Cilantro Lime Avocado Rice

If you're anything like me, you find yourself serving your proteins with the same sides over and over again. 

Oh that chicken? Serve it with brown rice...

Oh that veggie stir-fry? Serve it with quinoa...

It gets boring, and you know it's bad when you're husband comes home and says "what kind of chicken and rice are we having tonight"? Well, he's only said that once.. :)

While this is still rice, it's so much more! I mean, anything with avocado gets eaten around here with no complaints!

This short but sweet recipe is the perfect side dish for Mexican night, or to serve under your favorite chicken! 

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

What you’ll need:

3-4 cups cooked brown
1 medium ripe avocado. Peeled, cored, cut.
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
¼ tsp. salt

What you do:

Mash avocados in a large bowl.
Add lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
Stir in warm cooked rice.
Serve & Enjoy!

XOXO

Recipe: Massaged Kale Dressing

Hey yall! How's your Tuesday going? 

Can you believe it's September?! Get prepared for pumpkin everything...everywhere! ;)

I just got home from a morning of go, go go! I have a love/hate with these kind of days. Sometimes it's when I get the most done, and other times it's when I get absolutely nothing done.

I slept through an alarm clock and didn't wake up until 6:55. Then the rush started.
I rushed to get myself and the girls ready. 
I rushed to Publix to pick up a fruit bowl for a meeting.
I rushed to school to drop off Sophia, then went upstairs to join the Parent board meeting.
I left the meeting early to take Nelps to swim lessons across town, and now we're home for a couple hours before it's time to go get Sophia. 
Nelps is sleeping, which means I get maybe an hour of computer time to work and write lovely blog posts for you to read. It's all in a days work! ;) 

Well..there's still half a day to enjoy over here.

Onward!

Meatless Mondays are still going strong! I've even dragged my parents and sister-in-law to join the meatless Monday gang! 

Angelo & I went vegetarian years ago for a couple months, and I have to say the hardest thing about it was finding things to eat without feeling like you're eating a bed of lettuce every day. This was before Pinterest, so feel the struggle! 

I would cook a meatless meal and Angelo would say "so what else are we having?" 

It was almost embedded in our minds that a meal without a piece of chicken isn't really a meal. 

Why can't we just eat this kale salad and pot of lentils and be satisfied?! 

Apparently because lentils cook WAY faster than I expected and my pot of lentils turned to mush, so this kale salad is all you get. It's beautiful, so just eat it and smile until Tuesday comes around and you can eat your piece of chicken. <-- That's me talking to my husband outloud. :)

If you HATE kale and think it's gross, you aren't alone. Personally I think plain kale is bitter and atrocious. But, after you get your hands dirty and give those kale leaves a good massage...it's wonderful! I usually massage my kale with lemon juice, olive oil, and dash of salt. It's simple and perfect.

This took it to a new level. This dressing gives the kale a slightly sweet garlicky flavor that will knock your kale hating self out! 

I added chopped, roasted butternut squash to the kale to give the salad more umph, but as you know, salad additions are endless! Get creative!

(Recipe adapted from a recipe in Isa Does it. )
Massaged Kale Dressing

What you’ll need:

3 tbsp. EVOO
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp. salt

8 cups chopped kale, washed with stems removed

What you do:
Put all ingredients, except kale, in a large bowl.
Whisk together until well combined.
Add kale & massage with hands for a good 30 seconds or more. You really have to squeeze the leaves firmly, making sure dressing is completely covering the kale leaves.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Recipe: Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

Hey there! 

You know what's not so great about trying out new recipes? They don't always work out and you're left thinking about all those ingredients you just wasted. It's a bummer.

Monday was not a good baking day. I was trying to new "healthy" protein oatmeal bake and it was absolutely horrible. I couldn't even finish one bite of it. Gag... 

You're probably thinking how in the world do you mess up baked oatmeal? Well, you add too much protein powder and too many egg white. It happens.

So, I had to redeem myself, and boy did I! 

This oatmeal bake is delicious and perfect for a make-ahead breakfast. 

