Cooking with a Wallflower - Page 121 of 139 -

Beverages Fall Cravings Gluten Free Healthy Quick and Easy Recipes Vegan Vegetarian

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Pumpkin puree blended with pumpkin pie spice, banana, and vanilla almond milk to create a deliciously creamy fall beverage. Simple to make with less than five ingredients, this pumpkin pie smoothie is perfect for those who love the taste of pumpkin pie.

Happy November!

I should have waited another day to post, but I’m way too excited for the start of November!

There are so many things to look forward to: fall foliage (there is zilch in San Francisco!), more pumpkin in everything, roasted butternut squash (my fave!), turkey (which I really only get to eat once a year!), Black Friday shopping, and Christmas movies!

Um…. Yes. I’m not at all embarrassed to admit that I’m obsessed with Christmas movies. I don’t care how cheesy some of these movies can be. I love watching them for those warm fuzzy feelings and the happily-ever-afters. If I could, I’d curl up with a mug of hot chocolate, wrap myself in a warm blanket, and binge watch Hallmark Channel Christmas movies and ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas movies with my sisters all day long. We do this every single year. I’ve even studied for finals with a Christmas movie playing in the background.

Now, before I continue to ramble about all things fall, let’s talk Pumpkin Pie Smoothies.

Warm Autumn Brussels Sprouts Salad

This warm autumn Brussels sprouts salad is loaded with spinach leaves, sliced pears and apples, pomegranate seeds, sweet grape tomatoes, and persimmon, embodying the flavors of fall. Tossed together, this salad is both sweet and savory with no need for additional salad dressing.

Happy Halloween!

I cannot believe I didn’t discover Brussels sprouts earlier than I did.

Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that people either really love or really hate. Which side are you on?

For years, I’ve heard about these infamous Brussels sprouts. I mean, seriously, when you watch a show on television, and kids are served Brussels sprouts, they always make that face, the one that says Ewww. Usually that’s a sign to stay the heck away. But I was always curious about these mini cabbage look-alikes. They certainly don’t look like they taste awful. So I wanted to try them for myself to see what all the fuss was about.

[Read more…]

Blog Printables Blogging Tips

Blogging Tips – Writing Quality Content for your Blog

As a food blogger, I know that we want to learn the secret to expanding our audience and gaining more views for our blog. I hate to say it, and no one wants to hear it, but! that shouldn’t be our priority. What’s much more important, and I can’t emphasize enough just how important, is focusing on writing quality content and taking quality photos for our posts. The audience, the views, it’ll all come eventually.

Here’s why.

Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup

Creamy shredded chicken and pumpkin gnocchi soup filled with sweet carrots, diced onions, and fresh parsley. Seasoned with the aromatic flavor of thyme, this soup is simple and delicious with a fall twist.

Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup | Cooking with a Wallflower

My favorite soup of all time has to be chicken and gnocchi.

I remember the first time I ever had this soup. It was summer vacation years ago; my friend and I had plans to meet for lunch, and we decided to go to the Olive Garden. Looking through the menu, I decided to order Chicken and Gnocchi Soup as a starter. Never having gnocchi before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It did not disappoint.

That first bite made an impression on me: the creaminess of the soup, the delicious tenderness of the chicken, the fluffiness of gnocchi. Have you ever tasted something so memorable that you still remember it years later?

Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup | Cooking with a Wallflower

So of course, I have to create a version of this soup, except with a fall twist.

[Read more…]

Blogging Tips

Blogging Tips – How to Start a Self-Hosted Blog

In today’s post, I thought I’d begin with the basics.

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I just wanted to say again before we start: I’m not an expert in blogging. Everything I’m sharing with you is based on my experiences this past year and what worked for me. There’s still soo much I have to learn, and the blogging world is constantly changing.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology and an associate’s degree and license in Dental Hygiene. As you can see, I have no background in technology, not even a computer class in high school (hindsight, I probably should have taken one). I’m actually very terrible at anything technological. If there’s an issue with my laptop, I panic. So imagine my surprise when I became invested in my blog. [Read more…]

Breakfast Fall Cravings Holidays Quick and Easy Recipes

Baked Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Pumpkin pie custard coating bite sized pieces of soft fluffy Hawaiian rolls for a delicious breakfast that tastes exactly like dessert. Filled with the flavors of fall in every delectable bite, this Baked Pumpkin Pie French Toast is the perfect way to begin a cool autumn day.

Finally, I get to have dessert for breakfast!

I’m a huge fan of Hawaiian rolls because they’re slightly sweet, soft, and well, pineapple-y for a lack of a better word. But when they’re dipped in pumpkin pie mixture and then baked so that the flavors seep into the bread? Oh. My. God. Best dessert breakfast ever. My photos don’t do this dish justice! Each bite is soft and moist with all the flavors of pumpkin pie. You really can’t get more fall than pumpkin pie spice.

[Read more…]

Blogging Tips

Blogging Tips: The First Year

Lately, I’ve been receiving emails and messages from other bloggers asking for tips and advice on how to expand their blog, how to get more subscribers, how to take photos, etc. I thought I’d answer these questions and more in a series of blog posts. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me. I love to read and answer questions (and comments!).

Chicken Kale and Vegetable Soup

Shredded chicken with kale, sliced mushrooms, sweet corn, carrots, and onions in a lemony thyme broth. Warm and healthy, this chicken kale and vegetable soup is perfect for cooler autumn days.

Soups are one of my favorite dishes to make because they’re simple, versatile, and so flavorful.

My sister hasn’t been feeling well these last few days, probably a cold, so I thought I’d create a version of the classic Chicken Noodle Soup, except with just chicken and vegetables. Soup always make me feel better when I’m feeling under the weather. Something about the warm broth is just very revitalizing.

This Chicken and Vegetable Soup is a one-pot recipe, which means very little clean-up. Yay! While I love cooking, I really don’t like washing pots and pans. Do you feel the same way?

This soup I’m sharing with you is easy to make and healthy. With just a hint of lemon, this twist on the classic chicken soup is both refreshing and comforting. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

Pumpkin Kale Mac and Cheese

Cheesy pasta shells coated with rich, slightly sweet pumpkin puree, bite size kale, and just a kick of garlic. Fall meets comfort food in this deliciously creamy pumpkin kale mac and cheese.

I think I just found a new side dish for my Thanksgiving dinner. Or maybe it’ll just be my main dish.

Seriously. That good.

Slightly sweet pumpkin puree coating every little surface of those cheesy pasta shells with little bits of kale in each bite. Yes please. Because this mac and cheese is no longer that comfort food made from powdered cheese straight from that familiar blue box. No, this is comfort food at its autumn finest.

Autumn Kale Salad with Poached Pears

Bite size kale tossed with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries, then topped with poached pear and sliced tomatoes. This autumn kale salad with poached pears has all the flavors of fall, warm and cinnamon-y, perfect as a meal or as a side.

It’s pear season! And just like apples and pumpkins, pears remind me of the cool breezy autumn. But unlike apples and pumpkins, both of which get plenty of attention this time of year, pears don’t seem to be featured as much in recipes.

So today, I wanted to share with you a recipe that includes sweet and crisp pears.

Just imagine kale tossed in olive oil, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries, drizzled with a warm cinnamon-y apple pear juice, then topped with a soft juicy cinnamon-y poached pear. Each bite is filled with that juicy sweetness of sliced pear, dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts, and that slightly rough texture of kale. How can you not think of autumn with that delicious combination?

[Read more…]