652,825 sites that rely on good ol’ wordpress, so it should come to no surprise that it’s also the software that I use for The Humble Kitchen. As the polar opposite of a techy person, I promise you it’s super easy to use and super easy to install to your website. Here’s how: Log into your Bluehost account and access your cPanel. Under the ‘Website’ section, click ‘Install WordPress’. Okay, now for the next step. Once upon a time, this was even simpler to do, but thanks to Mojo they made it a whole lot more difficult than it needs to be. One click my rear end. Thanks a lot Mojo. Don’t worry, it still is simple…we’ve just got some extra clicking to do! After clicking “Install WordPress” from the screen above you will be taken to the Bluehost Marketplace.

Click ‘Get Started’.

Below this install domain section is a bunch of WordPress ‘Done for You’ kits. Ignore it and save yourself the money, we got this by ourselves. Select your domain for installation, leave the directory section blank then click ‘Next’. Now it’s time to enter some basic information about your website. The website name, your username (mine is just ‘Savannah’), email, and your password.

Make sure all three boxes are checked, then click ‘Install’.

WordPress is now installing. Let’s be real that was like at least five clicks Mojo. Once you see the words “Your Installation Was Successful” copy down all the installation details. These details are your wordpress admin dashboard link, your login, and your password. This is super important. Maybe write it down on a piece of paper and save a copy of it to your computer, just in case.

Seriously, Write. It. Down.

To access your new blog, click on the link ending in ‘/wp-admin’. You’ll then be face to face with your new blog’s log in page. Take the time to bookmark this page, you’ll be coming here often!

Enter your username and password then say hello to your very own blog!

Congratulations!

Many people never take the leap into the blogging world, so give yourself a huuuge  pat on the back! Turn up “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira and let’s have a little happy dance session to celebrate!

The very best part!

Time to let your creativity shine and make your blog an (internet) home!

Your new blog already comes equipped with a basic WordPress theme. A theme determines the look and feel of your website. Its up to you whether you choose to purchase a custom theme or download a free WordPress theme. Lucky for us who want to save a bit of cash, there are thousands of free WordPress themes available! Just be sure to watch the theme’s rating and try to pick one rated 4 or 5 stars, with (ideally) hundreds to thousands of downloads.

Other than that, run wild and play with as many different themes as you want!

This is your site, so pick a theme that suits and reflects you!

The Humble Kitchen has been with a premium theme provider called Elegant Themes.  I’ve specifically been using the theme aptly named ‘Extra’ since the beginning and I’ve never looked back. What sets Elegant Themes apart from other themes is something called Divi which is a visual theme builder.

No coding, no computer gibberish. Just simply write to your heart’s content, then if you need to arrange anything it’s a drag and a drop away! You’ll have complete control over how your blog looks and feels while editing your blog with this visual feature. Divi allows you to see how your blog and blog posts will look to your lovely readers in real time! No back and forth previewing, no nonsense. Perfect for people like me, who are nearly completely useless when it comes to technology but want a professional and unique blog to call their (internet) home!

Now that’s  just me, this is your internet home remember? So you do you!

Look to the sidebar of your blog’s dashboard. Hover over ‘Appearance’ and then click on ‘Themes’. Here you will see a few theme options that are already installed on your blog. They are free to use to your heart’s content.

However, if you aren’t happy with the themes WordPress has already downloaded for you, simply click ‘Add new’ and you’ll have access to the thousands of themes that WordPress has available. Alternatively, if you already have a theme installed you can upload it by clicking ‘Upload Theme’ on that same page. If a theme that has caught your eyes, simply hover over your desired theme to view the details and preview it. Do this with as many themes that spark creativity and delight! Once you love what you see, simply click ‘Install’ and then ‘Activate’. You’re nearly done! Now all that’s left is to fill it with your words, stories, and pictures. This is your story and your chance to share it with the world! 

