From Holidays

August 8, 2015

How I Broke Through My Fear + a blog announcement!

I still remember the moment like it was yesterday. I was sitting at the nurses’ station staring blankly at my computer screen. After what felt like an incredibly fast orientation, this was my first night shift on my own - no preceptor to check over my work. I was going to be taking care of patients on my own, and not just any patients, incredibly sick children battling cancer.

I nervously adjusted my Strawberry Shortcake scrubs, checked my watch, looked at the computer screen again, checked my watch. Eventually I was going to have to stop procrastinating and start my shift. I looked at my patient assignment paralyzed in fear. Every patient needed something NOW; every family was waiting for me.
Have you ever been in a situation like this? You’re on the brink of something new, but something’s holding you back? I’ve read that fear is our compass for growth, but it’s hard to remember that in the moment.

Remember why you started

For me, these are the moments when we have to recall why we started in the first place. I went to nursing school to make a difference. I chose such an important specialty because I knew I was needed there.
Remembering the big picture is what helps us push past the fear. So what did I do that night at the nurses’ station? I took a deep breath and made a plan. I wrote down everything I needed to do hour by hour and I got to work. I was still terrified, but I let my purpose drive me.

Next steps

When I started dietdeepdish.com I also had a purpose greater than myself - to bring delicious, healthy food to your kitchen. My life changed once I took control of what I was eating and how I prepared it, and I know my mission is to show families that it doesn’t have to be difficult.
So even though I feel that familiar fear creep up every time I take the next step in my business, I’m letting my purpose drive me.

Exciting New Programs

Today I’m thrilled to be launching a brand new meal subscription service. Meal plans, grocery lists and food products can now be delivered to your home for less than $3 per serving.

Fear is a funny thing…

It creeps up when we make any change, especially one for the better. Investing in yourself with healthy meal plans and food delivered to your house might feel selfish, unnecessary or just silly.
I know I felt a lot of resistance when I made the decision to register for a yoga class. I should find a cheaper place. I should just use free videos on YouTube. However, the peace and contentment I feel walking out of that class cannot be matched with a free video.
If you have been wanting to eat healthier and with more variety, I hope you learn more about our programs. You are worth it!

June 29, 2015

Your Summer Party & Travel Guide

Happy Summer! Blue skies, farmers markets and swimming pools… it’s hard not to love this time of year. The only problem? It FLIES by! This week is July already! So don’t waste another moment of summer. Throw that backyard barbecue, plan that weekend getaway, go to that outdoor concert. Whatever you’ve been looking forward to, get our your calendar and plan it. Otherwise it will be over. You know Target is getting out their back-to-school gear as you read this…

Summer Party

This week I’m hosting a virtual barbecue on Facebook. Stop by for free recipes, 4th of July ideas and giveaways! All purchases will come with a FREE personalized party invitation! Shop the store at https://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/cmadormo.

Summer Vacation

Picture this: you’re relaxing at the beach listening to the sounds of waves crashing and your children giggling. You take a deep breath, smell the salty air and sink a little deeper into your chair. You feel happy, rejuvenated and grateful for such an incredible trip. You finally took the time to truly enjoy the planning process and let go of stress.

Far too often vacations can be a source of anxiety. In fact, a recent Huffington Post poll revealed that 1-in-4 full-time employees choose to forgo a vacation altogether because it’s just too stressful to take time off from work.

Fortunately, with just a few simple tricks, it is possible to have a blissful vacation free from stress, sibling bickering and constant fast food. Here are 4 tips for every family vacation. From healthy snacks to car games, we’ve got you covered for your next summer getaway!

How to Create More Free Time

What would you accomplish with more time? We’re so used to feeling pressed for time that many of us have no idea how to answer that question. It’s time for us to reflect and really live life with more intention. Where do you want to be in a year? You can either set a goal with plans or lead a life by default.

Start by asking yourself what you value most. For many of us that’s time with family and friends, travel, working out, relaxing, maybe even your career. Everyone’s answer will be different, but there’s one thing we all have in common - the desire for more free time.

One way that I’ve been able to create more time is through my meal planning. Think about how much time each week you devote to: planning lunches, planning dinners, looking up recipes, making a grocery list, grocery shopping. Not to mention the mental energy we waste on feeling guilty about not eating healthy enough, not looking a certain way, not eating enough variety.

And now imagine that your meals and health were already taken care of. What would you do with that time? Maybe train for a marathon or open that Etsy shop. It doesn’t matter what you do - as long as it brings you joy. That is what inspired me to offer monthly dinner plans & freezer meal packages, in addition to the free recipes on this blog.

Take the guesswork out of healthy eating. The products in my TS Eat Well Shop are free from:

artificial flavors
artificial colors
artificial sweeteners
MSG
hydrogenated fats

Removing the time and stress that goes into planning healthy meals will open you up to a world of possibilities. So right now commit to making a change. Whether that means browsing this shop, looking up some new recipes or simply chopping some veggies. Commit to simplifying your meal prep and devoting that time to actively creating your dreams.

Because I’ve been able to save time and money with my product pack, I have been taking business courses, growing my blog and scheduling more TV appearances! Believe me - you will be amazed with what you can accomplish with a little more time and intention.

So good luck with your future plans! I’m rooting for you

Have you signed up for your free ebook yet?

April 8, 2015

Mushroom Goat Cheese “Meat” Loaf

I’ve always dreamed of being the kind of mom who effortlessly serves organic vegetarian meals and stevia-sweetened desserts all in between teaching yoga and growing our own food. I had visions of Charlotte starting school having never seen a real cookie. I have a feeling I’m not quite there, since Char is adamant that the blue oval in her shapes puzzle is the Culvers sign. But THIS meatloaf, this healthy vegetarian meatloaf – this is going to get us there.

Savory and satisfying, mushroom goat cheese meatloaf is better than your grandma’s, and you’ll never believe it’s meatless! The toasted walnuts give it an earthy, nutty flavor and when paired with the goat cheese it’s definitely restaurant-worthy. This is a great dish for a Lenten Friday or any day when you’d like to quickly and easily add some more veggies to your diet.

Mushroom Goat Cheese "Meat" Loaf

2015-04-06 14:30:06

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Ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
2 pounds cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces goat cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/4 Bayou Bourbon glaze (link below) + extra for serving

Instructions

Preheat broiler to high.
To prepare meat loaf, cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand for 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop. Place bell peppers in a large bowl.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
Place about one-fourth of mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Transfer chopped mushrooms to a bowl. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining mushrooms.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms to bell peppers. Wipe pan with paper towels. Add onion to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until just tender, stirring occasionally. Add onion mixture to mushroom mixture.
Arrange breadcrumbs in an even layer on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden. Add breadcrumbs and the next 8 ingredients (through eggs) to mushroom mixture, stirring well. Spoon mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; press gently to pack. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°.
Brush Bourbon glaze over meat loaf. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes; cut into 6 slices.

Notes

This bourbon glaze is available at https://www.tastefullysimple.com/shop-our-products/bayou-bourbon-glaze?scid=156029

Adapted from Cooking Light

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

And if the Bourbon sauce got your attention, I think you’d love these other savory sauces perfect for this meatloaf…

Have you signed up for your free ebook yet?

March 29, 2015

Must-Have Easter Treats

Hi there! I’m in my kitchen unpacking from my TV appearance today. I had the chance to share 2 of my favorite Spring recipes perfect for next weekend. My favorite part of these recipes is that they can be prepared the day or 2 before Easter, so you have more time to enjoy family and friends all day.

As always, email subscribers received these recipes first, so be sure to sign-up for the latest updates and your FREE ecookbook!

Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Eggs

2015-03-29 08:56:22

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Ingredients

1 red bell pepper
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil or oil of choice
6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
1/2 cup red pepper hummus

Instructions

Coat red pepper with olive oil and place on a baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and roast for 25 minutes, until skin becomes wrinkled. Once cool enough to handle, peel off skin and cut out core. Cut red pepper into thin slices and set aside.
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Place 3 of the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Discard the other 3 yolks.
Add the hummus to the bowl and mash with a fork. Scoop a heaping teaspoon of the hummus-egg mixture into each egg half.
Top with 2 small red pepper strips and serve.

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

When choosing hummus, feel free to use any flavor you like - garlic, olive, etc. If you’d like to make your own, try my favorite red pepper hummus mix.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs

2015-03-29 08:58:52

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Ingredients

15 pitted Medjool dates, soaked in water
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Drain the dates and place in a food processor or blender. Pulse until a thick paste forms.
Add the peanut butter and pulse until combined. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon and form into an egg shape. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining mixture (makes about 12 eggs).
Place eggs in the freezer for at least 1 hour to harden.
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until melted, stirring frequently.
Gently dip each egg into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place each egg back on the parchment paper and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

To download a full Easter brunch menu, check out my Springtime Celebrations Collection here!

Have you signed up for your free ebook yet?

February 8, 2015

Healthy Valentine’s Day Treats for Kids

Valentine’s Day is all about showing loved ones how much you care with… sugar! This morning I had the opportunity to share 4 healthier Valentine’s Day treats for kids on our local news, TMJ4. These treats would be perfect for a class party or afterschool snack.

What are some of your favorite Valentine’s Day treats? Leave them in the comments below!

Strawberry Sweetheart Smoothies

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries
1 fresh banana, peeled
1 cup milk (I prefer almond milk in this one)
½ cup low-sugar apple juice
1 cup Ice

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses and enjoy!

Be Mine Trail Mix

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup granola or cereal of choice
1 cup pretzels
1 cup Valentine’s Day M&Ms

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand. Divide into small bowls or Valentine treat boxes and enjoy!

White Chocolate Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
2 whole eggs
3 brown, ripe bananas
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped strawberries

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, eggs, bananas, baking powder and baking soda. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped strawberries and scoop into 12 muffin tins.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cupid’s Taco Cups

Ingredients:

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 lime
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic salt
2 cups salsa
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Red tortilla chips

Preparation:

Pour the rinsed pinto beans into a medium bowl and mash. Add the lime juice, cumin and garlic salt and mix well.
Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons into the bottom of a shallow, clear glass. Top with 2 tbsp. salsa, 1 heaping tbsp. Greek yogurt and 1 heaping tbsp. shredded cheese. Repeat with all glasses. Serve with chopped red bell peppers and red tortilla chips.

For more Valentine-inspired recipes, check out my Valentine’s Day Breakfast roundup and the DDD store!

Have you signed up for your free ebook yet?

January 21, 2015

Your Ultimate Super Bowl Party + my TV debut!

Yesterday I had the chance to appear on the Morning Blend to talk about something near and dear to my heart… healthy comfort food! It was a completely surreal experience, and as soon as my segment was finished, I had no idea what I had just said. Eek!

When I arrived that morning everyone told me that the hosts (Tiffany and Molly) are so nice that you will forget you’re on TV and just feel like you’re hanging out with your friends. I was starting to feel nervous as I quickly set up my dish, but once the segment started it was fun! I mean, actually fun! I couldn’t believe it. And yes, they are so incredibly nice and welcoming

Also I think the fact that I was chilling in the green room while my mom took over potty training for the morning didn’t hurt…

And could there be a better time to talk about healthy comfort food than January? Our bodies are craving something warm and soothing plus many of us are planning our Super Bowl menu. Below I’ve pulled together everything you’ll need for the perfect balance of light and satisfying party dishes from Diet Deep Dish and DDD’s new shop! You can also find tons of inspiration from Cooking Light’s Super Bowl Food Makeovers. Enjoy!

