Making life easier, one bite at a time
Happy Sunday! This was a super fun week because it was Drew’s birthday which means CAKE! I was busy doing a few bday preparations early in the week and finishing up a round of meal prep that overflowed into Monday night (hello, procrastination, my old …
Hi Busies! Trying something new today, as I learn more about this crazy and fabulous world of food blogging. It’s definitely been an adventure so far. Sunday was “clean out the fridge” lunch to make room for new meal preps for the week. I …
Hi Busies! So, A) I know it’s February and I’m just now making/posting this Fall Harvest Bowl. *shrugs*
And B) I know I’m low-key obsessed with everything quinoa/veggie/power bowls. *shrugs again*
I literally can’t help myself – these bowls are just a busy girl’s best friend. During the week I’m all about quick and easy meals that I can throw together in a snap after work. These are all that and more – not to mention the perfect way to load up on all.the.veggies.
Seriously, dear reader – this couldn’t be more simple! Cook up a HUGE batch of quinoa. Roast a sheet pan of veggies. Cook a bunch of chicken in the crock pot or oven. BOOM – done. Portion that out and freeze. When you’re ready to eat, you have an amazing base for whatever you want to make. Feeling Greek tonight? Add tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and drizzle with Greek dressing (photos of this version coming soon!). Mexican? Add a can of black beans and corn, sprinkle with queso fresco, and add your fave salsa. The options are truly endless.
This version has a spiced rubbed chicken that I baked in the oven along with roasted brussels and broccoli, and of course some avo to keep it suuuuper filling and satisfying. All that goodness is drizzled with a divine tahini-lemon dressing.
Can we talk about tahini for a quick sec? Although hummus sometimes takes all the spotlight, tahini deserves some time to shine on its own! Made from sesame seeds, tahini has a mild, toasty flavor and will make your dressings and dips creamy and dreamy. It’s so versatile – I’ve used it in everything from Asian stir fry sauces to Mediterranean dips and dressings galore. Weirdly enough, I also love it as part of a sweet dish. Spread it over toast (or sweet potato toast 🙌🏻) and drizzle with maple syrup or honey for a delicious breakfast. Wait…ok not gonna lie I just came up with that sweet potato toast situation this minute and I NEED to go make that right now…brb y’all!
Are you going to give this one a try? What vegetables are you going to use? Let me know in the comments!
To Serve: Thaw overnight. Whisk together ingredients for tahini dressing. Assemble bowls with quinoa, chicken, and roasted veggies and reheat. Add any fresh condiments like herbs, avocado, etc. Drizzle with tahini dressing. Enjoy!
Roasted veggies - the options are really endless, but some of my favorites are brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, red onions, or peppers. You can also add sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, or any leafy green veggie like spinach or kale. YUMYUMYUM VEGETABLES.
Hi Busies! Ahh, ramen. If you’re anything like me, that word immediately conjures up the college student stereotype, desperately eating microwaved ramen from a styrofoam bowl at 3AM the night before that final paper is due. But I’m here to tell you that ramen can …
Hi Busies! Sorry for the radio silence – life for an accountant during busy season usually means 60-70 hour weeks, sometimes more! 😩 Although I love my job, during this time of year I feel like I lose parts of myself – I stop being a girlfriend, …
Hi Busies!
The arrival of January in our household brings a feeling of dread. The cold weather itself is miserable, plus it means the dogs stay cooped up in the house more and get restless. All the holiday fun is over, and I have 4 months of long work days ahead of me. Like, 12-16 hour days. Yuck!
One thing that gets me through this tough time of year is food. Food is fuel, and keeping my fuel healthy this time of year is extra important, since I’m getting less sleep and dealing with cold weather. I’m convinced this is one of the reasons I haven’t gotten sick during a busy season yet!
On the other hand, winter means my body is craving warm, comforting, carb based dishes. Fighting those cravings are hard, so I like to find compromises that satisfy those cravings, but also keep things lighter and healthier. Enter this Bbq Pork Mac & Cheese. The cheese sauce is made with pureed butternut squash, so it’s slightly sweet, which is perfectly enhanced by the drizzle of barbecue sauce that goes over top. Sprinkling a little smoked gouda over top tricks you into thinking you’re eating a decadent, cheesy sauce, when really you’re getting a secret serving of veggies and lean protein! And, this freezes like an absolute gem. It was enough for 3 dinners for Drew and I, plus I had leftovers for a couple of work lunches that I kept frozen for a separate week.
Seriously y’all, this Bbq Pork Mac & Cheese is everything a winter meal should be: warm, filling, and cheesy. The pork cooks with just 5 mins of prep in the crock pot until it’s fallaparttender, and the sauce whips up in a snap after roasting butternut squash (meal prep bite – roast the squash for this and the sweet potato for this Mexican Sweet Potato Hash at the same time!). I recommend storing the pork in a separate container from the mac and cheese, then combine when you’re ready to serve and drizzle with a bit of extra barbecue sauce.
Hi Busies! With a fresh start in 2018, it’s time to get rolling on those New Year’s Resolutions. Mine this year are: Visit one place you’ve never been (this is one for me every year – and this year that place is Thailand!) Eat …
Hi Busies! Phew…that title is a mouthful, but so is this recipe! This is my favorite kind of meal – all in one bowl, all pre-cut for instant bowl-to-mouth action. Perfect for a quick lunch at your desk or for a grab and go dinner …
Hi Busies!
As soon as September rolls around, the explosion of allpumpkineverything begins. I know I’m a little late to the party, but hopefully you’re not sick pumpkin just yet, because you HAVE to try these pumpkin cookies.
I stumbled upon this recipe 4 years ago, and since then they’ve become a fall staple – I make them at least twice a year when I get that itch for some fall feels!
Soft, cake-y, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies, drizzled with a brown butter/brown sugar icing that adds the perfect amount of sweetness. In all the years I’ve been making them, not one person has not liked them. Not one! They are everything. That is all.
I’m writing this while recovering from some Halloween shenanigans. We went to a Stranger Things themed party, which was amazing. Some of my favorite details – the Christmas-light alphabet wall, Missing posters for Will Byers plastered everywhere, and some seriously great Steve and Barb costumes. Gotta love Barb! All the people dressed in 80’s clothes gave the party a great nostalgic feel, just like watching the show does!
Now, the rest of my Sunday will be spent trying to convince Drew to turn off football so we can watch Stranger Things season 2!
Drew and I dressed up as the leg lamp and box from A Christmas Story. “FRAGEEELLLAAAYYYY!”
In a medium saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute or until slightly thickened.
Beat in the milk. Blend in confectioner's sugar until the glaze is smooth and spreadable.
Use a spoon to drizzle icing over top of cookies.
I've made this with whole wheat flour too, in the same ratios, and no one can taste the difference!
If the glaze hardens or gets a shell, put it back on the burner over low heat and stir until it's spreadable again.
Adapted from Genius Kitchen
Hi Busies! So happy to say that after over 4 years of living in North Carolina, we finally made it to Asheville! For those of y’all who don’t know, Asheville is many things: a hiking hot spot, because it’s on the Blue Ridge Parkway …