Thanksgiving Brussels

in

Thanksgiving may be my favorite holiday.  Why?  I think it's because my family and I have carried out tradition year over year without fail.  Other holidays my family and I have different plans year to year.  For Turkey Day, we always go to our family friends' house,  The Epsteins.  We spend the whole day at their home preparing the food, hanging out, watching football, and then of course feasting until the tryptophan takes over.  

This year I decided to make a veggie side along with my annual apple pie.  These Brussels sprouts are just the right amount of tangy.  I am thinking of adding bacon for an extra savory crunch! 

Slow-Cooker Apple Pie Quinoa

in

I'm telling you, slow cookers are maybe the best thing since sliced bread.  After doing the Whole30 in May, I haven't craved oatmeal.  I used to eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast!  Crazy how your palate can change.  I decided I wanted to try out this quinoa recipe as it is similar to oatmeal's consistency, but it's loaded with more protein to stay fuller longer.  It was also just an excuse to try out another recipe in my new crock pot.

I found the recipe through a Google search after reading about quinoa bakes on the Greatist.  The only modifications I made was I did not include flax seeds and I used slivered almonds and dried cherries (not pictured) as my toppings. 

Beef Pot Roast

in

I finally bought myself a slow cooker this past Sunday and I'm already obsessed.  Why I hadn't purchased one sooner, I don't know.  I enjoy cooking, but a slow cooker just makes meals thats much easier!  I love the idea of throwing in all the ingredients, setting the temperature and time, and then leaving it cooking for the day or overnight.  My pot roast I cooked overnight, so I was able to bring some to work for lunch.

There are tons of recipes out there for pot roasts.  Knowing this was my first recipe and my first pot roast ever made in my slow cooker, I wanted to keep it simple.  Next time I'll add a little more flare.

PS- I scored a great deal at Whole Foods with the majority of my ingredients.  They had a deal going that if you purchased the roast, you got the beef broth, a bag of rainbow potatoes and a loaf of ciabatta bread for free!  In addition, I purchased carrots, onion, garlic, and spices in order to follow the recipe.  The only thing I left out of the recipe was the red wine. 

Cajun Chicken Spaghetti Squash Bake

in

Healthier alternative to noodles, but still very tasty.  I was looking to spice up (literally) my spaghetti squash recipes.  I got this recipe from a friend who found it on Destination Delish.  It was easy to make, and even easier to devour.

The only modification I made was using fat free cream cheese which I don't think made much of a difference in terms of creaminess or taste.  I also used a casserole dish to bake it in as I don't own a skillet. 

Breakfast Hash or Scramble

in

I'm a big fan of eggs in the morning.  Eggs are amazing little things.  In one medium-sized egg, there are 6 grams of protein, zero carbs, and only 70 calories.  I tend to make scrambles with ingredients I have on hand including sweet potato, deli turkey, chicken patties, spinach, cheese and seasonings.  Really you can add any ingredient you feel would be tasty with an egg - easy as that!  I have no real rhyme or reason to preparing my hashes or scrambles other than always using two eggs.  Just be sure you have all the ingredients you want to use cut up and ready to be added to the skillet with your eggs.  

Smooth Like Butter

in

...nut squash.  So I bought a butternut squash the other day at Trader Joe's.  There were a pile of them along with acorn squash and delicata squash.  I hadn't purchased or cooked any of the three before, but feeling adventurous, I grabbed the butternut squash and proceeded to the checkout.  This was about a week ago.  So for about a week, it was sitting on my countertop staring at me.  This evening, I finally looked up a few recipes and decided the simpler the better.  The only necessary ingredient is the olive oil to prevent the squash from drying out too much in the oven, so really you can get pretty creative with this recipe and season the veggie however you want.

Donut Fear

in

I am always craving donuts.  Whether that means I eat donuts all the time is up to your discretion.  Earlier today I was craving a donut, naturally, so I did a quick Google search.  Behold, healthy donuts (...as healthy as they can be).  These recipes look fairly easy.  I cannot wait to make and try the chai spice ones.  Required baking tool is either a donut maker or a donut pan which is similar to a muffin pan.  Enjoy!

This Little Piggy

in

At work my team and I have "Breakfast Fridays" in which every Friday it is someone else's turn to bring in breakfast for the whole team.  We have had breakfast tacos, bagels, parfaits, Chick fil A chicken minis, egg casserole, and even waffles.  Today I was helping my teammate brainstorm something different and we landed on pigs in a blanket.  I came across this recipe that sounds absolutely delicious.  Not exactly sure the difficulty level considering the various blanket toppings, but I'll definitely be trying it out soon!  Stay tuned for an update.

Banana Pancakes: Easy as 1, 2, 3

in

When I did the Whole30 back in May, my coworker told me about this very simple banana pancake recipe that is Whole30 compliant and Paleo.  I never was able to try out the recipe during my thirty days, but the other day I finally did.  It is the easiest banana recipe you will ever encounter – just two ingredients (or three if you want a little extra flavor).  
Ingredients:
-1 very ripe banana
-2 large eggs
-1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
-1 tbsp coconut oil (or whatever oil you prefer)
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the banana, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until the batter is smooth
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet on low heat
3. Pour half the batter into the skillet.  With a spatula scrape around the edges to pull in the runny batter to create a circle.  Continue this motion until the batter cooks through enough to flip the pancake.  Cook about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Repeat step 3 to make your second pancake (batter makes about two cakes)
5. Top with melted almond butter, fruit of your choosing, honey or maple syrup!  

