Let me just start out by saying, I really, and I mean really love mexican food. I also really love having money in my bank account, so that's why I started making homemade burrito bowls instead of driving to chipotle. The fam and I used to make this at least once a week, and I know we both still do. It's an easy weeknight meal packed with protein and all the good stuff, check out the recipe below!





Ingredients:
Makes 3-4 servings

Small bunch of lettuce, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 package chicken breasts
1 tbps coconut oil
cumin
garlic
salt
chili powder
Guacamole
Dollop of plain greek yogurt
Salsa

1. Pour your broth in a pot on the stove over high heat. Life-hack: cooking rice in broth gives it a ton more flavor. Once boiling, add the brown rice, cover, and reduce the heat to simmer. The rice should take around 40 minutes to cook.

2. While the rice is cooking, slice your vegetables and heat up a 1/2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Throw your veggies in and stir them around, you can slice your chicken into bite sized pieces while they cook. Place the vegetables in a bowl to the side.

3. Now add the remaining coconut oil to the pan, and saute your chicken pieces with the spices listed above. I usually just eyeball these, as some people like food more spicy and so on. Once the liquid is gone, your chicken is cooked and you can turn the heat off.

4. Drain your black beans, wash with water, and heat up in the microwave for about 30 seconds. At this point, the rice should be cooked, and you can remove that from the heat.

5. For the guacamole, just smash up half an avocado with a dash of salt, dash of garlic powder, and a squirt of lime juice.

6. Now that all the ingredients are cooked, you can assemble your burrito bowl! Start with lettuce, then add rice, beans, onions and peppers, chicken, sprinkle of cheese (optional), salsa, and greek yogurt or sour cream. Finish that bad boy off with as much guacamole as you'd like because life is short.

What I love about burrito bowls is that you can put as much or as little of each ingredient as you like, it's totally customizable to you're taste buds.

Hope you enjoyed the recipe, let me know if you try it out!

(Image via Natasa)

Yes, you heard me right. Bread. 

Mankind's favorite carb always gets a bad rap, especially around new years when everyone is venturing on their health journeys. 

Hey people, I'm here to tell you that you can in fact enjoy bread without feeling guilty or sluggish afterwards. 

Bread doesn't have to be slathered in butter, or dipped in egg and fried for it to be delicious. My favorite way to nom is by making open faced sandwiches, good for any time of the day. 

Here's how I do plant based toast three ways (left to right)

Start with a whole grain or sprouted bread like Ezekiel, and toast two pieces up to your desired level of golden brown (or burn it if you're into that). 

Bread made with whole grains have a lot more fiber and complex carbohydrates to keep you full and energized without spiking your blood sugar.

Sweet
Personally, nut butter is an essential to beginning my day. Spread almond or peanut butter on the toast, and top with sliced apples, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey or agave. Bananas can be used as well as strawberries, really whatever floats your boat!

Simple
For a simple lunch, spread some hummus on toast and top it with sliced cucumbers. I love roasted red pepper hummus, but theres a million and one flavors out there to suit your fancy. Make your own  if your feeling adventurous and a little less than simple.

Classic
If you've never tried avocado toasts, then I'm pretty sure your tastebuds are being severely neglected. For my favorite way to eat an open faced sandwich, mash up some avocado with a squirt of lime juice and a dash of salt. Spread that on your toast, and top with sliced tomato and a sprinkle of pepper. Voila!

I hope this gave you some ideas for a quick and yummy meal.

Now go eat some bread.

I try to cook myself healthy meals every night, but ya know, sometimes I'm just too tired and lazy. This is when the concept of stir fry comes in handy, or as I've coined it "bowls of stuff".  The best part is there are no rules when it comes to one of these concoctions. You can go with some sort of cultural twist, or just throw whatever you have in your fridge in a pan and pray it works out (my preferred method). 

The general formula I use when stir frying is to start with a green for the base, then choose a grain, a mixture of veggies, a protein source, then spices, herbs, and sauces. 

This specific bowl of goodness is my usual. I started with a base of kale 'cause I like the crunch, then I steamed up mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots. I had some brown rice cooking on the stove while I pan fried some tofu in coconut oil. Once the tofu was finished, I just tossed in my vegetables and rice with a little soy sauce and garlic, heated it all through, and scooped it on top of my kale. I usually like to mash up some avocado for a finishing garnish, but I was clearly too hungry this time around :)

Like I said, you can get pretty fancy with your combinations, but I like to keep a stir fry just how it was meant to be: quick, simple, and tasty.

Do you have a go to stir fry recipe?

So...is it just me, or do we all cook waaaaaay more food on Thanksgiving than we originally planned? I didn't even have my holiday with family this year, and my roommate and I still got sent home with tupperware full of leftovers (although I think they knew we were starving, broke college students).

Instead of just eating A thanksgiving meal everyday I, like most probably, like to switch it up and make cold turkey sandwiches. Here's a little infographic on the simplest (but most delicious) sandwich you can only make this time of year. 

It's all personal preference, this is my favorite way to make a leftover sandwich, but you can totally use replace stuffing with mashed potatoes...or just use both. It's good if you panini that sucker and dip it in warm gravy too mmmm. But just in case you get bored of the sandwich, heres a few recipes that put a twist on Thanksgiving leftovers. 

Nachos with cranberry sauce? Yes please. 

Williams Sonoma has a bunch of crazy sandwich masterpieces.

Mashed Potato Pancakes for breakfast or dinner

Something lighter  after the food coma

If your still in the mood to bake  

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday.

What's your favorite way to use thanksgiving leftovers? Let me know in the comments!

Whenever I reveal to someone that my favorite breakfast is oatmeal, it's usually followed by a confused face. They scrunch their nose and ask "...why? it's kind of gross." 

I promise you that the way I create oatmeal is nothing like the lumpy, tasteless goop they sell at cafeterias. This recipe for the perfect oatmeal has become something I'm a little famous for among friends who have tried it, and you'll be hard pressed to find a morning where I'm not eating some variation of it. 

My oats are warming and cozy in the early hours, a little sweet, and the perfect consistency. Try it for yourself, it might change your life.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats (I use quick oats because I have less time in the morning before class)
1 Banana
3/4 cup milk (Almond or soy works fine as well)
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional but recommended) 
Cinnamon 
Dash of salt
Sweetener of choice

Recipe:

1. Cut the banana in half, mash one half with a fork. I save the other half for a topping.
2. Mix together oats, milk, mashed banana, dash of salt, chia seeds, and cinnamon (this is optional but gives awesome flavor) in a bowl.
3. Mix in a sweetener. For many the bananas natural sweetness is enough, but I always like a little more. Maple syrup is my favorite to use, but anything is fine! This is all personal preference. 
4. Heat in the microwave for two minutes
5. At this point the oats should be cooked, sometimes I add another 1/4 cup of milk because the chia seeds soak up moisture. 
6. Add your toppings! This is my favorite part, and what puts the icing on the cake, or erm...the peanut butter on the oatmeal. 

Above is my most beloved mixture - oatmeal topped with banana coins, figs, and Justin's Maple Almond Butter, aka the best nut butter ever created. 

I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know if you try it out!

What's your favorite breakfast?