Lemon Frosting

Makes 4 1/2 cups| Hands-On Time: 05m| Total Time: 10m

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
• pinch kosher salt

Directions

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and lemon zest on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sugar, then the salt, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 

Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound gemelli, fusilli, or other short pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise then crosswise
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (raw)
• • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 10 ounces baby spinach (about 12 cups)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Tandoori chicken pizzas

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place bread on a large baking tray. Brush with 1 teaspoon oil. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp.
   
   

Spicy lamb flatbread pizzas

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Heat 2 large baking trays in the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Step 2
   Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add the onion and capsicum. Cook,
   

Super-fast tuna and olive fettuccine

1. Step 1
   Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling, salted water following packet directions until tender. Drain. Return to pan.
   
   

4th of july inspiration

Um, can someone please explain what has happened to June?! I do NOT understand how the 4th of July is next week.
It’s quite disturbing, especially because we haven’t done anything on our summer to-do list. (And I mean that we haven’t even made the list yet.) I do know that we want to spend some time at the beach, see a few outdoor shows but beyond the food + drink below, I have no idea!
At least this is a good place to start…

Sip: Berry Kombucha Sangria. I haven’t made sangria yet this summer, but this version is at the top of my list. Recipe and image via Edible Perspective.

Make Any Vegetable Taste Irresistible

You already know vegetables are good for you.
But there’s only so many times you can massage a bowl of kale before your tummy shouts “BO-RING!”
Our mouths (and digestive systems) want to be entertained.
And if we don’t get that entertainment in our meals, we’ll look for it in half a box of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Yikes.
The best way to bring delight to every health meal? Throw a party for all of your senses.

Sight

Yes, how beautiful your dish looks affects how much you’ll enjoy it. Having a bowl of rice or just plain greens? Grate some carrot, sprinkle some pepper flakes, or toss some thinly sliced yellow bell peppers into your meal to give it an eye-pleasing pop of color.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

I've been feeling the need to simplify my life lately. You know, the need to set some priorities and decide what stays and what goes. One of my top priorities at home is to make sure I feed my family healthy, good-tasting food. Last week, I realized that in order to do this I need to create a dinner menu to streamline evenings and help things run smoothly. Two kids under the age of three running around aren't exactly the ticket to smooth dinner times, if you know what I mean.

5 Best Foods For Weight Loss

 I few weeks back I posted a very simple weight loss plan, and I promised to follow on from that, and discuss my top 5 foods for weight loss.
In my list below I haven’t included fruits and vegetables, purely because that is a given. I don’t need to restate it.
You need to eat more fruits and veg, period.
Okay, on to my best foods for weight loss, here goes…
Healthy Foods to Help You Lose Weight
1. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great source of nutrients and fiber, and an excellent choice for breakfast, because it helps to keep you feeling satisfied for longer, whereas packaged breakfast cereals generally don’t do a great job at all.

Making Sense of Saturated Fat

Maybe you’ve seen headlines declaring that the war on saturated fat is over. The media was buzzing about recent research showing that people who eat less saturated fat tend to have the same rates of heart disease as people who eat higher amounts. So, does this mean “bring on the butter?” Not so fast. Even though some researchers now question the link between saturated fat and heart disease, that doesn’t mean saturated fat is completely off the hook.