Game Day Menu

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This post contains affiliate links - All sales support Diet Deep Dish

December 31, 2014

Top 14 Recipes of 2014

Happy New Year! Today I’m sharing Diet Deep Dish’s 14 most popular recipes of 2014, along with some of my favorite tips for your best year ever! Thanks for stopping by!

Portillo’s Chocolate Cake

Breakfast Sangria

Red Velvet Peppermint Cookies

Salted Cherry Caramels

Broccoli Mac ‘N Cheese Bites

Healthy Crunch Bars

Cranberry Salsa

Skinny Queso Dip

Applesauce Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting

Peanut Butter & Jelly Grilled Cheese

Pear Prosciutto Wraps

Skinny Beer Cheese Soup

Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Apricots and Cashews

Tiramisu Cheesecake Dip

New Years Eve is a great time to reflect, feel grateful and make new plans. It’s one of my favorite times of the year, so I’m sharing some of my favorite ideas and products to help you start the year on the right foot. Enjoy!

Eat Well

Take the time to plan healthy meals and snacks. It’s so worth it. Carving out 1 hour on a Sunday to plan meals and exercise really sets the tone for your week. You can easily do this yourself or if you feel like you need a little help, there are so many resources.

As a Cooking Light blogger, I was recently offered a free month of the Cooking Light Diet Plan. This takes all the guesswork out of meal planning. I entered my height, weight, activity level and weight loss goals and now receive daily emails with links for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. If you’re craving even more guidance, you would love dinner kits. I am currently working with Home Chef, which allows you to enter your dietary preferences (dairy-free, gluten-free, etc) and then subscribe to a certain number of meals each week. I also love Hello Fresh!

Exercise

You already know the benefits for your mind and body. There’s nothing else to say. You know you should do it, so start making time for it. Find what you love, start with 10 minutes per day and build up from there.

Meditate

Meditation is literally life-changing, even if it’s only for 1 minute per day! Meditation lowers your risk for heart disease and increases your quality of life. By far, the most powerful change I made this year was incorporating meditation into my everyday routine. I was inspired after reading The Magic about the power of gratitude. I recommend this book to everyone I meet! Starting and ending each day with a 5-minute gratitude practice has completely changed the tone of each day and brought more abundance to my life. If you’re looking to deepen your practice, I also love books from Gabrielle Bernstein and Wayne Dyer.

Treat Yourself

Another great reason to set goals is that once you accomplish them, you can celebrate! Pick something you love and use it to continue to meet your goals. If you want to exercise more, buy workout clothes that make you feel great. If you want to eat healthier or cook more, spend the money on quality food or visit a winter farmer’s market. If you love to shop, save up for something you really love, rather than buying the trendy inexpensive things you know won’t last.

I was recently given a free sample from eShakti, an online women’s boutique. The items cost more than I would normally spend, but I can tell this will last so much longer than cheaper clothes I’ve bought in the past. I also love that the pieces are tailored to your measurements and preferences. For example, I requested my jacket be ¾ length sleeves and tunic length.

Thank you for following along on my first year as a food blogger! Have a happy and safe new year!

December 21, 2014

Broccoli Mac ‘N Cheese Bites

Flaky, savory, simple – these broccoli mac & cheese bites are my new favorite holiday party food. They’re quick to prepare and hearty enough that both vegetarians and omnivores will love them! I’ll be making these again for Christmas Eve. The day is usually pretty busy, so I need something easy. These can also be made ahead of time and frozen.

This month the Recipe Redux theme was…

Grab a Book & Cook
It’s the end of the year and we’ll taking a moment to reflect: ReDux has been around for 42 months! (Can you believe some of you have ReDux-ed 42 recipes?) To celebrate, we’re playing a little party game this month: Grab your nearest cookbook and ReDux the recipe on page 42 or 142. We can’t wait to see the books you’re cooking from these days – and how you make that recipe healthier.

