one pot enchilada bake

April 7, 2016

One Pot Enchilada BakeLooking for a perfect throw together weekday meal option? Want something healthy but also very filling and of course delicious? This is the dish for you.

Very similar to enchilada soup except this one is thrown in a large skillet and finished off in the oven. The flavors are bold, the textures compliment each other perfectly and most importantly, it keeps everyone in my family happy. Score!

One Pot Enchilada BakeIf you have yet to dive into quinoa please do so immediately. It’s full of protein, packed with all sorts of good for you nutrients and it’s absolutely delicious. You will find yourself using it in soups, salads, casseroles, even desserts.

If you are on a vegan diet simply omit the cheese. [And yes, I will still claim that this dish is healthy even with the cheese. It’s only a little guys!]

One Pot Enchilada Bake One Pot Enchilada BakeThis is certainly a dish you can play around with..feel free to sauté some onions or peppers with the garlic and jalapeño. You could also try switching up your enchilada sauce by using red instead of green (we are a green enchilada sauce family). Do not skip the garnishes though. There’s something about that creamy avocado, cilantro and zap of lime that makes this dish absolutely amazing.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
one pot enchilada bake
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 10oz cans enchilada sauce (or 1 can and one cups of water if you are watching salt intake)
  • 1 10oz can Ro-Tel
  • 1cup corn
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 corn tortillas, halved and cut into ¼" strips
  • ½cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 avocado halved, pitted, peeled and diced.
  • ¼cup chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges for serving
Instructions
  1. Place olive oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, jalapeño and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, just enough for the flavors to release.
  2. Add quinoa, enchilada sauce, Ro-Tel, corn and black beans. Stir. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is cooked.
  3. Turn the broiler in the oven on. Place the tortillas strips and cheese evenly on top of the enchilada bake. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Keep your eye on it! (Omit this stipe if you want to keep dish vegan.)
  4. Put avocado and cilantro on top of bake and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

One Pot Enchilada Bake
Posted in healthy eats, recipes, vegetarian, what's cooking | Tagged | 3 Comments

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauce

April 6, 2016

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry saucePavlova…basically a giant meringue cookie. Or in this case 2 giant meringue cookies stuffed with light, decadent mascarpone whipped cream and topped with sweet yet tangy balsamic strawberry sauce. Believe it or not this is in fact as good as it looks and sounds.

Young MC said it best…”I ate so much I nearly split my pants.”

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauce pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauceEvery bite is a little crisp, airy like a cloud and that oh so creamy mascarpone….to. die. for. Let’s not forget about that sauce, it sort of looks like chocolate but instead is tangy, rich strawberry balsamic sauce. Cuts through all the sweetness of the meringue and cream layers like a dream.

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauceYou may be thinking “this look like a real pain in the booty to make Brandy.” Luckily you’re wrong, well sort of wrong at least.

It’s incredibly simple to prepare and assemble. The only part that is the pain in the booty is the amount of time it takes to bake. 2 1/2 hours in the oven with at least another half hour for cooling. So no last minuting pavlova-ing, but believe it’s worth all that bake time.

Typically I would only make half this recipe which would end up being a single layer of pavlova. I was in “go big or go home” mood though so 2 layers it is. I absolutely love how it looks like layer cake. Pancakes, cookies, cake, pavlova….they just look even more glorious stacked.

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauce pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauceThis would be a perfect dessert to impress at a dinner party, book club, brunch, shower…anywhere that calls for something different and beautiful. If making for your family I would suggest halving the recipe and making just one layer. Jettie loved it but wasn’t over the moon with the sauce. She thought maybe we should make a s’mores pavlova next time. The girl may be on to something…

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauce
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • for the pavlova:
  • 8 egg whites from large eggs
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • 2tsp white vinegar
  • 4tsp sifted corn starch
  • 2½cups granulated sugar
  • for the cream:
  • 8oz mascarpone cheese, very cold
  • 16oz heavy whipping cream, very cold
  • ¼tsp almond extract (optional)
  • for the sauce:
  • 1cup balsamic vinegar
  • 4cups plus 1cup hulled and diced strawberries, divided
  • ¼cup brown sugar
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • ¼tsp lemon zest
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven 350ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the egg whites and salt in a mixing bowl for a stand up mix fit with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 2 minutes at high and then add vinegar and corn starch, while still whisking. Keeping the machine on, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream. Once sugar is all in continue whisking until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. About 7 to 8 minutes.
  2. Take half the meringue and place on a baking sheet. With the back of a large spoon, form into a 9" circle. Repeat with the remaining half on the other sheet. Place both in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 225ºF after you close the door. Bake for 90 minutes. Once the time is up, turn the oven off, leaving the pavlova in with the door closed for another hour. After that time is up remove pavlova and place on a baking sheet until completely cooled.
  3. To make the cream place the mascarpone and whipped cream in a mixing bowl for a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Slowly whisk at first, building up to full speed after a minute or two (this is to keep the cream from going all over). Whisk on high for a couple of minutes adding the almond extract, if using, towards the end. You should have soft peaks in your cream. Set aside until ready to use.
  4. For the sauce place the balsamic in a medium sauce pan and place over medium high heat until it boils. Turn down to a simmer and allow to simmer until it's reduced to about ¼cup. Add the 4 cups of berries, brown sugar, salt and zest, stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and smash the strawberries with the back of wooden spoon. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then add the remaining cup of diced berries to brighten it up. Allow to cool completely before using.
  5. To assemble the pavlova, place one pavlova on a cake stand and top with half of the cream. Top that with half of the strawberry sauce and then place the other pavlova on top of that. Repeat with the cream and sauce (allow the sauce to spill down the sides a bit). Slice like you would a cake and enjoy! Keep covered in the fridge, best if ate within 24 hours.

recipe adapted from Camille Styles

pavlova with mascarpone whipped cream & balsamic strawberry sauce
Posted in brunch, recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 1 Comment

diy strawberry sugar scrub

April 5, 2016

diy strawberry sugar scrubI absolutely love strawberries, but dislike pretty much every product I have ever smelled that claims it is “strawberry”. The smell is typically way too sweet and extremely artificial. That would be okay if I wanted to smell like Strawberry Shortcake..but I don’t.

So here is my version of smelling like a strawberry. It’s fresh, light and just little bit fruity. The coconut oil compliments it so well, while leaving the skin smooth of course.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4c coconut oil
  • 3 strawberries
  • 1/3c sugar

Place coconut oil in a food processor or blender and pulse a few times. Add the strawberries and blend until well combined and as smooth as you can get it. (You may need to scrape the sides a few times.) Add the sugar and pulse twice to combine. Store in a jar fitted with a lid in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Once in the shower wet skin with warm water. Take a 1 to 2 tbsp of scrub and rub gently into the skin. Continue all over the body (avoiding open areas). Rinse in warm water (be so very careful, coconut oil can get slippery in the tub) and dab skin dry gently with towel afterwards. Apply coconut body lotion for a nice finish.

diy strawberry sugar scrubThis recipe almost fits perfectly in a 4oz jar. (I used the excess for my hands. It’s a win-win.)

diy strawberry sugar scrubYou could amp this up by adding sweet almond oil or vitamin E. You could also use a coarse sugar or even sea salt to really get the scrub on (although the salt would not taste as good). If wanting to make as a gift, simply replace the fresh berries with a couple tablespoons of ground freeze dried berries. This will allow the mixture to last much longer.

Give this mix a try the next time you pick up a pack of berries! You will love smelling like a strawberry!

xoxo,

brandyjsig

 

***Always test a small patch of skin for allergies or reactions before doing any home treatments. Also avoid the eyes and other body openings. Use caution in tubs and on floors as coconut oil can be very slippery.***

 

Posted in beauty, diy, skin | Tagged | Leave a comment

chilly opening day

April 4, 2016

We are a baseball family…sort of. Sticky, he will stay up till 2AM to watch the Reds lose in a 16 inning game. Me, I love going to the ballpark. Thankfully our kids seem to have the baseball bug too.

There’s just something about that first game. It feels so good to know that last minute dates with the ballpark are available again. Obviously we did not make it to Cincy today (we are Reds fans, in case that wasn’t clear) but I did zap some red into my casual Monday outfit. Complete with a little man and some Mickey Mouse. It doesn’t quite scream “Redlegs fans” but there were baseball hats involved so we looked the part.

Casual Baseball Cap Look Casual Baseball Cap LookThere was some intense jumping happening in order to get that kid to smile and not scream about rather being on the ground, aka “on the loose”. At one point my foot slipped and I landed in a way that made my hip hurt. Just saying the words “oh, I did something to my hip” instantly made me feel ancient. Kids really do age a person…in the best way possible.

Casual Baseball Cap LookObviously it was cold today, well chilly, but it felt cold because we have had such a mild winter. Jettie wanted no part of an outdoor photo shoot. Bing on the other hand grabbed his hat and vest while wearing just a diaper before the words “You want to go bye-bye?” could get completely out of my mouth.

Sticky used to always wear a baseball cap, and it was almost always backwards. I don’t know what it is about my boys in their backwards caps…all I know is it’s an instant swoon factor for me.

Casual Baseball Cap Look Casual Baseball Cap Look Casual Baseball Cap LookLook at those intense eyes and that wind up. Future Big Leaguer? Who knows. Future heartbreaker? Without a doubt.

Casual Baseball Cap Look|WEARING|brandy j hat similar/Ochenta plaid shirt/H&M jeans/vest similar/Mickey sweatshirt similar/New Balance shoes bing hat similar/H&M hoodie/Old Navy denim shirt/H&M Mickey vest/H&M jeans/Converse shoes

Go Reds!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

Posted in family style, kids style, outfits, personal, style | Tagged | 1 Comment

shaved asparagus salad

March 31, 2016

Shaved Asparagus SaladThis time of year the asparagus is fresh and typically on sale. 2 things that are always good in my book. Like most people, I love roasting or grilling my asparagus but ever since shaved asparagus pizza became a staple in our home I thought…why not raw?

Of course the asparagus does not stay raw in the pizza recipe, but it is shaved and tossed with olive oil and seasoning before being cooked. Which means it’s sitting there, tempting a hungry cook. I have eaten enough raw asparagus ribbons to know that there’s a salad to be had. And boy is it a good one.

Shaved Asparagus SaladThis is incredibly easy to throw together guys. Simply shave a bunch of asparagus, toss with some seasoning and BAM, you are done. Just be sure to eat shortly after tossing. The salt will draw the water out of the asparagus, and acidity will make it lose it’s crunch.

Shaved Asparagus Salad If you want to keep this vegan, sub in toasted pine nuts for the cheese. Do not go to wild with adding other flavors though. This is one of those meant to stay simple recipes. Few ingredients, bold flavors, perfectly delicious.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

shaved asparagus salad
 
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Recipe type: salad
Cuisine: vegetarian
Serves: 2 large salads
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch asparagus, about 2lbs
  • ¼tsp red pepper flake
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • ¼cup large grated parmasen cheese
Instructions
  1. Shave the asparagus by holding the end and shaving with a vegetable peeler away from your body, up to the tip of each stem. The part that you are holding will be what you normally cut off of the asparagus. Discard the end and repeat with remaining stems. Toss all ribbons in a large bowl.
  2. Throw red pepper flake, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cheese in bowl with ribbons. Toss. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Shaved Asparagus Salad
Posted in healthy eats, recipes, vegetarian | Tagged | 3 Comments