The Naptime Chef

1. Halloween Cake in a Jar
2. 8 Ways to Enjoy Apple Cider
3. 7 Creative Ways to Eat Apples
4. 8 Ways to Make Veggies Look Good

5. 10 Healthy & Homemade Nut-Free Snacks for the Lunchbox

Today I am thrilled to be working with FAGE Total Greek yogurt. I have been a longtime fan of the authentic tangy Greek yogurt and I consider it a staple ingredient for many of my favorite recipes. Not only does it impart a delicious tang into anything I am making, it also adds a lot a protein while being low in calories and fat. I swear that using it to bind chicken salad is the only way to go. My husband swears it is best when served with granola and honey first thing in the morning. During my first pregnancy I ate tons of it which perhaps explains why my daughter is obsessed with it too!

I am thrilled that today my friend Phoebe of Feed Me Phoebe has come to share her recipe for homemade granola bars. These beauties are PERFECT for lunchboxes, snacks, and even pick-me-ups for Moms. (Confession: I keep granola bars in my purse. Do you?) Next month you’ll hear a little more about Phoebe when she hits the airwaves in the first season of Chef Race: U.S. vs U.K. on BBC America. You all had better set your recorders because this show is NOT to be missed! In the mean time, here is Phoebe’s delicious snack solution for kids and adults alike!

Last weekend I celebrated my birthday. As most of you know, I am not one to shy away from birthdays. For most of my life I spent nearly the entire year longing for my birthday to come around. As the youngest person of my peer group in school/college/life I was always excited to get a little older, to attain the age and status of those around me. These days I don’t really care so much about getting old, I just view my birthday as a chance to spend a fun night out with my husband and take advantage of the excuse to make myself an awesome homemade cake.

I am so excited to share the second installment of my Thailand Travel Series. As you may recall, I traveled to Thailand last February on behalf of Sea Cuisine and had a blast exploring the seafood offerings of this fantastic country with my friend Nicole. This week Sea Cuisine posted my articles about our second day in Bangkok and the AMAZING food we had at some out of the way restaurants after a cruise down the Chao Phraya.  Come to the Seafood Spot to Read More! ….

What’s Going on Today: Morning spent indoors waiting for heat to break! Trip to nearby aquarium for fun.

Tonight’s Menu: Roast Chicken with Paprika and Shallots, Crispy Rosemary Potatoes, Marinated Green Beans.

Last weekend a huge front of thunderstorms rolled through and took away the god-awful tropical rain forest-like weather and replaced it with normal crisp, cool fall breezes. To mark this long-awaited turn of weather events I celebrated by making our first roast chicken of the season. For us roast chicken is the king of cold-weather cooking comfort food. I’d take it over mac and cheese any day, especially when paired with some crispy rosemary potatoes and marinated green beans.

Last week a brand new copy of my friend Catherine’s beautiful new cookbook, Weelicious: 140 Fast, Fresh, and Easy Recipes landed in my mailbox. I was thrilled. Having been a longtime fan of Catherine’s blog, Weelicious, it was awesome to finally have so many of her great ideas in book form. This time next year I’ll be back in the baby puree stage and she has a whole chapter on feeding baby that has already given me tons of new ideas. I have a feeling those pages will be well worn by next fall!