lunch Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Simply Happenstance

Healthy Taco Salad {vegetarian}

January 23, 2014

:: Healthy Taco Salad ::

Confession: When my husby is home from work… I do very little cooking. With our new life in the mountains, he not only does 100% of the grocery shopping, but also cooks, so I can focus on homeschooling our four little ones. We eat very well when he is home! He’s super creative in the kitchen {thanks to the near decade he’s spent as a firefighter}. I am truly one lucky wifey!

This healthy Taco Salad is one of our family favorites. We love it because it is so versatile, quick, and easy to prepare. You can basically cut up and add-in any fresh veggies you have on hand from your garden or market. {For meat lovers… you can grill up some chicken, or prepare ground turkey, or lean ground beef to add to the salad.} To be honest… I rarely use dressing, instead I mash up the avocado and add a dollop of salsa. {If you like sour cream or plain greek yogurt, it would make it even creamier!} For those of you that love a simple dressing… a Creamy Cilantro Avocado or Italian drizzled on top tastes divine! [Read more…]

Black Bean Chili

October 29, 2013

:: Black Bean Chili ::

Can you believe that Halloween is this week? We are still waiting on costumes {delivery takes a bit longer now that we are living in the mountains}. It looks like we have a super girl, batman, a werewolf, and obi wan kenobi! Ha! An eclectic bunch, for sure!

I thought I’d share with you one of our favorite Halloween traditions…. chili! I don’t think we are alone in this one. I have lots of friends that make a big pot of warm chili for a quick and easy dinner on Halloween night! This recipe is one of my favorites, as it is loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty black beans. I also like that it’s hard to mess up. Measurements aren’t really a necessity {as long as you don’t go overboard with the optional hot peppers and spices}. Also, you can adjust the recipe as needed to suit your own taste… even adding in ground turkey or beef, if you’d like. The best part about this recipe is that it’s ALL IN ONE POT! That’s right! Way less clean up, my friends! With four kids… I am completely over the clean up process…. plus less time cleaning up, means more time enjoying your sweet littles!

So, without further ado, here is the dream dish…. easy, healthy, and completely delish! [Read more…]

Creamy Corn Chowder

October 15, 2013

:: Creamy Corn Chowder ::

Have you ever had the corn chowder from Mimi’s Cafe? That soup was my inspiration behind this quick, easy, and flavorful autumn meal! {I actually haven’t been there in years… but I have fond memories of that warm, comforting dish!} This recipe is extremely easy using only a few ingredients. It can be made vegetarian, effortlessly, by omitting the bacon. It can also be made healthier by using milk in place of half & half, or heavy cream…. it’s your choice! I decided not to skimp on the creaminess… so I went with the heavy cream. {It was just one of those days!} The corn chowder turned out rich, creamy, and delicious friends! Paired with warm, crusty french bread… you have the perfect fall meal! I hope you enjoy! [Read more…]

Panzanella Salad

June 26, 2013

:: Panzanella Salad ::

It just doesn’t get much easier {or tastier}, than this healthy summer salad! Panzanella Salad is my absolute FAVORITE dish to serve to friends… whether I’m taking it to their house, or hosting a summer playdate in my own home. It’s also the perfect meal to bring for a picnic lunch or concert in the park!

There is some chopping of fresh veggies involved, the making of a simple homemade vinaigrette dressing, and a little toasting of french bread in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil… but the steps are super basic {you could even get the kids to help you toss it all together}! In under thirty minutes… you will have a scrumptious, fresh, tangy, and crisp bread salad to enjoy!

This recipe has always gotten rave reviews… but the best part is that you can easily customize it to your own taste! For example… love a greek salad? Just add in some chopped olives and feta cheese! For my husby, I omitted the red onion and added avocado slices. Any way that you do it… it comes out perfectly fresh and delectable! The combination of flavors is seriously… mouthwatering! [Read more…]