Summer is here and we’re enjoying the few extra hours we have of daylight. I pick Cam up up daycare around 4pm, come home, and almost immediately start making dinner. Mike and I joke that we have “senior hour” dinner because we often are finished eating before it is even 6pm.
After dinner we’ll usually go on a walk with the kitchen a hot mess until we get home and put Cam to bed. Then it’s like dishes, floors (anyone else hear Encanto in their heads there?), clean the counters, pick up books and blocks, and maybe have time for a show together before getting ready for bed. It’s a busy season over here! Sooooo this flavorful mango salsa is great to make in a big batch and spice up dinners all week.
From fish tacos to scooped onto any chicken ya happen to have to a salad topper, you will love this versatile, quick-to-come-together, punchy salsa. Try it today (and then tomorrow, and then next day…)!
You’ll need:
One RIPE, juicy mango
A bunch of green onions
One tiny baby red onion
Some pickled jalapeños (more or less, seeds or no seeds, depending on your heat tolerance)
Salt
Olive Oil
First, roast or grill your green onion to really bring out its flavor – I quickly roasted mine for ~5 minutes on a hot, hot 450 in my toaster over
While roasting, start to skin and cube your mango (Godspeed on slicing in the right, meatiest direction first:) and dice your red onion
Cool and chop your green onion
Mince your jalapeños
Mix altogether with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt
Let sit for at least 5 – 10 minutes for the flavors to get aquatinted
That’s it. It’s that simple. You need them in your life.
With only 4 ingredients, I was surprised at what a complete showstopper they turned out to be. Although I am almost certain the real magic had more to do with the air fryer than the ingredient list… Anyways!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup black beans
3/4 cup cheese (we used a vegan cashew cheddar but go for the real thing if you fancy)
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
6 flour tortillas*
optional garnish: Guac, cilantro, lime
Directions:
Preheat your air fryer to 375**
Mash your black beans up in a bowl***
Add the cheddar
Stir in that salsa
Scoop mixture on to tortillas
Roll up and place seam side down
Air fry for 7 minutes
*I used flour because I find they roll better without breaking but if you want to go corn, I suggest oiling them first to soften a bit
**We have the Breville toaster oven and air fryer and it is the besssst (so I actually don’t know how a stand alone air fryer works… I imagine there is some kind of temperature control though)
***A friend gave us this baby food masher before we had Cam and we use it all of the time for our adult food mashing needs (even if you don’t have a baby, I recommend getting it hahah)
I’m sure many share my sentiment when I say, how is it already December?! Oh what a year it has been. Twelve months ago, we had no idea what was in store for 2020. I was 6 months pregnant, we were just starting on our downstairs renovations and coming off of Thanksgiving with my family / getting ready to go to Toronto to spend Christmas with Mike’s family. I remember I had a bad case of sciatica from pregnancy, generally felt pretty tired every day going into my 3rd trimester, and kind of overwhelmed with traveling and all of the work on the house we had to do. The holidays were a blur, honestly. If I only knew about the slower (scarier) pace of life that was about to hit us…
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the sentiments behind giving thanks and a big meal shared with others. (Christmas on the other hand? I’ve been known to dislike the cheesy music and, to be frank, the forced giving that December 25th brings; although, having Cam does seem to be changing my Grinch-y heart.)
Obviously Thanksgiving looked different this year. COVID – and therefore, the sad but undisputed decision to be socially responsible – pruned down our typical dinner guest-list of 15 and canceled travel plans altogether.
Instead of a big family meal on Thanksgiving Day proper with my stepdad’s family and then a weekend visit from my grandparents for the rest of the holiday weekend, we kept it low key and limited it to our “social bubble.” To keep things extra simple, we ordered catering from Whole Foods to just heat up and serve.
The food was pretty good but of course we had leftovers. Since it was just me and Mike who would be eating them, I decided to throw it all together with some chopped onion and vegetable broth for a Thanksgiving Leftover Soup. We used the remaining turkey meat, a chopped sweet potato, and some green beans, but this is versatile. I can imagine it being served with potatoes that you didn’t use all of for mashing, or with a side of day-old crusty bread. You can add a salad to round it out, or go full on and eat a huge bowl of leftover stuffing and gravy like I did.
