bananas for mama and baby

There's something you must know about me.  I love bananas.  In fact, I have to eat one every single day.  And each banana in my fruit basket is planned out.  If we ever run out of bananas I immediately figure out when I will be able to go to the grocery store to buy some more.  

Sliced on top of oatmeal or yogurt, blended up in my smoothie, on top of toast with almond better…I mean, the possibilities are endless.  So when I discovered that I could mash them up to make a healthier option for pancakes, I was sold.  I like to call it my "weekend treat".  What I love even more is that this pancake recipe makes the perfect amount for one person because the husband of mine isn't a pancake fan.  

Side note: when we first were married, every Sunday morning was Pancake Sunday.  I woke up early to mix up a batch before church, and loved experimenting with different variations.  This went on for a solid couple of months until he informed me that he didn't like pancakes.  I'm sure you could imagine the shocked look upon my face and how much my heart sank.  So being able to make this perfect amount for one person just rocked my world. 

Nathan started eating solids this past month, and right now we are giving him banana in the morning and avocado in the afternoon.  I knew he was my son when he took his first bite of mashed banana.  He instantly opened up his mouth nice and big ready for the next bite.  It was kind of the cutest thing you ever could see.  

So on Saturday mornings, we have a new tradition.  I make banana pancakes for me, mash up some bananas for Nathan, and we enjoy a lovely breakfast together.  The husband?  Well, he isn't a huge breakfast fan so I let him sleep in, which helps me soak up and enjoy this new mama and son bonding time.  

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

1 medium banana

2 eggs

1 spoonful of peanut butter (or almond butter)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

coconut oil for cooking 

1. In a bowl mash up your banana.  You want some chunks left for texture. 

2.  Add in the eggs and mix well. 

3. Stir in your spoonful of nut butter.  Then add the cinnamon and vanilla and mix. 

4. Over medium heat, coat a pan with coconut oil and drop 1/4-1/3 c. of mixture onto the pan.  Let cook 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook 1-2 minutes on the next. 

**Cooking tip: I prefer using an electric skillet and coconut oil spray from Trader Joe's.  Also, a wide spatula is super helpful for these.  Before flipping, use your spatula to lift an edge of the pancake to see if it is ready.  

Enjoy by themselves or add a little pure maple syrup on top! 

meals for new moms

There are two things that I love big time.

Making great food.

Eating great food. 

When we had Nathan we were tremendously blessed by our close friends who put together a Meal Train through MealBaby.  This is a super convenient website where people can sign up to bring you a meal.  And let me tell you, it was better than I could've ever imagined.  I love to cook, but quickly realized I had my hands full with a little one.  And it never failed that dinnertime was the hardest to step away from Nathan, so it was such a treat to just pop something into the oven and chow down.  This helps both mom and dad stay nourished, too, ensuring they are getting enough to eat.  

Because I can't rave enough about how amazing it is being on the receiving end, I make it my goal now to take new moms a meal.  Plus, babies are popping up left and right currently in our lives.  I love setting Nathan up in his bouncer and talking to him about the ingredients I'm putting in (I'm secretly training him now how to cook me breakfast in bed one day).  I love packing everything up into my bright red basket.  I love writing a little love note for the sweet new mama, along with any directions she needs.  And I love giving her dessert…especially ice cream and fresh baked cookies because that really hits the spot after having a baby!  

Here are five recipes that are fantastic to make for new moms: 

Mushroom Kale Lasagna Rolls from Skinnytaste 

These are a great meatless option, and they freeze beautifully.  I'm not joking you, I have three sets of these in my freezer for new mamas I'm seeing over the next two weeks.  

Tamale Pie from Peas And Thank You

This is great when you don't want to give someone pasta and want to mix it up a bit.  I use ground turkey in mine. 

Chicken Enchilada Bake

The recipe I use is from Bread & Wine, but I'm sure you can find similar ones easily.  We are a bit obsessed with mexican food over here so this is something I always double.  One for them and one for us! 

White Bean and Turkey Chili from Cooking Light 

Chili just warms your belly amazingly!  Just be careful with how spicy you make it for the breastfeeding mamas. 

Roasted Tomato Tortilla Soup

Soups are nice and easy to bring to other mamas, and this one is perfect when you also bring over chips and an avocado!  My family personally loves this recipe, so I love making it for others. 

I like to buy foil pans and Ziploc tupperware to serve the meal in.  This keeps the new mama from worrying about returning it to you, or keeping track of whose is what.  Bags of plain lettuce are so helpful.  Then I include all of the toppings in a ziploc bag.  Cookies can keep from being crushed when placed inside of a mason jar, and it looks pretty cute as well.  

Can't wait to go bless some new mamas and visit their sweet babes these next few weeks! 

meal planning makes me happy

There's something that brings me great joy on Sundays.  And it isn't the laundry I'm doing, the floors I'm sweeping, or the mess I'm picking up.  It's meal planning!  

Maybe it's my love for lists, checking things off as they get accomplished, or maybe it's the fact that I truly love to cook.  I remember when the Mr. and I first got married.  We moved into our condo, and I got straight to planning out some meals.  Life was crazy back then.  He was finishing his undergrad and I was wrapping up my teaching credential.  I remember finding solace in having a meal already planned out.  It was one last thing to think about amongst our busy schedule. 

The same holds true today!  It's something already done that I don't have to think about, and it brings me joy to come home and prepare a meal out of love for us.  

I usually plan out 4 meals, and leave 1-2 days of leftovers available.  There's times when our schedule doesn't go as planned, or I'm not in the mood for what we have planned, but for the most part-we follow the plan.  

Here's this week's plan:

Sunday: Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Broccoli Peso

**This turned out amazing!!  I served it with asparagus and roasted red potatoes.  Delish! 

Monday: Chicken Curry with Brown Rice (Recipe coming later this week)

Tuesday: White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Kale (using swiss chard instead because it came in our CSA box) 

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Sweet Potato Chipotle Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 

Friday: Leftovers 

This week I wanted to try to keep our dinners simple, and the Mr. has been asking for more meat in our meals.  My stomach can't handle red meat, so I like to stick with chicken, turkey, and fish.  Can't wait to cook up some love this week! 

2-minute pumpkin pie

I promise that you didn't read that title wrong!  This, my lovelies, is truly a 2-minute pumpkin pie..or cupcake, depending on how you look at it.  And all it takes is a mug, some simple ingredients, and a microwave!  I've had my share of a sweet tooth during this pregnancy, or maybe I should just say that I have one in general.  And I truly try to balance out everything and not over indulge in sweets, but each night I just want that little nugget of sweet goodness to get me through.  This concoction is perfect.  Don't be alarmed if the top doesn't look quite set when you take it out, it's nice when it's just a bit gooey on the top.  Also, I wouldn't judge you if you added a sprinkle of chocolate chips to the top and allow them to melt into your cupcake.  

2-Minute Pumpkin Pie:

3 Tbsp. almond flour

3 Tbsp. pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 

a dash of salt

1. Combine everything into a mug and mix well. 

2. Microwave for 2 minutes.  

3. Eat immediately! 

spaghetti squash 101

If you were to ask me a couple years ago how to cook spaghetti squash, or what it even looked like, I would've had no idea.  I've always been a big fan of squash, so it was about time that I ventured into the world of cooking with spaghetti squash.  The first person I turned to was my brother-in-law because he seemed to be always cooking it, and he quickly taught me how to bring this squash to life.  Now I absolutely LOVE cooking with it!  It's super versatile, provides as a pasta replacement, and fuels your body with its nutritious ingredients!

Spaghetti squash definitely needs some time to cook, so make sure you plan out your meal accordingly.  I try to make this on Sunday either for that night or for a meal I'm planning on that week.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Carefully (and you may want to enlist the help from your husband like I do) cut your squash in half.

3. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and membranes from inside.