School is about to start and mornings are going to get hectic again. This will be perfect for those busy mornings! Scoop some in a bowl, pop in microwave, and serve. 

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake

What you’ll need:

2 bananas, sliced
1 ½ cup blueberries
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2 cups almond milk
1 egg
1 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup pure maple syrup

What you do:

Preheat oven to 375
Grease the inside of a baking pan, I used a 9in round pan.
Place banana slices on bottom of pan to cover. Top with half of blueberries.
Mix all dry ingredients (oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt) together in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, mix wet ingredients together (milk, egg, butter, vanilla, and syrup).
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour oatmeal mixtures into baking pan and let sit for a minute or two to ensure liquid makes it to the bottom of pan. You may want to slightly tap the pan on the counter.
Sprinkle the rest of the blueberries over the top.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until top of golden brown.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Recipe: Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna

Hi Friends!!

I hope everyone is entering all my Blogaversary giveaways!! I love all the responses/entries so far! Keep them coming! :)

Last night, as you know, was Monday, which means Meatless Monday happened. I've been wanting to make zucchini lasagna for a couple weeks now, and it finally happened! Originally I planned to make it using ground turkey, but that's against Monday's rules.. ;) 

While this lasagna was delicious and had amazing flavor, I'm stumped on how to not make it so soupy. It didn't hold any form, and ended up being served with a big spoon. Maybe I made it with too much sauce?  Any suggestions?

I'm sitting here complaining about the form of this lasagna, when in reality the entire pan was gobbled up and Nelpe had 3 servings! So, soupy or not, this was a dinner winner!

Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna

What you’ll need:

3 zucchini, sliced into 1/8 in thick strips
salt
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1- 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp garlic salt
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ cup Parmesan
10 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Lovers Seasoning
1 cup mozzarella

What you do:

Preheat oven to 375.
Lay zucchini slices on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Cover with another paper towel and press.
Heat EVOO, garlic, and onion in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic salt, and garlic powder to sauce pan. Stir well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, FlavorGod seasoning, and fresh basil.
In a 9x9 baking pan, spread some sauce on the bottom.
Layer 1 layer of zucchini across the sauce.
Top zucchini with 1/3 ricotta mixture.
Lightly sprinkle mozzarella cheese over ricotta, and add tomato sauce to cover.
Repeat zucchini, ricotta, and sauce layers.
End with sprinkling mozzarella over top.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove foil and bake uncovered for 20 minutes until cheese is golden.
Remove from oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Bake & Cilantro Quinoa

Last night I cooked the Chicken Enchilada Bake using the recipe from  PaleOMG (Found Here)  and served it with cilantro quinoa. 

For the enchilada bake I purchased a rotisserie chicken for the shredded chicken. I took off and saved the two drumsticks for the girls and figured they would eat the quinoa with the drumsticks. Well, they did eat the drumsticks, but also devoured the enchilada bake! It was really enjoyable, especially when you add the goat cheese on top! 

Cilantro Quinoa

What you need:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 small onion, diced

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

What you do:

In a medium pot, heat EVOO, garlic, and onion over medium high heat until golden. 

Add in vegetable broth and quinoa to pot and bring to boil.
Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook till water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.  About 20-25 mins.
Add 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and stir.

Serve immediately.

XOXO

Cooking Vegan: Creamy Tarragon Sauce

If you read the blog (Hi readers!) or follow on Instagram (Check me out!), you know about al2getherFIT celebrating Meatless Monday. 

In preparation for this new weekly celebration, I purchased a vegan cookbook for some inspiration. Not just any cookbook, a cookbook filled with  "amazingly, easy, wildly delicious vegan recipes for every day of the week!" 

Isa Does It

Side Note: I LOVE cookbooks so much more than finding a recipe on Pinterest. It's nice to have the actual book in front of you and not needing to unlock your phone every 2 minutes, with doughy fingers, when the screen goes black. Am.I.Right?

When the book first arrived, I was so excited flipping though the gorgeous pages of food. 

Then I wondered how many things would actually get cooked from this cookbook. The sad truth...

I've cooked vegan before, but simple things. Think salads, soups, stirfrys, and some pastries. I consider myself "intermediate" on the vegan cooking scale.

