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Entree

BARLEY SOUP

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This has felt like the longest summer I’ve ever experienced. As of a few days ago, we were still hitting temperatures near the 90’s. Did Mother Nature forget to check the calendar? It is already late October?! Truthfully, I love living in a warmer climate. I’ve done my time with cold and snow and I learned it wasn’t for me. That being said, I can’t help but crave a few cooler (not cold) days so I can indulge in winter comfort foods. We are finally cooling off here in Texas and I’m going full out on my comfort food recipes.

I’ve been craving soup lately but my brain has also been wandering back to my recipe for Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie. The solution? Turn the base of that shepherd’s pie into a soup! The result? Pure satisfaction! This soup is hearty and rich in flavor. Anyone who eats this is going to think you slaved away in the kitchen all day when, in fact, it is simple to make. Bonus? This is one of those recipes that tastes even better as leftovers.

Print Recipe

Barley Soup

This hearty soup is rich in flavor yet easy to make – a perfect way to warm up on a cold day.
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barley, Barley Soup, Dinner, Easy Recipe, Homemade Soup, Soup, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 large carrots, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 large parsnips, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 lb white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and parsnips, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms start to sweat. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato paste and barley. Increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 45 minutes or until barely is cooked through.

Notes

  • Having a hard time pulling those thyme leaves off of the stem? Grab a few sprigs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Toss the whole bundle into the soup and simply remove the bundle when soup is fully cooked.
  • This is a thick, hearty soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add water after simmering until you reach the consistency you desire.

BROCCOLI & RICED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

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Casserole or hotdish? I only recently even heard of the term hotdish. I’ve looked up several sources trying to get some clarity on the difference between the two. Both include a creamy condensed soup with vegetables and usually meat of some sort. The differences? From what I gather, casserole tends to use a lighter meat like tuna or chicken while a hotdish is more likely to use beef. But honestly, even that seems somewhat vague given you could eliminate meat altogether. The biggest difference seems to be a matter of where you’re from. Hotdish is more of an upper Midwestern term (think Minnesota). Having grown up in Kansas, I’m definitely a casserole gal.

Grab those veggies out of the freezer and soup out of the pantry, we’re making casserole today! Now that the temperatures are finally cooling off here in Texas, I’m ready for comfort food. As you know, I’m also a huge fan of super easy recipes. This is basically a stir and bake recipe – if only every recipe were this easy! You can use it as a side dish or make it the main event.  Either way, this broccoli and riced cauliflower casserole has made it onto the regular rotation of dinner recipes in our house. I’d love to hear what types of casseroles (or hotdishes) are your favorites!

Tips

  • Trying to keep things low carb? Replace the bread crumbs with more shredded cheddar.
  • For added veggies, you can use a riced cauliflower & sweet potato blend.
Print Recipe

Broccoli & Riced Cauliflower Casserole

This broccoli and riced cauliflower casserole is basically a stir and bake recipe – Comfort food at it's best!

Ingredients

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 2 cans (10.5oz each) cream of celery soup
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 10.5 oz frozen riced cauliflower
  • 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, soup, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese.
  • Stir in riced cauliflower then stir in broccoli.
  • Spread broccoli mixture into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
  • In a small bowl, stir together butter and breadcrumbs then sprinkle over broccoli mixture.
  • Bake 45 minutes. If breadcrumbs are not golden, turn the broiler on and watch carefully until you achieve golden color.

EASY VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

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A friend of mine was recently asking about recipes that use frozen vegetables. It occurred to me that I have always used fresh produce in my recipes here. Fresh is great but there are some huge advantages to using frozen veggies when you can. Frozen vegetables are actually less expensive than fresh ones. I did a quick price check at my local grocery store and a bag of fresh broccoli florets was priced at 21c per ounce. Meanwhile, the bag of frozen broccoli florets was priced at 11c per ounce. That is nearly HALF the price! If you’re on a budget, frozen veggies are a great way to get healthy foods on the cheap. Speaking of being budget friendly, frozen vegetables won’t go bad in a few days which means you’re not tossing anything out at the end of the week. You’re getting your money’s worth! Finally, frozen vegetables are already chopped. Let’s be honest, chopping vegetables sometimes takes longer than actually cooking a dish. Precut vegetables are a huge time saver! So, have I convinced you to buy frozen vegetables yes?!

