I love enchiladas but I don’t always love prepping the tortillas. I have a pretty good technique of softening the tortillas on the stove top in hot water before stuffing them but that still takes a chunk of time that I don’t always have. That’s when the enchilada pasta bake was born!
I wanted enchiladas last week and throwing pasta on the stove was doable so I combined the two. I’ve never been so happy with a past bake! Joel’s mind was blown and I’m already planning on making it again tomorrow.
1/2-3/4 cup red enchilada sauce (you can make your own but I usually just buy one that’s not super sodium filled from my local grocery store)
1 cup steamed veggies of choice (I used steamed carrots and one fresh diced jalapeño)
1 cup cooked ground meat of choice (I actually used two vegan breakfast sausage patties! Cooked them on the stove top then diced into cubes. You may omit the meat or add black beans!)
1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used white cheddar)
Fresh cilantro for topping after baking
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8×8 baking dish with non stick cooking spray, set aside.
Mix all of the ingredients, except for the cheese and cilantro, together in a large bowl or the pot you just cooked the pasta in. Pour the pasta mix into the prepped baking dish and evening top with shredded cheese. You can add as much cheese as you’d like!
Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pasta bake is heated all the way through.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro. I served mine over romain lettuce to get some extra veggies in me but you can eat this straight from a bowl. It’s even better the next day as leftovers!
Thoughts on an enchilada bake? I was kinda weirded out when I thought about it but I was completely sold after the first bite!
A little blackberry prosciutto pita pizza for your Wednesday evening eye candy. When I think of “good mood food” I think of this sweet and salty pita pizza I made a few weeks ago. This pizza also reminds me a lot of mine and Joel’s tastebuds: blackberries and ricotta cheese for me and fresh basil, red chili flakes, and prosciutto for Joel.
Ingredients:
* One 12 inch pizza crust of choice (VG, GF, Homemade) or two round pitas.
* 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 4 prosciutto slices
* 1/2 cup fresh organic blackberries, smashed
* 1 cup parmesan, shredded
* 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
* 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
* 1/2 cup organic blackberries, whole
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
* 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 450° F.
Place pizza crust, or both pitas, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pizza crust or both pitas (1/2 tbsp each).
Use a fork to mash a half cup of blackberries in a bowl. Use the fork to ladle the pulp onto the pizza. Spread it around like you would pizza sauce and make sure you have mostly pulp and not a lot of the blackberry juice.
Top the smashed berries with 1 cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella.
Use a spoon to dollop the ricotta over the pizza.
Top with fresh blackberries and sea salt.
Bake for approximately 8-10 mins, or till the crust has began to brown and cheese melted. Broil for a minute to get the pizza a little crispy.
Remove from the oven, top with prosciutto, and sprinkle the chopped basil on top. Slice and enjoy!
You can sub any berry for blackberries and I bet it’d be amazing! I’m going to try this with raspberries next. What’s your favorite berry?
Took my @mikesmightygood spicy beef ramen for a stroll the other day because convenience is everything being a mama. Poppy needed some fresh air and I needed lunch so this grab-n-go ramen was perfect. @mikesmightgood ramen is the ultimate comfort food, insanely delicious ramen that you can feel good about eating. 🥰 It’s super flavorful but not too salty like other packaged ramen I’ve tried in the past. The best part was sipping the spicy beef broth at the end, serious game changer! Maybe next time I shouldn’t wear white though.. there were a lot close calls during this outing. Thanks Joel for carrying Poppy so I could enjoy these savory noods! 🤤
I’m a chunky salsa kind of gal. That’s why when LA VICTORIA, a delicious line of authentic, flavorful Mexican sauces and salsas, reached out to collaborate with their Thick’N Chunky Salsa Verde I basically gave a big “hand flick” and “party” emoji all at the same time. They’re inspired by a century-old family recipe that lies at the heart of American food culture todayand I love that their tomatoes are sourced from California’s fertile central valley.
My go-to family recipe when I have a jar of LA VICTORIA Thick’N Chunky Salsa Verde is crockpot salsa chicken – it’s bold and inviting, with plenty of jalapeno pepper. Your taste budswill be rewarded since it’s easy, delicious, and lasts the entire week. It’s the perfect meal prep for tacos, salads, burrito bowls, or tossing on a plate with veggies. You really can’t go wrong with how you enjoy it!
Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken:
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups LA VICTORIA Thick’N Chunky Salsa Verde (LA VICTORIA Mexican sauces and salsas are always made with real, simple ingredients. They’re available in the salsa aisle of most major grocers along the West Coast, including Safeway, Albertson’s and Ralph’s.)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
• Add chicken to the slow cooker. Top with salsa verde, sprinkle with cumin, and season with a few generous pinches of sea salt and pepper. Use a pair of tons or a spoon to turn the chicken so that both sides are coated. Cover.
• Cook for 6 hours on low heat.
• The chicken is ready when easily shreds with a fork. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker and toss with the juices.
• Then remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and serve warm. Or, store the shredded chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I used the chicken for a burrito bowl today with brown rice, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, fresh lime, and blue corn tortilla chips. How would you use LA VICTORIA Thick’NChunky Salsa Verde?
I’m going to toot my own horn here and say that this is the best savory dish I’ve ever made. I don’t even know what was the best part about it, maybe the homemade enchilada sauce?! But really, grab a notepad, jot this recipe down, and make this tonight. You can totally make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and adding more sweet potato or another protein substitute of choice.
Chicken, cauliflower rice, and sweet potato enchilada casserole:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups riced cauliflower (I buy the frozen packs from Trader Joe’s)
1 cup diced and steamed sweet potatoes (I diced leftover sweet potato fries I made a few days ago)
2.5 cups homemade enchilada sauce (details below)
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped (you may omit, or sub a different protein)
5 corn tortillas cut in half
1 1/2 cups almond mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups spinach
Enchilada sauce: (makes more than needed for this recipe. Store leftovers in the refrigerator)
4 tablespoons avocado oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour, or quick pancake mix
1/2 cup chili powder
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pink salt to taste
Prep enchilada sauce first:
In a small sauce pan heat avocado oil over medium heat.
Add onion, carrot, poblano, and garlic. Sauté until softened and fragrant.
Stir in flour, spices, and then add water slowly, stirring while adding it. Whisk until all ingredients are smooth.
Bring the mixture to a boil, mix in spinach, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes.
Puree with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a blender, and blend until the sauce thickens.
For enchiladas:
Heat oven to 350°F.
Cook cauliflower rice as directed on the stove top.
Stir in the diced sweet potato, enchilada sauce, chicken, and ½ cup almond mozzarella cheese.
In the bottom of a medium size baking dish, place two of the tortillas, top with 1/2 the filling, cover with two tortillas, and cover with the remainder of the chicken mixture.
Add the last tortilla on top, then sprinkle with 1 cup of almond mozzarella cheese.
Eggs, I sure do love ’em. But not just your average egg, Chino Valley Ranchers organic free range eggs. If you’ve been following me for at least a year now you’ve seen me post about Chino Valley Ranchers multiple times and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. For more than 30 years Chino Valley Ranchers has been devoted to providing consumers with the best of the best organic free range eggs and keeping their hens happy. It’s simple. They get to do what chickens are supposed to do and they are treated with care. Click here to find out more about Chino Valley Ranchers and here for the perfect potato crusted quiche using their liquid egg whites.
Sourdough toast details:
Coconut cardamon and chia seed cashew butter, banana slices, cinnamon, and hemp hearts.
Mashed avocado, pink himalayan salt, and fried Chino Valley Ranchers organic free range egg with EBTB seasoning
Farmers market, grocery store, online grocery shopping, I love it all! There’s something so therapeutic about grocery shopping. Making my list, checking it twice, and creating yummy recipes with the food I purchase is one of my favorite past times.
Moving to San Diego brought us closer to a grocery store I haven’t explored in a long time. Sprouts is walking distance from us and that made me super excited to discover new items that other grocery stores might not have. Like my all time favorite vegan vanilla protein powder and a giant jar of peanut butter (#priorities). Fun fact: In college my best friend Erika and I would go to Sprouts after class to order a PB&J before the gym. Who does that?!
Scroll my Sprouts grocery haul and get shopping!
Fresh Fruits and Veggies- We love ALL of their fresh produce. We’ve never had a problem with their produce rotting too quick and Sprouts has killer sales! Here’s a few of our favorites:
What a time to be alive when grocery shopping can be done from the couch. If that’s not living, I’m not sure what is!
Grocery shopping on Milk and Eggs has been a life savor many times and it’s only going to get more convenient once Baby Plotnik is here. Between the fresh produce and the amazing brands they carry, hi Ripple Foods, there’s no turning back for me. I couldn’t imagine going to the grocery store again each week for our favorite foods instead of sitting on the couch, sipping a smoothie, and clicking away.
Below I’ve listed the items that Joel and I love from Milk and Eggs. We don’t get all of this each week of course but we rotate through this list. Milk and Eggs is constantly adding new items as well so I’ll be sure to keep this list updated!
Vegetables:
Josies’ organic baby spring mix salad
Josies’ organic baby spinach salad
Green onion
Garnet yams/ sweet potatoes
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes organic
Celery
Baby carrots rainbow organic
Broccoli bundle
Herb basil
Herb chives
Red onion
Kabocha squash
Ginger
Cilantro
Shanghai baby boy chow
Yukon gold potato
Crimini mushrooms
Jalapeño peppers
Mini sweet peppers
Artichoke
Fruit:
Pineapple
Mini seedless watermelon organic
Jazz apple
Bananas
Strawberries
Blackberries
Bartlett pear
Tangerine minneola
Limes
Lemons, large bag 2lbs
Mango
Cantaloupe
Dairy/Nondairy:
Chino valley ranchers eggs
Chino valley ranchers egg whites
Ripple unsweetened vanilla
Ripple half & half vanilla
Ripple chocolate
Kite Hill ricotta
Miyoko’s Creamery nut cheese mozzarella
Miyoko’s Creamery nut cheese smoked farmhouse
Miyoko’s Creamery nut cheese double cream chive
Bread/Bakery:
Cabo brand fresh corn tortillas
Alvarado California style complete protein bread
Bread lounge croissant
Rudi’s whole grain english muffins
Cabo brand fresh jalapeño tortillas
Bread LA marble rye loaf
Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread
Condiments/Snacks:
Magee’s kreamy peanut butter and krunchy
Pacific pickle works mother’s puckers
Farmhouse culture garlic dill pickle sauerkraut
Cabo chips blue corn tortilla chips
Hope Foods guacamole green Chile, hot
Stonewall Kitchen Chile con queso
Brothers baked garlic pita chips
4th & Heart ghee butter
Drinks:
Califia farms concentrated cold brew coffee 32oz
GT’s kombucha lavender love
GT’s kombucha cosmic cranberry
GT’s kombucha strawberry serenity
Pressed juicery greens 1
Pressed juicery charcoal lemonade
Meat:
Salmon Atlantic fillet 8oz
Grass fed ground beef
Applegate uncured turkey bacon
Applegate natural chicken & maple breakfast sausage
Applegate sliced prosciutto
Northern cafe dumplings – vegetarian or chicken
Grass fed beef sliders – 6 pack
Use “robineats” at checkout to receive 20% off your Milk and Eggs order and enjoy the beauty that is waking up to a porch full of groceries. Happy shopping!
Portland may be one of the only places where we weren’t ready to come home after three full days. From the scenery, the food, the people, and everything in between, I can confidently say for the both of us that we instantly fell in love with Portland.
If I can choose walking over any other transportation I will. Being 30 weeks pregnant on our trip that didn’t stop us from walking over 20,000 steps the first day and not too much lower the next two days. Portland has a lot to see and I didn’t want to miss out by being in a car!
Here’s a lowdown of how we spent our three days BabyMooning in Portland:
Day 1:
From the airport we went straight to our hotel to change before heading out for breakfast. We stayed at the Ace Hotel Portland and we could not have been more happy. The vibe was so cool and I highly recommend staying there. Or at least in that area because we were walking distance to so many sights and food. For breakfast we went to Pine State Biscuits where all my biscuit dreams came true. I went for the class biscuit, sausage, and egg combo while Joel went all out with a biscuits and mushroom gravy. Was the perfect start to our Portland eating adventure!