IMG_1253.JPG

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

in

Chicken salad with Greek yogurt?!  Yup.  This recipe is a healthy alternative that is heavier in flavor but lighter in calories.  I owe credit to my friend, Mishka, who gave me this recipe for a refreshing and satisfying lunch!  If you follow the recipe below, you can easily stretch it to make it last at least 4 of the 5 lunches for the work week.
Ingredients:
-Trader Joe's 12.5 oz. canned chunk chicken (or any brand will do, but be sure to buy the large can)
-Trader Joe's plain Greek yogurt 5.3 oz. 
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 cup red grapes, sliced in half
-1 tsp. raw honey
Method:
-Drain and empty the canned chicken into a large mixing bowl
-Mix in the Greek Yogurt
-Add salt, pepper, red grapes, and honey and mix well
-Devour with a spoon or on top of sweet potato toast! (see "Sweet Potato Heaven" post)

Spaghetti Squash

in

Recently I have been amazed by spaghetti squash.  It is so easy to make!  You can bake it or microwave it depending on how much time you have on your hands.  I think it turns out almost identical either way you cook it.  Spaghetti squash has a pretty mild flavor so it can be combined with any other veggies in my opinion.  I like to use it with ground turkey, asparagus and broccoli to make a meal.
Ingredients:
-1 spaghetti squash
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper
Method:
-Cut the squash in half long-wise
-Scoop out the seeds of both halves (you can save one half in the fridge to cook later if you want)
-Rub about 1 tsp of olive oil into the the squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper
-Place the squash half downward into a baking dish filled with 1 inch of water
-Microwave on high for 5 minutes
-Check the squash with a fork.  When full cooked, the fork should slide easily into the skin of the squash.  Cook for another 2 minutes if the skin is still a bit tough.
-Let the squash cool for at least 5 minutes
-Using a fork, scrape out the squash strands and season more salt and pepper if you please

'Rita on the Rocks

in

Today at a friend's graduation party her dad let me in on his secret recipe.  He considered it to be a life hack for margaritas.  I suppose you could make these frozen too, but how he served them for the fiesta was over ice and garnished with a lime wedge.  This recipe makes for a very refreshing and smooth by-the-pool beverage.
Ingredients:
-1 Simply Limeade bottle (59 oz.)
-Your favorite tequila (1.75 L.)
-Limes cut into wedges
-Ice and cups
Method:
1. Mix 3 parts Simply Limeade and 1 part tequila
2. Serve in a cup over ice and garnish with a lime wedge.  Cheers!
3. Repeat steps 1-2 until supplies run out.

Cookie Log

in

Y'ALL.  It's National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.  What could be better?!  This is the best news for my sweet tooth (unfortunately I cannot partake due to my current participation in Whole30).  So, what is a cookie log?  Essentially a very large chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a log.  The idea is you bake the entire cylinder of cookie dough for the time it takes to bake the sliced dough.  What you end up with is a deflated log-shape of cookie dough with a crispy outer layer and an ooey gooey inside.  Resembles a Pizookie from BJ's if you've ever had it.  One of my friends showed me this recipe in high school and I make it every now and then.  Along with the necessary ingredients, I would suggest inviting a few friends to devour it with you.
Ingredients: 
-Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie dough roll (the cylinder-shaped kind that you slice into circles, 16.5 oz)
-baking sheet
-ice cream
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Place the entire cookie dough roll onto the pan, without slicing
3. Bake for 8-11 minutes
4. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes so it's not scorching hot
5. Top with ice cream (optional) and dig in! (I usually eat it directly from the baking sheet - no judgement)

Roasted Veggies

in

Vegetables get a bad rep, but I love 'em.  Maybe a little too much.  My roommate called me a bunny not too long ago because she caught me eating mixed greens straight from the container.  This roasted veggie recipe makes for a great side to any meal.  The balsamic vinegar adds a sweet tang that's hard to resist.
Ingredients:
-any vegetable or combination of vegetables of your choosing (I recommend broccoli, sweet potato, carrots, and/or Brussels sprouts)
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
-black pepper
-Kosher salt
-rosemary
-baking sheet
-foil
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Wash and cut up vegetables to about 1x1 inch cubes or chunks, making sure all pieces are similar in size so that they cook through similarly
3. Toss pieces in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and rosemary until evenly coated
4. Cover a baking sheet in foil (for easy clean-up!)
5. Spread vegetables across the baking sheet and add more spices if desired
6. Roast vegetables for 30-35 minutes, checking periodically.  Depending on what vegetables I use, I may check on them more than once to be sure the pieces are being cooked through adequately (sweet potato tends to take longer than broccoli, for instance).  I also prefer my veggies to have crispy, almost burnt, parts.  I think this adds to the flavor so I keep mine in for an extra 5-8 minutes, keeping a close eye.
7. Remove veggies from oven and let cool for approximately 5 minutes
8. Pair with your choice of protein or eat straight from the baking sheet like I often times do.  Enjoy!

Whole30 Mock Oatmeal

in

I am an absolute sucker for oatmeal.  If you ask my family or any of my roommates over the years, they would undoubtedly agree.  There’s something about warm, sweet, thickened oats that I can’t get enough of.  I have a sweet tooth so having oatmeal for breakfast topped with sliced banana, cinnamon, and honey makes for the perfect start to any day.  Now that I am restricted from eating oats on my Whole30 diet, I had to get creative.  This recipe was inspired by one of my colleagues who is Paleo.  Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
-1 whole banana
-1 tbsp unsweetened shredded raw coconut
-1/2 tbsp Justin’s Almond Butter
-about 10 roasted and salted almonds (slivers would be preferrable, although I used the back of a spoon to crush my whole almonds)
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 cup Silk Unsweetened Cashew milk
Method:
1. Slice banana however thick you prefer
2. Combine the sliced banana, almond slivers (or crushed bits), almond butter, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and cashew milk into a microwavable bowl
3. Microwave the mixture for approximately 45 seconds
4. Stir the mixture and enjoy!