One of my absolute favorite meals in the summertime is a BLT sandwich. I mean is there anything better? Crazily enough, it wasn’t until Joe and I got married that I ate my first BLT. Can you believe it? We always say that Truett’s birthday (early August) is the best time for BLTs because everything is at it’s peak of garden freshness, but let’s be honest – we eat BLTs on the regular around here in the summer. This basic … Read More
Harvest Blend Freezer Burritos
Let me preface this recipe by saying that Joe doesn’t think this is a “legit” breakfast burrito because it doesn’t have egg included, but for someone like myself I’m more than happy to bypass the eggs and fill this burrito with things like meat and roasted veggies. Of course the options are endless when it comes to what you could put inside. Think of this as a starting point for your breakfast burrito experiments – but the sky’s the limit … Read More
Crispy Pita Pizzas
One of the things I think I’m best at in the kitchen is finding ways to satisfy my craving for something less healthy for a delicious, healthier alternative. Does that mean I don’t eat pizza on the regular? Absolutely not! I eat pizza on the regular. But for someone who could eat pizza daily, I find it’s sometimes helpful to have a swap like this in the back pocket. In fact, I think I may prefer this version most days! … Read More
Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs (e-book preview)
I’ve been embarrassed to admit that it’s taken me SO MUCH LONGER than I had hope to put together my Easy Weeknight Meals e-book. It’s not that the task at hand was all that challenging – I’ve developed hundreds upon hundreds of recipes over the year for the blog and in my former line of work as a recipe developer and food editor. But when I set out to put together this e-book last summer, it seemed that every time … Read More
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Truth be told, I’m a little worried with the way winter is going that if I don’t publish this slow cooker soup recipe now – in February – it may get too warm soon to post it and have it be seasonally appropriate. In all seriousness, we have had such a mild Iowa winter with temps coming up to the mid 50’s later this week, that I hardly know what to do with myself. Joe and I joke ever now … Read More
Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Bites
I’m always seeking healthy ways to satisfy my sweet tooth. Not that I don’t allow myself to indulge in real-deal peanut butter cups or desserts on the regular (I do!) but if something can taste good while also being good for me, then that is always my preference. As someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sugary foods, I’ve found that I have lost my taste for super sugary things. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it? Plus, peanut butter … Read More
Quick & Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Maybe it’s a little strange to be posting this the week of Thanksgiving, but hear me out…. After cooking a big meal (or contributing to a big Thanksgiving meal) what meal could be better than something warm and filling, yet super easy and a little lighter on your stomach than Chicken Noodle Soup? Bonus: If you have leftover Turkey, you could easily adapt this recipe to be a Turkey Noodle Soup and use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of chicken. … Read More
THRIVE MARKET FAVES
We have been using Thrive for a couple years now and it’s taken me a bit of time to find what about Thrive makes sense for our family and our budget. While I don’t buy a ton of the basic pantry items via Thrive (I feel like I can find the same quality locally) I do have a lengthy list of items I find easier + better to buy via Thrive. The small yearly membership fee pays for itself over … Read More
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
I’m a little ashamed to admit I *haven’t* had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the year. Yes, I love them (usually with oat milk, no whip and half the syrup, please) and no, I’m not ashamed to admit it. And while I haven’t been able to enjoy a PSL at home, I have been sipping on this amazing Pumpkin Pie Smoothie on the regular. Packed with pumpkin, protein, a bit of peanut butter (optional, but the extra fat really … Read More
Let’s Talk Body Image + Nutrition with The Gentle Nutritionist, Lisa Nolting
Hi, friends! Today I’m SO excited to share with you a conversation I had with a friend of mine, nutritionist Lisa Nolting. Lisa and I have known each other for a few years over social media and have connected over our shared love for clean products (Beautycounter) our shared love for my alma mater (ISU! Where she worked for almost a decade as a nutritionist) and our strong belief that diet culture is NOT the path to living a healthy, … Read More
Peppermint + Greens Smoothie
A while back I shared a Mint + Cacao Daily Harvest knock-off smoothie. But over the last couple of months I have been tinkering with my recipe to perfect the taste + consistency of my favorite Daily Harvest smoothie. Since nailing this knock-off recipe (truly! This is the best!) I could eat it for lunch every single day. It’s filling, refreshing for summer and packed with good-for-you ingredients. Bonus: The mint extract really helps disguise any of the “greens” flavor … Read More
The BEST Healthy and Easy Mug Cake
I’ve shared a version of this recipe before, but I recently updated my favorite mug cake with an added ingredient and it’s made the mug cake exponentially better. What’s the secret ingredient? Collagen! Adding a scoop of collagen to this recipe makes the mug cake so light, fluffy, and cake-like! My favorite collagen is from Primal Kitchen Foods that I buy through Thrive Market. (The link here will get you 25% off your first order and I think my membership … Read More