Perfect Chicken Breast with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

So I am working really hard to be healthy and get in tip top wedding shape.  I am feeling good about my workout routine, but people keep giving me desserts!  I have some serious issues saying no to free desserts...

This weekend I had a wedding shower, and the hostesses gave me the leftover cake to take home.  It was HUGE!  So, I brought the cake into school and my fellow teachers ate it for me.  It was a really tough decision, but I feel like it really shows growth on my part for doing that...

This dinner is another way that I am working at being healthy and awesome.  This dinner is also crazy yummy so that is even better!  I made some perfectly cooked chicken breast and then I roasted some broccoli and cauliflower.  It was an overall great move on my part!  

Pan Seared Chicken - take a chicken breast and sprinkle both sides with some salt and pepper.  Then, place it between two sheets of saran wrap and pound it with a pan so that it flattens.  Then, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes.  Flip the chicken, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Test the chicken and continue to cook if it is not done.  It should be 160 degrees on a meat thermometer or have NO pink in the middle.  

Roasted Veggies -  Place veggies on a pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Toss and place in the oven at 400 for 20-30 minutes.  

That's it!  This dinner is simple, good for you, and quick!  Go home and make it!

Enjoy :)

Clean Out Your Pantry Quinoa Enchilada Bake

IT'S MOVING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARGH! I am so excited!  I have this ginormous container of Quinoa Enchilada Bake because I literally put everything I could from our pantry into a giant mixture of cooked quinoa and baked it.  We have been eating it for a week, but it is delicious and it is all we have left in our fridge!  Why? BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING TODAY!

We close on our condo this afternoon.  That's right!  WE ARE GOING TO BE HOMEOWNERS IN 4 HOURS!

I couldn't be more excited and I can't believe I am at this stage of my life.  This is amazing!  I feel so proud to have a career and the ability to do this and I can't wait to make a home with Bri.  Also, it is exactly 4 months until our wedding from today and that also makes me smile from ear to ear.

Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
6 cups water
salt
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 onion, sliced
olive oil
4 tbsp cilantro
4 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup (or so...) shredded cheddar cheese
extra cheese (your choice) to sprinkle on top

Directions:
1. Place quinoa and water in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork when you are done.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, place the onion slices in a pan with 2 tbsp of oilve oil and cook over medium heat until nice and caramelized.
3. Pour some enchilada sauce in a 13 by 9 inch pan and preheat oven to 350.
4. In a large bowl, place the beans, chickpeas, corn, cooked onion, cilantro, adobo sauce, and all the spices.  Toss with the shredded cheddar.  Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the mixture and toss to combine.  5. Once the quinoa is done, stir in the rest of the ingredients and pour into your prepared pan.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and cover with tinfoil.  Cook for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy :)

Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

This is a really weird week for me.  I only teach 3 out of the 5 days because tomorrow there is an ACT for the 11th graders so I am just proctoring and on Friday we have Student Led Conferences where students present about themselves to their parents.  It is a nice change of pace, but it gives a weird momentum to what we are working on in class.  Because of this, on Thursday, we are doing a "fun" activity where students are going to work in teams to investigate a "murder."  The idea is you can figure out the time of death of a body based on its rate of cooling.  I'm pretty excited to 1. see the students act out the murder story and 2. see them work together to solve a real world situation with math! 

Also, we are TEN DAYS away from closing and moving into our condo.  I can't believe it is finally so close! We have boxes EVERYWHERE (which Benny and Nigel are big fans of) and we still have so much more to do.  I am so excited!  

I just adore brussel sprouts.  They are super fantastic.  I was never a fan growing up because my mom didn't like them either! Now, both of us love them!  Go figure!

This dish is super duper easy to make and it has become one of my go-to dinners for a weeknight when I don't have a ton of time or feel tired after school.  All you do is throw everything onto a pan, stick it in the oven, and I make enough for a couple nights so that I have another dinner or lunch for school!  

Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 pieces of teriyaki glazed salmon (5 oz each)

1/2 lb. brussel sprouts, halved

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a pan with tinfoil.  Lightly grease the tin foil

2. Place salmon on the pan and brussel sprouts around the salmon.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Drizzle with honey, mustard, and lemon juice.

3. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is done.  About halfway through, toss the brussel sprouts around so that they flip and don't stick. 

Enjoy :)

Triple Mustard Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Today is Good Friday and I am pretty sure I am the only teacher in Chicago working today.

