Recipes--Fall Favs

In our house Fall is all about football, hosting people, and easy yummy foods! I honestly am not a huge pumpkin fan but the two pumpkin recipes below are my favorites (and not too strong of a pumpkin flavor). The pumpkin just makes them more moist and yummy! Try these recipes put for your family or the next time you need an easy breakfast meal or side dish when guests are over.

HEALTHY PUMPKIN MUFFINS

• 1 c pumpkin puree

• 1/2 c melted coconut oil

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 c maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 c oat flour (I didn’t have any so I used whole wheat flour and it still turned out)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp pumkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg)

• 1/2 c dark chocolate chips

  Instructions:

  Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with nonstick spray. In a large bowl add the pumpkin, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla & whisk until well combined. In a small bowl, mix the whole wheat (oat flour), baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop into the muffin tin and bake for about 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!

HEALTHY PUMPKIN BREAD

• 2 eggs room temp

• 1/2 c granulated sugar ( I used coconut sugar)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ⅔ c mashed banana

• ½ c pumpkin puree

• ½ c greek yogurt

• 1 ½ c all purpose flour (I used whole wheat)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 c chopped pecans

• ½ c dark chocolate chips

  Instructions:

  Preheat the oven to 350. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl mash the bananas and mix in the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla (until fully combined). Add in the yogurt and mix well.  In a medium bowl, add in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon & mix well. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon. Fold in chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with extra pecans and chocolate chips. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool for about 20 minutes and enjoy!

EASY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

• 24 oz. frozen hash browns -about 8 cups

• 1 c ground sausage (optional)

• 1 c diced bacon (optional)

• 8 oz. shredded cheese

• 12 large eggs

• 1 c milk -I used non flavor almond

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

  Instructions:

  Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish. Add the frozen potatoes, meat, and cheese to a large bowl and mix to combine. Pour the mixture into the dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the hash brown mixture. Top with a little more of the shredded cheese. Pat everything down with the back of a wooden spoon. Bake for about an hour. The center should be set and the edges should be golden brown, enjoy!

Chili season

White chicken chili

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 3 breasts), 4 c low-sodium chicken stock, 2 15-ounce cans reduced-sodium white beans, 2 4.5-ounce cans diced green chiles, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 small yellow onion finely diced, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime wedges

Directions:

Place chicken in the bottom of a larger slow cooker. Top with the chicken broth, white beans, green chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred and set aside (I like to shred it with a hand blender). Stir in the shredded chicken and cilantro. Portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and some shredded cheese.

Crockpot Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs hamburger browned, 2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes and peppers, 10 ¾ oz cream of onion soup, 1 package dry taco seasoning mix, ¼ c water, 6 Tortillas cut into ½ inch strips, ½ c sour cream, 1 c cheddar cheese shredded

Directions:

Combine beef, Ro-Tel, Cream of Onion soup, taco seasoning and water in crock pot. Cut up tortillas and stir into mix. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours. Spread the sour cream over casserole and sprinkle with cheese. Cover for additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted

Slow cooker chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean Ground Beef, (90/10 or 93/7), 1 large onion, diced, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 2 tsp cumin powder, 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 15 oz black beans, (drained and rinsed), 30 oz kidney beans, two 15oz cans, (drained and rinsed), 30 oz diced tomatoes, with their juice, 10 oz diced tomatoes and green chilis, with their juice, 30 oz tomato sauce

Directions:

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté beef until it releases fat (4-5 minutes), breaking it up with a spatula. Add onion to the skillet and sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Add minced garlic and seasonings: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another 30 seconds stirring constantly. Transfer to a 6 Qt slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients into the slow cooker: rinsed and drained beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, diced tomatoes and green chilis with juice and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Season to taste if desired and serve warm with shredded cheese and chips.

