Kristen Lubbe

If you bring your lunch to work or regularly go on picnics, you understand how important it is to pack things perfectly. A soggy salad or sandwich is enough to ruin any lunch, so these smart and stylish food storage solutions are excellent.The Oval Lunch Pail from Objects of Use is super stylish and equally as functional. It’s a little nod to the old days but still modern enough that you won’t get strange looks in the lunch room.For the kids, the Planet Box is an excellent option.

It’s still the first month of the year and many of us are on newfound health kicks! If you’re still going strong — good for you! And an easy way to incorporate healthy food into your diet is by blending it all together into a delicious smoothie.Instead of the plain old boring strawberry and orange smoothie (even though those are seriously delicious), have you thought about the wonders of a Spiced Oatmeal Smoothie like the one from Kitchen Konfidence?

If you would have asked me five years ago if I would have cared about the trash can in my kitchen, I would have most likely laughed and walked away. Investing in a quality (or even funky) trash can is a wonderful idea!I personally love my Simplehuman Rectangular Trash Can from Williams Sonoma.

Leeks are one of those vegetables that unfortunately not enough people eat and just wonder what they are as they pass them in the produce aisle. Initially they can be rather intimidating but even in the most simple preparation they can be seriously luxurious.Often the simplest preparations are the best for ingredients like leeks. Let their unique and subtle flavor shine through.

I’m not quite sure what’s happening to me but it seems that some how color is slowly but surely making an appearance in my home (gasp!). Maybe it was my recent trip to the Rose Bowl Flea Market that got me loving color again — who knows, but I love it!An easy way to infuse color into the kitchen is through the very tools you use to whip up delicious meals.

I’m certainly not quiet about my love for white kitchens and that includes the items in my cabinets too. I’ve been dreaming of purchasing a cast iron Dutch oven for quite some time and obviously, it’s going to be white.The confusing and somewhat frustrating aspect of wanting a white cast iron pot is the lack of options on the market. As you can see, I found just four, two from the same brand.

I deeply appreciate the wonders that a warm cup of coffee can perform in the early morning — especially its effects on my productivity. One of the most essential tools for excellent homemade coffee is a high-quality coffee grinder. Here are five picks; we’d love to know if you’ve tried any of these out. How did they perform?It’s essential to purchase coffee beans whole and either grind them for each use or grind then store in an air tight container.

Oh pizza — there’s nothing I don’t love about you. I love you no matter how you’re served and I could eat you ever day. Pizza is easy to order, yes, but it’s just as easy to whip up in the comfort of your own home on a chilly winter night.I’m not vegetarian or vegan, but I honestly prefer a meat-less pizza (gasp, I know, I said it).

Baking, baking, baking — if you are baking a lot this holiday season, I hope you are well-equipped with great baking dishes. Having good bakeware can help you enjoy baking even more. I love baking savory foods and have found that while there are some dishes that you can use for almost anything — there are other dishes that make it even more enjoyable.I am absolutely in love with the Lucerne Casseroles from Crate and Barrel.

Small kitchens can have a ton of personality — often more so than large kitchens. That’s exactly the case with Caitlin’s small and stylish Echo Park kitchen!The small space has a ton of old world character that most LA area homes exude. The original cabinetry with glass doors add so much charm to the space and create an inviting environment. The addition of the charming light fixtures really adds to the old world charm.

I used to think that tablecloths were outdated and never would have thought about actually using one in my own home. However, my opinions are changing — especially after finding these beautiful tablecloths for entertaining!Sure tablecloths can be expensive and holiday specific but there are actually quite a few that don’t fall in either of those categories. A red tablecloth can be used year round and white is a no-brainer.

Purchasing a fixer upper is so exciting but also costs a lot of money. Michele and Ryan are approaching it in two phases — not so costly and very costly. During phase one they’ve actually been able to do quite a lot on a very reasonable budget.Craigslist and eBay played a huge roll in being able to create the home they’ve always dreamed of without having to spend a ton of money.

