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{colourful pasta salad w/italian sausage}

happy wednesday, gang!

it seems like italian food, festivals, wine, and celebrations are everywhere i look this time of year… did i miss a memo!? anyway, i’m all for it. i love me some good pasta, and i used to be so intimated by cooking it… but not anymore!

i just wanted to share this pretty pasta dish i made recently… as the temps cool down, i will transition into more hearty foods like squash, soups, potatoes, root veggies, and the like… but for now, i am still holding on to lighter fare with dishes like this – a simple pasta salad with italian sausage.

red peppers
scallions
red onion
fresh tomatoes
black olives
parmigiano reggiano {the real stuff!}

cook and drain pasta of choice… these little orechiette {which means “little ear”} are so fun, so i chose them!

then simply chop up all your ingredients, and drizzle in your favourite vinaigrette like italian or french dressing… something with a little punch. toss all the ingredients together, sprinkle with tons of freshly-grated parmigiano reggiano… and admire the rainbow of food you’re about to eat!

this keeps well in the fridge and is a great option for batch-cooking for lunches, etc.

nom nom!

Tags: colourful, cooking, eat the rainbow, eating, food, food and foto, food photography, pasta, photography, recipes, simple

Comments 2 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, photography, recipes, the food, the foodie, the foto

{what goes great with oktoberfest beer?? — homemade sauerkraut!!}

23 Oct

ownin’ my german roots! 😉

i love love looooove making my own food. i especially love making things that are expensive to buy, but cheap to make. case and point : sauerkraut.

sauerkraut is one of my favourite things ever. it’s so good for you, and it’s been around for centuries… it’s one of those ancestral foods like homemade bone broth that has proven to be a staple for health in many ancient cultures for ages.

sauerkraut is FULL of healthy probiotics, which are essential for maintaining a healthy gut.

and it’s so super easy to make.

start by chopping up your cabbage, as thin as you want/can get it… i find it helps to quarter the cabbage first, then cut into strips. you want about 1.5 pounds per 1 tablespoon of salt. once that is complete, add it to a large bowl and begin “squishing” the cabbage and salt together using your hands.

this is another reason i love making sauerkraut – you get to play with your food! 😉 Continue reading →

Tags: ancestral foods, DIY, easy, eating, fermented foods, fermenting, food, food photography, health, healthy eating, healthy food, make your own food, photography, probiotics, raw diet, recipes, sauerkraut, simple, vegan, vegetarian

Comments 3 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, recipes, the food

{thirsty thursday – oktoberfest : from sierra nevada!!!}

1 Oct

it’s that time of year!

don’t you just LOVE autumn?!

the colours, the crisp air, the leaves falling, the clothing, the smell of pumpkin everywhere…

and it’s the time of year during which the only beer i’ll be drinking is oktoberfest! {pretty much}

and usually i’m sippin’ on some sam adams, cuz i just love that stuff. but i literally squealed with excitement when i discovered this sierra nevada oktoberfest!

i’m somewhat obsessed with sierra nevada. however, i only recently starting drinking their beers… and my goodness are they ahh-mazing!

a friend of mine told me that sierra nevada has been tested/known for their extremely clean water… and in my opinion, this greatly effects the taste of their brews. i don’t know quite how to explain it, but there is something distinguishably different about sierra nevada beer, and not just this wonderful oktoberfest. it makes sense to me that it could have something to do with the natural cleanliness and quality of their water.

furthermore, i love SN’s oktoberfest because it was brewed in collaboration with an old-school 19th century german brauhaus, using their recipe!!! the brewery is one of the oldest in the country… and i mean, it doesn’t get much more authentic than that!

and this stuff tastes incredible!

sierra nevada claims this is a ONE TIME ONLY release – so get your hands and taste-buds on some as soon as you can!

SLAINTE!

———

are you a sierra nevada fan?! and if so, do you agree with my theory regarding their water?!

Tags: adult beverages, audrey michelle, autumn, beer, drinks, fall, fall seasonal, food, food and wine, food photography, german beers, october, oktoberfest, photography, seasonal, seasonal beers, sierra nevada, thirsty thursday

Comments 3 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, fun, photography, the food, the foto

{100-mile diet : taco lettuce wraps w/ local grass-fed beef}

24 Sep

i’m kind of obsessed with lettuce-wraps, as of late…

they are so easy to make and they are fulfilling without the guilt – gluten-free {if you want them to be}, quick and simple to prepare, and full of colour!

i also like to eat lettuce wraps during my “transition” months… like september, when the weather begins to change and my body begins to prepare for the heartier foods, but i’m not quite ready to let go of lighter fare. lettuce wraps meld the changing seasons together nicely.