Comforting one pot chicken chili

2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 medium onion, diced, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 lb ground chicken (I used ground bison), 1 tsp cumin, 1 packet taco seasoning, 2/3 c water, 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilis, 1 c chicken broth, 1 16 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 c frozen corn, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Add ground chicken (or beef) and break up while cooking. If using ground chicken, let it cook until chicken turns white. Mix in cumin, taco seasoning, and water until well combined. Cool down for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, beans, corn, and salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low for about 20 minutes. Load chili in your bowl with your favorite toppings. Eat and enjoy!

Enjoy these family favorite chili type recipes on these cold Minnesota winter nights:)

(Recipes off of Pinterest)

xoxo,

MRS T

NEW recipes

In the last couple weeks I’ve been trying some new recipes so I thought I’d share:)

Carrot Zuchinni mini muffins

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup shredded carrot, 1 cup grated zucchini, 1/4 cup canola oil, 3 mashed bananas (or 2 mashed bananas and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin (mine made about 30). Add the whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, and then add the canola oil, carrots, the grated zucchini and the mashed bananas and mix with a spoon until all the wet ingredients are combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold together well.

Drop about a tablespoon of the muffin batter into each of the prepared muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until the muffins are a nice golden brown. Remove them from the oven and from their tin and let them cool completely on a cooling rack before enjoying!

*My four year old ate a bunch which I was pumped about since he’s picky with eating vegetables.

English muffin sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 package English Muffins, 1/2 pound breakfast sausage (could use a few slices of bacon cut up instead), 8 eggs, 4 tbs melted butter, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, 1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet over medium heat cook breakfast sausage (I usually use the Jimmy Dean sausage). Remove sausage and set aside. Scramble eggs and season with salt and pepper. Remove eggs from heat. Melt butter then combine with garlic powder. Brush butter mixture over the bread. Sprinkle cheese on the muffin half then stack on eggs and sausage and put the top on. Repeat for each English Muffin sandwich. If freezing stop here and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe bag for up to three months. When ready to enjoy follow these instructions.

Bake at 350º for 10-15 minutes or until muffins are toasted and cheese is melted. Serve immediately or keep fresh in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to seven days.

Tater tot breakfast casserole

Ingredients:

2 lb hot breakfast sausage (I used half a package of Jimmy Dean sausage and 6-7 pieces of bacon cut up), 1 (30-32oz) bag frozen tater tots, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1-2 cups shredded cheese, 8 eggs, 2 cups milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. In a large bowl, toss together tater tots, cooked sausage, bacon, and cheese. Pour into the pan. Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and milk. Pour over tater tot mixture. I add a little more cheese over the top. Cover and refrigerate at this point if baking later. Bake uncovered for 60 – 70 minutes. Enjoy!

*This is Adam’s favorite breakfast so I make this one and my hash brown casserole very often. Overall, it’s super easy and a hearty breakfast. You could even add peppers and some onions to make it healthier. My kids like it the way I make it so I haven’t changed it:)

Quick Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium russet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450. Wash the potatoes and slice them in half. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potatoes on top and rub them with olive oil, just enough to coat. Sprinkle them with salt. Turn the potatoes cut side down and prick the tops several times with fork. Bake until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned on the edges (about 25 to 35 minutes). Prick them with a fork to assess doneness. Serve with butter, salt, and pepper or make a loaded baked potato with all the yummy toppings.

Air Fryer Buffalo Califlower Bites

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (you'll need about 4 to 5 cups)…or buy the florets already cut up, 2 tbs melted butter, 1 tbs olive oil, 1/2 cup frank's red hot sauce, 1/2 cup almond flour, 3 tbs dried parsley, 1/2 tbs garlic powder, 1 tsp lawry's seasoning salt

Directions:

Place cauliflower florets in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Melt butter; stir in olive oil and hot sauce until thoroughly combined. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the cauliflower; mix around until all cauliflower florets are coated.

In a separate bowl whisk together almond flour, dried parsley, garlic powder, and seasoning salt. Sprinkle about a handful at a time of almond flour mixture over the cauliflower; gently mix until everything is coated. Transfer half of the prepared cauliflower to the air fryer. Air fry at 350˚F for 15 minutes, shaking a couple times during the cooking process. Cauliflower is done when the florets are a bit browned, but not mushy. Remove cauliflower from the Air Fryer. Repeat the same process with the remaining cauliflower florets. Serve with ranch or bleu cheese!

