Category Archives: Food

Recipe: Greek Quinoa Salad

Food, How to's, , , , , ,

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Now that I live in South Florida, my taste buds always seem to be after Mediterranean and/or tropical flavors. Fresh and crunchy vegetables, tangy tastes of citrus or vinegar, that sort of thing. With that in mind, I thought I’d give ya a peek at my dinner plate from last night….

Thin pork-chop marinated in mojo sauce (cut into strips because I am a child),

Fluffy pita bread and hummus,

Creamy slices of avocado (which I topped with a ton of salt and pepper if we’re being honest),

And a heaping helping of Greek Quinoa Salad!

It super fit the bill and satisfied my cravings for a summertime-is-upon-us feast. Wanna know how to whip up your own Greek Quinoa Salad? Of course you do! It would be a perfect dish to make this weekend for work-week lunch prep or to pack along for a picnic pot-luck.

greek quinoa salad

What you’ll need:

– 1 cup quinoa

– 1 1/2 cups water

– 1 red bell pepper

– 1 green bell pepper

– 1 cucumber

– 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

– 1/4 cup olive oil

– 3 Tbsps apple cider vinegar

– salt and pepper to taste

And how it all comes together:

– Rinse quinoa and then place it in a saucepan on medium heat to toast for a few minutes and get rid of any excess moisture.

– Add water to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and cover the pot with the lid slightly off kilter (so as to allow some steam to escape). Let this simmer for 12-14 minutes.

– While quinoa is simmering, chop bell peppers and cucumber.

– Fluff quinoa with a fork, take it off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

– Once quinoa is cooled, add it to a large bowl along with chopped vegetables and feta cheese. Note: To make this salad vegan you could replace the feta with olives as they both provide a salty flavor. Also, non-vegans who like olives (aka NOT ME) could have BOTH!

– To create the dressing: whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Then add this mixture to your salad.

– Serve room temperature or place in the refrigerator to chill.

– Enjoy!

greek dinner

Have any recipe ideas that might keep my cravings satisfied for the months of sky-rocketing temperatures ahead here in Miami? What have YOUR dinner plates been lookin’ like lately? Share below! 

Review: Graze Box

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graze box

I’ll admit it. I can get a bit hangry… that is, the general annoyance with everything around and speaking to me that pops up whenever my tummy starts to grumble and there’s no food in sight. Once I figured this out about myself it was like a light-bulb moment and I resolved to approach everyday excursions prepared. Yet, there’s only so many lara bars and cuban crackers a girl can eat! I needed to up my snacking game. Which is why I was super stoked to stumble upon Graze.

Graze combines wholesome ingredients with knock-your-socks off flavors to create hundreds of different exciting snacks. They then send a selection of these snacks to your doorstep. You get to choose how many snacks to receive and how often. My first box of 4 came with strawberries and cream protein granola topper, zesty lime & red pepper salsa with pita chips, honeycomb flapjack, and twist of black pepper popcorn. The snacks were so delicious I immediately signed up to receive 8 snacks/monthly. I love that each snack features a handy health badge that let’s you know important information; like whether it’s a good source of fiber, contains 1/2 a cup of fruit, or is low-calorie, so you can feel good about your snacking choices. I also really appreciate that they’re portion controlled, which saves me from my natural inclination of getting down on a bag of trail mix only to realize I’ve eaten like 6 servings.

sample graze box

strawberries and cream granola

And the best part? They’re the perfect size and packaging to tuck inside my purse. So the next time Miami traffic keeps me out past my lunch-time I won’t start grumbling and griping. Gotta love convenience! Bring ’em along anywhere. Think: on a hike, in an airport, post workout, you get the picture.

pack a snack

sriracha crunch

You can order 4-snacks for $5.99 or 8-snacks for $11.99 and choose to have them delivered weekly, every 2 weeks or monthly. For high quality, wholesome snacks delivered to my door, I’ll happily pay $1.50 a pop. Similar snacks at Whole Foods or Publix would often run me much more.

