My {Serrano} Fix

Helpful breakfast tip:

First - Pour creamer in your mug.

Second - Add coffee.

Adding your favorite creamer first and then brewing fresh coffee over it helps the two mix better together, as opposed to adding the creamer afterwards.

Needless to say, I am a big fan of breakfast foods. Most of the time I am too excited about the whole experience, I end up eating everything before I even have a second to snap a photo. 

But lucky for you, I have captured one of my new breakfast creations so you too can enjoy my favorite meal of the day! It is packed with a full serving of veggies and healthy fats, perfect for a weekend brunch!

Arizona Veggie Scramble 

Serves 3

For Scramble:

6 whole eggs

1/4 cup non-fat milk

2 avocados, cubed

2 tomatoes, diced

2 serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1/3 white onion, diced

1 handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For Beans:

1 can pinto beans

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 handful shredded cheddar cheese

For mock sour cream:

3 large spoonfuls unsweetened Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Sea salt to taste

Gather all of your veggies and start chopping them up, leaving one half of an avocado. I typically use jalapenos when I cook, but serranos have a little less heat. Depending on how spicy you want your scramble, you don't have to remove the seeds in one pepper. If you don't like any heat whatsoever, I recommend you remove all the seeds, gutting the peppers with a knife. 

Open the can of beans and pour them in a colander. Rinse with water to remove excess liquid from inside the can. Shake the colander a few times until all the liquid has drained out, then pour into a bowl. Mix with taco seasoning and set aside. 

For the mock sour cream, combine Greek yogurt, garlic powder and salt. Mix together until smooth. This also makes a great dip for snacks like raw carrots or peppers!

Once you have chopped up all your veggies, combine them in a bowl and cut slits into the remaining avocado half. It will be used to top the scramble once it is done cooking.

Crack all six eggs in a bowl and whisk together with milk until both are well mixed.

Heat your burner to medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into a large skillet and let the eggs start to scramble, but do not add the vegetables yet.

Add cheese on top of the beans and heat in the microwave for two minutes.

Once the eggs are about halfway cooked (after a few minutes), gently add the veggies and fold into the eggs.

Serve up your breakfast with the sliced avocado and a dollop of mock sour cream. Enjoy a great start to the rest of your day!

My {Cashew} Fix

A cashew can be

much more than your daily snack,

dress up your salad!

Summer is finally here! And I'm sure everyone is on a bit of a health kick right now, with swimsuit season and all. We just got a new putting green put in our backyard and while contemplating recipes to make for the upcoming months ahead, I figured I'd stick with the green color palate and whip up a big, colorful salad! I often find myself staring at kitchen cabinets on weeknights, wondering what to make for dinner that can be both healthy and satisfying. This salad is a quick and fairly simple recipe that you can make with virtually any veggies you have in your kitchen. It is both vegetarian and vegan and you may be surprised to find you have all the dressing ingredients already!

Rainbow Kale Salad with Zesty Cashew Dressing

Serves 1

Dressing:

1/2 tin of cashews (unsalted)

1 cap full of apple cider vinegar

1 cap full of light Kikkoman soy sauce

4 cap fulls of olive oil

1 orange (juice and zest)

1/4 cup of water

1 pinch of salt

Salad: 

1 bunch of fresh kale

1 handful cherry tomatoes

1 avocado

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 handful carrots, shredded

Anything else you would like to add!

Gather your ingredients for the dressing and add them all to your blender. I have a Vitamix which grinds up the cashews nicely, but a regular blender or food processor should work as well. Depending on how thick you like your dressing you can add more cashews. Make sure to refrigerate the dressing before serving.

Plate your salad and veggies while you are waiting for the dressing to chill. I love adding the sweet kale mix at Costco, which is full of brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and chicory! 

It is that easy and makes a beautiful presentation. The dressing is both creamy and tangy, and the acidity of the vinegar pairs well with the citrus. Next time you're in a crunch for dinner, just reach for any veggies you have and toss up the dressing! The salad is a "hole in one!"