the seasons are changing.

sure, it is technically spring already, but seasons don't just change in one day. every day, the sun is out a little longer, things get a bit greener, and slowly but surely things in the garden start to grow. herbs start flourishing. flowers start blooming. fruits start growing. early spring is like a new surprise every day. suddenly, there is progress everywhere. 

and personally, i'm trying to harness that same energy. wes and i have been doing some spring cleaning around the house, i've been planting seeds in the garden and setting the ground work for many upcoming business projects (don't worry, i am going to tell you... soon). 

after a long week of getting things done. it is time for my sweet, sweet reward. 

sage + citrus sparkler

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 2 oz cara cara orange juice (you can always sub for blood orange, navel or valencia oranges). 2 oz sparkling water. 5 small sage leaves + a few extra for garnish. 1 cup ice. shaker. 

place half your ice in your serving glass and half the ice in your shaker. tear up your sage leaves and smash them between your hands a few times to release their oils. add them to the ice in your shaker. pour in the vodka and then the orange juice.

shake well until the sage oils have released into your vodka and juice. about 30 to 45 seconds. strain the contents of the shaker into the serving glass.

top with the sparkling water and give it a stir. 

garnish with a few sage leaves and serve. 

xo, a

sage + citrus sparkler

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 2 oz cara cara orange juice (you can always sub for blood orange, navel or valencia oranges). 2 oz sparkling water. 5 small sage leaves + a few extra for garnish. 1 cup ice. shaker. 

place half your ice in your serving glass and half the ice in your shaker. tear up your sage leaves and smash them between your hands a few times to release their oils. add them to the ice in your shaker. pour in the vodka and then the orange juice. shake well until the sage oils have released into your vodka and juice. about 30 to 45 seconds. strain the contents of the shaker into the serving glass. top with the sparkling water and give it a stir. garnish with a few sage leaves and serve. 

as i've gotten older, i've really settled into an everything in moderation attitude towards life. work, exercise, food. i seem to find myself at my best when i am most balanced. and that includes when i'm eating a balanced diet.

for me, that doesn't necessarily mean being meatless, but eating meat in moderation. but i still crave heartier dishes come dinner time. especially when it is chillier out.

so i'm celebrating tacos the vegetarian way. these roasted potatoes and mushrooms are so well seasoned and robust that you won't even notice these tacos are meatless. 

roasted mushroom & potato tacos

serves: 2

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced .5 inch thick. 8 oz tricolor potatoes, diced. 1 onion, sliced .5 inch thick. 3 tbs olive oil. 1.5 tsp salt. 1 tsp garlic powder. 1 tsp cumin. .5 tsp fresh ground pepper. 5 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 dozen cherry tomatoes. 1 garlic clove, smashed. 1 lime, halved. 10 cilantro leaves. 4 flour tortillas. mexican blend cheese for serving. parchment paper. baking sheet. blender or food processor.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper and combine the oil, mushrooms, potatoes and .75 of the onion. mix the veggies till they are all lightly coated with oil. season with 1 tsp of the salt, all the pepper, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika and cayenne. make sure everything is tossed and seasoned well. roast the veggies for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway though. make sure the potatoes are tender.

while your veggies are roasting, make your salsa. half your cherry tomatoes and add them to your blender or food processor. add in the remaining onion, the garlic, half the cilantro, the remaining salt, and the juice of half the lime. blend until everything is pretty smooth.

pour into a serving bowl.

in a medium pan, warm your tortillas over medium heat and keep them in a covered pot in the oven until you are ready to serve. finely chop up the remaining cilantro. when your veggies are ready, remove them from the baking sheet.

sprinkle them with the juice of the remaining half of lime. sprinkle with 2 tbs of cheese blend and some of the chopped cilantro.  place some filling in your tortilla and top with 2 tbs of tomato salsa. enjoy hot.

xo, a

roasted mushroom & potato tacos

serves: 2

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced .5 inch thick. 8 oz tricolor potatoes, diced. 1 onion, sliced .5 inch thick. 3 tbs olive oil. 1.5 tsp salt. 1 tsp garlic powder. 1 tsp cumin. .5 tsp fresh ground pepper. 5 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 dozen cherry tomatoes. 1 garlic clove, smashed. 1 lime, halved. 10 cilantro leaves. 4 flour tortillas. mexican blend cheese for serving. parchment paper. baking sheet. blender or food processor. 

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper and combine the oil, mushrooms, potatoes and .75 of the onion. mix the veggies till they are all lightly coated with oil. season with 1 tsp of the salt, all the pepper, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika and cayenne. make sure everything is tossed and seasoned well. roast the veggies for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway though. make sure the potatoes are tender. while your veggies are roasting, make your salsa. half your cherry tomatoes and add them to your blender or food processor. add in the remaining onion, the garlic, half the cilantro, the remaining salt, and the juice of half the lime. blend until everything is pretty smooth. pour into a serving bowl. in a medium pan, warm your tortillas over medium heat and keep them in a covered pot in the oven until you are ready to serve. finely chop up the remaining cilantro. when your veggies are ready, remove them from the baking sheet. sprinkle them with the juice of the remaining half of lime. sprinkle with 2 tbs of cheese blend and some of the chopped cilantro. place some filling in your tortilla and top with 2 tbs of tomato salsa. enjoy hot.