Valentine's Day Chocolate Gifts and Experiences for You and Your Loved One

Chocolate is one of those magical foods. It can make us swoon as it melts in our mouths. And it comes in such varieties! If you are of a sweeter-toothed persuasion, you might prefer a creamy white-chocolate delight. Or, if you prefer darker, more decadent flavors, you may garner side-eyed glances as you throw 90% Cacao into your basket at the grocery store.

No judgment here, though! There’s a reason that Chocolate is considered a romantic food and is the traditional gift to exchange on Valentine’s day! Today we want to sit down, celebrate chocolate and provide you with some deliciously indulgent Valentine’s Day chocolate gifts that also serve as experiences you can share with your romantic partner this February! 

The Ingredient of the Gods - A History of Chocolate

Chocolate has an ancient and cherished history. The traces of this delicious little bean have been found in artifacts as old as 5,300 years! The Olmecs were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate, using it during rituals as medicine. Later, the Aztecs would add chilies, water, and cornmeal into the concoction calling it “Xocolatl,” meaning “Bitter water.”

When chocolate was brought to Spain sometime in the 16th century, people continued to use it as a drink.  They added sugar and honey to the bitter powder to sweeten it.  With its endorphin-inducing effects on our brains, it’s no surprise that the 1828 invention of the chocolate press would result in chocolate becoming one of our favorite foods.

Enough history; I need Valentine's Day Chocolate Gift Ideas, like now!

Not to fear! We’ve got a few great ideas for both gifts and experiences you can share with your loved one this Valentine's Day…

A Couples Tasting Date

If you’re looking for a romantic experience to share with your partner or loved one, this is a great one. It’s a fun way to spend your evening, and all you need is a box of chocolates (you can go extra fancy on the chocolates or just buy a $6 variety box from your favorite grocery store), two pens, and two pieces of paper. 

You each take a piece of the same chocolate and eat it simultaneously. This is where the fun comes in - because each chocolate flavor should come as a surprise.

Afterward, you each write down your guesses about what kind of chocolate it was. You can even arrange a prize if you’re a couple who enjoys a little competition. You could make the award something romantic…or practical. (Someone’s doing dishes for the next week!)

Make your own Chocolate Treats 

If you’re in the mood to try something new and jump into the kitchen, this might be the chocolate experience for you! The possibilities are endless, from making chocolate-flavored pastries coating your favorite fruits in tempered chocolate and creating personalized chocolate bars! You also get total control of your chocolate experience. You can even ensure a guilt-free evening by using ethically sourced ingredients to make your delicious chocolatey experience. You can check out this rich chocolate tart recipe if you're unsure where to start.

Chocolate and Wine - an unexpected delight!

Wine and chocolate can each be a delectable indulgence on their own. Pair them, and you may find yourself swooning. Curating a selection of artisan chocolates and pairing them with the perfect wine is an excellent example of a Valentine’s Day chocolate gift that provides an experience for you and your loved one. The Spruce Eats has a great blog on how to pair chocolate and wine. With just a little bit of research and time, you can find the perfect chocolate and wine pairings and enjoy sharing the unique experience that these complementary flavors provide. 

Forget the bar - try a hot chocolate bar!

Yes, a romantic evening of mixed drinks and music sounds lovely! But a more affordable (and personal) option may be creating your hot chocolate from scratch and serving it on a tray next to your favorite toppings, such as marshmallows and whipped cream - the works!

If you’re a true chocoholic, you may want to try making Spanish-style hot chocolate at home. Spanish-style hot chocolate is as much a dipping source for delicious churros as a warm and cozy treat. Pair this with a movie night or even channel your inner Spaniard and serve it as a delightfully luxurious breakfast-in-bed. 

Or, if you are a true-blue Kentuckian… why not try our signature Bourbon Hot Chocolate recipe and really “spice” things up? 

A S’mores Experience

While we’re on the subject of warm, comforting chocolatey delights: we’d like to take a moment to talk about S’mores. While these may seem to be a summertime snack, there’s nothing quite like cozying up by a fire with a warm blanket around your shoulders and roasting marshmallows. We love s’mores so much that we offer a catering experience that only true s’more lovers can fully appreciate.

We build on the classic combination of chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and graham crackers to create a made-to-order s’mores experience that includes:

• House-made vanilla bean and hot cocoa-flavored marshmallows.

• Gourmet chocolate bars featuring 54%, 63%, and 83% to play with flavor and textures.

• Color-coded campfire skewers to keep hands safe and easy to spot who’s is who’s!

• House-made graham crackers with a touch of cinnamon and sea salt.

Great food creates great experiences, and that’s what we’re all about at La Bonne Vie. We hope our list of Valentine’s Day chocolate gifts and experiences will make it possible for you and your loved one to enjoy some memorable and chocolatey experiences together this Valentine’s Day!

If you want to add a healthy lineup to your daily meals, and you live in Lexington, Kentucky, or surrounding areas, check out our meal delivery services! 

And if you live elsewhere in the country, definitely give a local chef a try! They know local ingredients where you live better than any mass-produced meal kit service ever could. 

7 Creative Ingredients to Upgrade Your Gourmet Mac and Cheese

In many food surveys, both older and younger folks rank mac and cheese as one of their favorite foods. 

Which makes it a true family favorite for mealtimelog/2021/8/16/why-busy-families-should-hire-a-personal-chef. 

But if you want mac and cheese that is far from boxed–something that has “grown up” a little bit–you need gourmet mac and cheese. And it is easier to do than you think. 

You have to begin with the right cheeses, of course. Gouda, gruyere, and cheddar are the go-tos. We don’t stray much from these three varieties much at La Bonne Vie either because… well… they’re the best! But you can play a lot with flavor profiles with just these three types! From sharp to mild to nutty to sweet–these cheeses are incredibly versatile. 

But while cheeses are the heart of any good mac and cheese dish, we like to go a step further. 

These flavors are some of our favorite “secret” ingredients we love to include in our gourmet mac & cheese parties. 

Which one will you try?

Easy additions to make the perfect gourmet mac & cheese

Hatch Chiles

Hatch chiles are the perfect pairing for mac and cheese (it is no wonder Trader Joe’s dupe recipes abound on the internet!). For this, it is easier to use frozen or otherwise “already-prepared” Hatch chiles. Bake or stir them right in for a flavor profile that is oh-so-smoky, savory, and just the right amount of spicy. 

Double-Smoked Bacon

Throw away the diet plan, folks! Crispy, double-smoked bacon piles on the savory goodness and flavor–and it's well worth the calories. 

Smoked Paprika

Want to elevate a bland cheese sauce? Add a bit of paprika. The spice complements cheese sauces perfectly. 

Truffle Oil

There is nothing as decadent as a bit of truffle oil added to your mac and cheese. The earthy, nutty taste is simply decadent. 

Fresh Chives

Fresh chives add not only add a delicious and healthy herb to your classic dish–but a bit of color too! 

Dill Pickles 

Yes, pickles! Pickles and cheese are the ultimate made in heaven. But tasting is believing. Trust us; once you’ve tried our Dill Pickle & Ranch Mac and Cheese, you’ll never go back to the basic stuff. 

Ranch Dressing

The tanginess of ranch dressing spices is the perfect complement to the sharpness of the cheddar. 

Tried one of the above on your mac and cheese? Take a pic, tag us on Instagram @lbvcooking and let us know what you think! 

FAQs About Mac And Cheese

We couldn’t let you go without answering some of the questions we get asked most often as professional chefs… so without further ado, here are a few FAQs about your fave comfort food!

Can dogs eat mac and cheese?

We wish pups could share the one-of-a-kind experience of eating a good bowl of mac and cheese. Unfortunately, it is best not to feed your dogs mac and cheese–their tummies aren’t built to handle the lactose found in dairy products.

Can cats eat mac and cheese?

Mac and cheese in its simplest form is not toxic to your cat–but it certainly isn’t good for them either. And if you’ve included spices like garlic or onion in your recipe, that’s bad news bears, because those ingredients are toxic to cats. Best steer clear of feeding mac and cheese to your feline friends.

Can you make mac and cheese without milk?

You can definitely make mac and cheese without milk! Both coconut milk and almond milk are great substitutes—oat milk tends to clump up too much.

Can you freeze mac and cheese?

Mac and cheese can certainly be frozen–it is a great dish to make in bulk and then pop into an air-tight container in the freezer. If you plan to do this, it is best to prepare for extra sauce from the beginning (or choose a mac and cheese recipe that is extra creamy). This makes the reheating process go much smoother later on–and results in reheated pasta that isn’t too dry.

How to keep mac and cheese warm…

The only thing worse than bad mac and cheese is a phenomenal gourmet mac and cheese past its prime. Make sure your culinary masterpiece is kept warm the right way so that it stays safe not only for consumption–but for your tastebuds. The best way to do this? Your slow cooker! Just add a splash of cream from time to time to keep your mac and cheese moist.

How long can mac and cheese sit out?

Mac and cheese is the same as any other perishable food–you shouldn't leave it sitting out at room temperature for longer than two hours. Anything past this and the food could become unsafe to eat–not to mention just plain gross!

We hope our round-up of gourmet mac and cheese ingredients and tips helps you indulge in one of the world’s most popular dishes.  

If you want to try all of these mac and cheese variations (but don’t want to put in the work), why not let someone else do the cooking? 

The cheesy, gooey possibilities are endless. We invite you to explore them with us.  

We love making things like mac and cheese from scratch because we believe that natural ingredients are the best ingredients. But not everyone has time to make homemade comfort foods. If you want to add a healthy lineup to your daily meals, and you live in the Lexington, Kentucky, or surrounding areas, check out our meal delivery services! 

And if you live elsewhere in the country, definitely give a local chef a try! They know local ingredients where you live better than any mass-produced meal kit service ever could. 

6 Ideas For Taco Party Perfection

Want to throw a dinner party that will be a true crowd-pleaser? You can’t go wrong with a taco night–after all, everyone loves tacos!

Not only are tacos delish–but they are pretty versatile. By switching up the toppings, you can allow your guests to craft truly memorable meals. And since they get to call the shots, your job is easy–you can please even the pickiest of eaters!

As personal chefs and caterers, we have thrown a lot of taco parties. And we’ve summed up a few of our favorite ideas for a taco party that will be worthy of your dinner plate… and the ‘Gram. 

But be warned. We’ve gone full steam ahead on the taco puns for this blog. 

Spice up boring meats…

We love ground beef and shredded chicken as much as the next person… but the classic taco meats can feel so dull. Why not mix it up? Provide the classics, sure, but throw in some flavors that will surprise your guests. It is a lot easier than you might think… 

We include blackened fish and braised beef in our signature gourmet taco bars. But if that sounds a bit overwhelming, you can still jazz up your basic meats!

