Cupcakes & Coffee Breaks

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...

This weekend, I completed my first 5k in the Color Run! Most people will tell you that, after a good run or athletic event, you will feel "awesome". In my case, this was true until I got home, when I was suddenly sick. Since cold medicine seems to do nothing, I have been experimenting with various natural remedies found on the internet, using ingredients found on my trusty spice rack. That's a nice rack. A surprising solution for a sore throat is cayenne pepper, which also helps ease congestion. Sure, the spiciness of the pepper burns a little, but it helps. If you're miserable, it's worth it. To make the hot pepper tea, you will need honey, lemon or lemon juice, ginger and cayenne pepper. I used two tablespoons of honey, a squeeze of lemon juice, and several shakes of ginger and cayenne. I didn't use exact measurements for the spices, so vary it depending on your preferences, and how much "spiciness" you can handle. Add boiling water and stir-- I si...

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...

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...