Now, let’s get down to this recipe. I started making fried rice a few years ago because I was simply wanting to use up some leftovers from the fridge. I have a habit of cooking more rice than we need when using it as a side dish.  Rather than tossing out the leftovers or even eating plain rice again later in the week, I chose to repurpose it. The thing about fried rice is that it is actually easy to customize with whatever vegetables or spices are your favorites. Here, I’m giving you a super easy base recipe for vegetable fried rice. From here, feel free to get creative with what you add in. I’d love to hear how you adapt this to make it your own!

Tips

  • It is critical to use rice that was cooked earlier and then cooled. If you use freshly cooked rice, you will end up with a pan full of mush.
  • This is a basic vegetable fried rice recipe but don’t let that limit you. Feel free to add a protein of your choice or a wider variety of vegetables such as snow peas, bell peppers or edamame.
Print Recipe

Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

An easy base recipe for vegetable fried rice.
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cups cooked, cold brown rice
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas & carrots
  • 1/2 cup frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon tamari sauce or low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Add rice and vegetables to the pan and cook until tender. Mix in garlic, sesame oil, onion powder, and tamari sauce.
  • Push rice mixture to one side of the pan. Pour the egg into the other side of the pan and stir with a rubber spatula until curds form. Stir egg into the rice mixture. Add additional tamari sauce if desired.

Notes

  • 4 servings is based on using this recipe as a side dish. If you prefer to use it as your entrée, double the recipe.
  • It is critical to use rice that was cooked earlier and then cooled. If you use freshly cooked rice, you will end up with a pan full of mush.
  • This is a basic vegetable fried rice recipe but don’t let that limit you. Feel free to add a protein of your choice or a wider variety of vegetables such as snow peas, bell peppers or edamame.

SHEET PAN DINNERS FOR BUSY WEEKNIGHTS

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People often think that as a food blogger, I must have it all together in the kitchen. They assume my meals are always planned ahead of time. That I choose healthy options and only indulge occasionally. That dinner is easy to prep regardless of any other activities going on. These assumptions are completely off base. I certainly do enjoy cooking. Why else would I do a food blog? However, dinner at my house is often as last minute as any other household. I reach for convenient foods as often as I do healthy foods. I get in food ruts and end up fixing the same meals every week for a month. My biggest struggle is honestly just getting to the grocery to even pick up any ingredients. What is your biggest struggle for getting dinner on the table? I would genuinely love to hear from you on this.

I’ve met and follow some incredible people through food blogging. One of the things I love most about this community is the support people provide. Blogging is always a work in progress. We work to improve our recipes, our writing, our photography, our styling. My fellow food bloggers understand every aspect of what goes into creating a post. When you start following someone closely, you see their progress. We cheer each other on. We congratulate one another when we see something inspiring. We sympathize when struggles hit us in the kitchen. It is a wonderful thing to have companionship in this space.

Weeknights are about to get easier. For this post, I’ve collaborated with eight of my favorite food bloggers to create sheet pan dinners. I love sheet pan dinners because of how easy they are to make but also how easy they are to clean up. With the school year now in full swing, everyone has a busier schedule and could use an easy dinner recipe. I have been blown away by the variety and creativity in this project. A huge thank you goes out to each and every collaborator for helping me put this together. I hope that you’ll stop by their sites and check out more recipes from these incredible food bloggers!

SHEET PAN BBQ CHICKEN MEATBALLS & VEGGIES

Created by Laura at Ways To My Heart
https://www.waystomyheart.com/sheet-pan-bbq-chicken-meatballs-veggies/

CURRIED PORK CHOP AND POTATO SHEET PAN RECIPE

Created by Nicolas at Blogtastic Food
https://www.blogtasticfood.com/curries-pork-chop-sheetpan-recipe/

SHEET PAN GNOCCHI AND SAUSAGE

Created by Mansee at One Girl. One Kitchen.
https://www.onegirlonekitchen.com/sheet-pan-gnocchi-and-sausage/

SHEET PAN HARISSA CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLINI AND CHICKPEAS

Created by Indi at With Spice
https://www.withspice.com/blog/sheet-pan-harissa-chicken-with-broccolini-and-chickpeas

