Easy Taco Salad

I make this for dinner a lot- quite a lot, actually. My husband and I love eating a giant salad for dinner and this one is chocked full of healthy, tasty ingredients and is really easy to throw together.  I don't have a "recipe" - you literally just add what you like and what you happen to have in the 'fridge (aren't those the best kind of recipes anyway?).  I think the simple dressing is what makes this salad so yummy. Choose your favorite salsa to mix into the ranch; eat the left over salsa with chips as a side with the salad.

Take this list of ingredients as suggestions - if you don't like something, don't put it in! I guarantee it'll turn out yummy!!

Dressing:
Bottled Ranch dressing
Jarred salsa

Salad:
Romaine lettuce, chopped (the two of us eat three heads)
Cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters
Red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
Green onions, about three
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Black beans or garbanzo beans, about a can, rinsed and drained
Corn, I cut mine straight off the cob completely uncooked
Shredded cheddar cheese (pepper jack would be good, too)
Sprinkle of salt & pepper
Rotisserie chicken, shredded
Ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
Crushed tortilla chips

For the dressing:
Use equal parts ranch to salsa- I have never measured this. Basically, if you use 1/3 cup Ranch, add a 1/3 cup salsa and mix together. If your family wants more or less dressing, just adjust. 

Salad:
Combine the lettuce and all the other ingredients you are using, minus the avocado, chicken and tortilla chips. Pour dressing over the top and toss well.  Serve salad onto plates. Top each serving with chicken, avocado and crushed tortilla chips. Serve with extra salsa and chips as a side. Enjoy!

5 Minute Artisan Bread from CSF

This bread was outrageously good!! And it was crazy easy to make- no kneeding!! Yes, I said it- NO KNEEDING!!! And I will admit it, it took more than five minutes....but, it certainly took much, much, much less time and effort than your typical, homemade bread (and it tasted better, too - SWEAR!). Oh, and you bake it in a pot! How cool is that?

This recipe comes from my most favorite cooking blog, Cafe Sucre Farine. This woman is a culinary genius. I have never made anything off her blog that isn't just fantastic.  I have to admit, when I saw this bread I thought it was way too good to be true- I was doubtful my bread would turn out as well as hers.....

But, I think it did! I mean, I'm guessing it did!! My kitchen smelled like a French Boulangerie; the bread came out crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and perfect on the inside. Oh my, it was heavenly!!

Instead of posting the recipe, I am going to direct you to The Cafe Sucre Farine website.  Her step by step pictures are very detailed and her explanation on how to make this bread is extremely thorough. So, please click HERE to head on over to my favorite cooking blog and get yourself ready to bake some delicious bread!!!!

Hippie Peas

Hello long lost friends, I am back!! We just returned from the most amazing week at a Dude Ranch in Wyoming.....oh, it was heavenly!! What a gorgeous part of the country. And seriously, who knew I would LOVE riding horses!!?  There is more to come on this trip in future blog posts......I am hoping to blog some of the scrumptious meals we were served on the ranch.....

But for now, I am sharing with you an appetizer that has become a staple at all my girlfriends' gatherings.  I keep forgetting to take a "before" picture of it......but, maybe the tiny little morsel that is pictured above gives you a better understanding of how quickly and completely this appetizer is devoured by a gaggle of hip, hungry women who are reveling in a night out without the kids!!

This recipe was graciously given to me by my friend, Gina,  over at Hyphenista  (Gina is always giving me her fab recipes to blog- thank you, darling)!!!  The flavors are unique and different and 100% delicious. I wish I had a vat of it to stick my face into right now (I should know not to blog when I'm hungry).

Enjoy!!!

1 lb frozen peas
1/2 c mayo
1 Tbl curry powder
1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
1 c crushed smoked almonds

Mix the frozen peas, mayo, curry powder and scallions the day before serving (or at least a few hours- you do not want to serve frozen peas to your guests). Pour crushed almonds on top immediately before serving. Serve with pretzel chips, pita chips or crackers (our gang likes the pretzel chips best).

Watermelon Mint Blended Juice

Refreshing!! That word best describes this delicious blended juice. Oh and I need to add in easy, too! Refreshing and easy! Oh and one more word- delicious! Okay, you get the point!

My husband and I loved this, our kids loved it......I think it'd be perfect served at a BBQ.....it could even be spiked for an adult beverage.

This made approx. four 8 oz glasses of juice.

I forgot to put the sugar in this picture.....but, just a little goes a long way! The watermelon itself is very sweet.

4 cups of seedless watermelon, cubed (about 3 lbs)
1/2 cup coconut water (you can use regular water instead)
24 mint leaves
1 Tbl coconut sugar (you can use regular white sugar instead)
1/2 a lemon, seeded with rind removed
2 cups of ice

Place all ingredients in a powerful blender (I use a Vitamix). Blend until juice is smooth without any lumps. The consistency should be like juice, not a smoothie. Enjoy!

My Excellent Banana Bread- Healthier (and Yummier) than EVER!