i also LOVE grass-fed beef… for the nutrition, the health of the animal, the health of the planet… and the sense of pride i take when purchasing sustainable, farm-fresh food.

furthermore, i love to eat locally and support a “100-mile diet” as often as i can in my life. the 100-mile diet simply means you only eat food that is raised or grown within 100 miles of where you currently live. for me, choosing this lifestyle is the best way i can “vote with my dollars” in supporting a food-system that is sustainable, healthy, and good for our planet earth. i pair that choice with seasonal and organic eating, and it has proven to be the best lifestyle for me.

almost everything in these lettuce wraps was locally grown/made :

grass-fed beef
mexican spices
red leaf lettuce
cherry tomatoes
red onion
black olives
manchego cheese
homemade salsa
guacamole
yellow corn tortilla chips

once you brown your meat {try really hard not to overcook grass-fed beef!} and add in any spices you wish, simply pile it all up on a clean lettuce leaf and wrap it up and eat it!

i created my wrap in this order : lettuce leaf, beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, olives, salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips..

and then…

nom nom… nomcrunch.. NOM NOM!!!

Tags: 100 mile diet, audrey michelle, cooking, eating, farm-fresh, food, food and foto, food photography, gluten-free, grass-fed beef, healthy, lettuce wraps, local, local eating, organics, photography, recipes, simple cooking, simple recipes, sustainable

Comments 4 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, fun, the food

{thirsty thursday : new belgium’s pumpkick brew!}

17 Sep

it’s just around the bend… that wonderful feeling in the air, as summer transitions to autumn… this is, afterall, my favourite time of year… and i humbly and somewhat eagerly welcome the change of seasons {both literally – in nature, and figuratively – in my own life} as i toast with a yummy, beautiful brew — pumpkick, from new belgium… and goodness, they sure know what they’re doing when it comes to beer!

and i’m slowly learning what i’m doing when it comes to life…

SLAINTE!

Tags: adult beverages, audrey michelle, autumn, beer, blogging, change, colorado, drinking, food and foto, food photography, fort collins colorado, fun, life, local, new belgium brewery, photography, pumpkick, pumpkin, seasons, thirsty thursday, whatever

Comments 3 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, colorado, food, fun, life, photography, the food, the foodie, thoughts, whatever

{foto friday : the beautiful, delicate, edible squash blossom!}

11 Sep

i love squash blossoms!

Continue reading →

Tags: art, audrey michelle, cooking, delicacies, eating, food, food and foto, food is art, food photography, foto friday, interesting, photography, squash blossoms, unique foods

Comments 5 Comments
Categories art, audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, photography, the food, the foodie, the foto

{silent sunday : happy labor day weekend!}

6 Sep

Tags: audrey michelle, blogging, colorado, eating, food, fun, holidays, iphone photography, iphoneography, labor day, life, photography, photos, silent sunday, snapshots, weekends, whatever, wordless

Comments 2 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, colorado, food, food photography, fun, holidays, iphoneography, life, photography, the food, the foodie, the foto, whatever

{eat the rainbow!}

27 Aug

eat the rainbow!

farm-fresh veggies and homemade ranch dip with simple greek yogurt and herbs.

colourful mixed bell peppers, olives, sugar snap peas, baby carrots, and mini cucumbers.

nom nom!!

Tags: audrey michelle, colourful, eat the rainbow, eating, farm to table, food, food and foto, food photography, healthy, healthy snacks, organics, photography, snacks, vegetables, vegetarian

Comments 2 Comments
Categories food, food photography, photography, the food

{healthy homefries}

18 Aug

my grandpa used to say, “a potato will cure what ails ya…” and i’ve held on to his words over the years. i can hear him in the back of my head when i’m making mashed potatoes, or any variation of potatoes. i just happen to love them. probably in part due to my irish and german roots and also due to my grandma always teaching me how to stretch a dollar. the potato is an inexpensive food that is loaded with vitamins and minerals. when i was a kid, i used to chop them up into small bits, sprinkle them with salt, and eat them raw!

today, i eat them any way i can get them. lately, i’ve been making a potato hash, or potato homefries. it keeps well in the fridge, and you can make a huge batch and heat them up for breakfast or a side dish with dinner. top with a fresh egg, or dip in a little ranch dressing or ketchup… and nom nom!

i’ve been keeping it pretty simple with mine :

russet potatoes {they are simply heartier and healthier}
bell peppers {i choose red for the colour and vitamin c}
garlic {does wonders for immunity and the body!}
onion {red, again, because – eat the rainbow!}
S&P {i mean, can’t have potatoes without it}

simply heat up some oil or butter on medium to high heat and add in garlic, onions, bell peppers, and potatoes… then cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occaisonally. you want the potatoes to crisp up a little bit… but keep in mind, if you are batch-cooking them, you can reheat them later and crisp them up at that time.

super easy and simple. and you could even freeze these if you wanted to! but i doubt you will want to or have any left over, because they are just so yummy! 🙂

Tags: audrey michelle, cooking, eating, food, food and foto, food photography, healthy, homefries, photography, simple, vegan, vegetarian

Comments 7 Comments
Categories audrey michelle, blogging, food, food photography, photography, recipes, the food, the foodie, the foto

{summer lovin’}

12 Aug

lots to love this summer!

