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How To Make Chia Jam

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Have summer fruit that’s about to go bad? Learn how to make chia jam! It’s low-sugar, easy to make and the perfect way to extend the life of your favorite fruits. 

Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make chia jam. Use up your favorite fruits before they go bad and turn them into a low-sugar jam that's great for breakfast, lunch and snack time!

Hi Friends!

As promised I’m back with another super easy recipe for you today. This is actually more of a tutorial than a recipe. I’ve written about my love for chia jam before, but never actually posted a recipe for it.

Here’s the thing. Summer is the perfect time to jump on the chia jam train. Fresh fruit is everywhere and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably guilty of occasionally buy more than you can eat. Chia jam is the perfect solution! It’s super simple to make, can be made with a variety of fruit, requires just two ingredients (fruit & chia seeds) and extra ripe fruit is perfect for it because you’re going to mash it all up anyways and ripe fruit = extra natural sweetness!

Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make chia jam. Use up your favorite fruits before they go bad and turn them into a low-sugar jam that's great for breakfast, lunch and snack time!

Here are your directions:

How To Make Chia Jam

1) Put 2 cups of fruit in a small saucepan. I used nectarines (peeled and chopped) and raspberries.

2) Heat the pan on the stove. As the fruit starts to heat up, use a fork or spatula to mash it up until no chunks remain.

How To Make Chia Jam

3) Add 1.5 Tablespoons of chia seeds and stir to combine. Taste for sweetness (if you really think it’s necessary you can add a little maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness but if you’re using ripe fruit it will probably be sweet enough all on its own)

4) Transfer to a glass container (makes about a cup), let cool and store in the fridge for about a week. The chia seeds will help it thicken up as it cools.

Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make chia jam. Use up your favorite fruits before they go bad and turn them into a low-sugar jam that's great for breakfast, lunch and snack time!

Use your imagination to enjoy your chia jam! Put it on toast (pictured here with some Maple Cinnamon Sunflower Seed Butter). Use it as a pancake or waffle topping. Swirl some into your yogurt or ice cream. You get the idea!

Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make chia jam. Use up your favorite fruits before they go bad and turn them into a low-sugar jam that's great for breakfast, lunch and snack time!

[Tweet “Learn how to turn your fav summer fruits into Chia Jam via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

4 Ways To Drink More Water

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Thanks to Nestle for sponsoring this post. 

Hi Friends!

 

Let’s chat about water today! As a Registered Dietitian, I think any time is a good time to talk about positive nutrition choices but sometimes the seasons make it easier to chat about certain subjects . Winter brings the holidays, a perfect time to talk about making healthy choices at parties and family gatherings. Spring brings the opening of farmer’s markets which makes it easy to talk about upping your vegetable intake and eating locally. Summer brings hot weather, which means it’s the perfect time to talk about hydration, ways to drink more water and why it’s important!

You’re probably familiar with the My Plate image, but did you know that many health professionals are encouraging the government to add water to the diagram to remind people to drink more water? I think it’s a great idea!

proposed my plate with water

Healthy Hydration Toolkit

The reality is, there are far too many people out there drinking too many sugar-sweetened beverages and not enough water. Did you know that on average 20% of daily calories and nearly half of all added sugars come from beverages (not counting milk and 100% fruit juices)? Almost half of all kids and adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day – ranging from coffee and tea to soft drinks to fruit and energy drinks.

where drink calories are coming from

Need another visual eye-opener? One 12 oz sugar-sweetened beverage has about 10 teaspoons of sugar! That’s over 3 Tablespoons!

So here’s the bad news- obesity rates (for both children and adults) are far higher than they should be and most people simply don’t drink enough water throughout the day. Americans purchase about one billion beverage servings (canned, bottled or in a cup) every single day and studies show that if bottled water isn’t an option, almost two thirds of people will choose soda or another sugar-sweetened beverage.

The good news is, people are starting to take action. Many studies have shown that the majority of Americans are interested in reducing their soda intake and bottle water sales are on the rise. The simple act of replacing one 12-oz (140 cal) sugar-sweetened beverage with water each day would cut 50,000 calories and more than 65 cups of sugar from your diet in a year!

When I talk to people about nutrition, I always make sure to address liquid calories. Beverages can quickly add hundreds of calories to your daily intake and many people fail to take this into consideration. In reality, your total daily calories from beverages should only be about 10-15%. That’s about 200-300 calories for a 2,000 calorie diet.

4 Easy Ways To Drink More Water

 

There are lots of reasons people don’t drink enough water but if you’re on a mission to increase your intake, here are four easy ways to make water more enticing:

  • Add bubbles.
    • Recently, my hubby made the switch from drinking mostly beer in the evenings to drinking unsweetened sparkling water and I’m so proud of him. It’s such a healthy change and for him, the carbonation and hint of flavor make it more desirable than plain water. He’s even lost a few pounds as an added bonus! And it’s cheaper than beer 🙂
  • Add flavor, but not sugar.
    • Buying unsweetened, flavored water or making your own flavored water using fruit or herbs can definitely make water more exciting.
  • Change the temperature.
    • If room temperature water doesn’t do it for you, change things up. Add lots of ice to make it ice cold, or heat it up. Remember that unsweetened tea can also be a great way to hydrate and add flavor!
  • Make it available.
    • The simple act of having water on-hand and available can also make a huge difference in your quest to make better beverage choices. As a general rule for many people, if something is there, they will eat or drink it. Take advantage of this built-in mentality and make water easily accessible. It’s easy to store in your lunch, purse, gym bag or car and just seeing the bottle is an easy way to remind yourself to drink more of it!

*Important note – During the summer months, when many people are more active and sweating more, it’s extra important to make sure you’re staying well hydrated and water should be your #1 choice! Be sure to bring water with you as you head to your workouts.

Let’s chat:

Are you happy drinking plain water or do you have to jazz it up a bit in order to get excited about drinking it?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Week of Summer Meals

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A week of summer meals to inspire your menu next week. Get recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides and salads – all full of fresh summer flavors!

A Week of Summer Meal Ideas

Hi Friends!

Time for another weekly meal plan! Since Summer is just about in full swing, this week I rounded up a week of summer meals for you to check out. I even added a bonus sides & salads section because there were just too many good recipes to choose from!

A Week of Summer Meal Ideas - breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides and salads!