For example, you can make your shredded chicken so much better by simply adding a homemade sauce, or even slow cooking it in a jar of your favorite salsa. Our clients love our Salsa Verde chicken meat - made using our homemade green salsa filled with roasted tomatillos, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Let your guests spice it up… their way. 

When we cater a Taco Party, we include made-from-scratch salsa. And we know that when it comes to spice levels, there’s simply no such thing as one-size-fits-all. 

After all, some people think that the kind of ground pepper you shake on your baked potato is pretty spicey. Other people wonder what the big deal is about ghost peppers (they can really take it up a notch on that Scoville scale!). 

So for your taco party, provide a number of salsas at varying spice levels. And be sure to label them! Otherwise, your guests might get a mouthful of waaaay more heat than they bargained for. 

Get creative (and healthier!) with your taco fillings…

Toppings like jicama and pickled radishes don’t just add variation and color to your tacos–they add vitamins and nutrients too! Here are some of our favorite “alternative” taco toppings…

Getting creative with your toppings isn’t just a way to put a clever twist on your tacos–but they look oh-so-beautiful on a plate. Taco ‘bout toppings that are a work of art! 

Get creative with your plating. 

We have to re-iterate the viral saying here…

It’s ok to fall apart. Tacos fall apart, and we love them too? 

Okay, okay… cheesy inspirational memes aside–the saying does state a culinary truth. Tacos are, by their very nature, messy. They need a little help to stay put together. 

So get creative with your plating. Give your guests divided plates that are not only fun but have practical use as well.

If you don’t have room in your cupboard for taco plates, you can grab disposable ones like these–which makes clean-up even easier! 

Time to get cheesy…

Cheddar cheese is the tried-and-true topping for tacos. But why not give your guests options? You’d be surprised at how much a simple change in cheese changes the entire flavor of a taco. 

Why not try…

Cotija - This salty cheese is oh-so-crumbly and savory–and, if you ask taco purists, the cheese that is most closely aligned with tacos’ Mexican roots. You might find it similar to parmesan cheese in its flavor profile. But honestly, it is the perfect pairing for all Latino-inspired dishes, which is why you can find it sprinkled on everything from mole dishes to fajitas. 

Swiss - You might associate swiss cheese with your deli sandwich. But its delicate flavor can be a great pairing with tacos, too! 

Feta - This flavor combination is not for the faint of heart. But if you are into unique flavor combinations, feta on top of your tacos (especially paired with some pickled veggies) is a gourmet foodie heaven. 

Don’t forget your side dishes…

Sure, sure. Tacos are the star of the show. But even the most fabulous taco needs a sidekick. Our favorite side dishes include… 

Refried Beans

Beans are a must at any taco party. Choose from refried black or pinto beans–and if you want to give homemade beans a try, check out this recipe! They aren’t as hard to make as you might think, and the flavor is SO worth it. 

Elote - If you haven’t tried elote, you are missing out! This traditional Mexican street food is the fall in love at first bite kinda thing. Recipes differ, but in general, elote is corn topped with a sauce full of lime, cotija cheese, spices, and creamy goodness. It is equal parts savory, sweet, spicey, and absolutely delicious.

Don’t forget your Gluten-Free options

So often, it is easy to forget your guests that might have a specific nutritional need or dietary restriction. Gluten-free, you think? They don’t need a taco shell–let them eat a salad without all those scrumptious tortillas!

But we must ask… what is a taco with the tortilla, folks? 

Let’s be honest. You can’t really call that a taco!

That’s why whenever we host taco parties for our catering clients, we always ensure that gluten-free tortillas are on the menu. Because everyone wants a taco shell at their taco party!!!

How Did It Go? 

A taco party offers so many ways to get creative. We’ve only shared a few of them here. 

But the possibilities are endless. We invite you to explore them with us–and if we left something out, let us know! We’d love to see your own ideas at play on our Instagram page–where we celebrate all things culinary.

Of course, all things taco-related are ALWAYS welcomed!  

Our catered Taco Parties are chock full of good things–from our homemade salsas to our Salsa Verde shredded chicken. Schedule yours before the summer is over! 

USE INFUSED HOT HONEY TO ADD A KICK TO YOUR FAVE MEALS THIS SUMMER

Infused hot honey is a delicious and trendy new ingredient. But what is it exactly? Hot honey is a type of infused honey, usually utilizing hot chili pepper flakes or dried peppers. Other types of infused honey use savory ingredients or refreshing herbs. These unique flavor combinations are ideal for many different dishes and various applications. These types of honey are great as a topping, marinade, sauce, and component of many foods and cocktails. We’ll take a look at the health benefits, different levels of spice, and other kinds of honey with a different sort of kick (if you’re not a fan of capsaicin).

Health Benefits

Honey alone is a great natural sweetener that can be used as an alternative for sugar and provides several health benefits. It contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and potassium. Some types of infused honey use raw honey that may also contain bee pollen. These tiny granules of gold have been touted for various health-boosting benefits, including anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties comparable to over-the-counter medications. There are also some claims that bee pollen may help with allergies, but we caution against consuming it if you are allergic to bees. (Just double-check with your doctor to be safe!)

The spicy peppers in hot honey are also beneficial for your health. The spice from hot peppers is derived from a phytochemical called capsaicin. This is found on the inside of the pepper and is strongly concentrated in the veiny areas. It is this hot chemical that provides positive benefits to your health. Like honey, capsaicin also has anti-inflammatory properties because it boosts adipokines that help reduce inflammation associated with type II diabetes and heart disease. There has also been research that suggests capsaicin can help decrease blood pressure too.

Can You Take the Heat?

There are a variety of peppers with different levels of heat. Whether you are just dipping a toe into making spicy food, or are a daredevil, a quick guide to the different types of peppers and their spiciness might be helpful! 

The chart above is a great reference to determine how much heat you want in your homemade hot honey. The Schoville heat scale measures the spiciness of peppers. At one end are bell peppers with no spice; at the other end is the Carolina Reaper with a maximum of 2,200,000 Schoville heat units. If you are just starting, you may want to make your honey with peppers that have medium heat, such as jalapeno or serrano peppers, and gradually work your way up with each subsequent batch. 

Easy HOT Honey

We love this spicy, savory honey because it has only three ingredients and is easy to make! All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a jar and let it sit. Really! There’s no need to remove it from heat; place it in a small saucepan, nothing like that. We think it’s the perfect summer recipe because there’s no need to heat the stove or oven!

Chipotle Garlic Honey:

1 pint locally-sourced Kentucky honey (We love Rock Bridge Farmstead in Winchester!)

4 cloves whole, peeled garlic (NOT the jarred, chopped up stuff in the grocery store; trust me!)

1 tbsp. crushed and dried chipotle pepper

Store in a clean, dry pint-sized mason jar for at least three weeks. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the infusion will be! I recommend a quick flip of the jar every day to make sure the honey is evenly infused with the garlic and chipotle. 

Curious about the kinds of dishes you can make with hot honey? Let’s cook up some ideas on how to use your new concoction…

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Spice up a Southern staple with sweet heat by drizzling spicy and savory honey over fried chicken and waffles. The contrasting textures and flavors of the crispy, tasty chicken with smooth, sweet, and peppery honey are perfect for each other.

Plus, it makes a nice change from plain fried chicken and the traditional maple syrup on top of waffles. Drizzle the honey over the chicken and waffles as soon as they’re done cooking!

Pizza

One dish that is highly recommended with hot honey? Pizza! Drizzle the sweet and spicy condiment on classics like pepperoni to add a little zing to your pie. We can imagine this topping would be extra delicious on artisan-inspired pizzas with specialty cheese, figs, and more!

One particular brand of hot honey had its beginnings as a pizza topping. The creator of Mike’s Hot Honey studied abroad in Brazil and noticed one of the local pizzerias had jars of honey with chile peppers sitting on the tables. He brought the idea back home to the United States and worked on crafting and perfecting his twist on it. As an apprentice at a Brooklyn pizzeria, he would drizzle his signature hot honey on the pizzas, and it quickly became a popular topping. Now Mike’s Hot Honey can be found in restaurants and on retail shelves across the United States and is an excellent option if you want to save time making your own from scratch.

Ice Cream

Adding this unique topping to your ice cream definitely puts a twist on the traditional hot fudge sundae. Plus, the spice adds a little bite to offset the sweetness of both the honey and the ice cream. 

Another benefit is that the ice cream itself can tone down the spice so it doesn’t get too intense.  Ice cream is a milk-based product that contains a protein called casein that helps break down the capsaicin that gives chili peppers their heat.Whether you are just making a vanilla cone a little less plain or are creating a mouth-watering sundae with all the fixings, this topper makes a great alternative to classic caramel.

Charcuterie Board

There is something about a charcuterie board that we just love. (Is it because it’s an adult version of the classic Lunchables we ate as kids?) They can be customized to fit your tastes or preferences that your guests or partygoers may have if you are putting one together for a party. Some of the typical dips or sauces used are olive oil, jam, or chutney. But we think hot honey would make the perfect addition to your next charcuterie board.

It is ideal for drizzling over any cheese, smoked meat, fresh fruit, crunchy crackers, and other delicious components of these sophisticated platters. It pairs well with both sweet and savory nibbles and will impress your guests.

Classic Sweet Honey with a Twist

If the idea of hot, savory honey makes you break into a sweat, no worries! We have a recipe for a sweet mint julep infused honey that is easy to make and goes great with many different dishes! Plus, it still adds a kick with a bit of bourbon. 

Mint Julep Infused Honey:

1 pint locally sourced honey (Check out Rock Bridge Farmstead or any KY Proud honey)

1 tbsp. bourbon (As always, we recommend Kentucky bourbon; check out the selection at Justin’s House of Bourbon!)

4 sprigs of fresh mint (pick some fresh from your garden or get it from your local farmer’s market)

Combine all the ingredients in a clean, dry pint-sized mason jar and let it sit for at least three weeks. When combining the ingredients, ensure that the mint has been fully immersed in the honey to prevent spoilage.

Are you short on time but still want to try a sweet infused honey? We recommend the lavender-infused honey from Honey Bear Farms because the lavender oil and honey are sourced in Kentucky. It has also not been pasteurized and contains all the original pollen so that you can reap the health benefits from this super ingredient.

Sweet Tea

A summer menu staple here in Lexington? Southern sweet iced tea, of course! Our mint julep infused honey makes a perfect addition to this refreshing beverage.

We love this recipe from Sustainable Cooks because it includes one of the secret ingredients to smooth iced tea: baking soda! Just substitute the raw honey in the original recipe for our mint julep honey for a Kentucky twist on this traditional summer drink. 