———

eatin’ baked brie with caramelized onions, grapes, and strawberries…

watchin’ silly movies and dressin’ for random weather…

servin’ farm-to-table meals…

margaritas… and sunglasses…

seein’ randomness… and plenty of beauty…

eatin’ dessert with beer and wearin’ new hats…

catchin’ rays and devourin’ tapas at happy hour…

random sunrises and… other things…

workin’ on puzzles… and completin’ them the same night 😉

eatin’ on the patio and watchin’ sunsets…

admirin’ the flowers and wearin’ them in my hair…

tryin’ new cocktails… and appetizers…

and balancin’ that with lots of fresh summer veggies…

and these!…

takin’ selfies… and stayin’ true to me…

havin’ friends who are chefs!!!!…

for real… i have some SUPER talented friends!!!!….

keepin’ an open eye…

red lobster’s crabfest!… and the boozie drink they served me… it came with a sidecar of gran marnier… which, i was lovin’… and which also totally made me buy dessert! {key lime pie!}

cloud-watchin’….

fresh beer and BLTs… and coffee!

and i’m lovin’ the fact that my hair is finally growin’!

———

what are YOU lovin’ about summer?!?!

🙂

❤

Tags: audrey michelle, august, blogging, eating, food, food and foto, fun, iphone photography, iphoneography, life, love, photography, pics, shake-it app, snapshots, summer, updates, whatever

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Categories audrey michelle, blogging, colorado, food, food photography, fun, life, photography, updates, whatever

{burger lettuce wraps}

7 Aug

i love finger food. therefore, i love lettuce wraps.

i’m all about lettuce wraps these days. i feel like it’s my favourite new way to eat things – especially in the summertime! i find that during the warmer months, i tend to want to eat “lighter” foods, and lettuce wraps fit the bill perfectly!

also, sometimes i just don’t care for the heaviness of bread or sandwiches. i mean, don’t get me wrong… i’m an east-coast girl at heart and i love my sub sandwiches from the local deli! however, as i said – when it’s hot like it’s been here {in the upper 90’s}, i feel like my body simply wants lighter fare… and so i willingly oblige.

PLUS – the waistline seems to appreciate it when i skip the bread 😉

i made these “burger wraps” the other day when i was craving a burger but didn’t have time, energy, or the grill to make a burger with. so, i improvised. what i love about lettuce wraps is they can be utilized for just about anything. the lettuce leaves themselves are the perfect vehicle to transport yumminess from plate to mouth to tummy.

in this recipe, i started with red lettuce leaves. i chose red because {especially} when it comes to food, in my book – the more colour, the better.

my method is simple : chop up some fresh tomatoes, red onion, dill pickles, and any other toppings you may want on a burger. then, simply brown some grass-fed ground beef on medium-to-high heat and add in a little S&P. finally, pile your toppings one-by-one onto your yummy lettuce wrap and then finish with some mustard and/or ketchup. i personally love both on my burgers. Continue reading →

Tags: beer, burger wraps, cooking, drinks, eating, finger food, food, food and foto, food photography, gluten-free, lettuce wraps, paleo, photography, recipes, session lager, simple, weekends

Comments 2 Comments
Categories food, food photography, photography, recipes, the food

{twins!}

31 Jul

😀 😉 ❤

Tags: eggs, food, food and foto, food is cool, food photography, fun, funny, humor, iphone photography, iphoneography, life, nature, photography, snapshots, twins, two yolks, whatever

Comments 1 Comment
Categories blogging, food, food photography, fun, nature, photography, the food, the foodie, the foto, whatever

{before & after}

24 Jul

simple pasta w/ chix & veg

fusilli, roasted chicken, caramelized onions, green peppers, olives, and fresh tomatoes…

Tags: batch-cooking, before and after, comfort food, cooking, eating, food, food and foto, food photography, foodography, healthy, pasta, pics, simple, whatever

Comments 2 Comments
Categories food, food photography, photography, recipes, the food, the foodie

{fun facts about flavourful forbidden rice}

20 Jul

{colourful, too!!!}

———

fun facts about flavourful forbidden rice {also known as “black rice”}:

– it’s {drumroll, please}… gluten-free!!