Anyways, if you too are prone to getting a little hangry, I highly recommend checking out this service. Bonus: Graze will let you try out a 4-snack box for TOTALLY FREE with the code BETHB8RZP. If you love the service and decide to stick around? You’ll also receive your fifth box for free, too! Thank you so much, Graze. Happy snacking!

 

Recipe: Cincinnati Chili

Food, How to's, , , , ,

cincinnati chili

Growing up in Central Kentucky, with two sets of grandparents one state up in Ohio, I learned to love the joys of serving chili with a dash of cinnamon and a plate of slippery spaghetti noodles. I can remember slurping up this beloved regional concoction as a kid, whipped up at home and on family day trips to visit the Cincinnati malls. A few years ago, a Goldstar Chili opened up just blocks away from my mom’s house and our whole family greeted it with open arms. (Even the vegans among us…they’ve got that plant-based hook up at Goldstar, y’all.) In fact, a couple days ago when my mom texted our family group chat to say she didn’t feel like cooking dinner my sister and I BOTH responded she should hit up that Goldstar. But then that got ME craving the stuff…and since I no longer live by any Skylines or Goldstars…I headed to my kitchen instead!

What you’ll need:

– small onion, chopped

– 1 lb. ground turkey

– red bell pepper, chopped

– 2 cups chicken broth

– 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

– 2 6 oz cans tomato paste

– 1 1/2 tsps apple cider vinegar

– 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

– 2 Tbsps chili powder

– 2 tsps ground cumin

– 1 1/2 tsps salt

– 1 tsp cayenne

– 1 tsp cinnamon

– 1 tsp paprika

– 1 Tbsp cocoa powder

– 1/2 tsp garlic powder

– 1 can of beans (red kidney, black, whatever you have on hand)

And how it all comes together: 

– Heat the chopped onion in a pan with some olive oil until the edges start to caramelize.

– Add the ground turkey and separate it with a spoon. Cook until browned.

– Transfer turkey and onions to a crockpot. Then add all of the remaining ingredients listed above except for the beans.

– Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

– Add a drained can of beans to the crockpot for the last hour of cooking time.

– Serve chili over spaghetti or angel hair pasta noodles. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and oyster crackers!

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What’s your favorite type of chili? SHARE BELOW! 

Meal Planning for Beginners in 7 Easy Steps

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Think you’re too broke, too lazy, or too culinary clueless for meal planning? Think again! Follow these 7 steps and you’ll be well on your way to an easy week of meals.

1. Choose 2 breakfasts.

Select two breakfast options. One will bear the brunt of your breakfasting so you’ll want to choose something that’s quick, filling, and economical. I don’t think anything fits that bill better than oatmeal but of course toast, smoothies, or cereal are great options as well. The other breakfast is more of a treat. When it comes to the broke, lazy, and clueless categories listed above; I fall into the lazy camp. So a treat for me would be greek yogurt with a few toppings (like granola and fruit). It takes even less time to prepare than my ol’ work-horse oatmeal but it’s also not as cheap. Therefore, I would choose it as my secondary option. You could of course get fancier with pancakes, omelettes, or whatever you like. But just stick to two for the week!

2. Pack your lunch.

Plan to bring your lunch along to work or school. This will keep you from dipping into your pocketbook for restaurant or cafeteria fare but will also make sure you have a healthy option on hand. You can control your food’s ingredients if YOU are the one who prepares it. Below is an example of a work-week’s worth of lunches. Think of your packed lunches as a puzzle with three parts:

  1. An entree – like a salad or sandwich
  2. A fruit or veggie side
  3. Something extra to help keep you full – like a protein or healthy fat

work lunch meal plan

3. Use leftovers whenever possible.

Incorporate leftovers from your dinners into your lunches whenever possible. Salads are great for this. Throw some leftover taco filling on top of some greens and veggies and you’ve got a taco salad! Or include a smaller portion of the protein or veggie you had for dinner as one of your side items.

