apple cinnamon bread pudding

I have been on a bread pudding kick lately. I love the texture and the way all the flavors blend together and I love a wholesome weekend breakfast you can make the night before and then pop in the oven.  

You'll Need:
Apples- 4, sliced
Bread- 6 slices- cut into 1" cubes (stale is better)
Butter- 1-2 tbsp.
Eggs-2
Egg Whites- 2
Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp.
Milk/Soy or Almond- 2.5 cups
Sugar- 1/4 cup
Brown Sugar- 1-2 tbsp.
Cinnamon- 1 tsp.
Salt- pinch

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter or spray bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Line with apples. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. Top slices with a few slices of butter. 

Bake apples 10 minutes. (Smells like pure heaven.)

Whisk together, eggs, egg whites, vanilla and sugars. Gradually add milk. 

Add bread to milk mixture and toss. Season with cinnamon and a pinch of salt. 

Pour over apples. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top and bake 40-50 minutes- until knife comes out of center clean. 

sweet potato + black bean stew

It's still chilly in the midwest, and this sweet potato and black bean stew is the perfect hearty meal for this wintery April day. This stew is healthy but full of flavor, with ginger and cayenne pepper for just the right amount of spice... and as always- garlic & onion. 


Some people are surprised to find that sweet potatoes go great with Mexican dishes- try adding them in your enchiladas & burritos. 

Serves 6

You'll Need:
Sweet Potatoes- 2, cubed
Black Beans- 1 can or 2 cups, rinsed & drained
Kale- 1 1/2 cups, chopped
Corn- 2 cups
Rice, quinoa or bulgar- 1 cup
Vegetable Broth (or water + bouillon)- 2 1/2 cups (or as needed)
Low-Fat Sour Cream- 1/4 cup
Onion- 1, chopped
Garlic- 4 cloves, minced
Cayenne Pepper- to taste
Chilli Powder- 1 tsp.
Ginger- 1 tsp.
Cilantro- to taste
Salt & Pepper- to taste
Veggie Sausage or Chorizo- optional

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a large pot. Saute onion and sweet potato 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Season with salt.

Add minced garlic and cook 4-5 minutes.

Add vegetable broth and rice- cover and simmer 15- 20 minutes-stirring frequently. (Scrape the bottom of the pot too!)

While simmering- season with cayenne pepper, chilli powder, ginger, cilantro and salt to taste. Add more water as rice or grain requires. Simmer until rice & potatoes are tender.

Add black beans, corn, kale and cooked veggie sausage if using. Cook 3-5 more minutes. Stir in sour cream. Remove from heat. 

Garnish with avocado slices or a sprinkle of cheddar cheese if desired.

zucchini + corn quesadillas

The combination of zucchini and corn is an unexpectedly delicious match! These veggie quesadillas are healthy, easy to make and a great choice for kids! The inspiration for this recipe came from Vegetarian Times, but I adjusted it un po.

Image courtesy of VegetarianTimes.com

Serves 4

You'll Need:
Soft Burritos- 8
Frozen Corn- 1 1/2 cup, cooked
Zucchini- 1, thinly sliced & quartered
Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese or vegan sub.- 1 cup
Onion Salt- to taste or 1 tsp. 
Garlic or Garlic Powder- to taste
Jalapeños or Chiles- optional to taste

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a sprayed pan. Sauté zucchini until tender- about 5-6 minutes. Remove from pan and put into bowl.

Add cooked corn, garlic (powder) and onion salt to bowl with zucchini and stir. 

Put 1 burrito in pan and spoon 1/4 of the zucchini/corn mix into it- spreading evenly across. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place 2nd burrito on top and press down with spatula so they stick together. Cook 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat or until they begin to brown. Flip and cook the other side 1-2 minutes. Repeat with all quesadillas.
Remove from heat and serve with a dollop of low fat sour cream! 

red pepper + meatball macaroni bake

This was another last minute creation based on what I had in my cupboard and the fact that I was craving "meatballs." This pasta bake starts with a layer of meatballs in a spicy red pepper sauce, then to balance the spice, is topped with creamy ricotta cheese, olives and macaroni noodles. The result was delicious. We both went back for thirds!

The Roland Red Pepper Spread I picked up from my local Italian food market had just the right kick of spice to it, which added great flavor to the dish. But if you can't find red pepper sauce, you can make your own or use regular spaghetti sauce and add red pepper flakes or hot sauce to it if you like.

Serves 6

You'll Need:

Macaroni Noodles- 8 oz.

Low-Fat Ricotta- 15 oz.

Egg- 1

Red Pepper Spread/Sauce- 8 oz. or 1 cup

Veggie Patch Meatballs- 8-10

Shredded Italian Cheese- 1/3 cup
Sliced Olives- 2.25 oz. can, drained & rinsed
Garlic-3 cloves, minced (or 1 tsp jarred)
Oregano- to taste
Salt- to taste


Bring salted water to boil and cook noodles according to package directions.

Microwave meatballs 1 minute (to cook about halfway). Chop or smash meatballs and mix with 1/2 cup red pepper sauce. Put in bottom of casserole dish. Sprinkle with a bit of cheese & oregano.

Mix ricotta with egg. Stir in olives, cheese, garlic, salt & oregano. Then also stir in rest of red pepper sauce. Mix.

