Breakfast Chilaquiles

Breakfast chilaquiles!!! New to the game?!? If so, you've definitely been missing out. Like, your life really hasn't started until you've eaten them. Don't feel bad. I hadn't had them until recently either...but now...my eyes are opened, and yours are about to be too!! 

My absolute favorite type of date is of the breakfast variety. I don't know what it is, but eating breakfast out just seems so special/luxurious. My perfect morning is a bike ride or run (or some other active outing) and then breakfast out. So many good feels.

The first time I had chilaquiles was on a breakfast date with two sweet friends of mine. The breakfast place we went to has such delicious and fresh options--freshly squeezed juices, avocado toast, a veggie market hash, these chilaquiles. Mmmmm. After having the chilaquiles there, I had to recreate them. And this recipes is suuuper simple. You can take out the chicken and add in black beans if you're vegetarian or don't want to take the time to get prepare chicken. Want this for lunch or dinner? Go for it!! The cilantro and avocado or non-negotiable though. Never....unless you think cilantro tastes like soap. Apparently it's a legitimate, genetic thing. If you're one of those people, I am so sorry for you.

First things first, make sure you have cooked chicken on hand. You can use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken from dinner, or even pre-cooked deli chicken. Also, you can make your own salsa verde if you want to. But really, who's got time for that?? Chop your chicken along with the green onion, red onion, cilantro, and avocado. Heat a skillet to medium heat and fry your egg to your preferred doneness. Meanwhile, heat a mini cast iron skillet (or 6 inch regular skillet) on medium heat. Dip your chips in the salsa verde and layer them in your skillet. Top with chicken, feta cheese, and red onion and cook until the chicken is warmed. Once your egg is cooked, place it on top of your chicken and chip mixture and then top with cilantro, green onion, and avocado. And if you like lime, just give it a little spritz!...and theennnn devour!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. The great thing about it is that you can easily double or triple it in a larger skillet for you and a loved one(s). Super simple and super delicious! Tell me what you think after giving it a try.

Easy Ways to Get Your 5-A-Day Part 2

Hello!! I'm back with the second part of the series I promised! 

And first on the list are brussels sprouts. People feel pretty negatively about them. But I think they've just gotten a bad rap! Poor, poor brussels. Roasting them is the perfect way to get rid of their bitter flavor and then they can be seasoned various ways or served along with scrambled eggs. Or at least that's what I do...

Aren't those just beautiful up there ^^^?!? I'll stop being weird now...Cut off the ends of the brussels, chop in half and mix with olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Roast at 425 for 20 minutes or until cooked fully. Add thai sweet red chile sauce and mix thoroughly. I added 1 Tbsp to the amount shown here, but you do you.  

Vegetable numero dos: CAULIFLOWER! I know, I sound absolutely nuts. But it is so so good. Seriously. I love it roasted, in this cauliflower calzone, in stir-fry's as "rice," or steamed and covered in melty cheese <3. It's one of the best things you can put in your mouth. 

For a stir-fry, just put a head of cauliflower in the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until it reaches a rice-like consistency. Then sauté it in some sesame or olive oil and use it as you would regular rice or fried rice. I even like to do a combination of rice and cauliflower rice so that I get the staying power of the carbohydrates and the nutritional benefits of the veggie!

For the mac-n-cheese cauliflower, cut half a head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Place in a large microwavable bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, and cover with a lid and microwave until tender (7-10 minutes). Meanwhile, add 1 oz. cream cheese, 1/3 cup shredded havarti cheese, 1/2 tbsp spicy brown mustard, garlic salt, pepper, and a splash of milk in a saucepan. Once the cauliflower is steamed and the cheese mixture is melted, add the cauliflower and coat. Feel free to add more cheese if you want. I mean, can you have too much cheese in your mac-n-cheese?

Last, but not least, I have for you a fruit-filled breakfast. I discovered this oatmeal awhile back and used to eat if everyday. The whipped banana thickens up the oatmeal and also gives it a natural sweetness without needing to add any extra honey or sugar. Combine 1/2 thinly sliced banana, 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, quickly stir to "whip" the banana into the oats. Once cooked, add ground flax seed, chopped walnuts, peanut butter, and chopped apple. See what I did there? Bananas AND apples. :-D

Hope you all have a wonderful, fruit and veggie filled day! And if not, there's always tomorrow :-)

Easy Ways to Get Your 5-A-Day part 1.