Happy Hour

Another excellent use for our infused honey? Cocktails! This flavor enhancer is the perfect addition to mixed drinks as it can add complexity to the different ingredients. A word of warning though, honey itself doesn’t mix into cold liquids well as it tends to clump. We recommend making a honey simple syrup that is easy to mix and will stay smooth. We love this recipe for homemade honey simple syrup by Against the Grain.

When it comes to cocktails, we have to recommend Kentucky bourbon. Pour yourself a refreshing gold rush cocktail. It features honey, bourbon, and lemon for a grown-up spin on lemonade. 

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

For a delicious and healthy breakfast option for your honey, try drizzling it over gluten-free lemon poppy seed scones! Honey and lemon always go hand-in-hand, and scones are no exception. 

We love this recipe by Joyful Healthy Eats, which also includes another recipe for a lemon glaze to top the scones. Try experimenting with topping the scones with just the honey or combining the glaze with the honey! 

We hope we’ve given you some ideas on how to use hot and infused honey in various recipes. We also encourage you to come up with your own recipes for a delicious infusion. We’ve seen a variety of ingredients incorporated in honey infusions, including truffle, black garlic, espresso, hibiscus flowers, lavender, and more!

A quick tip to remember: any fresh ingredients (not dried) MUST be fully submerged in the honey to prevent spoilage and mold. You don’t want to mess with the possibility of a spoiled infused honey!

Infused honey is perfect for so many dishes throughout the year, and we’ve only scratched the surface of the creative culinary masterpieces you can make with it. We would love to hear about the infusions you come up with! Tag us on Instagram with @lbvcooking to share your creations with us!

We love incorporating interesting ingredients to keep our clients’ palates guessing and mix up their meals so that they don’t get repetitive. Do you feel like you’ve gotten into a rut with your cooking and meal planning and just feel burned out? Consider our personal chef services. We’ll handle the meal planning, grocery shopping, prepping, cooking, and delivering your meals to you. Get back to enjoying the good life, and we’ll take care of the rest. Not a fan of spicy foods? No problem! We’ll customize your meals to fit your tastes and nutritional needs.

Disclaimer: We are not medical professionals, and the information we have provided is solely for educational and entertainment purposes, and is not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a healthcare professional to address any concerns or questions you may have regarding your diet or overall health. La Bonne Vie is not liable for any risks or issues associated with acting upon the information we have provided.

Most Popular St. Patrick’s Day Foods (According to Data)

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and with it, you get a free card to feast on anything from green beer to McDonald’s popular Shamrock Shakes. But which traditional St. Patrick’s Day foods will you be serving up on this ever–so-lucky day of Irish feasting? 

We were curious, so we poured ourselves a glass of Irish whiskey (just this once, we would never betray our Kentucky Bourbon for too long!) and took to the internet to find out. 

First, we took what are considered the most popular traditional St. Patrick’s day foods. Then, we checked out what people were Googling. It turns out, the data speaks volumes! 

There are a lot of Irish dishes to love, but these are the ones you were curious about. You searched for them, you loved them, you cooked ‘em up and ate them. 

Check out our list of traditional St. Patrick’s Day foods ranked (according to Google search). 

Traditional St. Patrick’s Day Foods Ranked

Irish Stew (14,800 Monthly Searches) 

First up on our list is Irish stew. But you might be wondering, what is the difference between stew and Irish stew anyway? The answer lies in the meat. 

The stew Americans grew up with probably used beef. Irish stew, traditionally, uses lamb (or if you want to go back even further in history, mutton).

Back in the day, people didn’t have a lot to work with. And like many others, the Irish learned to survive on what they had. The earliest versions of this stew had as little as three ingredients–lamb, onions, and potatoes. Turnips and parsnips meant you might have had a little extra cash to spare. 

But delicious things often come in simple packages. Want to try your hand at this dish? Check out The Spruce Eat’s Irish Stew recipe. 

Colcannon (27,000 Monthly Searches)

Colcannon. What is colcannon you might be asking? It sounds more like something you might hear in a Revolutionary-War era film than something you’d find on your dinner plate. 

But this word has nothing to do with coal or cannons. The word actually correlates with a Gaelic word for “cabbage,” but all you need to really know is that this side dish has a lot to love. 

In short, colcannon is actually a type of mashed potatoes. You mix the creamy potatoes with a bit of kale or cabbage, alongside green onions, which is perfect for making your plate a bit more green in every way!

You can find this recipe printed on bags of potatoes in Ireland, it is that popular. It is perfect for St. Paddy’s day–and for getting your daily dose of vitamins! 

(You might never go back to plain old mashed potatoes again.)

Irish Soda Bread (49,500 Monthly Searches) 

Coming up next on our countdown is a bit of Irish Soda Bread. Now, to a lot of people, baking bread = a lot of work. 

But this bread simplifies a lot of things. First of all, it doesn’t use any yeast so you don’t have to do any of that long wait for things to rise. It uses baking soda instead (thus the name… no… you don’t put Coca-Cola in this, folks).

And honestly, it is pretty easy to make. With a recipe like this one from Sally’s Baking Addiction, anyone can do it. When you’ve done it and you are using it to soak up all that deliciousness of those stews and sauces, you’ll thank us.

And don’t forget to do as the Irish do, and add the cross on top. Traditionally, adding symbol on the bread helps protect your household from evil. 

Corned Beef and Cabbage (110,000 Searches)

There is nothing like corned beef and cabbage on a cold winter’s day. And don’t even get us started on the leftovers (bubble and squeak might be the best thing about the main dish itself).

The process of making corned beef includes soaking the meat in a solution of water, salt, and spices. This is called "corning" (a reference to the salt itself, aka, the “corns”). That slab of brisket (newly proclaimed “corned beef” is then cooked ever… so… slowly.

Check out this corned beef and cabbage recipe if you want to give it a try! 

Shepherd’s Pie (301,000 Searches)

Necessity is the mother of invention. And this all-time popular traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish is a great example. The story goes that a lot of Irish moms were wondering what to do with all their leftovers. After all, waste not, want not, right? So they started trying different recipes, and this casserole-type dish was born.

Okay, it isn’t really a casserole, per se. It is more like delicious layers of meats and veggies and mashed potatoes all layered in what is the most delicious thing you can imagine.

With over 300k monthly searches, it seems users agree. This IS the quintessential Irish dish to have on your table! 

We hope our round-up of St. Patrick’s Day foods helps you charm a leprechaun or two-or at the very least, leaves your tummy feeling warm and well-fed. 

We may not be Irish, but to close, we honor their heritage with a traditional Irish blessing: 

"May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you where you go."

Whether or not you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, an anniversary, or another special occasion, check out our small batch catering and live station options! We promise to surprise you with our culinary creativity. You bring your friends. We’ll do the cooking.

Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lovers Day With These Treats

Peanut Butter Bourbon Whiskey Treats: The Perfect Pairing For Your Fave Foodie Holiday

Peanut butter is one of America’s most beloved foods, with Americans spending almost $800 million each year on it. According to the National Peanut Board, that’s enough to give the bottom of the Grand Canyon one nice, generous coating of the stuff. 

We are a peanut-butter-loving country, indeed!

But if you ask us, we think this is quite all right. After all, peanut butter isn’t just delicious. It is also full of lots of ingredients your body loves. 

Is peanut butter good for you? 

Peanut butter can certainly be good for you! You just have to be careful how you choose your jar of peanut butter. Our favorite peanut butter brand can’t be found on a shelf, for example. It’s the simple kind we make from scratch for ourselves and our meal delivery clients. 

The problem is, so many of the ones you find on the store shelf are filled with added sugars, salt, and preservatives. But the fact of the matter is, peanut butter doesn’t need all of that stuff to be good. At its core, it should just be ground-up peanuts and a bit of salt. That’s all you need! So when you are checking the ingredients, watch for peanuts and salt on the ingredient label. That’s it—nothing more, nothing less. 

But assuming you are eating the good stuff, you can count on some pretty good nourishment for your body, too. The benefits of peanut butter are vast. It gives you a healthy dose of proteins, heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, and other nutrients like magnesium, just to name a few. 

Even more to love about National Peanut Lover’s Day! 

But we live in Kentucky, so it would practically be a sin not to pair peanut butter with our other great love: bourbon. 

So just for this very special occasion, we are sharing one of our very favorite secret recipes with you. 

And lucky for you, bourbon is the star of the show! 

Celebrate National Peanut Lover’s Day with these toothsome peanut-butter whiskey treats! 

Sure, you could go tried and true with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but that is so boring. Many people choose to do an Elvis Presley Themed Peanut Butter Party (the King was a lover of peanut butter sandwiches but with an unusual twist – he added bananas and bacon to the lineup!). 
But our peanut butter whiskey treats are all Kentucky and are as cute as a button when you serve them in mason jars. And they’ve got banana to boot. 

We’re sure even Elvis would have approved. 

Peanut Butter Whiskey Whipped Cream

Ingredients: 

1 cup heavy whipping cream (you can substitute frozen coconut cream from the top of a can as well)

2 tbsp. powdered sugar, or to taste

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ounces peanut butter-infused whiskey

Instructions: 

Mix the ingredients together and whip until light and fluffy.

Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Pudding (with Bourbon!):

MAKES ABOUT 6 (4oz.) mason jars 

PREP TIME 30 mins

CHILLING TIME 2 hrs

INGREDIENTS

For the Peanut Butter Banana Bourbon Pudding: 

1 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight and drained or one hour in hot water, rinsed and drained.

⅓ cup nut milk or dairy-free creamer (Milkadamia or Nut Pods are one of our faves)

2 ounces peanut-butter whiskey (Skrewball or similar)

⅓ cup maple syrup (check out this local Kentucky maple syrup!)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tapioca powder (or arrowroot powder)

a pinch of Himalayan salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract (if you want to be bougie, add some vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean with the seeds scraped)

½ large ripe banana - sliced about ½ cup

For the Nut Butter Swirl: 

2 tbsp. sunflower butter, no sugar added, or any nut butter of your choosing

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tbsp. peanut-butter whiskey

pinch of salt

dairy-free milk, if desired to achieve a drizzly consistency

Other Ingredients:  

1 ¼ cups coconut whipped cream divided (you can buy store-bought or make your own, see recipe above)

1 4.5 oz bag Siete Foods Mexican Wedding cookies (or any gluten-free vanilla wafer cookies or gluten-free shortbread cookies), broken into bite-size pieces

1 ripe banana, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

Nut butter swirl (see recipe above)

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the cashews to a high-powered blender (I love my Vitamix!) and add the rest of the pudding ingredients. Let the mixture blend on low, then slowly turn the speed up to fully emulsify and scrape down as needed to achieve a super smooth consistency. (This may take a couple of minutes depending on the speed and power of your blender)

Meanwhile, stir the nut butter, maple syrup, whiskey, salt (and nut milk, if needed) together until smooth.  