Weekend lunches are more of a free-for-all without a set plan. Dedicate these meals to eating up the rest of your leftovers! Or if you’ve done a really great job on using them up throughout the week, take the opportunity to treat yourself. (More on that below!)

4. Plan a week of dinners and REPEAT.

Now I know this might seem crazy. But if you fall into one (or all) of the broke, lazy, and clueless categories then consider how helpful this may be. Choose 7 possible meals that you can cycle through week after week. Perhaps this sounds limiting but I really believe in decision fatigue. Especially where the daily 4 o’clock “Oh God, what am I gonna have for dinner?” question is concerned. Why not make it easy on yourself? Now I’m not saying you pick 7 recipes and make those recipes to the LETTER over and over for the rest of all time. Select meals that allow you to expand or simplify as needed. Meals that allow you to switch it up when you want to or stick to old, tried and true favorites when you’re exhausted and over it. Let’s go through the examples below…

dinner meal plan menu

  • Spaghetti – This is a dish I can make with my eyes closed so it’s perfect for Monday nights. If I feel like switching it up I can use my spiralizer to make zucchini noodles or I can switch out the ground beef/turkey for veggies. I could make meatballs or a traditional bolognese or even a lentil bolognese. I can have the spaghetti with a big salad or breadsticks or even a caprese.
  • Beans & Rice – I can alternate between a Cajun style and a Cuban style. I could do baked beans and switch the rice out for toast. I can serve any of these with a side of whatever veggie is on sale or in season.
  • Breakfast for Dinner –  Scrambled eggs with fruit and toast or biscuits. Blueberry waffles or pancakes with bacon and yogurt. The possibilities are endless (and cheap) and everyone has their favorites when it comes to breakfast.
  • Tacos – You can do hard tacos or soft, tacos in a bowl (ie. haystacks), or everything served over chips instead of in a shell. Taco salads for a healthier spin. Keep them vegetarian or do them with pork, chicken, ground beef, or fish. There’s no paying extra for guac when you’re at home. Just whip some up!
  • Pizza – Topping choices galore so pick your poison! If you’re feeling especially not into it, pick up a frozen pizza or a pre-made but uncooked number from the deli at your grocery store. Or make it yourself. OR make it yourself on top of pita bread or bagels. Wanna up your veggie intake? Serve some crudites with ranch or hummus for dipping as a side.
  • Mac & Cheese – You might be feeling some comfort food on Saturdays. Mix butternut squash into the sauce or add peas. Make it super kid friendly with hot dogs or elevate it with bacon and caramelized onions.
  • Dinner on a board – Super easy and no cooking involved. A perfect way to ease into a new week. Think: Salami, cheeses, grapes, cornichons, crusty bread, etc. Yum!

You don’t have to use these meals/ideas. Create your own! And you can always switch them out or around as needed just in case you get bored or want to expand your horizons.

5. Find a few snacks that suit you.

Better to be prepared than suffer later! Just like with breakfast you’ll want to choose a few options for the week. I like to choose one that’s customizable and economical, like popcorn. Super cheap and you can make it sweet, savory, or spicy for whatever you’re feeling when the snacking urge hits. Then I like to choose another option that’s quick and filling. This is what you’ll pull out in case you’re HANGRY. My go-to for this is Lara bars but any sort of throw-it-in-your-bag snack would work. I also like to keep some bananas or baby carrots on hand for something healthy to munch on.

6. Commit to making one dessert item a week.
You can munch on whatever you make all week, serve it to unexpected guests or save it to bring with you to an event or for someone’s birthday at work. No need to get crazy… think: chocolate chip cookies, brownies, no bakes, simple cupcakes, fruit pies or crumbles. I share Michael Pollan’s belief that if you make it at home it’s probably not all that bad. Let’s not kid ourselves. You’re gonna want dessert. So, plan for it, make it at home, and then enjoy!
peanut butter chocolate no bake recipe
(recipe via Food Network.)
7. Treat yourself.