Kiwi’s are one of my all time favorite fruit. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and sour and the tiny seeds provide a subtle crunch that keeps me coming back for more. Of course, I love eating them immediately after removing the peel — but, they’re also delicious when introduced to other foods.

Chocolate is a food group, if you ask me — and that’s why I used just about any excuse to whip up chocolatey desserts. My going excuse is that the temperatures are dropping (ever so slightly, but still!) so that means I can use the oven to bake something with chocolate inside. Here are a chocolate few treats I’ve bookmarked lately.I enjoy chocolate in all forms and that’s why I like to have several desserts that star chocolate.

We’re on a banana roll today at The Kitchn! Hello there, banana bread scones? We just can’t stay away from bananas for long. In fact, bananas are one of my favorite things to eat. They’re always around, quite inexpensive and delicious — treats with no fuss and no mess. You don’t even have to treat bananas in any special way for them to be tasty — but they only get better when you tap into their sweeter side.

Eggs are one of our favorite foods. They are so versatile, such a team player! But let’s make them the star, from time to time. It’s actually incredibly easy to make eggs the star of the show and here are five ways to do so.The Ham and Egg Crepe Squares from Framed Cooks sounds absolutely delicious and is stunningly beautiful.The great thing about egg nests is that they require very little ingredients and effort. The dishes look like masterpieces but took no time at all to make.

Bite-sized food is good for all occasions: Parties, quick lunches, after-school snacks. Here are a few easy options!There are so many fun no-bake bite sized snacks out there. The sky is the limit. You don’t have to heat up the house to make something sweet; you should try the No-Bake Coconut Candies from Coconut Recipes. They take no time at all and best of all, you won’t unnecessarily heat up your house.

The kitchen of Beatrice and Ramsey is quite different than what I typically share and that’s exactly why I was drawn to it. Not every kitchen is characterized by subway tile and butcher block counters. Sometimes it’s fun and refreshing to think outside the box, much like this family has.The kitchen is filled with color, texture and certainly a plethora of creativity and personality — exactly as they planned.

It’s time to send the kiddies (and hubbies) back to school (work) and it’s important to make sure their lunches are packed full of delicious and healthy snacks. Fruit is always a favorite but can often be rather messy when traveled with. Dried fruit really is the best of both worlds.You can dry just about any fruit, it’s all up to your imagination and taste buds! Certainly we’ve heard of dried apricots (my favorite!

Chickpeas are one of my absolute favorite things to eat. You can eat them dried, cooked, plain, with salt — you get the idea! The fact that they can be used in so many dishes is exactly the reason why it was so fun and easy to find dishes that put chickpeas on a pedestal.Chickpea salads, like the Chickpea Quinoa Salad from The Healthy Foodie is a quintessential crisp and healthy salad that showcases chickpeas in all their glory.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean I have to stick to eating salad every night. Instead of turning on the oven and making the house even hotter than it already is, the slow cooker is an excellent option. You can cook just about anything without creating your own heat wave.Crock pot meals aren’t just for your grandmother or super busy families on the go; they’re actually a really great way to slow cook meat or well, just about anything!

I enjoy eating meat as much as the next person, except when it comes to ground meat. I have a weird textural issue with ground meat and shy away from it except for the occasional (gasp) lean ground turkey. Therefor, I have to get creative when it comes to an occasional burger craving.During summer months my fiance and I grill as much as possible.

When I think of Antonio Ballatore I imagine bright pink and bold design. Luckily, those two things can be found throughout his house and more specifically in his kitchen. He’s created a funky and fresh kitchen that meets all of his needs and makes a huge impact.Who doesn’t appreciate the fact that he took the hot pink goose that made him famous and splashed it on the giant wall in his kitchen.

