Lauren Gaskill Inspires

Almond Butter Banana Bread

March 22, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Part of being a food blogger is trying out new recipes and experimenting with different flavor/ingredient combinations.

But sometimes, I don’t want to try new things. While about half of the recipes I make during any given week are new, I try to recycle old favorites too. Many recipes are worth making again and again. Like these Coconut Lemon Oatmeal Waffles, Copycat Cheesecake Factory BBQ Ranch Salads, Toffee Chocolate Shortbread Bars or this Artichoke + Asparagus Thin Crust Pizza.

Then there is the classic banana bread. Aside from cookies, it is one of the quintessential recipes of my dessert archive. I’ve tried all kinds of variations on this crowd pleaser over the years, and it seems that my latest version has taken the cake (husband approved!).Read More

Mango + Red Pepper Coconut Chicken Curry

March 12, 2015 • 2 Comments

This Mango + Red Pepper Coconut Chicken Curry is the ultimate Indian food — creamy, sweet, savory and packed with healthy ingredients, too!

If I could only choose two types of food to eat for the rest of my life, the second would be Mexican. But the first type of food would by farrrr be Indian/Middle Eastern food.

I didn’t experience Indian cuisine until I was 20, but I will never forget that first experience. When I was an intern for YES! Magazine in Bainbridge Island, Wash. I stumbled across a restaurant named Spice Route. On a work lunch one afternoon, a few coworkers and I walked there to enjoy the lunch buffet.Tucked away in a small building strip, the space was quaint and adorned with authentic Indian decor. Delightful fragrances hit my nose the moment I walked in the door, promising flavorful and freshly prepared food.

The host seated our group in a side room, where we were sat on plush pillows arranged beside a table that sat just off the ground. Not knowing what to order, I turned to my coworkers for advice. “Try the Saag,” one suggested before ordering garlic naan for the table to sample.Read More

Coconut Macaroons

March 5, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Ever looked at something and thought, “This is too simple and good to be true?”

I know the feeling. It’s how I feel about peanut butter and chocolate; a glass of wine; quick bread; the quiet of a sunrise or sunset; reading a book in the park; walking hand-in-hand with my husband; and basking in the presence of God. At their core, each of these things whispers simplicity and produces an indulgent moment and memory.

Our lives can be such a complicated balancing act, full of work, appointments, meetings and errands. I think that’s what makes simple things so enjoyable. They allow us to escape whatever madness is around us and hit the pause button.Read More

Baked Falafel + Carrot Ribbon Salad

February 22, 2015 • 1 Comment

This weekend was super exciting.

For starters, I received my first batch of essential oils in the mail from my good friend and Young Living representative Sara.

I have already used one of the oils for neck and headache pain and immediately experienced relief after the first application. I know to a lot of people, essential oils seem like a gimmick. But I don’t think they are … when used properly. I’m all for western medicine in certain circumstances but over the years, I have found that a combination of western medicine, alternative treatments, a whole food diet and regular exercise have done wonders for my health.

Of the latter health components, a whole foods diet has by far had the biggest affect on my life. Don’t get me wrong, I indulge daily in those “not-so-good-for-you” foods, but the difference is that I indulge in moderation. I don’t believe in deprivation or banning foods from my diet. But I do believe in the power of healthy eating and what it does for me.

Mixed Berry Breakfast Muffins

February 12, 2015 • Leave a Comment

I have an insatiable sweet tooth.

But man cannot live on sweets alone. Especially when it comes to breakfast. I love doughnuts, pastries, cookies, super sweet muffins and danishes, but they just don’t satisfy me completely in the morning. For me, the first meal of the day has to hearty and protein-packed. It has to have a stick-to-your-bones feeling.

One of my go-tos in the morning is banana almond butter oatmeal. It’s heavy but not too heavy — hearty but also healthy. The thing I love about hearty breakfasts the most? It sets me up for success for the rest of the day. It maintains my energy and keeps me feeling great.Read More

Weekend Waffles | Coconut Lemon Oatmeal Waffles

January 30, 2015 • 5 Comments

As much as we aspire to adhere to them, some traditions don’t stick.

Like “Pizza Fridays,” for example. I grew up having pizza every Friday (or sometimes Saturday). I love pizza. And I love Fridays. But for some reason my husband and I have never been able to stick to a we-eat-pizza-every-Friday-night plan. I think about our favorite pizza places all the time, but we usually end up trying another new ethnic restaurant or something more adventurous.

I don’t know what makes traditions stick — or how we can make room for one but not the other — but I do know that once a tradition is set, it creates a sense of anticipation, comfort and pleasure. (What’s your tradition? Leave a comment in the section below.)

For my husband and I, that tradition is “Weekend Waffles.” Every weekend I make enough batter for us to enjoy them on both Saturday and Sunday. It’s fun because:Read More

Sign Up for Inspiration Delivered to Your Inbox