Finally, find ways to “go out to eat” that don’t involve the full-on dinner, drinks, and dessert rigamaroll. Complete restriction is a recipe for failure. Here are some ideas:

  1. Treat yourself to a nice coffee on the weekend over a good book or the newspaper.
  2. Treat yourself to an after-work happy hour drink for a catch-up chat with a co-worker or friend.
  3. Treat yourself to a supermarket lunch on Saturday afternoon. Think: salad bar, sushi, or a deli sandwich. Maybe even grab a cookie from the bakery or a fresh piece of fruit. Wash it down with your favorite drink.
  4. Treat yourself to an evening walk around your neighborhood that involves a quick stop-off at the ice cream parlor.

Choose one or two of these indulgences each week and you’ll find yourself much more capable of sticking to your plan.

Alright, over to you guys. Do you meal plan? Any tips you would add to this list? 

Recipe: Easy Broccoli Soup

Food, How to's, , ,

5 ingredient broccoli soup

This soup is so easy to make it is insane and you’ll be kicking yourself for all those times you heated up a can of Campbell’s in the name of convenience. And because it’s mostly made up of produce it’s super easy on the wallet too. Pair the finished product with a crusty slice of bread for a simple, week-night meal. I love the way broccoli tastes with loads of black pepper but you could also top your bowl with a mountain of shaved parmesan cheese or a dollop of sour cream for a hint of creaminess. Enjoy!

What you’ll need: 

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– 32 oz of chicken broth

– 2-3 heads of broccoli, cut into pieces

– olive oil

– 1 large or 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

– 1 onion, chopped

+ water, salt and pepper, and anything extra you’d like to use for topping!

And how it all comes together:

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Heat some olive oil in your soup pot. When it gets hot add your chopped onion and some salt and pepper and cook until the onions get soft and fragrant.

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Then, add your potatoes…

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broccoli…

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and finally the chicken stock. Add a few cups of water so that your liquid line is a couple inches below the top of the broccoli. Let the liquid come to a boil.

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Cover the pot and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. The broccoli should still be a vibrant green color but also soft. Now you can go to town with an immersion blender.

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*Note* If you don’t have an immersion blender you can blend everything up in small batches in a blender or food processor. Just make sure there’s a way for steam to escape.

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Blend to your desired consistency. I like to leave mine a little chunky for a heartier, more rustic soup. But you do you.

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Top according to your tastes and enjoy piping hot! Sure, it doesn’t look like much but MAN is it delicious.

Easy, peasy lemon-squeezy, right? Let me know if you give this one a try! Got any 5 ingredient recipes to recommend? Leave ’em below. 

 

January favorites.

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January Favorites

With the turning of the calendar page from January to February, it’s time to bundle together the best products, places, media and everything in between from the last month. Here are 9 things I found myself loving in January…

1. Punjammies

Pajamas ranked pretty high on my Christmas list this year because I take my comfies seriously. Lucky for me my mom delivered! She gifted me with a gorgeous pair of pajama pants from the company Sudara. I’ve mentioned Sudara’s punjammies in a blog post before but basically they’re pajamas created by women in India who wish to remain free from sex-slavery. The idea was sparked by International Princess Project as a way to offer an alternative occupation to the women physically, emotionally and economically enslaved in the brothels in India’s red light districts. They are exceptionally comfy and I would be happy to wear them 24-7.

2. Food processor

This one is another Christmas gift from my mom. While I still believe that with an immersion blender and a half gallon mason jar I’ll never need a blender, I was sick of passing up recipes which definitely called for a food processor. I find that a lot of really simple healthy recipes especially call for a few pulses in one of these kitchen gadgets. Since receiving my own I’ve made smoothie bowls, sauces, hummus, and soup. Best part? Chucking all the parts in the dishwasher for easy clean up. Oh, and the delicious food!

3. Herkimer diamond necklace

And keeping with the Christmas theme, my sister gave me this gorgeous herkimer diamond necklace. A friend of hers makes lovely and unique jewelry pieces and I’m so thrilled to give this particular piece a loving home. It’s a great every day necklace and looks cute with t-shirts and dresses alike.

4. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Sometimes I forget how much I love historical fiction but I love when I read something that makes me remember! This book is about a young Irish girl whose parents pass away on her journey across the Atlantic to America. A plantation owner takes her on as an indentured servant as payment for her crossing. Thus begins her life in the American South where she works side by side with the slaves who are also working in the “big home.” Set in the decades before the Civil War, the story tackles themes of class and race, but ultimately leaves you with a sense that feelings of family can transcend both. I would highly recommend this book.

5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Leading up to seeing this film, Chet and I re-watched the original Star Wars movies so I was really looking forward to keeping the story going. While I wouldn’t say I’m a huge Star Wars fan, I really liked this movie. Rey and Finn were super likable, BB8 was adorable, and Kylo Ren was perfectly troubled and scary. Not to mention all those original cast-members! Overall, a super fun trip to the movie theater. I’m sure you’ve already seen it but just in case–go check it out while it’s still on the big screen.

6. Alba Botanica Hawaiian – Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub

Alba Botanica is one of my favorite brands of skincare. This scrub, which I use once a week, is a fantastic exfoliator. The gentle buffing granules leave my skin feeling smooth and glow-y. It is also free from parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Always a good thing when slathering something onto your skin!

7. PicMonkey 

I’ve been having a blast playing around with this free photo editing website this past month. While they have a premium option, which costs $4.99/mo, there’s still tons of opportunity to create neat images totally for free! I had way too much fun creating (way too many) Save the Date options. (I think I’ll write a blog post later in February to show you how I did these, if you’d like.) Adobe can get pricey so it’s nice to find an affordable alternative.

8. 30 Day Yoga Camp

Hi, I’m a Yoga with Adriene fangirl, nice to meet ya! In all seriousness, this 30 day series of yoga videos is perfection. Each class is between 20-40 minutes. Not only do they provide a fantastic, sometimes butt-kicking flow but the focus on breath and mind was a refreshing change for an “exercise challenge.” The sessions centered around a daily mantra which I found really helpful to focus on, not just for the length of the practice, but throughout the rest of the day. I will definitely return to this yoga camp in the future! And I will carry the daily mantra practice with me through the rest of 2016.

9. Reading My Tea Leaves

Do you ever find a new-to-you blogger and then start binge reading all their backlog of posts? This was totally me this month with Erin Boyle’s blog, Reading My Tea Leaves. With a focus on simple, sustainable living, this blog is beautifully written and accompanied by pitch perfect photography. She recently published a book which, if it’s anything like the blog, I’d love to get my hands on soon.

Recipe: Chicken Pad Thai Salad

Food, How to's, , , , ,

pad thai 3

I’m a sucker for takeout Pad Thai. Realizing I hadn’t found a source for such things in Miami (YET!) and remembering that I know how to make a really delish Thai peanut sauce, I decided to whip up a little something, something to curb the craving. This particular taste for Thai coincided perfectly with receiving a GORGEOUS food processor from my mom at our belated Christmas celebration in St. Pete. Yes, you read that correctly. Food processors can be gorgeous! Especially when they can seamlessly whip up such delicious sauces as the one listed below. I’m so excited to tinker around with it further and quit bypassing all those pesky recipes that list “Put everything in a food processor and pulse” as a step like it ain’t no thang. Well…now, for me, IT AIN’T! HALLELOOOO! (Meanwhile, Chet noted that this new food processor speaks to my need to dirty every single dish we own whenever I make something…but that’s a story for another time.)

This salad is a lighter version of traditional Pad Thai because it utilizes veggies as the base. Great for those (rare) times when you don’t want a heaping helping of carbs. Throw some additional protein on top (we went for chicken) or leave it off. Either way, you’re gonna love this salad! You MIGHT even prefer it to the greasy takeout version… *gasp*

What you’ll need: 

For the “noodles”…

– 1 large or 3 small zucchini/s

– 1 carrot

– 1 1/2 cups of bean sprouts

– a few green onions

For the sauce…

– 4 Tbsps peanut butter

– 1 lime, juiced

– small knob of ginger

– clove of garlic

– 2 Tbsps soy sauce

– 1 tsp of oil, preferably sesame

– 1 tsp honey

– 1/2 Tbsp chili flakes

-water, as needed to reach desired consistency

For toppings…

– cooked chicken breast (Note: tofu would also be awesome!) 

