Zucchini Ripieni ~ a guest post on Ditch the Wheat

Today I am pleased to be guest posting on Ditch The Wheat. I first became acquainted with Carol through the Food Bloggers Network and got to know her blog which, as the name suggests, focuses on gluten-free and low-carb baking and cooking recipes. Carol creates enticing recipes for anyone who likes sweet treats like Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes or flavorful, savory dishes such as Clams in Spicy Coconut Sauce; all with her special low-carb and gluten-free touch.

If you've been reading Oh Cake regularly chances are you don't follow a particular diet (other than deliciousness). But maybe you're curious about gluten-free cooking or you want to invite a friend to dinner who follows a low-carb diet. Cooking for special diets shouldn't be scary - use it to let your imagination run wild. Or in my case, use the opportunity to recreate a favorite dish from your past life in Italy.

To read more about these zucchini ripieni (stuffed zucchini) and the story behind them click on over to Ditch The Wheat.

Grilled Vegetable Burgers with Balsamic Glaze

Who doesn't love getting together with friends around the grill in the summer? Whether you grill burgers and hot dogs, veggies, fish, or fruit, summer tastes a little better when we're at a backyard barbecue. These burgers combine a classic meatloaf blend with ground turkey for a heart-healthy twist on the classic. By adding finely chopped grilled vegetables the flavor profile becomes more nuanced (aka "tastier") while boosting the vitamin and fiber content of each burger.

Confession time, peeps. This Cake needs to lose some of the buttercream around the edges. These grilled vegetable burgers allow me to feed my summertime soul while being kinder to my waistline than the original. It's also a fantastic way to use up leftover grilled vegetables from the night before. I like using red peppers, eggplant, and zucchini but you can use whatever variety of grilled vegetables you like best.

Cloak, Dagger, and Meatballs - A Family Sunday Recipe

On Facebook the other day a good friend of mine posted a request for family friendly healthy dinner ideas. As a half-dozen ideas popped in my head I was suddenly stopped in my tracks by these two thoughts:

1. She works long hours with a long commute (i.e. little time at home)
2. She has an elementary-school age child (would he eat what I eat?) 

So I started thinking more strategically... what takes relatively little time to make, is healthy enough to satisfy adults and tasty enough to satisfy kids? The answer was clear. Big, flashing neon sign clear.