When I find something I like, I tend to get a tad bit obsessed. For example, after I took my first hot yoga class, I immediately signed-up for an unlimited membership to my studio and began practicing close to every day of the week.  When I was a youngster and fell hard for New Kids on the Block (they will never be N.K.O.T.B), I covered my walls with their posters, never missed a concert and bought every teen magazine that had their pictures plastered all over them (I also convinced myself that I was going to marry Jordan, but that’s a story for another time).  My first trip to Trader Joe’s led to about three more trips in that same week.  And then there’s food.  When I find something that tickles my fancy, watch out!  It’s almost as if I think the store is going to run out of my newly found item, or all of the sudden my taste buds are going to change and I will no longer fancy it.  As you already know, I’ve been known to hoard things, and if I’m in love with a new ‘flavor of the week’, then chances are there will be multiples of the item in my shopping cart.

Image Credit – survivaldigest.com

OK, I’m not that bad!

In one of my recent posts, I talked about how I ‘re-discovered’ Swiss chard.  I love the unique taste of this leafy green and the fact that it’s loaded with vitamins and nutrients.  Plus, it literally cooks up in a hot minute.  It’s also healthy for your wallet.  So really, what’s there not to like about this veggie?  I can’t seem to find a single darn thing.  Not sure if this is actually fact for me, or simply my justification for being obsessed with the chard of Swiss, but I can’t stop dreaming of new and creative ways to eat it.  I even challenged the Healthy Chow brain to come up with a little diddy using only the ingredients that existed in my fridge and cabinets.  My creation came out quite well.  I’m pretty sure you won’t be hatin’…

You Won’t Be Hatin’ POM, Swiss Chard, Chickpeas & Bacon
Serves 2 (as an entrée) or 4 (as a side dish)

• 1/3 cup of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup of chicken broth (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
• 1 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
• few dashes of white pepper
• few dashes of onion powder
• 1/2 TSP of Dijon mustard
• 1/2 TSP of corn starch dissolved in 1 1/2 TBSP of warm water
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 5 slices of turkey bacon (I used Jennie-O brand)
• 4-5 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• sea salt to taste

1) In a small saucepan, combine the POM juice, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper and onion powder.  Heat everything on medium/medium-high heat.  Keep stirring as it starts to come to a slow boil.

2) Add the Dijon mustard.  Mix until the Dijon mustard is well-blended (there will be little lumps of mustard, it won’t completely dissolve).  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.  It should take about 3 – 5 minutes.  Turn the heat to low, cover and set aside.

3) Heat a large skillet on medium-high.  Once the skillet is hot to the touch, add the bacon in a single layer.  Allow the bacon to cook for about 3 minutes or until it begins to crisp.  Flip the bacon and cook on the other side for another few minutes.  Once it has reached your desired crispiness, drain on a paper towel-covered plate.

4) In the same skillet, add the Swiss chard and begin moving the Swiss chard around in order to mix in with the bacon drippings (because it’s turkey bacon, it won’t be very greasy).  Allow the Swiss chard to wilt a bit, it should take a couple of minutes.  Then, add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet.  Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown.  Add the white pepper and sea salt to taste.

5) Turn down the heat to medium.  Begin tearing the bacon into bite-sized pieces.  I left mine on the larger side for a more rustic look   Add the bacon to the skillet and stir until warmed.  Finally, add the chickpeas.

6) Add the pomegranate juice mixture to the skillet.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the juice reduces a bit. It should take another minute or so.

7) EAT!  This is great as a side dish, or as your main dish served over a hot bowl of brown rice or quinoa.  Heck, eat it in pita pocket if you want!

DEE-VINE!  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I began combing all of these ingredients together.  While I like the unique taste of Swiss chard, I know many are turned off by its mildly bitter taste.  Thus, I wanted to find something to cook the Swiss chard in that would remove or lessen some of that often considered undesirable taste.  Because POM juice is tart and semi-sweet, I figured it would be a good match.  The saltiness and smokiness from the turkey bacon rounded out this dish and added to the layers of flavor.  I threw in some chickpeas for an additional kick of protein, and mushrooms because I like the taste of mushrooms   If you’re wondering, the POM juice wasn’t overly tart or overbearing in this dish.  In fact, it nicely lightened the recipe without making it taste too fruit-like.  And, the POM juice made this recipe even more nutritious by adding a boost of antioxidants!