DUKKAH AND PARMESAN CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

Created by Teresa at Cupcakes and Couscous
https://cupcakesandcouscous.com/2019/08/28/dukkah-and-parmesan-chicken-tray-bake/

SHEET PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS

Created by Melissa at Keeping it Simple
https://keepingitsimpleblog.com/food/dinner/sheet-pan-chicken-fajitas/

EASY SHEET PAN DINNER WITH SAUSAGE, POTATOES & VEGGIES

Created by Julia at Julia Recipes
https://juliarecipes.com/2019/08/30/easy-pan-sheet-dinner-with-sausage-potatoes-veggies/

SHEET PAN ITALIAN MUSHROOMS AND GARLIC BREADSTICKS

Created by Will at Hangry White Male
https://www.hangrywhitemale.com/sheet-pan-italian-mushrooms-and-garlic-breadsticks/

SHEET PAN SHRIMP FAJITAS

Created by Sarah at Slice of Honey
https://sliceofhoney.com/2018/10/12/sheet-pan-shrimp-fajitas/

SOUTHWESTERN HASH BROWN WAFFLES

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I went to the grocery store today and came across a group of volunteers asking for donations of school supplies. They handed me a list of what they were needing. I can’t lie, it took everything I had to not start crying. Guys, there are families in your very own town who can NOT afford school supplies for their kids! I’ve been aware of this for a long time but I suppose I’ve never really known what to do or how to help. These volunteers made it so easy for me to help. With tears welled up in my eyes, I gathered notebooks, dividers, highlighters and a backpack. It doesn’t even feel like enough but I’m hopeful the volunteers will receive enough to make a difference in my community.

Southwestern hash brown waffles

When kids don’t have school supplies, learning becomes more challenging. Similarly, when kids don’t start the day with a good meal, they have a hard time focusing. With school starting later this month, I wanted to create a breakfast recipe that is easy to freeze and reheat. Furthermore, I wanted to create a recipe that isn’t bread based – I love pancakes, muffins, etc. but we can do better. Let’s start our day with some protein and vegetables! I’ve taken the ingredients of an omelet, scrambled them together and cooked them in a waffle iron. Once they are cooked, you can easily freeze them and reheat as needed.

Tips:

  • Depending on the size of your family, you might want to double this recipe.
  • No waffle iron? Feel free to scoop some of the mixture onto a skillet and cook these like you would a pancake.
Print Recipe

Southwestern Hash Brown Waffles

A hearty breakfast dish that is easy to freeze and reheat as needed.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Back to school, Back to school recipe, Breakfast, Easy Breakfast, Easy Recipe, Eggs, Hash browns, Meal Prep
Servings: 8 wedges

Equipment

  • Waffle Iron

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup frozen hash browns
  • 1/4 cup black beans
  • 1/4 cup frozen corn
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons jalapeño, stemmed, cored and finely chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional Toppings

  • avocado
  • salsa
  • sour cream

Instructions

  • Preheat waffle iron on medium high setting.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together. Stir all remaining ingredients into eggs.
  • Spray heated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop ¾ cup of the mixture onto the waffle iron (amount will vary based on the size of your waffle iron). Close iron and cook until golden brown (approximately 5 minutes).
  • Let waffles cool completely. Cut into wedges and freeze in freezer bags. To reheat, remove from freezer bag and microwave 30 seconds.

Notes

  • Depending on the size of your family, you might want to double this recipe.
  • No waffle iron? Feel free to scoop some of the mixture onto a skillet and cook these like you would a pancake.

VANILLA ALMOND GRANOLA

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Vanilla Almond Granola - www.sliceofhoney.com

I currently have two food obsessions. First, popcorn. My daughter and I have been sharing a bowl of popcorn after school lately. We sit on the front porch and snack while we wait for my husband to get home. She isn’t old enough for this to become a long-term memory for her but I’m holding it dear to my heart. When I look back at my own childhood memories, it is the simple moments of quality time with my parents that are my favorites. I am trying to be fully present in these little moments with my daughter so that eventually they become memories for both of us.

