a pantry staples quick fix {recipe}

being the mother of a 6 month old, sometimes (ok at least twice a week) 6 o'clock rolls around before i even think about dinner. by that point the last thing i want to do is change outfits (my clothes are always covered in spit up by this point), load the baby in the car, and drive to the nearest wally world! so i head over to the pantry, open it up, and stare.

now normally i stare for about 5-10 min before deciding that the hubby better grill tonight and  feeling like a failure of a wife. 

but last week something amazing happened! 

as i stared into that pantry, instead of my brain turning off the wheels started turning.

believe it or not folks, i came up with a completely original recipe for dinner that night and it actually tasted good!

so i decided that i had to share my genius with the rest of you (it just wouldn't be right to keep this all to myself)

ingredients

3 cans of tuna {drained}

1 can of corn {drained}

1 can of cannellini beans {drained}

1 1/2 c mayo

1 cap-full of apple cider vinegar

1 bag of fresh spinach

parsley

place all 3 cans of tuna in a large bowl. add the mayo and vinegar, mix until completely combined.

add the corn and beans and gently mix into the tuna salad.

you can serve on a bed of baby spinach or on crackers (pictured)

sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

lemon chicken with guacamole sauce {recipe}

this is one of my favorite recipes because it's one where Beau and i can collaborate for dinner. Beau handles the grill while i man the kitchen.

 there's something about creating something together as a couple that just makes you feel so much closer.

it's also a recipe that is frequently requested by family members.

it's one of those meals where everyone is silent unless they're making satisfied noises or exclaiming "THIS IS SO GOOD!"

i figured it was my duty to share this delicious recipe with everyone in blog land

ingredients

juice of 2 lemons

3 tbsp olive oil

2 minced garlic cloves

salt and pepper

combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

place the chicken portions a shallow glass bowl and pour lemon mixture over them. turn each portion making sure to coat evenly. cover bowl and marinate for at least 1hr at room temp. {you can also chill overnight to make for a quick dinner}

after marinated pre heat grill. once hot, add portions and cook, turning frequently, until they are cooked through, about 10 min.

for sauce

1 ripe avocado

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

cut avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor.

add the sour cream, lemon juice, and salt and process until smooth. add the water and process just to blend. adjust seasoning to taste. transfer to a bowl and set aside.

serve with bread and a vegetable.

enjoy! 

vegan rustic bread lasagna- recipe and review

last friday we had a welcome home celebration for my brother Luke. i knew i wanted to cook a fancy (looking) meal for him, but it wasn't that easy to find the perfect recipe. you see, Luke is a vegan. that means no animal products, whatsoever! i eventually came upon a recipe that not only sounded good but looked delicious so i gave it a shot. 

everyone loved it and it's so good for you!

vegan eggplant lasagna

* note: the sourdough pictured is not vegan. when i discovered this i bought a different loaf. be sure the bread is rustic.
ingredients
5 tbsp olive oil + some for drizzling
12 tsp minced garlic +/- according to taste prefrence
2 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes with basil
2 tsp salt
4 tsp italian herb mix
2 eggplants sliced to 1/2" thick
2 lbs of spinach, cleaned and chopped
12 slices of day-old rustic sourdough bread
olive oil, non-stick cooking spray
1/2c panko breadcrumbs
2 large tomatoes sliced thin
balsamic vinegar for drizzling
1/3c fresh basil, chopped

directions

preheat oven to 400 F

in a large pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil to medium and then add 4 tsp of garlic. cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly to keep garlic from burning. add crushed tomatoes, salt, and italian herb mix and allow to simmer for about 30 min.

place the slices of eggplant on 2 parchment lined cookie sheet. it's ok for the slices to overlap. drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then place the pans into the preheated oven for 30-40 min. eggplant should be tender and browned.

while the eggplant is roasting, spray each slice of bread with olive oil cooking spray and toast using either a heated grill pan or a pop-up toaster.

in a wok (a large saucepan would work too) heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. add 8 tsp of minced garlic and sweat for 1-2 min, then add chopped spinach and wilt.

now it's time to assemble the lasagna!

spread 1/2c of sauce in the bottom of a large casserole pan. layer with bread until the bottom of the pan is completely covered. add half of the remaining sauce to cover the bread layer. layer all of the spinach and eggplant on the sauce. add the remaining bread and top with remaining sauce, making sure the bread is completely covered.

sprinkle with breadcrumbs and top with sliced tomatoes. sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

bake in the preheated oven for 40 min. allow to sit for 10 min before drizzling with balsamic vinegar. sprinkle with fresh basil if desired.

slice your lasagna and enjoy!

recipe adapted from here

sick and tired of feeling sick and tired

lately i feel like i'm dragging. 

does anyone else know that feeling?

it's 5:30am. the baby is crying in his crib and you have to force yourself to admit that you aren't just dreaming. he's not going to stop until you get your lazy bum out of bed and change his diaper/give him food/entertain him. so you flop out of bed and, eyes still glued shut, stumble your way to the baby's room. 

you satisfy whatever baby's needs are, all the while willing him with all your might to not be awake for the day. to please, please fall back to sleep, just for 1,000 30 more min.

and so begins the day.

a day full of never ending loads of laundry, floors to vacuum, meals to plan, groceries to buy, bottles to wash, diapers to change.

at times you feel like your using all your energy to keep yourself from collapsing on the bed and passing out until tomorrow. you feel like you can't remember the last time you had a good night sleep and don't think you'll ever have one again. your life is spent just going through the motions counting down the minutes until you can hit the bed again.

this has been my life lately.

i've spent so much time blaming chores or motherhood (it's tough, right?) when the truth is those things have nothing to do with how exhausted i'm feeling.

this morning, as i was popping doughnut holes into my mouth for breakfast, it hit me.

i'm doing this to myself

i have no one else and nothing else to blame but me.

many days i hardly eat and when i do it ends up being 'easy' junk food, i complain about feeling tired all day and then stay up until midnight watching hulu, and i can't even remember the last time i did any exercise... i think i took Owen for a stroll... two weeks ago..?

although i weigh less than i have in a long time, i have never felt so out of shape in my life.  

so today is the day i'm deciding to make a change.

not a diet for a couple weeks or a 10 week workout routine.

a lifestyle change

i'm going to make an effort to eat less processed foods and eat more fresh fruits and veggies.

i'm going to be in bed by 9pm and asleep by 10pm.

i'm going to do some sort of physical activity- every day.

and i'm going to track my progress to hold myself accountable.

i'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and today is the day i do something about it