– avocado

– sesame seeds

-more chili flakes

and how it all comes together:

– In a food processor or blender, mix all the sauce ingredients lists above (except the water) until blended. Add water a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired creaminess.

– Reserve some of the sauce to cook your chicken with and set all sauce aside.

– With a vegetable spiralizer create “noodles” from the zucchini/s and carrot. Toss these in a bowl along with the bean sprouts and some chopped green onions. Add peanut sauce and toss to coat.

– Cut some chicken breasts into strips and cook through on a pan or grill. Once cooked, add the reserved sauce and heat some more.

– Divvy up the saucy “noodles” and top each bowl with chicken strips, slices of avocado, sesame seeds, and chilli flakes/sriracha. (Note: I like salads with warm protein on top. If you prefer a consistent temperature for all ingredients you could chill everything in the fridge together before serving.) 

– Enjoy!

pad thai 2

 

 

Christmas Cookie Round-Up

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Will you be baking goodies this week? Here’s a quick round-up featuring some of my favorite cookie recipes.  Whip up a few batches and you’ll have plenty of homemade treats to set out for Santa or to munch on all Christmas morning. (Note: Cookies are a completely appropriate breakfast food when you’re on vacation/when it’s a holiday.) Fire up the oven!

1. Peanut Butter Blossoms 

2. Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti 

3. No Bake Cookies 

4. Cranberry, White Chocolate, and Nutella Cookies 

5. The Triple Threat 

6. A Milano Hack 

7. No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Make sure to have plenty of milk on hand for dunking or a hot cup of coffee if you’re going the cookies for breakfast route!

P.S. Pictured above are the infamous Lily Pebbles’ BROOKIES and a batch of chocolate chip energy balls.

Recipe: Hearty Roasted Vegetable Soup

Food, How to's, , , , , , ,

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With the days turning to darkness at such a rapid rate, I’ve been gravitating towards cozy meals. You know the type. Colorful, warming dishes that pack a hearty punch. A dinner gobbled up out of a single bowl clutched to your chest as you curl up in front of your latest Netflix programming.

I love the flavor of roasted veggies in the winter-time. (I also love how they smell while they’re roasting in the oven. Yum!) But I’ve never thought to throw a whole batch of the lil buggers in a soup pot! *light bulb* So, I roasted up some of my favorite vegetables and while they did their thing in the oven, I got to work on the rest of the soup. To up the “heartiness” factor I included a whole bunch of beans. And tied everything together with a tomato-based broth.

The result was a delicious, comforting soup. The vegetables were the perfect consistency swimming around in a slightly spicy, tomato-y bowl. So, I definitely recommend you give this one a try. It was very inexpensive, easy to make, and made enough to eat AND freeze. Here’s how it’s done…

What you’ll need: 

For the roasted veggies…

– 2 bell peppers

– 2 small or 1 large onion

– 2 sweet potatoes

– a handful of baby carrots (or cut up your own, I just always have baby carrots in the fridge)

– minced garlic

– olive oil

– paprika

– chili powder

– salt and pepper

For the rest of the soup…

– 2 cans of diced tomatoes (I used one spicy can and one regular can)

– 1 vegetable stock cube

– black eyed peas

– kidney beans

– butter beans

– 1 Tbsp brown sugar

– mustard

– Worcestershire sauce

and how it all comes together: 

– Pre-heat your oven to 390 degrees F (or whatever temperature you find works best to roast veg in your particular oven).

– Peel the sweet potatoes, chop them into large chunks, and spread them out on your baking tray or roasting dish.

– Add in your carrots.