Store the pudding in a container and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding to prevent a weird skin from forming. 

Assembly:

Once the pudding is chilled, add 1/2 cup of the whipped cream and fold in (be gentle; you can't do this if you're in a bad mood; the pudding knows!) until just incorporated. 

Grab 6 small mason jars (4 oz. are perfect for single serving). Divide the cookies into the bottom of each glass. Spoon about a ⅓ cup of the peanut butter banana pudding, then add the banana slices on top. Drizzle the nut butter swirl on top.

Add a spoonful of the whipped cream on top. (If you use larger glasses, you can repeat until you fill the cup!)

Add the rest of the crushed cookie pieces and more nut butter swirl. Keep chilled until ready to enjoy. (Maybe stash a container or two in the fridge to enjoy for yourself!)

Beyond Peanut Butter & Jelly

The old saying goes, “What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for.”

Well, we think the saying is doubly true for these peanut butter bourbon treats! 

We hope our round-up of peanut butter whiskey recipes helps you celebrate one of the best food-related holidays of the year. And for the rest of the year? You don’t have to resort to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches….

How about peanut butter in a dessert, a sauce, or even incorporated into an entree?

Peanut butter offers a thousand ways to enjoy it, and we only shared a few of them here. 

But the possibilities are endless. We invite you to explore them with us.  

We love making things like peanut butter from scratch because we believe that natural ingredients are the best ingredients. But not everyone has time to make homemade broths, jams, jellies, and more. If you want to add a healthy lineup to your daily meals, and you live in the Lexington, Kentucky, or surrounding areas, check out our meal delivery services! 

And if you live elsewhere in the country, definitely give a local chef a try! They know local ingredients where you live better than any mass-produced meal kit service ever could.

Best Gifts For Bourbon Lovers

Bourbon is one of America’s oldest distilled spirits and is almost synonymous with Kentucky culture. It’s also one of our favorite drinks at La Bonne Vie (both for drinking and cooking)! 

That’s why we say, for Valentine’s, why not put aside the wine for a change–and talk about the best gifts for bourbon lovers. While wine certainly has its charms, bourbon offers an entirely different world of flavors and traditions to explore–and we think it is absolutely romantic. 

But whiskey lovers are a tough crowd to please. Sure, you can find tons of gift guides for bourbon lovers. But most bourbon lovers are already well stocked up on decanters and bottle openers. More of those would simply be a bore. 

Then you have the more unique gifts. From bourbon steak dust to maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels to Woodford Reserve’s bourbon cherries, there’s a lot to choose from. You could even make your own bourbon truffles. 

But only here at La Bonne Vie can you find a round-up of the best gifts for bourbon lovers, that is all about Lexington.

These gifts provide a bit of local flair, and are sure to charm your favorite bourbon lover.  

A Rare Book For A Rare Bourbon

Instead of going online, why not choose a local bookseller like Black Swan Books? You might just find far more than books on bourbon, as this place is a treasure trove of antiquities and finds that date back to the invention of bourbon itself. 

For a bit of bourbon history, you have plenty of titles to choose from. Try, Making Bourbon: A Geographical History of Distilling in Nineteenth-Century Kentucky, considered THE definitive history of bourbon in Kentucky. The author spent about a decade writing it, and it’s got over 600 pages of history to explore! 

Or, give your honey a date night idea. Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide is just the thing for a weekend getaway.

However, you don’t have to shop in-store to discover a good find. Check out this title, Kentucky Bourbon, The Early Years Of Whiskeymaking. It details the history and craft of distilling bourbon all the way back to the Civil War and beyond. You will learn far beyond the details of the distilling… you will learn the kind of stories that will impress friends at parties. 

Give Them A Rare Vintage

Everyone knows that Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, and odds are, your sweetie has just about every brand we’re famous for. So to find a rare one, we’re talking of the Pappy Van Winkle variety; you will have to shop local. And we’re talking HYPER-LOCAL.

Take, for example, Lexington’s own rare spirits shop, Justin’s House of Bourbon. You can find one of the world’s most extensive collections of bourbon right here. We’re talking about the most diverse and exclusive finds in the entire world, including bottles that will cost you a pretty penny. 100k, to be exact. 

But they have things that come at a lower price tag but still carry significant cache. They have, just for one example, Old Fitzgerald Prime. If you aren’t familiar, Old Fitzgerald bottle and bond runs you $600, but they offer a younger version of the same thing, and you can get it for under $20. 

And they’ve got vintage bottles you can’t find anywhere else. Grab a bottle from your lovebug’s birth year, or even the year you met, or a special anniversary. Ask for Caroline when you stop by the shop. She is the historian over there, and she can help you find the perfect thing. 

A Fine Glass of Bourbon 

Any true bourbon lover knows that a glass of bourbon is only as good as the glass you serve it in. And if your bourbon-drinker loves a vintage spirit, they probably appreciate a fine glass to put it in too.

So serve it up in a rock glass with as much history as bourbon itself. You can find something unique at an antiques store. We find something special every time we visit Scout Antiques or any of the shops on Liberty Road! 

The Best Pairing For Bourbon

Many people don’t know that, much like wine, whiskey paired with the right food can bring out different nuances of its flavor profile. And if you genuinely want to appreciate a good bourbon’s depth, you don’t need a cigar–you need to eat foods that enhance bourbon’s flavors. 

So this Valentine’s think about enjoying a dinner specifically designed to make bourbon the star of the show. If you live in Lexington or the surrounding area (which you probably do, or you wouldn’t be reading this blog in the first place!), then we have just the thing to help. Our chefs aren’t just schooled in food–our resident sommelier knows all about food and whiskey pairings. So tell us what your favorite bottle of bourbon is, and let us design a menu to cater to it. 

You’ll get delicious food, white-glove service, and a dining experience that is, in a word, unforgettable. You need to move fast to snag a booking for Valentine’s, though. Call us at 502-783-7153 before February 6th to reserve your spot.

Create The Right Space

Your honey loves to sip their bourbon – but do they have a beautiful space to do it? If not, create a cozy nook for them. For plenty of indoor selections from a Lexington shop, we love Mulberry & Lime. 

Housed in a historic 1800s home, the grand old house is worth a visit in and of itself. Exploring it yields many treasures. You are sure to find an armchair, couch, or table that will become a part of your sitting room tradition for decades to come. You might even find the perfect shelf to display your honey’s favorite bottles of bourbon. 

Creating a new haven in your backyard? Try Michler’s, known for their inventive approach to creating divine outdoor spaces. And while you are there, you can grab a meal from their cafe, right inside their greenhouse. We recommend their apple dumplings! 

Music for the Night

You’ve got your bourbon, you’ve got your setting – now you just need the music. And bourbon lovers tend to be the type of people who can detect even the slightest of flavor profiles and nuances. So the perfect thing for them might just be their favorite tunes – on vinyl. It’s like a fine bourbon for their ears… music translated into its finest iteration.

Only with vinyl do you get a faithful recreation of the sound the original musician or producer recorded. So if you truly want to experience blues or bluegrass (or any other genre, for that matter) at its finest, a record player is the way to go. 

Browse the collection at Pops Resale. You can find just about anything you want there, and maybe even discover a new love! 

Falling In Love With Bourbon

We hope our round-up of favorite gifts for the bourbon lover in your life helps you cast a spell of romance on your loved one this year. After all, drinking bourbon is such an experience because it is so complex. There are many layers and mysteries to unravel within it – perhaps much like your love itself. 

And it is best enjoyed with someone you love. 

Whether or not you are celebrating Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or other special occasions, booking a Date Night Dinner or Picnic Basket prepared by a personal chef is a perfect opportunity to surprise your honeybun with a truly memorable event (we promise, it will be one that they will never forget!). You bring the bourbon. We’ll do the cooking.

Lexington Christmas Lights Paired With Our Signature Bourbon Hot Chocolate

Anyone looking for a fun Christmas lights activity in Kentucky doesn’t have to look too far. About this time of year, it feels like we stop being the Bluegrass State and transform into the LED lights state! 

There are a bunch of holiday light displays to choose from, from the underground passages of Lights Under Louisville, camel rides at the Southern Lights Holiday Festival, or the beloved Christmas traditions at Mustard Seed Hill.

We aren’t including a complete list here, but here are some of our favorites that come around every holiday season. We chose them because we especially love that you can see them without spending a penny. 

And when you get home? Warm up with a cup of cheer by whipping up a mug of our signature bourbon hot chocolate (or take a bourbon-free version right along with you on your drive). 

Either way you drink it, you won’t regret it. 

Our Favorite Lexington Christmas Lights 

The “Great White Christmas House”

Talk about a holiday light spectacular. Everyone knows the affectionately nicknamed “Great White Christmas House” for good reason. The Turner family delights visitors young and old every year with a magnificent display of gorgeous colors and festive holiday lights. The place is such a celebrated destination that people have even been known to propose to their significant others there. (Is anyone else hearing Santa Baby playing in their head??? You know, that part about a ring… she doesn’t mean on the phone?) 

Check out this display at 1008 Chinoe Road. 

LFD Station 20 

LFD Station 20 tops our list because… well... holy moly. Can anyone say dancing lights!? This is one of those light displays that will not only illuminate your night, but it’ll delight your ears too. They’ve synced the lights to everything from Trans-Siberian Orchestra to Feliz Navidad to Willie Nelson’s version of “Frosty the Snowman” in previous years. As soon as we’re done rolling up our chef-ly sleeves and cooking holiday feasts inside the warmth of the La Bonne Vie kitchen, we plan on taking a look for ourselves to find out what’s on the playlist this year! 

Jones Family Christmas Lights

This is another one of our favorite picks for Lexington Christmas lights, and you can find it right on Abbington Hill. The show includes a narration of the story of Christmas and runs nightly from 6:30-9 pm until January 1. Tune your radios to 89.5 when you get there! 

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Holiday Lights at Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of those rare activities that is equally enjoyable for adults and children alike. This year’s free event will showcase lights as a drive-thru event, which you can catch nightly from 5:30 - 9:30 until January 1st. Usually, they do a “lighting of the trace,” but they have opted instead for a personal appearance from Santa along the holiday light route this year. Check the website for details on when he’ll be there. He is a busy fellow, after all! Your kiddos can wave to him or even leave their letters to him, and they’ll receive a treat in return. 

Want to visit the distillery itself? Be sure to get there before 4 pm, when it closes (and advance reservations are recommended). And if you do stop by, be sure to pick up a bottle of Bourbon Trace, which is the perfect mixer for our signature bourbon hot chocolate recipe. 

Speaking of which… you ready to get toasting to some holiday cheer?

