sweet potato and spinach breakfast bake

I eat eggs, typically scrambled, for breakfast nearly every single day, but that gets old real fast. This breakfast bake can be made ahead of time and reheated for a quick, filling breakfast.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Breakfast Bake

1 lb breakfast sausage (pork, turkey or chicken)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded

2 cups raw spinach, chopped

8 eggs, scrambled

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Brown sausage in a cast iron pot until no longer pink, then transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the grease. While the sausage drains, add the coconut oil to the pot and sauté sweet potato and spinach for about 3 minutes. Transfer sausage back to the pot with sweet potato and spinach and cook for another minute or so. Scramble your eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Add eggs on top of the sausage mixture and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until eggs are just set.

Notes:

--If using precooked chicken or turkey sausage, simply chop and sauté with the sweet potatoes and spinach.

--Eliminate sausage all together for a vegetarian option.  

--If you don't have a cast iron pot, sauté sausage and veggies per instructions, then transfer to a greased baking dish and top with eggs. Baking time might need to be altered, depending on size of pan.

--I've had this cast iron pot for nearly 10 years and it is by far my most used pot or pan. You can sometimes find them on sale at places like Marshalls or TJ Maxx.

--Smash some avocado on top for an extra tasty treat!

sweet and spicy grilled chicken

I make a big batch of this chicken at the beginning of the week and keep it in the fridge for lunch and dinner in a pinch. It can be used on chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or even wings. I typically do a mix of boneless, skinless breasts and thighs.

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken

2 tsp smoked sea salt (find it here)

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

3 lbs chicken

Instructions:

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl, then whisk in olive oil and maple syrup. Coat chicken with marinate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Grill chicken over high heat for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. 

Notes:

-The smoked sea salt adds a nice flavor, but regular sea salt works just fine. 

-For less heat, cut the cayenne pepper in half, or eliminate it all together. 

-I like to pound out my chicken breasts before marinading. This helps them cook more evenly.

Recipe adapted from here

stupid easy stir fry

Sometimes I don't even want to have to think about what to make for dinner. I don't want to follow a recipe, and I want it to be done fast. Is that too much to ask? I came up with this recipe one day when I had some things sitting in my fridge that needed to be used up. I tossed them all together in a pan and BOOM, dinner was done.

Stupid Easy Stir Fry

1 package of chicken sausages (I like Applegate Organics)

1 pineapple, cut into chunks

2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)

1 tbsp coconut aminos

1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Cut sausages into 1/2 inch thick pieces and arrange in a pan so that the cut sides are down. This ensures they all get nice and brown. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip the pieces and add your other ingredients. Cover and cook for about 7 more minutes, stirring a couple times. Cook until the broccoli is tender, but not mushy.   If you use frozen broccoli, it will cook quicker, so be sure to keep an eye on it. Serve it up, drizzle with a little more aminos, and you have dinner in under 15 minutes!

Notes:

You can also swap any other veggies for the broccoli. I've tried it with red bell pepper and it's super tasty. I bet zucchini would be yummy, too. I've also used kilebasa in place of the chicken sausages. Yes, I realize these meats are somewhat processed, but sometimes convenience wins. Check the ingredient list because you can find them without all the added preservatives and nitrates. I like the Applegate brand the best, but sometimes Costco carries the Coleman Organic brand that are pretty good, too.

Coconut aminos is a great substitute for soy sauce, which typically has both gluten and soy. You can find coconut aminos at any health food stores.

Happy eating!

homemade laundry detergent

I used to make my own laundry detergent, but then got lazy and went back to buying it at the store. There are certainly a lot of options out there for "cleaner" (ha! no pun intended) laundry detergents, but they usually come with a hefty price tag. I recently got back to making it myself and I was reminded of how simple it is to make. This powder detergent is three ingredients and it seriously works. I have two smelly, dirty boys and their clothes come out clean every time. This recipe works in both HE and regular washers.

Powder Laundry Detergent

1 bar of soap (I used Dr. Bronner's)

1 cup washing soda (this is NOT baking soda!)

1 cup borax

20 drops essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

Grate the bar of soap using a fine cheese grater or food processor. Mix in washing soda and borax. Add essential oils (if using) and stir. Store in a sealed container. Add 1-2 tablespoons directly to the clothes and launder like normal.

The washing soda and borax can be found in the laundry aisle of any store, and the Dr. Bronner's bar soaps are carried at all health food stores such as Whole Foods, Natural Grocers and Sprouts. I used the peppermint scent in the last batch I made and it smelled so good. The clothes don't come out smelling like a candy cane, just fresh and clean.

Original recipe here

freezer breakfast burritos

It's back to school time in our house, as I'm sure it is in most of yours as well. So long, leisurely mornings, and hello hectic craziness of trying to get everyone out the door on time. If there is one part of your morning routine that you cannot skimp on, it's breakfast. As a teacher, I see first hand the negative effects of children who do not eat a filling, healthy breakfast.

These breakfast burritos are something you can make ahead of time for a quick, filling breakfast on the go. I always make a big batch and freeze them. They are easy to pop in the microwave in the morning and my boys both gobble them up.

Breakfast Burritos

1 lb breakfast sausage (pork or turkey works just fine)

8 eggs, scrambled

shredded cheese

10-12 tortillas

Instructions:

Brown sausage and drain on a paper towel. In the same pan, cook scrambled eggs, then add the sausage back to the pan and combine with eggs. You can easily store this in the fridge for the week and make the burritos each morning by adding egg/sausage mixture and cheese to the tortilla. Or, you can make up the burritos and freeze for later. I've found it's best to lay burritos out on a cookie sheet in a single layer, then put the entire pan in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can transfer to a freezer friendly container. To reheat, simply wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 90 seconds, turning half way thru.

Makes 10-12 burritos

sopsky salad

While in college, I spent a semester living abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. I will not say "studying" abroad because there was very little studying that took place during my stay. It is still to this day one of the best experiences of my life, and this city will always be special to me.

Czech cuisine is nothing to write home about, but the beer, oh my, the beer. Our dorm had both a pub and a vending machine with beer, so that shows you how they prioritize. See why there wasn't much studying going on?

There was one salad served at a lot of restaurants that I still make at home during the summer. It's called the sopsky (pronounced shop-ski) salad and it's just four simple ingredients. There is no dressing, but the liquid from the veggies and the cheese sort of come together to make a dressing. It's so tasty when the tomatoes are at their best! This salad is the perfect side dish to take to that backyard cookout or pot luck dinner.

Sopsky Salad

2 medium tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 green pepper (red, yellow, or orange works too)

1/2 cup feta cheese

Instructions:

Chop veggies into similar sizes, about 1/2 inch pieces. Mix in feta cheese. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Makes about 4 cups.

peanut butter protein bites

These peanut butter bites are a great snack for kids and grown-ups alike. I'm thinking that they will be a great addition to lunch boxes when we go back to school next month (NOOOO!!!). You could easily swap out the peanut butter for any nut butter.

These bites are pretty sweet and are not considered a low calorie, so try to resist eating them all in one sitting!

Peanut Butter Protein Bites

1 c. natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1 c. oats

1/4 c. almond flour

1 tbsp flax seed

2 tbsp raw honey

2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

Combine ingredients, then roll into ping pong size balls. Keep in fridge.

Makes about 20 balls.