4. Season the cut halves with salt and pepper.

5. Place the squash cut side down in a baking dish and fill the dish with 1/4 c. of water.

6. Bake your spaghetti squash for 1 hour.

7. When done, let your squash sit for at least 15 minutes so it can cool down.  Then, using a fork, scoop out the insides.  The squash will be strands and look like spaghetti!

For dinner tonight I made Skinnytaste's Spaghetti Squash with Meat Ragu using ground turkey.  

Here are some more recipes to use with your spaghetti squash:

Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese

Spaghetti Squash Pesto with Tomatoes

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Spinach 

Spaghetti Squash Fritters with Sriracha Mayonnaise 

fit & fabulous pregnancy: breakfast

Staying healthy and active is my priority during this pregnancy, and I've reaped so many benefits from it!  These endorphins are fabulous, plus my body has felt great through this pregnancy so far.  To read more about some ways I'm staying fit and active check out my post here.  

Today I wanted to share with you some ideas for my absolute favorite meal of the day: Breakfast!  

Just in case you were wondering here are three things you must know about me:

1. I have to eat a banana everyday. 

2. In the mornings I wake up with a growling tummy. 

3. I treasure the mornings, especially breakfast, and will wake up early in order to sit down and eat breakfast.  

Does anyone else wake up hungry?  And no, it's not pregnancy related.  Every morning I truly look forward to making my breakfast.  You can call it my thing.  It's my self-time, and fuels my soul.  So it is important that I fuel my body for a busy day!  

My quick go-to breakfast is a smoothie, always with spinach or kale.  My usual concoction includes 1 c. almond milk, a frozen banana, frozen mango, ground flaxseed, and either protein powder or greek yogurt.  Lately, I have been eating a slice of gluten free toast with my smoothie as well to help keep me full.  

I'm sure you're wondering what is underneath that egg!  This would be a bowl of leftover quinoa, spinach, an egg, and guacamole.  I definitely crave eggs, especially when they're a bit runny.  Yes please!  This is power packed with protein and delicious! 

Lately I've been consistently making toast with avocado, with two eggs on top, add some salt and pepper and I am ready to bring on the day!  This is quick, easy, and so delicious.  It also keeps me full for a good three hours.  

Oatmeal comes and goes.  It is a beautiful staple, especially when mixed with bananas and topped with a spoonful of almond butter!  Lately it has just been too hot to consider eating my oats.  

What is your go-to breakfast???

homemade tea latte {recipe}

This past week, something beautiful happened.  Very beautiful...and dreamy.  

I discovered how to make a tea latte at home!  Side note about Jamie: I have a fascination with frothy goodness lattes.  Whether it be espresso or tea, just give me some of that foam and I will drink it!  

Coffee has always been my first love.  And tea has always been there for when I'm sick, ready for bedtime, or desperate for some warmth.  However, this pregnancy does not like coffee.  I was devastated at first but then counted it a blessing in disguise because it wouldn't be that hard to give it up.  Now don't get me wrong...lattes still hit the spot.  

I've been craving something warm in the mornings, but want it to be creamy and dreamy.  Those two things are a must!  So, I grabbed some tea and researched how to make foam at home, and ta-da!  I had caught onto something amazing!!!  Follow these steps for a beautiful experience at your lovely abode....

Step 1: Get out all of your all stars.  I just purchased this tea from Trader Joe's, slightly hesitant as I'm not a breakfast tea drinker, and it has forever changed me.  Delish! I used coconut milk but almond milk would be just as divine.  Grab some agave or honey (if desired) and a mug that will warm your soul.  

Step 2:  Steep your tea bag for 3-5 minutes in hot water.   

Step 3: Froth your milk.  I used this method using a mason jar in the microwave, but it doesn't make as much foam as I'd like.  So today I'm breaking down and using one of the million BBB coupons to get this frother.  

Step 4: Add your agave or honey. 

Step 5: Pour in your milk.  

Step 6: Let that foamy-goodness settle on top.  