Strain noodles and add to ricotta mix. Stir so all noodles are coated. Taste and season accordingly.

Pour noodles on top of meatballs. Sprinkle with more cheese if desired and bake 25 minutes at 350.

bathing suit cover ups

Whether you're going on your honeymoon, a cruise, staying at a resort or just want to look cute when you hit the pool or beach, a cute bathing suit cover up is a must. I used to throw on work out shorts and a junky t-shirt, but a simple cover up really makes the difference. Pair any of these with sunnies and a big floppy hat, and you'll feel more confident as soon as you walk out the door.

Top Shop

Diane von Furstenberg- Iruka

Nastygal black romper

Raviya embellished neck cover up -Macy's

Victoria's Secret teal cover up

Diane von Furstenberg- Lueretti

La Blanca- "Play Date" Cover Up

baked oatmeal with strawberries + bananas

This healthy baked oatmeal with strawberries and bananas is great for family breakfast on the weekend or for overnight guests. Make it your own with nuts or chocolate chips.

Serves 6


You'll Need:
Bananas- 2, sliced
Strawberries- 1 cup, sliced
Oats- 2 cups
Brown Sugar- 1/3 cup
Cinnamon- 1 tbsp.
Salt- 1/2 tsp.
Baking Powder- 1 tsp.
Milk/Soy Milk- 2 cups
Egg- 1
Vanilla Extract- 2 tsp. 
Butter- 3 tbsp., melted (can omit)
Walnuts- optional

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together dry ingredients in bowl.

Add half of strawberries and 1 sliced banana to oat mix. Pour into casserole dish.

Layer the rest of the strawberries & bananas on top. 

Mix milk, eggs, butter and vanilla in small bowl.

Pour milk mixture over top. Shimmy dish back and forth so it gets down to the bottom. Sprinkle more brown sugar on top if desired.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 375.

swim suit selection

Well, ladies- it's almost that time of year! Bathing suit season is just around the corner. Finding a suit that complements your shape and style is the first step to feeling confident when you head to the pool. 

Personally, I prefer strapless bandeau tops because I can't stand tan lines-I think they ruin my whole look! Here are my favorite bathing suit styles for this summer. 

One Piece.
Let the record show- there is nothing wrong with a one piece! I love retro-looking one pieces like this polka dot bathing suit. Wear with a headband to complete the look and keep frizzies back!

Modcloth

Victoria's Secret

Target- Ruched bathing suits are very flattering & slimming

Echo

Solids.

You can't go wrong with classic solid colors. You can even mix and match tops and bottoms with solids and prints. 

Victoria's Secret

 Tommy Bahama- Halter tops with underwire provide full support for bigger busts

Victoria's Secret - Mix & match solid & print

Target - Mix & match solid & stripes

Prints. 

Show your personality with a fun print. They're cute, girly and original.

Anthropologie

Juicy Couture Tea Rose One Piece

Sassy.

These bathing suits are great for a party scene like spring break or Vegas.

Target

L Space fringe bikini

Victoria's Secret

Lenny Swim- backless swimsuit with collar

how to do a milkmaid braid

A braided updo like this milkmaid braid (or braid halo) is a great hairstyle for any summertime activity, whether you're on vacation at the beach all day and out all night, or going to a wedding- it will hold all day. It's perfect for hot weather because it keeps the hair off your neck and will still look good if it gets humid. A little frizz adds to the soft, boho look. :) 

How to do a milkmaid braid halo:

Make a middle part going all the way down the back of your head, (make sure it's straight because it will be visible). Put your hair into two low sections, behind your ears, like you were going to do pigtails. 

Pull out any pieces you want down. Braid hair into two sections. Spray. Rubberband ends.

Then flip each braid up and over to the opposite side and pin well. Make sure the braids are touching. Tuck each end into the other braid to hide the ends.

I recommend leaving a few pieces down around your face to curl them or even add ribbons to spice it up. 

bunny cookie bark

I found this bunny cookie bark recipe on yourhomebasedmom.com and have been telling friends about it for an easy Easter dessert idea, so I thought I'd share it with all of you. It's so easy and cute, and very seasonal of course, I can't wait to make for our families this weekend.

I'm doubling the recipe and doing 1 white chocolate batch and 1 pink chocolate batch because we have a lot of stops on Easter Sunday! This no-bake dessert will be easy to transport and will be okay in the car (or I'll take inside with me if it's warm), so it's a perfect choice for me. Plus, I love not having to heat anything up when I arrive or worry about keeping it cold all day.

You'll Need:
White (or pastel colored) Melting Chocolate Disks- 1 lb.
Golden Oreos- 14, broken
Pretzel Rods- 1 1/2 cups, broken
Pastel M&Ms- 1 cup
Sprinkles- Optional

Cover a large cookie sheet with wax paper.



Spread broken cookies, pretzels and about 3/4 cup of the M&M's onto the waxed paper.

Microwave chocolate in 30 second increments, taking out and stirring in between each until smooth. (Can also put on stovetop on very low heat.) Be careful- white chocolate melts faster and burns easier than chocolate. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie mixture, spreading with spatula if needed to coat evenly.

Sprinkle remaining M&M's and colored sprinkles over the chocolate while it is still wet. 
Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm. Remove and gently break bark into small pieces.


Store in air tight container.

Serve in easter basket or bucket!