*I’ve been wanting to make these forever and so I finally got around to making them and they were so good. Both Adam and I aren’t big fans of plain cauliflower, but we are big fans of spicy things..and buffalo wings so I thought I’d give them a try. They are a healthier version of boneless wings, and I will definitely be making these again!

Easy Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

About 24 Tortilla Chips, plus additional for serving, 1 tbs chili oil (or olive oil and red pepper flakes), 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 lb ground chicken (could use ground beef/turkey as well), 2 tbs taco seasoning, 1 can black beans, drained, 1 cup hot salsa (I used Picante hot salsa), 1 cup shredded cheese, Optional: Other toppings such as jalapeños, olives, etc.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add meat and taco seasoning. Cook for about five minutes, breaking up meat with a spatula. Add beans and salsa. Mix well and continue to cook until salsa thickens. Line the bottom of a large baking dish with tortilla chips, pressing down on them lightly to break them into bite-sized pieces. Spread the meat and bean mixture over the chips and top with shredded cheese. Add sliced jalapenos or other toppings that you want to be cooked. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey. Scoop up with additional chips if desired.

*Adam and I loved how spicy it was but it was definitely too spicy for my boys..ended up making pb&j sandwiches for them. Next time I probably won’t use that hot of a salsa and use a more medium kind. If I add jalapeños on top next time, I’ll leave about a quarter of the casserole without them so my boys will eat it:) It was super yummy.

Hope you all enjoy these recipes! Most my these recipes are off of Pinterest, but I do change some of them up a bit

xoxo,

MRS T

4 recipes I'm loving lately

I wanted to share a few recipes that I have been making a lot of lately. Two of them are Fall staples in our house:) My favorite recipes are ones that don’t take too long to make (especially with two boys wanting me/running around the kitchen), and that are overall healthy.

I’d love to know what you think of these recipes I’ve shared! Enjoy! (all came off of Pinterest)

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients: 2 c rolled oats, 1 c chopped walnuts, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 c diced apples (1 medium apple), 1/2 c applesauce, 1/2 c almond milk (room temperature), 2 eggs room temperature, 1/4 c maple syrup, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp pure almond extract, 1/4 c coconut oil (melted & slightly cooled)

—- Preheat oven to 350 F and spray an 8 by 8 inch glass baking dish.

—- In a large bowl combine oats, walnuts, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Mix in diced apples, applesauce, milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in coconut oil until well combined.

—- Spread mixture into prepared baking dish and bake 30 minutes or until set/ light golden brown on top. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or reheat!

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients: 1 c pumpkin pure, 1 mashed banana, 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 c nonfat milk (I used almond milk), 3 tbs honey, 3 tbs maple syrup, 2 tbs coconut oil (melted), 2 eggs, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1c & 3/4 c whole wheat flour, 1/2 c dark chocolate chips

—-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bread pan (9x5). Stir together the pumpkin, banana, applesauce, milk, honey, maple syrup, oil, and eggs. Once well combined add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Then stir in the flour. Fold in the chocolate chips, save a few to sprinkle on top.

—- Pour into the bread ban and bake for 50-60 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients: 3 c rolled oats, 1/2 c almond flour, 1/2 c + 2 tbs pure maple syrup, 3/4 c almond butter ( I do half almond, half smooth peanut butter), 3 tbs melted coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 3/4 c dark chocolate chips

—- Line an 8 by 8 inch (or a 9 x 13 pan if your doing 1 layer bars) baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, maple syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon. So this next part I do a little different but its great either way. (At this step I put the whole mixture in to make one bottom layer instead of making 3 layers…both ways are pictured below. If you’re doing it into 3 layer bars follow these next steps…Transfer half the mixture into the baking pan and push down with a spoon/hands to make it flat. Place in fridge and let harden for at least 30 minutes. After the mixture has hardened melt the chocolate chips along with the remaining 1/4 almond butter ( I usually just melt a bit of coconut oil and chocolate chips). Pour the chocolate on the oat layer and refrigerator until hardened, about 1 hour. Remove from the fridge and place the remaining oat mixture on top. Press down on top and place back in fridge to harden (at least 30 minutes). Slice into 9-12 bars. The bars will keep up to 2 weeks in fridge or 6 months in freezer. *** We enjoy them in the freezer, so good!!

