Balsamic steak salad

Love the salad and it's so simple

Makes 4 servings so I always only do enough for 1. 

4 (5 to 6 ounce) raw extra lean beef tenderloin steaks trimmed

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

8 cups mixed salad greens

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

season steaks with salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat

Add steaks cook for 3
minutes on each side for medium rare or desired doneness remove steaks from the pan

Add balsamic vinegar to skillet bring to a boil reduce heat to low. Gently boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until vinegar thickens into a glaze

Cut each steak into 1/4 inch thick slices

Place greens, onions, tomatoes, onto serving plate. Top with steak slices; drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

No Bake Energy Bites

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 
  1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
3. Makes about 20-25 balls.

My kids eat them like cookies...perfect :) 

5-INGREDIENT WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Makes 2-4 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 (15-oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained
1 small can diced green chilies or 2 cups salsa verde 
2 tsp ground cumin

Optional toppings toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips (use low sodium ingredients when possible!!)

DIRECTIONS
Stovetop Method: Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin to a medium saucepan, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 5 minutes.

Serve warm with desired toppings.

Slow Cooker Method: Add chicken broth, 2 (uncooked) *boneless skinless chicken breasts, beans, salsa and cumin to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Shred the chicken.

{recipe adapted from GimmeSomeOven}

Beer Braised Beef Ribs

This turned out to be one of my favorite ribs recipes yet. SO good!

Beer Braised Short Ribs

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 big, meaty short ribs (about 4-5lbs in total)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3lbs yellow onions, halved and sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 bottles dark beer (like Guinness or Newcastle Brown Ale)
• 2 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 12 pitted prunes
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half the ribs, meaty side down, and cook until well browned (about 5 minutes). Turn each rib on one side and cook until well browned (about 1 minute) then repeat with the remaining sides. Transfer the ribs to a slow cooker, arranging them meaty side down. Repeat with the remaining ribs.
2. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from the skillet. Add butter and reduce the heat to medium. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned (25-30 minutes). Stir in the tomato paste and cook, coating the onions with the tomato paste until it begins to brown (about 4 minutes). Stir in the beer and bring to a simmer.
3. Cook, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon until the foam subsides (about 5 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the tapioca, bay leaves, cumin, paprika, 1 teaspoon thyme, garlic, soy sauce, and prunes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
4. Cook in the slow cooker, covered, on high for 4-5 hours or low for 10-11 hours. Transfer the ribs to a serving platter and strain the liquid into a bowl. Use a spoon to skim off any extra fat from the top of the liquid, then whisk in the mustard and remaining teaspoon thyme into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup of sauce over the ribs, then sprinkle the ribs with the parsley and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
5. Enjoy! Recipe adapted from Epicurious by 12 Tomatoes

Disney World Dole Whip

My family loves this!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (20 oz. each) DOLE crushed pineapple
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Drain pineapple: reserve 2 tbsp. juice.
2. Set aside.
3. Place pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved pineapple juice in blender.
4. Cover and blend until smooth.
5. Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags.
6. Store bags flat in freezer.
7. Freeze 1 1/2 hours or until slushy.
8. Stir pineapple slush gently into whipped cream until slightly blended in large bowl.
9. Again Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags
10. Return to freezer until completely frozen, about 1 hour and serve.

Tip: Use the bags to serve, cutting the bag. Press lightly swirling, add pineapple juice

Double Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

These are really yummy!

INGREDIENTS 

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup cocoa powder (dutch process if you have it) 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

3/4 cup butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 – 3.4 ounce package instant chocolate or vanilla pudding (do not use cook n’ serve for sugar-free) 

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups milk chocolate chips DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. With your mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.  Add in the pudding mix and combine well. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Roll about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cookie dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. Press additional chocolate chips onto the outside of the cookie dough ball if you wish. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set. Yields about 3 dozen cookies

Recipe source: Center Cut Cook

Thin Mint Mississippi Mud Brownies

prep time: 2 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

yield: 12 servings

serving size: 1 brownie

thin mint flavor in the form of mississippi mud brownies. 

ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix
• measurement for oil for the brownies, but instead use the equivalent of melted butter
• 1 package andes mints pieces (found by the chocolate chips)
• 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
chocolate frosting
• 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

instructions

1. mix the brownie mix according to instructions but use melted butter instead of oil. place in a 9x13" baking pan. bake according to directions, removing from the oven 5 minutes prior to being done.
2. top with andes mints and marshmallows and place back in the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes. remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
for the frosting
3. place the butter in a bowl and using a mixer or hand mixer, beat until smooth. add the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla and slowly begin mixing, adding 1 tablespoon of milk as needed. frost the brownies and serve immediately or wrap with foil to be served later.

Tasty Green Smoothie

Lovin' this green smoothie!