When I think of summer one of the first things that come to mind are lemons. The staple citrus can be used in so many different ways and no matter what the outcome it’s always refreshing. It’s always a plus that you don’t need to turn your oven on for most of these!Lemons are refreshing year round but they’re especially coveted when it’s sweltering outside. The most refreshing of the bunch is the Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches from Eat Live Travel Write.

Baby, it’s hot outside and I’m looking in every direction for something refreshing. It’s pretty easy to grab a glass of something cold and refreshing but it’s often a little more difficult to find something equally refreshing to eat. Don’t think these are boring just because they’re salads — they’re actually pretty special.One of the absolute best attributes of these salads is that each can easily be whipped up on a whim.

Is avocado a wonder fruit? Apparently there are millions of people who swear by its ability to keep them in tip-top shape. And yet, growing up I was never really introduced to avocado. I’m not entirely sure why. But now I’m slowly but surely adding it into my daily (well, monthly) eating routine, and these easy, yummy dishes really help.Avocado is my new favorite food.

Wonton wrappers get a bad rap (pun intended). Plenty of people only use them for cuisines of a certain background and forget about them the rest of the time. These little gems are actually quite useful no matter the background of the cuisine you’re preparing. In the mood for low-calorie tacos tonight? No problem! Grab turkey, lettuce, tomato and yes, wonton wrappers — they make perfect taco shells.

I’ve never met an apple I didn’t want to eat. That’s the great thing about this wonder fruit — they taste awesome in just about any form. Throw them in with sausage or into a traditional pie, or even slather them with peanut butter — they are always delicious, always a winner. I found five even more awesome ways to eat apples here — want to see them?

Sometimes cookie cutter isn’t always a bad things in the realm of kitchen design, particularly of the modern variety. Bold rectangular and square lines draws the eye in and doesn’t let it go anywhere else. Sometimes the best things are the simplest.Simplicity is certainly the key to success in the kitchen of Deron and Marye. The clean lines draw you in and demand your attention. It’s as if you want to look everywhere at once because it’s just so darn interesting.

Ice cream is one of my favorite things to eat. Not only because it’s readily available, but it also comes in a plethora of flavors. There truly is an ice cream out there for everyone no matter what ingredients you prefer. You can even opt for dairy-free ice cream!If you’re a straight up ice cream lover, you’ll most definitely want to try the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream recipe from Dinner And Dessert — it truly sounds like an ice cream lovers dream!

In this day and age it’s hard to come across an original kitchen. Most everyone is jumping on the chance to renovate a dated kitchen and bring it straight into the modern world. That includes bright white, black and super modern — but that’s not always the best idea, especially if you’d like to respect the home. Respect was key in the eyes of Minh and Ted when they renovated their kitchen.

Zucchini is in season right now and it’s such a versatile vegetable. It can be used in so many other ways besides the ones we grew up thinking about — savory italian dishes. Due to the fact that it holds flavors so well; it can be dressed up or down and made sweet or savory.If you are looking to take a somewhat traditional route; shave ribbons of zucchini into a green salad. The ribbons will add great texture and absorb the amazing flavors of the dressing.

Party food is meant to be fun and a direct reflection of the ambiance and atmosphere you’re trying to create with the party. If you’re looking to throw a fun, down to earth yet delicious party — maybe you should seriously consider serving food on a stick. Yes, you read that right — on a stick!

Muffin pans are a bakeware staple in just about every kitchen. Whether they’re thrown in the back of a cabinet because you don’t fancy yourself much of a baker or if you blow through several a year — you’re always glad at some point that you’ve got them. But they’re not just for baking sweet things — look at these five make-ahead, mini finger foods from muffin pans.

Living in an incredibly impatient and busy society I think we can all agree that we’re often looking for shortcuts and easier ways to get things done. Freezing food is a great way to save money by buying in bulk and time because you’re not making ten trips to the store in one week. However, defrosting is a definite downfall due to the time it takes.When I take my monthly trip to the Italian Market in Philadelphia I really stock up on meat.