Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchilada Casserole | Vegetarian, Anti-Inflammatory

Kicking off January with a batch of comforting enchiladas – creative, delicious and healthy enchiladas at that!  Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchilada Casserole is great for meal-prep (can be cut into squares and frozen) and suitable for vegetarian diets, gluten-free diets and those following an anti-inflammatory diet.

Butternut Black Bean Enchilada Bake

Read on to get his inspired by the southwest enchilada casserole recipe. Continue reading

Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl

This post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, in conjunction with Healthy Aperture, as part of a blogger cooking contest. All content, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own!

I’m starting to get those fall-time feels! Cooler weather, cozy meals, seasonal flavors, and this year more family time around the dinner table. Not only are we staying home more and eating out less, we’ve also got a couple college kids who are able to extend their visits thanks to this new online learning situation. Quick, easy and affordable! This budget-friendly family favorite makes a great fall-inspired dinner on busy nights. White cheddar and pumpkin make stone ground grits so creamy, and chipotle chile powder adds just a touch of smoky heat. Add my suggested toppings to make it a balanced meat with under 400 calories and 20g protein per serving. Gluten free, lower carb and meal prep / freezer friendly. Get more quick and easy meal recipes and clean eating ideas at thefitfork.com

That being said, I’ve had to flex my creative cooking muscle to come up with budget-friendly ideas that will keep my three hungry guys filled up without breaking the bank (and interfering with my running shoe budge, lol). Cheesy, hearty meals are ALWAYS a winner with them, so I’ve relied on flavorful Cabot cheese, along with staples from my pantry) to create a Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl. Continue reading

Mediterranean Walnut Picadillo | Plant-based Pantry Recipe

Disclaimer: I received free samples of California Walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Walnuts and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Because grocery shopping is challenging right now, my recipe for Mediterranean Walnut Picadillo makes use of pantry items and basic ingredients commonly stocked in most kitchens. Mediterranean Walnut Picadillo - Plant-based Pantry Recipe

Plus, this easy savory walnut recipe is plant-based and suitable for a variety of diet types including vegan and gluten-free along with Paleo and Whole30 if you drop the rice it’s served on. Read on to learn how to make a walnut meat alternative and create this tasty dish! Continue reading

Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley | Pantry Prep

As a lifelong Texan, most of our celebratory meals include a side of beans – typically pinto beans, that’s the Lone Star way. However, during this recent Corona Virus situation, I couldn’t find a single pinto bean or dried bean of ANY variety on the store shelves to pair with a brisket taco recipe I was delivering to Mom’s house for birthday!

Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley

That got me to thinking about the abundance of “this” and “that” that I already have piled up in my pantry — half empty bags of various food staples that “I’ll get around to finishing up sometime.” Well, “sometime” was TODAY and I created Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley using only the mish-mash of beans, canned goods and dried spices that I already had on hand! Continue reading

Amazing Watermelon Beet Smoothie for Post Workout Recovery

This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org, however all opinions, content, and enthusiasm remain my own. #WatermelonEveryday

Scenario: You’ve run long or exercised hard, now you’re depleted by every definition of the word. Your body rose to the demands of the workout, but now it’s DONE, every resource is exhausted – physically, nutritionally, even mentally. You’re too tired to track down or make a square meal, but know you need some quality refueling STAT. Sound familiar?!Watermelon Beet Smoothie for Workout Recovery

My Amazing Watermelon Beet Workout Recovery Smoothie saves the day by whipping up in minutes to make the most of your workout gains. This happens courtesy of all the key nutrients that allow your taxed body to recover quickly so that you can perform again tomorrow at your best. Read on to get this easy smoothie recipe that’s a real game changer . . . and tastes amazing too! Continue reading