Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad

(Complex Carbs, Protein, Healthy Fat, Veggies)

1 can of garbanzo beans (15 oz.)

1 small tomato, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 small lime or lemon

3 Tbsp EVOO

1 ½ Tbsp Red wine

Dash of oregano or basil

Salt and pepper to taste

** Sometimes I will cook and add in 3 c of quinoa to make it more filling or to use as dinner.

Mix all of the above ingredients together and refrigerate.  Can be eaten cold or heated up with the quinoa.

Quinoa Salad

I am on a quest for healthier living and eating, and am also using Advocare products on this journey. I am going to post several of the "clean-eating" recipes I've used recently over the next few weeks. Hope you enjoy these! 

(** You can read more about my Advocare journey on my other blog - Some Days You Gotta Dance. I am posting two-week updates over there.)

Quinoa Salad

(This is a salad I created after eating one similar that Publix sells.)

Quinoa

Craisins

Edamame

Pine Nuts

Spinach Leaves

Cilantro

Juice of lime

Cook the quinoa as directed. Once cooled, mix in the craisins, edamame, pine nuts, and spinach leaves.

Pour the juice of one lime over the mixture and add cilantro to your taste. Refrigerate and marinate overnight.

** You can use other types of nuts, beans or raisins in this mixture.

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

One of the things I had on my 35 Before 35 list was to make The Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls. I enlisted the help of my little sister to help. Here are the pics of our progress throughout the process. I kid you not when I say that within ten minutes of frosting the first pan, it was empty!

Here is the first step of making the dough and letting it rise. This was the hardest part because I am not a patient person.

We then rolled out half the dough to assemble with the gooey filling!

After we filled it with butter, cinnamon and sugar, we rolled into a log for slicing. 

(*Notice the excess in the lower right corner of the picture that oozed out. That's when we knew they were going to be yummy!)

We used cake pans and placed 6 to 7 rolls in each, letting them rise an additional 20 minutes before baking.

While they bakes, we mixed up the yummy maple icing.

(*I want to make again and try a basic cream cheese icing.)

Baking in the oven and then still hot waiting for icing!

Finished product! They were so yummy. I'm definitely making these for Christmas gifts this year for our church staff and school staff.

**Don't want to make a large batch of these? Here is the small batch version (12 rolls) posted over at Kitchen Image.

Chicken Foil Packs

I love finding quick, easy recipes with a quick clean-up for long work days. So when I came across this recipe on Pinterest, I have to give it a try.

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Foil Packs

(**Original recipe posted on Best Life 4 Moms.)

I didn't have bacon or stuffing on hand, so I adapted the recipe to what I did have on hand. I used two chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper, and included frozen broccoli, shredded cheese and ranch dressing. Next time I plan to add bacon.

Here are my pack before going in the oven...

And here are my packs after cooking for 30 minutes.
(I cooked two so I could have leftovers for lunch tomorrow).

YUM!!

Blueberry Banana Bread (or Muffins)

It's been a long time since I've posted a new recipe. Life has been extremely busy and I have not spent time in the kitchen baking or trying new recipes. I was able to sneak in a little time to make blueberry banana muffins. I followed the recipe from Cooks.com for the bread, but used the batter for muffins instead. They were so yummy!

Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 lg. ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 325°F degrees.Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add mashed bananas.

Measure flour, reserving 2 tablespoons of flour to coat blueberries.

Stir baking soda and salt into flour, mixing well. Fold into banana mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, then fold into batter. Stir in chopped nuts.

Transfer batter to loaf pans or to muffin tins.

Bake about 50 minutes. (** I baked the muffins about 22 minutes)

Enjoy!