I hope you find something that catches your eye! Add a few of these to your meal plan for next week to introduce your family to some fresh summer flavors!

Ready? Here we go:

Breakfast

A Week of Summer Breakfast Ideas

Lunch

A Week Of Summer Lunch Ideas

Dinner

A Week of Summer Dinner Ideas

Salads & Sides

A Week of Summer Sides & Salads

Want to do some food prep? You could:

  • Freeze some popsicles
  • Make a batch of hash
  • Head to the farmer’s market and stock up on fruits and veggies
  • Bake a batch of muffins
  • Grill some chicken burgers
  • Build a few mason jar salads for lunches
  • Marinate your pork
  • Make some peach salsa
  • Prep the crockpot for your chicken tacos
  • Make a couple salads to munch on all week

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here.

 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Frozen Yogurt Bites

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These Frozen Yogurt Bites are easy to customize and make a healthy snack or breakfast for both kids and adults!

This recipe for Frozen Yogurt Bites is easy to customize and makes a perfect healthy snack or breakfast for both kids and adults!

Hi Friends!

First of all, sorry about the other day when I posted a Fitness Friday post on a Wednesday. #mombrain. I think I originally had the post titled Crossfit After Baby so it wouldn’t matter when I posted it, but then I changed the title and didn’t really think things through! Whoops.

Anyways, we’re back to recipes today. This recipe is actually just a slight spin on one of my all-time favorites. About 2.5 years ago I posted these Frozen Yogurt Trail Mix Bars. They were wildly popular (for good reason) and I still make them all the time. However, I usually make them bite-sized instead cutting them into bars. I just find they’re less messy, easier to eat, more fun, etc!

This recipe for Frozen Yogurt Bites is easy to customize and makes a perfect healthy snack or breakfast for both kids and adults!

So, I thought since I changed things up a little, I’d make a brand new post! First of all, it’s summer and I wanted to remind all of you of these delicious treats. Secondly, I make these all the time during Sunday food prep and always get questions about them so I wanted to have a post I could direct you to so you can make them yourself! Third, they needed some new photos!

So anyways, you don’t really need specific quantities for these, which is another reason I like them. They’re totally customizable and so easy to make. If you end up mixing too much to fit in your ice cube trays, just eat the rest for a snack!

My favorite mix-ins are chopped almonds, chocolate chips and chopped fruit. Use any yogurt you like – greek, regular, full-fat, fat-free, non-dairy, whatever!

This recipe for Frozen Yogurt Bites is easy to customize and makes a perfect healthy snack or breakfast for both kids and adults!

[Tweet “These Frozen Yogurt Bites from @leangrnblog are perfect for breakfast or snack time!”]Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Wild Blueberry Energy Bars

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These Wild Blueberry Energy Bars are packed with healthy ingredients like Wild Blueberries, pumpkin seeds and almonds. They’re the perfect way to refuel after a morning workout!

These Wild Blueberry Energy Bars are the perfect way to refuel after a morning workout!

This post is sponsored by The Wild Blueberry Association of North America. I was compensated for my time. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hi Friends!

If you’ve been reading for a while now, you might remember last summer I partnered with The Wild Blueberry Association to share several delicious Wild Blueberry recipes! In case you missed them, check out the links below:

Wild Blueberry Turkey Burgers
Wild Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Wild Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Wild Blueberry Ice Cream

The summer we’re teaming up again for a fun series specifically geared towards helping moms stay fit and healthy!

workout with baby

As a mom, finding time to fit a workout in during the day can be extremely challenging. If you’re finding yourself skipping workouts due to a busy schedule, learning how to sneak in an early morning workout before your family starts the day may be just what you need!

It doesn’t need to be long or complicated. Even waking up 25 minutes early for a quick workout can help get your day off to a great start! Take advantage of having your spouse or significant other home in case the kids need anything and head downstairs to work up a sweat.

When you’re done, it’s important to refuel. Since mornings can get a little, your best bet may be a homemade energy bar that you can prep ahead of time and eat quickly.

I developed some Wild Blueberry Energy Bars for a quick, grab and go breakfast option!

These Wild Blueberry Energy Bars are packed with nutritious ingredients and perfect for refueling after a workout!

They’re packed with nutritious ingredients like Wild Blueberries, almonds and pumpkin seeds.

A few fun facts about Wild Blueberries compared to regular blueberries:

  • They have a more intense blueberry flavor because they come from fields that contain hundreds of thousands of different blueberry plants. The mixture of berries from all the plants combined gives Wild Blueberries their unique flavor!
  • They have twice the amount of andioxidants and more protective phytochemicals.
  • They’re frozen at harvest, which locks in their nutrients.
  • They’re available year round in the freezer section of many grocery stores and offer a convenient way to get your “Daily Dose of Wild Blue.”

These Wild Blueberry Energy Bars are packed with nutritious ingredients and perfect for refueling after a workout!

Head over to the Wild Blueberries site to get the recipe:

 Wild Blueberry Energy Bars

AND check out a fun bodyweight Rise & Shine Workout you can knock out before the sun comes up!

[Tweet “These Wild Blueberry Energy Bars from @leangrnbeanblog are perfect after a morning workout!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Week of Grilled Meals

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Fire up the grill and keep the heat out of your kitchen. Use this week of grilled meals plan to inspire your summer cooking!

grilled meals

Hi Friends!

We’re back with another weekly menu that’s jam-packed with delicious recipes. This week’s menu features the grill- a summer staple in many households. Read on for a week of grilled meals. I even covered breakfast! No need to heat up the kitchen…head outside to do your cooking.

A Week of Grilled Meals - recipes you can make for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the grill!

And remember that in the winter months, or if you don’t have a grill, many of these can be made using a grill pan!

Let’s get started!

Breakfast

Recipes you can make on the grill for breakfast!

 Lunch

Delicious recipes you can make on the grill for lunch!

Dinner

Grilled dinner Ideas

 

As an added bonus this week, I found you a few grilled sides to make as well! Check out:

Sriracha Beer Butter Grilled Corn
Grilled Romaine Salad with Corn & Avocado
Lemon Rosemary Grilled Artichokes
Grilled Polenta with Tomatoes & Mozzarella

 

Want to do a little food prep? You could:

  • Grill enough bacon for the week.
  • Grill some extra potato slabs.
  • Grill several different kinds of fruit to top with yogurt throughout the week.
  • Make a sweet potato salad to pack for lunches.
  • Make a batch of chicken and veggies for fajitas.
  • Grill up a pork tenderloin and enjoy the leftovers.
  • Assemble your Greek chicken kabobs.
  • Make the pesto for your pizza.

weekly meal plansWant more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here.

