Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Easy weeknight meal, Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

:: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ::

Happy day after LABOR DAY! Sara and I started school a few weeks ago, but many of our California friends are just starting today. Though, I am extremely jealous that most of my friends were able to enjoy a few more weeks of summer, I am not envious of having to establish the back to school schedule during this incredibly hot week we have ahead. Not to worry friends, we aren’t firing up the oven or stovetop just yet, we are breaking our go to recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup.

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Avocado Toast

Avocado Toast Recipe simplyhappenstance.com #cleaneating #avocadosAvocado Toast //

So… I’ve been on a serious {carb-overload} toast kick. I can’t seem to shake it. I usually start my day with a healthy, protein-packed smoothie, but lately… all I crave is a warm cup of coffee and a buttery piece of toast. {Yikes!} Perhaps not the healthiest way to start my day {insert frown face}. I’ve noticed within an hour or two, my stomach is already growling. I decided it’s best not to fight my craving, but instead… let it ride out. After all, how long can this toast addiction of mine last?

So, in an effort to make my latest obsession a little more nutritious, I gave Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Avocado Toast a try. It’s from her It’s All Good cookbook – a fave of mine! You guys… how have I not been eating this? Not only did I love it… but so did 3 out of 4 of my kids {success, right?}! It reminded me of my husby’s tasty homemade guacamole on toast! PERFECTION, I tell you!

Avocado Toast | simplyhappenstance.com #cleaneating #avocados

As you can imagine, the ingredients are super simple… some healthy bread, mayo, ripe avocados, sea salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  [Read more…]

Burrata and Roasted Tomato Appetizer

Burrata and Roasted Tomato:: Burrata and Roasted Tomato Appetizer ::

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, as the calendar continues to get filled by things here and there.  Are you feeling a bit like me?  Hoping to take in these small moments to enjoy what the season is all about, but have been asked to bring an appetizer to an event.  This Burrata and Roasted Tomato Appetizer is a win win for all.  It’s simple, tasty, and doesn’t require too much prep time or cook time.  It really is that easy. 

I have to be honest with you, I more often than not love an appetizer that requires multiple steps and takes a bit of time to prepare.  I feel those are the dishes that taste the best and look the best on a platter, but that is entirely the wrong approach when it comes to the holidays.  The company we keep and the family we see is what should require the most of our time.  Simple is best right?!? Good flavors and a nice glass of wine paired with a lovely dish really can make an evening worth the run around.

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Chicken Pesto Pasta

:: Chicken Pesto Pasta ::

Oh Chicken Pesto Pasta… how I love thee.  I have a pasta addiction.  If you were to ask me what my favorite meal would include, it would have to be some sort of pasta.  I know I have a little Italian buried somewhere in my lineage {wink}. Though it is summer and some of you can’t think of eating a heavy meal, this light yet savory sauce makes this pasta not as weighing as a traditional lasagna.  This pasta was created from a combination of herbs and tomatoes from my garden box, basil pesto sauce, and burrata cheese.  Giada’s first book, Every Day Italian, has a ton of hidden gems and basic sauces that can be built into entirely creative pasta meals.  Easy, simple, and delicious.  It is one of my favorite Italian cookbooks.  As for the garden boxes…  in this sunny yet mild California climate for summer, my basil and sun burst yellow tomatoes have taken off like crazy! So why not combine the two with chunks of creamy burrata cheese? [Read more…]