It’s safe to say that my obsession with Swiss chard won’t be going anywhere any time soon.  Even when I tossed various random ingredients with this vegetable, it still tasted great.  Actually, I didn’t even eat this recipe with any rice, quinoa or bread.  I ate it as soon as I plated it.  With all those beautiful colors and fabulous flavors, I just couldn’t resist.  I guess I’d just rather declare, “I’ll Be Loving You Forever” versus “Hangin’ Tough” and fighting my love for this mighty green!  (Oh yes, that was corny.  But like I said before, I was obsessed!)

Do you have any guilty pleasures?  Perhaps a cheesy TV show, band or movie?  Come on, I know you do…

Namasté,
Nicole

I have a secret.  I always thought brussels sprouts were weird.  I mean, they are mini cabbages, right?  So, what’s the allure?  Whenever I saw brussels sprouts either on a menu or on the table (not at the Healthy Chow house, at a friend’s house), I sort of shuttered.  Who knows why?  The truth is, I had never even tried a brussels sprout.  I thought they looked weird and people would always say (on tv) that they ‘hated’ them.  BTW, when I say ‘people’, I mean Punky Brewster.  I remember how she hated them, but used to always say before going to a commercial break, “I’ll be back before you can say ‘brussels sprout’!”  I think it may have been Punky that seeded the idea in my head that these mini leafy veggies were not so much.  But I digress…

Image Credit – kristievosper.typepad.com

Anyway, while my days of watching Punky B. on tv (hey, that rhymes!) are over (tears streaming down my face), my days of fearing the brussels sprout are also over.  In fact, I can’t believe I ever gave them the cold shoulder in the first place!  And, they are so good for you!  According to WHFoods.com:

Brussels sprouts reduced the development of pre-cancerous cells 41-52% in the colon and 27-67% in the liver, and drastically diminished the size (85-91%) of pre-cancerous lesions in the liver.

…a cup of Brussels sprouts contains a whopping 1122 IU of vitamin A plus 669 IU of beta-carotene, both of which play important roles in defending the body against infection and promoting supple, glowing skin.

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer. Now, research reveals that crucifers provide significant cardiovascular benefits as well.

After reading all the nutritional benefits, for Thanksgiving this year, I decided to bring a dish that contained the ever-so-mighty brussels sprout.  I figured, my family can all ‘thank’ me later (get it?).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Chickpeas and Pecans
Serves 10 – 12

• 2 1/2 lbs. of brussels sprouts
• 2 1/2 TBSP of olive oil
• 4 TBSP of orange muscat champagne vinegar (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 3 oz. of pecans, chopped (I used Green Valley Pecans)
• 1 1/4 cup of chickpeas
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 2 1/2 oz. of goat cheese (I used about half of the tube of the Trader Joe’s brand)
• few shakes of adobo powder
• s&p

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) Wash and trim your brussels sprouts.  I cut the stems off and discarded any of the outer layers that looked wilted or ‘not-so-fresh’.  I then quartered each sprout (you can just halve lengthwise the smaller ones).

3) Place your prepared brussels sprouts in a large bowl and add the olive oil and champagne vinegar.  Gently toss everything together and make sure all the sprouts are evenly coated.  I used my hands to do this.

4) Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray (I had to use a large baking sheet and a small one).  Spread the brussels sprouts in a single layer on the sheet, making sure they do not overlap.

5) Roast for 35 minutes and add the chickpeas about halfway through.  Add the dried cranberries and pecans for the last 15 minutes.  Shake the pan and move some of the brussels, cranberries and pecans around occasionally while roasting in the oven to ensure even cooking.  You’ll see some of the brussels sprout edges browning and crisping – that means they are done!

6) Transfer the contents of the pan to a large bowl or serving dish.  Season with adobo powder, salt and pepper to taste.

