Chocolate Breakfast Quinoa

Happy Sunday all! I hope everyone had a great weekend & is as ready for this upcoming week as I am.  This week's recipe is one that was inspired from a fitness magazine article.  I actually made it a few weeks back and it turned out OK…I wasn't thrilled with the results but if made with a couple of alterations, it would be a lot better.  Initially, I cooked the quinoa with milk but next time, I will use water because the milk gave it a funny after taste.  I would also recommend using sweetened coconut flakes & toasted almond slivers so that it gives it more of a nutty taste and a nice little crunch.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw quinoa
1 - 1 & 1/4 cup water
Dash of sea salt
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp honey
2 TBSP sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract  
Sliced almonds
A couple of drops of peppermint extract

Directions:
1.  Bring water to a boil and add quinoa & sea salt.
2.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook quinoa until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
3.  Remove quinoa from stove place in a bowl.
4.  Add vanilla & peppermint extracts, cocoa powder, honey, coconut flakes, & almonds and mix.
5.  Enjoy!

    

Avocado Milkshake

I know what you're thinking! How in the world would an avocado make a good milkshake?! I promise you, it really tastes amazing! It is hands down my favorite flavor milkshake, and it is so simple to make and good for you! The avocado adds richness and body so the shake holds up really well! You can use whatever sweetener you like, I switch between honey and sugar- both are great! If it isn't as sweet as you would like add a little more, it's always to your taste!

To make it really yummy you can add some vanilla ice-cream! Hope y'all like it as much as I do!

Ingredients
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 1-1/3 cup milk
- 1/2-1/3 cup ice
-  2 TSP sugar or honey
- 1/3 cup vanilla ice-cream (optional)

Direction
- Place all ingredients in blender/smoothie machine and mix until smooth and creamy! Enjoy!

CPK Inspired Tostada Pizza

Happy Sunday all! I hope everyone had a fab weekend & is ready to start the week off right. Tonight's recipe is an all time hit with my family & is one that my sister was sweet enough to share with me.  Try it at home and let us know if it was as big of a hit at your home as it is at ours.  Thanks Dhara for the awesome recipe; you're the best!!!

Ingredients:
1 pre made thin crust (I used Mama Mary's) or Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 can refried black beans (Old El Paso brand) or regular refried beans
Pinch of Mexican oregano
1 tsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp taco seasoning (I use a homemade one but you can use any kind you have)
1 TBSP + 1 tsp hot sauce (Taco Bell or Cholula)
Shredded lettuce
1 tomato - diced
1 avocado - sliced
1 cup of Mexican blend cheese
Tortilla strips
Creamy Jalapeño Ranch dressing (click here for recipe)
Roughly 1/4 cup of water
Salt (if needed in the beans)

Directions:
1.  Heat EVOO & add Mexican oregano & taco seasoning.
2.  Add beans, cumin, hot sauce, water, & mix.  Taste the beans and see if salt is needed.
3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4.  Brush olive oil on the crust and bake for a roughly 5 minutes.
5.  Spread the bean mixture on crust.
6.  Top with cheese and place in the oven until the cheese has melted.
7.  Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is golden brown and starts bubbling.
8.  Once the pizza has been removed and has cooled down for a few minutes, top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, tortilla strips, & sliced avocados.
9.  Drizzle with ranch & enjoy.

Cheesy Pull-Apart

I love this recipe because it's good anytime of the year and you can eat it with practically anything- soup, salads, pasta, chilli...the list is endless! You can also adjust the flavors to whatever you'd like, I made pasta so I seasoned it with Oregano and basil, added some chopped olives and tomatoes. Try it next time with jalapenos and a little fresh cilantro, or with just cheese and cracked black pepper! Anyway you try it, you're going to love it!

Ingredients

- 1 can Pillsbury Grand biscuits (junior size)

- 2 TBSP butter

- 1 TBSP milk

- 1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like)

- salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings

- Oregano and basil

- 2 TBSP chopped olives

- 2 TBSP diced tomato

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350.

- Lay all ten biscuits flat on a chopping board and quarter them into pieces. Place in a large bowl.

- In a small bowl melt butter, add milk, a little salt and pepper and stir.