Before I cut you loose, let’s go over how to write your very first post.

In your dashboard, hover over ‘Posts’ and then click ‘Add New’.

You’ll be brought to a rather blank screen with formatting options that look kind of similar to Word. So hopefully they’ll look familiar to you too!

Here is your blank canvas where you can write to your heart’s content!

Don’t be afraid to write whatever comes to mind, and remember to have fun with it! To add images simply click ‘Add media’, and you’ll be able to upload any images you have on your computer. Be very careful about using images that aren’t your own though, especially ones off Google. You could get into some major trouble. It’s far better to take your own pictures or purchase stock photos through Shutterstock or something similar.

Other than that, run wild with it!

Once you’re done simply click ‘Publish’ and you’ve just become an official blogger!

P.s. You’ll notice a couple things on my screen that you won’t have, such as The Divi Builder which is the visual builder I mentioned before (unless you also decided on Elegant Themes too of course!) and the Amazon Associates link which allows me to link to Amazon. Trust me, that’s a whole other blog post… but if you want to use it too I’ve got the plugin called Amazon Associates Link Builder.

How does that feel? You’ve created your very own blog!

Welcome to the blogging world my friend!

This is merely the beginning, there is still so much to learn and so much to discover when creating your own blog. Even now, I’m still learning and figuring out new tricks of the trade so be sure to refer back to my resource page often for up to date plugins, helpful tools for ranking on google, and of course some websites to help promote your brand new blog!

My final piece of advice?

Let your personality shine through your words and pictures. Expose your quirks, guilty pleasures (like listening to Despacito on repeat for days on end…), and your blunders along the way. We’re all human after all. Overtime you’ll grow, learn, and meet some amazing like-minded friends!

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get right into it!

This article contains affiliate links. While at no extra cost to you, The Humble Kitchen automatically receives a small commission if you so choose to purchase a product through this blog. Thank you for your continued love and support <3

Categories
Recipes

Lilac Lemon Salad

Remember how I said that playing with berries was the best part of summer dishes?

I was wrong. I was dead wrong.

Playing with the flavors of berries is one thing…but playing with flowers in dishes is a whole new experience. Mere hours before creating this dish I tasted my very first flower. I was swept up in childlike wonder. My eyes suddenly opened to this whole new world that was there the whole time. A well-kept secret hidden in plain sight.

I was absolutely awestruck.

The possibility of combining two of my favorite things fueled a passion I’ve never felt before. Hours in the kitchen felt like minutes and before I knew it this beautiful salad was born. Lilacs naturally have a distinct lemony taste with pungent overtones, so I paired the lovely lemony flower with very mild vegetables and poured a lemon dressing over top. I wanted lemon to be the star of the show, and to my delight, it shined so brightly that (even days later) I can’t help but smile when thinking about this little summer salad.

A little side note on the lemon in this salad. My family is obsessed with lemon, we like flavor and love it when our salad packs a punch. I adapted the lemon dressing from Jamie Oliver’s Garden Salad, adding more than one of the most recognized chef’s out there and it still wasn’t enough. We ended up doing 5 tablespoons of lemon in the dressing to please our taste buds, but you do you!

Playing and experimenting with your food is the greatest part of cooking. Start with three tablespoons and slowly add more from there to make your taste buds happy. You can’t go wrong as long as you listen to your tummy, I promise!

As far as I can tell, there is no other salad quite like this one. A secret between just you and me. I know you’re ready to get right into it however, there are a few key points we must go over about cooking with flowers before we can get started.

  • Be absolutely sure what kind of flower you’ve got ready to pop in your mouth. Not all flowers are edible and can be poisonous. If you’ve got any doubt at all about the kind of flower you’ve got DON’T eat it!
  • Never eat flowers found by a roadway or a park. Roadway flowers are often covered in dust and exhaust from passing vehicles. As for parks, you never know if they’ve been sprayed with pesticides. Don’t risk it. Pesticides aren’t good for people.
  • Never eat flowers you pick up from a store or nursery unless you know for certain that they are guaranteed pesticide free. Again, pesticides aren’t good for people.