Add This Cocktail To Your Christmas Bucket List: Bourbon Hot Chocolate

All of those breathtaking lights are going to leave you exhausted and craving a warm, toasty beverage when you get home. And while we wouldn’t recommend taking this recipe on the road (it does have bourbon in it, after all!), it is the perfect cocktail to drink up when you get home. Want to include your kids in the deliciousness? Simply remove the bourbon. It doesn’t need it to taste good.

This recipe is enough for two people + a little extra, so scale the ingredients accordingly. We know those coffee cups are HUGE nowadays!

La Bonne Vie’s Signature Bourbon Hot Chocolate

Ingredients 

1/4 cup maple syrup or coconut sugar

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips if you need an allergy-friendly option)

1/8 teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt

4 cups whole milk (You can also use a refrigerated nut beverage like Milkadamia. I don't recommend skim milk as it can easily curdle if heated for too long.)

1 teaspoon real deal vanilla extract (no fake stuff, please and thank you!)

6 ounces bourbon - but ya know, don't worry about measuring this one... measure with your heart.

    Optional: a dash of cayenne and cinnamon powder as desired.

    Optional: toasted cocoa nibs and freshly whipped cream or dairy-free whipped cream 

Instructions

1. Stir together maple syrup, chocolate, milk, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally to melt the chocolate completely.

2. Cook for 5 minutes until the milk is hot; be sure not to boil. 

3. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

4. Pour bourbon (2ish ounces each) into mugs. Stir in hot chocolate and serve.

5. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• As chefs, we are all about specific flavor profiles when it comes to combining ingredients, and this is especially true when it comes to Kentucky bourbon. Our favorite bourbon for mixing is the classic Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Their bourbon cream is also delightful in coffee, over ice cream (you could make a killer affogato with this as well), and in hot chocolate! 

• I also love Skrewball’s Peanut Butter Whiskey, but you need to have a sweet tooth if you add it to this bourbon hot chocolate recipe for SURE! 

• If using coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk, you might need to increase the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons per serving instead of one.

• Snag one of our Night Before Christmas boxes to add even more sweetness and delight to your holiday sipping experience! 

Personal Chef Services Are a Luxury Within Your Reach

Most people are busy. Add to that caring for a family, work and school commutes, and any additional commitments you take on, and you may feel a bit frustrated or overwhelmed navigating mealtime at the end of each day.

You aren't alone, and there's an answer: personal chef services.

If you just rolled your eyes or muttered, "Personal chefs are for rich and famous people with scads of money.", this article is for you.

Let's do the math, shall we?

While it's true, hiring a personal chef isn't cheap. It's also true that they are affordable.

Your time is valuable; we won't waste it here. Immediately below, you'll find a cost range for our personal chef services. If you want to chew on it some more, the rest of this post will outline some of the nitty-gritty of why personal chef services aren't cheap but are doable for most budgets.

Here at La Bonne Vie, the difference between our smallest and largest plan is only $100 per week. 

To give you more detail:

• Our 5-day plans for four adults range from $250 to $350 per week. 

• There is plenty for leftovers, 

• and you can double the number of servings for just $25 per week.

Groceries are separate (we knew you'd ask), and they range from $45 to $300 per week (depending on the meals you request and whether you want 100% organic).

Are you tallying that math in your head right now? We get it. We were too.

While you're busy with the calculator, make a separate column to compare how much you spend in a typical week on:

• Eating out at restaurants (which cost between $13 and $19/person, depending on where you live and your food selection).

• Tips and parking

• Fast-food drive-thrus

• "Quick fix" grocery runs

• Weekly grocery trip

• Spoiled food in your fridge (because you didn't have time or were too tired to prepare it).

For a family of 4, that typical weekly expense (conservatively) looks a bit like this:

• One “nicer” restaurant visit = $85

• Three fast food trips = $125

• Quick fix grocery runs = $75

• Weekly grocery trip = $250

• Spoiled food = $15

That comes to $550 per week.

Maybe your totals were less or maybe more. The purpose of this exercise is to get an accurate evaluation of what you're spending.

Once you have that data, also consider your time and stress with:

• Meal planning and preparing a grocery list

• Grocery shopping (and time on the road to and from)

• Prepping, cooking, and cleaning up dishes

And this is why we can reiterate that personal chef services aren't cheap but are doable for most budgets.

In fact, we like to say that personal chefs aren't cheap because they're not cheap. 

Here are 5 factors that determine your personal chef's costs:

#1: Servings - This is pretty straightforward. If you order more, you pay more. It's no different than a restaurant. If you order an appetizer, entree, and a dessert for two, it costs more than if you order for one. There are more ingredients, more equipment needed, more kitchen staff, and more prepping and cooking time.

#2: Location - Where do you live? How expensive is it to live there? What does it cost you to fill your gas tank or drop in at the grocery store? Those exact costs apply to your personal chef's bottom line too.

#3: Years of Experience - Is your personal chef a newbie, or have they been at this for many years? Just as with any other position, more experience earns a higher price tag. It also means they have a more extensive database of recipes and more knowledge of navigating different allergies, food sensitivities, picky eaters, likes, and dislikes. An experienced personal chef will suggest ingredients and dishes you might not have considered. They also are versed in what is available and fresh from season to season at the market.  

#3: Kitchen Space & Delivery -  Since a personal chef will work from an owned or rented commercial kitchen space, their costs may vary depending on real estate costs and the proximity of grocery stores and markets for sourcing your ingredients. And because they deliver your food straight to your door, the kitchen's location to you plays a part too.

#4: Your Dietary Needs - Do you need a gluten-free diet? Are you Paleo, Keto, allergic to some particular ingredients? Your dietary restrictions play a part in your costs. The cost of buying gluten-free, vegan, organic, or locally sourced ingredients will drive up the bottom line. Again, personal chefs aren't cheap because they're not cheap. Quality food costs money.

#5. Food Storage - All of those cute and convenient containers your food arrives in? They cost money too. Some personal chefs will charge an onboarding fee that covers these costs. Whether it's reusable glass containers or recyclable BPA-free containers, they are part of the cost of your services.

Having a personal chef is a luxury, AND it's within your reach.

You're working and raising a family. 

Or maybe you're a single professional, working to advance your career or chase after some passions in your life.

Taking time to shop and prepare healthy options for you or you and a family has probably been put on the back burner too long.

And if not, we bet you put your self-care on the back burner. Keeping yourself and your family from always eating "on the go" is a considerable commitment of your time and energy.

Wherever you live, there are personal chef services near you that can help you meet your needs. We want to encourage you to reach out because your time and stress are not worth the trade-off.

Why Busy Families Like Yours Should Hire a Personal Chef

As a parent, you nestle many roles under your umbrella of responsibility. Sometimes it can be somewhat daunting. You're chief mess-cleaner,  launderer, cook, nurse, chauffeur, playmate, storyteller, professional snuggler - and the list goes on.

As a parent or guardian, you do a lot to help your family thrive, like managing the balancing act between your full-time job and your family's needs.

And no one will argue that this balancing act is a stressful one - even without the added pressure of making sure your family gets the nutrition they need from multiple meals every day. 

With all you do each day inside and outside the home, many parents like you tell us they do not have the time to manage meal planning, shopping, and preparing fresh, wholesome food each day. 

Prioritizing whole-body nutrition becomes a daily guilt factor for some of our clients. Even the early morning (or late night) drill of pulling together lunches for you and your kids (a bagged salad and simple sandwiches, respectively) can feel like a circus act. 

This article is for those of you who are tired of stress-juggling a full schedule, work requests, family responsibilities, meals, and personal time (what's that?). Because the truth is, hiring a personal chef is a great way to alleviate an enormous daily pressure, regain lost time, and reclaim your home as a harbor of rest and connection for your family.

What other possibilities could taking advantage of personal chef services open up for your family?

Your Family Gets Back to a Solid Routine

Remember those blissful days when you put your kids to book with storytime? Get that half-hour back by hiring a personal chef to reduce your evening load and taking several tasks off your list and supporting your family while you ease into the new school year schedule. 

Children and families thrive on routine. Unfortunately, the past couple of years upended many of the patterns that anchored our days. When you allow a personal chef to prepare and deliver meals for your family, you ensure a few things:

• A nutritious, delicious, restaurant-quality meal waits for your family when you walk in the door each evening. 

• More time to focus on navigating your family's dynamic schedule, homework, and extracurricular activities. 

• A reliable daily structure, complete with some necessary "down" time for everyone to reconnect and recover for the next day.

Your Family Gets a More Relaxed Home

While many families worked from home and employed distance learning through the past two years, we've unintentionally invited more external stressors into our homes. 

Home, in turn, has lost its most crucial function - being a safe space to rest, connect and decompress together as a family. Personal chef services can help you create more space to connect, play and rest while you enjoy a meal together without the stress of planning, prepping, purchasing, and preparing. 

Imagine putting those beeping phones and laptops away, ignoring the notifications for even just a half-hour every evening - all while enjoying the 100% customized, nutrient-rich family dinner your personal chef delivered straight to your door earlier in the week.

Your Family Gets More "You" Time

The average American mother spends nearly an hour every day prepping and serving meals for her family. Add grocery shopping, pantry organizing, and kitchen cleaning to that list, and that number starts to soar. 

Whether you're cooking for two or ten, feeding a family is no small feat, and a personal chef can carry that responsibility for you. You know your time is valuable, and you shouldn't have to choose between evening storytime and prepping and preparing your family's meal. 

With personal chef services, you remove the age-old "What's for dinner?" dilemma that seems to haunt you every day of the workweek. When you hire a personal chef, you eliminate so many steps that steal brain calories, family time, and your personal care needs. Heck, you could even request some extra goodies for a date night with you and your significant other from time to time!

Your Family Gets What They Need

Most personal chefs know how to prepare meals for individuals, families, busy professionals, people on special diets, and especially families who don't have the time or interest in meal planning or cooking.

Or maybe the interest is there, but let's be honest - the time is not. Whatever your reason for hiring a personal chef, you can rest assured that your family will receive a meal plan customized to your unique dietary and nutritional needs. 

Your Family Gets More While Saving More

If you're thinking personal chef services sounds like a luxury, it is! But, who said luxury has to cost your family a small fortune? 

According to the USDA, families of four with a moderate budget can expect to spend upwards of $260 per week on groceries and meals - and that's just a baseline.

Suppose you're spending $300 weekly on groceries and meals to feed your crew. That comes to an average of $1,200 per month! And let's get real, how often do you find fresh food spoiled in your fridge at the month's end because you were too tired - or too busy - to pull together a meal when the workday ended? Evaluating how much you're spending (and potentially wasting) on groceries is a solid first step to discovering if you could reasonably hire a personal chef.

