Friday Favorites

1. The Wedding!

It's finally all done, and it was beautiful! My friend looked stunning in her dress. 

2. Tomato & Basil Hummus

Stop it. I've slathered this heavenly stuff on anything I could get my hands on. 

3. Mr. Cheese O's

I found these in the natural section of Kroger, and they were amazing! Crunchy little cheesy quinoa rings with 10g of protein!

Graze Box Review & Coupon Code!

Graze Box!

So, I finally took the plunge and ordered snack boxes. With a free 1st box, how could I say no? I've been receiving the nibblebox for a few weeks now! The cool thing about this box, is you can choose when it's delivered. You can also choose to delay a box if you choose! At only $6.95 a box, what's to lose?

In this past box, I received Whole Grain Banana Caramel Dippers, Jalapeño Fiesta, Tropical Daiquiri, and Herby Bread Basket. As you can see, I couldn't even handle those banana caramel dippers. They were amazing. Banana shortbread? That's a thing!? Yes, and it's amazing. I'm not a huge fan of dried fruit, so that went the tropical daiquiri went to boyfriend. The jalapeño fiesta was great! Peanuts, almonds, pepitas, and sunflower seeds in a mild smokey jalapeño flavor. Lastly, the herb bread basket was pretty good. Mini basil breadsticks, garlic crostini, and oregano rice crackers.

Are you interested? If so, I've got a coupon code that let's you get your 1st and 5th box free!

TORIO2VNB

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Quinoa Taco Bowls

As discussed (several times), I'm a Mexican food junkie. So naturally, I'm a Chipotle fan. However, they're typically super busy, and it isn't as healthy as I wish it would be. They definitely have guac going for them, though. But, why pay $8/bowl when you can make it at home for much less and make it healthier? Plus, you can add in some toppings that maybe they don't have. Black olives. I mean, come on. Black olives are a necessity.

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Quinoa

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Fajita Seasoning

1 tsp. Paprika

(The fajita seasoning and paprika I got at Penzey's. You can totally omit the fajita seasoning and add in more of the others, or omit completely.)

Toppings:

Romaine lettuce

Mexican-style cheese

Plain Greek yogurt

Black olives

Any other toppings of choice

Here's the quinoa I used. It's amazing, and it added the best flavor to the bowl.

How To:

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions. If you can't find that kind, you can always use normal quinoa! In a small pan, dump the corn and diced tomatoes and green chiles in, and stir to combine well. This makes a super simple corn salsa. I don't add anything to this, I just let it heat up. In another pan, combine black beans and spices. I didn't drain my black beans. Let these sit and heat all the way through, about 10-15 minutes. Now, in your serving bowls, put about 1/2 cup of quinoa in the bottom of the bowl. Top this with the bean mixture, then the corn salsa. Then top it with lettuce, yogurt, black olives, cheese, and whatever else you desire! If you're a meat eater, it would be so easy to add in some seasoned chicken or beef.
Easy peasy and healthy!! (:

What're you going to top your burrito bowl with!? 

Make It Monday

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Smoothie

October is coming to a close already! What? But that in no way means I'm done with pumpkin. I don't think any white girl is done with pumpkin yet. I've got until the end of November to eat and drink as much pumpkin as I can. Then it's on to Christmas cookies for days. However, as we've discussed before, pumpkin-flavored love isn't alway good for you. So this yummy coffee pumpkin smoothie is perfect for those days when you can't wake up, and you need something quick and filling. Or for that afternoon pick-me-up!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/4 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. greek yogurt

1 c. almond milk

1 packet Starbucks Caramel Iced Via

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Pinch of allspice

How to:

Pop all the above ingredients into a blender and blend away. This produces a creamy smoothie. I, personally, poured this into a cup and threw it in the freezer for the next day. By the time it had thawed out enough to drink it, it was the perfect afternoon snack!

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Vegetarian Tikka Masala

I may have mentioned before that we love Indian food. I love that they have soooo many vegetarian options, no matter where you go. It's common to eat vegetarian there. Plus, anything that isn't typically vegetarian is super easy to make it veggie. Just toss in some cauliflower, potatoes, and chickpeas in place of chicken. Boyfriend loves Chicken Tikka Masala, so I made this veggie recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can chickpeas
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 (28oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
Basmati rice, cooked

How To:

In a large pot, heat up the olive oil. Toss in the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté these until the onions are translucent. At this point, add in the crushed tomatoes, spices, and sugar. Bring this to a low boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Now add in the cauliflower and chickpeas. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, and stir this up to combine well. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, and allow this to simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
Serve this up over warm basmati rice with a nice piece of garlic naan on the side!

What's your favorite ethnic food!? Tell me about it in the comments below. (:

Make It Monday

Super Easy Pumpkin Muffins

We all know once fall hits, it's pumpkin madness. But literally, pumpkin is so delicious, and it has so many health benefits. Unless you're getting a pumpkin spice late. Then, not so much. It's no different in my home! As soon as the autumn equinox comes around, it's all over from there. I basically lose my mind! So, my little fall recipe today is pumpkin muffins. They just so happen to not be absolutely awful for you either. (: That is definitely a plus in the pumpkin madness!

Ingredients:

Muffins

1 box spiced cake mix

1 can pumpkin

1 medium banana, mashed

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. ginger

(I used 1/8 tsp. fresh ginger)

Glaze

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. almond milk

Sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice

How To:

Preheat the oven according to the cake mix box. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin and banana. Add in the cake mix slowly. Once that is combined well, stir in the spices. Line a muffin tin with liners and fill them 3/4 full with the pumpkin mixture. Bake these marvelous muffins according to the instructions on your cake mix. Mine ended up baking a bit longer. Make sure to check them with a toothpick! Once nothing comes out when you poke it in the center, you're good to go. If you so feel like it, in a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle it on top of the muffins!

Now enjoy!

In case you wanna know some nutritional facts, I plugged this recipe (minus the glaze) into myfitnesspal. 158 calories, 2.6 g. fat, 31.4 g. carbs, and 1.5 g. protein per muffin.

What's your favorite fall treat!?

Friday Favorites

1. Deals!

I got this dress and necklace for a steal! $15 for the both! Perfect for my friend's rehearsal dinner! (:

2. Ideas

I've been rolling around the idea of getting this tattooed with a coffee stain ring under it. It's the structural symbol for caffeine! Does this mean I have a problem?

This was found on Google. I don't own it, nor can I draw to save my life.

3. Date Days

I know this is recurrent, but I just love days when we go to a favorite coffee shop and walk around together. Especially when that somewhere is The Book Loft in German Village.