I'm finally back in the kitchen after three weeks of travel! It feels so good to be cooking in my space and to be eating the way I like to eat again. I needed last week to get back into the swing of things and switch my brain from all things baby back to recipe developing mode. Thanks for being so patient with me and allowing me a couple of weeks break from my culinary creations. This week I'm back with a bang and made for you an amazing burger! Summer isn't over yet, and my roasted poblano pork burgers are going to be your new favorite burger to make at home.
Hi guys! I'm back home after three weeks of traveling and am slowly getting back into blogging along with counting down the days until Baby Boy Chatagnier arrives! It's all becoming very real, especially after both baby showers that were hosted the past two weekends! Our first shower was in Louisiana where sweet friends and family threw the most beautiful shower with handmade decorations that completely blew me away! And last weekend I traveled to Tennessee (my home state), where the loveliest brunch was served while looking at a gorgeous view of the Tennessee River. Between both showers, we were showered with more love than I could have ever imagined for my baby boy and myself. They truly were two magical afternoons spent with all of the people who mean most to me and who will love my sweet boy.
Last week we went to South Carolina and visited Charleston and Folly Beach. We needed a few days to get away just the two of us, for some rest and relaxation! We did just that, including eating our way through both towns. By the end of the week we realized that vegetables took a vacation from our lives as well...oops. This week my body has been craving all things good for me after eating heavier meals while on vacation. I always feel like a detox is in order after vacation. You don't eat enough veggies, drink enough water, or exercise as much as you should even if you went with good intentions. My kale and cantaloupe smoothie is just the drink to help feed my body the nutrients that it missed out on last week! It's hydrating, full of vitamins, and really delicious!
Smoothies are a great way to sneak good for you ingredients into one yummy drink. You won't even realize you are drinking something that is really benefiting your body because you will love how it tastes. The key is to balance sweet fruit with your veggies and to make sure you aren't adding unnecessary sugar outside of your fruit!
Lately if my fridge isn't stocked with go to healthy options, you can find me eating whatever is in reach and that is not a good situation! I don't have the patience to fix something, or to think about what I want, so prepping my food in advance has been key during this pregnancy! Honestly it's a great practice to get in the habit of even if you aren't pregnant, especially if you are trying to stick to a healthy eating plan! My recipe for granola banana pops are perfect to keep in your freezer for on the go breakfasts and afternoon pick me ups that you can feel good about eating!
I feel like I've been seeing frozen bananas in recipes everywhere right now. You can make ice cream with them, freeze them for your smoothies, and now you can add making healthy banana pops to the list! If you are someone who always finds them self not eating breakfast on the regular, chances are it's because you don't have time right? I got news for ya people, and it's probably not the first time you've heard it...breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I literally couldn't function without it!
This week has been all about eating lighter meals at our house. For one, I was out of town last weekend and the only vegetables I ate were on one salad..yikes! And two, it's hotter than hot outside which calls for lighter meals because anything heavy will just make you sweat. Mussels happen to be one of my favorite meals to make at home because they feel really special, but are super affordable! My garlic and herb mussels are healthy and delicious and you will be surprised at how easy it is to make a restaurant quality meal at home on any night of the week!
I hear people say they are intimidated by food like mussels and clams. I used to be a little scared myself, but the truth is, they are a cinch to make! Sure they require a little cleaning up front, but the cooking part...anyone can master!
Homemade ice cream guys. It's what summer should be about! Remember back in the day when you had to use rock salt and churn it by hand and it required so much effort? Yeah, ain't nobody got time for all that these days, even if it is still the best homemade vanilla ice cream I've ever tasted. With today's ice cream maker's you can literally have ice cream with the flip of a switch and it taste amazing! I honestly love making my own ice cream flavors. It's so easy, and really does taste better than anything you can buy in the store! My homemade cherry Nutella ice cream is an absolute must have ice cream flavor for this summer and you need to make it!
I mean hello, it has Nutella in it, which I am pretty sure you could put on a rock and I would try to eat it. I actually started making a Nutella ice cream about two summers ago and it's still mine and Canean's favorite easy flavor to whip up. And since fresh fruit like cherries and strawberries are transformed into a dessert with the dip of Nutella on them, I figured that cherries would be the perfect fruit to add to my original recipe!