That little piece of intermediate confidence slowly died on Monday.

I picked a recipe, and started cooking it around 2 p.m. 

Side note #2:

When I'm cooking dinner, I usually try and prep everything possible before heading to the gym when Angelo gets home. Some days I'll have the meal fully prepared so we just need to heat it up, OR on other days we use that glorious tool called the crock pot and dinner is served almost immediately upon entering the house. Do what works!

The Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I picked this recipe because I'm a gnocchi fan, and I've never made homemade gnocchi before so I sought out the challenge.

Everything was going smoothly until I tried handling the dough. I must of used too many sweet potatoes, and not enough corn starch or something because no matter how much flour I added to the dough, it NEVER got manageable. It never got to the point where it would roll into balls of any sort. It just clumped and stuck to my hands like a thick glue. Isn't that weird? I'm still so confused about it. 

My "gnocchi" ended up having WAY too much flour, shapeless, and more like dumplings. I was totally discouraged at this point and actually thought about throwing everything away. I thought "If I can't get this part of the recipe right, I'm probably not going to get the 2nd half right either."

I put my gnocchi/dumplings in the fridge and headed to the gym. 

Back from the gym, with all ingredients already bought to do the second half of the recipe, I sucked it up and started cooking the Brussel sprouts and sauce for the dumplings....and I'm SO glad I did. Although I adapted this part to what I knew would work for me (since the 1st part went horribly wrong), it still turned out amazing, with the whole table raving about it! 

This sauce is absolutely delicious! It's a creamy tarragon sauce, and I have to admit I was also hesitate because I've never cooked with tarragon before. Would I even like it? (Such negative vibes spewing out of my during this process!) Verdict: I loved it and I want to cook all the things with tarragon (until my supply runs out).

Next time I will use more brussel sprouts and serve the brussel sprouts with the sauce as a side dish. I think any veggie would be fabulous in this sauce; broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, or zucchini! Maybe I'm just giving my gnocchi/dumplings the stank face, but I probably won't be making any more attempts at them. 

On to the good good....

Vegan Creamy Tarragon Sauce

What you’ll need:

½  cup cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, then drained
1 ½  cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp. EVOO, divided
1 lb. bag of Brussel sprouts, washed, and halved
1 medium yellow onion
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup dry white cooking wine
½  tsp salt
¼  cup tarragon leaves, loosely packed

What you do:

Place cashews and vegetable broth in blender. Blend until smooth, this will take about 2-5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium high heat.
Put in Brussel sprouts and season lightly with salt. Let cook, stirring frequently until caramelized, 5-8 minutes.
Add ¼ cup water and cover to steam, about 2 minutes.
Transfer Brussel sprouts to large bowl and let sit.
In same skillet, add 1 tbsp. EVOO and sauté the onion and sliced garlic until both golden brown.
Add the wine and salt. Stir to combine.Let simmer at a lower heat for 5 minutes to reduce wine by about half.
Pour in cashew mixture and tarragon leaves. Cook and let thicken for 3-5 minutes.
Add in Brussel sprouts and toss to coat.
Enjoy!

XOXO

**This recipe was adapted from the vegan cookbook, Isa Does It. I purchased Isa Does It on Amazon.com HERE

Recipe: Lactation Cookies for Nursing Mommies

Good Morning!

You know those days that you wake up and it's almost instant stress because of the busy packed schedule you have? That's today. I have one thing after another and probably won't get a breather until 3 p.m. Life as we know it, right?

You know who else has a busy packed schedule? New mommies! Yeah the schedule is redundant (feed baby, clean baby, put baby to sleep, repeat), but when you're in the middle of that routine it can feel like it's much more than that. Your whole day is gone and you're wondering what you did... LOL I remember Angelo coming home from work and asking how my day was and my answer was always "well, I fed the baby..." because that's literally what I did all day. 

The thing I love most about nursing is that it seems to slow things down. When I had Nelps, and I would take Sophia to the playground or anywhere to get out of the house, I remember being so stressed leaving the house with a newborn. Then I would find a spot, sit down, and nurse her and it was like a forced slow down. Stress relief!