With that being said, I also only have about 1/2 my students in class today.  So, today is a pretty silly day.  The students are catching up on any work that they have going on and I have been able to catch up on all of my grading.  It is a nice and relaxing day, but I am really excited for it to be over.

Tonight, Wisconsin is playing in the sweet 16 basketball tournament.  I am not a huge sports fan, but since I went to Wisconsin for college and my cat is named after one of the players I am pretty excited.  We have big plans to order in some delicious pizza and then just sit around and watch the game.  I can't wait!

Last night, I made this delish chicken dinner.  I am trying to use up all of the food in our place because we are moving in two weeks!  I was inspired by THIS recipe and then I just adapted it to work for what I had lying around and what I wanted to get rid of.  The result was super yummy.  I just love brussel sprouts and they tasted so good alongside the chicken.  I just had some of the leftovers for lunch and it was just as amazing a day later!

Triple Mustard Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 cup red wine

1 cup chicken stock (I actually used veggie stock)

2 tbsp honey mustard

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp yellow mustard

2 tbsp honey

1 lb brussel sprouts, stems cut off and halved

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 400 and heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

2. Wash chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Mix the spices in a small bowl and then sprinkle generous amounts of the spices over both sides of each piece of chicken.  Use your hands to rub in the spices.  

3. Place the chicken in your skillet and let cook for a few minutes on each side.  

4. Add in the red wine and let cook for another few minutes.  

5. In a small bowl, stir the stock, mustards, and honey.  Pour this over the chicken.  Then place the whole skillet (covered) in the oven for 15-17 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. 

6. Place the cooked chicken on a plate to rest.  Place the skillet (with the juices) back on the stove over medium heat.  Add in the brussel sprouts and allow to cook for about 8-10 minutes.  Serve with the chicken.

Enjoy :)

Shrimp Sushi Bowl

Sorry for getting a little ranty/ravey on Monday.  I don't know what got into me.  Of course, after I complained about running, I went for a 3 mile run and it totally made me feel better.  I actually did the same thing this morning because I went to see the Revenant last night.  

That movie is insane.  First of all, it's super intense.  Like I was clenching my arms for pretty much the entire movie.  Second, it was gross.  I had to close my eyes pretty frequently so, actually, I don't think I saw most of the movie.  And third, it was long.  I felt like I just ran a marathon or something (well maybe not that long), but I felt drained after.  So, I woke up this morning and I went for a run to make myself feel better and more upbeat. 

It totally worked, I got to school today ready to take on the world! Then, one of my students gave me a super sweet valentine's day mug with some chocolate in it.  Woo!  This is good since I have to fly to Baltimore today for a teaching conference this weekend.  I'm feeling much better and I'm super pumped.

I am also super pumped because we agreed on an offer with the seller of the condo we love! I'll keep you posted, but it looks like we will be able to close on April 1st and then move!! I can't wait!

And, to celebrate, here is a crazy delicious dinner idea.  I saw one of those Tasty videos that circulate on facebook and it was for this cute little sushi thing.  So, of course, I started to crave sushi, but sushi is not easy to make on your own.  I decided to make a sort of "deconstructed" sushi.  And, here it is!  This is a perfect, easy dinner.  Plus if you use gluten free soy sauce, it is totally gluten free!  

Shrimp Sushi Bowl

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cooked brown rice

4-5 cooked, cold shrimp

2 tbsp greek yogurt

1-2 tsp siracha

2 tbsp avocado, mashed up

1-2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice according to directions, scoop 1/4 cup of the brown rice into a bowl.

2.  Place the shrimp and avocado on top of the rice. 

3. In a small bowl, mix the greek yogurt with the siracha and then place on top of the rice. 

4. Drizzle soy sauce over everything.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Paella

I decided to take a blog-cation.  I'm not sure that is a real thing, but I am officially making it a thing.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed with how much I have going on in my life and I just couldn't keep up.  It happens.  All the stuff is really good and I totally kept cooking up a storm, but I just didn't feel like writing.  However, I am pretty pumped to tell you about this Vegetarian Paella:

Here is a quick re-cap on all the good stuff that is keeping me occupied.  First, school is busy.  I am teaching the AP Calc and Precalc groups right now, so I have a lot to plan for.  I have never taught these classes before this year and so I need more time to plan and prepare myself.  Plus, this math stuff can be really difficult!  I give these kids a lot of credit because they are learning some tough stuff and doing a really nice job! Then, I also have cheer practice or basketball games after school.  On Saturday, we attended a college basketball game and talked to the cheer team there.  It was really fun and the girls had a great time meeting the college cheerleaders.  We are also getting ready for a winter pep rally and that means lots of practice.  On top of all that, I also had a meeting on Monday with the park district to start preparing for my summer job.  Summer seems really far away, but now is the time that we start planning/hiring for summer camp.  Finally, Bri and I have been doing a lot of house shopping.  We think we found our condo and are getting ready to make an offer!  And, all of this is in addition to wedding planning and marathon training.  Jeez!  

So, needless to say, I just have a lot on my plate.  

I also found out that next year I will be teaching 12th grade.  For any of you who keep up with my life, I am currently teaching 11th grade and this means I will be teaching the same kiddos next year! I am turning into Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World!  This is just awesome since Mr. Feeny is the best! 

How can you not love that guy???  

Well, now that you are all mostly updated on my whirlwind life, here is a fabulous recipe for Vegetarian Paella.  I made this on a weeknight, which means that it takes like no time, and it was crazy yummy.  Please make this and enjoy!

Vegetarian Paella

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

1/4 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp paprika

5-6 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 red peppers, sliced

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tbsp hot paprika

1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved

1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained and roughly chopped

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the brown rice, and boil for 20 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2. In another pot, bring the broth to a simmer.

3. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and saute the onions until translucent.  Add in the peppers and garlic and cook until the peppers soften.  Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tumeric, paprika, hot paprika, and season with salt and pepper (to taste). Let this simmer for 5 minutes

4.  Fold in the green beans, artichoke hearts, chickpeas and cooked rice.  Ladel the warm broth into the mixture until the rice is almost covered.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the frozen peas and let simmer for 5 more minutes.  Then, serve! 

Enjoy :)

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Guys, I am such a grown up.  Bri and I had a meeting last night with our REAL ESTATE AGENT.  We are officially starting our new home search and we couldn't be more pumped about becoming first time homeowners!!! No more of this renting silliness.  We are using words like invest and mortgage.  It's super crazy and I feel old.  

I am also a little fascinated by the fact that I am super excited to have an in unit washer and dryer.  I think this may actually be the determining factor on if you are an adult or not.  Do you get excited about having an in unit washer or dryer? If yes, then congrats, you are an adult.  Seriously, I couldn't be more pumped up about it.  I keep saying things like "I've made it!" and "I can't wait to leave things in the dryer and just grab them as needed."  I feel that this is both adorable and sad, but I am okay with it.

So, to celebrate the beginning of this house hunting journey and my path towards laundry-ease, I am sharing a recipe for Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake.  YUM! Plus, this cake has NO flour.  Just three layers of chocolatey goodness with a dense flourless dark chocolate cake-like base, chocolate mousse center, and white chocolate mousse top.  

This cake was a huge hit.  I brought it in for a staff potluck, and people told me that it was so good I should get paid to make it.  I should start charging people for the delicious things I make.  But, then I would think of it like a job instead of fun, so I am going to stick to making people happy with free treats.  

Today is also my half birthday and while I know that is not actually a thing, it is another small reason to celebrate so here you go:

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Follow the link for the recipe at Tastebook since I barely changed anything.  Here are the few suggestions/things that I did to make this cake a success:

1. Find good quality chocolate.  It makes a difference.

2. CHILL.  Let things chill for a LONG time.  Then, putting the cake together works so much better.  

3. I found that my white chocolate layer didn't firm up like it should so in the future I would add a pinch more gelatin and let it cool even longer. 

4., Whenever the recipe said to whip something until soft peaks formed, I whipped until stiff-er peaks formed.  This makes the mousse more airy and light which I love.  

Autumn Brown Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

It's back to school time after a nice 3 day weekend.  This weekend was pretty great.  I had my nephew's bar mitzvah and so all of my out of town family was around and we had a great time celebrating!  We had multiple dinners together and it was so nice to see everyone.  