- Add melted butter mixture to quartered biscuits and mix with a wooden spoon until all pieces are coated. 

- Place half of the buttered biscuit pieces in a casserole dish and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining biscuits pieces and cheese. Top with olives, tomatoes and seasoning.

- Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Serving size: 4-6

Roasted Fall Potatoes

I call today's recipe "fall potatoes" because lately, I have been seeing various types of potatoes a lot more.  Maybe they have always been there but I haven't ever paid to them...which is also quite possible because I am not necessarily the biggest potato fan in general.  My hubby on the other hand loves potatoes and can eat them every day of the week.  This recipe is one that my dear friend Ryan was sweet enough to share with me because my hubby always talked about how much he loved her roasted taters! Thanks to Ryan's recipe, I can have roasted potatoes on the drop of a dime...yes, they are THAT good! I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

3 medium red potatoes

2 medium purple potatoes 

2 medium sweet potatoes 

1 tsp Lawry's Copycat Seasoned Salt (recipe to follow)

1/2 tsp dried rosemary (use 1 tsp if using fresh)

1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Chop potatoes into relatively small pieces and rinse under cold water until water is clear and you've washed out the starch.

3.  Place potatoes in a large bowl or ziplock bag & add enough olive oil to coat them.

4.  Mix in seasoning, salt, pepper, rosemary, & parsley flakes.

5.  In a non stick pan, bake potatoes for 45 minutes.

6.  Broil for an additional 5 minutes to make them crispy.

Recipe for Lawry's Copycat Seasoned Salt:

Ingredients:

2 TBSP salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp celery salt

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Pour the blend into an empty spice bottle to store.

   

Baked Oatmeal Squares

It's starting to get cold outside (Yay!), which means waking up in the morning and leaving my warm bed can be a challenge. The good news is, I found this recipe and it gives me a whole weeks worth of yummy breakfast goodness- in exchange of fifteen extra minutes of sleep! So make it Sunday night, and store it in an air tight container and just grab and go before work! I used raising and walnuts, but feel free to use any mix-ins that you like! It's really good with cranberry and white chocolate chips, or some dried fruit and pecans!

Ingredients

- 1 cup quick oats

- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 TSP baking soda

- 1 TSP baking powder

- 1.5 TSP ener-g egg replacer

- 1/2 TSP ground cinnamon

- 1/4 cup apple sauce

- 2 TBSP melted butter

- 2/3 cup milk

- 1/4 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350.

- In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir . In another bowl, mix together melted butter, milk and apple sauce.

- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold in raisins and walnuts.

- Spray non-stick pray in a 6x8 baking dish, and pour oatmeal mixture in. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until a light golden brown color.

- Cool completely, cut into 6 squares and store in air tight container. 

Tip: Distribute mixture evenly in a muffin tray for more convenience!

Serving size: 6

Cinnamon Nut Scones

Happy Sunday to you all! I hope everyone's weekend was as fabulous as mine.  Today's recipe is one that is near and dear to me...primarily because I love cinnamon & who doesn't love scones?! I have been making these for almost 10 years now and I feel like this recipe has been perfected to a T.  They taste great with coffee or tea.  Make them for your next tea party and they are sure to be a hit!

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup fat free yogurt
6 TBSP + 2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP fat free half & half (can also use 2% milk)
2.5 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP + 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP whipped cream cheese frosting (I used Betty Hines)

Directions:
1.  Sift together flour, 6 TBSP sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1 TBSP cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
2.  Add butter and blend mixture until it resembles meal.
3.  Stir in walnuts & yogurt.
4.  Combine the mixture until it just forms a sticky dough.
5.  On a well floured surface, kneed the dough lightly for 30 seconds and pat it gently into a 1/2 inch thick square and cut diagonally so that it forms two triangles.**
6.  Arrange scones on an unbuttered baking sheet.  In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 TBSP sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, & cream.  Brush top of scones with the mixture.
7.  Bake scones in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
8.  Place the icing in a ziplock bag, cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag, and pipe out icing on top of the scones once they have cooled completely.
** You can also use a 2 in round cutter if you prefer to cut the scones in rounds.