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Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

January 30, 2015

If you’re looking for a fancy, yet easy to prepare, dinner recipe … look no further! These Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs are delicious when served over mashed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta!

Does anyone else think about Valentine’s Day and immediately want to dive head-first into a tub of Ben & Jerry’s?

Let’s all be honest: nobody is happy on this holiday. Either you’re depressed because you’re single, you’re annoyed because your boyfriend didn’t do enough, or you just hate hearts and pink in general and don’t understand why our country celebrates a “holiday” made up by Hallmark to get people to buy more cards and chocolate and flowers.

The whole thing just makes me want to drink wine and have a Sex and the City marathon. Oh wait … I do that pretty much every night anyways.

Okay … end of Valentine’s rant. Let’s talk about BEEF.

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Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos

January 29, 2015

These Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos are super easy to make ahead of time and freeze for quick breakfasts! With sweet potato and red bell pepper hash, bacon, eggs, cheese and salsa, this is one delicious and easy healthy breakfast recipe.

So …. heat is expensive. Sometimes I think about what I could buy each month with the money I spend just on our gas bill.

New shoes …

My gym membership …

A fur coat to keep me warm …

17 new blankets …

See. A new pair of shoes every month would be great. Instead, I throw all my money away just trying to survive the Chicago winter. Being an adult is hard. After our record-breaking month of December, I’ve officially resorted to placing three blankets on top of my comforter and turning the furnace down to 60 degrees. As I type this post right now I wish I had gloves on.

Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.

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15-Minute Quinoa and Korean Beef Bowl

January 27, 2015

This 15-Minute Quinoa and Korean Beef Bowl is the perfect quick, easy and healthy dinner recipe that also makes great leftovers. Use ground beef or ground turkey for this Korean beef recipe that’s full of flavor and protein.

Have you guys seen Heavyweights? Can we all agree that that was Ben Stiller’s best movie ever? Followed closely by Zoolander.

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Oven Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes

January 23, 2015

This Paleo friendly, low effort, high reward, mouth-watering oven pot roast with sweet potatoes is worth every adjective I just used to describe it. Pairs perfectly with The Best Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” for a dinner you and your guests won’t be soon to forget.

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Lightened Up Pork Chops Marsala

January 20, 2015

Lightened Up Pork Chops Marsala is an easy one pan dinner that comes together quickly! The pork chops don’t dry out with the delicious mushroom marsala sauce served on top.

I really don’t know why pork chops get such a bad reputation. I only recently discovered my love for pork chops, with creole seasoning, grilled to perfection, after we received bone-in chops in our meat CSA. They’re just so good. And CHEAP! What could be better?

This Lightened Up Pork Chops Marsala recipe is an adaptation of the chicken marsala recipe in The Skinnytaste Cookbook. If you like chicken marsala, you’ve got to try making it with pork chops. The pork chops stay super moist with the same delicious, savory mushroom marsala sauce that’s perfect served over pasta or mashed potatoes.

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The Best Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

January 16, 2015

These are The Best Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” you’ll make. Adding sour cream makes them creamy and delicious – much like your favorite mashed potatoes. Even picky eaters won’t suspect these are made with vegetables!

Have you discovered the magic of cauliflower yet? If you haven’t, put down those Doritos, get in your car, go get a head of cauli, and come back here.

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A Day In The Life … Of My Diet

January 14, 2015

Strange words come out of my fingers when I blog past my bedtime, so bare with me.

Today I’m talking about what I eat. I figured, since I do it every single day, it must warrant a post, right? And I’m pretty much just hoping that someone out there somewhere is a tiny bit curious. Or just nosy. Or just wants to be like me. (Ha.)

In all seriousness, I’ve tried every variation of modified diets and finally found a routine that works for me, makes me feel good, and is good for my physical health as well as my mental health. Pretty much I’m about to contradict every health study you’ve ever read.

My diet in a nutshell: I keep it low carb, only eat when I’m really truly hungry, watch my portions, and let myself cheat as much as I want!

So here goes nothin’. Let’s take this hour by hour.

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20-Minute Mongolian Beef

January 13, 2015

This 20-Minute Mongolian Beef will make you want to skip the take-out for good. So easy and amazingly delicious. Just like your favorite Chinese restaurant … but healthier!

You guys. I can’t stop watching Friends.

I knew that it would become my 2015 guilty pleasure as soon as I learned it was going on Netflix. But it’s getting a bit out of control. I’m only on season 2 and I find myself leaving parties early to come home and hang out with my “Friends.” Sigh.

I didn’t watch friends when everybody else watched it, so this is new for me. And I totally get the obsession. The ’90s fashion. The studio audience fake laughter. RACHEL’S HAIR. It’s all just so great.

But enough about Friends. Let’s talk about beef.

THIS 20-Minute Mongolian Beef is killer. Like … so good. I know I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but to be honest, I really just think 2015 is my year. I’ve been crushin’ it with the lightened up recipes. *brushes non-existent dirt off shoulder*

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Lightened Up Mushroom Asiago Chicken

January 12, 2015

Make this easy chicken recipe for date night, family dinner, or yourself when you need something to distract you from the snow. This Lightened Up Mushroom Asiago Chicken is a crowd pleaser and can be made all in the same pan!

I know some a-hole out there is going to say “this looks like my cat’s throw-up,” and I can’t necessarily disagree … but this recipe is too good not to post.

Do you ever get nervous cooking for other people? I’m always the most self critical when I’m feeding people something I made. Maybe because typically I’m only cooking for myself. Or maybe because people expect me to be good at it since I blog about it? Regardless, my home cooking standards are at their highest when I’m feeding others.

Point being … I made this for a person … and they liked it!!!! Or they just told me they liked it to be nice. But either way, I liked it! So that means it was a great success. Are you following?

The first time around I used the Mushroom Asiago Chicken recipe from The Midnight Baker. It was so good that I decided to make it again, but see if I could lighten it up.

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Make-Ahead Paleo Egg Muffins

January 7, 2015

Looking for an easy make-ahead paleo breakfast recipe? Look no further than these make-ahead paleo egg muffins. They’re stupidly easy to make and are perfect for meal prep.

I keep seeing people posting about starting paleo and clean eating diets in the new year and it makes me excited. It also makes me think about the mass amounts of meat I consumed on the paleo diet. And the mass amounts of weights I lifted at that time.

Man … those were the days.

Now, I’m back on an eat-whatever-I-want diet, but keeping it low carb as usual.

If you’re one of the people adopting the paleo diet for the new year – you go Glen Coco …. right to your kitchen and make these Make-Ahead Paleo Egg Muffins. They’re one of my favorite paleo breakfast recipes because they’re easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and are easily customizable to fit your taste.

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