wild rice salad with turkey, sweet potato, and currants

~ It’s the most wonderful time of the year ~

I don’t know about you, but Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE. I love the colors on the trees, the crunch of the leaves under your feet, the crisp morning air and chilly nights that are perfect for sitting around a bonfire.

wild rice turkey salad

It’s not so cold that it’s actually winter, but you’re finally out of the summer heat. PLUS, we get to eat together with friends and family and take time out to really, truly focus on all the good things in our lives. I think this practice is something we could put to use every single day, but if one day is all some people can do, it’s better than nothing.

Being grateful and thankful for all the blessings we have is one big way to curate happiness and contentment in your life – regardless of the bad things happening. Life is life – good and bad – but focusing on the good makes each day better.

wild rice turkey salad

fried chicken and honey mustard hummus sandwiches

It’s finally fall! It’s finally football season! And that means, it’s fun sandwich season!!

Are we the only ones that eat more sandwiches in the summer/fall than any other time of year? Summer is all about the BLTs, and fall opens up more fun ideas for football watching parties, tailgates, and just-because-we’re-bored combos.

fried chicken and honey mustard hummus sandwiches

As someone who grew up loving chik-fil-a, fried chicken sandwiches have a permanent soft spot in my heart. But is there a way to make a friend chicken sandwich even BETTER?

Because, let’s be honest: I love pickles, but I do NOT love pickles on sandwiches. I pull them off of everything. Pickles on their own? Yes, please. Pickles on a burger or any other kind of sandwich? Nope.

So I wanted to take my favorite things about a good fried chicken sandwich – minus the pickles – and amp it up a little more.

oatmeal turtle bars with maple date caramel

Oh my goodness, friends.

Is anyone else as obsessed with salty + sweet desserts as I am?

oatmeal turtle bars with maple date caramel

The only challenge in our house is that Nick isn’t a huge fan of chocolate + peanut butter desserts, so we’re finding other ways to add a little saltiness to some of our homemade treats.

I also wanted to try making something with a little less sugar than a typical cookie bar and used dried dates (yum!) as the base for a maple caramel that is slathered on top of these oat-filled cookie bars before they’re baked.

peach caprese salad with basil dressing

Is it any surprise that tomato and peach season go together?

The only bad thing about peach and tomato season is that it is gone waaaaaayyyyyy too fast. Can’t we have them from April to November? Instead of June to September? Just a few more months, please?

peach caprese salad with basil dressing

I’ve seen lots of people putting peaches with tomatoes, but never really thought I’d like the combination. I mean, I know they’re both fruit – technically – but tomatoes aren’t something I ever put in a fruit salad or smoothie or anything else that I make with fruit.

But can I tell you something?