Before Alisha had her baby on Sunday we talked about me making her some lactation cookies. She didn't have the easiest time with her first child, so she wanted to do everything possible this time to make it go a little smoother. 

I brought these cookies to the hospital the day she had her baby and she said they taste great! They aren't huge on flavor (except that little delicious kicks of chocolate), but they seem to get the job done, or at least be a little assistance. 

I've seen many other lactation cookie recipes on Pinterest, but I picked this recipe by Fitnessista.com because of the wholesome ingredients and no added sugar.

I think these cookies are great for anytime snacking, even in the middle of the night when you're up with the baby. 

Lactation Cookies

What you need:

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup flour (I used brown rice flour because that's what I had...Almond meal would work perfectly)

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp Brewer'sYeast
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt
1/2 cup maple syrup (darker the better)
1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease two baking sheets with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: oats, flour, chia seeds, brewer's yeast, hemp seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
In a smaller bow whisk together the wet ingredients: maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and fold in chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon and hands, make small balls with the dough and softly flatten into a cookie shape on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes until set.
Let cool completely

Enjoy or wrap up and bring to a new mommy friend!

XOXO

Recipe: Garlic Pesto Shrimp Linguine

Hello! Happy Monday!

How was everyone's weekend? I hope wonderful!! 

I bring you presents on this Monday...a recipe!

A simple, delicious, and elegant recipe to add to your week's dinner menu!  

I really enjoyed this recipe! It reminded me of something you would order at a restaurant and the dinner table fell silent when everyone was twirling pasta on their forks and eating. Silence at the dinner table is like angels singing to a cook's ears. :)

Garlic Pesto Shrimp Linguine

What you’ll need:

1 lb. shrimp. Cleaned, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup dry white wine
3.5 oz. pesto sauce
1 package whole wheat linguine
1 tbsp. salt

What you do:
Bring  water to a boil in a large pasta pot over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt and pasta. Let pasta cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
While pasta is cooking:
In a large skillet, heat butter and garlic over medium heat until garlic is golden.
Add shrimp to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the white wine and pesto to skillet and cook with shrimp for another 2 minutes until shrimp is cooked through. Turn off heat.

Once pasta is done cooking, drain and put back into large pot.
Top pasta with the shrimp mixture and toss to combine.
Serve & Enjoy

XOXO

Balsamic Caprese Chicken Recipe

For some reason Caprese reminds me of summer. Whether it be Caprese salads, sandwiches, or entrees. 

I think the first time I discovered Caprese goodness was at an Italian restaurant in Dominican Republic. Then, every time we went to Miami, I would order a Caprese sandwich by the pool. 

There's something about me, sun, water, and Caprese. 

So, since it's in the middle of summer, it's hot, and we seem to be in our bathing suits 24/7; what better time than now to make Caprese Chicken!?

This recipe is really simple. Marinate the chicken, cook the chicken, and top the chicken.

To make your own balsamic reduction to drizzle on the chicken, it takes some dedication to get the right consistency.
If you don't want to make your own, you can buy it already made! I've used the Trader Joe's brand and really like it. 

Balsamic Caprese Chicken

What you'll need:
2 organic boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup EVOO
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper OR FlavorGod Garlic Lovers Seasoning
1 Ball of Mozzarella, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
Balsamic reduction

What you do: 
Combine the vinegar, evoo, and minced garlic in a large ziploc bag. 
Wash and slice chicken breasts to make 4 thinner chicken filets. 
Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper or FlavorGod Seasoning
Place chicken in ziploc bag with marinade. Let marinade in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 8 hours. (I let mine marinade for 3 hours)
Preheat a large grillpan on the stove.
Place chicken on grillpan and cook on one side for about 5 minutes. 
Turn chicken over and top with sliced mozzarella, tomato, and basil leaf.
Let cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove chicken and drizzle with balsamic reduction. 
Enjoy!


Balsamic Reduction:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar

Combine 2 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to simmer and stir constantly for about 8 minutes. Set aside. 