– Cut up your bell peppers into strips and add them to the tray. Do the same with your onions. (Note: The size of your vegetables may seem large for a soup but they’re all gonna break down a bit once they’ve been added to the pot.)

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– Add minced garlic to taste.

– Drizzle olive oil over everything and sprinkle on salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder.

– Toss everything up with your hands.

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– Put the whole kit and kaboodle in the oven for about 30 minutes.

– While these are roasting you can turn to the base of the soup.

– Start by making your vegetable stock according to the directions on the package. (Usually mixing the cube with 2 cups of boiling water.)

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– While you’re waiting for your water to boil for the vegetable stock, grab a large soup pot and add your cans of tomatoes and beans. For the beans you can use whatever type you like. I put a can of blackeyed peas, kidney beans, and butter beans in a strainer. After mixing and rinsing them, I scooped out about 3 cups into the pot. The rest of the bean mixture I put in a Tupperware to store for a later meal.

– Bring your tomatoes and beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Then add in 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of mustard, and salt and pepper. Give it a good stir.

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– Your vegetable stock should now be ready so pour that in too! Let everything simmer away until your timer goes off for those delicious roasted veggies.

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– Once the veggies look good and roasted, pop them out of the oven…

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– …and put them in the soup pot!

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– Give everything a generous stir, then pop the lid on and let everything hang out together for at least 5 minutes but longer if you want those sweet potatoes to get falling-apart decadent!

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– I left mine on the lowest stove-top setting for about 30 minutes. I no doubt would have gotten impatient and served it up sooner but Chet was stuck in traffic. If you have the time, cook it longer! It turned out perfect and the vegetables were divine.

– Serve it up in a big bowl and go for it! We had ours with some multi-grain bread (perfect for dunking) but cornbread or biscuits would also be yummy. Enjoy!

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What do you make for dinner on dark December nights? Do you like cozy, comfort food? Would you give this recipe a try? I want to eat it again and again!!! 

Recipe: Tropical Chia Pudding

Food, How to's, , , , ,

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For the last several years my breakfasts have consisted of one of two options. Hot outside? Yogurt. Cold outside? Oatmeal. I love both options a whole bunch and find them incredibly versatile. So many possible toppings!

But, don’t let that blurred Christmas tree in the background of the shot above fool you. Christmas may be fast approaching but it is still in the 80’s down here in South Florida. Meaning, I’ve been on the yogurt train for a few too many days straight. Time to mix it up!

Since it IS the week after Thanksgiving, my focus is on light & healthy eating…just for a quick recharge before I start gorging myself again in honor of the next holiday. With that in mind, I cast my focus on the nifty lil chia seed. These guys pack more Omega 3 fatty acids then salmon, contain more fiber than flax, pack a serious protein punch, are calcium rich, AND have a whole bunch of helpful vitamins and minerals. So, in an effort to fully lean in to the weird weather juxtaposition of a tropical holiday season, I give you the Tropical Chia Pudding. And my yogurt can happily take the week off.

What you’ll need…

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– 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

– 1/4 cup of chia seeds

– 1 Tbsp of your preferred sweetener (I used Stevia but you could use honey, agave syrup, sugar or whatever you like.)

– 1 Tbsp of coconut flakes + more to top

– chopped fruit to top (I used mango but you could use pineapple, papaya, kiwi, etc.)

and how it all comes together…

– Put everything but your chopped fruit into a pot, combine, and bring to a boil.

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– Lower the temperature and allow the mixture to simmer for about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the seeds aren’t sticking to the bottom of your pot. It should reach a pudding/porridge consistency.

–  Take your pot off the heat and allow to cool for several minutes.

– Divide the mixture evenly between 4 containers.

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– Top each jar with chopped fruit and a sprinkling of more coconut flakes.

– Store in the refrigerator (for no more than a week) and pull out a jar to enjoy for breakfast, snack time, or a healthy dessert!

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What do you normally eat for breakfast? Have you ever tried chia seeds? I love making chocolate puddings with chia, almond milk, and cocoa powder if you’re looking for another way to enjoy this healthful ingredient!