I'm super excited about this updated version of my amazingly delicious banana bread (not to toot my own horn but I make a mean banana bread)....my healthier version is so moist and flavorful, despite the fact that I omitted the butter and chocked it full of wheat germ and hemp seeds. My kids just love this bread and ask me to make it all the time. They have no idea that it is an improved upon recipe (and by improved upon I just mean that it is healthier....my original recipe is still the bomb and if you are looking for more of a classic banana bread, click here).  Enjoy the yummy healthiness!!!

1/3 c coconut oil (and a little bit for greasing the pan)
3 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup coconut sugar (find this at Whole Foods or in the organic section of the grocery)
2 eggs
1/4 cup yogurt
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips (these are dairy, nut and soy free)

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a meatloaf pan with a little coconut oil.

Melt the coconut oil in a large microwave safe bowl for about 50 seconds. Remove bowl from microwave and use a wooden spoon to stir it around until it is completely liquid. Add the two bananas and mash well. Add the coconut sugar to the banana/oil mixture and stir until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and combine; add yogurt and stir. Add the rest of the dry ingredients from the whole wheat pastry flour to the cinnamon. Stir to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake on 350F for 50-53 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean - check around 45 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool for about an hour before turning the bread out and slicing.

Kale, Potato & White Bean Tacos with Creamy Verde Salsa

Okay, I have to admit it, I'm back to being a vegetarian. There is something about the summer that makes it easier for me to ditch meat altogether.  These incredibly tasty tacos were inspired by my new favorite taco and fresh squeezed juice joint (I mean, could there be a better restaurant combination on earth?). My husband agrees that I nailed this taco!!! They are so tasty and delicious.....you will not miss the meat one bit!!! Don't skimp on the yummy sauce- it is muy muy beuno.

If you have been eager to get in on the whole "kale craze", you couldn't pick a better recipe to start with. Even my son kept swiping kale from the skillet every time he walked by. I actually had to tell him to stop eating all the kale! I mean, really, who says that to an eight year old!?!? Make these this week!

1 Tbl olive oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 small white potato, finely chopped (if you do not chop your potato into small pieces, it won't cook in time)
Vegetable or chicken broth (just a little bit to de-glaze the pan)
1 15oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 to 3/4 head of curly kale, remove thick spines and use only the leaves
Salt & pepper
Cojita cheese (if you can't find this, a very mild Feta will suffice)
6-8 Corn Tortillas (THE best brand is La Tortilla Factory- I have never had a better store-bought tortilla in my life; try to find these!)
3/4 cup salsa verde (find this green salsa in the International section of the grocery)
1/4 cup sour cream (don't use light, it's just yucky and will ruin my tacos!!) 

Preheat oven to 200F (this is to warm the tortillas)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for approx 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper and potato. Cook for about three minutes. Add a little bit of broth (about 1 Tbl) to de-glaze the potatoes from the pan (this helps them cook without sticking) and stir. Cook another 3 minutes and add about 1 Tbl broth to the pan again; stir. Every time you add the broth, it'll completely absorb. The mixture will not be soupy at all. Repeat this step one more time until the potatoes taste cooked through.....so, you will cook the potatoes about 9-10 minutes total.

Add the navy beans and stir. Add the kale and stir. With the skillet over medium/low heat, continue to stir the kale until it has wilted down and has become soft. This takes about 5 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper to your taste.

About 10 minutes before you are ready to eat, wrap the tortillas in foil and put them in the oven to warm. 

Mix the salsa verde and the sour cream together. 

To assemble the tacos, spoon kale/potato mixture into a warm tortilla. Spoon creamy verde salsa on top and sprinkle with Cojita cheese. Serve with chips and guacamole. Enjoy!! Eating meatless NEVER tasted so good!!!!

Chocolate Covered Rice Cakes with Coconut & Hemp Seeds

                      

Even though I'm a very healthy eater, I still have a major sweet tooth. Of all the sweets in the world, I crave chocolate the most. These chocolate covered rice cakes really satisfy my cravings - I promise, promise I'm not kidding!!! I love the crunch of the rice cake paired with the chocolate. The almond butter adds protein while the hemp and chia seeds are rich in Omega-3s - not bad for a "dessert".  I make one batch at a time and they last me for a week (and that includes my kids poaching a few of them for themselves).

1 package of brown rice cakes (approx 13 cakes)
1 package of Enjoy Life dairy/nut/soy free chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2 Tbl almond butter (optional)
Use any or all of these to top the chocolate:
*unsweetened coconut flakes
*hemp seeds
*chia seeds
*wheatgerm
                       
Before you get started, put two pieces of wax paper on the counter and lay out all the rice cakes.  Covering the rice cakes with the melted chocolate is pretty messy, so it's a good thing to cover the counter (easy clean up!).

Put 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 Tbl almond butter (if using) in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth. Using a spoon, top half the rice cakes with melted chocolate.  Repeat with remaining chocolate, almond butter and rice cakes.

While the chocolate is still wet, lightly sprinkle with any of the suggested toppings. I like the coconut flakes on their own; I like to mix the hemp and chia seeds together. Or you don't have to sprinkle them with any toppings at all. My daughter likes them plain.
                              
                                   

I store these in a large plastic bag in the refrigerator and eat one for dessert each night!  Enjoy!