There are a lot of options in making this Thanksgiving Leftover Soup and, honestly, I’m surprised I haven’t tried it before. Plus, we ate it cozied up next to the fire with a view our Christmas tree; which is a nice way to spend an afternoon. It was also so fun to wake up on Friday and put out our Christmas decorations as a little fam of 3. 🙂
Between making leftover soup and a few house projects (yes, we are lightweight still renovating), we grabbed chai tea lattes and took Cam to a nearby track for walks. We ordered matching family jams and 3 stockings for the mantel; as Christmas will also be on a much smaller scale and spent at home in California, instead of in Canada with Mike’s family.
It’s sad we don’t get to see the people we love. But it’s overwhelming happy that we have our little guy to celebrate with. It was so fun having him run around the house in his little walker. He had on a cute little turkey outfit that my mom bought him and loved playing with the feet, which had “feathers” on them. His face was a mix of confusion and glee, like there seems to be a toy on my foot and I don’t know why it’s there… but I like it.
Like the rest of the world, we’re hoping we’ll be with family next year during the holidays. Until then, we’re staying home and loving endless Cam cuddles.
Oh it is feeling like fall in California and I am HERE FOR IT. I’ve been making 1-2 cozy soups a week, which might be one of the few perks of covid: extra time to make homemade meals. So far we’ve ranged from grain soups (1 with quinoa and 1 with farro), to a coconut lentil soup (similar to this one), to the real autumnal winner: a butternut squash and sugar pumpkin soup.
Peeling and cubing the butternut squash and sugar pumpkin does add some upfront prep work, but it’s worth it. And with only 5 ingredients and 2 spices – after the initial effort – you’ll breeze through making this nom.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 sugar pumpkin, deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
^ combined should be about 3 cups
3 1/2 cups of veg broth
1 small white onion, chopped
Olive oil
A dash of coriander
A dash of nutmeg
Directions:
Roast butternut squash and pumpkin coated in OO at 375 for 40 minutes or until tender
Sautee onion until fragrant / translucent
Add squash and pumpkin to onion for a quick stir
Sprinkle in a dash of coriander and nutmeg to taste (…the true veg vibes way! I rarely give exact measurements because I rarely use exact measurements; although here I will caution less is more – unless you like your soup tasting like a PSL)
Add mixture to a high speed blender with veg broth and blend until creamy dreamy smooth
I was in Australia the first time I tried chia seed pudding. I needed something portable and nutritious before a day of sailing. At the grocery store the night before I spotted a little pot of pudding that enticed me so I read the ingredients. Not bad, I thought – always a sucker for clean ingredients – and scooped it up. I savored it the next morning on our sailboat before heading to the Whitsunday Islands.
The next time this powerhouse breakfast came into my life was camping in Yosemite one summer. One of our friends set up a chia seed buffet and I loved all of the combinations you could make with the pudding as your base.
In my former life (before COVID!) when I would take the train to San Fransisco for work, I would make chia seed pudding to eat during my commute. It is easy to make ahead of time and keeps me full for a long time. A win for the workday.
From adventures down under, to camping, to hours of meetings and emails, this is one of my favorite breakfasts. Although lately it’s been fueling endless days at home because of COIVD and shelter-in-place…
Every other week or so, I’ve been batch-making chia seed pudding to enjoy for a few days. I like to think of it as the oatmeal of summer, since it served cold, making it a perfect way to start a warm day.
I defrost mangos in the refrigerator the night before to give a bit of fruit juice to mix in with the pudding. I’ve also added cocoa powder for a more decadent breakfast. The options are limitless!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup plant based milk
Optional toppings:
yogurt
berries or any fruit
nuts
coconut flakes
Directions:
whisk chia seeds into plant based milk and let sit for at least 3 hours or in the fridge overnight (easy peasy!)
scoop out and top with your favorite pairings
Before going in the fridge
The next morning, after the chia seeds have expanded and gelled together
Note: I typed up this post way back in October but it’s been living in my Drafts since I didn’t have pictures to go with it. Now we’re sheltering-in-place because of COVID and I’ve managed to carve out a few minutes – in between breastfeeding and diaper changes – to make my favorite banana bread, snapshots included.
