Cupcakes & Coffee Breaks

I've been all about the soups lately. Maybe it's the weather-- because fall is the best season of all-- but I think it's also because soup is essentially a low maintenance salad. Not quite sure what I mean? Let's see how soups vs. salads stack up. Packed full of veggies and your choice of proteins, it's easy to stuff a ton of nutrients into both dishes. Soups are infinitely portable (given the right containers) and can be prepped and packed for lunch, similar to a mason jar salad. You can even make mason jar instant ramen! With the great piece of modern technology known as the slow cooker, you can toss all of your chopped (or not) ingredients into the pot at the start of your day, and come back to a hearty dinner. So, if you're trying to eat healthy meals, but want something freezable, portable, and just plain easy to make, soups are a great option for you! Keep scrolling for some of the best recipes I've tried so far. Just in ...

I'm all about soups lately , and recently tried making several different types of ramen . While the noodles are delicious, I love the option of taking leftovers for work... and reheated ramen tends to absorb all of the broth. Enter the solution: DIY Instant Ramen ! You will need: Mason jars, or similar leak-proof containers Noodles (I have only used pad thai rice noodles because I need to avoid gluten, so my instructions are specific to rice noodles) Water * Your choice of vegetables Your choice of broth base , for example: a few tablespoons of soy sauce sriracha boullion cubes/powder miso paste Your choice of protein , cooked and chopped into bite size pieces This is SO SIMPLE to make, and it's even better if your workplace (or lunch place) has instant hot water available.  The prep work is to simply cook any proteins, chop any vegetables, and *pre-soak your rice noodles in the water for about 30 minutes. You're going to...

Do you like Sriracha? Do you like ramen? Sure, you can add hot sauce directly to your broth, but then the soup can be a little like drinking hot sauce if you're not careful... without any relief between bites. If you want to separate the flavors a bit-- or maybe you have a picky eater that can't handle the heat-- then this Sriracha nugget noodle bowl is for you! As a bonus, it's GREAT for clearing things up if you're a little stuffy, without being too overwhelming. Definitely save this one for cold and flu season! All quantities can be adjusted for your needs and preferences. Sriracha Nugget Noodle Bowl Ingredients:  For the chicken nuggets: 2-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces 1 egg splash of milk flour for coating 1/4-1/2 cup Sriracha 2 TBSP butter For the ramen: 8 oz pad thai noodles 6 cups chicken broth (you can also use water and boullion) 2-3 TBSP soy sauce vegetables (your choice, I used a frozen s...

I regularly post food pictures on instagram , and figured that I may as well try blogging a little bit, too. I'll probably style this a little better in the future, but right now that sounds like work, and I'm doing this for fun, so... we'll see. So, let's start out with a little bit about what food means to me. Food is something that brings people together. It's a solid way to reconnect with and share your culture-- my knowledge of the Polish language is limited, but let me fry some peirogi or cook some golabki! It's the standout detail of almost any event, and cooking a meal at the end of the day makes me feel like I'm finally "home" after a long day at work. That doesn't mean that I have not come home dreading the thought of cooking a somewhat elaborate recipe. Being a working parent means several things when it comes to dinnertime: You're tired, because work, and your other job is just starting once you return home, Your kids ...

This chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe is a very filling dinner dish that is great served hot, or cold leftover the next day. Note: this recipe is not gluten free as written, so be sure to substitute the flour and pasta for a gluten free variety if you are avoiding gluten! You will need: 13 ounces of pasta 12 ounces of chicken Bacon (approximately 10 strips) 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup ranch dressing 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons flour Parmesan cheese (optional) 2 tablespoons butter Cook your chicken thoroughly, and cut into bite sized pieces (or you can use precooked chicken if you wish). Cut up your bacon into smaller pieces and cook with the butter until crispy. Cook the noodles as instructed on the package. Add the chicken, flour, ranch, milk, and cheddar cheese to the pan with the bacon, and cook over medium-high heat until all ingredients are blended and the cheese has melted. Pour the sauce over the noodles and mix everything together. Serve topped with parmesan cheese if des...

These buffalo chicken tacos are extremely easy to make! Prep time is 10-15 minutes. You will need: 6 crunchy taco shells 12 ounces shredded chicken 1/4 cup hot sauce 1/4 cup ranch dressing (can use bleu cheese if desired) Shredded cheddar or other cheese of your choice Cole slaw (you can find this with the pre-packaged salad in your grocery store) Mix the chicken together with the hot sauce and ranch dressing in a small bowl. Arrange your taco shells on a baking sheet, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Fill the taco shells with shredded chicken, and top with cheddar cheese. The stand up taco shells will be much easier for this, because at least one of the regular taco shells will  fall over. However, if you have the regular taco shells, just be sure to stuff the cheese back in if they tip over. Bake the shells for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Add the cole slaw to the tacos, and enjoy! The cole slaw adds a nice crunch to the taco, and offsets the spiciness of...

This recipe was so easy. I am always looking for ways to use chicken breasts in recipes, and this was a great way to use some leftover hummus! You will need: 4 chicken breasts (frozen is fine) Approx. 4 tbsp hummus Paprika Lime or lemon juice Grated parmesan Parsley For this recipe, I used a spicy hummus. If you have a regular hummus on hand, try mixing in some cayenne pepper to taste. While it definitely had a kick, this recipe is not too  spicy, but it has a great flavor! To start, arrange the chicken breasts in a baking dish or pan. While I used a baking pan (as you will see in pictures), I recommend using a smaller dish, where the chicken pieces will be closer together. This is because the hummus may melt while in the oven, and a smaller dish will help prevent it from sliding off of the chicken. Cover your chicken breasts with the hummus. Be very careful not to dip the spoon used to press the hummus on the raw chicken back into the tub of hummus. If your spoon touches the raw c...

Tortillas were definitely off the table (literally and figuratively) when I decided to try a gluten free diet. Crunchy tacos seemed to be the only option, especially when my first and only attempt at soft tacos using corn tortillas was definitely not up to standard. When I made my most recent grocery list, I casually browsed for another substitute item, prepared to risk another "sort of palatable" dinner. I found tortillas made of brown rice, which had mostly positive reviews. The only negative feedback was that they, like many other gluten free tortilla options, tended to get "crispy" or crumbly if the temperature was too cool. My reasoning for purchasing them was that I could use the brown rice tortillas for quesadillas, since the tortillas could remain flat (and not folded, which poses a problem with crumbly tortillas) and , since quesadillas are cooked on the stove, who cares if the quesadilla is a little "crispy" ?! You can use whichever tortillas you...

Sometimes, looking for a snack leads to an impromptu recipe using whatever ingredients can be found in the refrigerator. This recipe is great for when you want a snack, but don't want (or have) chips or the "typical" snack foods. Plus, it's easy to make, gluten free , and low carb! You will need: Medium tomato, approx. one per person Ricotta cheese Pesto Shredded mozzarella Bacon (cooked) Ground basil (optional) To make, slice the tomatoes into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Because you will be picking them up to eat them, you don't want the tomato slices to fall apart, or the ingredients to fall through. Layer pesto, ricotta, and mozzarella on top of the slices. Top with a piece of bacon, and garnish with basil. This makes a low calorie and surprisingly filling snack, which could also serve as an appetizer! Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest !