A Side of Sweet

Biking Across the Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco

An easy guide to biking across the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, CA. Information on cycling routes, bike rentals, what to wear and general tips.

One of my favorite adventures in San Francisco is biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. There are many options for routes, depending on your level of fitness – and level of ambition. Visitors from out-of-town are always asking me for advice on how best to see Golden Gate Bridge, and for sure it’s on a bicycle! I want to share with you all of my tips and tricks to help you have the best – and safest – time. You’ll find everything you need in this handy guide, inspired by a recent ride that Cynthia and I did…. Read More »

Flaky Rhubarb Hand Pies

A recipe for perfectly flaky rhubarb hand pies that are fun to eat and great for a party. Choose bright pink rhubarb to ensure a vibrant filling. Oh, and ruminations on blogs that are no longer.

With Feedly rolling out paid subscriptions, I decided it was time to slim down on the number of blogs I follow so I could keep the free version. This meant unfollowing over 100 blogs. Surprisingly, this was easier than I thought. Sadly, many of the blogs that I’ve followed for as long as I can remember haven’t been updated in months, or even years…. Read More »

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar & Parmesan

Gluten Free Vegetarian

A roasted asparagus recipe with balsamic vinegar and parmesan that is easy to make and super healthy! The best time to buy asparagus is in spring, from March to May.

One of my favorite things about spring is that it is asparagus season! Now that it’s March, I starting to incorporate asparagus into every meal possible, like this zucchini noodle pasta recipe. One of my favorite ways to eat asparagus is also one of the most simple – roasted and topped with balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese. This recipe is also very similar to the dish that was served at our wedding.
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Splatter Painted French Macarons

Use edible food paint to make these colorful splatter-painted French Macarons! Plus, a step by step recipe for plain french macaron shells.

Painting macarons, or sugar cookies or cakes, for that matter is so easy! All you need is some high-quality food coloring gel, a food-safe paintbrush, and a bit of vodka or almond extract.

I probably should have inserted some sort of joke here about drinking vodka to reduce the stress of making macarons, but it’s actually for your paint! It’s the perfect solvent for your gel food coloring. It evaporates when it dries and leaves no taste or unwanted color behind…. Read More »

Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn Recipe

Bacon makes everything better – including this recipe for spicy caramel bacon popcorn. It’s the perfect movie night snack!

If you’ve been reading long, it’s no secret I’m a popcorn recipe fanatic. From healthy snack to decadent treat, I love how versatile it is. I first made this Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn Recipe for a backyard movie night. My first thought was that it sounded too good to be true. Sweet, salty, bacon, caramel? All in one recipe? Could it be too much of a good thing?… Read More »

Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Spring Vegetables

Gluten Free Vegetarian

A beautiful and healthy Spring Zucchini Noodle Pasta Recipe with Asparagus, Peas and Feta, plus how to make zoodles without a spiralizer.

‘Zoodles’ is such a funny word for what are actually zucchini thinly sliced into delicious ribbons that mimic fettuccini pasta. Spring is the perfect time to add, or replace, your pasta with zoodles. It’s one of those easy swaps to make a recipe healthier, and when done right, you won’t even miss your traditional pasta! Lightly cooked, they have a texture and taste similar to noodles.

For this recipe, you can make summer squash and zucchini noodles without a spiralizer. To make the gorgeous supple ribbons you see in these photos, use a mandolin slicer. Mandolin slicers are super cheap and so useful! I highly recommend adding one to your cooking routine. They save time and elevate vegetables to things of beauty.A vegetable peeler will also work, you’ll just get thicker noodles. If you want to use a spiralizer, by all means, that will work fine too…. Read More »