Easiest Refried Beans Ever

If you're looking for the BEST and healthiest refried beans and taco seasoning to ever be made then you've stumbled upon my page for a reason!

I was searching the internet for a good homemade taco seasoning recipe and came across this one from Eat.Drink.Love and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only did it provide me with a healthier alternative for a taco seasoning but it tasted better and I knew EXACTLY what I put into it unlike those prepackaged seasonings.

For the refried beans it is honestly one of the easiest and healthiest alternatives to the canned ones I always knew growing up.

Directions:
1. Toss some pre-washed and pre-cooked black beans into a skillet on medium heat. I like to purchase a large bag for $1 at the grocery store and cook them in the crockpot for several hours then portion them out and refrigerate or freeze accordingly. I don't add any salt or seasonings so that they're versatile for tacos, black bean burgers or even as a simple side dish.

2. Once they've started to heat up in the skillet start to smash them with a fork until they become the texture of refried beans. You can then add whatever seasonings you'd like to at this point. I usually sprinkle on some of the homemade taco seasoning and then serve with shredded chicken or ground turkey mixed with tomatoes.

Voila! You now have simple, delicious and nutritious refried beans for your favorite Mexican cuisine. Be on the lookout for my favorite Molletes with Pico de Gallo and 21 Day Fix Tacos within the next few days!

August Foodie Penpal Reveal

This month I got paired up with Ashley over at Raising Our Little Devil Pups. Her box was fantastic and all of her items came from her home state, Maine. I literally ate both bags of the almond pops while Nick was on the phone. I told myself I would save him a few to taste, but he took too long and I couldn't resist.

The waffle cookies were delicious with any kind of nut butter we had spread on top. Nick got the crab meat and sriracha peas.  We have yet to tackle the rice but will, soon enough, have it for dinner.

If you're interested in joining the Foodie Penpal nation simply click the photo below!

Thanks Ashley, it was all delicious!

Homemade Baked Fries

Last night Nick and I had grilled turkey burgers, fries and delicious pickle spears! I knew when I woke up yesterday that I wanted homemade french fries, but I knew I had to find the perfect recipe because I don't like cooking fries at home for many reasons.
1. I don't fry at home.
2. I am very particular about my home-cooked fries. They always turn out too burnt or too raw; never just right.
3. If I buy pre-made fries we never eat all of them and they get freezer burn. Plus they're processed and I prefer not to cook processed foods.

So I researched some recipes and found the perfect one at Simple, Savory & Satisfying The fries were delicious, crispy and healthier than the processed fries you'd normally buy at the grocery store.

 
Ingredients: 

4 red potatoes
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Onion powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Steakhouse onion burger seasoning


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º
2. Wash potatoes, slice into fries and place into a mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle seasonings and oil onto fries and mix together.
4. Bake each side for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Friday Favorite: Peanut Butter Pie Battle

I decided I would go a different route this Friday Favorite edition. I have noticed two Peanut Butter Pies floating around the internet. I really, really, really, really want to try one of them. I knew which one I wanted to try out simply because it comes from my favorite food bloggers (Minimalist Baker).

Not only have I had it on my radar for several weeks, but I knew it would be healthier than the alternative pie I have seen recently. This pie looks oh, so delicious as well, but when I eat desserts I do prefer for them to be on the healthier side (or as healthy as possible).

I wanted to let this Friday Favorite post be about these two pies and which one you would choose.

1. When you look at the picture you might not notice at first which pie would be healthier.
2. You might not realize how many calories, sugar, fat, etc., is in the unhealthier alternative either. That's why I took it upon myself to actually examine the ingredients and calculate the calories based on an 8-slice pie. Please see photo below for ingredient and calorie count of the pie not from Minimalist Baker.

For calorie-counting purposes I separated the crust, filling and ganache respectively as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast = Crust
Lunch = Filling
Dinner = Ganache

--> If you would like to try the left pie please click here
--> If you would like to try the right pie please click here

Disclaimer: This post is in no way related to Minimalist Baker or Best Yummy Recipes. This was simply a way for me to help make you aware of what you're putting in your mouth. Although you probably know pie is bad for you, you might not have known just how bad the pie actually is. Why not make a healthier alternative?

Knockoff Spicy Jack Wedges

Who likes O'Charley's? Who doesn't like all the calories that come with a delicious, mouth-watering meal there? Me too and that is why I decided to experiment and create my own healthier version of my favorite Spicy Jack Wedges!

They're crispy, spicy and healthier than the deep-fried counterpart!

