Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, You came fast this week. And the weekend will probably go even faster with work, homework, church and anything else that comes up. September is flying by! Dear McDonalds, So you've added calories to your menu. Do you think it will help people make better choices? I'm not so sure - but I guess it's a step in the right direction? Dear Thought File, For one of my classes we have been asked to keep track of our thoughts for a few days. That's pretty intense since thinking is going on constantly - but it has also reminded me of the power of our minds. What we think often turns into who we are and how we act. Dear Quinoa, Thanks for being an easy gluten free dish to take for dinner this week! Add some back beans, tomatoes and avocado and you got something that looks gourmet but only took a few minutes to put together.

Have a safe and fun weekend!

 

 

Recipe Round-Up

Hey, folks! This Thursday is 4th of July, so I thought it'd be a good time to share some yummy recipes you could add to your day of BBQs, parades and fireworks. Hope you find something you love!

 

yogurt ranch dressing...a healthier version of that dipping goodness

strawberry quinoa salad...looks so fresh!

oatmeal skillet cake cookies...talk about yummy cookies in a flash!

sweet potato salsa...I love sweet potatoes and I love salsa

dessert kabobs...great idea to be able to pick what you want for your own treat!

Hope you make it a great week!

Friday’s Favorites

Hey, friends! Comin’ at ya with a round of Friday’s Favorites. Hope you have a fun weekend! (yay for 3 day weekends!)

- Zucchini Boats anyone?

- here’s a nifty portion control video…short and to the point!

- Top Ten Greens…check out the first one! Love my broccoli :)

- This apple banana stew looks like a fun and simple treat for kids and adults to enjoy

- Speaking of portion control, here is a great way to give you your freshly baked cookie fix, but just a few at a time

- I like oatmeal, I like protein, and I like simple…therefore I like these (kid friendly) no bake oatmeal protein bites!

- there are lots of seeds out there, but this helps you find the best and tells you why

- we already had one quinoa recipe this week, but I figure there can never be enough quinoa…check out this peanut butter cacao quinoa 

Quick (and simple) Quinoa

Quinoa is a grain that is also a complete protein. That’s why we love it! There are tons of health benefits associated with adding quinoa to your diet, not to mention how good it is to just try to whole grains that carry a good amount of protein too. So here is a quick and simple dinner that you can add to your recipe box.

I make my quinoa in the rice cooker. Pop it in and let it cook, and it stops when it is done and keeps it warm until you are ready to eat. Perfect!

While the quinoa cooked, I chopped some almonds and toasted them in the oven at 400 for about 10 minutes.

Once the quinoa finished, I put some on a plate, added 2 drops of pesto (I believe it was purchased from Costco, but you can always make your own!) and topped with roasted almond.

On the side I added some roasted butternut squash and a little leftover crockpot chicken. Yum!