Step 7:  I choose to sprinkle mine with just a touch of cinnamon to add some spice, again, totally optional.  Sip, enjoy, let it warm your soul and melt all your worries away.  

gluten free vegan mango bread

Two days after graduating college I hopped on a red eye for Costa Rica with two girlfriends, one overstuffed backpacking bag, and a fresh passport that had never been used before.  This trip could have been called the "coming of age" trip for me, filled with so many firsts.  My first international flight.  My first big trip with friends.  My first time using just a backpack.  My first experience with giant crabs attempting to crawl into my shoes.  And my first experience with Costa Rican coffee.  

Oh, that coffee.  

This trip will forever be stained on my brain as it was filled with tons of adventures that changed me, molded me, made me take a chance and use a little courage, and brought out my independence.  

As we traveled from town to town, the first one just stayed with me.  I don't know if it was the frightening yet thrilling zip lining adventure or my first taste of this delectable coffee.  Yes, I'm going back to that coffee.  But to accompany the coffee, the little cafe we sat at gave us fresh mango.  Now this was my first time with a mango.  This fruit always seemed so foreign to me, I had no idea how to eat it, and never really had a chance to.  So when this sweet goodness touched my lips for the first time it was heaven, sweet, sweet heaven.  And ever since that day, the moment this sweet fruit comes near me so do the beautiful, wild, and crazy memories from Costa Rica. 

Enter Joy's Mango Vegan bread.  I first made this bread two years ago, after finally looking up how to cut a mango on You tube, and was completely surprised at how moist and delicious this bread was.  And from that moment it has become a summer tradition to make this bread, and most likely devour it all by myself.  

This summer I came across the ripest mango that was begging for me to take it home and turn it into bread.  But then I got to thinking...how could I make this gluten free AND sugar free?  Now, this was my first time ever experimenting and creating a recipe completely on my own AND it is delicious! 

Oh, and in case you need a little lesson like I did on how to cut a mango go here! 

As I mixed my ingredients together, placed my hope into the oven and set the time, I kept watching the clock-just waiting for it to go off to see how it turned out.  And what came out of the over was something extraordinary!  The first piece was a bit crumbly, but still so moist.  Oh, and this was husband approved, which means a lot since he isn't always a fan of baked goods! 

Gluten Free Vegan Mango Bread

2 large bananas or 3 medium bananas

1/4 c. coconut oil, melted

1/2 c. honey

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. gluten free flour (I used Trader Joe's)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1 ripe mango, sliced into chunks

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. 

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas well.  Add the oil, honey, and vanilla extract, and whisk briskly to incorporate. 

Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.  Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.  Fold in mango chunks. 

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with coconut sugar if you'd like.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and a toothpick inserted through the center should come out clear. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

hemp, it's what's for breakfast

Breakfast is my all time favorite meal.  I have never been one to skip out on breakfast!  I'm pretty sure that I wake up hungry.   That's normal, right?  Well, finding quick and healthy breakfast options is key for me.  Even more helpful is when they keep my fuller longer.  When I eat breakfast by 6:30am and don't eat until about 10:30, it is essential my breakfast stays with me.  My students will tell you that I am quite a bear as soon as I get hungry :)

One of my go-to's is a smoothie, especially mornings I sneak in a workout before work.  Protein powder keeps me full throughout the morning with ease.  I use whey protein powder, not soy, but never really looked at what was in this powder that seemed to make everything taste so delicious.  So when I decided to actually read the ingredient list, I began to second guess this ingredient I used to fill me up.  I decided to take a look at hemp, which is a plant-based form of protein.  I ended up finding a hemp protein powder, and it has one ingredient: ground hemp seeds!  It doesn't get better than that!  Well, I will get to the taste in just a sec.  

The first time I tried it out, my taste buds weren't that pleased.  I'm pretty sure they were rooting for the original vanilla protein powder.  I didn't let them win, and kept plugging along, and by the third time I made a smoothie with it I was sold.  

This recipe is my absolute favorite.  It is the foundation for all of my smoothies, and it is pretty simple, which is nice for busy mornings. 