While I can’t say what pesticides were sprayed on most nursery flowers  (if any), just know that pesticides once sprayed on a plant don’t last forever. Check out this link here to find out the half-life of some pesticides. Five half-lives is deemed safe for consumption (eg. if a half-life was deemed 7 days, you could arguably eat it in 35 days). A scary topic I know, but just think about what’s sprayed on wheat and vegetables you buy that follow the same rule. 

So what I’m trying to say, even if you did buy perennials from your local store years or several months ago -you’re likely good to go! My own lilacs were bought from a nursery over eight years ago! Of course, I am by no means an expert in pesticides, so if you know any different please let me know! 

  • Growing edible flowers from seed are the safest way to enjoy edible flowers without worrying about pesticides.
  • If you’re new to eating flowers, eat only small amounts (Don’t worry, the amount in this salad is small. I got you covered. I’m a flower newbie too). For most people eating edible flowers is fine, but for some -especially those with allergies and food sensitivities there is a small chance of flowers causing an allergic reaction.

Whew. That was a lot. Are you still there? Hopefully I didn’t scare you off.

This really is a delightful salad and I’d hate to have you avoid it out of fear. Eating flowers isn’t that scary so long as you know where they came from and that you’ve certainly got the right kind! So if you’re ready to enjoy a secret that the majority of the world is too slow to catch up on turn up “Walkin’ In Memphis” by Marc Cohn and let’s get started!

Serves: 6   Prep Time: 15 minutes   Total Time: 15 minutes

  • 5 oz (approximately 5 cups) of baby mixed greens, washed
  • 1/2 a cucumber, sliced and quartered
  • 3/4 cup of cauliflower, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of lilac flowers

  • 3 -6+ tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Rosemary Sea Salt, Sel Gris, or Himalayan Pink Sea Salt 

In a large bowl combine the washed baby greens, quartered cucumber, and cauliflower chopped as thinly as desired. Set aside.

In a jar or other sealed container combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and sea salt. Shake until well mixed. Be sure to start with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and dip a leafy green into your dressing to try it. Add more lemon slowly, shaking and trying the dressing each time you add more until you’ve reached your desired ‘lemon-y ness’.

Now that you’re happy with your dressing, it’s time to move on to the best part… the lilacs!

Pick a few branches off your lilac bush and don’t be afraid to pick more than you need! The extra branches make a perfect (not to mention beautiful) centerpiece at the table – especially for this meal.

Before we start picking the flowers off, fill up a small dish with cold water. This will keep the flowerheads from drooping or wilting while you pick the rest.

Grab a branch and gently remove the delicate flowers by grabbing the base of the flowerhead and pulling upwards. Place each removed flower in the cold water,  repeating until you’ve got two tablespoons of flowers. Rinse and drain the flowers thoroughly. Set aside.

Put the rest of the branches in a vase or mason jar on the table.

Toss together the dressing and the salad. Sprinkle the delicate lilacs overtop of your fresh greens, then dish up and enjoy your summer salad!

That’s all there is to this absolutely stunning summer salad!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Recipes

Banana Pancakes | Dairy Free

Create the perfect start to your Sunday morning (or any morning) with these 3 ingredient pancakes that are dairy free, egg free, and my favorite -guilt free! At least the last one is what I tell myself so I don’t feel bad when I eat all of them…

I played with a couple methods with this one, with the largest difference I tackled being grinding the oats vs not grinding the oats. The ground oats, as expected yielded banana pancakes that almost looked and tasted like the traditional pancake. Score! These make the perfect substitution for those poor unfortunate souls who have to be careful of dairy, eggs, and even gluten -if you use gluten-free rolled oats, of course!