7) While everything is still hot, add your goat cheese.* I crumbled the goat cheese in smaller pieces before adding it to the top of the brussels sprouts.  Gently toss to ensure the goat cheese is evenly distributed.

8 ) Eat, eat, eat!

*If bringing this to a party, I would suggest waiting until the dish has been heated and is about to be served before adding and mixing in the goat cheese.

This dish was a hit at my Thanksgiving dinner table.  While some were a bit concerned that they had never tried a brussels sprout and thus, had some preconceived notions about the miniature cabbages, most ended up really enjoying my dish.  I think what turns people off about brussels sprouts is the fact that they can taste a bit bitter.  By adding orange muscat champagne vinegar and dried cranberries, the dish was subtly sweetened and the bitterness was counteracted.  I also feel that roasting the brussels brought out their natural sweetness and also added to the rustic look of this recipe.  And of course, when you add silky smooth goat cheese and crunchy pecans to anything, it always tastes good!

I guess I can see why the brussel sprout gets a bum rap.  They are sort of odd looking and probably not on the top of the list of vegetables you’d want to eat raw.  But when they’ve been prepared, paired with some great ingredients, graced with some pizazz and basically given a chance, they can turn your world around.  Remember what Punky did for Henry?

“Every time I turn around, I see the girl that turns my world around. Standing there…”

Are there any foods that you’ve grown to love? Or, any foods you ‘thought’ you didn’t like, but actually now love since you’ve tried them?

***Wanna win some free gourmet chocolate?  If that’s a yes, check out Kerstin’s blog for her fantastic Hotel Chocolat giveaway!***

Namasté,
Nicole

I can remember a few (OK, it was more like a couple) years back, when I never used to cook or bake or really make anything in the kitchen at all.  Whenever it was time to go to a family gathering, I would bring flowers, wine, a dessert from the bakery or even a tray of pasta purchased from a restaurant.  While the friend or family member who was hosting the party would be grateful for whatever I would bring to their party, I always felt as though some of the party attendees would throw me some weird and crazy looks.  I think they thought it was funny (or sad) that I, a grown adult, wasn’t ashamed to admit that I didn’t cook and that I worked hard for the money I used to buy the food I brought to the party.  I often times would just brush off those looks by making a joke about having no interest in cooking and deep down inside, I would feel a bit embarrassed.

Now, I love to cook! I love finding new recipes, learning new tricks in the kitchen, trying out ingredients I’ve never used before and of course, tasting my latest creations.  And when someone now invites me over to a party, I jump at the chance to bring something.  And now, that something is homemade!

A couple months back was my brother-in-law’s welcome home party.  While my sister-in-law to be (the one throwing the party) insisted that I didn’t need to bring anything, I didn’t want to show up empty handed.  So, I began looking through my recipe collection and found one I had made previously and brought to a dinner party.  It was a hit the first time I made it, so I figured the second time around would be just as fabulous.

Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato au Gratin with Spinach and Cannellini Beans
Adapted recipe from Cooking Light

10 Servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

• 1  cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 2 ounces)
• 3 pounds of peeled baking potato, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups of chopped frozen spinach (I used a 16 oz. bag from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 cup of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 TBSP Smart Balance Light
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 TSP  dried oregano
• 1/2 TSP  sea salt
• 1/2 TSP  cracked black pepper
• 2 TBSP of cornstarch
• 2 TBSP of warm water
• 2 cups of lowfat milk
• 2 cups (8 ounces) of grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 TSP of white pepper
• few sprinkles of crushed red pepper
• few dashes of cayenne pepper
• few dashes of paprika

1) Place your sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them.  Cover the bowl (I used a large plate) and let them sit for 30 minutes.  Once they have softened, pour out the water and chop the tomatoes into long strips.  Set them aside.

Before                                                                                      After

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3) Place the potato slices (make sure your slices are uniformly cut) in a large pot, and cover with water.  Bring the potatoes and water to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat.  Let the potatoes simmer for 15 minutes or until they are fork tender.  Once tender, drain your potatoes in a large colander and rinse with cold water.

4) Arrange the potato slices in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

5) Microwave or steam your frozen spinach.  Once thawed, wring out as much water as you can.  You want the spinach to be completely dry.

6) Layer the dry spinach on top of the potato slices.

7) Layer the drained and rinsed cannellini beans over the spinach and potatoes.

8 ) Melt your Smart Balance Light in a large sauce pan on medium heat.  Once melted, add your onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion gets tender.  Then, add your sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, sea salt and cracked black pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.  Spoon your cornstarch into a cup filled with 2 TBSP of warm water.  Mix until smooth.  Add your cornstarch mixture to your pot, stirring constantly.

9) Slowly add your milk (I added it in increments of 1/2 cup) and stir with whisk until well blended.  Take your pot off the heat.  Then, begin adding your cheese (again, using increments of 1/2 cup).  Make sure the increments of cheese have melted before adding more.

10) Once all the cheese has melted and the sauce is well blended, pour the sauce over the potatoes, spinach and beans.  Gently toss to make sure everything is covered and well integrated.

11) Sprinkle the potato mixture with white pepper, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper.  Gently toss again.  Top with paprika and bake for 20 minutes or until the dish starts getting bubbly and the potato edges begin browning.

The first time I made this dish, I followed the recipe exactly.  This time, I substituted the all-purpose flour for cornstarch, used lowfat milk versus skim milk and added frozen chopped spinach and cannellini beans.  The results were amazing! I used cornstarch because the flour never seemed to blend entirely the first time around and I used lowfat milk to give the sauce a creamier texture.  In order to ‘bulk up’ the dish and to add some protein and vegetables, I added the chopped spinach and cannellini beans.  The added ingredients also gave my dish a boost of color.  It looked like Christmas!

Not only did this dish look pretty, but it was delish! I know it wasn’t the healthiest or ‘Cooking Light-est’ recipes, but I kept in mind that this was being brought to a party for a crowd to share and not for one person to have as their entire meal.  Not only was this recipe easy to make, but it traveled well and was easy to prep when I arrived at the party.  All you have to do is heat for a bit until bubbly and hot.  And, this recipe can be assembled up to 24 hours before cooking.  The chopping/prepping of the potatoes and tomatoes (I chopped and chopped while watching Chopped – no lie!) took a little bit of time and effort, but was well worth it.  It’s a great side dish to bring to a holiday or dinner party and definitely a crowd pleaser (who doesn’t like cheesy potatoes?).  So instead of getting a jeer for bringing something store bought, you can get a cheer for bringing something deliciously divine and incredibly hot!

What’s your ‘go-to’ dish to bring when attending a party?  Do you usually bring something you’ve made in the past or do you like to test out new recipes?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Thank you so much for your patience.  I’m back and I finally have pictures (and boy, do I have pictures!).  Did you miss me?***

Do you have anyone in your life that is tough to shop for?  Someone who has impeccable taste and great style and has one (or more) of just about everything and anything? A person who is so beautiful that nothing you buy her will compare to her beauty? But this human being is very near and dear to your heart and you love her so much that you want to give her something but you just don’t know what?  Well, ladies and gents, let me introduce you to that person.  That person in my life is Mother Healthy Chow (or MHC for short).

As you might have read from my posts a couple of weeks ago, MHC recently had her birthday.  She turned 39 (*ahem-ahem, cough, cough*) and doesn’t look a day older 25.  Being the good daughters that we are, Michelle and I wanted to get a nice gift for MHC.  But we just didn’t know what?  The woman has too much a lot of clothes, more handbags than she ever can carry, fanciful jewelry, mucho make-up, a collection of shoes that can rival Imelda’s or Mariah’s and two amazing daughters (*pats herself on the back*).  What more could she want or need?

Can’t get enough of this pic!

However, even if a person has just about everything, the person’s gotta eat.  So, instead of taking MHC to the latest and greatest resto in the Boston area, we decided to shake-n-bake things up a bit and do something we haven’t done in awhile and should do more often.  Michelle and I decided to cook MHC a birthday dinner! And because MHC just moved in with her boyfriend, Darrell, we decided to make dinner at their newly renovated home.  There’s nothing like cooking in a brand spankin’ new kitchen!