I also love 3 day weekends because I just feel like I get so much more done.  For example, I was able to do my long runs, see all of my family, and prep food for this week.  One of the meals that I made for this week was a special request of Bri's.  We made our very own Vegetarian Thanksgiving back in November and this dish was a huge hit.  I made some Autumn Brown Rice and then stuffed it into a Roasted Acorn Squash.  It was crazy yummy!  Last night I made a double batch of the brown rice because I wanted to have leftovers and you can totally eat it on its own.  The acorn squash provides a beautiful presentation and it is yummy, but it is not necessary.  Also, if you don't want to use cranberries, you can also use any sort of dried fruit.  I used fresh cranberries the first time around and let them cook in the rice until they were bursting, but the second time around I used dried cherries and they were also great! 

Autumn Brown Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

(adapted from Carlsbad Cravings)

Ingredients:

(makes 1 batch, you can also double everything if you want a ton of leftover rice)

2 acorn squash, halved and deseeded

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup brown rice

2 tbsp butter

1/2 onion, sliced

1 apple, cored and chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup fresh cranberries (or dried)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Place your halved squash facing up on a baking sheet and brush the insides and sides with olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the squash and then cover with tinfoil.  Roast in the oven to 40-50 minutes or until squash can be pierced with a fork.

2. While the squash is roasting, place a large pot on the stove and bring vegetable broth, apple juice, butter, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme, bay leaf and rice to boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and cover and let simmer for 45 minutes.  

3. Drain the rice after 45 minutes and place the empty pot back on the stove over medium heat.  Add in the 2 tbsps of butter, onion, and apples.  Cook for 5-7 minutes so that the onion is translucent.  Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  Then, add the rice back in along with the apple cider vinegar, pecans, and cranberries.  Cook for another 5 minutes or so.

4.  Scoop some rice mixture into each side of the roasted squash and serve!

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Yesterday was my first day back at school and today is my first day back with students.  I was super grateful for yesterday because I was able to catch up with my co-teachers and get a bunch of planning done for the week ahead of me.  Also, it means that I only need to survive a 4 day week this week.  

Today I am excited because I am teaching Pre-calculus and AP Calculus and while both of these topics can be intimidating, I like that they are new topics that I have not had a ton of experience with and I love learning new things myself.  I feel totally ready to go and I am pumped.

I am also excited to share this Vegetarian Lo Mein Recipe.  It was super simple to make so it is perfect for a weeknight and it is healthy.  Plus, it's delicious.  Now that I am back, I am all about the quick and simple meals that also make me feel good about myself!

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies

8 oz rice noodles, prepared according to directions

2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp siracha (or more if you like it spicy!)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and siracha.

2. In a large skillet, place the veggies and heat over medium.  Pour about half of the sauce over the veggies and toss to combine.  Cook until the veggies soften.  Then, add in the prepared rice noodles and toss to combine.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the mixture and toss.

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Mousse

Is it still pumpkin season? I'm gonna say yes since it's so weirdly warm this winter that it still sorta feels like fall.  I mean, I just went for a run and got way to sweaty for this time of year.  Also, I got really cute cold weather running gear for Hanukkah and I can't even wear it since it's too warm!  I know I shouldn't complain.  I love that there is no snow and that I can still make pumpkin things.  What more could a girl ask for?  

I was playing around with the idea of a pumpkin-like pie but without the pie crust.  I found a recipe for a pumpkin mousse and I just loved that idea!  So, that is what I am sharing with you today!  

Today is also a pretty exciting day for me (besides the pumpkin mousse).  I have a lunch date with Bri's Aunt to talk about a wedding shower and then I have a dinner date with Bri's whole family to celebrate his and his twin's birthdays!  I get to go to Cheesecake Factory and Portillo's...all in one day!  This is why I went for a 5.75 mile run this morning.  Gotta prepare myself for all the delicious eating!  

Pumpkin Mousse

(adapted from Pastry Chef Online)

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar until boiling.  Continue to boil until the sugar has deeply caramelized.  Once this happens, immediately remove it from the stove and pour in 1 cup of the heavy cream and stir to combine.  Pour this mixture into a metal bowl.
2. Add in the pumpkin, honey, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla.  Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Pour the rest of the heavy cream (1 1/2 cups) into a metal bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.  Pour 1/3 of this mixture into your cold pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.  Then pour the the rest and use a spatula to fold in the cream until no white streaks remain.
4. Place back into the fridge to keep cold, or serve!  I served mine with a little whipped cream on top!