Vanilla Almond Granola - www.sliceofhoney.com

My second food obsession of the moment is homemade granola. I’ll eat it as a bowl of cereal or mixed in with some yogurt. If nothing else is available, I’ll just eat it by the handful. I have rarely bought granola in recent years simply because of the frequently high sugar content. One of the things I love most about cooking is knowing exactly what is in my food. Granola incredibly easy to make, my daughter was able to put it together with me helping her with measuring ingredients. Granola is also easy to customize. You can keep it simple or add in all sorts of nuts or dried fruit. I’ve been making a batch every week over the past month and this particular recipe is too good not to share with you.

Vanilla Almond Granola - www.sliceofhoney.com

Vanilla Almond Granola - www.sliceofhoney.com

Tips:

  • If you like a chunkier granola, let it cool completely before stirring it.
  • I like to store my granola in the freezer to keep it fresh and crunchy longer.

Print Recipe

VANILLA ALMOND GRANOLA

This lightly sweetened granola is easy to make and easy to customize.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 7 servings (1/2 cup)
Calories: 383kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
  • 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300F.  
  • In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. 
  • Spread mixture out on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  • Bake for 1 hour. Let cool before serving.

BROCCOLI CHEESE QUICHE & SWEET POTATO HASH

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Broccoli Cheese Quiche & Sweet Potato Hash - Slice Of Honey

I’ve mentioned before that breakfast isn’t typically my thing, but brunch? Brunch is my jam! On the weekends, my husband and I each take a day to sleep in while the other one gets up early with our toddler. First of all, I love this sleep plan because we both end up feeling rested and rejuvenated. Second of all, by the time we are both up for the day it is the perfect time to hit up a restaurant for brunch. Our local favorites tend to give large servings which means leftovers. Leftovers that are absolutely delicious and all of us are eager to dive into during the week. There’s just something about breakfast foods for lunch or dinner that really hits the spot! I’m not alone on this line of thinking, am I?     

Broccoli Cheese Quiche & Sweet Potato Hash - Slice Of Honey

A typical work day isn’t exactly conducive to brunch. Or is it? Hello meal planning! I was challenged by my friend, Nicolas, over at Blogtastic Food to create a dish that would work well for meal planning. I came up with two recipes to create a mini-brunch that I can take to work. These recipes reheat well which is ideal for this challenge but they are also easy to make. You can cook the sweet potato hash while the quiche is baking so everything is finished at the same time. Once it has all cooled off, pack individual servings into containers so you can grab and go as you head out the door for work during the week.

Broccoli Cheese Quiche & Sweet Potato Hash - Slice Of Honey

Tips:

  • Blind baking means you are going to partially bake the pie crust before you add the filling. It is worth the extra little bit of effort to blind bake your crust so you don’t end up with a soggy bottom on your quiche.
  • One of the great things about quiche is that you can take the egg base and change out the fillings. You could add ½ cup chopped ham cooked ham or bacon. If broccoli isn’t your thing, toss in some chopped bell peppers instead. Get creative!

Broccoli Cheese Quiche & Sweet Potato Hash - Slice Of Honey

Print Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Quiche

Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 premade pie crust
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup gouda cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange pie crust in a 9.5” pie dish. Line top of pie crust with parchment paper and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust for 20 minutes.
  • While crust is baking, beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in cheeses, cream, salt and pepper. Stir in broccoli. 
  • Once blind bake is finished, pull the crust out of the oven then remove beans/weights and parchment paper. Pour egg mixture into pie crust and return to the oven and bake 40-50 minutes or until egg mixture has set.
Print Recipe

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and sauté 5 more minutes or until onions start to become transparent. Add bell peppers and spices, sauté an additional 2 minute.

 

For more meal prep ideas, check out the following recipes from the other “meal prep challenge” collaborators. 

 

THAI CHICKEN GREEN CURRY MEAL PREP
https://www.blogtasticfood.com/thai-chicken-green-curry-meal-prep/

MUSHROOM RISOTTO MEAL PREP
https://juliarecipes.com/2019/04/30/mushroom-risotto-meal-prep/comment-page-1/#comment-806

VEGAN MEAL PREP CHILI
https://holistichormonehelp.com/2019/04/24/vegan-meal-prep-chili/

RED LENTIL, TAMARIND & TOMATO SOUP
https://cuisinedeli.com/2019/04/30/red-lentil-tamarind-tomato-soup/

