Today I offer you a recipe in spirit of sunny days and lighter fare (although it has been a bit chilly here). Adzuki beans and rice are very easy to digest while giving you clean-burning energy to get you through fun-filled summer days. I made this for dinner tonight, though I am looking forward to the leftovers for lunches.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I thought I would share with you today a recipe from my cookbook (The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook). Some of you may have made these already, but for those who have not, the photos will probably inspire you to give them a try!

Just in time for summer BBQs comes an easy recipe for homemade barbecue sauce! It is sweet and tangy with a nice kick from the chipotle chili powder. I don't shop around much for barbecue sauce and therefore am not on the up-and-up with ingredients and allergens commonly found in sauces.

Fresh kale salads are so easy to make and incredibly nutrient-dense. Pictured here is kale I have growing in my garden. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable. It has the ability to speak to our genes and upregulate numerous detoxification and antioxidant enzymes!

What to do when the weather turns warm? Make ice cream, of course. We’ve been making “ice cream” quite a bit lately. Last week, the temperature lingered in the low 80s for days, and this week has been just as beautiful—hovering in the 70s. These early warm spells always inspire us to bring out the blender, freeze fresh organic fruit, and get creative in the kitchen. This ice cream is a favorite with our kids—we love scooping it into bowls and topping it with extra sliced strawberries and fresh mint leaves. Sometimes I pour the mixture into popsicle molds instead of the ice cream maker, which makes it a fun frozen treat for summer afternoons (and an easy way to sneak in more fruit!). However you serve it, it’s simple, luscious, and satisfying.

Last week I received an email from the President of Omega Nutrition. You all know of this company right? They are most well-known for their flax seed and coconut oils.

I have been asked a number of times for ideas to bread chicken breasts, fish, and vegetables - gluten-free.

Tonight I thought I would offer some ideas on this topic, some of my own and some gleaned from my fellow foodies.

It's spring and the salad greens are luscious and sweet. Our garden is filled with as many varieties of greens as we could fit. Spicy and mild salad mixes, arugula, spinach, romaine lettuce, butterhead lettuce, bok choy, kale, collards, cilantro, and more are growing out our back door.

I have a special place in my heart for this phase of life. This is where it all begins—in utero, and then in those first precious days and weeks spent nursing while gazing into your little miracle. Making milk is truly an incredible process.