On the flip side, at first bite, the whole rolled oats tasted (almost) like biting into a warm blueberry oatmeal cookie. Now that’s the perfect way to start a morning! Although, if you’re going for presentation I’d avoid these ones. They were (and still are) referred to as my “Ugly Duckling” because no matter how hard I tried they always looked pretty bad. Delicious, extremely filling, but ugly… At least they tasted kinda like oatmeal cookies, so that’s good news for us who want to skip a step and avoid washing the blender -am I right?!

Just kidding, I still had to wash the damn thing when I made the blueberry maple syrup (but it was worth it, I promise!).

Honestly, it’s entirely up to you whether you keep the oats whole or grind them up,  but just know that you can’t go wrong either way (worst case scenario you wind up with a couple ugly ducklings!).

So what are we waiting for? Turn up “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen and let’s get right into it!

Serves: 2-3   Prep Time: 5 minutes   Total Time: 15 minutes

  • 2 bananas, ripe or overripe
  • 1 cup of rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup of coconut or almond milk

In a blender or food processor, grind oats until a flour forms (or leave the rolled oats whole for more texture!). Set aside.

In a bowl, mash bananas with a fork until creamy. Add the ground oats and coconut milk to the bowl and mix the ingredients until smooth. I find a handheld mixer works the best for this.

Over medium heat pour roughly 1/4 cup of the batter onto the heated pan and cook for 4 minutes or until the underside of the pancake begins to brown. Flip pancake and cook until both sides are golden brown, roughly another 4 minutes.

Repeat with the rest of the batter then top your pancakes with maple syrup, nut butter, cinnamon, chocolate chips, fruit, blueberry maple syrup, or anything else your little heart desires!

Dish up & enjoy!

  • 1/2 cup of blueberries (frozen works too!)
  • 1/4 cup of maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons  of water

Combine ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Drizzle over your banana pancakes -then dish up!

That’s all there is to these simple, filling, 3 ingredient pancakes. Enjoy these every day or as a perfect addition to the weekend family brunch!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Health

Simple Elimination Diet for Eczema, IBS, and Food Sensitivities

An elimination diet is a short term diet used to determine foods that trigger inflammation within the body. Inflammation in the body contributes to many health problems such as autoimmune arthritis, acne, irritable bowel syndrome, and eczema -just to name a few!

Our gut houses 70% of our immune system, so the first step to a healthy body is a healthy gut. Worsening symptoms, flare-ups or developing sudden food sensitivities is a loud and clear indicator that something’s not quite right and should be taken seriously. Going on an elimination diet gives your gut a much needed break; giving your body time to heal and providing sweet relief from all the inflammation induced symptoms.

First thing first, it’s extremely important to note that food allergies and sensitivities are different. Many people are unaware of this, which likely plays a large part in the confusion that arises from the diet-inflammation link.

If a food allergy test comes back negative, people presume that food isn’t connected to their symptoms. In reality, you don’t have to be allergic to react to trigger foods.

Say that again. You don’t have to be allergic to react to trigger foods.

No allergy test in the world will pick up on a food sensitivity, so by far the most effective way to manage symptoms and take health back into your own hands is by completing an elimination diet to figure out your trigger foods. The best part? You can do it all in roughly 30 days!

There are literally thousands of elimination diets that can be found all over the web, each with their own set of rules and guidelines. The more restrictive the diet -the better as you are more likely to discover hidden food sensitivities.

Unfortunately, I like food too much to go on an even more restrictive diet than the basic one outlined below. Instead, we combat an even more restrictive diet by keeping a food diary to monitor any adverse reactions to food not on our ‘no-no’ list.

Take notice of everything going on within your body, particularily anything that indicates a poor state of health. This includes skin issues like rashes, digestive issues like bloating or constipation, and any moodiness or lethargy.

Write it all down, no matter how minor. This way, 30 days later you can reflect and notice any changes that happened in your health.

