Living Life To The Fullest
Servings: 2-4
What You Need:
2 cups of short grain rice
2 1/2 cups of water
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 ripe mangos sliced
Steps:
1. Rinse rice in cold water. Add rice and water to a pot and cook on a low simmer until rice absorbs water completely.
2. In separate small pot add the coconut milk, salt, sugar, and allow to simmer for 5 mins.
3. Once rice is complete add sauce to the rice, top with mango slices and toasted sesame seeds (optional).
Sweet and savory!
What you need:
1 lb of pinto beans
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh cilantro
Steps:
1. Rinse beans in cold water and discard any broken pieces.
2. In a large pot add your beans and cover with water. At least 2 inches above the beans.
3. Bring the pot of water with beans to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.
4. Once the two minutes are complete, cover beans with a lid immediately, remove from stove, and allow to sit for 1 hour uninterrupted.
5. After the 1 hour, drain the beans. Refill pot with water covering the beans completely.
6. Bring pot of beans to boil and then lower to a 1 or 2 on stove and allow to simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Mix often and add 1/4 cup water at a time if necessary. You want to make sure it’s constantly at a soft, low simmer.)
7. Add the salt 30 minutes before beans are done and add the fresh cilantro. Mix well.
*you can add bacon to the beans, or onion, peppers, etc, all optional*
Mash or serve as is with eggs, tacos, enchiladas, carnitas, anything!
Enjoy!
Place corn tortillas on some foil, add a little bit of olive oil to each tortilla and rub it all over, turn over the tortillas and place your beans and cheese, fold over, and bake at 350. 10 minutes on each side.
What You Need:
6 cups of fresh mixed melon fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew.
1 1/2 tablespoons of raw honey
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of lime juice
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped mint, and extra for garnish
Steps:
1. In a small bowl mix together the lemon, lime, honey and salt. Pour juice mixture over the chopped fruit.
2. Right before serving add the chopped mint and mix well.
*can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 12 hours*S
Enjoy!
Servings: 1 piece of toast
What You Need:
A piece of hearty multigrain bread
1 small ripe avocado
A small handful of grape tomatoes cut into halves
Salt, pepper, and rosemary for seasoning
1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of Olive oil for cooking the tomatoes
Cooking spray for the egg
Steps:
1. Heat up a small skillet on a low medium heat. While that is heating up slice open your avocado and smash it into a bowl seasoning it with salt and pepper.
2. Throw the tomatoes on the skillet in the olive oil and garlic. Sauté until soft. Set aside.
3. Spray the pan with cooking spray leaving behind a little bit of the leftover olive oil and garlic from the tomatoes and begin cooking your egg seasoning it with salt and pepper.
4. Place bread in toaster. (This is where you gotta move fast.)
5. Once the toast pops, smear on your avocado, place the roasted tomatoes right on top, place your fried egg gently on top of the tomatoes, season with some rosemary.
It’s so delish!
Had one of those nights where I really just needed to use what I had. Threw all of this together and it was so flavorful and delicious!
When it comes to the ingredients you can always had less or more. You want more Parmesan cheese, add more! More garlic? Garlic it up! This is just the gist! Get creative and have fun!
What You Need:
1 family size bag of spinach and cheese tortelloni (20 oz found in the frozen food aisle)
2 heads of broccoli chopped and broken into smaller pieces
A handful of salami cut into strips (snack size work just fine)
1 tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (whatever you have)
Jarred minced garlic (3-4 tablespoons)
Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup)
Salt, pepper, chili flakes, fresh rosemary (fresh is best)
Olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Steps:
1. Place chopped broccoli on a pan sheet with foil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red chili flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix well until all combined. Add more olive oil if necessary. Bake at 400 for 15 mins.
2. Cook the tortelloni as directed.
3. Once the broccoli is done, add the salami strips and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 mins. Just so it’s warm and a little soft.
4. Place the tortelloni in a large bowl and add the butter. Once melted add the roasted broccoli mixture. Next add Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, and drizzle some more olive oil. (I also added just a bit of sea salt.)
Enjoy with a glass of red wine! Some crusty bread with butter would be so good with this too!