Taco Twist Soup

Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (we use ground bison in this recipe and love it), 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 3/4 c Swanson beef broth or Campbell’s condensed chicken broth, 1 c Pace Picante Sauce (pick what spice you want it—I did hot last time but was way too spicy for my little boys), 1 can diced tomatoes (don’t drain), 1 c uncooked spiral pasta ( I use whole wheat), 1/4 c sour cream (optional—I’ve never added)

—-Cook the ground beef, chili powder, and cumin in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Pour off any fat.

—-Add the broth, picante sauce, and tomatoes. Heat to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until done. Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream if you’d like. Dip some chips or Fritos in it, yum! Sort of like chili, but less ingredients + super easy & quick to make.

Hope you enjoy these recipes like our family does:)

xoxo,

MRS T

Costco Haul

FAVORITES FROM COSTCO :)

• KID FRIENDLY OPTIONS - Below are some of our favorite kid friendly options that our boys love!

These are so yummy, healthy, and great for on the go!

Some days my boys don’t get enough fruits/ veggies in so we love these pouches..and they love them too!

The boys definitely like this yummy snack…and so does mom;) ) beware—highly addicting!

Easy lunch idea!

Healthy chicken nugget option! Takes about 8 minutes in the air fryer (Asher will literally eat like 7…gotta get his protein in lol)

Great/ easy breakfast idea when guests are in town.

Pop in the microwave for an easy & healthy breakfast/ snack!

Love how Costco carries great gift ideas such as books/ learning toys!

Don’t need to constantly buy diapers when you can buy them in bulk at Costco!

• FAVORITE SNACKS - Some of Adam and I’s favorites.

ALL TIME favorite chips. Tough enough to scoop up chili and super good to use for oven nachos! Multigrain is an added plus!

Great salsa and super tasty in my easy taco crockpot shredded chicken recipe.

One of the Thielen households favorite.

Adam’s go to night time snack!

Tried these a few weeks ago and not bad!

Just amazing.

• SWEET TOOTH - Two of our favorite desserts below (we enjoy them both in the fridge!).

• MEALS & FRUIT/ VEGGIE OPTIONS - We love the produce area and meat selection at Costco. Adam has steak the night before every football game and he loves Costco’s steak the most. They also have great quick meal options as well (I try to go for the healthiest options as much as I can).

Love to make pancakes with this. Add a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein to it!

Tried this fish a month or so ago and it is so good!!

So good!

Super easy lunch/ dinner option… or game day ideas!

We love this ground bison! We use it for chili, tacos, spaghetti.

Quick and yummy broccoli to have as a dinner side! (kept in the freezer)

All time favorite salad!

Comes in little pre packaged smoothie bags full of healthy veggies/ fruits! We love these!

Adam puts these on his oatmeal every morning. Hudson will eat a whole bag if it’s in front of him! I love them in a yogurt parfait mixed with granola. (warning— they turn your hands very blue)

• MISC — Other great finds that our family loves are below. We buy a lot of bulk products (water bottles, sparkling water, toilet paper, etc) here as well.

I buy a lot of honey here due to how much I make my energy balls:) They offer great options like this one and the ones below!

We also buy red solo cups for when guests are in town, and the to go coffee mugs for when we are on the go!

(I DID’NT POST ANY BUT COSCTO HAS A LOT OF GREAT FURNITURE as well. WE HAVE BOUGHTEN MOST OF OUR OUTDOOR FURNITURE FROM HERE AND IT’S HELD UP GREAT!)

I hope you all enjoyed this haul of mine from COSCTO!!! I’m sure there will be more things that pop up or I find there in the future and I’ll be sure to share.

xoxo,

MRS T