Ok, I’ll just cut right to the point… It’s been awhile. This isn’t to say I haven’t been in the kitchen, because I definitely have been, but there are times when I just enjoy throwing things into pots and dishes and ignoring my pretty little measuring cups. 

The good news is, Busy as a Brie is back. After many emails from friends and family with subtle hints to get my blog in gear, it’s nice to know someone out there is enjoying my recipes!

Here’s the thing though. I’ve got a marathon in June. I just started my training. My eating changes pretty drastically when the running season begins, so you can expect more hearty dishes and less sweets. But fear not, the sweet stuff will always come around from time to time!

Let’s get right to it with this beautiful, rich and luscious soup.

For the recipe, click here:

Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

We just got back from such a refreshing weekend packed with long hikes and some seriously breathtaking moments. I love to be outdoors. I find myself smiling the most when I’m sweaty and suntanned and breathing in fresh air. So the past few days have been a thrill!

Zion National park is a stunning place. Ivan and I tackled Angel’s Landing which helped us triumph over any fear of heights we might have had. There were moments when the trail would shrink to 2 feet and stretching down to either side were sheer drops of 12,000 feet. You can be sure we held pretty tightly to the chains that were nailed into the limestone. Reaching the top was euphoric and offered an insane view!

Keeping in tune with this refreshing weekend, as I was browsing through our pictures, I munched on this brightly seasoned lunch.

For the Recipe, click here:

Summery Squash Salad with Barley and Shrimp

I am hooked on barley. It is such a versatile and satisfying, chewy little grain. This fresh salad sparked when I came upon these cute clementines that looked almost too perfect to eat. Clementines remind me of my childhood and the single orange ball I would find at the toe of my Christmas stocking every year. Once we pulled everything out, my brothers and I would sit and eat our clementines while admiring our loot. Something about them just makes me happy.

So for a lunch date with my friend Jamie, I marinated and grilled some beautiful salmon to go with this spring salad. It was a perfect lazy lunch on the porch accompanied by sunshine and Monty contentedly munching on his favorite stuffed beaver.

For the Recipes, click here:

Orange and Maple Glazed Salmon

Clementine, Barley, and Spinach Salad with Cinnamon Citrus Dressing