Enjoy!

–Lindsay–

How To Modify Baby Led Weaning

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Learn how to modify baby led weaning to make it work for you if you like the concept but are scared of baby choking.

Hi Friends!

I’ve been meaning to write this post forever and I’m finally getting around to it! I get questions all the time about how I feed Squish and now that we’ve been at it for about 3 months now, I thought I’d try to put everything I’ve done so far in one post for easy reference!

How To Modify Baby Led Weaning

 

To give you some background information, Squish has always been a good eater. He was a big baby (9 pounds when he was born) and due to my struggles with breastfeeding he’s been formula fed for a while now. When we went to his 4 month appointment, our pediatrician advised us to hold off on solid foods until as close as six months as we could but to also pay attention to max formula recommendations.

I loved the idea of baby led weaning but wasn’t ready to commit 100% at first, so here’s how I modified it to work for me. In case you’re unfamiliar, the general concept of baby led weaning is allowing your child to feed themselves (no purees) and choose what they want to eat from the very beginning.

By 18 weeks, Squish was making it quite clear that he wanted to eat food.

Little man tried sweet potato today! Seems to be a hit. #firstfood #18weeks

A video posted by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on

 

–If the videos aren’t displaying, click the caption and it should take you to the instagram post so you can watch them–

We gave him a few tastes of things here and there (that video was March 6, 2015, he was born Oct 29, 2014)  over the next two weeks but I wanted to hold off a bit longer to give his digestive system as much time to mature as possible.

baby with cucumber

I also let him nom on some cold cucumber slices and raw carrot sticks just for texture.

By 20 weeks he was able to sit up unassisted for short periods of time, he was always very interested in what we were eating and he constantly made attempts to grab food off our plates. He was also maxing out the daily recommended amounts of formula at 35-36 oz per day.

graco high chair

We decided it was time so we ordered him a high chair and dove in! (For your reference, the high chair we have is the Graco Blossom 4-in-1 Seating Systemir?t=thlegrbe00 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005XJ2VGE and we love it! Just before he turned 5 months we started giving him a little solid food almost every day. I decided from the beginning that I didn’t really want to give him a lot of purees. I like the baby-led weaning approach because it helps introduce them to different textures and practice chewing at an early age. It was actually pretty amazing how good he was at chewing from the very beginning. Although I like the theory of baby-led weaning, I knew I’d need to make a few changes for my own comfort.

We’re learning! Getting better each day at grabbing pieces by himself! #babyledweaning #blw #20weeks A video posted by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on


From the very beginning I let him practice grabbing things for himself. His first two foods were sweet potato and avocado and those first couple weeks he also tried carrots and butternut squash. I cut the veggies into sticks and then alternated between roasting and steaming them. At this point, he seemed to prefer steamed to roasted. For the avocado I just cut it into chunks and gave it to him.

Although I wanted him to practice his coordination, giving him total control of how much he bit off still scared me a bit so I watched super closely and took larger pieces out of his mouth occasionally. For the avocado I just cut it into chunks and fed it too him since it was too slippery for him to pick up. After letting him practice a little each day, I usually just broke the veggies into chunks and fed those to him one at a time so he could chew them.

baby eating oatmeal

I also started giving him oatmeal around this time. I made my own from the very beginning using this recipe- Homemade Oat Cereal For Babies.

I went back and looked at my five month letter to him and according to that here’s what he was eating when he hit 5 months:

Right now you’re eating solid foods twice a day. Usually around lunch time I’ll give you a few finger foods – 2-3 slices of avocado and 2-3 veggie sticks. It can get a bit messy but you actually manage to get almost all of it in your mouth. Around dinner time you eat about a tablespoon of oatmeal.

You’re still drinking your formula as well. We bought these Born Free Glass Bottlesir?t=thlegrbe00 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B006VIJOPW and absolutely love them! Now that you’ve started eating some solid foods, you’re drinking 5-6 bottles a day…anywhere from 24-31 ounces.

IMG_4918

Over the next month we didn’t make a whole lot of changes. I gave him a few new foods, including roasted red peppers, bananas and peaches. Here’s what I wrote in his six month letter:

You love to eat and have been eating solids for over a month now. We didn’t really try any new foods this month. You still love avocado and sweet potato and roasted red pepper strips are another favorite. We switched you to all 6 oz bottles and you typically get 5 of them per day and then around lunch time i’ll give you some solid foods while daddy eats his lunch- usually a couple strips of red pepper, a couple sweet potato or squash sticks and some avocado.  I usually give you a couple tablespoons of oatmeal and some fruit in the evening.

IMG_6377

Admittedly I got a bit lazier over the next couple of months and found it just easier to feed him chunks of food and let you chew them, rather than letting him try to feed himself as much. I still let him practice, just not as often. I felt good about it because he was still chewing, experiencing different textures, etc but I also had greater control over the size pieces he were getting.

IMG_6404

At his six month appointment, he got the all clear to eat pretty much anything that wasn’t a choking hazard (like chips, popcorn, etc). Previously it was recommended you wait a bit longer to try certain foods due to food allergies, but that’s no longer the case, especially since our family doesn’t have a history of food allergies. He also got the ok to start drinking water from a sippy cup.

IMG_6877

Right about 6 months he started sitting in a high chair when we went out to eat. I don’t give him a ton of water but I keep a sippy cup in the diaper bag for when we’re out because it’s a good distraction…and I’ll give him some after we go on a walk if it’s hot out.

IMG_7448

I also started giving him Gerber Puffs while we were out to eat because they were a good distraction. I started with these because I thought they dissolved most easily, but I learned that Cheerios are actually specially formulated to dissolve easily for babies so I’ve switched to those since I eat them anyways.