– it’s rare {which to me, just immediately makes it cooler!}

– it is cultivated in small amounts – in its early days, was only harvested for the emperor {of china!}

– helps support a healthy heart and healthy cholesterol levels

– it’s rich in iron and offers a comprehensive range of amino acids

– it is much higher in protein and fiber than any of its cousins – brown, white, or purple

– makes a fun “risotto” or sticky pudding

– is extremely fragrant and beautiful on a plate

– gentler on the body, easier to digest than its cousins

– contains high levels of antioxidants {i mean, duh – look at that colour!}

———

you can find forbidden rice in health food stores or online. these days, you could probably even find it in your local grocery store, as i notice many of the mainstream chains are stocking more and more of this kind of thing as of late. 🙂

Tags: cooking, eat the rainbow, eating, facts, food, food is cool, food photography, forbidden rice, fun facts, gluten-free, grains, health, healthy, information, nature, nutritional information, photography, rice, whatever

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Categories blogging, food, food photography, the food

{“drink the rainbow” : berry-cream vitamix smoothie!}

16 Jul

it’s been a while since i’ve done a post about a vitamix smoothie! however, it’s that time of year when i find myself wanting to eat a little less and drink a little more. the heat of the summer causes us to sweat out toxins and i find that my body craves the freshness of a cold fruit smoothie to help replenish vital minerals.

berry-cream vitamix smoothie : frozen blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and peaches, with fresh dates and coconut milk

do you sometimes do what i do?

…catch myself feeling guilty for not drinking more smoothies, so i’ll run out and buy a bunch of stuff to make them with, but then i don’t make nearly as many smoothies as i said i would, and those yummy ingredients go bad in the fridge. and nothing upsets me more than wasting food! {and money, for that matter!}

well, may i suggest something i do in order to avoid wasting precious resources?! just keep canned or boxed coconut milk in the house and/or fridge! you can purchase coconut milk in aseptic {shelf-stable} containers. why coconut milk? well, i personally prefer coconut milk for the healthy fat content as well as the the fact that the coconut is pretty much one of the most amazing things on the planet! not only is coconut milk loaded with vitamins and minerals, it’s also great for your heart, your hair, your skin, your nails… shall i go on?! furthermore, i’ve created the habit of freezing any overripe fruits that i buy, and that way i always have the two main ingredients i need to make a smoothie!

of course, you can also add in spinach or kale to get a little extra vitamins and nutrients. for this concoction, i kept it pure and simple. just frozen blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and peaches blended with fresh dates and coconut milk. it’s light and fresh and only gently sweet. dates are nature’s candy! they are loaded with potassium and create a little sweetness without adding in unnecessary calories or sugar. and this smoothie is perfectly refreshing on a hot summer afternoon!

drink the rainbow!

Tags: colourful, drink the rainbow, drinking, drinks, food and foto, food photography, health, healthy, juice, juicing, photography, simple, smoothies, summer, vitamix

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Categories blogging, food, food photography, life, photography, recipes, the foodie, the foto, vitamix

{meatless mondays : red quinoa with grape tomatoes, fresh corn, and black beans}

6 Jul

this {vegan} dish is totally protein-packed and nutrient-rich. i just love quinoa, don’t you?!

and did you know that quinoa is considered a complete protein… which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids. this makes it a wonderful protein-source for vegans. the black beans in this recipe add in healthy fiber, which is a great combination with the quinoa!

i can eat these grape tomatoes like candy!

and believe it or not, colorado boasts growing some of the best sweet corn in the US!

summer is for corn!!!! Continue reading →

Tags: clean-eating, cooking, corn, eat the rainbow, eating, food, food and foto, food photography, healthy, photography, quinoa, recipes, simple, summer, vegan, vegetarian

Comments 9 Comments
Categories food, food photography, photography, recipes, the food, the foodie

{red white and blue… cookies!}

2 Jul

i made these yummy cookies in 2012 for the holiday, and it’s become a tradition ever since.

it’s no secret to those who know me well, that i am not a good baker. i can whip up things in the kitchen over a skillet pretty amazingly, but one can’t “wing it” when baking… it is a legit science! and i respect that… i just can’t seem to nail it.

but i did with these cookies! Continue reading →

Tags: 4th of july, america, baking, blogging, colourful, cookies, cooking, eat the rainbow, eating, festive, food, food and foto, food photography, fun, holidays, life, photography, recipes, weekends, whatever

Comments 6 Comments
Categories blogging, food, food photography, fun, holidays, life, photography, recipes, the food, the foodie

{i think i heard a turkey sammy calling…}

29 Jun

with havarti cheese, fresh tomato slices, romaine lettuce leaves, crunchy pea sprouts, and deli mustard… neatly wedged between two artisan whole wheat slices…

ring ring…

nom nom…