Once again, this is only a BASIC elimination diet. Here we will eliminate the top triggers, as well as refined sugar and alcohol. These are:

  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Tree nuts & Peanuts
  • Soy
  • Shellfish
  • Wheat & Gluten
  • Fast Food & Refined Sugars
  • Alcohol

Scary, I know.

It’s important to note that while these are the top triggers, everyone is different. There are reports of people reacting to anything from nightshades to herbal tea, thus it is important to keep up a food diary even when doing an elimination diet and proceed to remove any foods that you suspect are still triggering reactions.

Your gut contains both good and bad bacteria. Maintaining a good balance between the two is essential for gut health. Alcohol and sugar can promote the growth of bad bacteria and yeast which in turn leads to inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and the very symptoms we wish to avoid.

Why 23 days? Hold on, it’s about to get sciency in here:

Antibodies are protein molecules made by the immune system. They are produced to counteract antigens which are toxins, foreign or harmless substances that induce an immune response. The lifespan of these antibodies is roughly 23 days, hence the 23-day guideline.

Once at least 23 days are over (I go for 30), you can gradually re-introduce the troublesome foods one at a time and see if you react. This process is not to be rushed, (no matter how much you miss bread…I know, I’ve been there too.). This step is done over several days and is vital for accurately determining any food sensitivities.

So how do you do it?

On the 24th day (or the 31st day, if you’re gung-ho) you would introduce one food group.

We’ll start with dairy.

Maybe on the 24th day, we’ll drink a glass of milk and eat some slices of cheese throughout the day. This is not the time to dig into pizza or anything else that has multiple triggers, or that could get confusing! Eat a serving or two of dairy throughout the day (along with your healthy, safe foods -of course) but keep avoiding the other triggers.

Monitor your reactions -if any, for 2 days. During those two days, you’ll go back to avoiding all trigger foods.

If you had no adverse reaction over those two days,  you could safely add dairy back into your diet. Then you would move onto the next food group, repeating the same process, testing one trigger group for one day and gauging the reaction over the next two until you’ve went through all your eliminated food groups.

If you do react, then you’ve likely located a food sensitivity.  Measures should be taken avoid the troublesome food and seek out alternative options for that food group to ensure you continue getting all your essential vitamins and nutrients.

 

While the list may seem scary, the basic elimination diet still provides a wide variety of foods that can be enjoyed.

You are free to enjoy all types of meat, vegetables, fruits, and gluten-free grains like quinoa and rice. That still leaves a whole lot of dishes to be made! Here’s just a few ideas, let me know in the comments if you’ve got a good one to share!

 Breakfast

Lunch

  • Any kind of salad your heart desires! Try it with grilled chicken and dairy-free dressing.
  • Cowboy Up Salad
  • Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

 

Dinner

Dessert & Sweeteners

  • Choco-la-ti-da – with sliced fruit to make fondue
  • Dad’s Goodie Squares – with gluten free oats
  • Use honey & maple syrup as sweeteners to desserts or tea

Snacks

Remember, if you find yourself reacting to any foods that are not on the elimination list start avoiding them too. This is a diet tailored to you, and you will do best with it once you start giving yourself the attention and love you deserve.

While the elimination diet may be restrictive, you don’t need to count calories, micronutrients or whatever else the fad is nowadays when it comes to dieting. On the elimination diet, you’ll heal your tummy, see a significant improvement in your symptoms, and even drop a few pounds (but that last part is just a bonus!).

No matter what you choose to eat, you will be successful if you follow these three simple principles. Eat real food -mostly plants, avoid all your trigger foods, and (my favorite) always eat when you’re hungry!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Recipes

Smashed Blackberry Salad

The best part of summer dishes is being able to play with ingredients that are once again back in season. Nothing says summer like sunshine and the sweet, large berries that accompany it! So it should come as no surprise that this sweet blackberry salad has summer written all over it. It’s healthy, easy, and delicious so you can spend less time cooking and more time doing what you love -enjoying the sunshine!

Just between you and me, this salad can also become an entire healthy (and satisfying) entree by topping your salad with grilled, chopped chicken breast. While we will be focusing on just the salad for this recipe, don’t be afraid to try it later on!

What are we waiting for? Turn up “Summer of 69” by Bryan Adams and let’s just get right into it!

Serves: 6  Prep Time: 10 minutes   Total Time: 10 minutes

  • 8oz (roughly 5 cups) of baby spinach or baby greens
  • 2 cups of blackberries, washed
  • 1/2 cup of feta
  • 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 a red onion, thinly chopped

  • 1/2 cup of pecans, halved or sliced almonds
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon of Himalayan Pink or Sel Gris Sea Salt (Just a pinch!)
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups of blackberries
  • 1 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar

 

For the candied pecans: In a medium saucepan toss in the pecans or almonds, sugar, water, vanilla, and salt. Turn the burner to medium heat and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the nuts are evenly coated and most of the water has boiled off.

Remove from heat and spread nuts out evenly on a layer of wax paper. Allow to cool while you work on the rest of the salad.

P.s. These make a tasty snack too, if you’re anything like me -you’ll wanna make extra!

*The pecans or almonds will be slightly sticky if made right before mixing the salad. I think it’s great, as it sticks to the leafy greens! However, if you don’t want that, make the candied nuts an hour or so before preparing the salad to allow pecans to cool thoroughly.

For the dressing: In a blender, pulse blackberries and balsamic vinegar together until well mixed. Pour mixture into a fine mesh strainer to separate the seeds from the rest blackberry juices.

In a jar or other container with a lid, combine the (seed-free) blackberry and balsamic vinegar mixture with the plain yogurt and sugar. Shake until well mixed.

For the finale: In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients that make up the smashed blackberry base. Add the candied pecans or almonds, dressing, and toss together until the salad is thoroughly coated.

Dish up and enjoy!

There we have it! A deliciously sweet, summer blackberry salad. Enjoy!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Recipes

Dad’s Goodie Squares | Dairy Free

I frequently fall in love with recipes and food, but this –this is a whole other ball game. This recipe absolutely blew my mind! (Figuratively -thank goodness). I actually wanted to call this  THE BEST DAMN DESSERT EVER and proceed to write the recipe in all caps because I was so excited …but I refrained.

Trust me when I say, this is a recipe you just have to try!

It tastes like my entire childhood. More specifically, those sunny afternoons after school stealing a few of Dad’s Goodie Rings before dinner. Which if you’ve never had those cookies before -what are you doing with your life? You just have to try this recipe now!

P.S. This whole recipe is named after those cookies, and the fact that this recipe is in my dad’s top 5 desserts he’s ever had in his entire life! Now that’s a compliment.

The best part of these squares is they’re delightfully sin-less and guilt free. It’s essentially dates, nuts, oats and cocoa…so that makes it okay to eat an entire pan while binge-watching 13 Reasons Why… right..?

I’m gonna pretend you said yes.

This recipe was adapted and inspired from Laura Peill over at One Green Planet, so check out the original right here. Now if you’re ready for your little piece of  heaven turn up “Mykonos” by Fleet Foxes and let’s get right into it!

Makes: 12   Prep Time: 15 minutes   Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

  • 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup of peanuts, unsalted
  • 1/4 cup of large flaked oats
  • 1/4 cup of peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut (I used sweetened. This is a dessert after all.)
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut cream

  • 1 cup of pitted dates
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of Himalayan Pink or Sel Gris Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

My favorite homemade chocolate, my Choco-la-ti-da recipe.

  • 1/2 cup of cocoa
  • 1/4 cup of coconut milk
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon of Himalayan Pink or Sel Gris Sea Salt 

 

Start with the base-(ics): If you’ve got a food processor (you lucky duck), this will make this whole process a lot easier. In a food processor combine all the ingredients to form the base and pulse until a dough forms.