IMG_6798

We tried several new foods after he hit the six month mark. Here’s what I wrote in my seven month letter (about what he ate during month 6)

Eating is going well. You LOVE food. About halfway through the month we dropped your early morning feeding so you currently get 4 (6oz) bottles a day. They’re usually around 9am, 1pm, 5pm and 9:30pm. I feed you Cheerios in the morning while I eat my oatmeal to keep you from sticking your hands in my bowl. Around 12pm you have lunch with daddy when he comes home from work. You tried a bunch of new foods this month. After your six month appointment, we started working our way through some of the 8 major allergens. You’ve tried:

  • eggs (scrambled, fried and hard boiled)
  • tree nuts (almond butter)
  • wheat (pancakes and puffs)
  • fish (salmon)

We still have milk, shellfish, soy and peanuts left to try. You’ve also started eating meat. You’ve had chicken thighs and pork tenderloin so far. You’re still loving all your favorite fruits and veggies from previous months as well. Depending on our schedule for the evening, sometimes I’ll give you some more food while we’re eating dinner to keep you busy…other times you’re sleeping while we eat. Around 9pm I give you some oatmeal mixed with scrambled egg and prunes. (You have some issues with pooping regularly so we give you prunes every day).

baby seven months

During this month he also tried little pieces of chicken thigh, pork tenderloin and turkey meatballs.

Now that he’s getting fairly comfortably with eating regularly, my goal is to start encouraging him to feed himself more and more. Every morning I give him a few Cheerios to practice grabbing. He’s getting better about getting them with his two fingers, but he has trouble getting them into his mouth. I also want him to start choosing what he wants to eat more and more out of the foods I offer him.

Every weekend I prep a few veggies and some oatmeal with an egg for him while I’m doing my Sunday Food Prep. Over the next few months, I anticipate he’ll he more and more of what we’re eating. I’ll be back with Part 2 in a couple months!

Again, I realize this isn’t exactly baby led weaning, but it’s definitely a different approach than starting with all purees. For us, it’s been a nice combination approach that’s been working well for us!

If you have any questions, let me know!

[Tweet “Want to learn more about baby led weaning? Here’s how @Leangrnbeanblog made it work for her!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

 

 

A Week of No-Cook Meals

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A week of no-cook meals is just what you need during those hot summer months, or any busy time during the year!

A Week of No Cook Meals

Hi Friends!

Time for another roundup of meal ideas! Summer is almost here and that means HOT weather for most of us. Hot weather means I have little or no desire to turn on the oven or stove, so I rounded up a week of no-cook meals to help you eat well while staying cool!

A Week of No-Cook Meal ideas to help you through the hot summer months!

Do you have a favorite no-cook meal? Leave a link in the comments so everyone can check them out!

Meanwhile, here’s what I found for you:

Breakfast

No-Cook Breakfast Ideas


Lunch

No-Cook Lunch Ideas

Dinner

No-Cook Dinner Recipes

Want to do a little food prep? You could:

  • Make a batch of breakfast cookies.
  • Prep a few jars of overnight oats.
  • Make a batch of 3 bean salad or pad thai.
  • Prep your tuna salad.
  • Make enough pin wheels for a couple days of lunch.
  • Blend up some gazpacho.
  • Prep some kabobs.
  • Make a batch of raw marinara.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Shrimp and Edamame Succotash

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Bursting with summer flavors, this Shrimp and Edamame Succotash is a fun twist on the traditional and makes the perfect weeknight dinner.

Bursting with summer flavors, this Shrimp and Edamame Succatash is a fun twist on the traditional and makes the perfect weeknight dinner.

When I was in school, I spent a year working a few nights a week at a retirement home. All my residents had their favorite meals but one side dish that everyone seemed to love, no matter what their dietary preferences were, was succotash. If I’m being honest, I’ve probably only eaten succotash once in my entire life. It’s traditionally made with lima beans, which are not my favorite, and it just wasn’t something we ate a lot of growing up.

As summer rolls around, I’m on a mission to clear some space in my freezer so that I have room for important things like Healthy Ice Cream Sandwiches, Freezer PB Cups and lots of fresh summer fruits and veggies that I can freeze for winter! Last week, while taking stock of what’s currently in the freezer, I came upon a back of frozen edamame. I honestly can’t even tell you how long it had been in there but I decided it needed to be used. It just so happens that shelled edamame looks a lot liked lima beans and the package happened to be sitting next to a bag of corn. Seeing those two together immediately made me think of the succotash I served at the retirement home.

Bursting with summer flavors, this Shrimp and Edamame Succatash is a fun twist on the traditional and makes the perfect weeknight dinner.

I decided to play around with that idea and try to make a quick summer meal that the hubby and I would enjoy. Whenever I think quick, I think shrimp because they’re literally ready in just a few minutes. I decided grilled shrimp would be the perfect addition to this dish to keep it light and fresh.

Ready to give it a try?

This meal comes together really quickly. I grilled my shrimp, or rather hubby did, but you can easily cook them in the pan if you don’t feel like grilling!

Bursting with summer flavors, this Shrimp and Edamame Succatash is a fun twist on the traditional and makes the perfect weeknight dinner.

Don’t like edamame? Use lima beans another bean you enjoy. Feel free to add fresh tomatoes, squash or other summer veggies if you want!

[Tweet “Try this Shrimp and Edamame Succotash from @leangrnbeanblog for a quick weeknight dinner!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Almond Butter Protein Balls

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These Almond Butter Protein Balls are a gluten-free, no-bake snack recipe that’s great to have on hand for a busy afternoon or to help refuel post-workout!

These Almond Butter Protein Balls are a gluten-free, no-bake snack recipe that's great to have on hand for a busy afternoon or to help refuel post-workout!

Hi Friends!

Just popping in to share a quick snack idea with you guys! I wasn’t originally going to share these because they’re similar to my No Bake Protein Bars, but the whole reason I made these was because I didn’t have any oats, so I thought I’d share this version after all because I like the way they turned out. They’re gluten-free and if you use a plant-based protein powder, they can be dairy-free as well.

These Almond Butter Protein Balls are a gluten-free, no-bake snack recipe that's great to have on hand for a busy afternoon or to help refuel post-workout!

I originally made them as bars, but they were a bit too sticky and not quite firm enough for my liking. However, since they tasted good, I made a few adjustments in a second batch and turned them into balls instead, which worked out perfectly!

Lately I’ve been loving almond butter over peanut butter but feel free to use whatever nut butter you like. I used seeds as mix-ins instead of nuts because they tend to be smaller, which makes it easier for the balls to stick together. If you want to use nuts, I’d just recommend chopping them up!

These Almond Butter Protein Balls are a gluten-free, no-bake snack recipe that's great to have on hand for a busy afternoon or to help refuel post-workout!

