.shrimp pad thai.

I found this recipe in Cooking Light. I love pad thai and was super excited to be able to make this dish at home. While this recipe was delicious and healthy, it did not taste like the pad thai from my favorite restaurant. My expectations were a bit high I know, make this recipe, enjoy it (clearly it was good because we had no leftovers at all), but understand that it just might not taste 100% like your favorite restaurant quality. Enjoy!




Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked flat rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup (2-inch) green onion pieces
8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. While water comes to a boil, combine sugar and next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion pieces, shrimp, and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes or until shrimp is almost done. Add cooked noodles; toss to combine. Stir in sauce; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to combine. Arrange about 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon peanuts, and 2 teaspoons basil.

.the most important meal.

So the concept of eating breakfast is pretty new to me. I know and understand that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I have known this for some time now, but have I actually done it? That would be a big NO! In my new attempt for the healthier me I decided I want to eat breakfast everyday and workout 1-3 times a week. Now the working out part is coming a little slower but the breakfast part is going quite well. Don't get me wrong, it was a very difficult habit to form, but now I think Im pro status. This is my favorite meal, A simple breakfast sandwich. Enjoy!




Ingredients
1 egg
toast
baby greens, or baby spinach
sliced tomato
garlic
pepper
italian seasoning
hot sauce (if desired)

Preparation
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Toast bread in toaster oven. Cook egg according to desired preference ( I like over medium). When done assemble sandwich and enjoy!

.beef quesadillas.

Another fabulous recipe from Real Simple. I found this recipe at my friend Teresa' house and just had to make it! Try it for yourself and this one would be kid friendly!!!



Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons canola oil
12 ounces ground beef
pinch cayenne pepper
kosher salt and black pepper
4 8-inch flour tortillas
6 ounces Monterey Jack, grated (1 1⁄2 cups)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (side dish)

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef, cayenne, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Heat broiler. Brush one side of each tortilla with 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil. Place 2 tortillas, oiled-side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top with the beef mixture, Monterey Jack, and remaining tortillas (oiled-side up). Broil until crisp and the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Meanwhile toss corn, with salt and black pepper. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with the salad.

.raspberry crisp.

I have been told by several people that frequent my blog that I need to add more deserts...however, all that know me personally know that I am not a huge dessert person. Which is actually a understatement because I really do not like dessert at all. (don't hate me!) Anyways...as I was browsing through The Pioneer Woman I came across this recipe, and it looked AMAZING. I made this for dessert for my mom on mother's day and it was a big hit! I plan on making this again with blueberries, because raspberry seeds drive the hubby crazy. Try this simple recipe out for yourself. Enjoy!






Ingredients
2-½ cups Raspberries
1 Tablespoon (Heaping) Corn Starch
⅔ cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup All-purpose Flour
¼ cups Sugar
¼ cups Brown Sugar
⅓ cups Oats
¼ cups Pecans, Chopped (i didn't add)
Dash Of Salt
¾ sticks Butter, Cut Into Small Pieces
Whipped Cream Or Vanilla Ice Cream, For Serving

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine (rinsed) raspberries, corn starch, 2/3 cups sugar, and vanilla. Stir and set aside.
In a separate bowl (or food processor) combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar, oats, pecans, dash of salt, and butter pieces. Cut together with a pastry cutter (or pulse in food processor) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add berry mixture to a small baking dish or pie pan. Sprinkle topping mixture all over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.
Allow to sit for ten minutes before serving. Scoop out with a spoon and top with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

.creamy ravioli with squash, lemon, and chives.

First, I need to start off by saying I LOVE cooking with cream!!! Why does it have to be that everything that is SO bad for you tastes so darn delicious?! Anyway...This recipe was found in Real Simple magazine. I just discovered there recipes and am enjoying how simple they really are. This is especially helpful when trying to work with a budget while cooking. I also love summer squash and am so happy that it is back in season. Enjoy!



Ingredients (serves 4)
16 to 18 ounces cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
3 summer squash (zucchini and/or yellow squash; about 1 1⁄2 pounds), thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and lemon zest and cook until the vegetables are tender and the cream is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the squash mixture, pecorino, ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta and toss gently to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the chives and additional pecorino.

.poppy seed dressing.

This amazing recipe was posted on a friend's blog (organicday) She posts about how simple and rewarding it can be to live a healthy and organic life. I became inspired and started to shop at farmer's markets and make simple things that I would normally buy. This recipe is not only amazing but also SO much cheaper than buying poppy seed dressing at the supermarket. I also love it because I can just make the amount that I need and make it fresh with the salad so I don't worry about a large jar of salad dressing expiring before I can use it all. Try it out for yourself. Enjoy!



Ingredients
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
2 tsp. poppyseeds

Preparation

Mix together and pour over salad. The salad I made is spinach, parmesan cheese, avocado, walnuts (or any nuts) and dressing.