*If the dough is too sticky, add more oats. If it’s too dry, add more peanut butter.

If you don’t have a food processor (-don’t despair, neither do I), In a sandwich bag combine sliced almonds and peanuts. Now is the perfect time to get any anger out, grab yourself a rolling pin and crush the nuts into tiny chunks. In a bowl mix crushed nuts and all the other ingredients together until a dough forms.

*If the dough is too sticky, add more oats. If it’s too dry, add more peanut butter.

Press base mixture into a 6×6 square pan and place in the refrigerator to harden.

For the caramel: If you’ve got a food processor, combine all caramel ingredients and pulse until smooth. Add more water as necessary to create a spreadable consistency.

If you don’t have a food processor, chop dates into small pieces (your blender will thank you). Combine chopped dates and all other caramel ingredients into a blender, adding more water as necessary to create a spreadable consistency.

Spread evenly over top of the base and return to the refrigerator.

For the chocolate: Whisk all chocolate ingredients together until well mixed and pour over the caramel layer. Yes, this homemade chocolate is that easy!

Cover baking pan and return to the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until all layers have hardened.  Sprinkle shredded coconut on top if desired, then cut into squares. If you manage to not eat them all, store the rest in an air-tight container in the fridge.

There we have it! A guilt-less, sin-less dessert that will satisfy even the hungriest sweet tooth.

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

Categories
Recipes

Spinach And Tomato Stuffed Chicken

Extra veggies are never a bad thing, and in this case stuffing chicken with spinach and tomatoes (not only gets you eating another serving of vegetables) but makes this plain dish taste extra-ordinary! That was a little cheesy, I know. Let’s just pretend I’m cooler than I actually am.

What I’m trying to say is this stuffed chicken is absolutely to die for. It’s easy, moist, and jaw-dropping presentation wise. You know what they say, you eat with your eyes, then your nose, then your mouth.

My family absolutely gushed over and fell in love with this dish, so much so that I’m actually making this exact dish again tonight. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with this recipe -and who knows? This may just become your family’s favorite dish too.

So what are we waiting for? Turn up “Dive” by Ed Sheeran and let’s just get right into it! …I’m on an Ed Sheeran kick right now guys…no regrets.

Serves: 4   Prep Time: 10 minutes   Total Time: 30 minutes   Preheat: 375

 

  • 4 cups of baby spinach
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 12 grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 4 chicken breasts, thawed
  • 4 tablespoons of feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon of oregano
  • Parmesan cheese, to taste
  • Tuscan Sun Sea Salt Blend to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

 

Want a different taste?

 

Instead of Tuscan Sun, add a pinch of Roasted Garlic, Burnt Timber, Spicy Curry, or Prairie Fire Sea Salt for dramatic flavor in every bite!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wash and drain baby spinach with a coriander very well. Go on and shake that thang!

In a large saucepan over low heat combine olive oil, baby spinach, tomatoes, and minced garlic. Saute until the baby spinach begins to wilt, which will only take a couple minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice the chicken breast lengthwise, about 3/4 of the way through the chicken -essentially creating a pocket. Place chicken breast onto a prepared baking dish.

Spoon spinach and tomato mixture with a slotted spoon into each chicken breast ‘pocket’. In each pocket, sprinkle roughly 1 tablespoon of feta cheese.

Top the chicken with oregano, salt, and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. This depends on the thickness of the chicken breast, check at 20 minutes and gauge from there.

Once done, sprinkle the tops with parmesan cheese, then dish up and savor your little slice of heaven!

That’s all there is to this spinach stuffed chicken. Pair this with roasted garlic and rosemary mashed potatoes then start ringing the dinner bell because dinner is served!

Health & Happiness,

Savannah

  • Tags , dinner, main dish, spinach, stuffed chicken, supper, tomatoes