Food, Wellness & Lifestyle
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Summer is here, and that means BBQ season has arrived! The smell of grilled meats fills the neighborhood, people are outside enjoying life, and beautiful flowers are in bloom. Here in Arizona, it is hot, and sometimes it is just too hot to go outside …
Don’t you just love Chinese takeout? Lately, one of my favorites has been beef and broccoli. I know it’s good to support businesses right now, but we both aren’t working and are trying to save money where we can. Whether you are cooking at home, …
Okay, they are really Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Hand Pies, but I realize that’s a mouthful. You can also call them toaster pastries, and toast them when they are cold. It is April, and we are still going through quarantine and social distancing. Not only have …
Make Ahead Freezer Burritos These make ahead freezer burritos are a lifesaver. Easy and reasonably fast to make, they are perfect for a quick breakfast or dinner for the family or yourself on a solo night. I often try to eat paleo or healthier, or …
Pesto is a bright green sauce that is Italian in origin, specifically from Genoa. Traditionally, this sauce consists of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, and a hard cheese such as parmesan or pecorino. I grew up eating this green sauce, as my mom made it …
This loaded mashed cauliflower casserole is the perfect low carb substitute for loaded mashed potatoes. It was my sister’s idea to make this, and what a great idea it was! I see a lot of loaded cauliflower casserole recipes, but they never have mashed cauliflower. Even though it’s an extra step, it makes it all worthwhile.
I use a food processor to mash the steamed or boiled cauliflower until it’s completely smooth. Depending on how large your heads of cauliflower are, you’ll use an 8×8 or a 9×13 pan. I used a small head of cauliflower in this recipe since there was only two of us. If you get a larger size, make sure to add more yummy fillings!
Sour cream is always a staple ingredient in baked potato dishes, and it adds a thick creaminess. An egg or two holds things together and makes the dish a little denser. Bacon is also a must ingredient for potato dishes. I recommend adding the bacon pieces after you have combined everything in the food processor to keep larger chunks for texture. Don’t use all the bacon, though! Add extra bacon and cheese to the top of the casserole, along with some chopped green onions.
You will love this casserole. It’s like a lighter, low-carb version of loaded mashed potatoes. Also, this dish is keto-friendly! Feel free to get creative with this recipe. Add your favorite toppings or fillings. This would be great as an entrée by adding chicken or pork. You can also eat it on the side of your favorite BBQ or family meal.
This loaded mashed cauliflower casserole would go perfectly on the side of these recipes:
Bacon & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Looking for more side dishes? Check out these recipes:
Dutch Oven Collard Greens (Keto)
Fall is here, and holiday season is quickly approaching. That means lots of root vegetables, comforting dishes, and sides that accompany your holiday meals. My cheesy potatoes are the #1 requested dish by my family for every holiday, and even some special occasions. Named my …
Takeout Must-Have Egg rolls are one of those things you always must get when you order Chinese food. It’s a staple item for takeout. Crunchy, deep fried, and stuffed with a hot and magnificent filling. As good as the takeout is, we don’t order it …
I’m on a frozen margarita train, and it doesn’t look like I’m getting off for a while. Not that I’m drinking excessively, but on a hot summer day these are so refreshing! Not to mention the bounty of ripe summer fruit. This Berry Minty Margarita is extra refreshing with fresh mint leaves and seasonal berries.
The only equipment needed for this recipe is a blender. I use a Vitamix to get the perfect consistency for frozen drinks. I had a Ninja blender for a long time, which worked great too. Any blender should do the trick, though blending times may vary.
Berries are a delicious seasonal fruit. They are everywhere and constantly on sale, so I buy lots of them. In this recipe I used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Any combination of berries, or even just one berry would be great! I froze some of my fresh berries so they wouldn’t go bad and used them in this recipe. Using frozen berries from the store is a great idea too, especially when they are out of season. Frozen berries are picked at their peak of ripeness and frozen quickly, so they still have tons of nutrients!
I’m on a sparkling water kick, so I always have it around. I usually go for the lime flavor, but they have tons of different flavors out there. AHA has a watermelon-lime flavor which I use in my watermelon margaritas. For this recipe I used Bubly lime flavored, but feel free to try the different ones and see what you like. Other great brands are Spindrift and Waterloo, but sometimes Brad just gets whatever he sees at the store. Or on sale. This girl is trying to save money right now, ha!
This is the part of the berry minty margarita that I get SUPER excited about. Instead of a regular sugar-coated rim on the margarita, I mixed the sugar with fresh chopped mint! It’s so pretty, and it helps bring out the flavor of the mint in the drink. Put the sugar-mint mixture in a dish just big enough for your glass to fit in. Then, use a lime wedge to get the rim wet and sticky, and dip it in the sugar mixture. These stemless wine glasses I use are perfect for any cocktail, and they fit perfectly in my 2-cup Pyrex bowls.
Looking for more frozen cocktail recipes? Check these out!
Watermelon Mint Refresher (just add liquor!)
