A Side of Sweet

Perfect Pineapple Mojito or Nojito

A recipe for a refreshing pineapple mojito with a virgin ‘nojito’ option. A fun and easy upgrade to the traditional mojito cocktail.

If you like piña coladas…then you’ll love a pineapple mojito! They are the ultimate umbrella drink and the perfect exotic summer cocktail. Conveniently, I’m bringing them to you just in time for the Fourth of July.

My biggest pet peeve is when the non-alcoholic drink option is just juice or water. Many times I’m more of a no-jito kind of girl, especially when I’m looking at a long day at the hospital the next day. It’s always nice to have a mocktail option when you’re mixing drinks. Designated drivers and boring doctors deserve some fun too! Making pineapple nojitos (aka virgin or non alcoholic mojitos) will keep them from missing out on the Fourth of July festivities…. Read More »

Cairns Australia Rainforest Tour

A must-do for Tropical North Queensland is a Cairns Australia Rainforest Tour. Wait-a-While offers a lot of wildlife sighting, including platypus and kangaroos.

One of the highlights of my trip to Cairns, Australia was a Rainforest Tour. There is rainforest located just outside of Cairns and seeing it was an incredible experience. Based on glowing TripAdvisor reviews, I booked a tour with Wait-A-While rainforest tours.

Paul, the owner, picked me up from my hotel in his white sprinter van. Groups can be as large as 11, but I won the lottery and I was the only one on the tour that day. We had our first wildlife spotting before we even left Cairns. Apparently the suburbs of Cairns are absolutely overrun with wallabys, which are in the same family as kangaroos…. Read More »

Spicy Potato Skins & Greek Yogurt Dip

Gluten Free Vegetarian Vegan

Spicy potato skins are SO good and they’re healthier than french fries. Dip them in a spicy Greek yogurt dip for the ultimate party recipe. Enjoy with a Vinho Verde wine from Portugal.

French fries are trouble. I used to waitress in college and french fries were my nemesis. It’s literally impossible for me to stop eating them and I gained five pounds within the first few months of starting.

These spicy potato skins bring me back to my service industry days. Not only do they taste great and with just a bit of oil and absolutely no frying, but they also aren’t quite as bad for you either. Good thing, because they are just as hard to resist as a plateful of fries…. Read More »

Colorful Rainbow Dessert Recipes

Need some Rainbow Dessert Recipes for your next party? Here are some suggestions – everything from stuffed cupcakes to confetti popcorn.

Hello from Cairns, Australia! You know if you follow me on Snapchat that I’m here for a medical conference. Yesterday I presented my research on secondary cancers caused by chemotherapy to a large international audience. It was an honor to have the opportunity but also a little overwhelming. It went well though, and I got a lot of great comments and feedback…. Read More »

Make an Instagrammable Cheese and Charcuterie Platter

How to Make an Instagrammable Cheese and Charcuterie Platter to wow everyone at your next party! What to use, how to arrange it, and what to Vinho Verdes wines to drink with it.

There are few things that stop people in their tracks like a beautiful cheese and charcuterie platter. I would argue that it’s also one of the easiest party dishes that you can make to get this ‘wow’ effect. In fact, the gorgeous platter you see above took just minutes to make. I probably spent more time unwrapping the cheese and slicing the charcuterie than I did actually arranging it!

You’ll find everything you need to create the most Pinterest-perfect cheese and charcuterie platter, including a video, after the jump!… Read More »

White House Inn Napa

White House Inn in Napa is a gem in California wine country. It’s a gorgeous boutique hotel with a great location. It’s perfect for a romantic getaway.

A few weeks ago, Ally and I decided to get out of town for a girls’ weekend. What better place than wine country? We checked into the White House Inn in Napa which was the perfect home base for exploring the area.

The recently-renovated White House Inn is one of the most beautifully-decorated hotels I’ve ever stayed at. Every detail is completely thought out. From agate coasters to colorful coffee table books, it’s a design haven. It’s small, with only seventeen rooms, which make it feel really cozy…. Read More »