This week has been both challenging and wonderful. Challenging because I’ve been feeling a little under the weather, struggling with neck pain, headaches, and stomach issues, but wonderful because these things have forced me to slow down and get some much needed rest.

We had friends over on short notice yesterday, and more and more, I find some of our best meals are born out of these types of spontaneous gatherings. Our guests brought a (delicious!) salad, and we pieced together what we had to create a patchwork feast, including this grilled feta cheese and flatbread appetizer. I placed a good size block of feta on a square of foil, topped it with extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, and dried oregano, then wrapped it and warmed it off to the side of the grill for about 20 minutes. While the cheese was heating up, we rolled out a few rounds of my favorite dough, then tossed it on the grill (about 2-3 minutes on each side) to create a simple flatbread. The flavorful, slightly spicy feta was the perfect topping for our fresh bread and was definitely a hit. In the future, I might jazz this dish up even more by incorporating roasted garlic into the bread dough and brushing the finished product with melted butter.

Earlier in the week, pico di gallo was on the menu. We didn’t have tacos or anything Mexican to serve with it (other than chips, of course!), but in my world, pico de gallo doesn’t need to make sense. It just needs to be made. (Check out my recipe if you want to try making it yourself!)

We got a lot of use out of our grill this week! Utilizing the same dough that we used for our flatbread, we made these yummy grilled pizzas with goat cheese, bacon, and yellow bell peppers. The pizza-grilling method that has been working for us is to grill the dough for 2 minutes on one side (medium high heat) and then remove it from the heat onto a plate, flipping it so that the cooked side is facing up. We add whatever toppings strike our fancy, then slide the pizza back on to the grill to allow the bottom side to cook for about 2-3 minutes more. By the time the crust is done, the toppings should be ready, too. With this dish and with pretty much everything else we make on the grill, we try to keep the lid of the grill closed as much as possible. Otherwise, the heat dissipates, and it takes the food f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to cook.

This is my new favorite combination: peaches + honey + ground cinnamon. Try it!

We all know it’s important to eat healthy even on the go, but that’s easier said than done. Thanks to some recent Costco splurges, I have lots of raw nuts and dried fruit on hand and have been trying to take some with me when I am out running errands. This combination of almonds + apricots has been making a frequent appearance, but there are so many options with this. And the good thing is, if I don’t eat them all when I’m out, I can keep them in my car or purse till next time without having to worry about them going bad.

The last culinary highlight of my week was this salad. Local yellow and red tomatoes were dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and then finished with some crumbled feta. Easy, fresh, and full of flavor. That’s my kind of meal!