Here’s what you need:

I’ve only made them with vanilla protein powder but definitely try them with your favorite flavor!

Store them in the fridge and grab a few for a mid-afternoon snack or toss some in your gym bag to help refuel after a workout!

These Almond Butter Protein Balls are a gluten-free, no-bake snack recipe that's great to have on hand for a busy afternoon or to help refuel post-workout!

[Tweet “Grab some Almond Butter Protein Balls from @leangrnbeanblog for an afternoon snack! “]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Week of 5 Ingredient Meals

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Need some simple new meal ideas? Try one of these 5 ingredient meals this week for something new, healthy and easy!

5 ingredient meals

Hi Friends!

We’re back with another week of meal ideas! This week I rounded up some nice, simple meal ideas! They’re all made with 5 ingredients or less, not counting spices and things like that, so they can come together quickly and without a lot of effort!

Need some quick, easy meal ideas? These recipes can all be made with 5 ingredients or less!

Hope you see something that strikes your fancy!

Breakfast

5 breakfast recipes you can make with 5 ingredients or less!

Lunch

5 lunch recipes you can make with 5 ingredients or less.

Dinner

5 dinner recipes you can make with 5 ingredients or less.

 

Looking to do a little food prep based on this menu? You could:

  • Make a batch of sweet potato pancakes. Just warm and top with nut butter the morning of.
  • Make some scotch eggs for a grab and go breakfast.
  • Make some egg cups to eat throughout the week.
  • Make a batch of chili.
  • Prep some sweet and spicy chicken so all you have to do is bake it, or bake it and reheat later.
  • Prep your kebabs for the grill.
  • Make some ziti
  • Prep easy side dishes to go with this meals like steamed or roasted veggies, quinoa, rice or another grain, etc.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here.

 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Day In The Life – 6 Months

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Hi Friends!

It’s been about 3 months since I did my last day in the life post, so I thought I’d throw together another one. I know not everyone is interested in these but I do get questions about our schedule so I thought I’d share! Plus I like looking back on them 🙂

day in the life

Note, all of these pics aren’t from the same day and of course our schedule varies day to day but this should give you a rough idea of how we spend our time! So here we go:

6:00 – I get up and feed the animals. I usually spend about 30 min on the computer while they eat, go outside etc. If I’m super busy with deadlines and work I’ll stay up , if not, back to bed.

morning wakeup 6 months old

7:30/8:30 – Squish wakes up sometime in this hour window usually. I get him from his crib and bring him into our bed for a little while to chat with daddy, wake up, etc…then we head downstairs and eat while dad gets ready for work. Note- he’s only been sleeping in his crib overnight for about a week. I was planning to start the transition when we got back from Minnesota and while we were there he went several nights without waking up to eat around 5am like he had been doing previously so I knew he was ready to drop that early morning feeding and it seemed like a good time to transition to the crib.

IMG_7452

I give him a bottle, then get my oatmeal ready. We sit on the floor and I eat my oats, while feeding him Cheerios to distract him from sticking his fingers in my bowl.

playing baby 6 months old

We play for a while. He’s usually in a great mood in the morning but only likes to stay up for a hour to an hour and a half after he wakes up before he starts to get tired again.

napping baby

9/10am – Sometime around this time he does down for a nap, depending on when he woke up. I usually just let him nap on the couch and once he falls asleep I grab my computer and get to work.

IMG_6297

I try to cram as much work as possible into naptime. He usually takes his best nap in the morning and it typically lasts 1.5- 2 hours.

6 months old

11/11:30 – He typically wakes up from his nap. We play some more and I typically let him play by himself for at least a little while while I sit nearby and chat with him while I work or head to the kitchen and do some recipe development while he plays. I want him to be able to play independantly and not just when he has someone to entertain him.

6 months

12/12:30 – Daddy comes home for lunch. He eats and I put Squish in his high chair so he can eat to. After that he hangs with dad for a little bit and I try to inhale some food or take pictures or work a little more.

6 month old baby

1:30ish – He gets another bottle and typically goes down for another nap. This time I usually put him down on the bed upstairs. Then it’s a race against the clock because I never know how long he’s sleep but this is when i try to cram in my picture taking, more work, etc and occasionally a workout if i can’t get to the gym for some reason (like when we had several weeks of evening swim classes). He usually sleeps 1-1.5 hours if I’m lucky.

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3:00 – When he wakes up, we play, throw the ball for Tucker, sit outside if it’s nice, walk the dogs, etc. He gets another bottle around 4:30/5.

IMG_6398

5:15- Dad comes home. I pass him off and go get ready to workout. I head to Crossfit while Squish and dad hang.

IMG_6378

They usually end up napping  around 6 and are typically still sleeping when I  get home.

6 months

6:30/8 – Squish wakes up. This nap is super variable. Sometimes he wakes up right when I get home, sometimes he sleeps til 7:30 or 8. Whenever he wakes up we head downstairs to hang out while dad works out. If we’re eating dinner early because it’s a rest day or are out to dinner or with friends or something, he’ll get some more finger foods to keep him busy while we eat…it just depends on the timing of our dinner that night.

IMG_7342

9:00 – He gets his last bottle of the night around this time and then we get him ready for bed. Around 9:30 I give him his oatmeal (it’s actually a mix of oatmeal, scrambled egg and prunes. It’s quite the mixture but he loves it). This helps get him nice and full before bed and right now he’s going about 11 hours without eating overnight.

IMG_6632

9:30/10 – Squish goes to bed on the couch around this time. Yes, we could bring him upstairs but he sleeps fine on the couch and we like having him close by 🙂 Hubby and I eat dinner, watch tv and I typically do more work, especially early in the week when I’m busiest.

12/12:30 – I head to bed. I bring Squish up and put him in his crib, read a little bit and then fall asleep!

I know this isn’t the most typical schedule, but it’s working for us right now and I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learned as a parent – Do what works for you and don’t worry about anyone else!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Homemade Chocolate Milk

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Made with just 4 simple ingredients, this homemade chocolate milk can be made quickly and without all the added ingredients in the storebought version!

Homemade chocolate milk made with just 4 simple ingredients!

Hi Friends!

It’s Recipe Redux time again! The theme for this month was:

DIY Kitchen Essentials

What favorite kitchen staples do you now make from scratch – but in the past you purchased? Show us your best DIY recipe for keeping cupboards, fridge or freezer stocked with healthy basics. Think homemade frozen waffles, salad dressing, broth or other kitchen essentials.

