Cupcakes & Coffee Breaks

Happy New Year! 2018 has rushed in at a balmy zero degrees Fahrenheit, and what better way to warm up than with this seriously amazing creamy tomato bisque? I've been exhausted  lately, so I've been fairly quiet on the blogging front. That's not to say that I haven't been cooking up a storm (just check out my instagram ), even though the holidays knocked me off of the healthy train for a few days. So, today I dove back in with an awesome tomato bisque. The original recipe is by Debi at Lifecurrents , but my adaptation is below. I had every intention of making this a slow cooker dinner, but you know how that goes... I'm 15 minutes away on the interstate heading to the office when it dawns on me that I never actually put anything in the crockpot . Oops. Luckily, this wasn't too difficult, and with a few chopped veggies and a whirl with the immersion blender , this was an amazingly filling and delicious dinner. ...

One of the easiest, healthy dinners that I have found is homemade ramen. Is it authentic ramen? I have no clue. But is it tasty, easy to make gluten free, and a great way to pack a few servings of vegetables into the end of your day ? Absolutely! Taking that a step further, I decided to give it a try by using mostly spiralized zucchini. I've really been trying to get more veggies into my diet, and this seemed like the perfect way to incorporate them. I did add a small handful of pad thai rice noodles, just in case the squash zoodles were a flop, but I think it actually would have been fine with squash noodles only. They were really good, and really absorbed the flavor of the broth! Ramen Zoodles Ingredients 4 zucchini, spiralized 5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped 8 oz sliced mushrooms 6 cups of water 1 tbsp chicken or beef boullion 4 tbsp gluten free soy sauce Sriracha (optional) pad thai rice noodles (optional), soaked...

Painted pumpkins may be past their prime, but it's still pumpkin season as far as I'm concerned. Today's recipe is brought to you by none other than the familiar orange gourd, and a small serving of swiss cheese. I had originally planned to make this parmesan pumpkin soup , which is a sure winner, but as it turns out, I was all out of parmesan cheese. Cheddar was an option, but it just didn't feel... right. I'm a little over adding cheddar cheese to everything right now, so I wanted to switch it up. I had a little bit of shredded swiss cheese, which is great because you only need a little to get that nice strong flavor. Here is my simple soup recipe. I hope you enjoy it! Black Pepper & Swiss Pumpkin Soup Ingredients 1 can of pumpkin puree 2 cups chicken stock (or water and chicken boullion) 1/2 cup of shredded swiss cheese, plus extra for garnish 1 tsp of thyme dash of smoked paprika b...

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...

Buffalo Chicken Chili If you love the flavor of buffalo chicken, you'll have to try this easy buffalo chicken chili! I started with a recipe I found on Pinterest, but the version below is the one I that made. You will need: 1 pound of ground chicken 1 tbsp olive oil 1 half of a diced onion 1/2 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped celery 15 oz diced tomatoes 15 oz canned white beans (drained) 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 to 3/4 cups of hot sauce cheese for topping (bleu cheese, feta, cheddar)(optional) sour cream (optional) To make this chili, cook the ground chicken. Add the oil to a pot, along with the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking them for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, and beans. Stir in the chicken broth and hot sauce, and let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, until hot. Top with your choice of cheese or toppings, and enjoy! This a great twist on ch...