We then walked north to Good Coffee to hangout before walking east on Hawthorn Blvd to House of Vintage, Crossroads, Jackpot Records, and other fun shops. We then stumbled upon Laurelhurst Park and sat there for about an hour eating some snacks we picked up from a local grocery store. From there we too an uber to Eb & Bean Frozen Yogurt. I ordered the Salty Pistachio & Mexican Chocolate (both dairy free) topped with crumbled vegan waffle cone. Holy no-cow that was good!
We ventured back to the hotel for a quick rest before walking to Powells Books. Really surprised we didn’t get lost in the store because it’s HUGE. We found our way to the children’s section and bought Baby Plotnik a Dr. Seuss book as a souvenir. We were there to celebrate her after all! After wandering Powells we worked up an appetite and walked to Dicks Kitchen. Dicks Kitchen is a paleo dream come true. We aren’t Paleo but we can definitely appreciate a delicious grass-fed burger. I ordered the Thai Burger Bowl, Joel got the Zizou Burger (with a margarita on the side), and we split an order of sweet potato fries. I’d walk 30 minutes for this burger bowl multiple times! We popped into Whole Foods after dinner for a night-cap, aka a Gingerade Kombucha to split at the hotel.
Day 2:
We woke up ready to take on another day of eating. We have Blue Star Donuts in LA but since it came so highly recommended we had to make a stop! We split the Raspberry Old Fashion donut and regretted not getting our own five minutes later. Blue Star Donuts went way beyond our expectations. We live dangerously close to the one in LA and I know we’ll become frequent customers. After our donut we went to Heart Roasters to grab some much needed caffeine. I went full caff on this one and got their homemade macadamia almond milk latte. Usually I don’t notice a difference in homemade milks and store-bought but this one you could totally tell! The latte was creamy and absolutely perfect.
From there we walked to Waterfront Park enjoying the water and finally found Mills End Park, aka the worlds smallest park. You really can blink and miss this in the middle of the street. As silly as it seems, I’m so glad we stopped for a photo because it makes me giggle every time I see it! It’s worth the stop if you have a spare second. We walked back inland to Pioneer Square where there were multiple food trucks lined up. I saw a bright yellow truck named “Fried Egg I’m in Love” and knew we had to eat there. I ordered the “Smells Like Protein Spirit” with veggie sausage and Joel got the Sriracha Mix-A-Lot. They have a special hot sauce that set Joel’s mouth on fire! That’s saying a lot coming from a man who loves everything spicy. They have a few trucks around Portland so stay on the lookout!
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We made a pitstop at a random Stumptown Coffee for a decaf coffee before relaxing at Ira Keller Fountain Park and a photo opportunity at the White Stag Sign. The White Stag Sign was difficult for us to locate because we were under the bridge! The security guards we saw were super helpful and directed us to the top of the bridge. Was a bit difficult to get a photo because there was so much traffic but we got it!
Since my husband is a video game lover (secretly me too but don’t tell anyone 😉) we headed to Ground Kontrol, a classic Arcade that serves alcohol and food. Plus it’s attached to a music venue and you might like to see someone who’s playing! After gaming our hearts out we walked to another one of Joel’s favorite things, cookie dough. Portland has a Cookie Dough Cafe and all their cookie dough is egg free making it safe for all to consumer, especially this mama-to-be! I got the Vegan Brownie while Joel got the classic Chocolate Chip. We tried about 20 samples each so one scoop each was all we needed!