My mom made these delicious and chewy sourdough pretzels from scratch, so of course I had to make a beer cheese dip to go with them. Beer cheese dip is a rich and creamy cheese dip incorporated with beer and spices. You can find it …
I have been on two binges lately: watermelon and margaritas. Okay, not a binge but enjoying them a lot! I bought a watermelon last week to practice with a few recipes. Brad doesn’t like watermelon, so I was stuck with the entire thing. I also …
My boyfriend loves salsa. I mean, LOVES it. I think it’s probably his favorite food. When we go out for Mexican food, we always get chips and salsa. And then more because we can’t stop eating it. Brad’s favorite salsa is a classic red chunky salsa. However, he is very picky about it. His favorite salsa is from either Sahuaro’s Taco Shop, or The Original Burrito Co., both in Arizona. To be honest, I have been afraid to make it because I want it to live up to his expectations. Imagine it’s like making a wine for a connoisseur.
Fears behind, I attempted the red chunky salsa. No lie, it took me four shots to get it right. I tried with fresh tomatoes, and with roasted. It either tasted too fresh or too sweet. The secret that I finally discovered: canned tomatoes. Yes, I was disappointed as well. I’m sure there is another way, but I landed on canned tomatoes and they are here to stay. They lend such a perfect saucy consistency, and using petite diced tomatoes still gets you texture and chunks.
I use a food processor for this recipe because it chops everything just how I want it. I have not used a blender, but I assume it will liquify the ingredients rather than keep them chunky. The pulse feature on the food processor makes it ideal for a chunky salsa. Some blenders have a pulse function, try it out! For this recipe you can add all ingredients at the same time and pulse to your desired consistency. Brad loves big chunks of onion, so I add those in after blending the salsa.
I always try to have all ingredients for this salsa on hand. Fortunately it’s a simple recipe. We live in Arizona, and we love Mexican food. I make everything from breakfast burritos, to taco salads and enchiladas. We eat a fair share of Mexican food, and when Brad gets a craving I can come to the rescue. Who needs to drive across town for salsa when you can make it with simple ingredients?
Want another salsa recipe? Check out these:
This mango jalapeno salsa is both sweet and spicy and has such a fresh taste with ripe and seasonal mango. Perfect with fish tacos, grilled chicken, or as a snack and appetizer. Popular Salsa I took to social media to decide what type of salsa …
Chocolate Mug Cake with Cinnamon CBD Whipped Cream Who doesn’t love chocolate cake? It’s my favorite dessert and something I crave the most. A mug cake is the best option for me, otherwise I would eat way more cake than I need to! The cinnamon …
This warm and frothy golden milk is such a perfect recipe for healing. Turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon are warm spices that have incredible benefits. Not only are they anti-inflammatory but they are also shown to prevent many diseases, may improve brain function, and have antiviral properties.
Pepper is included in this recipe, in case you haven’t noticed. Pepper may seem like an odd ingredient, but it helps the body absorb the curcumin found in turmeric, ensuring you get all the health benefits. Another thing that is good to eat with turmeric is healthy fat. Curcumin is better absorbed when consumed with fat, such as full-fat coconut milk. I like to make this golden milk with either full-fat coconut milk, or a combination of coconut milk and almond milk. Another way to add fat into this beverage is to add MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil, which is big in the keto community.
I like to enjoy golden milk on a cold day, or when I’m feeling a little down. I also make a cup when I’m not feeling great or when my MS symptoms get the best of me. Being anti-inflammatory, this recipe is great for someone with MS or other chronic illness. The spices help reduce inflammation, and the warm milk and flavors make me feel comforted.
In this recipe I use a milk frother to ensure all the spices and nut milks get blended together evenly. I use this tool a lot in the kitchen!
National Ice Cream Sandwich Day National Ice Cream Sandwich day inspired me to make these chocolate chip caramel cookies. I don’t bake that often, and this is my first cookie recipe. My goal for these cookies was to make them thin and flat. Yes, big, …
Chimichurri is a green sauce that is generally made from fresh oregano, parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and crushed red peppers. In this version, I have added fresh mint for extra flavor. This bright green tangy Chimichurri sauce is excellent as a marinade, …
Guacamole is one of our favorite things to eat. Avocados are so creamy, nutritious, and filling. Guacamole goes well with pretty much all Mexican food, but it’s also great to have as a side or topping for your entree. When it comes to guac, you don’t really need a recipe, but maybe just a reminder of ingredients used.
I have seen so many different variations of this popular dish. A simple mixture of avocado and salt can be considered guacamole. Avocado mixed with pico de gallo is a popular option. There are even fun and different recipes using pomegranate seeds, strawberries, or even radishes. My friend Erica says her kids LOVE guacamole with pomegranate seeds. That is definitely next on my list!
This recipe is simple, and as you can see it doesn’t have tomatoes. I see a lot of guacamole recipes, each a little different. I love tomatoes with mine, but they tend to make it watery. Sometimes I’ll add diced tomatoes or salsa on top of my guacamole instead of mixing it in. A lot of times I throw in items I have in the fridge, like peppers that I need to use up. Feel free to get creative with yours! What do you put in your guacamole?
A potato masher is my favorite tool to use for mashing up my avocado. You could use a fork, but I find that a potato masher yields a perfect consistency. Sometimes we like very smooth guacamole, while other times I enjoy a chunky texture. I use this potato masher for so many things in my kitchen. I consider it one of my top kitchen tools, and I rarely make mashed potatoes.