Trade the trusty drive-thru lane with a trusted personal chef, and your family's budget might breathe a sigh of relief. 

Your Family Can Enjoy Dinner - Together - Again

You know that no matter how hectic your schedule is, your family needs and craves nutritious meals to help fuel the go-go-go of the school year's pace. More than that, you crave a quality meal together.

When you hire a personal chef, you know you'll get a fully prepared, tasty, and approachable meal guaranteed to fulfill that craving while bringing your family closer together around the table. All you have to do at the end of the day is sit down with your family and ask, "Tell me about your day!"

7 Reasons to Hire a Personal Chef for Your Next Date Night

Let's face it, sometimes it feels like finding new and exciting ideas for date nights and family nights is next to impossible. And for those of us who have been holed up at home for the past year, ordering meal delivery or taking turns cooking in the kitchen, it's likely past time to stir things up. 

Those were our exact thoughts when we dreamed up our out-of-the-box idea for Date Night Dinners and Picnic Baskets. Whether it's just for "you two" or for the whole family, using our personal chef services to prepare a 100% scratch-made meal is a treat you will be glad you didn't resist.

And while many of us can comfortably and safely hit the restaurant scene again, here are seven reasons why you might want to dine on a delicious dinner within the four walls you call home instead.

1. You want to spend time with your date, not the kitchen.

It takes a lot of effort to host and pull off the perfect meal while also ensuring your partner enjoys the hors d'oeuvres you prepared. That's a lot of scampering back and forth, checking timers, and plating food in an aesthetically appealing manner. All while keeping their palate from getting parched.

When you purchase a Date Night Dinner or Picnic Basket, everything is ready to warm and plate; we'll even give you plating inspiration! Your sole job then is to sit back and relax with your spouse or partner without the added stress of preparing the perfect meal yourself.

2. You don't consider yourself picky, but the local restaurants aren't cutting it any longer.

The growing foodie culture has served us well by raising the bar for the restaurant industry, but perhaps the food establishments in your neck of the woods haven't shown up to the party yet.

Our professional chef delights in creating unique, customized date night dinners and picnic baskets from locally sourced ingredients to serve as a reminder that food is more than just calories.

It is an experience that should open doors for discussions, delight the senses, nourish the heart, and drop little pins on your date nights - like a collective map of bite-size memories.

3. It isn't that you want a customized experience; it's that you require it.

For some of us, taking our partners or spouses out for a date has the potential to be a full-on assault on their health.

Dietary restrictions are no laughing matter. Unfortunately, many restaurants - especially those focused primarily on take-out food - rarely can provide the specific education and training their staff needs to ensure your health isn't compromised.

That's where personal chef services can come to the rescue. When asked, they can modify your date night dinners to meet your or your loved ones' very unique dietary restrictions or allergies. Then, they go above and beyond to select delicious yet appropriate alternatives to satisfy your palate.

4. Your budget can handle the occasional evening of indulgence. 

Dating is expensive. Family nights on the town are too. But, if budget is your primary concern, the internet is full of ways to keep it inexpensive. And that's fine - even wise - if we're talking about all day, every day. 

But we're not. 

We're talking about planning a special something-something with your special someone. We're talking about exchanging your regularly scheduled mediocre meal with an inspired culinary experience. We're talking about purchasing that bottle of wine you love, bringing it home, and later, avoiding the designated driver argument while you pamper yourself and your loved one within the comfort of your home.

And if the two of you want to wear your stretchy pants while you do it? Rest assured, no one is there to judge you.

5. Waiting lists are for the birds. You're over it.

The most sought-after restaurants often have waiting lists that rival a ride at Disney World. They are overcrowded, overly loud, and often overrated. Come on, you know we're right on this one.

So why not try something different? S-T-R-E-T-C-H outside your comfort zone and consider an intimate, crowd-free date night experience courtesy of a personal chef who is also avoiding the busy restaurant scene.

No one will show up that you haven't invited, making your evening as unrivaled in exclusivity as they come.

6. You don't want the fuss of scrubbing pots and pans.

Remember "The Clean Up Song" from Barnie? We're sorry if your children subjected you to that show at some point in your life. Well, selecting personal chef services to provide the food for your date nights means your clean-up is minimal. As in, nearly non-existent.

If that's not enough for everyone to jump in, we don't know what else will do it for you.

Your stovetop, oven, and sink aren't full of pots, pans, and various cooking utensils. Nope. Your kitchen stays clean, and your custom date night meal arrives fully prepared and ready to consume. Your effort goes into deciding what plates you want to serve it on and what beverage (adult or otherwise) to serve with it.

7. If you're honest, you don't even really like to cook. 

Hey, you're not alone. According to Eating Trends: Cooking & Food Shopping, only about 53% of U.S. adults claim they really enjoy cooking.

So, embrace what you do like and leave the cooking to a personal chef who has spent their entire careers developing recipes and cooking for people with excellent taste, like you.

You’ve no reason not to try!

Whether you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion, booking a Date Night Dinner or Picnic Basket prepared by a personal chef is a perfect opportunity to surprise your loved ones with a tasty treat that they won't easily forget.

5 Realistic Tips for Eating Healthy When You Don’t Have the Time or Energy

With all of the information, recipes, articles, and podcasts on eating healthy today, it can be overwhelming to figure out what will work for you and your family when you don't have ample time or energy. 

Generally, we all know the basics - drink more water, eat lean protein, and up your greens - but the real challenge arises when it's time to put it all into action and stay consistent.

Any simple search on the internet will point those vying for a healthy lifestyle toward practices like meal prepping, and maybe you've tried that before. Perhaps you've bought a full meal-prepping suite of storage bags and containers, fully intending to spend your Sundays in the kitchen to save yourself a bit of time through the week.

But I bet you know what happens next, right?

You either don't have time - or energy - over the weekend to devote the hours necessary in the kitchen to get it going. Or, once you've successfully meal-prepped a suite of identical entrees, you open the refrigerator door midweek, discouraged to find yet another taco bowl waiting for you.

So what do you so often? Toss the remaining meal prep containers and head to grab a fast food meal in town, vowing to plan a better menu the following week.

You know that there has to be a better, more realistic way for modern families to stay consistent in their healthy eating goals. And, you're right. 

Today, outside of our own personal chef services, we're sharing five of our favorite tips to eat healthy, especially when you don't have time or energy to spare!

Tip #1: Add-in new foods slowly. Don't overhaul!

Research shows it's far easier to add in new habits by attaching them to currently held practices, and the same goes for your diet! 

If your goal is to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, set it next to your bed and drink it as soon as you get up. If your goal is to eat more greens, buy a bag of frozen spinach and add a small helping to your morning eggs rather than revolutionizing your entire lunch or dinner menu in one day. 

Add in nutrition and commit to small changes in bite-size pieces - don't overhaul!

Tip #2: Prep with your capacity in mind.

Time and energy are precious commodities, and if you're in short supply of both - which you wouldn't be reading this if you weren't - don't devise a weekly plan of intricate meals. 

Instead, plan around your time and energetic capacity. For example, stock your freezer with basic staples like chicken and vegetables and your pantry with spices you love, so when you do find the energy or a hidden pocket of time, you can make a dump-meal in the crockpot without needing to thaw or prep anything! 

Tip #3. Store snacks you love.

Keep a stash of non-perishable, healthy food items handy in places you frequent like your car, living room, and kitchen. Keep a pouch in your car or a basket on your kitchen counter for easy grab-and-go snacks. Load your new snack station with fresh fruit, lean beef jerky, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc.

Tip #4. Make a bit extra.

Make the most of the dinners you do whip up by preparing extra and storing the rest in meal prep containers. It's easy enough to plan to meal prep, but following through gets tricky when faced with dedicating your Sunday afternoon to chopping, slicing, and stir-frying in the kitchen. 

Meal prepping may save time through the week, but Sunday rest is much more precious for those of us low on time and energy. So, cook double portions for the meals you do make when you have time to make them!

Tip #5. Plan ahead (or don't!).

The first step to staying committed and consistent to a healthy eating lifestyle is equipping yourself with a strong strategy. 

For instance, plan to spend your lunch break on Friday devising your next week's meals. Or, take a break from the planning and use our personal chef services. We have endless menus and recipes - and we customize specifically to each client's needs, which means you don't have to sacrifice any of your extra down-time to plan or prep your or your family's meals. 

Instead, spend it reading that new mystery novel you keep having to put down mid-chapter. Spend it calling a friend you haven't seen in a while. Spend it going for a walk with your family. Don't spend it meal prepping.

low on energy and time? who isn't?

Our personal chef services plan, prep, cook and deliver the meals you need and crave so you can make the most of the time you have together as a family. 

We stock your refrigerator with meals that are both nutritious and delicious because we don't cut corners or make compromises when it comes to your taste buds. Like you, we know family meals are opportunities to connect, build memories, and share quality time during a busy week. That's why we create nutritionally whole and deliciously memorable meals that live up to that belief.

Healthy Food Doesn’t Have to Be Boring Food

Many modern families meet the goal of eating at home with a rotation of three go-to chicken dishes, a chili night, and a fend-for-yourself "taco bowl night." And that's fine if it hits the spot for your family. That said, eating nutritious and exciting home-cooked meals doesn't have to be an oxymoron. 

Food boredom is real and understandable. Today's families don't have the time they'd like to explore and try new foods. When they find a dish their family enjoys that provides ample nutrition, they add it to their routine, and it sticks. In fact, one study shows that the average family only has about nine meals in their dinner night rotation. 

So, if you find yourself reluctantly writing "baked chicken and steamed broccoli" on your meal planning list for yet another week, here are some ways to fight off food boredom and keep your family dinners fresh, exciting and healthy!

Pair a protein with one complex carbohydrate and a vegetable. 

You may not believe it, but this formula makes for endless possibilities. Rotate grilled chicken breast, turkey, chicken sausage, or steak. Add potato or pasta and then, toss in your choice of roasted veggie or salad. You'll have dozens of simple, fresh pairings to add to your dinner night rotation to mix things up!

Try new flavor profiles. 

If you find yourself opting for black pepper and garlic salt yet again, give brand-new and unique spice blends like this Asian-inspired profile with garlic, coriander, ginger, and soy sauce a try. Or, go Thai-inspired with spices like lemongrass, garlic powder, cardamom, and basil! Be sure to have various spice blends on hand and try them out on foods you'd like to spice up a bit.

View food as an experience not an end-goal. 

Schedules may be chaotic, but reserving time in the evenings to connect with your family and invite them into the meal-prepping process can change your day. If you have younger children, allow them to use these plastic salad and vegetable knives to help prepare the fresh ingredients. Older children and teens can take the lead in prepping fresh vegetables and mixing spice blends while preparing the meal's meat portion.

