My trick I've found for eating healthy is to plan ahead.  If I don't plan what I'm going to take for lunch ahead of time, I end up eating whatever random thing I find in the fridge and/or a CLIF bar. It's not pretty.  I also end up starving at 4pm and I eat a ton of food right before dinner.  And then, I clearly eat all of the dinner.  

So I've started packing lunches ahead of time.  This is one of my classics that I make ahead and keep in the fridge.  It's really simple to make ahead - the trick is to put a layer of salsa and tomatoes between the quinoa and the lettuce.  It keeps the lettuce from getting soggy.  

SOUTHWEST QUINOA LUNCH

makes 3 lunches

STEP 1

In a bowl mix together cooked quinoa, black beans, spices, and hot sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.

STEP 2

Divide quinoa into three separate jars.  Divide out all remaining ingredients across the three jars.  Seal and pop in the fridge.

STEP 3

You can eat these out of the jar - or put them on a plate and feel slightly more civilized.  

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

3 cups lettuce

This is the time of year when my attempt at healthy eating has evaporated.  I usually start out great in the morning with granola and coconut milk.  I plan a lunch to take with me that's generally filled with vegetables.  But after that, it takes a nose dive.  The remaining Halloween candy beckons me.  Then a cocktail.  Then tacos.

This week I'm reigning it back in with a version of tacos that's way healthier.  Here's why

- I swapped out ground beef for ground chicken.

- Instead of traditional taco shells, I used lettuce.

- Eliminated cheese and added more vegetables 

my photographer hates photos of raw meat, so I use them a lot.

The great thing with these wraps is that they are generally family friendly.  My kids eat them.  The youngest still prefers a traditional tortilla instead of the lettuce, but everyone else is on board with the lettuce thing.  I've been known to add rice to this dinner too in the event my kids seem like they need extra carbs.  They are all so athletic, they need carbs way more often than I do.  

Thai Chicken Wraps

serves 4

2 lb ground chicken

1 tbs sriracha

1 lime – zested and juiced

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tbs ginger

2 tbs soy

1 carrot

1 bell pepper

1 cucumber

1 cup basil

1 head butter lettuce

½ cup mayo

1 tsp sriracha

1 tsp cilantro

1 tsp honey

STEP 1

Mix the chicken with 1 tbs sriracha, the juice of ½ lime and the lime zest, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Let it sit for a few minutes.  (5 mins)

STEP 2

Mix together mayo, 1 tsp sriracha, 1 tsp chopped cilantro, 1 tsp honey, the juice of ½ lime.  (5 mins)

STEP 3

Cook the meat over high heat until browned.  (10 mins)

STEP 4

Serve in butter lettuce cups with vegetables on top + dressing on the side.

Make this today, serve it today, or tomorrow, or next week.  It's always a party with a good cheese spread and a glass of wine.  

CB2 Fork

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Serrated Bread Knife from Sur la Table

Click here for the full recipe

Spoon from Crate and Barrel

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Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer from Williams Sonoma

One of the hidden bonuses of working with Pop Secret popcorn is that they sent boxes and boxes of popcorn to make sure I had enough for the Oscar Party Photo shoot.  We used tons of the popcorn for the shoot and we still ended up with tons left over.  What to do, what to do?

I made popcorn bars.  But these aren't just any popcorn bars because I used Pop Secret's Cinnamon Roll Popcorn in the bars.  Epic.

Tune into Q13 FOX News this morning - ALL MORNING - for my holiday entertaining ideas

My family loves coffee cake.  I love coffee cake.  Around the holidays it seems like the perfect breakfast - especially for Christmas morning!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1/2 cup melted butter + 2 tablespoons at room temperature

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Blend together melted butter, eggs, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour dry ingredients into butter mixture blending until just combined. Add sour cream and combine with as few strokes as possible. Pour batter into an 8x8 baking dish.

With a pastry cutter (or a fork or your fingers) blend together remaining sugars, cinnamon, flour, and butter. Spread evenly across the top of the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes to one hour until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Because stuffing inside the bird is so 1990.  Stuff an apple instead.  The stuffing stays wonderfully moist {hate that word but there is no replacement} and is so tasty with the turkey.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ironically, cooking a giant turkey is a lot easier than cooking almost anything else.  But the fear of a Clark Griswold style experience is real.  All too real.  The trick is to do the math right on figuring out how long to cook it {here it is (pounds x 15) / 60 } and then keeping it basted.  Which does mean you have to be in the kitchen while it's cooking - figure baste it once every 45 minutes - or every time you refill your cocktail.  Which ever comes first.  

Cheers!