Because Michelle and I were going to be responsible for cooking the whole dinner and bringing dessert, we had to plan in advance what we were going to make and thus, bring the ingredients.  I’m not quite sure how we decided, but we divvied up the courses as follows: sides, salad and dessert – Healthy Chow and main course and dessert – Michelle.  Yeah, I know dessert is mentioned twice.  That’s no mistake!  We wanted a birthday cake-ish treat for MHC, for candle blowing and wish making, as well as some other goodies, for variety and pigging out’s sake.

Image Credits – fundraw.com

While I was planning the few days prior to the dinner party, I chose to make sides that I felt would go with just about anything.  Because Michelle hadn’t told me what she was making as the main course and I didn’t want to keep annoying asking her, I just went with my gut (lame pun intended)  and selected recipes that were tasty and on the ‘healthier’ side.  Thus, I chose to make two recipes I found from Cooking Light - Creamy Parmesan Orzo and Mustard-Dressed Asparagus.  Both recipes received at least 4 out of 5 stars and very good reviews and comments from readers.  In addition, I had made the orzo recipe a few times before and it was delicious and easy and the asparagus recipe seemed healthy and easy.  Done and done! For the salad, I decided to bring mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, radicchio and frisée) and the ingredients to make a homemade vinaigrette dressing.  So easy-peasy lemon-squeezy!  And for dessert, I just stopped by the store and grabbed brownie bites and chocolate chip ice cream.  You can’t go wrong with warm, soft chocolate baked goods à la mode, right?

I was so excited for this night!  Not only did I want to show off some of my much improved culinary skills, but I also love spending time with my family and I could not wait to see my mother’s new place.  MHC had just moved into Darrell’s condo, which they recently renovated and enlarged by acquiring the adjacent condo unit.  I’ve always loved seeing the interior of people’s homes, but ever since we gave our place a face-lift, my interest has reached a whole new level of appreciation.

Oh my stars!  I thought the ocean view from the outside of their building was incredible; the interior of their home was absolutely gorgeous! I tried not to have any expectations or visions in my head before arriving in order to be totally surprised and when I walked in, I was blown away.  Not only was their condo ginormous, but every detail was carefully paid attention to and flowed seamlessly to the next.  I felt as if I was flipping through the pages of an interior design magazine.

I lurrrrvvve those bamboo floors!

Absolutely beautiful…

Sparkle, sparkle…

I think the food might taste better coming from this kitchen…

Even the spices are cool, or should I say, ’sah-pie-say’!

Now that’s a closet!

My dream come true!

Even the washer and dryer are stylin’!

Darrell loves his shoes, too…

This closet would suit me just fine

An ocean view…

Simply breathtaking…

After receiving the grand tour and getting my groceries for dinner settled, I nibbled on some shrimp cocktail and chips and salsa.  While we told our mother she didn’t have to do a thing, she naturally put out a spread of appetizers and snacks.  What a good lil’ doobie.

It’s a good thing I had to cook or else I’d be full before dinner…

Snacks and sports…

I was having so much fun chatting it up with the party goers that I almost forgot that we were in charge of preparing dinner.  I could see the hungry looks growing, so I stopped munching (for a few minutes) and got started on cooking.  Since all of my dishes were relatively simple to prepare, I picked the one that would take the longest to make and would be the easiest to reheat.  So, I started on the creamy parmesan orzo.  Having Michelle and MHC (she couldn’t stay out of the kitchen for long, nor did we want her to) by my side in the kitchen was so much fun and so helpful.  While I would read off the instructions, one would hand me the needed ingredient and the coordinating utensil.  It was like having my very own sous chefs!

Stir that orzo, Michelle!

Even the birthday girl isn’t safe from kitchen duty!

Love that green!

Once the orzo was about done, I began on my asparagus dish.  Even though the recipe was for asparagus, I decided to add some zucchini since it would give the dish some variety and because I had some just sitting idle in my fridge.  I know, your girl is so resourceful! The recipe called for the asparagus to be boiled, but because MHC had a crazy-arse steamer built into the stove top, I just had to steam versus boil.  It just seemed so cool and high-tech; I had to give it a whirl.  The vegetables took only minutes to cook and the sauce took an even shorter time to prepare.  The key ingredient to this recipe was no doubt the mustard seeds.  They’re little, but they’re powerful (does that remind you of anyone you know?).

