Category:

Food

FoodFoodie Friday

Melt in your mouth chocolate chip pudding cookies

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

This recipe makes about 40 cookies.

Our family is obsessed with these cookies. I knew about this chewy delicious recipe, but always put it off because vanilla pudding mix is full of junk! I finally found an instant vanilla pudding that had 4 simple ingredients, sugar, cornstarch, natural flavors and sea salt. Win! I make it ahead into balls, freeze it for an hour and put in the oven. It is difficult to get to 7 “WOWS” in my family, but these do the trick. Be prepared for the best cookie you’ve ever tasted.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use food nanny kamut flour)
  • 1 box (3.7 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix or this one
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use this one)
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Pre hear over your 350. Mix the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients. Bake for 13-14 min. 

FoodFoodie Friday

Summer Salad I Can’t Stop Eating

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

How was your Memorial Day? We were invited to a BBQ yesterday for Memorial Day and she asked me to bring a side dish.

I love a challenge.

I was craving a greek salad with a twist. I left out any meat since we were attending a bbq with lots of yummy grilled meat. The feta has protein and a delicious kick. Let me know what you think!

GREEK ORZO SUMMER SALAD

1 16 oz package orzo pasta, (I use the one from trader joe’s) cooked and put aside

1 package cherry tomatoes

1 can, black olives

1 package of feta cheese

1 whole bunch of Dill, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, sliced thinly

Drizzle with 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions: Cut the tomatoes, onions, dill, and feta. Finally, drizzle with oil and salt. Toss and serve.

FoodFoodie Friday

How to make healthy gummy bears at home

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Our family is just a little bit gummy bear obsessed! We love them and buy them daily, so why not make our own? We have done SO many variations. Wanna know some of our family favorites? Phyto reds blend and lemonade blend. I use stevia drops instead of honey and fresh lemon juice as the juice, but it’s totally up to you. Here’s where you can buy the phyto reds – HERE

If you do use the phyto reds, I use one scoop to one cup of water and double the recipe.

Here is the recipe below. I love that it is only 3 ingredients and no bad ingredients! Enjoy and let me know if you make them.

FRUIT JUICE GUMMY BEARS

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Pour 1/2 cup juice into a sauce pan set on low heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon honey.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of gelatin.
  • Mix until all dissolved and then remove from heat.
  • Using the dropper, add into your mold.
  • Place in fridge for 30 minutes to cool and form or until solidified. 
FoodFoodie Friday

Cowboy Cookie Recipe

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

I shared these cookies on my stories and so many of you wanted the recipe.

I love these! They’re so yummy, I had 3 today!

I attended a women’s bridal shower, and my sister’s friend Brooke brought these cookies. Immediately, I had to ask her for the recipe. They were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and equally soft yet crispy.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Cowboy cookies

This recipe makes two dozen


1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening (or substitute for 2 sticks of butter)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
Mix dry ingredients
2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 package of semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix thoroughly, bake at 350 F for approximately 8 minutes.

FoodFoodie Friday

Mouth watering Snickerdoodles

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

I discovered this recipe off the King Arthur flour website and fell in love. It reminds me of a melt in your mouth cinnamon and sugar muffin I used to make for brunch about a decade ago in Chicago.

Good memories.

I tried to recreate that very muffin by under cooking it. I came VERY close to recreating them and they may just be better than original inspiration.

What are you waiting for, make these and let me know what you think!

Click here for 3 ingredient dinners, broccoli salad, chickpea dinner (my kids love) and Amy’s pancake we make on weekends.

Buttery Snickerdoodles

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
                3/4 cup granulated sugar
                1 large egg
                1 teaspoon baking powder
                1/2 teaspoon salt
                1 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

              2 tablespoons sugar
                1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, to taste

               

                To make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
                Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.
                Add the egg, beating until smooth.
                Beat in the salt, and baking powder.

  • Add the flour, mixing until totally incorporated.
  • To make the coating: Shake together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized zip-top plastic bag.
  • Drop small (1″-diameter) balls of dough into the bag; a teaspoon cookie scoop works well here. Roll/toss the cookies in the cinnamon sugar until they’re completely coated.
  • Space the cookies at least 1 1/2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a flat-bottom glass to flatten them to about 3/8″ thick; they’ll be about 1 1/2″ in diameter.
  • Bake the cookies for 8 minutes (for soft cookies) to 10 minutes (for crunchier cookies). 

Food

My Espresso Machine

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

I literally sit in my bed in the morning dreaming about my cappuccino that I cannot wait to enjoy. Thanks to my Nespresso Creatista machine. It’s durable, makes super hot coffee and espressos, and heats up the milk like a dream. It has an adjustable espresso option, milk temp and froth level. Love the options to have either a cappuccino or flat white. We are careful to keep the milk warmer clean to ensure the best lattes. I use almond milk and Reid uses regular milk and both works well. If $599 is out of the budget, I also show below the smaller options which we also have for our guest room. At $149, it is no frills and a great dependable cup of joe (or espresso).

Under $200 options

Which is your favorite? Do you own an Nespresso machine?

FoodFoodie Friday

Chocolate Sheet Cake – Birthday Cake

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

The Texas Sheet Cake we make EVERY birthday is finally on the blog! I originally got this recipe from a guy in my Poetry Class at Wheaton College. No joke! He made it for the last class kick off party and I told him I HAD to have this recipe. He quickly wrote it on a napkin, and from there its history. I’ve since shared it with my family, friends and YOU! Let me know what you think!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Yields 1 9 x 13 cake

2 cups flour (I use Kamut flour)

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325F, mix in a large bowl.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I substitute for a stick of butter)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
Bring the butter oil, powder and water to a boil in a sauce pan. Slowly add to the flour mix and mix well.

Two eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

*When I don’t have buttermilk, here’s the substitute: for each cup of buttermilk, I add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir than let stand for about 5 minutes.

Blend till smooth and add to cocoa flour mix. Pour into a 9 x 13 greased and floured pan. Bake till toothpick comes out clean. Let cook at least 5 minutes before icing. Bake at 325 F, for approximately 25 minutes.

CAKE ICING

1/2 cup butter
3 T. cocoa
6 T. Milk
1 t. vanilla (add to cocoa mixture)
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar

Melt butter and cocoa together in a sauce pan- make sure not to burn it. Add milk to butter mixture. Add powdered sugar to cocoa and milk and mix till there are no lumps.

Pour over warm (not hot) cake and spread smooth

Let me know what you think. This is our favorite birthday cake ever!

Enjoy and let me know how you like it in the comments!

FoodFoodie Friday

Healthy Pad Thai

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

I’m obsessed with the salty sweet flavors of Pad Thai. Since we aren’t going out to eat, I found a recipe to make at home. It is a healthier version to try without losing the amazing flavor. The recipe is good for 4 people and only takes 30 minutes. Let me know what you think!

Keto Pad Thai

Sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili paste
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp lime juice
5 drops stevia

Ingredients

1 16 oz package shirataki noodles
1 lb chicken breast, butterflied and cut into bit sized pieces
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large scallions, thinly sliced, keep whites and greens separate
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts

Toppings
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • Wash and dry fresh produce. Thinly slice scallions, keeping whites and greens separated. Peel and mince ginger and garlic. Roughly chop cilantro leaves.
  • Butterfly the chicken breast then cut into small bite sized pieces.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients until well combined and smooth.
  • Heat a drizzle of oil (I used sesame oil) in a wok or large pan over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds), stirring frequently. Add scallion whites and  1 tbsp sambal oelek to wok with ginger and garlic and continue stir frying until scallions have softened about 2-3 minutes.
  • Once scallion whites have softened, add chicken to wok with the ginger, garlic, scallions, and chili paste. Stir fry chicken for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
  • While chicken cooks, beat 2 eggs until well combined. Drain and rinse shirataki noodles thoroughly under hot water for about 2 minutes.
  • Once chicken has finished, remove the chicken stir fry the wok or pan and set aside. Add shiratki noodles to the wok and stir fry noodles until firm, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Once noodles have cooked, add the beaten eggs to the wok with the noodles and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the eggs have cooked. Stir frequently to break up/scramble the eggs.
  • Once eggs have cooked, add the chicken stir fry, pad thai sauce, and bean sprouts to the wok. Continue stir frying for about 2 minutes until all ingredients are well combined.
  • Top with scallion greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro to serve. Enjoy!

Photography by Felicia Lasala // Adapted from Joy Filled Eats // Optional: Shiratki noodles can be used OR “Healthy Noodle” made with Konjac.

See what I’m shopping below on my Shop page open 24/7:

FoodFoodie Friday

Energy Balls Recipe

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Of all the things I make, all my kids request energy balls the most. I thought I’d share the recipe here as I make them daily now on #quarantine. I wanted a recipe with protein (almond butter) and fiber (chia seeds and oatmeal), and energy balls seem to fit the bill.  Did I mention that they’re delicious?


 ENERGY BALLS

1 cup of organic oats (I grind in my Cuisinart)
1/2 cup of chocolate chips
1/3 cup of chia seeds
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup almond butter, crunchy
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Mix the above and mold into 1 inch balls. Place on a pan or plate into the freezer for one hour or 10 minutes if you’re like us and can’t wait! Can you tell Levi loves them too?

FoodFoodie Friday

7 3-Ingredient Dinners from Trader Joes

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

jeans fit TTS // Beatles tee // Chanel cocoon tote bag similar // blazer similar

With 7 people to feed, it’s no secret I’m a HUGE fan of 3 ingredient dinners and please note that my kids approve of ALL these meals. Perfect for a Monday or a Sunday night when you have NO IDEA what is for dinner. I know I’ve been there. After 30 revisions, I am finally publishing this. I will also say, this was Reid’s favorite blog post I’ve written in a while. I think because he liked our kitchen transformed into a “test kitchen” for many of these recipes. Feeding your family is a big deal, so researching these recipes and putting together meals has been a labor of love. I’m no food blogger, but these work for me and my hungry family of 7. I have an option with a plus sign by some of the recipes, to make it health(ier). Totally up to you. Take notes, pack up your reusable bags, and head to Trader Joe’s for your next 3 ingredient dinner.

Let’s

dive

right

in:

1. Pasta + Pesto + Grilled Chicken

(good source of protein, some greens) + add sautéed spinach and garlic

Cook the pasta per the instructions on the back, add chicken, pesto and avocado oil to mix. serve warm or chilled. Perfect as leftovers too! Reid takes the leftovers to work for lunch. Honestly, there are hardly ever any leftovers.

2. Hashbrowns + Veggie Chili + Shredded Cheese

+ kale chips for extra protein!

This dinner is such a hit at my house, I didn’t even get an “after” picture!

3 steps: arrange hash browns on a 9×13 pan, empty 2 cans of vegetarian chili onto the hash brown layer. and finally sprinkle cheese over this.

Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes depending on your oven.

I get a ton of DM’s about this simple recipe and I kind of chuckle to myself and think, wow, this is such an easy meal, why don’t more people know about it? I make 2 of these for my family of 7.

3. Kale Pizza Crust + Shredded Mozzerella + Marinara Sauce

Arrange the sauce, marinara sauce, cheese and kale (dipped in avocado oil and pink salt) and cook according to the packaging. I bake for 400 degrees for about 18 minutes.

Delish!

4. Cheese free Onion Soup

Sauté onions with avocado oil until the onions are see through. Add beef broth, (a dash of red wine is optional), and pink himalayan salt. Let it boil than sit. Double what you see here if you have a family of 4 or more. At least 2 beef broth containers and 4 onions, depending on how many you serve. I figure, more soup is always a good thing. My boys beg for soup, and we live in a warm climate, go figure! Don’t forget to serve this with french bread. Delicious! Click here for my onion soup recipe previously published on the blog.

Onions + Beef Broth + French Bread

5. Frozen Chicken fingers or Nuggets + Can of Tomatoes + Jasmine Rice

This is my children’s favorite dish. They even request it for their birthdays! I sautée the onions and garlic in avocado oil, add a large can of tomatoes, pink himalyan salt, and a cube of “not chick’n bouillon.” I heat the chicken nuggets or fingers per the ingredients on the box. If you mix them with the tomatoes, they will get soggy. Serve the chicken beside the bed of rice and tomato mixture.

Sear the frozen turkey burgers in some avocado oil on the stove top, add some pink himalayan salt. (Another option: you can sear the turkey burger with Bragg amino acids. I love this soy sauce flavor, but not all do). Pair the burger with Kale chips, roasted onion (optional) and feta. This is a delicious and a yummy way to get your daily protein and greens.

6. Turkey Burger + Kale + Feta

7. One Pan Salmon + Frozen peas + Frozen carrots

Cook the salmon in 425 degrees and add lemon and salt to the top. I usually cook it for 12-15 min, depending on the size of your salmon. TIP: roast your salmon 4-6min per 1/2 inch thickness of salmon. Salmon is usually done when you can take a fork to it and flake it. When the salmon flakes with a fork, it is done!

Add frozen peas and frozen carrots surrounding the salmon. I love the little to no clean up with this recipe!

Bonus 8. Two Ingredient QUESO DIP: This is not technically a meal, however, it is worth mentioning as its a perfect family snack or game appetizer. I originally saw this on Lisa’s Instagram and knew I had to make it. It serves 4-6, and ready around in about 5 minutes!

Microwave the chili for 2.5 minutes in a microwave friendly bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of queso cheese and continue until smooth. Enjoy warm with chips!

Note: you can double or make two of most of all of these dishes for larger families of 6+. Please comment with the dish you’re most excited to make. Also, if you have a favorite 3 ingredient dinner that I can add to my repertoire, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. Enter “FOODIE FRIDAY” into my blog’s search page for more recipes.

Bon Appetit!

xx Shalice 🙂

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