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Recipes

Whether you’re fueling up for a busy day or just grabbing a snack between episodes of your favorite sitcom, we all need a good recipe from time to time.

Use the shortcuts below to read some of Shannon’s favorite recipes, or keep scrolling to view all the recipes by TUO organized by type: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, or my favorite, dessert.

  • Italian Herb Crackers
    If you mention there’s a charcuterie board involved, I’m going all in. They’re the perfect grazing board for vacation, holidays, or for hosting on a budget with little prep involved. Crackers are a must-have for a charcuterie setup, but costs … Read more
  • Margherita Pizza
    Some things were meant to be on pizza. Halved cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls may be some of the more basic ingredients to include, but there is bliss in the simplicity of a recipe like this. You don’t even have … Read more
  • Wild Violet Pink Lemonade
    A fresh glass of lemonade is a summertime staple for our family and what better than to make it homemade? If you’ve already made my Wild Violet Syrup recipe then you’re in luck, and if not, it’s pretty simple and … Read more
  • PB&J Inspired Brunch
  • Two-Ingredient Berry Toast Topping
  • How to Make the Perfectly Balanced Granola Bowl
  • Easy Cinnamon French Toast Recipe
  • Vegan Oat Blueberry Pancakes
  • Eggless Banana Bread with Caramelized Topping
  • Margherita Pizza
  • Air Fried Mac & Cheese Bites
  • 20 Minute Nutritious Shrimp Tacos!
  • The Easiest, Cheesiest Homemade Pizza Recipe!
  • Low-Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice (Keto-Friendly!)
  • 3 Ingredient Tomato Sauce!
  • Dill Pull-Apart Bread
  • Oven-Baked Summer Squash Chips
  • Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Recipe
  • Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  • Margherita Pizza
  • 20 Minute Nutritious Shrimp Tacos!
  • The Easiest, Cheesiest Homemade Pizza Recipe!
  • Low-Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice (Keto-Friendly!)
  • 3 Ingredient Tomato Sauce!
  • Oven-Baked Summer Squash Chips
  • The Perfect Kabobs for a Summer Cookout!
  • Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Recipe
  • Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  • Italian Herb Crackers
  • 10-Minute Bruschetta
  • Healthy Choco-Chip Muffins!
  • 9 Do’s and Don’ts of Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries
  • Dill Pull-Apart Bread
  • Granola Bliss Balls 3 Ways
  • Chipotle Cheese Corn Dip
  • Wild Violet Syrup
  • ‘Be My Valentine’ Iced Brownie Dupe
  • Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
  • Caramelized Blueberry Topping
  • Candy Corn Cookies
  • Healthy Choco-Chip Muffins!
  • Pumpkin Pie Has Competition This Thanksgiving!
  • 9 Do’s and Don’ts of Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries
  • Ooey Gooey & Fudgy Zucchini Brownies
  • Eggless Banana Bread with Caramelized Topping
  • Oh-So-Flaky Mini Pumpkin Turnovers
  • Holiday Spiral Sugar Cookies!

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Recent Posts

  • Italian Herb Crackers
  • Sowing Seeds Ahead of Spring
  • Margherita Pizza
  • Wild Violet Pink Lemonade
  • Wild Violet Syrup

Reader Favorites

Managing and Maintaining 3A Curls

10 Journal Entries for Self-Discovery

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Who remembers these journals? They were the very f Who remembers these journals? They were the very first product I ever made with my TUO photography on it and I still have a couple leftover 💕 I of course kept one for myself and have since filled it almost halfway full of journal entries straight from the heart

What would you use this journal for?
Alright y’all, who’s ready for my Italian herb Alright y’all, who’s ready for my Italian herb cracker recipe?! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I made these for our trip to Deep Creek as we always stop by @fireflymarketdeepcreek and they made the perfect base for all the different flavors we got 🤤

I’m in the final stages of getting this posted, so keep an eye out!
I’ve been considering an update to last year’s I’ve been considering an update to last year’s post on fall earring inspiration… these definitely need to make it on there!
There’s always something to admire in the space There’s always something to admire in the space around us. This little guy was happy buzzing around (quite loudly) while I washed my car and I couldn’t help but watch him for a while. If you’re lucky, you can catch them leaping from one flower to the next, letting their wings dance around in the wind rather than putting them to work.
In case you didn’t know, the Untamed Optimist is In case you didn’t know, the Untamed Optimist is 7 years old as of August 2023 and I couldn’t be more proud of where it’s come in all these years. I know it’s been pushed to the back burner recently as my other business has picked up, but I can’t wait to make more TUO content for you in the coming weeks ☺️ thank you for sticking with me all this time, and get ready for new posts by #theuntamedoptimist coming soon!

I’m definitely sharing my Italian herb cracker recipe with you cause it was just too damn good not to, and I’ve got a few new ideas brewing for my local readers 😉 you’ll have to stay tuned for that one though!
There’s something so special about the wildflowe There’s something so special about the wildflowers that pop up around our garden spaces. The ones that are planted by the birds and cultivated by only Mother Nature’s touch.

Some might consider them weeds, but I know they serve a purpose. Take a moment to appreciate the ‘weeds’ in your yard today.
Our Hostas are blooming and I’m feeling grateful Our Hostas are blooming and I’m feeling grateful for the long lasting blooms we get this time of year. I made a point to scatter the Hostas around the garden beds earlier this season in an effort to do two things:

Toward the end of last summer, the hostas had completely outgrown their space and weren’t living up to their potential. Dividing them filled the otherwise empty spaces in our beds whilst allowing each individual plant to grow bigger to fill it in.

While the largest section of Hostas wasn’t quite as showy as last year, our garden is already fuller and will only fill in more as the years go on. Turns out, plants and people aren’t so different if you think about it 🤔
It’s important to be present in each moment as i It’s important to be present in each moment as it comes. I try to remember this as often as I can and my garden is often the best reminder.

Each bloom changes day by day. The colors and conditions are always a sight to see and I don’t think I’ll ever not look forward to it. Nothing beats an evening stroll during harvest season.

Ask yourself, how do you ground yourself in the present? There are more opportunities than you may expect.
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