What a crazy time we are living through… I imagine many people are baking more since we’re all bored, restless, and probably have varying degrees of anxiety because of the current affairs and how unknown things are. We’re consuming news hourly – and, if similar to me – looking for any glimpse that reads this will be over soon. We’re rapid-fire reading headlines and digesting them after with our friends and family on video chat. Any retrieve or coping we can muster is welcome.
We’ve all seen and laughed at the same memes. We’ve cried. We’re taking more walks; getting outside and noticing things we didn’t before. But we’ve also started to avoid eye-contact when we pass others – is it okay to say hello? Now most of the time I look down at my feet when I would have offered a friendly greeting or at least a smile just weeks ago.
We’re trying to remember that Earth is getting a break during this and pollution is down. We’re calling people we haven’t talked to in years. Things we used to shrug off – or even dislike entirely – we suddenly crave… what I would give for a family game night (my former self was selective about the games I played and the time I spent playing them). Never again will time with others be taken for granted; or a shared bottle of wine, a welcome embrace, an unexpected visitor.We’re missing our “old” lives and realizing we really didn’t have much to complain about, did we?
We’re cleaning out closets and drawers and garages; and maybe some buried feelings we haven’t had time to sit with before. We’re going deep, turning inward for guidance. Or, we’re not. We’re worried about using too much toilet paper. We’re eating at home a lot more. We’re thankful. We’re scared…
It’s a lot.
I can’t wait to be on the other side of this. I can’t wait to write something light-hearted and jolly again. Reading the words below, I think, what a simple time. But I also think, oh, how we will grow from this and… at least we still have banana bread.
Mike and I love banana bread. Who doesn’t?! I am all about splurging with a white flour and refined sugary piece of it occasionally but for the normal day-to-day, I prefer something healthier. Which is why I am so happy I found / fine tuned this recipe!
It’s made with real, simple ingredients and no added sugar. I love having it for breakfast because the protein from the eggs and almond butter keeps me full. Plus, it’s a pretty good pairing with morning espressos.
I had a crazy busy few days at work and some bananas that were ripe and ready to rumble, so I asked Mike to make the bread while I was away at a work dinner. I scribbled down the directions for him, which coined the recipe “ILY Banana Bread.” Whenever I write Mike a note, I always include ILY at the end for I Love You. It’s nothing original – I’m sure a millions of other couple use ILY too – but we’ve been doing it since we first started dating so it’s special to us. ❤
We finally have a kitchen again! After about 2 months of renovating the downstairs of our house, the floors are placed, the new appliances connected, and the (GORGEOUS) counters are safely secured in place. All in good timing because we’re only a week or so out from our baby making his grand debut into the world.
To test out all of the new goods, I made a recipe I’ve been wanting to try for a while last night for dinner. It’s vegan and, the version I made, gluten-free. It’s easy and filling. It’s … chili mac!
A mash up – a love child – of 2 major comfort foods; chili and mac n’ cheese. I suggest you make yourself a batch ASAP.
Chili Mac
Ingredients:
1 -2 TBS vegetable oil like avo or grape-seed (something with a high smoke-point)
1/2 onion
1/2 bell pepper (I used red but use your fave or what you have on hand)
2-ish carrots
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed
28 oz of canned tomatoes (I buy the fire roasted ones)
3 – 4 cups of spinach
Spices (added to taste and preference): Cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt
10 oz of macaroni (I used brown rice and quinoa but similar to a lot of gluten free products, it didn’t hold it’s structural integrity when mixed with the other ingredients – something to consider if you are concerned about presentation)
Directions:
Make your pasta according to the package, drain, and set aside
Chop and sauté your onion until translucent
Chop bell pepper and carrots to add to onion mixture
Add kidney beans, canned tomatoes, and spices, mix and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes
Bring to a boil and stir in spinach until it is wilted
Add to chili to macaroni
Serve and enjoy (optional to top with guac, green onions, and/or cheese)
Before and After pictures of the house and a post about renovation tips are in the works – stay tuned!