Make time to create and explore one food item at a time. 

If you're getting bored with your go-to meals, overhauling your recipe repertoire in one week can feel overwhelming and nearly impossible. Instead, make it your goal to try one new food item a week. When shopping at the grocery store, peruse the produce section and select something new you'd like to try.

Experimenting allows you to engage your entire family in the mealtime process. If you have multiple children, let one pick a new food to try each week on a special night! By doing this, you are more likely to nurture adventurous eaters and create fond, lifetime memories with your family.

Make room for new foods, delivered to you! 

Invite the creativity of a professional chef to your dinnertime experience with our personal chef services. We offer personalized, custom meal plans and deliver freshly prepared meals straight to your fridge. You can hardly find a better option to release the constant pressure of preparing inventive, delicious meals yourself. It also frees up more time to spend with your family.

Let us serve as your family's gateway to new, fresh, and healthy meal ideas - check out a sample menu or get started today.

Feel like trying new recipes this week? Give these superfoods a taste test, or try making one of our favorite corn salsa recipes during your weekly taco or burrito night! 

Focus on adding, not overhauling!

Stepping out of your routine and livening up your menu doesn't have to be stressful. Add a new vegetable to your plate, a new spice, or a new side item to your baked chicken breast. And? When you're eager to add even more ingenuity to your table, try adding personal chef services to your list too!

Setting a Space for Gratitude at Your Thanksgiving Table

Sometimes it seems like Thanksgiving is just a speed bump on the road to Black Friday and all the Christmas hustle and bustle. 

The first half of the day, you spend in anticipation of the big meal, but once the post-turkey nap concludes, the Christmas tidings commence with a slew of jingling commercials and 99-percent-off deals.

And yet, this season is such a meaningful time to gather because it encompasses so many valuable things unique to our human experience. 

For instance, we set aside time to spend with our biological and intentional family we collect in the communities we build. We nourish our hearts and minds when we pause and reflect on all we have to be thankful for in our lives. And, we feed our bodies with delicious food emanating the aroma of tradition and memory.

As you approach your Thanksgiving table this year, are you setting a space for gratitude? 

Beyond decorating a beautiful tablescape, gracing the table with a gleaming turkey, and customizing place settings for dearly loved guests - are you intentionally bringing gratitude to the table?

Many of us may find it challenging to arrive at the table with a grateful heart this year, but it's important to first focus on what gratitude is - a practice.

What is the practice of gratitude? 

Thankfully, gratitude is more than a fuzzy feeling we can only invoke minutes before sinking our fork into a pile of turkey. It's a practice that shifts our focus to things that ground us like peace, love, beauty, and hope. 

Gratitude is an actual practice, which means we can wield and strengthen it regularly until it becomes a reflex built on muscle-memory (or heart-memory). 

We can break the practice of gratitude into these intentional steps:

Awareness 

First, begin by observing, looking around ourselves and within our situation to notice what we have to be grateful for. The key to awareness is welcoming the thought that goodness exists around us - even through uncertain and troubling times.

Affirmation

Affirm that, yes, goodness exists around you in tangible and intangible ways. Love, warmth, family. Food, a home, finances. Recognize and name (either out loud or on paper) what you are thankful for, and you may find that once you begin, it's hard to stop!

Presence 

Be present in each moment you can. You'll find that once you focus on what you're grateful for, worries begin to slip away. Let these stressors go for the time being and be present in your current joy!

It can be challenging to embrace gratitude when there are uncertain or troubling things happening in our lives, but this does not mean we are naive or ignorant. 

Gratitude has lasting social, psychological, and physical benefits that help us move through these life stressors more easily and happily. This is what Thanksgiving is all about - giving us that renewed boost of gratitude and serving as a reminder to carry the practice with us all year round!

Now that we know how to practice gratitude, what are some ways we can weave it into our daily lives, even once the holiday season has waned?

Here are five ways to practice gratitude all year long:

While things changed through the throes of 2020, one thing remains constant - gratefulness grounds and nourishes us as humans. Here are some ways you can practice gratitude today and every day, not just on Thanksgiving!

1. Keep a gratitude journal: Purchase a small journal specifically for this purpose, and choose a cover you love! With each entry, note the date and a short list of the day's gratitudes.

2. Call an old friend to say hello: Remember who is special to you, who has played a role in your life, and who you'd like to bless that day. Give them a call (don't text, call!), and you'll be surprised how happy they'll be to hear your voice.

3. Say thank you to someone: Wherever you may be - the grocery store or a coffee shop - take note of who is hard at work around you and say, 'Thank You!' Be sure to share why you are thankful as well!

4. Express gratitude to yourself: Note what you are thankful for about yourself. What strengths are you glad you have? What about your personality do you enjoy? Add what you discover here to your gratitude journal!

5. Ask a family member what they are thankful for: And be sure to listen. When we hear the gratitudes of friends and family, we learn a little more about who they are and what matters to them. What a gift!

Remember, gratitude is a practice, and Thanksgiving is a special day to give thanks alongside loved ones. When the sun sets on Thanksgiving night and Black Friday coupons begin circulating, stay rooted in the attitude of gratitude that you stirred anew and carry it with you all year long.

We feel gratitude for all of you who have allowed us to be a part of your family's lives and tables. Thanks for the opportunity you’ve give us to provide you with personal chef services that meet your family's needs and preferences.

9 Superfoods to Add a Little Hygge in Your Life

As seasons cycle, so does our body's nutritional needs. It's no coincidence why we crave juicy cantaloupe for summer picnics and savory, warm soups through winter.

We select fruit in the summer for its high water content, our bodies using its many nutrients to replenish us when we sweat. But once the cold temps blow in, we find ourselves tucked indoors more, and we need denser nutrition with richer blends of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

So blend up a batch of aromatic carrot ginger soup and settle in as we explore a variety of Jack Frost's favorite superfoods that'll add a little hygge to your life.

What is hygge? And what does it have to do with superfoods?

Pronounced "hyoo-guh," hygge is the Danish word for "the art of living cozily." In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people.

As we dip out of summer into the heart of autumn, the days grow darker for longer, and you may begin feeling the winter blues. The Danes fight this off with hygge, an intentional effort towards gathering coziness, happiness, and warmth. Our personal chef services will help you infuse these feelings of warmth and joy by adding the right nutrients to your family's meals.

Here's how to serve some hygge on your plate!

Here are nine superfoods and their vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that beat the "winter blues" and boost our coziness factor, aka, serve up some hygge.

Turmeric 

This orange but subtle spice adds a sweetness to lattes and stir-fry while packing an immunity punch. A cousin to ginger, turmeric has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that boost your immune system. Pair it with black pepper for extra immunity, or stir a teaspoon of it into a small glass of warm milk.

Ghee

Ghee is basically butter hygge-fied. It's clarified butter, which means you slightly caramelize, simmer, and strain it to remove excess water. An ayurvedic superstar, ghee has essential fatty acids and anti-inflammatory properties that nurture the immune system. Additionally, it's easily digestible and is a quick source of energy for your body. Add ghee to your morning eggs or even blended in your coffee for an energetic and warming boost. Bonus points if you mix a small spoonful in your turmeric latte!

Brussels Sprouts 

Tossed in ghee and steamed, sauteed, or roasted, brussels sprouts are praised for their protective properties against cancer. These little guys pack a punch with Vitamins C, K, and folate. Folate helps maintain happy, balanced white and red blood cell count (Just what the doctor ordered!). Vitamin C is more than an immunity booster. It also links arms with Vitamin K to help our bodies absorb and use iron, which, when low, contributes to low energy, tiredness, and a lack of concentration. Bye, bye, winter blues, and hello focused energy all winter long.

Turkey

Who said only veggies could be superfoods? With high B vitamins like B6 and B12, turkey helps you turn food into energy efficiently. Add in some lean protein and the amino acid tryptophan, which tells the brain to make the "happy hormone" serotonin, and you have a dinner item that doubles as a warm blanket for your wellness.

Cinnamon 

Hygge is all about balance - in contentment, happiness, coziness, and friendliness. In a way, cinnamon is, too! This beloved spice does more than add pep to our applesauce; it helps stabilize blood sugar levels - which can balance your mood. It is also full of calcium and iron, giving your immunity and blood cell balance a helping hand. 

Kale

We couldn't write a post about superfoods without including something green, now could we? In all seriousness, if your goal is to thrive while indoors this winter, this leafy green should be your new best friend. Kale is full of calcium, various antioxidants, and minerals like iron and magnesium. Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle function and can help with relaxation, headaches, and muscle cramps. Be sure to add this Mexican Kale Salad to your lunchtime rotation!

Root Vegetables 

Carrots, beets, turnips, and potatoes all have something in common - they grow underground. In the soil, root vegetables absorb minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, and phosphorus. They also contain plenty of vitamins B6, A, and C. Chop a variety of these root vegetables, then toss in salt, pepper, and melted ghee to roast for a warming, rich and savory side dish for your turkey dinner!

Bone Broth

Bone broth is one of the most recently recognized additions to the superfood lineup, though we've used it for centuries for its medicinal value. Bone broth is made from simmering bones, marrow, and connective tissue of animals, creating a light but savory liquid you can sip as a beverage or use in soups. Bone broth contains collagen and gelatin, which support gut health, reduce inflammation, boost energy levels, and promote great sleep. Talk about a hug in a cup! Warm-up some of our gut-healing bone broth and stir in a small spoonful of turmeric for an early morning drink that may serve you even better than coffee!

Dark Chocolate

You can't have hygge without dark chocolate (That's a rule, right?), and you're in luck because dark chocolate is a superfood! It's a pretty powerful one, too, with mood-stabilizing flavonoids containing more antioxidants than green tea! Flavonoids are phytonutrients that remove oxidative stress, helping you feel more relaxed and increasing your well-being over time.

As you wrap yourself up in a blanket, snuggled into your favorite armchair or corner of the couch, remember to utilize some of these superfoods to practice the art of hygge. And while you're at it, be sure to enjoy a plate of our dark chocolate and cherry scones.

And when you're ready to share the art of hygge with some friends or family, our personal chef services are here to help you plan a menu of whole foods and seasonal ingredients from local farmer's markets to create a healthy, high-end dining experience right in your home.

Just Wait 'Til You Get Your Pawpaws on This Treat!

Like so many of us, you may have grown up singing about "pretty little Susie" who was "pickin' up pawpaws and putting 'em in her pocket … way down yonder in the pawpaw patch." 

But honestly, in all your years of singing that song, did you ever wonder what the hell a pawpaw was?

Ever seen one?

Tasted one?

Knew it was a fruit?

Yeah, you're not alone.

