Portabella Mushroom & Black Bean Tacos

I haven’t had time to write in a long time.  I have been creating/revamping dozens of lessons since my district has not purchased curriculum that meets the Common Core Standards.  So, that is my excuse, and I’m sorry!

The positive thing that has come out of being so darn busy is that I have also had very little time to cook.  This means that I have had to get creative with some quick and easy recipes because I can only eat so much roasted salmon and broccoli.  One of our new all-time favorites is roasted portabella mushroom and black bean tacos. These are super easy and will satisfy even the most devoted carnivore because of the savory, hearty mushrooms.  Topped with quick-broiled peppers and onions and a delicious lime sour cream, these tacos will soon be a go-to meal for a busy weeknight.

Healthy Start Updates, Plus Green Tea & Chia Energy Drink

You all may remember my vow to have a healthy start to my school year.  I am happy to report the exercise portion of my plan has been going swimmingly. I completed my 21-day exercise commitment and bought a Misfit Shine to boot!  

Dress a Salad the Easy Way!

When I was growing up, we had a salad with dinner every night.  Even if we were having another vegetable, we would always have a fresh salad that my mom would dress with delicious oil and vinegar. I don’t know how we got started doing it, but we would always dress it directly in the bowl.  Without measuring.  It is the best salad dressing I have ever had.

Here’s how to do it yourself:

Recipe Duo: Lemon Orzo with Tomato & Asparagus

I love a good pasta salad, and this one is is a favorite of mine. There are a ton of variations of this particular salad floating around the food blogs, but the basic ingredients are orzo, grape tomatoes, asparagus, and lemon.  I add arugula for extra volume and a bitter bite.  But even though it is simple, this salad is special.

Grilled Chile-Rubbed Drumsticks

We finally bought a grill!  After only four years of “researching,” and almost another entire summer gone by, we finally bought a gas grill.  I’ve been wanting one for so long!

I’ve never really cooked on a grill, but that all changed almost immediately after John put this baby together.  So far, I’ve tried fish, turkey burgers, asparagus, potatoes, and chicken. While I definitely need to hone my grill skill with the fish and burgers (stick much?), the veggies and chicken came out great.