Enjoy!
What You Need:
1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast or tenders chopped up
Steps:
Here’s the secret:
1. Turn the skillet on low/med heat. Between a 2 and 4. Allow it to heat up while you chop your chicken up.
2. Once completely heated add your chopped chicken and makes sure it’s laid out evenly on the skillet. Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. (Set your timer, I’m serious.)
3. Once the timer goes off, grab your spatula and move around the chicken gently for 4 mins (once again, set your timer) .
4. Once the timer goes off immediately move your chicken to a plate to rest and then check it. Perfection!
Servings: 20 to 24 muffins
Pan suggestion: original muffin pan size or mini muffin pan size with muffin liners
What You Need:
1 1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup of whole milk
1/2 -3/4 cup of brown sugar (light or brown)
1/2 cup of unsalted butter melted (1 stick)
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup of flaxseed
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
Steps:
1. In a medium bowl add the oatmeal and milk. Mix together and allow to sit and absorb for 30 mins.
2. In a separate mixing bowl add your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed. (The dry ingredients)
3. Once the milk and oatmeal have sat for a bit, add the beaten eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Mix well. (The wet ingredients)
4. Add your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients, combining your two bowls. Once everything is mixed together, add your mini chocolate chips.
5. Pour evenly into mini muffin pans or regular size muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 8 – 15 mins.
Note: the mini muffins cook a lot quicker. I set the time for 8 mins. While the regular size muffins cook in about 15.
Servings: 12 muffin frittatas
What You Need:
8 eggs
1/2 cup of whole milk
4-5 pieces of chopped deli meat
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1-2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped
Steps:
1. In a medium size bowl whisk all ingredients together.
2. Spray a muffin tin pan with cooking spray and pour egg mixture into pans evenly.
3. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until slightly bubbly and a little golden on top.
Enjoy! Great to get your kids involved in and also kid approved. I like to enjoy these with a little salsa or hot sauce as well.
What You Need:
1 carton of chicken stock (Swanson 32oz)
4 cups of water
4-5 carrot sticks cut and peeled
7-8 garlic cloves peeled (optional to cut)
2 celery sticks chopped
1/4-1/2 of a sweet onion chopped
2 tablespoons of chicken flavor bouillon (I use knorr)
1/2 teaspoon of fennel
1 stick of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper for taste
1/2 bag of egg noodles
Half of Rotisserie chicken shredded
Steps:
1. In a large pot add the stick of butter with onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft.
2. Add chicken stock, 4 cups of water, and chicken seasoning, and fennel. Bring to a boil.
3. Add egg noodles to soup and allow to cook. For about 15 mins. Next add in the shredded chicken and allow to simmer for an additional 5-8 mins.
4. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.
Servings: 4-6
What You Need:
6 tablespoons of A Hearty Olive Oil
1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic
2 generous handfuls of grape tomatoes cut into halves
A bouquet of fresh spinach chopped lightly (the Spinach will shrink)
About 8oz (half of a 16oz packet) of thin Spaghetti (I used ‘American Beauty’)
Salt, pepper, and rosemary for taste
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (give or take)
Note: use my measurements as a guide. If you want less, do less. If you want more, do more. Cooking is about experimenting and getting creative!
Steps:
1. Fill a pot with water and turn on to a high-medium heat. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons (two times around the pan) of olive oil with minced garlic and grape tomatoes in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are soft and garlic becomes caramelized on a medium high setting. Add tomatoes and garlic to 2 1/2 qt dish. Keep stove on.
2. When water begins to boil, add a few good shakes salt into the water (at least 1 tablespoon. It is possible to over salt pasta water) break pasta noodles in half and add to simmering pot.
3. Add spinach to skillet with leftover garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just a little wilted. Will begin to shrink fast, watch closely. Add spinach into dish with tomatoes.
4. While pasta is still cooking, shred the rotisserie chicken and add to dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spinach.
5. Once pasta is complete (no white in the middle of the noodle) drain, and add noodles to dish.
6. Add remaining olive oil, add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Top with Rosemary.
Suggested Sides: Caesar salad and toasted French bread with olive oil and garlic.
The Wild Gems 