So I've got to be honest. I had the idea for this post like over a year ago. A YEAR!! But I never got motivated enough to take the pictures or write the blogpost. I haven't been active on the blog lately. The perfectionism in me just wants the blog to look perfect, for everything I say to be super funny and entertaining, and for my information to be helpful. And let's be real, my pictures are still lacking, and entertainment writing isn't my strong suit. But I've decided that those things don't really matter. I can't get better at food blogging if I don't blog, right? 

So here I am, starting a two part blog series on easy ways to get your 5-a-day. Eating veggies is something that I absolutely love and actually crave. I'm not lying. So incorporating them into my diet isn't that difficult. However, I realize this isn't the case for everyone.

The recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption for adults is 1.5-2 cups of fruit and 2.5-3 cups of vegetables each day (hence the "5 a day" slogan). These recommendations are based off of research that shows a reduction in the risk of certain diseases (think cancer, heart disease, etc) in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption. And although juice cleanses/smoothies are super popular right now and an easy way of reaching that goal, I'm not really a big fan of them. I would much rather you eat your fruits and vegetables. You're gonna get more full and stay satisfied far longer (hello fiber!!) while keeping your sanity. I mean, come on, who wants to drink carrot and kale juice every day?? Please. No. I want to put a disclaimer, I don't think you need to be rigid about these recommendations. I promote intuitive eating, so some days vegetables or fruits just aren't going to sound as appetizing and your consumption will be less. But other days, you'll really crave them and your body will be asking you for them, so you will have a lot more. Intuitive eating has been shown to increase diet diversity, and therefore nutrient intake. 

I think the reason most people don't like making/eating vegetables is because they simply don't know how to fix them to make them taste good. Soooo....I give yooooo...simple recipes to help you get your five a day in! 

First, oven roasted broccoli. I make this ALL the time. It takes like 5 minutes to prepare and 15-20 min to roast. And it's delicious.

Just turn the oven on to 400. While it is preheating, rinse two large heads of broccoli with water. Cut the heads of broccoli from the stem and then pull them apart to make smaller florets. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, minced garlic, kosher salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven 15-20 minutes. I like mine a little charred....And really this works for any root/cruciferous vegetables. I love a mixture of brussels, broccoli, red onion, cubed sweet potatoes, and parsnips. 

The next vegetable I present to you is garlic green beans. They're a go-to when I want to add a veggie to a meal. And they are far superior to the typical lettuce and ranch side salad people always make. Gag...(sorry that I'm so dramatic. If you like the ranch and lettuce combo, go you.)

Bring a pot of water to boil. As you are waiting for the water to boil, snap the ends off 1 lb of green beans and then snap into bite sized pieces. Once water is boiling, add your green beans and bring back to a boil for 10-15 minutes or until soft and to your liking. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet and add 3/4 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 2 Tbsp of chopped walnuts or pine nuts. Sautee until garlic starts to brown. Once the green beans are cooked, drain and then top with the garlic, olive oil, nut mixture. 

The next "recipe" is something I've been eating a lot lately. With summer produce being super cheap, I've been loading up on fruits. My body has been saying "give me all the fresh berries as possible!" So I've been eating yogurt with strawberries and blueberries very frequently. Like I've mentioned before, I'm a fan of crunchy with my soft textures. So I came up with this little mixture to add to my yogurt and it is SO SO good.

Mash about 1/2-1 tbsp ripe banana (think of 1 Tbsp on a stick of butter) with 1 tsp peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Add 2 Tbsp plain bran flakes and 2 Tbsp honey bunches of oats (or special K) and mash all together. Top your yogurt and fruit bowl with this mixture and devour!!! 

So there you have it! Three easy peasy recipes to increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Stay tuned for a few more super simple vegetable and fruit recipes. In the meantime, what are YOUR favorite ways to get your 5-a-day in?