Skip the store bought and make your own homemade chocolate milk with just 4 simple ingredients!

When I saw this theme I knew immediately what I was going to make. Hubby has been drinking a lot of chocolate milk lately and I’ve been looking at the ingredient lists of a lot of different brands. Turns out I’m not crazy about any of them. I knew there had to be a way I could easily make it at home so that I’d have control over the ingredients so I headed to the kitchen and got to work.

I figured the easiest way would be to just throw everything in a blender and give it a whirl.

Not so much.

I added milk, cocoa powder and some maple syrup, which I chose because I figured it would mix better with liquid milk than granulated sugar, blended it up and served it to hubby – who immediately told me it tasted too chalky. Plus the cocoa powder started to separate out almost immediately, so it was back to the drawing board.

For my second attempt I decided to make a chocolate syrup of sorts. I mixed the maple syrup with some water to dilute it a bit, boiled it and then added the cocoa powder.

Perfect! It doesn’t actually turn into a thick syrup, more of just a chocolate liquid that I then added to regular milk, gave it a stir and voila! Chocolate milk that the hubby gave a thumbs up!

Homemade chocolate milk with just 4 simple ingredients!

Honestly, the most challenging part of creating this recipe was taking the photos 🙂

So here’s how you make it:

The cocoa powder starts to separate out a little bit in the chocolate mixture but not nearly the way it did the first time. Just give the jar a quick shake or stir before you add some of the mixture to your milk and you should be good to go!

a
[Tweet “Homemade Chocolate Milk with just 4 simple ingredients from @Leangrnbeanblog!”]

Let’s chat:
Are you a chocolate milk lover? I’m not but hubby thinks it’s the bee’s knees.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

See the links below to check out what other homemade goodies people came up with:


Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

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This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is packed with flavor and super simple! The perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner and you’ll have leftovers to pack for lunch!

This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is easy to make and full of flavor! The perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner.

Hi Friends!

I have another easy dinner recipe for you today! I was walking through the grocery store the other day and I saw some tomatillos that were pretty much begging to be turned into salsa. A couple years ago I learned how to make Homemade Salsa Verde and it’s SO easy! So I came home and whipped up a double batch, which then inspired me to make this casserole.

This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is easy to make and full of flavor! The perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner.

If you use pre-cooked chicken, this casserole comes together super quickly but even if you start from scratch it can be ready in about 30 minutes!

This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is easy to make and full of flavor! The perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner.

Here’s how you make it:

Feel free to use store-bought salsa verde, or make your own. For my recipe, scroll down to the bottom of this post. I like to make mine extra spicy! Make a double batch and make some of my Pork Chili Verde as well!

Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

Change things up and use farro, quinoa or whatever else you desire instead of rice or easily make it vegetarian by leaving out the chicken!

[Tweet “Make this Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole from @leangrnbeanblog for dinner this week!”]

Dinner is served!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

5 Easy Weeknight Dinners

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Need quick and easy weeknight dinners? Learn how to use food prep effectively to make it easy to throw together healthy and delicious weeknight meals!

Need quick and easy weeknight dinners? Learn how to use food prep effectively to make it easy to throw together healthy and delicious weeknight meals!

Hi Friends!

My apologies for not posting a food prep post for the past couple of weekends! Hubby was traveling a few weeks ago so my prep was smaller than normal and then two weekends we were heading out of town so I didn’t prep. But have no fear! I got back on track last weekend so I’ll have prep to share with you on Sunday. In the meantime, I thought I’d make it up to you by showing you how I use some of my food prep to make easy weeknight dinners.

Need quick and easy weeknight dinners? Learn how to use food prep effectively to make it easy to throw together healthy and delicious weeknight meals!

I was planning to share a Weekly Eats post today but decided this might be a fun way to change it up. Hopefully it’ll show you why I think food prep can be so helpful. I don’t share pics of my dinner nearly as much as I used to but these are all meals we eat regularly and my Sunday food prep definitely makes them easy to throw together!

Lentil Chicken Curry

Curry with Rice & Naan

Food Prep Options:

  •  Prep the whole dish and just reheat to eat throughout the week.
  • Roast a chicken
  • Cook some lentils  (don’t forget you can cook extra and freeze them for later!)
  • Cook some rice

During the week:

  • Simply throw some frozen veggies in a pan, add some coconut milk, curry paste, chicken and/or lentils and heat through. Warm up some rice and some frozen naan from the freezer (I like Trader Joe’s) and dinner is ready in 15 minutes or so!

Recipes:

Lentil Mac & Cheese with Sausage

Mac & Cheese with Chicken Sausage

Food Prep Options:

  • Prep the whole dish and just reheat to eat throughout the week.
  • Cook some lentils  (don’t forget you can cook extra and freeze them for later!)
  • Cook some quinoa, farro, wheatberries, etc if you don’t want pasta.
  • Prep your favorite meat (chicken, pork, etc)

During the week:

  • Cook pasta (or get out another grain you’ve prepared) according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, saute veggies (fresh or frozen). Add some of the pre-cooked lentils or meat you prepped, along with a little milk and cheese and stir to combine. Or simply pan-sear a pre-cooked chicken sausage to heat it up and serve on the side.

Recipes:

Freezer Chicken Tenders

Chicken Tenders with Veggies & Fruit

Food Prep Options:

  • Prep several batches of chicken tenders and freeze them.
  • Prep some fresh veggies.

During the week:

  • Simply take out a batch of chicken tenders and throw them in the oven. Serve with fruits and veggies and your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipes:

Nachos

Nachos

Food Prep Options:

  • Prep your protein of choice – beans, chicken, pork, ground beef or turkey.
  • Chop peppers and onions.
  • Prep a bag of Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken and Freeze
  • Make homemade salsa or guacamole

During the week:

  • Top tortilla chips with protein of choice, pre-chopped veggies and cheese and heat in the microwave or oven. Add salsa and avocado and serve!
  • Or, pull the cilantro lime chicken out one morning and let it cook in the crockpot all day, then serve over chips and top with cheese and salsa.