Ingredients:
1 large egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 8-ounce package of pepper jack cheese
dash of red pepper/paprika

Directions:
1. Crack egg into a bowl and whisk, slice cheese into eight one-ounce slices and then cut diagonally so that each one-ounce slice is now consistent of two diagonal pieces. Thus the entire eight ounce package yields 16 wedges. Dip each wedge in the egg mixture.

2. In a separate bowl mix 1/3 cup of bread crumbs and your seasonings. Remove wedges from egg mixture and coat with bread crumbs.

3. Spray a cooking sheet and line each wedge on the sheet.

4. Cook on broil (4-6 inches from heat) for 5 minutes or until the wedges turn golden.

Notes: It is super hard to keep the cheese from baking out of the coating. I think these do taste great, but nothing can replace O'Charley's spicy jack wedges. These are a great replacement though! 

Tips from Dr. Oz

Things have been quite busy in my corner of the world so I have been very lackluster when it comes to posting. I have seen some great tips and tricks and I wanted to post one for my readers to enjoy!

I took this from Pop Sugar Fitness. Click here for the tips from Dr. Oz!

Challenge Accepted: Can You Guess?

I have accepted a challenge for the next three days. Do you think you know what it is? If so comment below!

Hint: It has to do with weight loss. 

Friday Favorite: Succulent Sushi Date Night

Nick and I do Friday Night Date Nights. More often than not we eat out and come home to relax afterwards. We usually alternate between two places and tonight was sushi night. It was delicious.

If you're new to my blog, I did a post explaining why it is important to have date nights and you can read it here. So, without further ado my Friday Favorite is our date night and this delicious sushi! What is your favorite type of sushi and do you ever have date nights?

Fudge Crumble

I found a recipe for the 50 Year Old Lunch Lady Brownies and decided to make my own batch. I have made these several times and have altered the preparation process each time. The way I choose to make this delectable dessert doesn't enable to brownies to set-up like a normal brownie so beware; they turn out more like a lava cake.

WARNING: this fudge crumble is not for the faint at heart and I only eat these on rare occasions! They're very high in calories, sugar, etc.

Ingredients: 

Brownie

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. This batter will be thick so don't worry. 

2. Pour into a well coated 9x13-inch pan. I use coconut butter to grease a glass pan. 

3. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes (depending on how gooey you like your brownie to be). 

4. When done remove from oven and generously poke holes throughout the cake. 

5. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the icing. 

Icing

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients until a frosting texture is created. 

2. Pour over the brownies ensuring icing seeps into the holes you just created. 

3. Let the icing soak into the brownies and repeat until icing is completely gone. 

Enjoy! 

Servings: 12

Non-iced calories: 374 per brownie 

Iced calories: 534 

*If you would like a Mint Fudge Crumble simply add a few drops of mint extract to the icing and there you go! 

Foodie Penpal Reveal

April 2014 Foodie Penpal Reveal Day

This was my first month to participate in The Lean Green Bean's Foodie Penpal program. I was really excited when I first read about it and couldn't wait to be paired with my match; my match was Molly from Pennsylvania! I didn't realize how hard it would be to convey what I like and what I didn't like until I needed to let her know. I gave her a very vague list and when I received the package it was like she had known exactly what I really wanted! She definitely did not disappoint! 

The card was very sweet and gave some personal insight as to why she chose what she did. Thanks, Molly, I appreciated such a sweet card! 

The first things to go:

1. That was gone within the first night. 

2. Eaten by the next day. 

7. Eaten for dinner the night I received the box!

8. We sprinkle this on most of our food. We tried it in eggs and it is actually quite delicious! 

4. Finished the jar off at work the following week. 

We are still working on eating all the goodies Molly sent my way! If you'd like to visit her blog please click here.

--> If you're interested in joining the Foodie Penpal program please click here!

I can't wait to get my match for next month! 

Easy Vegan Cinnamon Buns

One of my favorite food blogs is Minimalist Baker. They're a great duo posting gluten free, vegan and healthy recipes that are typically easy to make. I was browsing some recipes for a dessert and found this recipe for vegan cinnamon rolls. 

I tested this recipe tonight because 1. Nick LOVES cinnamon buns and 2. I thought it would be a nice Easter brunch treat for Nick and our friend tomorrow. I had all the ingredients minus milk and sugar so after our shopping trip I was ready to rumble! 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup almond coconut milk

1/2 cup of coconut oil

1 pack of instant yeast 

1/4 cup and 1 tbsp sugar (divided) 

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups flour 

1 tbsp cinnamon 

1/4 tbsp nutmeg 

Directions:

1. In 30 minute increments warm the milk and 3 tbsp of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure the mixture is not too hot. It needs to be lukewarm so the yeast won't be ineffective. 