I gotta get me one of these…

The Yellow Wonder…(tee hee)

While I was cooking the vegetables, Michelle and her boyfriend, Jonathan began cooking the main dish – chicken saltimbocca.  Jonathan and Michelle make a great team both in life and in the kitchen.  They love cooking together and testing out new recipes.  I was told by the dynamic duo that the trick to making their recipe was to brine the chicken in salt water the night before.  I guess I’ll take their word for it.  It looked dang good! And just as the chicken was about to be taken out of the oven, I whisked together a simple salad dressing using Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, some chopped shallot and salt and pepper.  As I’ve said before, Trader Joe’s never lets me down and he came through for me again that night.  The Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar was divine! It gave the right amount of citrus and zip to the dressing without making it too sweet or weighing it down.  Another winner from TJ’s!

That’s some kickin’ chicken!

I heart TJ’s

Veggie Might!

Finally, dinner was served! MHC did a fabulous job setting up her dining room table for her first dinner guests and her first dinner guests did a fabulous job of dining.  I couldn’t believe how well everything turned out.  Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted wonderful.  Michelle and Jonathan’s chicken saltimbocca was moist and juicy (must be that brining action) and the prosciutto that enveloped it was flawlessly crisped with just the right amount of fresh sage.  Ah-may-zing! And like the chefs who played off of the synergy that was overwhelming the kitchen, the dishes co-mingled with each other fantastically and complemented each other perfectly.

And while I don’t like to brag much, I just want to say that my dishes came out quite well.  MHC loved the creaminess of the parmesan in the orzo recipe and said that the fresh basil was the perfect complement to the dish.  And everyone seemed to really like the mustard sauce on the vegetables.  They said it gave the vegetables a unique flavor.  As for the salad, everyone wanted to know what I used to make the ‘fruity’ dressing.  They truly seemed to enjoy my new found secret weapon from TJ’s and the fact that the salad was tasty without being too greasy or heavy.  Success!

And what would a birthday dinner party be without birthday cake and dessert?  Not a good one in Healthy Chow’s book! Jonathan made a key lime pie that was so light and refreshing, I thought I was having a cocktail.  There was just enough lime to cleanse my palate and the airiness of the filling coupled with the flaky crust was enough for me to want to have seconds.  However, because there were other desserts to sample, I stayed with having only one small (ish) piece and had a scoop of ice cream along with a mini fall-inspired brownie.  I think MHC honestly loved every bite of her birthday celebration.

While receiving a luxurious cashmere sweater, the latest bottle of perfume, a new pair of fall boots, or some fancy handmade jewelry may be a wonderful birthday gift, it’s no match for the gift of time.  Being able to spend time with my mother and sister in her new kitchen laughing, cooking and simply enjoying each other’s company was my favorite part of the night and by looking at my mother’s face, she felt the same way.

Oh, he’s such an angel! Hahahahaha!

Gotcha!

“Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderfuuuuullll?“

MHC is always appreciative of any gift she receives, but I could tell that this time this gift meant the world to her.  She was so excited for us to finally see her new home with Darrell and to be able to see how our culinary skills had developed.  I think it’s always a gift for a parent to see how their children have matured and blossomed, but it’s also a gift for the child to see their parent being happy in their new life.  While it may have been MHC’s birthday, I feel as though I was the one who was showered with presents.  It was a spectacular night filled with giggles, good times and great food.  While it might have been easier to go to the mall or hop online to buy our mother a birthday gift, it definitely would not have been as much fun, nor would it have been as special.  Being able to create a memorable night, such as our dinner party, is something that everyone should try – it may require a bit of time and energy, but what you get back is immeasurable and certainly priceless.  For the person who has everything, it’s definitely something of which they could use more.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?  Or, what’s your favorite secret ingredient to use?

Namasté,
Nicole