Recipes:

Burrito Salad

Burrito Salad Bowls

Food Prep Options:

  • Prep your protein of choice – beans, chicken, pork, ground beef or turkey.
  • Chop peppers, onions or any other veggies that you want to add raw.
  • Roast a pan of veggies to add (try sweet potatoes!)
  • Make Salsa Yogurt Dressing
  • Cook rice
  • Wash and chop lettuce
  • Make some guacamole

During the week:

  • Put lettuce in a large bowl and add rice, beans, meat, veggies, cheese and avocado. Top with dressing. You could probably make this faster than the amount of time you’d spend standing in line at Chipotle.

Recipes:

 

Most of these meals can easily be made to fit your dietary needs and habits – ie, make them paleo-friendly, gluten-free, vegetarian etc! If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll give food prep a try!

[Tweet “Learn how to use food prep to make 5 Easy Weeknight Dinners via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

For more easy dinner ideas check out this post: 12 Ways To Use Leftovers

Looking for some ways to use leftovers? Here are 12 ideas for repurposing leftover chicken, pork and salmon!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Tips For Gluten-Free Baking

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Need some tips for Gluten-Free Baking? Learn the basics and then head to your kitchen to start experimenting with delicious recipes.

Hi Friends!

As you guys know, I’m not gluten-free…but lately I’ve been getting some questions from readers about how to adapt my recipes, especially baking recipes, to be gluten-free. Since I’m most definitely not an expert in that area, I’ve found myself having trouble offering suggestions.

So, I asked my gal pal Lindsay to give you guys some tips for gluten-free baking! Hope you find them helpful!

 

Hi there Fellow bean lovers! My name is Lindsay Cotter and I blog over at Cotter Crunch. So happy Linz is letting me share my love for GLUTEN FREE TODAY.

Need some tips for Gluten-Free Baking? Learn the basics and then head to your kitchen to start experimenting with delicious recipes.

But first, about me. I’m married to a pro triathlete and Tri Coach. I’m also a Fitness Professional and Nutrition Specialist that specializes in Gluten free Eating and Endurance sports. Hence how I married a triathlete. My blog is a gluten free guide (for all), and I want to be there to help others maintain proper nutrition as you work toward your goals, fitness or not. That’s why I’m called the SHERPA wife; to support and FUEL others!!

Cotter Crunch

But the other main reason I blog is to (hopefully) make gluten free eating easy and healthy for those who are either new to gluten free due to a diagnosis, or who want to experiment with gluten free for their own personal reasons. I’ve been gluten free since 2008 due to health reasons. Back then, I was a bit overwhelmed with the what to do next or where to even start with the whole diet process.

Which is why I am here today!

Let’s start with the Basics –> Gluten Free Baking

paleo cocoa molasses hazelnut bread 7 (4 of 1)

Thankfully a lot has changed over the past 5 years and there are a lot more gluten free baking/cooking options.

But I still get a lot of questions about GF baking.

Like what flours are gluten free and what GF flours mixes work well together?

It actually took me a while to figure this one out. There was lot of trial and error and researching. I also found great blogs (like Sarena) that have been doing this for years and know what gluten free flours work well and where.

So let’s make it simple and focus on these four flours. These are the most versatile anyway.

Tapioca flour – Tapioca flour comes from the root of a cassava plant. Same thing as tapioca pearls, like you would use for a pudding, but tapioca flour is when the pearls are grounded into a flour texture.

  • Tapioca flour/starch adds structure to gluten free baking. It also helps give things an even chewiness, which we often lack in gluten free foods. It’s great for baking things like cookies and cakes.

Amaranth flour – A high protein gluten-free grain- even more protein than wheat. One cup of raw amaranth contains 28.1 grams of protein.

  • Amaranth absorbs water quite easily, which makes it a great emulsifier. But it can make your gluten free baking very dense if you don’t use it with other gluten free flours/starches. I like to use amaranth in savory dishes like pizza dough or some other kind of thick crust.

Sorghum Flour– sorghum is the probably the easiest gluten free flour to work with. Great substitute for wheat flour in baking or pancakes. It improves the texture for sure and is light in taste. It works best when combined with other gluten free flours, such as rice flour and tapioca flour.

silver dollar gluten free protein pancakes

Potato Starch –Potato starch acts like a thickening agent. Great to add to stews, soups, sauces, etc. It also can help add more moisture to your baking mixes.

Everything but the kitchen sink soup 2 (GF) - Vegan option. Budget friendly. #glutenfree www.cottercrunch.com

Note: Also check the labels on the starches, just in case they’ve added any other agents that are not GF.

Not into baking with grains? You can easily sub in coconut flour or almond meal, but BE WARE, coconut flour soaks up much more moisture than almond. So recipes with coconut flour will need to have some sort of wet ingredient (like milk, egg, yogurt, etc) prevent them from getting crumbly and dry.

Want to give this whole GF baking this a whirl? Try this simple, yet healthy, cookie recipe to begin. , which of course includes a gluten free flour, and is perfect for SPRING! Click on picture to go to recipe!

gluten free and dairy free chocolate mesquite cookies! Great for a post workout snack or breakfast on the goal! Nutrient dense and full of sweetsmokey flavor! cottercrunch.com @cottercrunch

Well folks, that’s all for now. Let me know if you give this gluten free baking a whirl or if you have ANY questions! I’d love to answer!

Cheers,

Lindsay C.

Be sure to follow Lindsay every which way so you don’t miss any of her amazing recipes! \

[Tweet “Intimidated by gluten-free baking? Get tips and tricks from @lccotter on @leangrnbeanblog today!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads

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With just 3 main ingredients, these gluten-free Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads are simple to make and easy to customize!

With just 3 main ingredients, these gluten-free Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads are simple to make and easy to customize. Perfect recipe for lunch or snack time!

Thank you to the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network for sponsoring this post as part of the #CrunchOn campaign with California Almonds.

Hi friends!

These flatbreads. They’re my new favorite thing! I’m so excited to share the recipe with all of you so you can make them yourselves.

I’m not even going to tell you how many trial runs I did of this recipe. I wanted to get the perfect ratio and combination of ingredients. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I got a HUGE bag of almond flour to be used for recipe testing….because use it, I did 🙂

With just 3 main ingredients, these gluten-free Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads are simple to make and easy to customize. Perfect recipe for lunch or snack time!

With just three main ingredients, these flatbreads come together quickly and you can customize them with all your favorite spices. I liked mine with cayenne pepper, paprika and a little garlic powder but you could try with curry powder or whatever else floats your boat. You could even try a sweet version by adding a pinch of sugar and some cinnamon!