Enjoy :)

Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

Who doesn't love dip?  A good dip is just the best!  I made this one for my book club girlfriends and they found it to be delicious.  I think it has a surprising taste, but it really good and you just can't stop eating it.  In fact, I'm thinking about making this dip for a girl's night I have coming up!

My girlfriends organized a secret santa exchange.  I like to call it a secret snowman exchange, but whatever.  How cute are we? My friend Caryn organized it and I am super pumped.  I can't wait to see what I get and I'm pretty excited about the gift I got for my secret person!  Hanukkah is happening right now and I am excited to do some gift giving :)

This week is also actually flying by!  Today all the students are taking a practice ACT exam.  I am excited to see how my students do.  The school was able to get graphing calculators for every student that did not have one (of the 200ish 11th graders, 110 did not have one).  It was really nice and I am excited to see if they perform better today with the extra help and confidence from the graphing calculator!  We spent the last week integrating calculator skill education into our class so they should be totally ready to use them today!

Cheer is also going great! We had a clinic on Saturday and we had a college cheerleader come in to help support our team and teach them some new cheers and jumps.  The team worked so hard and they learned so much.  I was super proud of all of them!  Plus, our uniforms are finally here! So, on Thursday when we perform at the basketball game, we will be in our uniforms and we will have a bunch of new cheers to debut! I can't wait.

Now, back to that dip!

Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz goat cheese
3 tbsp chopped herbs (thyme, parsley, cilantro)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Toss the cubed squash in a bowl with the olive oil, cinnamon, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and nutmeg.  Spread out in one layer on your lined baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Once done, remove from oven and lowder the temp to 350 degrees.
2. Place the cooked squash in a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth puree.  Add in the goat cheese and herbs and process until smooth.  Add in the black beans and pulse a few times to combine and smash.
3. Place mixture in a oven-safe dish (I used my adorable mini skillet) and place in oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or whatever else you feel like!

Enjoy :)

Mommy's Granola Bars

It's a quiz day in math class!  I'm feeling a little down since I just graded a bunch of the quizzes and students who have been working on graphing quadratics for THREE weeks are still struggling with it.  I'm gonna have to look for some new strategies.  Any suggestions?  

Last night was also the first cheer performance for a basketball game!  It was really exciting and the girl's did a nice job.  They are a brand new cheer squad and they have already learned a bunch of cheers as well as a few dances.  The captains did a good job calling the cheers, but as a group we are going to have to work on staying sharp and smiling.  We are also continuing to work on our stunts and learning new routines.  I'm exciting for next month when we have a cheer clinic scheduled with a college cheerleader who has volunteered to come help us out!  How cool is that?  

Coaching and math teaching has been going really well at my new school and overall I just love it!  

I made my mommy's granola bar recipe recently when I knew that I was going to be at school for a long time and needed some sort of snack.  My average day starts at 5:45 when I go to the gym to work out.  Then, I get to school between 7:15 and 7:45 and hold office hours or work on lesson plans.  School goes from 8:30 to 4:00 and then I usually have cheer practice or office hours or some sort of school activity until at least 5:30.  Some nights I am here until 7!  On those crazy long days, I need some sort of pick-me-up and these granola bars totally do the trick.  I can't wait to make these again and maybe try mixing up the ingredients.  For this recipe I used dried fruit, but you could totally mix it up by putting in some chocolate chips, almonds, peanut butter chips, caramel...whatever!  This recipe can also easily be gluten free! 

Mommy's Granola Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup rice puff cereal (I used the Kashi 7 Grain one)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 tbsp flaxseed

2 tbsp wheat germ

1/4 cup dried cherries

2 tbsp dried blueberries

2 tbsp raisins

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla 

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 8 by 8 pan.

2. In a bowl, mix the oats, puff cereal, flax. wheat germ, and dried fruit.

3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the almond butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt.  Stir until the mixture starts to bubble.  Remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients.

4. Stir the mixture to coat all the dry ingredients.  Then pour the mixture into your prepared pan and press evenly into the pan.  Place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to chill.  Once chilled, cut into bars.

Enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burgers with BBQ Caramelized Onions

I have a pretty sweet week at school right now.  I survived Monday.  We reviewed graphing quadratics and I had cheer practice after school.  And now I have Tuesday, which I am already all planned for!  Wednesday is Veterans Day and so we do not have school and then Friday is a Teacher Institute Day.  So, I only have two more days of teaching this week!  Crazy!

Today I went to my boot camp class in the morning.  It was super tough since I was still sore from my work out on Saturday.  This past weekend I was hanging out in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with my bestie, Tamara.  She took me with her to her work out on Saturday morning.  Slow motion push-ups are officially my least favorite exercise.  They are weirdly easy at first, but then you feel like your arms might just fall off for the next three days...Then today we did SLOW MOTION PUSH UPS!  I couldn't believe it.  I'm half way through my boot camp class when the instructor told us that we were going to do them.  We have never done slow motion push ups before, but of course we did today.  Now, I can barely lift my arms above my head.  Ouch.  I guess the good news is that if I keep doing them I'll have awesome looking arms for my wedding dress :)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
3 scallions
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp of cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 red pepper, chopped
3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 egg
8 whole wheat buns
cheese if you want (we used colby jack)
BBQ Caramelized Onions:
1 red onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
BBQ sauce, to taste

Directions:
1. Peel the sweet potato and use your food processor with a grate attachment to grate the sweet potato.  If you don't have this, you can use a cheese grater with the largest holes.  Place sweet potato pieces in a large bowl.
2. Put the black beans in the food processor and pulse a few times to mash the beans.  Add these to the bowl with the sweet potato.
3. Mix in the scallions, cilantro, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, salt, red pepper pieces, and oats.  Stir well.
4. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Mix the egg in with the other ingredients and place the mixture in the fridge to chill until the oven is ready.
6. Once ready, form 8 balls with the mixture and press into burger shaped rounds.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes and then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.
7. For the caramelized onions, add onion slices, olive oil and bbq sauce to a pan.  Heat over medium until onion becomes translucent and soft.  Serve on top of burgers and feel free to add any other toppings!

Enjoy :)

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

I just spent a really great weekend up in Minnesota!  Bri, Lauren and I all went there to visit our friends Patrick, Tommy, and Braden.  It was the second time I had ever been there and the first in four years!  Last time I was there it was for the State Fair (which is a crazy awesome State Fair) and so this time I was excited to just sort of hang out and explore Minneapolis.  

We drove there (6.5 hours each way) which means that my weekend felt really short!  We had a great time, but now I feel a little crazed.  I'm up at 5:15 (instead of 4:45) and instead of going to my workout class, I decided to sleep a little longer and get to school a little earlier to catch up on some work and get ready for the week.  

Today is going to be exhausting.  I have school and then after school cheer practice and then after practice we are cheering at a soccer game.  It's an away game so that means I have to go on the bus with the team and then come back.  Last time we did this, I did not get to leave school until after 7:30.  I guess it could be crazier.  Like if this was a night football game it would be much later.  But, after my whirlwind weekend, I know I am going to be beat later.  

Anyways, it has been a little over two weeks since I decided to be healthier, lose a few pounds, and focus on strength training as well as running.  That means that I am running less (way less compared to marathon training) and I am focusing on what I eat more and more.  This recipe is the perfect thing to share.  Plus, Bri has the day off and promised to go grocery shopping and I want to make sure he has a good list of things to buy...(so if you're reading this, Bri, make sure to get these ingredients!).   I made this Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad a while ago, but I never got around to sharing it.  Today it is the perfect thing to share!  This recipe is super simple, the ingredients are awesome for you and on top of it, it is Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Vegan! 

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

(adapted from Avocado Pesto)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to directions

1 red onion, diced

1/2 cup grated carrots

2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped, to taste

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 tbsp peanuts, chopped

Dressing:

1 lime, zest and juice

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp tamari (make sure you use gluten free if that is what you are going for!)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions and then when it is done, place in a large bowl to cool and combine with the broccoli, red onion, grated carrots, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts.

2. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together.  Then, add half the dressing to the bowl and toss everything with the dressing.  Give it a taste and add more dressing as needed.  

Enjoy :)

3 Bean Vegetarian Chili

I love meals that are super easy and super delicious.  This is definitely one of those.  All you do is throw a bunch of stuff into a pot, let it get warm, and then enjoy!  Now that the weather is getting colder, this is the perfect type of meal to come home to.  

In other news, I'm a cheer coach at my school and this is the first year we have a cheer team.  Almost none of the girls had any prior experience and we just had our first game!  It was so exciting to see them out there cheering and they did a really great job.  I love that I became involved in this and I can't wait for more games.  This Friday we have a pep rally and the girl's are performing a cheer and a dance.  They're pretty nervous, but they are looking so great!  They have worked really hard and it is exciting to see them become so invested in something.  Today we have a practice and then a dinner where we are going to hang out about make some cheer bows!  It's gonna be awesome.  

So, although tonight I am having pizza with my cheerleaders, I still wanted to share this great chili recipe that I made recently.  Then, I can't wait to share how the bow-making goes and how the pep rally goes tomorrow!  The chili recipe is totally relevant because now that cheer is taking over my afternoons, I ahve less time to cook when I get home!  This chili recipe is going to be making quite a few appearances in our apartment in the near future...

3 Bean Vegetarian Chili

(adapted from Cait's Plate)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 red peppers, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup water

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp southwest chipotle powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

Toppings: Crumbled Goat Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, heat olive oil.  Add in the peppers and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add in the rest of the ingredients.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  

2. Serve with whatever toppings you want.

Enjoy :)

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

School has been going really well.  Cheer practice has started, we are already starting Unit 3 for math, and it has been so much fun getting to know my students.  I even got the chance to chaperone a field trip to a college fair with the juniors.  They were super into it and it was really great to see.  I love that I get to help them out and be part of the whole picking out colleges experience.  

I have also been busy with wedding planning, as the days count down, we are starting to get more and more into the smaller details.  This means lots of decision making, which is not always my strong suit.  However, it also means lots of fun and excitement which is what I am focusing on. 

And on top of all that, the marathon is right around the corner! I have 4 training runs left and 11 days until the big race!  I am super pumped, but also starting to get nervous! 

Now, for this recipe.  It was one of the easiest meals I had ever made and it made for some really great school lunches.  All you have to do is dump all the stuff into your crock pot, wait, and then enjoy! Can it get any easier?  Plus, it was really tasty.  I would put some of the chicken mixture into my school pyrex container, sprinkle a little cheese on top, and then add some avocado slices if I was feeling really fancy.  Yum! 

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock (I used vegetable stock because it was what I already had in the fridge)

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cumin

1 cup brown rice

1 15 oz can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

Optional: Salsa, Guacamole, Avocado, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Green Onion...etc.

Directions:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry.  Place in the crock pot.  Put tomatoes, 1/2 cup stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin in as well.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

2. After about 4 hours, add in the black beans, brown rice, and corn.  Cook on low for another 3-4 hours.

3. Serve with a little melted cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream or greek yogurt! It's really up to you!

Enjoy :)

Southwestern Pizza

Yesterday was Bri and my six year anniversary of when we started dating.  We decided to do something relaxed and so I decided to cook dinner for us and then we went and walked the 606 trail.  This is the new elevated trail in Chicago.  It was super nice and we walked about 3 miles.  Afterwards, we went and got gelato for dessert!  Yum!  It was a really nice night and a nice way to spend some time together on a weeknight.

This pizza is also a great weeknight meal in general.  Bri was a big fan because it is totally vegetarian.  It can also be made totally gluten free if you need it to be.  I like it because it is incredibly flavorful and it is a healthy meal.  I was inspired by the Southwestern Pizza on The Kitchn and then I adapted it and put my own twist on it.  It was a great dinner and now we have leftovers for lunch!

Southwestern Pizza

Ingredients:
1 lb of pizza dough
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 chili in adobo sauce, mince the chili
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2-1 cup mexican shredded, light cheese
1/2 avocado, chopped or sliced
1 lime

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Lightly grease a baking pan and roll out the dough.  Place dough on the pan.
3. In a separate saute pan, place the sliced onion and 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Cook over medium until your onions start to caramelize.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place black beans in a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave for 1 minute.
5. Stir the minced chili, chili powder, cumin, salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil into the warm black beans.  Add a few tsp of the adobo sauce, to taste.  Mash this whole mixture with a fork so that you create a black bean paste and all the ingredients and well combined.
6. Spread the black bean paste over the dough.  Sprinkle the caramelized onions, corn, and tomatoes over the top.  Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, sprinkle the cheese over the top and cook for another 5 minutes.  Top with chopped avocado and a sprinkle of lime juice.

Enjoy :)

BBQ Onion and Gouda Quesadilla

My birthday celebration was a ton of fun and it was yet another reminder of all the amazing people in my life.  I couldn't be more grateful.  Dinner at RPM Italian didn't disappoint.  They brought us a complimentary Prosecco Toast to celebrate Bri's and my engagement, dinner was fantastic, and then they also brought out complimentary gelato to celebrate my birthday.  OH! And, we also so Coach Quenneville from the Chicago Blackhawks eating dinner with his family! It was so cool!

So now it's back to the daily grind.  Last night when I got home, I wanted to make something for dinner, but I didn't want to spend a ton of time on it.  I stopped by the grocery store and they happened to have samples of this spicy 3 Pepper Gouda.  It was creamy with just a bit of a kick and it was super good.  I had also recently seen a recipe for a quesadilla with bbq onions in it so I figured I would combine these two.  I also used these great "healthy" veggie quesadillas.  Put together, this was one amazing quesadilla that is good for you too!

BBQ Onion and Gouda Quesadilla
(makes 4)

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp bbq sauce
1/3-1/2 lb of gouda cheese
4 quesadilla tortillas

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium and add the sliced onions.  Cook until onions soften and start to brown.  This will take a bit of time and you should toss the onions frequently.  Season with salt and pepper and add in the bbq sauce.  Toss to combine.  Turn off heat.
2. Shred the gouda cheese into a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese over 1/2 of the tortilla.  Top with 1/4 of the onions.  Use a spatula to flip the other half of the tortilla on top and then cook until both sides brown a bit and cheese melts.  Repeat with the rest.

I had mine with some veggies and a wheatberry salad on the side.  Is that healthy or what???

Enjoy :)

Baked Spinach Pesto Avocado with an Egg

So, I took a little vacation for the 4th because I was so busy! But, I'm back! And I have a great recipe for a baked avocado with an egg.  

Two of my best friends from the school of education at Wisconsin were in town for the 4th and we had a blast.  We visited the Bean in Millennium Park, went to the top of the John Hancock building, walked around Water Tower Place, brought in burgers to the Half Acre Tap Room, relaxed on North Avenue Beach, BBQ'd for the 4th and saw fireworks from North Avenue, and generally, had so much fun! 

After this crazy weekend, I am ready to settle down and relax.  I decided that since my first trip to a bridal salon for dress shopping is about 2 months away, I really want to kick my eating healthy trend into high gear.  This recipe today is totally going to help me with my plan.  It is crazy delicious, super quick to put together, and healthy!  I love avocados and they are full of good nutrients.  Then, the pesto is homemade where I controlled the amount of oil and used a ton of spinach!  Finally, the egg provides some good protein.  It's a great, well-rounded, meal idea.

Baked Spinach Pesto Avocado with an Egg

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado

1 egg

2 tbsp pesto (I used my Homemade Spinach Pesto)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

optional: dash of hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Cut an avocado in half and scoop out enough of the center so that there is room to hold the egg.  

3. Place the avocado in an oven-safe dish and crack the egg into the center.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.   The time depends on how well done you like your eggs.

4. Spread some pesto over the top of the avocado and egg.  Sprinkle a dash of hot sauce over the creation if you are using it.

Enjoy :)

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

I just love enchiladas.  They are a great way to get a ton of veggies into your dinner and they are so tasty! I am trying to be a little healthier now that it is summer and I am beginning to really focus on my wedding.  I want to get in shape and lose a few pounds, but I don't want to go crazy since I still have more than a year!  So, my plan is to incorporate veggies into all my meals, portion control, and stay away from all those delicious desserts (which is going to be the biggest challenge!).  This meal was a great way to kick of my healthy-eating plan and I am definitely going to be making these again soon! 

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

8 whole wheat tortillas or gluten-free

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

extra virgin olive oil

1 eggplant, peeled and diced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 squash, quartered

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 red onion, chopped

your favorite salsa

your favorite shredded cheese, I used a blend

3 green onions, chopped (optional)

1 avocado, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large pan, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat over medium.  Add in the eggplant, zucchini, and squash.  Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Toss to combine and cook until veggies start to soften.  Add in olive oil as needed.  Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.  

3. In each tortilla, place a couple spoonfuls of the veggie mixture, a spoonful of salsa, some black beans, shredded cheese, and chopped red onion.  Roll the tortilla and place seam down in the prepared pan.  

4. Once all the tortillas are done, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tops and sprinkle with some more cheese.  Cover in tinfoil and place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

5. Top with some green onion and avocado slices.

Enjoy :)