Because of their extremely short season (end of September into October) and nearly non-existent shelf life, pawpaws are super hard to come by and not typically stocked on your favorite grocer's shelves.

The Pawpaw is the largest edible fruit that is native to the United States.

Slice It: Pawpaws Revealed

Sometimes called the American Custard Apple, Poor Man's Banana, or our favorite, the Hillbilly Banana, the pawpaw isn't an apple or a banana.

Nope. It's actually the largest edible fruit that is native to the United States, and it even has a fancy scientific name, the Asimina triloba.

The pawpaw grows on unassuming sapling-size deciduous trees and has a yellow inner pulp and an exterior skin color that ranges from vibrant green to brown - and even black once ripened.  

Historically, the pawpaw proved a vital source of nutrition for Native Americans. Without the pawpaw, those on the Lewis and Clark expedition may have starved once their supplies ran low, and hunting proved unsuccessful.

Naturally packed with nutrition, pawpaws are high in vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese. They are also a good source of potassium and abundant in riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.

Pawpaws are also the only fruit with all the essential amino acids.

In other words, they are a fruit you can feel good about eating and feeding to your family.

Slice the pawpaw open, remove the large black oval-shaped seeds, and scoop (or slurp) out the fleshy sweet pulp with a spoon.

Scoop It: The Pulp of Presidents

A cousin to tropical plants, the pawpaw tastes like a rich, custardy blend of banana, mango, and pineapple.

It has a consistently smooth texture like that of custard or pudding and has been a favorite of several U.S Presidents. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson planted pawpaw trees in their gardens, and two-hundred years later, Barack Obama had one planted in the White House's kitchen garden.

Named the official native fruit of Ohio in 2009, the pawpaw fruit now boasts its own festival with competitions for the Best Pawpaw, Best Pawpaw-related Work of Art, Pawpaw Cook-off, and the ever-popular Pawpaw Eating Contest.

Serve up pawpaws as ice cream for kids who enjoy other fruits like mango and banana.

Serve It: Works for the Pickiest of Eaters

Many will argue the pawpaw tastes best eaten raw - slice it open, remove the large black oval-shaped seeds, and scoop (or slurp) out the fleshy sweet pulp with a spoon.

When we integrate it into our snack menu, we puree the fruit to make delicious quickbread or muffins. We find they are hugely popular for kids who enjoy other fruits like mango and banana.

We also use them in baked goods like pies, cakes, and cookies or jams and sauces.

Pawpaws have a flavor profile that gets better a couple of days after we make it, which gives it time to meld with other flavors, such as ginger.

Want to Try the Pawpaw for Yourself? 

If you live in a region with pawpaw orchards, now is the season to visit them or look for them at your local farmer's market or co-op. 

And, if you want to try pawpaws in some delicious baked goods, let us know - our personal chef services can meet any hankering you might have!.

How to Keep Your Sanity and Your Kids Fed While Distance Learning

This is certainly a year of firsts. As we barrel on through Back to School Season, we know parents are struggling with remote learning. Even the children that are headed back to the classroom, there is still the ever-looming possibility that a positive test or local spike in cases could bring their children back to the virtual classroom.

Here are a few tips to help both parents (and students) navigate this unusual situation.

1. Establish a routine. A routine helps cut back on day-to-day craziness and sets your child up with day-to-day expectations.

2. Don’t “pop in” on the at-home classes. You don’t do that when they’re in the classroom, resist the urge while they are distance learning.

3. Encourage physical activity daily. Exercise can help mitigate a whole host of potential issues, particularly feeling cooped up at home and the ever-challenging “ants in your pants.”

4. Make sure at the start of the day that they have everything they need (homework, pens/pencils, notebooks, etc.) to help mitigate the need to get up throughout the day and request your help.

5. Make sure they have easy healthy snacks they can grab on their own. Children need to fuel their bodies and minds throughout the day, and junk food and sugar will only increase their distractability.

Some of our favorite snacks that are both healthy and kid-approved.

Nuts with cheese: Both nuts and a little bit of cheese pack a protein punch!

Fruit or veggies with nut butter: The single-serving packs of nut butter also help regulate portion control, and fruits and veggies are nutrient-dense and full of fiber to keep them full until the next meal.

Granola Bars: Easy to grab ‘n go, just make sure you’re buying granola bars packed with whole foods (like nuts, oats and dried fruit) and a not just packed with sugar, like Kind Bars or our Trail Mix Granola Bars.

Kale Chips: Kale is a superfood, and crispy kale chips are perfect for the kid that loves a salty snack. Try our “Cheesy” Kale Chips packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Just for Back to School Season, we’re happy to help you along this journey! Our personal chef services provide healthy, healing and customized meals all ready to warm and enjoy. For the kiddos in your life, all new clients will also receive a complimentary pack of 3 kid-friendly lunch boxes and a snack. All of our meals and lunch boxes are allergy-friendly and fully custom.

We're Obsessed with This Corn Salad Recipe!

It isn’t summer without fresh corn on the cob that’s been charred in some form or fashion. When it comes to eating corn on the cob, however, there are 3 camps: side-to-side (typically left to right but not always), around the cob in a circle, or cut off the cob entirely because it gets stuck in your teeth.

While we never turn down an ear of corn still on its cob, we love the versatility of fresh corn, cut off the cob!

This corn “salad” is like salsa, salad and street corn all in one. It’s a little bit creamy, a little bit tangy and covered in crumbly cotija cheese. It’s also extremely versatile! You can toss it warm and serve immediately or chill overnight, let the flavors marry and serve it cold on a hot day. It’s a great make-n-take to small backyard get-togethers.

We’re also crazy about avocado oil these days for all of the wonderful nutritional benefits, great flavor and higher smoke point than olive oil. As such, we also use avocado mayo (one of our faves) in this recipe! No - it’s not mayo with avocados in it, it’s mayo made from avocado oil! It sounds exotic but is widely available at most grocery stores.

We’ve provided stovetop instructions in the recipe, however, if you’re firing up the grill don’t hesitate to slice the corn off the cob after it’s been charred on the grill! Then proceed with the recipe by tossing the rest of the ingredients together with a little drizzle of avocado oil. 

Ruth’s Southwest Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 4 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob (4 cups)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil

• Himalayan salt

• 1/3 cup red or green onion, diced

• 1/3 cup slightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced (optional)

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 3 oz Cotija cheese, finely crumbled

• 3 Tbsp avocado mayonnaise*

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided

• 1/2 tsp chili powder, then more to taste 

• 1 1/2 medium avocados (semi-firm but ripe) peeled, cored and chopped small

Instructions

1. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

2. Add corn, season with salt to taste and toss, then let cook, tossing only occasionally (about every 2 minutes) until corn is well charred all over (about 6 - 9 minutes total). 

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Add corn to a medium bowl along with, avocados, onions, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, Cotija, mayonnaise, lime juice and chili powder and toss. Serve immediately with more chili powder to taste as desired.

What's the Best Way to Make Potato Salad?

What’s the best way to make potato salad?

Potato salad is arguably America’s favorite side that adorns the table at barbecues and picnics alike. However, like many things in the American culinary world, the best way to make it can be up for debate and almost always yields strong opinions. 

For the most part, potato salad is divided into 3 camps: mustard, no mustard, or German (no mayo, often warm). Mix ‘ins vary, but typically it will at least include hard-boiled eggs, celery and some kind of fresh herb (often dill). There is also often a sprinkle of paprika for a nice pop of color.

Mustard Potato Salad

The “classic” potato salad includes mustard. The mustard also gives it that signature yellow-ish color. The recipe is pretty basic: potatoes, mayo, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Whatever mix ‘ins you include, the result is smooth, creamy, tangy and starchy.

Mustard-Free Potato Salad

There is a smaller subset of the population that staunchly hates mustard in their potato salad. Or, maybe it’s regional and we are just not from the no-mustard region. The recipe is similar to regular potato salad only without mustard. The key to a mustard-free potato salad is being sure to include a good splash of vinegar (we like apple cider) to give it that signature tang.

German Potato Salad

For the mayo haters out there, German potato salad is where it’s at. German potato salad is almost in its own category because it typically includes bacon, uses red potatoes, and the dressing is a mayo-free combination of mustard, vinegar and a little bit of sugar. It’s also often served warm but room temperature works as well.

What about our magical potato salad? For the record, we are team mustard! However, regardless of how you prefer yours, here are a few of our pro tips. 

1. Mix everything while the potatoes are warm so they absorb all the delicious flavor from that dressing!

2. Dice your potatoes ahead of time for faster cooking. Make sure the pieces are all the same size for even cooking.

3. To avoid watery potato salad, use starchy potatoes instead of waxy (we like Yukon golds) and after draining put them back in the warm pot on low heat for few minutes to help any clinging water to evaporate.

Want to try our magical potato salad? Check out our picnic baskets! Interested in something custom-made? No problem, our personal chef services can prepare anything you or your family prefers.

What are your thoughts - mustard yay or nay?

Food Combinations That Also Boost Immunity

Aside from maybe a little stress baking, everybody seems to have health and immunity on the mind right now.  We all know about immune-boosting spices and ingredients (like the Vitamin C found in citrus), but how well your body absorbs these nutrients is also important. More often than not, your body absorbs a nutrient better when paired with another one. Here are some of our fave food combos that take your immunity boosters up a notch!

Vitamin D and Calcium

This is perhaps the oldest known combination in the book. We know calcium is great for bone health, but Vitamin D helps your body absorb dietary calcium better. That’s why most milk is fortified with Vitamin D.

Turmeric and Black Pepper

Turmeric is trending for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory benefits, but it does you no good if your body doesn’t absorb all that wonderful curcumin, the antioxidant in turmeric that holds all the good stuff. An easy fix: pair it with black pepper!

Spinach and Citrus

Looking for a little more iron in your diet? Iron is an essential nutrient that supports hemoglobin, eliminates fatigue and boosts immune function. Spinach is applauded for its iron-rich qualities. However, the oxalic acid in the spinach makes it a little difficult for the body to absorb the iron in spinach. Pairing it with citrus helps break the iron down, increasing the bioavailability of this important nutrient.

Tomatoes and Olive Oil

We’ve all fallen in love with olive oil and its healthy fats. We’re also privy to the beneficial antioxidant lycopene that’s in tomatoes. Lycopene supports heart health, offers your skin some protection from the sun and is linked with the prevention of certain types of cancer. Luckily, olive oil and tomatoes taste marvelous together! Both cooking tomatoes and eating them with a little bit of olive oil enhances the absorption of lycopene. So drizzle away!

We’re always keeping up with the most nutritious ingredients - and how to pair them - when it comes to our personal chef services. Our weekly meal delivery helps you get healthy, balanced, and immune-boosting meals on the table with no prepping or cooking. Simply heat and serve!