XOXO

Balsamic Pot Roast Recipe

Good morning and Happy Hump Day!

I am in the middle of trying to get all my recipes available to you on one page. It's a task that I didn't initially expect or think about doing, but when someone texts you asking where they can find all your recipes, you get a fire lit under your bottom to get it done. 

If this world was a perfect place, I would do at least one crock-pot recipe a week.

I love crock-pot meals because they usually make enough for left over lunches and I love the smell of dinner being ready when I get home! I don't know why I don't do them more often.Well, actually I do know... It takes planning and sometimes I don't have the time to do it before walking out the door in the morning. BUT not having to cook a meal when you get home from work is heaven. 

This recipe is now a family favorite, as everyone, kids included, ate it! That's when  you know its a winner.

I served the pot roast over a bed of brown & red rice with chopped sauteed kale. You can serve it over anything your family likes. 

Balsamic Pot Roast 

What you’ll need:

1 large onion, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped
3 carrots, peeled & chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp EVOO
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup beef or chicken broth
2 (14.5oz) cans of garlic diced tomatoes, drained
3 lb boneless beef chuck (organic, grass-fed preferred)
Salt & Pepper
FlavorGod Garlic Lovers Seasoning, or Garlic Powder

What you do:

Place carrots, onion, potatoes, and garlic in the crockpot

Pour in one (1) can of diced tomatoes.
In a separate bowl combine the EVOO, vinegar, and broth and set aside.
Season meat with salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning.
Place seasoned meat on top of vegetables in crockpot.
Pour in other can of diced tomatoes and EVOO mixture over meat.
Cook on low for minimum of 8 hours.
When ready to serve, ladle over a bed of brown rice & sautéed kale OR Enjoy by itself.

Enjoy

XOXO

Sweet Potato Salad Recipe

It's Friday people! Rock On!

Today is OFFICIALLY the first day of summer for us. In true summer fashion, we slept in (7:30 am), cooked breakfast, and just hung out. Then we decided to not be lazy bums, although I'm sure there will be a many lazy days this summer, and planned a little park date with our besties Alisha and Harper! It's just the beginning and summer is looking good. :)

Also in summer fashion, today I'm sharing a potato salad! Perfect for the many BBQ's and parties everyone loves to throw during summer. 

We made this on Tuesday night and have enjoyed it as a side dish for the past three nights! It's wonderful to eat immediately after cooking AND after sitting over night. 

You could make it a spicy salad but adding different peppers, but since I have two youngins in the house, I kept it very mild with just the green chilies. 

(This recipe was originally found on PopSugar, and adapted to my liking)
Gluten Free, Vegan, and Paleo
Sweet Potato Salad

What you’ll need:

4 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup EVOO, take out 2 tbsp and put to side
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup sliced scallion
1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1 (4.5oz) can chopped green chiles
1/4 cup golden raisins

Salt and pepper

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. 

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp EVOO. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Put in oven and roast, turning occasionally for about 30 minutes, or until browned.

While sweet potatoes are cooking, combine rest of EVOO, vinegar, bell pepper, and cumin in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl.

When sweet potato are crispy and brown, remove from oven and place in large bowl with dressing. 

Add scallions, mint leaves, chilies, and raisins. 
Toss everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and Enjoy!

XOXO

Eggplant Caprese Recipe

Hey guys! Happy Thursday!!

How are you doing?

I just got back from Sophia's Last Day of School Performances!! I can't believe today was her last day of school and she's currently sitting next to me, at the office,singing...still on that performance high I'm guessing. ;) More on that later...

My last post hinted at what my next few recipes posts will be: EGGPLANT! 

I have a lot of eggplant ready to be picked from the TowerGarden so eggplant is on the menu...almost everyday. JK...kind of.

The other night we made two different dishes with the eggplant. Eggplant Caprese and Eggplant Gratin. Both were absolutely delicious! It's funny because I rarely buy eggplant and cook them. So, when I started the TowerGarden I knew I wanted to plant something that I don't normally buy. This way it will encourage me to eat them! 

Turns out my entire family loves eggplant and so far have devoured every dish I've cooked with them. Great Stuff! 

Grilled Eggplant Caprese Stacks

What you’ll need:

1 bunch of basil leaves
1.5 cups EVOO
2 garlic cloves

1 eggplant, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 ball mozzarella, sliced
Salt & Pepper

What you do:

Blend together basil, EVOO, and garlic in a food processor. 
Marinate the sliced tomatoes and eggplant in the sauce for 20-45 minutes. Season lightly with salt & pepper.
Keep out some of the marinade to top your stacks at the end.
On a grill or stove top griddle, grill eggplant on medium heat until soft & you see grill marks.
Grill tomatoes on one side for about 2 minutes.
Stack the eggplant, mozzarella, and tomato.
Top each stack with a tsp of the saved marinade and/or basil leaf.

Enjoy!
XOXO

Grain-Free Coconut Granola

Happy Friday! How was your week? Ready for the weekend?! :) 

I kind of already kicked off the weekend last night at BloggerFish, a blogging event at CopperFish Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar in South Tampa. The food was amazing and the company was great too! Check back next week to read all about my amazing experience!

I have a special Friday gift for you: my ultimate favorite granola recipe! Exciting, right?!

I used to make homemade granola bars all.the.time. and hand it out to my friends and family. (Do y'all miss that?) 

I posted an article about coconut oil the other day on Facebook and it got me thinking about the huge tub I have in the pantry. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with that tub. Make yummy granola! So I did. And I hope you like it as much as I do.

The thing I like most about this granola recipe is that it's so flexible and the possibilities are almost endless. It's one of those things that you can just add in whatever you have at the moment. Every time I've made this granola I make it differently. I make the base (nuts and a coconut oil/honey mixture), then add whatever I have. This time around I had raisins, goji berries, and hemp seeds. I'm incredibly sad I didn't have chocolate chips because...chocolate. I wasn't willing to run out to the store to get that one item.

These can be cut into bars or chopped into bite-sized pieces. 

Eat by themselves or used to top yogurt and smoothies. 

Grain-Free Coconut Granola

What You Need:

2 1/2 cups assorted nuts (I used almonds, pecans, and walnuts)
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, goji berries, etc)
1/2 cup seeds of choice (hemp, sunflower)

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp extract (vanilla or almond)
1/2 tsp salt
Cinnamon

What You Do:

Take 1.5 cups of assorted nuts and put into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

Place in a big bowl.
Take rest of nuts and give them a quick chop with a knife or mallet. Add to bowl.

Here is the time where you can add your dried fruits, seeds, and whatever else you like. 

Over medium-low heat, in a small saucepan, combine coconut oil, honey, extract, salt, and a few dashes of cinnamon. Stir and cook until bubbles form. Take off heat and pour over nut mixture.

Stir to combine and make sure everything is coated with the oil mixture. 

Pour into a cake pan lined with parchment paper.
Spread out and press down to fill in entire pan. 

Let cool for 2-3 hours in the fridge. Remove from pan and cut into bars or chop into bite size pieces.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Goat Cheese & Blackberry Crackers

Hey guys! Is Tuesday worse or better than Monday? That stays up in the air...

Did you stay up and watch the NCAA Championship game? If not...Duke won. While that was going on I was up watching Southern Charm. :) So either way, we were up late and this Tuesday feels like a Monday for me.

Onward...

Appetizers are one of my favorite things ever. At some restaurants I'd rather order a couple appetizers as a meal than order an actual entree. At LeeRoy Selmons, I usually just order their nachos and eat them as my meal (not the whole plate, but you get the idea...). I love the bite sized deliciousness of them and most of the time you cannot go wrong ordering appetizers. 

This past Sunday for Easter I made these quick, simple, yet yummy appetizers for my family after church. Just something to munch on while we were cooking.

Take crackers or crisps of any kind, top with goat cheese and blackberries. Drizzle with honey, and you're done!

I also made Buffalo Chicken Dip, which is a very popular but much more time consuming appetizer!

Have you ever ordered a bad appetizer? Let me know where so I don't make the same mistake!

XOXO