I’ve heard from multiple men (read my husband and grandpa) that their biggest gripe with finding recipes on blogs is the long stories that come before the actual ingredients / directions. I personally love the extra context but to appease the divos of the world 😉 I’m bringing you this recipe with barely any background about the cold day I whipped this chili up on.
All I will say is that, the hack in this recipe is a chili game changer. TRY IT!
Chilly weather chili
Ingredients:
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 large can or 2 cans of fired roasted tomatoes
zucchini to chop
corn (as much as you like)
spices: cumin, garlic powder, and oregano
optional: avocado and green onion for garnish
optional: sweet potato as a base
Directions:
*HACK* Blend pinto beans and 1/2 of the fire roasted tomatoes (this will make your chili the perfect consistency)
Add your blended mixture with the rest of the fire roasted tomatoes (if you have some tomatoes around the house like I did, you can chop these up and add them too) in a large pot
Add strained and rinsed black beans and kidney beans + chopped zucchini and corn
Add spices (as much or as little as you like, I personally love cumin and garlic but went easier on the oregano), stir, and bring to a boil
Reduce heat and let simmer for at least 30 minutes
Mike doesn’t LOVE chili like I do, so I steam and mash sweet potatoes to use as a base. This makes it less of a “soup” consistency and more of a hearty meal.
I also serve with chopped green onion and some avocado on top to round it out. Enjoy!
I think this may be my first ever meat recipe I’ve posted… Most of the time Mike and I don’t eat meat at home but do make exceptions when people come over for a meal. Long story short for this creation: I had leftover chicken from a dinner party and I wanted to create a simple to make, weeknight recipe for two.
With only 5 ingredients, there isn’t a ton of prep work required. I loved the kick from the hot sauce, that the boiled chicken didn’t add unneeded oil or butter, the crunch from the carrots & celery, and the tang + light taste the Greek yogurt adds vs. mayo.
This chicken salad was flavorful enough to stand on it’s own, and can be easily eaten over some greens for a filling lunch or dinner salad. It also wasn’t runny at all which GROSSES ME OUT about some other chicken salads.
Note that it is messyyy so I actually suggest wrapping it up in a tortillas vs. putting it on bread like I did. (Although how good is a freshly toasted piece of sourdough bread!?)
Lightened up chicken salad
Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
Greek yogurt (varying amounts based on how you like it – I used about 2 large spoonfuls)
Hot sauce (as much as you like it spicy – omit if you prefer)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix
Scoop out onto a wrap, toasted bread, or on top of a salad
This recipe came to life after our housewarming party (all the way back in March… that’s how far behind I am in posting recent recipes).
For as much as I love to be in the kitchen, I am a lazy host. I almost never throw an elaborate dinner party. I prefer to host brunches, BBQs, or get togethers with nothing but finger food.
Things that are on the simpler side are my jam; like toasting bagels and throwing some berries in a bowl for a simple brunch, or grilling chicken and zucchini pairing with a crusty baguette and a good olive oil for dinner.
For our housewarming party, we went the heavy appetizer route and Trader Joe’s was our third host. I bought salsa, guac, hummus, and veggies; we did a simple cheese and salami plate; some focaccia and balsamic + olive oil; baked some taquitos and called it a day. (Aside from the homemade meatballs and tortillas chips that my arguably better-at-hosting husband made.)
After everyone came and ate, drank, and toured the house, we had a few leftovers. Namely a jar of corn salsa that I had never bought before… what to do, what to do with you? I thought as I crammed it into the fridge with our other leftovers.
Later that week I was eyeing a bag of spinach we had and thought, maybe… maybe some leafy greens, corn salsa, and black bean pasta will go well together?
And oh how well they do go together! The combo was such a hit I’ve picked up a few jars of that TJs corn salsa since and have made many more dinners of Party Pasta. This recipe is gluten free and can be vegan if you omit the parmesan cheese. It is the real MVP in our house and so simple that is just might make it into the lazy-host rotation for our next shabang.
Cook black bean pasta according to the package and then drain cooking water
Add pasta back into the pot with spinach (the heat will wilt the spinach if fresh or defrost it if frozen) and corn salsa (we really like the flavor of the salsa so I am generous with the amount I use)
Dish and garnish with parm and freshly cracked black pepper
VEG VIBES 