Blog

11Jun

Strawberry & Walnut Salad

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

I am so happy now that strawberries are back in season! There’s just something about swapping out tomatoes for strawberries that makes a salad seem more sophisticated and gourmet. This refreshing salad is another one of my recipes where having previously baked chicken breast chilling in the fridge makes this dish super easy to throw together for a healthy, satisfying...

4Jun

3 Simple (Filling!) Meals

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

Lately I have been using Instagram (@meroram) as an accountability diary of sorts by taking photos of my meals and commenting with the ingredients. People have been using Instagram for this very purpose since its inception, and I have to a small degree, but I’m trying to be more consistent with it. A few have said my photos are inspiring...

23May

Naked Burrito

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

This is the first week in about 3 months that I’m eating like a normal, healthy human being again, so forgive the simplicity of this recipe! But actually, because it’s so easy, filling, and good for you, I just had to share. It’s also vegetarian! Naked Burrito Prep Time: 20 minutes |Total Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 3 Ingredients: 1...

17May

Surprise! Baby #2 Coming in November!

Category: Personal Written by: meridith

Well I can finally announce why its been like crickets around here…I’m pregnant with baby #2!!! Ahh feels so good to finally share our big news! To say I had a rough first trimester is an understatement, so as a direct result I was unable to stomach anything that could possibly be worthy of a recipe post. I’m fortunately in...

14May

May is Celiac Awareness Month!

Category: Gluten Free, Opinion, Personal Written by: meridith

I can’t tiptoe around the fact that my blog has been deafeningly quiet the past 3 months (for good reasons I promise to explain in a week or two!) but there was no way I could let Celiac Awareness Month pass by without posting about it! Inspired by a great Twitter chat I participated in earlier today, hosted by Celiac...

21Feb

Stuffed Pepper Stroganoff

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and tonight proved that to be true once again! I had ground turkey with a quickly approaching “eat or freeze by” date, but I made fajitas a couple nights ago so I wasn’t about to do tacos. I thought maybe Beef Stroganoff would be good but I didn’t have mushrooms, and then...

11Feb

Easy Trail Mix

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

One of the most surprising foods that’s rarely gluten-free is pre-packaged trail mix. In fact, there’s a lot of brands of plain, dry roasted peanuts (Planter’s included!) that aren’t gluten-free so I’m wondering if that’s the unsuspected culprit. It’s very bizarre to me that something so simple with natural ingredients (minus the chocolate) would have gluten by-products. I think trail...

3Feb

Hummus a la Meridith

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

I always seem to go months at a time before remembering how yummy and healthy hummus is. Last weekend we enjoyed a store bought container of hummus, and it was good, but some of the ingredients listed on the label seemed unnecessary at best. I have made my own before, but today I made up my own recipe from scratch!...

31Jan

Braiden Is 3 Years Old!

Category: Personal Written by: meridith

As of tomorrow, I am (somehow) the mother of a three year old. How is this possible?! Time has flown by so quickly as of late, that I fully and thoroughly comprehend how the elders have always said, with a sort of sad sentiment in their eye, to cherish and hold on to these moments as they fly by. It’s often...

27Jan

Benefits of Flaxseeds

Category: Nutrition Written by: meridith

The running joke in our house lately has been that flaxseeds are my “signature ingredient.” I put them in everything! It meets the need for improved texture, crunch, and health benefits of any dish. Just 2 T of flaxseeds alone achieves 132% of the recommended daily requirement of omega-3 fats at just 74 calories! For those who don’t like fish...

21Jan

Opinion: Cleanse Diets

Category: Opinion Written by: meridith

I am not a dietitian or a doctor but I think I know enough about health and nutrition to give an educated opinion and help steer others in the right direction. Sometimes it’s hard being in the wellness industry because, as a professional (and ethical!) licensed massage therapist, I have to do a lot of smiling and “mm-hmm”-ing. I can’t...

7Jan

Cucumber Cups

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

These cucumber cups are one of the easiest things I make. They’re very healthy and naturally gluten-free so are great for parties, lunch or as a snack! Fun for kids too. My recipe is for tuna fish, but this can easily be swapped out for chicken, egg or ham salad. The trick to keeping this healthy though is to make...

31Dec

250 Miles for the Year!

Category: Fitness, Running Written by: meridith

I began running at the end of March to prepare for my first 5K in mid-April. I started with the “Ease into 5K” iPhone app and was initially “running” 14:07 miles. It took till Week 4 Day 3 to reach a respectable 11:09 pace for a 5K run and on May 14th I ran 4 miles at a 10:13 pace–which...

31Dec

Broccoli Cheddar Dip

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope you’ve enjoyed the past week of my appetizer recipes series. Today is another super easy dish that always gets devoured at parties. Serve with crudités, bagettes (if no one is gluten-free), or Glutino crackers. Broccoli Cheddar Dip Total Time: 55 minutes | Serves: 12 Pre-heat oven to 350 Ingredients: 1 package Lipton Vegetable soup...

30Dec

Sweet Onion & Dill Dip

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

It may have taken 5 days, but we have finally reached an appetizer recipe that is served with crudités. I originally found this recipe when I was doing Weight Watchers and, after a few adjustments, I have made it my own while still keeping it low fat. Sweet Onion & Dill Dip Total Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 12 Ingredients:...

29Dec

Grilled Clams

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

As we round day 4 of my New Year’s Eve appetizers series, I wanted to feature a recipe that you don’t typically see at parties. It’s a bit pricier than some of the cheese-based dips, but for a small gathering, it’s a unique and memorable dish. It seems fancy but it’s truly easy to make. I also love the versatility...

28Dec

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

This is literally hot pizza in a cup, and is perfect on a cold night with a few other guests (so there’s more to go around!) Very easy to make and a guaranteed hit at all parties. Serve with corn chips (like Fritos Scoops) or, if no one’s gluten-free, sliced bagette. Pepperoni Pizza Dip Total Time: 30 minutes | Serves:...

27Dec

Beer & Cheese Fondu

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

This cheese fondu is a lower fat Welsh Rarebit sauce that is a must at our New Year’s Eve appetizer buffet. We serve with tortilla chips, ham cubes, smoked turkey cubes, broccoli, and, before I was gluten-free, bread. I have a mini crock pot that came with my large one that we serve this in so it stays hot, but...

26Dec

3-Layer Mexican Dip

Category: Gluten Free, Recipe Written by: meridith

I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas with their family. As we enter the last week of 2012, I’m kicking off a week-long series of delicious, easy recipes for appetizers. For the past 6 years or so, my husband and I have ditched the hype of going out on New Year’s Eve and instead opt for a quiet...

22Dec

Lessons Learned in 2012

Category: Personal Written by: meridith

2012 has been an extraordinary year of major changes. I’ve learned some hard lessons (some of which I probably should have learned a long time ago), but I also learned some great things about myself. Some of the new changes were great successes, while others will need to be reversed or significantly altered in the new year. This year was...