PUMPKIN, RICOTTA AND SAGE PASTA SHELLS
https://itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com/pumpkin-ricotta-and-sage-pasta-shells/

INSTANT POT ROPA VIEJA FOR MEAL PREP
https://www.hangrywhitemale.com/instant-pot-ropa-vieja-for-meal-prep/

MEAL PREP: GARLIC SHRIMPS SKILLET WITH BULGUR
https://healthylaura.com/dairy-free/meal-prep-garlic-shrimps-skillet-with-bulgur/

EASY MEXICAN LASAGNA
https://realfoodhappyhome.com/easy-mexican-lasagna/

MAKE AHEAD MEAL PREP MINI FRITTATAS IN MUFFIN TINS
https://www.31daily.com/make-ahead-meal-prep-mini-frittatas-in-muffin-tins/

INSTANT POT STUFFED PEPPERS {WITH TURKEY AND QUINOA}
https://www.mealswithmaggie.com/instant-pot-stuffed-peppers/

CAULIFLOWER TACOS

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Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

I know it might seem a little cliché to be making tacos when I’m based out of Texas but seriously, guys… TACOS!!! Who cares about clichés when a dish this delicious is on the line?!? Plus, it’s not like tacos are exclusive to this part of the country. During my first year of graduate school, my roommate and I would make tacos every week and any time we had guests over for dinner. I would always give our guests the same speech. “Tacos are a personal experience. We are providing you with options for your toppings but, please, create your tacos to your own liking.” I was always fascinated to see which toppings people would pile and which toppings would get skipped over.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

I’ve come across several delicious cauliflower taco recipes out there but all of them are made with florets which don’t give me that traditional taco texture I’m looking for. By using finely chopped cauliflower, I was able to achieve a texture and appearance that is more similar to ground meat. Honestly, even when I brought this to work as leftovers, my colleagues commented that it looked like meat. While I still think taco toppings are a personal experience, I would encourage you to add some black beans or pinto beans for added protein into this dish.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • This taco filling has a bit of heat to it. To reduce the heat, leave out the cayenne pepper.
  • If you plan to top your tacos with the creamy avocado sauce, you can make it the day before and refrigerate until ready to use.

Print Recipe

Cauliflower Tacos

A new take on cauliflower tacos - your family won't even notice these tacos are vegetarian.
Servings: 8 tacos

Ingredients

For the Tacos

  • 8 corn or flour tortillas
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 14 oz bag finely chopped cauliflower
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Optional toppings:lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, black beans, red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, salsa, creamy avocado sauce (see recipe below)

Creamy Avocado Sauce

  • 2 small avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Tacos

  • Heat oven to lowest temperature possible. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven to warm while cooking the cauliflower mixture.
    In a large pan over, medium heat, add cauliflower and onion. Stirring occasionally, cook until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in spices. Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

Creamy Avocado Sauce

  • Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until fully combined.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

Every year it seems like the holiday season comes and goes at a faster pace than it did the year before. This year we traveled to the Dallas, TX area to celebrate Christmas with family. We had an amazing visit with lots of food, plenty of gifts and we made beautiful new memories. As my siblings and I have gotten older, we have started creating traditions with our own families. My husband and I generally keep things simple; Santa fills our stockings but no other gifts are exchanged between us. Our daughter is still too young to fully understand what is happening with gifts under the tree but her older cousins gave her a full introduction to it this year.  For New Year’s Eve, we go to bed at our usual time. However, on New Year’s Day, we have friends come over for board games and sandwiches. This is a new tradition but one that I really enjoy. The day is filled with so much laughter and I really can’t think of a better way to start a new year.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

As I think about traditions I can’t help but think of family favorite recipes. The first one that comes to mind is my grandmother’s egg casserole. The cheese sauce alone will have you begging for more! Unfortunately, the recipe is time consuming enough that I rarely make it. Maybe this is why our family typically only ate it for holidays or special occasions. As I was going through my grandmother’s recipe box I came across the “24 Hour Omelet.” Cheese? Check. Bread? Check. Eggs? Check. Easier than the traditional egg casserole? CHECK! So, I put this recipe together with some modifications (nobody needs their breakfast to swim in butter). I also changed the name because it honestly did not remind me of an omelet at all but more of a casserole that borders on being a savory bread pudding. This 24-hour breakfast casserole is not like the old family favorite but it is definitely delicious, easy to make, easy to customize and gets put together the night before.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • Have fun with this! You can change this recipe up by using any variety of vegetables or you could even add ham or cooked sausage for the meat lovers in your life.
  • You could also make this into a sweet version by skipping the cheddar and monterey jack cheeses and adding berries of your choosing. If you go this route, consider serving with syrup.