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After some downtown at the hotel we felt ready for dinner. One thing I’ve craved my entire pregnancy is pizza. I could have pizza everyday, for every meal, and be completely satisfied. We could see Sizzle Pie from our hotel room and we could not wait to check it out. Sizzle Pie filled my high school soul with heavy metal music and food puns for pizza names. I ordered the “Cops and Robbers” vegan slice and the “Rabbit” salad with vegan ranch while Joel ordered the “Mad Men” meat slice, the “Bandit” veggie slice, and the “Caligula” salad with vegan caesar dressing. The crust was thin, just how I like it, and the salad was fresh. Highly recommend Sizzle Pie if you’re a pizza lover! After pizza we went to Clyde Common (adjacent to the Ace Hotel) and enjoyed the rest of the evening with my sweet husband. He got a fancy whiskey drink while I filled up on sparkling water. Kind of wished we were still hungry because their food looked incredible!
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Day 3:
Our last day was bittersweet. We had another full day planned but not before taking photos in the photo booth at the Ace Hotel. I’m a sucker for photo booths and this is such a nice memory to have! We grabbed some coffee and a piece of banana bread with cream cheese from the Stumptown connected to our hotel before we were off to breakfast!
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We took an Uber over to the Tin Shed to enjoy a hearty breakfast. I ordered a few sides: a toasted english muffin, two over hard eggs, and chicken sausage and Joel ordered “The Stay”- potato cakes with sweet potato hash, collard greens, scrambled eggs, and a rosemary mushroom gravy. The Tin Shed is very dog friendly, they even have options for dogs on the menu! We had plenty of time to spare after breakfast so we walked about 45 minutes to Coco Donuts to enjoy a Carrot Cake Donut with a donut crumb topping and Joel ordered a Raspberry tea to sip on.
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After charging our phones we walked around Mississippi Ave. up to Mississippi Records then all the way to Swift and Union for Joel to enjoy a cocktail. Their food looked amazing but we had our hearts set on Cultured Caveman for an early dinner. The atmosphere was casual but the food was 5 star. Cultured Caveman is Portland’s first paleo-friendly restaurant and I’d go paleo if I could eat here everyday. I ordered the lamb Shepard’s Pie with a cabbage jicama coleslaw and Joel ordered the pork carnitas on coconut flour tortillas with a side of bone broth soup. We ended up splitting both meals because we were each bragging about how amazing our meals were. Really wished we had time to go back again because the coconut chicken tenders were calling my name. We made one last stop for a breath of nature at a park nearby before heading to the airport. Portland really surprised me with how many flowers were throughout the city! My heart had never been so happy being surrounded by nature and city life.
Woke up on cloud nine this morning because Joel said this was the best lasagna he’s ever had. Not sure what could make me more happy! 😇✨🙇🏻♂️
I’m a huge fan of leftovers. Especially when it’s Eggplant Lasagna layered with eggplant, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, marinara sauce, fresh basil, and lean beef. Most likely going to have this for second breakfast. 🤤🙏🏻🥫
I’m headed downtown for a maternity belt shoot before leg day this afternoon. Feeling so thankful for everyone’s sweet words over the last three weeks with my back pain. All the happy feels, cheers! 🤰🏻
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (can leave out for a vegetarian version or add a meat substitute)
1 1/2 cup marinara sauce (I used the fat free version from Trader Joe’s)
Handful fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into about 6-8 large slices
1/2 cup part skim ricotta (dairy or nondairy)
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese (can sub for more dairy or nondairy ricotta cheese)
1 egg
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (I used a dairy free version)
1/2 cup almond mozzarella cheese shreds (I get mine from Trader Joe’s)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook lean ground beef on a skillet. Break up the beef and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink.
Next add marinara sauce, basil, and dried oregano. Stir until well combined then turn heat to a simmer.
Place sliced eggplant on large baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes to help dry out the eggplant. After eggplant is done cooking, remove it’s skin.
In a medium size bowl, mix together the ricotta, cottage cheese (or more ricotta), parmesan, and egg until well combined. Once eggplant is done cooking, remove the beef meat sauce from the heat and add 1/2 cup of meat sauce to the ricotta mixture.
To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the beef meat sauce into the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Place half of eggplant slices evenly over meat sauce, spread on 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle some almond mozzarella on top. Repeat layers again until all ingredients are used. Cover with foil and bake for 40 min. Remove foil and broil for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly on top. Makes about six servings depending on how hungry you are. 🤤
