Sharing a delicious and healthy recipe for Paleo banana bread! This post is updated with new pics and a refresh.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! We were in Phoenix for a dance competition. P has had basketball games, so the past couple of competitions have just been Liv and myself. It’s been a treat to spend some time together and in the hotel each night, we had takeout picnic and watched multiple episodes of Friends. It was lovely!

It’s back to the swing around here this week, and I wanted to share a delicious and healthy recipe with ya. This is one of my staples and I love it when we have bananas that are on their last leg. I think a lot of us went through a banana bread heyday in 2020, and I kind of overdid it. Now that I’ve stopped making it so frequently, it’s *special* again, and a lovely little treat.

(fave spring dress is here!)

Paleo Banana Bread

With its moist texture, natural sweetness, and nutty flavor, this paleo banana bread is sure to become a staple in your kitchen. Enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack, or dessert, knowing it’s made with wholesome ingredients that nourish your body.

I hope you love the recipe as much as we do!

Leaving an old pic so my Pinterest friends know they’re at the right spot!

When I originally made this, I typed out the recipe on my phone —  it was very on the fly. I thought it would be good but maybe not quite blogworthy. Totally surprised myself with this one, as gluten-free baking can be tough. It’s been a staple all this time!

This grain-free banana bread is extremely moist, decadent and made the

I believe that it’s always a good time for sangria, so please feel free to replace “summer” in the name of this easy summer sangria recipe with the season of your choice 😉

Sangria, or wine punch, is a fantastic party beverage, especially if you can make it at home and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I made last night’s sangria at the BBQ we went to, because I had visions of exploding sangria and the Pilot’s car smelling like wine and brandy for the rest of the year. I personally don’t mind the smell of wine and brandy, though…

For this recipe, I like to use inexpensive dry red wine, like a cheap Spanish wine. If you prefer white wine, you could definitely swap the red wine for pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc and make a white wine sangria that tastes just as delicious. I know plenty of people who also like to add lemon lime soda for some carbonation, but you can skip adding that and not miss a thing. After all, the key ingredients here are the fresh fruits (summer fruit in this case) and wine for sangria that’s off the charts amazing yet surprisingly simple.

Hi friends! Happy humpday! Looking for a booty workout? Check out this one; it’s one of my very faves. I hope you’re enjoying the week so far!

Spring Quinoa Salad with Artichokes, Feta, and Asparagus

When I first wrote this post, we had just gotten back from an awesome Vegas vacay. It was so good to get back into the swing of things and back in the routine of the girls’ classes and lessons, teaching fitness classes, and catching up on work stuff.  It also felt good to eat some home-cooked food! When we travel, I try to stick to one indulgent meal each day and go for my normal eats for the most part, but Vegas is a little different. It was easy for me to make healthy choices for breakfast, but you definitely have to take advantage of all of the fantastic entree and dessert options. 😉

I was also like, “I can’t wait to eat a vegetable when we get back” but then I looked in our fridge, it was pretty much empty, and I ended up eating coconut milk salted caramel ice cream for lunch. I guess I was still in Vegas mode. 😉 Once I was finally able to replenish the fridge, I created this little on-the-fly salad with some of the new grocery stash.

This salad is perfect for any upcoming spring parties or picnics, and includes two of the “great A’s”: artichokes and asparagus. It has fresh, flavorful, and bright lemon flavors from the lemon juice + zest, and since it’s quinoa-based, it’s sturdy enough to last a few days in the fridge so you can make it in advance! I made it as part of this week’s meal prep (along with some grilled chicken, amazeballs, and protein baked oatmeal) so I could easily eat it alone on top of salad greens or with grilled chicken or tuna for an easy lunch.

This salad is filling and satisfying, plus it’s gluten-free. Vegan friends can omit the feta cheese, or add in their favorite vegan cheese, for a vegan option

Plus it’s one of those, “toss everything in a bowl and forget about it” kinda recipes, which means I’m a fan.

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Imma bout to show you the way to my heart.

How To Cook Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes are one of the first foods that the Pilot and I would make to go along with our dinners. When we first started dating, money was tight so instead of going out to eat, we’d share an ahi tuna steak and cook two artichoke hearts as our fancy dinner at home. The Pilot is kind of the artichoke king and over time, he’s shared the method to cook them perfectly. They can seem like an intimidating veg – they’re covered in battle spears for goodness sake – but they’re a simply-prepared and nutrient-dense side.

Here’s the step-by-step artichokes recipe!

How to Prepare Artichokes

Artichokes need a bit of a trim before you cook them. You’ll pull off the artichoke leaves, trim the top and the stem, and scoop out the chokes.

After trimming, place the artichokes in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning. You can also rub lemon juice on the cut areas of each artichoke, but I find it much easier to just dunk them in lemon water.

Now it’s time to cook them!

How to Cook Artichokes

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Sharing some lazy Sunday dinner ideas that you can make quickly and that the whole fmaily will love. 

Hi friends! How are you and how’s the week going? It’s been a great one over here. I’m taking a barre class this afternoon and getting my nails done. They need it!

For today’s post, I wanted to share some quick and easy recipes that would be perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, or a lazy Sunday. I’ve gone back to making quick meals on Sundays and it’s been such a treat to eat something at home that didn’t take a couple of hours to make.

I rounded up 9 quick and easy dinner *recipes* (just throw-together meals!) perfect for those cozy Sunday nights when you’d rather relax than cook up a storm. For us, the rest of the week is equally fast around here… but I had to title this post appropriately for The Man (aka Google).

Here are some of our go-tos:

Lazy Sunday Dinner Ideas

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Creamy, comforting, and oh-so-delicious, this Chicken Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite that comes together in no time.

Ingredients:

Pasta of your choice

Chicken breasts

Alfredo sauce

Garlic

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Step 2: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then cook until golden brown.

Step 3: In a separate pan, heat Alfredo sauce and minced garlic.

Step 4: Combine cooked pasta, sliced chicken, and Alfredo sauce. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I love to serve this with broccoli on the side or a salad kit.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Let your slow cooker do all the work with this hearty and flavorful Beef Stew that’s perfect for chilly Sunday evenings.

Ingredients:

Beef stew meat

Potatoes

Carrots

Onion

Beef broth

Tomato paste

Worcestershire sauce

Garlic

Herbs and spices

Instructions:

Step 1: Place beef stew meat, chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the slow cooker.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and herbs/spices.

Step 3: Pour mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken

This simple yet elegant Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken is bursting with flavor.

Ingredients:

Whole chicken

Lemon

Garlic

Olive oil

Fresh herbs (such as rosemary and thyme)

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Step 2: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Stuff the cavity of the chicken with lemon halves, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs.

Step 4: Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and season well with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Roast in the oven for 1-1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). I like to serve this with sweet potatoes (cook in the Instant pot with a little water for 30 minutes) and sauteed zucchini.

Quick and Easy Teriya