The main ingredient is almond flour, which I love experimenting with!  Almonds are packed with nutrients! They’re full of vitamins and minerals, high in fiber and are a good source of magnesium and Vitamin E. Plus they’re full of healthy monounsaturated fats and protein. I enjoy snacking on them in pretty much any form. I eat them raw in my trailmix, turn them into nut butter, add them to baked goods etc.

This time I wanted to change things up and use almond flour. I’ve made a few gluten-free treats using almond flour but these are much simpler. And they make the perfect snack-time vehicle to top with all your favorite things!

With just 3 main ingredients, these gluten-free Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads are simple to make and easy to customize. Perfect recipe for lunch or snack time!

Here’s how you make them:

A few notes:

  • If you want bigger flatbreads, divide dough into 4 pieces instead.
  • You can really make these as thick or thin as you want.
  • They don’t have to be perfectly circular!
  • Definitely use parchment paper or they might stick!
  • Play around with the spices you mix in to flavor them to your liking!

With just 3 main ingredients, these gluten-free Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads are simple to make and easy to customize. Perfect recipe for lunch or snack time!

Once they’ve baked, the real fun starts- topping them! You’re pretty much only limited by your imagination here. A few options include:

  • hummus + veggies
  • smashed avocado + tomatoes + feta
  • plain yogurt + berries + chocolate chips
  • mustard + deli turkey slices
  • smashed avocado + chicken + cheese

I ate most of these as an open-faced flatbread with toppings but one day for lunch I tore one in half and sandwiched some deli turkey between the two pieces and called it lunch! Delish!

[Tweet “These Almond Sweet Potato Flatbreads from @leangrnbeanblog are the perfect snack time vehicle!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

A Week of Paleo Meals

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A week of paleo meals that are so delicious you’ll want to eat them no matter what diet you follow!

A Week of Paleo Meals

Hi Friends!

Time for another batch of recipe ideas! This week I rounded up a week of paleo meals. The Paleo diet is all the rage right now and although I don’t personally follow it, I do think there there are a lot of delicious, healthy meals out there that also happen to be paleo!

A week of paleo meal ideas to help you plan your menu next week!

So I thought I’d round up some tasty meals that just so happen to be paleo and hopefully some of them will sound good to you, no matter what style of eating you follow!

Breakfast

A week of paleo breakfast ideas

Lunch

A week of paleo lunch ideas

Dinner

paleo dinner ideas

 

Looking to do a little food prep based on this menu? You could:

  • Make a batch of sweet potato waffles so it’s easy to assemble breakfast sandwiches
  • Make a double batch of sausage and freeze some.
  • Bake some muffins.
  • Make a frittata to reheat during the week.
  • Prep the cauliflower rice for your fried rice.
  • Make a pot of soup.
  • Make the pesto pulled chicken.
  • Prep veggies for the grill.
  • Make the sauce for your salmon and shrimp.
  • Grill some chicken for your salad.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here. 

 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Breakfast Nachos

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Gluten-free and easy to customize, these Breakfast Nachos are quick, easy way to change up your breakfast routine!

Gluten-free and easy to customize, these Breakfast Nachos are quick, easy way to change up your breakfast routine!

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk about these breakfast nachos. If you’ve been reading the blog for any length of time, you know I love breakfast. Not only do I love it, I NEED it. I pretty much cannot function unless I eat within 30 minutes of waking up. Usually I’m an oatmeal kinda girl but every once and a while it’s fun to change things up.

Gluten-free and easy to customize, these Breakfast Nachos are quick, easy way to change up your breakfast routine!

By change it up, I pretty much mean switch from oatmeal to eggs. I love eggs and truth be told, I don’t just eat them for breakfast. I’ve eaten eggs for dinner 3 nights this week, including eating these “breakfast nachos” last night. They’re perfect for pretty much every meal…but I’m calling them breakfast because for many people, eggs = breakfast food.

I guess what I’m saying is, don’t limit yourself! If you wanna eat these for lunch or dinner, by all means…go for it!

Gluten-free and easy to customize, these Breakfast Nachos are quick, easy way to change up your breakfast routine!

I’m not giving you any ingredient quantities either, because like most nachos, you simply adjust the toppings for the amount of people you want to feed. They’re very forgiving and exact quantities aren’t needed in order for you to make these successfully!

Here’s what you do:

Pretty easy right?! Like I mentioned in the notes above, these are easy to customize! Leave out the sausage or beans if you want to.

Gluten-free and easy to customize, these Breakfast Nachos are quick, easy way to change up your breakfast routine!

If you’re making a big pan and want lots of cheese you can always pop them under the broiler to melt the cheese!

[Tweet “Make these Breakfast Nachos from @leangrnbeanblog to change up your morning routine!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Salsa Yogurt Dressing

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This Salsa Yogurt Dressing is a  simple combination of plain yogurt and salsa. It makes a great salad dressing and can also be used as a dip or marinade!

This Salsa Yogurt Dressing is simple to make and great for salads! It can also be used as a marinade or dip!

You guys, this dressing.

You need it in your life.

It isn’t so much a recipe….more just a thing you need to know about.

This Salsa Yogurt Dressing is simple to make and great for salads! It can also be used as a marinade or dip!

We made this to go on our taco salads when I was out in Cali and it was nothing new- I’d made the combo myself before…but ever since I’ve been back I can’t seem to get enough! It’s like finding a favorite purse in the back of your closet. You used to love it, then you forgot about it and now that you’ve found it again, you seem to love it even more!

I’ve made a batch for myself the past two weekends and so many of you got excited about it on Instagram that I decided that it needed a post all its own.

This Salsa Yogurt Dressing is simple to make and great for salads! It can also be used as a marinade or dip!

Plain yogurt + your favorite salsa = Salsa Yogurt Dressing!

This Salsa Yogurt Dressing is simple to make and great for salads! It can also be used as a marinade or dip!

Start with 3/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 cup salsa. Taste it and add more salsa if you want! You can use Greek or regular yogurt…Greek will just be a little bit thicker. I use whole milk plain yogurt.

Salsa Yogurt Dressing

I’ve also used this as a dip for veggies and a marinade for chicken and salmon!

[Tweet “You need this Salsa Yogurt Dressing from @leangrnbeanblog in your life!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–