stovetop tex-mex pasta

Are your weeks as crazy as ours? I feel like I can’t quite catch my breath some days.

Like tonight, for example. We don’t get home from work until between 6:15-6:30 most days, thanks to student traffic in town. Baby boy eats as soon as we get home, and we feed the dog and cats. Then we start working on our dinner and toss in a load of diapers or our laundry. Fill water bottles and pack lunches. Put baby boy in pjs and get him into bed (even though I just want to snuggle him all night long). Pay bills, write blog posts, or anything else on the computer.

Eat….at some point?

Our schedule has definitely changed – and it was for the BEST reason ever – but I’m still getting used to this new shift in our days, especially with work thrown back in the mix after being home for a while with the little guy.

stovetop tex-mex pasta

So a stovetop pasta made in 30 minutes? That’s something I need in my life.

And I don’t know about you, but pasta tends to get thrown into the same recipes, over and over again. I wanted to come up with a new mix for this fall – something perfect for football season – and I think we have a winner!

stovetop tex-mex pasta

I know I’ve said this before, but Dreamfields is now the only pasta we keep in the house. The texture is perfect, every time, and it’s got more fiber and protein than your typical pasta, giving each dish you make a little boost! And for busy weeks, it’s always nice to know that even quick meals can be healthy.

This is kind of like chili meets pasta. Or like your favorite taco filling tossed together with perfectly cooked pasta, and topped with your favorite toppings. And who doesn’t like tex-mex flavors?

On second thought, don’t tell me if you don’t. I don’t know if I could handle it. We live for scallions and cilantro in this house – you can never have enough!

stovetop tex-mex pasta

Stovetop Tex-Mex Pasta

Quick and easy stovetop pastas are one of my favorite things to make. The possibilities are endless! This version has great flavor from the mix of spices cooked into the meat and sauce, and then it's pumped up with some beans, Dreamfields rotini, and all your favorite tex-mex toppings.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Dreamfields Rotini
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 can (about 15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (see note)
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
  • 1 small avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally and breaking beef into crumbles.

3. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper and tomato paste to skillet. Cook 2 minutes or until spices are fragrant, stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in tomatoes, water, beans and 1/4 cup of the green onions. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

5. Add pasta to beef mixture; toss to combine well. Divide mixture among serving dishes. Top each with remaining green onions, avocado, Cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Note: Black, pinto or kidney beans can be substituted.

Nutrition information (1/6 of recipe): 430 calories; 28 g protein; 49 g carbohydrates; 16 g total fat; 6 g saturated fat; 60 mg cholesterol; 760 mg sodium; 12 g total dietary fiber.

I am part of the Dreamfields DreamTeam; this post was made possible by the Dreamfields team. As always, all opinions and recipes are my own – thank you for supporting brands that support us!

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

Mmm…pizza.

You guys know we love pizza. I’m a sucker for a good homemade crust, and nothing beats a perfectly browned, cheesy pizza straight out of the oven.

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

But sometimes, you want pizza just a little bit quicker. A 10 minute lunch or dinner. Easy to prep, easy to make, easy to eat.

Enter the english muffin (or even french bread) pizzas! The base is ready for you, just waiting for your favorite toppings.

And if quick, easy make-your-own pizzas aren’t good enough, enter Sabra, our all time favorite hummus makers.

They now have pizza flavored hummus. PIZZA flavored hummus. I know – why did no one think of this before?! This creamy mix has all the right spices to use as a base for your english muffin pizza.

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

Now that I’m back at work, having quick + easy + healthy meals is even MORE important – not only our schedules, but also for my sanity. I need to know that we have some fast options in the fridge, just in case plans change or the leftovers I counted on don’t happen.

Nick and I made these mini pizzas last weekend for lunch after church, and I cannot wait to make them again! The topping options are endless! I’m pretty sure my next one will include more olives + feta + fresh garden tomatoes.

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

The best part about these? It’s like pizza squared! Cheesy melty pizza on an english muffin, with a creamy base of pizza-flavored hummus. These are a great way to get hummus-lovers to try it out in a new way, too.

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

Make sure to check your local stores for Sabra’s new Pizza Hummus, or any of their other new flavors!

pizza hummus english muffin pizzas

Looking for a new weeknight dinner or easy weekend lunch? Have picky eaters at home? English muffin pizzas are the way to go. Switch up your normal toppings with Sabra's new pizza-flavored hummus - more flavor, more veggies, more pizzazz!

Ingredients:

  • 2 english muffins, split
  • 2 containers Sabra pizza flavored hummus
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 8 slices pepperoni
  • 3 green olives, sliced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Divide the hummus between the english muffin halves.
  3. Top each with a slice of cheese, pepperoni, olives (optional) and oregano.
  4. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted/beginning to brown. Serve immediately.

This post was created in partnership with Sabra – I am a Sabra Tastemaker and proud of it! We love their products and the company. Thank you for supporting brands that support us!

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield and Wayfair. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Summers are all about the salads for me. Regardless of what we have growing in our garden, summer is the time to spend more at the farmer’s market than at the grocery store, buying up all the fresh produce you can.

We’ve been eating our way through pounds of peaches, tomatoes, greens, zucchini, okra, herbs, berries…you name it, I’ll put it in my salad!

summer salad with pesto yogurt dressing

But out of all the salads we’ve made so far this summer, this one has been my favorite.

It’s simple. You don’t need tons of ingredients. It’s easy to customize, and the dressing will pretty much go with any topping you like.

No matter what I have in my salads, I like to make sure that there are at least 3 different textures and at least 1 source of healthy fat and/or protein, if not more! Especially if your salad is going to be your meal and not just a side.

summer salad with pesto yogurt dressing

This mix is torn romaine, arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, hard boiled eggs, and some salted rosemary marcona almonds (AMAZING).

But the dressing is the best part. Thick, tangy Stonyfield greek yogurt mixed with bright pesto, a little extra olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s one of the easiest homemade dressings you can make and so delicious that you’ll want it on everything this summer!

And when it comes to serving big summer salads, I love putting everything on a big platter, adding some dressing, and then letting each person take what they want. This is a great way to do salads for big parties because it lets everyone choose how much of each topping they want, or they can also pass on something if they’re not a fan. I’ve never really had the space before to have larger serving platters, so when Stonyfield and Wayfair paired up together for this summer salad combo, I knew exactly what I wanted to get!

I found this beautiful set of blue printed platters, as well as a set of simple, white serving dishes to use for salads just like this one. The white set is the perfect size for me and Nick, and the blue ones will be great to have when we have company over. If you’re looking for a new set of salad bowls or serving platters (or anything else kitchen related), check out Wayfair!

Summer Salad with Pesto Yogurt Dressing

This salad is best with classic romaine, peppery arugula, bright tomatoes, creamy avocado, and crunchy almonds, but feel free to customize your mix-ins for whatever you like. I love the balance of the summery pesto with the tomatoes and crunch of the nuts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups torn romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, halved
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup marcona almonds
  • 1/4 cup Stonyfield greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp pesto
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. Place all the salad ingredients on a large platter.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, pesto, olive oil, salt, and pepper together.
  3. Drizzle the dressing over the platter.
  4. Divide the salad ingredients on separate plates or bowls, toss with more dressing (optional), and serve.

Thank you for supporting brands that support us!

cookbook update!

cookbook cover

I am SO excited to finally announce that my cookbook, Cooking with Coffee, is up for pre-sale!

The book comes out in November (officially), but seeing the cover and listing online is UNREAL. I mean, I know I submitted everything months ago and did the edits, but seeing it up online truly makes it feel like it’s completed.

The timing of this book could not have been crazier.

I think I signed the contract the month before finding out we were pregnant, so pretty much everything was tried, tested, shot, written, and edited before little man’s arrival. Whew! It was a crazy 9 months, to say the least.

coffee granola

Despite all the late nights and weekends that were completely consumed with cooking dishes and brewing coffee, it was totally worth it.

I may cry when I first get to hold this book in my hands. To actually see it printed and bound and all put together. I had such a fantastic experience working with my editor and the publishing company, and I CANNOT wait for you guys to see it!

coffee truffles

Cooking with Coffee: Brewing Up Sweet and Savory Everyday Dishes is now up for pre-order just about everywhere!

Thank you, thank YOU for reading and for being as excited for this as I am!