Tropical Hemp Protein Smoothie:

1 c. vanilla almond milk

3 Tbsp. hemp powder

1 frozen banana

2 handfuls fresh spinach or kale (I used kale above)

3/4 c. frozen mango

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

Place everything into a blender, or my favorite-Vita mix, and blend until smooth.  Sip with a colorful straw, it just makes it more worthwhile.  

2 ingredient pancake

Are you ready for your mind to be blown?  

I made a pancake with 2 ingredients! YES, just two :)  Egg + banana.

Credit must be given to Carrots n' Cake's original recipe.  When I first read that she made a pancake using one banana and one egg saying I was intrigued would be an understatement.  I tried it out but it didn't hold together very well.  The next day I was on a mission to make it better so I added another egg and, my oh my, was it divine! 

In my food processor I blended the banana and eggs. 

Next, I heated 1 tsp. of coconut oil over medium heat.  Then I poured in my "batter". 

It definitely needs to cook on low-medium heat for at least 5 minutes before attempting to flip it.  I push in the edges first to see if it's ready.  Make sure the middle is bubbling, showing that it is cooked enough to be flipped.  When it's ready flip and cook for another 5 minutes. 

I know you might be skeptical at this point about how it must taste.  If you like bananas and pancakes you will love this!  I like to top mine with almond butter and a little bit of agave as "syrup".  The best part-it keeps me full for just about 4 hours and the taste is amazing! 

Enjoy :)

1 zucchini = 3 recipes

Everyone loves summer, but for a while I used to dislike it greatly.  My pasty white skin would be forever sunburned.  As much as I tried to be tan like all the other girls, it was impossible.  Then there was the "b" word...bathing suit.  I dreaded summer when I was younger.  

Becoming a teacher totally changed this around for me, and given the fact that I've overcome all those silly insecurities that made me want to stay inside for three months.  Now summer is peace.  It is the time in my year that I get to breathe, relax, soak in all of God's beauty, get back to who I am as I sift through projects and just take some time for myself.  

One of the best things about summer is the produce.  Zucchini has to be my favorite vegetable.  Growing up we had a garden and zucchini grew like crazy each and every year.  Even when my parents didn't plant it, it would still come back.  I have fond memories shredding the zucchini and making zucchini bread with it, then grilling another one for dinner.  I probably love it so much because it brings back the fond memories I hold of summer as a child.  

I recently adopted a nice, large zucchini and was able to make not one, not two, but three different recipes with it! 

First up was Zucchini Tots from Skinny Taste.  Ann brought these to our Palm Springs trip and I couldn't get over how delicious they were.  As soon as I got home I looked up the recipe and found out I had everything on hand!  So, I got busy in the kitchen...

Friends-these are super easy, and amazing warm from the oven.  On top of that, four only have 104 calories!  The Mr. loved these, and he is not a big zucchini fan like me.  I couldn't help but think these would be great for kids as well, and they travel perfectly so I plan on making some of these for our trip this week!

Zucchini Round Two.

Grilled zucchini is a summer must have.  And paired with barbecue salmon is divine!  I felt pretty proud of myself Sunday night as I heated up the grill all by myself, made a delicious sauce for the salmon, and neatly grilled dinner while the Mr. was at work.

It was my first ever time making this salmon recipe and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.  The flavor was impeccable, divine, outstanding.  My taste buds were dancing.  I then paired it with my cilantro-lime brown rice (super duper easy recipe I made up and will share next week).  

I might have saved the best for last...

Zucchini Round Three.  

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread!

P.S: The following pictures are for your sheer humorous enjoyment.  (I had already been painting for hours and am insanely gross after all my cleaning.)  I just had to pose with the bread to show off my mouth watering creating.  

I seriously could not wait to get this in my belly.  I may have even told the bread "Get in my belly"!  

And there you have it!  So if you have a plentiful garden bursting with fresh zucchini or just love zucchini (or love trying really amazing recipes) try one of these recipes and let me know how they turn out!