Sass and Sippy Cups

Trying to eat healthy is tough, especially when certain ingredients are kind of bland and difficult to cook with. Take quinoa for instance. I first tried quinoa a few years ago, and I tried it every single way in every recipe you could imagine, and I freaking hated it. Until I made it taco flavored. It is literally the only way I’ll eat it. That little packet of taco seasoning (or if you’re brave, try making your own!) makes eating healthier so much easier. And let’s be honest: Taco Tuesday is starting to get a little overdone, no? So I came up with this little recipe, which is yet another quick and easy weeknight meal. It is especially easy because I tend to prep my grains beforehand (I make it with yellow rice for the hubs, but quinoa for myself). Taco Bowls 1 lb beef, cut into cubes (a cheap cut works just fine for this recipe) 1 t minced onion 1 t minced garlic 2 T olive oil ½ packet of taco seasoning ½ cup bell pepper, diced or cut into strips ...

Freezer Breakfast Burritos Need a quick breakfast idea for when you’re running out the door? I would rather prep a batch of something for breakfast and freeze it rather than stopping at the drive-thru.   These breakfast burritos are the perfect solution.   The fact that you can literally use whatever ingredients you want AND prep it all in the microwave is just the cherry on top.   I use this recipe as a perfect fridge or freezer clean-out. Freezer Breakfast Burritos Package of burrito-size wraps (I love using spinach flavor or sundried tomato) 6 large eggs 1 cup Frozen vegetables of your choice (I had a bag of Ranchero vegetable mix, so I used that. It has peppers, carrots, broccoli, and beans in it) cooked sausage links (optional) ¼ cup milk Package of taco seasoning 1.        Cut pieces of parchment large enough to fit each open burrito wrap. 2.     ...

Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie                 While it hasn’t been as cold lately as in years past, it’s still winter, and winter means comfort food.   Now just because I use the phrase “comfort food” doesn’t mean we need to end up in a food coma.   By adding some extra veggies and making some ingredient swaps- ground beef for ground turkey, white potatoes for sweet- a traditionally heavy winter staple becomes a lighter but still familiar and comforting dish. I make ours in individual oven safe stoneware bowls so I can customize the veggies for each of us, but it can totally be made in a regular casserole dish. 1 lb ground turkey 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp. dried minced onions 1 clove garlic, minced 2 sweet potatoes, cubed ½ tsp all spice 1 tbsp butter ¼ cup milk or half and half ½ cup frozen vegetables of your choice  Salt and pepper for seasoning Gr...

Quick and Easy Thin Crust Pizza I'm going to tell you a secret... I'm not a fan of pizza. I know... it's so un-American of me.  Blasphemous, even.  Not once have I ever looked at ANYONE and said "hey, let's order pizza!" with any enthusiasm whatsoever.  When my husband orders it and my only other option is to starve, I end up ordering thin crust.  Now thin crust is tricky. Best case scenario, it gets to the house as the gods intended: in all its deliciously crispy and flaky glory.  Worst case? It comes as that nasty, soggy thing with the toppings falling off, at which point you have two choices: fold it to eat it or use a knife and fork. Gross. Well, I found a way to make it at home so that I can have pizza the ONLY way I like it.  This works especially well when my toddler is being a Stage 5 clinger and won't let me make myself anything for lunch, it's that quick and easy. It also makes a great afterschool snack when the kids get home.  ...

Sriracha Lime Tuna Steaks with Rice and Honey Butter Glazed Carrots This recipe requires a little more work than the last one, but it is still quick and easy enough to make on a weeknight. In the interest of full disclosure, this particular time happened to be exceptionally quick and easy because I used a packaged rice side mix. And frozen carrots (I very rarely buy fresh produce unless I plan on eating it raw, or it just goes bad). Yeah, I decided to take the easy way out this time, so sue me... We buy our fish frozen in bulk at the warehouse store because a lot of times they offer a coupon for it. But if it happens to be on sale at the fish market, get it there.  Tuna steaks are meant to be left a little rare in the middle. If that turns you off, by all means, skip this one.  Sriracha Lime Tuna Steaks (serves 2) 2 tuna steaks 2 tbsp. lime juice 2 tbsp. sriracha 1/4 tsp garlic powder pinch of salt pinch of pepper 1 tbsp. olive ...

Chicken Thighs, Potatoes, and Asparagus Sheet Pan Supper If you know me well, you know that I. ABSOLUTELY. FREAKING. HATE. WASHING. DISHES. We don’t have a dishwasher in our apartment, so it’s pretty much the bane of my housekeeping existence.   And if you’ve ever had tiny little humans running around, you know how tough it can be to keep them out of the kitchen and away from a hot stove.   Which is why I have become a master of the sheet pan supper. Depending on the ingredients I’m using, I even sometimes prep it in the morning and just take everything out of the fridge while the oven preheats that night (I just don’t do this with anything that will brown, though). I chose to use chicken thighs in this recipe because, well, they’re cheap (I can usually get them for a dollar a pound at the grocery store).   You can totally use chicken breasts if you want, just cook them at a lower temp (350 ° F-375 ° F, depending on your oven) and a little longer (30 ...

Protein Packed Breakfast When I was in high school and college, sleep was a million times more important to me than breakfast. But now as a mommy, I'm trying to be a good example to my little monkey.  I also have PCOS which makes me insulin resistant. That means I have to watch it on the carbs (which is, of course, a huge bummer at this time of year with all the holiday goodies!) And when you're eating a lower carb diet, protein is a huge deal. So having some at every meal is a necessity. Unfortunately, I'm not big on eggs which is obviously the more common source of healthy breakfast protein. On the bright side I have found a recipe for pancakes (yes, PANCAKES!) that fits my lifestyle and is super tasty. If you like banana bread, you'll love it. Protein Pancakes two large eggs one banana 1/3 cup of old fashioned oats any add-ins (I use dark chocolate chips and pecan pieces) 1. Throw all the ingredients in a blender until they're combin...