Print Recipe

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Delicious, easy to make and easy to customize breakfast

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf sourdough bread
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh baby spinach (optional)
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon chives, chopped

Instructions

  • Tear bread into chunks and place evenly into a greased 9x13” casserole dish (this will be approximately 9 cups of bread chunks). Sprinkle half of the shredded cheeses over the bread. Spread vegetables evenly over bread then cover with remaining shredded cheeses and cream cheese. Beat eggs with milk, ground mustard, salt, chives and cayenne pepper. Pour egg mixture over cheeses. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. 
    Preheat oven to 350F. Bake dish, covered with foil, for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

ROASTED VEGETABLE BISQUE

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Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

Lately I’ve been realizing just how busy my weekdays are. A typical day means I’m up at 5:45am to get ready and help our daughter get ready for the day. After working a full day at the office, I pick our daughter up from school then head home. We have just a little time to play before needing to get dinner going. Soon after dinner, we put our daughter to bed and then I rush out the door to get a workout in. Around 8:00pm I am finally able to relax and catch up with my husband on how our day was. I know my schedule isn’t all that unusual, lots of families have a similar (or crazier) routine. To be honest, I also have TONS of help from my husband, he is my ultimate teammate in life! However, reflecting on my schedule has emphasized the importance of easy meals in our household. I do prefer to cook homemade meals but I definitely have days when those chicken nuggets in the freezer are all I can muster. On the days when I am cooking, I try to fix healthy meals and expose my daughter to a variety of foods and flavors (with an emphasis on vegetables).

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

My daughter has been really eager to help in the kitchen lately which provides an opportunity to share a wider variety of foods with her. She might not end up eating what we fix (she is only two years old, after all, and I’m realistic) but the exposure is still there. If she sees us prepping and eating healthy foods, those options won’t be strange to her as she gets older. This bisque recipe is actually a perfect one for her to help with. I chop vegetables and then let her put them into a bowl, season them and pour them out onto a sheet pan for roasting. We have also been finding ways to incorporate other lessons into our cooking routines. “How many eggs did we put in the bowl?” “What colors do you see on the pan?” Not to mention she is learning how to follow directions. All of this learning is happening while helping to get dinner on the table. This is what we call a Win-Win situation, my friends!

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • You can absolutely roast these vegetables the night before you plan to serve the bisque and then blend everything together when you’re ready to eat it. Store those veggies in a sealed container in the fridge. However, since the vegetables will be cold rather than hot from the oven, you might need to pour the blended bisque into a pot and warm it over the stovetop or in a crockpot before serving it.
  • If you’re making this for a bigger crowd, double the ingredients. You can still roast all the vegetables at the same time but it won’t all fit in the blender at once. Blend what you can then pour it into a large pot and repeat this until everything is in the pot. Stir it all together with a large spoon or whisk until fully incorporated.

Print Recipe

ROASTED VEGETABLE BISQUE

The perfect dish to warm you up on a cold evening.
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Raw cashews
  • 1 large head Cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 4 cloves Garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 Medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 Medium yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 Large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons Red miso paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
  • 2 cups Vegetable broth (more if you want to thin the bisque out a bit)
  • Croutons & chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Place cashews in a bowl of water and let soak. While cashews are soaking, put cauliflower, garlic and carrots in a large bowl. Drizzle bowl of vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until evenly coated then spread evenly on a sheet pan. Place onion and peppers in the bowl used for vegetables then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until evenly coated then spread evenly on a second sheet pan. Place both sheet pans in the oven and roast vegetables 20-30 minutes or until they are tender and edges start to brown. Note that the onion and peppers are likely to be done earlier than the other vegetables.
    Drain and rinse cashews then place them in a high-powered blender. Peel roasted garlic cloves add them to the blender along with all of the vegetables. Add miso, cumin, sriracha and vegetable broth to blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Garnish with croutons and parsley.

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog