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Summer Sweet Potato Hash

June 30, 2015 • 1 Comment

What is the perfect compliment to a simple, summer evening?

A simple, summery dinner of course! I’m not going to lie … this Sweet Potato Summer Hash was so simple to make and delicious to eat that I almost didn’t want to share it with the hubby. I wanted to keep whatever leftovers I could so I could eat it again the next day. But alas, we devoured the whole thing in one sitting.

Last night we planned to use the grill for burgers, but a few severe thunderstorms kept us from getting outside. So I went with plan B: a no-nonsense, protein-packed, healthy and bright hash. Making this dish was also the first time I got to use my brand new cast iron skillet.

Can I say it is ridiculous how excited I get about using new kitchen tools and equipment? I mean seriously, I get more excited about using new measuring cups than I do about wearing a new shirt. Can any of my fellow foodies relate?Read More

Grilled Beet Sliders

June 23, 2015 • 7 Comments

This weekend was a weekend of celebration.

For the first time ever, my husband and I finally own a grill! I know what some of you might be thinking: How could a food blogger not own a grill? Well, when you’re in your 20s and you’ve just recently been married and bought a house, unfortunately there are a lot bigger priorities than getting a grill.

After Alex and I got married in October 2014, we made a wish list of things to get for our house and we made a goal to have a grill by the first day of summer. As I write this post he is faithfully putting it together in the garage (talk about a wonderful husband).

I couldn’t be more grateful and excited that we were able to make it happen!Read More

Remembering That God Is Always Good

June 22, 2015 • 7 Comments

As a person who lives with chronic illness I have learned, for the most part, how to control my mental, emotional and physical responses to pain.

I remember the day I told my mother-in-law that I battled with headaches on a daily basis. She was absolutely shocked. “I had no idea!” she told me. It’s not that I try to be fake around people. I just prefer not to be known as “the girl who is always in pain.” On a daily basis, I strive to choose joy over despair and sadness. If someone genuinely asks me how I am feeling, I won’t lie — but I also don’t need to walk around complaining about things. Griping, moaning and complaining never does any good. (See Philippians 2:14-15.)

You see, I don’t want people to identify me solely by my struggles; I want them to identify me by my faith in Jesus Christ.

But despite my efforts to remain outwardly optimistic, joy-filled and peppy, I must admit, there are days when the pain finds itself written across my face.

The other day at work, I was walking down the stairs slowly to prevent irritating my leg and knee, which have been giving me intense burning and stinging issues lately. As I reached the landing between the first and second flight of stairs, my coworker caught me by surprise.

“You feeling OK today Lauren?” she asked, visibly concerned.

I smiled and replied, “Ah, I’ll be alright. Could be worse!”

“Is that how life is for you? Some days are good and some days are bad?”

“For the most part, yeah,” I said.

You know those moments when the Holy Spirit speaks to you and you want to act on it but then it’s too late? That’s what happened in this moment. We went our separate ways just as I felt God speak to me:

You might have good and bad days, Lauren. But I, the Lord, am always good. You can always count on my grace and goodness to be sufficient for you.

Rosemary Roasted Artichokes + Smashed Potatoes

June 18, 2015 • 6 Comments

The easy way is not always the best way to do things, except when it comes to cooking veggies.

The easiest way to cook vegetables — roasting — is in fact the best. You can roast almost anything: chicken, pears, cashews, beans, chickpeas, fennel, cherries, and more. But I think one of the tastiest things on this Earth is roasted vegetables. All you need is a little oil, salt, pepper and herbs or spices and you will have vegetable perfection every time. If you’re not already in the habit of roasting veggies, once you start you’ll never want to boil or microwave again.

Some vegetables roast faster than others. A great resource for learning about roasting time is Martha Stewart’s guide to roasting vegetables. Here’s a quick snapshot of some veggies and how long they take to reach roasted perfection:Read More

Protein Banana Pancakes

June 15, 2015 • 6 Comments

I am on a breakfast kick.

Not an eating breakfast kick. (I always eat breakfast. If I didn’t eat breakfast I don’t think I could make it through the day.) But a making a homemade-breakfast-every-morning kick. I’m not proud of it, but last winter I started to get really lazy with my breakfasts. I would throw some cereal in a bowl, pour some milk on top and called it good. The problem with this picture is that I was missing out on eating a good amount of protein early in the day. I knew I needed to change things up and pack my breakfasts with more protein if I wanted to have more energy in the morning.Read More

Creamy Kale Avocado Pasta

June 10, 2015 • 11 Comments

So long, move over hot dishes and stews. It’s time to say hello to chilled soups and pastas, because praise the Lord, summer is finally here!

I may have a lot going on in the medical realm right now, but my, oh my does the sun make my bones happy! Summer is absolutely beautiful. Thank goodness we don’t live in a place like Narnia, where winter is eternal. I think my cheerful spirit would slowly shrivel up and die if that were the case.

And if summer wasn’t already fabulous enough by itself, in less than one month Alex and I will be singing alongside his awesome mom Heidi and aunt Mindy at the U2 concert in Chicago. I know, I wish I could bring all of you with me too. Because c’mon, who doesn’t like U2? Bono and the Edge are the perfect combination of musical talent and overall awesomeness. It just doesn’t get much better than those two! (If you’re not convinced of this, I highly suggest listening to U2’s live, unplugged Jimmy Fallon performance.)

While this pasta definitely doesn’t have anything on U2 in the music department, it’s a new favorite in the Gaskill kitchen. If I put this recipe up against 10 of our other favorites, it definitely earns five stars. This creamy avocado pasta is the ultimate summer pasta, and it’s ridiculously easy to make!Read More