Lemon Poppyseed Waffles

When you are a mom of a toddler, anything they are willing to consume without a fight feels like a victory. Most mornings when I ask my 2 year old what he wants to eat, he will answer "broccoli!" but some mornings we are out of broccoli. So I will usually get him to agree to a bagel or french toast. Well recently he has decided to be a little bit more high maintenance and ask for waffles. Now mind you its my own fault that I don't just pull some eggo waffles from the freezer, but these bad boys are soooooo much better. This recipe makes about 4 large waffles, you can easily double it and throw the extras in the freezer. Then in the following mornings you can just whip them out of the freezer, pop them in the toaster, and you have a gourmet breakfast with very little work. Love that. 

I love a fluffy, crisp waffle that you can load up with delicious toppings. These waffles are special due to several unusual ingredients and I think you will find them to be a nice little wander away from your every day waffles. 

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup coconut oil (you can sub with vegetable oil) 

1 lemon

2 eggs

2 Tbs cane sugar

1 1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lavender salt (you can sub with regular salt) 

2 tsp poppy seeds 

Melt your coconut oil in microwave until it is in liquid form. Add that to a large bowl. Zest and juice your lemon into that bowl as well. Add your eggs, sugar, and milk, then wisk until combined. Add your flour, baking powder & soda, salt, and then add a few tsp of poppy seeds until you reach an amount that looks good to you. Simply pour your batter into a preheated waffle iron, and cook until crisp and golden. This will make about 4 full sized waffles. 

You can top with toasted coconut or your favorite syrup. The combination of the zesty lemon with the floral notes of the lavender salt, make this a breakfast you will not quickly forget. And your toddler will not forget either! 

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

There are so many wonderful things I have to say about this salad, that I barely know where to start. This is the very first recipe I tried ripping off from a restaurant. My husband loved a particular island grill fast casual place and would make me go there constantly. I didn't really love anything on their menu particularly until I found this delicious BBQ Chicken Salad. I craved it constantly and spent a hefty portion of my meal budget on it weekly. I decided I could make it for much less at home, so this recipe was born. It took a little tweaking, but it is amazing. This is the type of salad where I want to lick the bowl when I'm done. Its hearty, tangy, full of goodness. Even my 2 year old gobbles it up, and you will too.

Salad Ingredients:

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed dried and chopped

1 avacado, sliced into cubes

1 chicken breast, grilled and cubed, cooled 

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tortilla chips, crumbled

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Dressing:

1/2 packet of hidden valley ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons bbq sauce

2 tablespoons water 

Assemble your salad ingredients (lettuce, cheese, avocado, chicken, corn, beans, chips) in a large bowl. One quick tip is to use your salad spinner that you just cleaned the lettuce with, to also drain and rinse your beans and corn. Its a great way to wash all your ingredients while removing the excess moisture that can make a salad soggy. For your dressing, combine all your dressing ingredients in a mason jar or something similar with a lid. Stir it all together or shake it up until combined. Refrigerate dressing for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, add your dressing to your salad and mix until incorporated. This will serve approximately 4 people. 

I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is a salad that I crave. It has enough protein to keep you full and satisfied, the chips add a nice carb to keep us carb addicts happy too, and the dressing, well lets just say its a little bit of heaven. You will not regret making this for dinner. Enjoy!

Southwestern Hay Stack

My husband decided to call this dish a Southwestern Hay Stack. He said even though the name doesn't sound very gourmet, its a pretty descriptive way for you to picture what this meal is about. I had to remind him; "Hey we aint no gourmet family, aight?"  Its basically like a Hawaiian hay stack, but with more of a Mexican flair. 

This meal is something that is deeply satisfying and healthy at the same time. I love win win dishes like that. Its easy to whip up and a meal where you can do lots of the prep ahead of time. Again, a win win. Normally when I make this dish, I add shredded cheddar cheese to it. I forgot to do that today and guess what? It was just as good. So I'm leaving the cheese out of the recipe because if it doesn't need it, why add the expense or calories? Right? 

Ingredients: 

2 cups uncooked white rice 
2 chicken breasts
1//2 cup salsa + extra for garnish
2 tsp fajita seasoning 
2 ripe avacados
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 can black beans
1 can corn
2 tsp dried cilantro 
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt & Pepper

Place your chicken breasts, 1/2 cup of salsa, and fajita seasoning in a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 3-4 hours or until your chicken breaks apart when cut. 

While your chicken is cooking, you can also cook your white rice in your rice cooker. 

When your chicken is almost ready, you can begin to cook your beans. Add your olive oil to a warm pan. Then add your onions, salt and pepper them. Let them sauté until they are translucent. Add your garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add your beans, corn, cumin, and cilantro. Let those mix on low heat while you make your guacamole. 

Cut and mash your avocado in a small bowl. Add salt, pepper, and lime juice, stir together. 
Take your chicken out of the slow cooker and chop it into small pieces. 

Assemble your "haystacks" part by part. Rice, beans, chicken, guacamole, then add salsa on top as your garnish. 

My husband said I could make this meal once a week and he would be a happy man. He loves fresh tasting healthy recipes, but that also leave you feeling satisfied. Hopefully this will satisfy your family as well. 

Enjoy!