2. Mix one packet of yeast and stir then let sit for 10 minutes.

3. Once activated after 10 minutes add 1 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 tsp salt and mix.

4. Next add the 3 cups of flour ( 1 cup at a time while mixing after addition)

5. Mix together the flour mixture until a ball is formed then on a lightly floured cutting board knead mixture briefly. 

6. Coat bowl with coconut oil and return dough to bowl. Place in a warm spot with a cloth over the bowl and let dough rise until double the original size. 

7. After an hour remove dough from bowl, roll out into a thin square.

8. Pre-heat oven to 350º 

9.. Spread the cinnamon, nutmeg and 3 tbsp of coconut oil on top of the dough. 

10. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the mixture 

11. Roll the dough tightly and with a knife create slices. 

12. Place rolls in an oiled 9x13 pan and bake for 20 minutes. 

Steps don't correspond to above step number.

Icing:

If you'd like to ice the cinnamon rolls you'll need:

3 cups powdered sugar 

1 cup almond coconut milk 

3 drops of vanilla extract 

Mix until an icing-consistency is created and pour over rolls. 

Enjoy! 

Additional Notes: I noted the sugar content for packaged cinnamon rolls versus these rolls and the packaged rolls came in at 18g per serving while these weigh in at 5g. Each roll has right at 320 calories with icing and this recipe will make 12 cinnamon rolls. 

Colorful Deviled Eggs

Looking for an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the bland deviled eggs? Look no further! Here is my recipe for colorful and delicious deviled eggs.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
Medium-sized saucepan
Dozen eggs
Water
Dash of Baking Soda
Kraft Mayonnaise with Olive Oil (specific brand I use)
Mustard
Relish
Garlic
Paprika
Food coloring
Three medium-sized bowls

Directions:
1. Fill the saucepan halfway with water, sprinkle some baking soda in the mix, place all the eggs in the pan, place on the stovetop and turn onto high.
2. Take it to a rolling boil and turn down to medium heat and boil for 8 minutes.
3. Once boiled for 8 minutes turn stovetop off and let sit for another 5-10 minutes.
4. Pour remainder of water out and replace with cold tap water and let sit until cooled enough to peel.
5. Once all eggs are peeled start slicing each egg lengthwise (removing yolk and placing in a bowl).
6. Once all eggs are sliced put food coloring in separate bowls and add a cup of water (follow directions on package to obtain preferred color).
7. Steep egg slices in each color until the egg is at preferred color and remove.
8. Rinse egg slices and place on a serving tray as they are finished.
9. While eggs are steeping in color, add mustard, mayo, garlic and relish to the yolk and mix until creamy. I don't measure my ingredients out because I can eye when I've reached the correct amount.
10. Once all egg slices are colored and rinsed, scoop the yolk mixture into the slices and put in fridge until you're ready to serve.

Note: To create a better yolk design you can use icing tips or a simple sandwich bag with the tip cut off to create designs. 

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Covered Oatmeal

I love oatmeal; I will be the first to admit it. I love everything about it. I have ditched the packet oatmeal and started making my own from plain quick-oats and water. I typically add sunflower butter, honey, peanut butter, bananas or strawberries to it. Not only do I fix it for breakfast, but I also fix it for dessert. The following is a dessert recipe I randomly threw together last night to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick oats
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Hot water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup unsweetened dark cocoa (or enough to mix with oil but still contain liquid form)

Directions:

1. Mix oats, how much cinnamon and nutmeg you prefer, with just enough hot water to make it the consistency you like.
2. Once mixed add the brown sugar and stir several strokes to ensure mixed.
3. In a separate bowl add liquified coconut oil and cocoa together until smooth.
4. Pour the cocoa mixture on top of the oatmeal until completely covered.
5. Freeze until desired temperature and consistency

Serving Size: 2
Calories: 265
Protein: 7g
Sugars: 14g

Enjoy!

Three Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Is your sweet tooth managing your diet? Are you looking for something that will quiet your sweet tooth all the while letting you fit into those snug pants? Look no further my friends. If you're anything like I am you think peanut butter was sent from the heavens and that it is worth its weight in gold. OK, maybe that is an exaggeration, but still, it is really good! Even though I have made the switch to Sunflower Butter I still prefer the good old peanut butter in my peanut butter balls!

The good thing about these peanut butter balls is that you can easily make them with the kids and feel OK in letting them have a couple.

This three-ingredient dessert is sure to please!

Additional Information:
Calories: 120 per ball
Servings: 12 balls 
Prep Time: 20 minutes 
Freeze Time: 30 minutes