Making life easier, one bite at a time
Hi Busies! This post goes out to my mom, who is most of the inspiration for Busy Girl (and my life in general!) Working full time as a nurse, she also managed to be a full time mom – always around to chauffeur my sister …
Hi Busies! It’s finally cooling off here in Rals, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with some warm, cheesy pasta! I usually bring out this meal around the same time I bring out the sweatpants and slipper socks, and it’s basically a …
Hi Busies!
The football season frenzy is in full swing, and that always means all buffalo everything, but these buffalo chicken bowls are something I’ll never be tired of! Close your eyes & imagine a healthy version of buffalo chicken dip, that is totally acceptable to eat as a meal and not feel one bit guilty about – and then open your eyes, because it’s REAL.
Here’s what you have to look forward to:
Cooking the chicken is as simple as 2 ingredients in the crock pot – chicken & buffalo sauce. That’s it! By the end of cooking, the chicken is fall apart tender and super easy to shred. I like to add extra buffalo sauce after it’s done cooking too, and stir in the beans and corn before freezing.
When you’re ready to serve up the deliciousness, thaw the chicken mixture, then reheat or serve it cold. Add your desired toppings and you’re good to go!
PS – for even more of a buffalo chicken dip vibe, serve it up with tortilla chips! Or, for a healthier but more filling version, stir in 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
This also makes a great burrito filling, or a healthier version of buffalo chicken dip, served with tortilla chips. Also, if you have extra cilantro on hand, it makes a nice garnish!
Adapted from Pretty Providence
Hi Busies! Sometimes, there are busy days, and then there are busy days. My version of busy-busy is those days when you’re somehow running late before you even leave for work in the morning, spend the day watching your inbox pile up while you’re stuck …
Hi Busies! There’s nothing like a kale bowl to help you get back on track with healthy eating. I usually try to make healthy choices (except for dessert, which I’m powerless to avoid), but sometimes life gets in the way! Between: a dinner out with …
Hi Busies!
It’s officially that time of year – Happy Fall Y’all! And sorry (not sorry) if this is #basic – White Chicken Chili is something I look forward to all year. A warm, comforting bowl of spicy, savory, tender chicken & beans – all smothered in cheesy, cheesy, cheese! It’s like a fall-themed hug in your mouth. This round’s meal prep guide definitely has a “bowl” theme. Kale bowls, buffalo chicken bowls, this chili in a bowl – all the easier to lounge on the couch while eating, curled up with your bowl, a blanket, and a good TV binge-sesh.
featuring the most photogenic avocado ever ^^^
And – of course – ALL the toppings. Take this comfort bowl bliss and top it with all the fixin’s:
Chips add the perfect salty crunchy finish. I like to crumble mine and stir them in, while Drew’s more of a dipper.
Crock pot round 1 – the beans (warning, the crockpot was overfilled in this picture – you should have room for 2″ of water above the level of the beans). also featuring some overexposed Netflix, my constant cooking companion.
Plus, it’s a perfect meal prep meal. I even included it twice this round in my free meal prep guide, because it’s so easy and delicious! And eating it twice just wasn’t enough!
I’m a recent convert to using dried beans – I always thought it wasn’t worth the extra step. But it totally is!
Crock Pot Round 2 – Chicken and jalapeños!
Prepping this meal is easy, but if you use dried beans you either need to do it in phases or use 2 crock pots. I made the beans first, then left them in the fridge overnight and made the chicken the next day. The chicken cooks with the jalapeños and other spices, then that liquid gets stirred in with the beans for storage in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, the toppings bring the chicken & beans to life with freshness and flavor.
These last few weeks have been extra extra busy. I started back volunteering at an after-school tutoring program, now that the school year is in full swing. That multiplication and division is harder than I’d like to admit… I don’t know who’s more relieved after we finish math and get to start reading – me or the kids! I’ve been working on keeping blog posts up to date, developing the Round 2 meal prep guide, and trying to enjoy every bit of good weather before fall truly hits down here in NC. That means weekly softball games, playing in the yard with the pups, football tailgates, and walking up to the free local tribute concerts nearby.
Sometimes, knowing that my prepped meals are in the freezer/fridge ready and waiting for me, I tend to slack on weekly grocery shopping (it’s honestly such a luxury to be able to slack on this!), and usually I can make do. But there was no way we were eating this chili without cheese! So I had to make a quick stop after tutoring to grab some of that, and I also picked up the most perfectly ripe and beautiful avocado I’ve ever had the joy of witnessing. Seriously – check out the evidence in the first snap above.
Which are you – a dipper or a stirrer? What’s your favorite thing about fall? Let me know in the comments below!
Check out my meal prep tips and tricks page for tips on how to best thaw and freeze your meals!
Hi Busies! I have my own opinions when it comes to Blue Apron, but there’s no denying that they slay when it comes to flavor. The combination of corn, shishito peppers, shallots, and roasted potatoes in this succotash is truly on another level. Salty, crispy, crunchy, …
Hi Busies! If you’ve read my post on 2 ingredient pesto chicken, you know where this is going. Yes, the 2 ingredients here are cajun seasoning and chicken. Some sort of miracle happens when these 2 ingredients are cooked together. Seriously – while we’re …
Hi Busies!
Q: Is there anything better than ordering takeout?! Spreading all the cartons in the middle of the table, then free-for-all passing them around in a mad dash to get the perfect combo of food on your plate, over a bed of that sweet sweet rice?
A: YES! This Cashew Chicken is a lightened up, homemade version of the classic. It’s a quick & easy stir fry that, if you make it as part of meal prep, is not only better than takeout – you don’t have to drive anywhere to pick it up. *aahhhh* …that’s the sound of my relief when I know I can have a delicious takeout-style meal while also staying in my PJ’s.
This Cashew Chicken features:
Stir fry meals like this come together in a snap. Start the rice on the stovetop and roast the broccoli (or whatever stir fry veggies are your fav) in the oven, then you’re free to focus all your attention on the chicken and sauce. Everything finishes around the same time and combines into the perfect bowl!
Because the timing is so fast, it definitely helps to be as prepared as possible before any cooking starts. This is a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do piece of advice, because I don’t always plan ahead as much as I should. AKA, I’m scrambling to:
all at the exact. same. time. SO! Rinse and chop the scallions while you’re taking care of the other stir fry veggies. Stir together the sauce ingredients before you start cooking the chicken. Set timers for the veggies and rice so they don’t get forgotten while you’re stir frying away!
The best thing about this meal for me is obviously the cashews! Especially after getting coated in the stir fry sauce, they add the perfect rich and salty crunch to every bite. I give mine a quick roast in the toaster oven for 5 minutes at 350°F before stirring them in.
My favorite way to serve this is with all the goodness in one bowl. Because if I’m in my PJ’s, you know I’m also eating dinner from the couch. But, if you really want to recreate that takeout vibe, serve the rice separately, and reheat some Mongolian Beef to serve along with it!
What are your favorite takeout meals? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll try to include some in the next round of meal prep! If you make this cashew chicken, tag me on Instagram @busygirl_bites or #busygirlbites so I can see how it turned out!
See my meal prep tips and tricks page for tips on how to best freeze and thaw your meal prep recipes!
Hi Busies! Football season is finally here! For me, football season means Sunday afternoons cozied up in the TV room (usually with my iPad because Pinterest), watching Red Zone and listening to Drew cheer on his fantasy team, and letting lunch blend into dinner with …