I wanted to use my Marshall Field’s Cookbook , because that store just meant Christmas to us growing up – the windows, the Walnut room, just the hustle and bustle of the store at Christmas time. The recipe on page 42 just wasn’t inspiring me, so I went with my The Chicago Tribune Cookbook (yes, I own every Chicago-themed cookbook ever published.) Page 42 features Spicy Veal Puffs with Mustard Cream Sauce. Spicy veal meatballs are wrapped in phyllo dough then smothered in creamy mustard sauce. While I’m sure these would be delicious, I couldn’t get over the amount of fat and salt that went into these. I wanted to not only lighten it up, but simplify it as well. I kept the phyllo dough, but ditched the meat and added rich, creamy mac and cheese! These can be assembled in 10 minutes, then baked or frozen for later. Pair these with Pear Prosciutto Wraps for a beautiful and easy appetizer spread! I hope you have a wonderful week! Merry Christmas!

The sheets of phyllo dough are incredibly delicate and dry out quickly, so make sure you have everything ready to go when you take them out of the refrigerator. After laying down each sheet, spray it generously with olive oil cooking spray. Typically each sheet is brushed with melted butter, but the spray works just as well and still results in flaky, crispy bites.

Broccoli Mac 'N Cheese Bites

2014-12-21 11:27:18

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups prepared macaroni and cheese (I love Annie's brand)
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 oz. fat-free cream cheese
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
12 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed (there are about 20 sheets per roll)
Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the macaroni & cheese, broccoli, cream cheese, cumin, salt and pepper.
Remove the phyllo dough from the refrigerator and unroll. Place 1 sheet on your work surface and spray with olive oil spray. Layer and repeat with all 12 sheets.
Cut the sheets into quarters widthwise (picture above)
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling about 1” from corner of each layered strip. Fold one corner of phyllo diagonally over the filling to opposite edge to form a triangle. Continue to fold triangle onto itself. Lightly spray the triangle with olive oil spray. Place triangles seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet at least 1” apart. Repeat with the remaining strips and phyllo sheets until the filling is used up. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy!

By Diet Deep Dish

Adapted from The Chicago Tribune Cookbook

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

An InLinkz Link-up

December 15, 2014

Red Velvet Peppermint Cookies

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are sitting around our dining room table decorating cookies with my mom and sisters. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Christmas cookies. Even if they don’t even taste that good, they bring back such happy memories. Luckily for us, these cookies not only look adorable, but are delicious as well. The combination of peppermint and cocoa is certainly not a new concept at Christmas time, but making the cookies red velvet gives them a fun, festive flare. I made these cookies for the Food Blogger Cookie Swap and MKEfoodies Holiday Bakesale. Both events support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, so I was excited and honored to be a small part of their efforts.

I have to say I was really surprised when I started to feel a little emotional thinking about what to make. My first nursing job was on a pediatric oncology floor, and I can honestly say that walking with children and families on their cancer journey is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I immediately thought back to my time on that unit and the families who really made an impact on me. There was one family in particular who I became very close with, and even though I always declined, they would buy me dinner every time I worked night shift. It was usually Chinese food, so I started with that as my inspiration. I love the symbolism in Chinese cooking and learned that the color red signifies health, joy and good wishes. I can’t think of a better wish for these children, families and healthcare providers, so while the red cookies are fun for Christmas, they mean so much more. If you’re interested in contributing to Cookies for Kids, you can visit their website here.

Red Velvet Peppermint Cookies

2014-12-01 14:26:34

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Ingredients

1 - 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 large egg
1 tbsp. red food coloring
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
In a small bowl, whisk together flour cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, combine oil, brown sugar, agave and egg until creamy. Mix in red food coloring and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture until combined.
Scoop dough into 1-inch balls, rolling with your hands and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are set.
Remove from oven and place 1 Hershey's Kiss on each cookie and let rest 1 minute. To create the thumbprint shape, gently tap the cookie sheet on the counter. Enjoy!

Adapted from Yummy Healthy Easy

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

If you’re planning on shipping your cookies, these packaging tips are super helpful. There’s something so fun about going to the post office at Christmas time, knowing that you’re going to make some lucky people very happy in a few days Happy Baking!