Three different kinds of beans simmer in the crockpot with plenty of seasonings and hot sauce to make one of the easiest side dishes you can put on the table. These Spicy Baked Beans come together with barely five minutes of effort.

The first time I made these beans, my family devoured them in one meal. Serve them with Beer and Garlic Chicken and Memphis Coleslaw for an easy and tasty weeknight dinner.

Mexican Baked Beans

The inspiration for these Mexican baked beans hit me one day when I wanted to make baked beans, but I didn’t have any bacon in the house and the ground beef was frozen.

My family is full of self-proclaimed meat-loving carnivores and it’s hard enough to get a meatless meal past them, let alone a new variation on a much-loved meat-filled baked beans recipe.

I decided to bump up the flavors in the beans and see if the added spices could compensate for the “missing” meat. Sure enough, with some added Mexican spices and a generous pour of hot sauce, my guys devoured these beans.

If you happen to have bacon on hand, I’m always in favor of adding it to the recipe. But these accidentally-vegetarian beans stand on their own as a terrific side dish for any meal.

Spicy Baked Beans Recipe

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• light red kidney beans
• great northern bea

Filled with fresh vegetables, tangy Italian dressing, and delightful twirls of pasta, you’ll want to savor each bite of this California Spaghetti Salad.

Italian Spaghetti Salad

Like so many pasta salads that I love, this one is loaded to the max with fresh vegetables. I like to add about ¾ of a cup of vegetables to the salad for every ounce of pasta (i.e. 6 cups of vegetables for 8 ounces of pasta).

That might sound like a lot, but I promise this ratio won’t result in too many vegetables. This is the best balance I’ve found for maximizing the textures and flavors in this Italian spaghetti salad.

You can make this recipe with any vegetable you enjoy snacking on or eating raw. Just cut the vegetables into somewhat uniform, bite-size pieces. This ensures the maximum variety of textures and flavors in every bite.

If at all possible, try making this salad with homemade Italian dressing. It takes less than five minutes to shake this dressing together, and it makes a world of difference.

California Spaghetti Salad

Something magical happens in each forkful of this pasta salad. Crunchy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes balance the slight bite of red onions and bell peppers.

The dressing is a tangy highlight, with bright notes of lemon and the smooth richness of olive oil. It adds vibrant and irresistible flavor to this California spaghetti salad recipe.

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Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, and red pepper are delightfully brightened by fresh lemon juice in this Zesty Italian Dressing. So simple to make, it’s ready in just a few minutes!

Italian Dressing Marinade for Chicken

This dressing is fabulous on salads. And, it is also makes an awesome marinade for chicken, too. You don’t need to change a thing. Just shake it together, pour it over the chicken, and let it marinate.

You can use this zesty Italian dressing recipe on a pasta salad, too. Just add enough dressing to make it shiny when you toss it. The pasta doesn’t need to swim in it. Give it a bit of time to rest in the fridge and the flavors will mingle beautifully.

Is Italian Dressing Gluten Free?

For those of you with gluten concerns, I’ve got good news! While most big brands may contain gluten, this recipe makes a 100% gluten-free Italian salad dressing. And, it tastes better than anything you’ll find on store shelves.

This simple Italian dressing works just as well with gluten-free noodles. Or, give Zucchini Noodles a try for a refreshing twist in your favorite pasta salad.

Zesty Italian Dressing Recipe

• olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• lemon juice
• garlic cloves
• oregano
• red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

Sharing some tips on how to maintain your fitness and activity levels even with a broken toe. 

Hi friends! How are ya and how was the weekend? It was a great one over here. The Pilot was originally supposed to leave for a weeklong trip on Mother’s Day, and as he was driving to the airport, his flight was canceled! He ended up getting to stay home, which was a gift in itself.

We had a lovely brunch at Hacienda del Sol with madre and nana, dropped off plants for my nana and stepmom, and then had an amazing family dinner + swimming at madre’s. I hope that my friends who were celebrating enjoying a beautiful Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day can also be a difficult day for many, for various reasons, so if it wasn’t your favorite day, I’m sending you a big hug and holding you in my heart.

How to work out with a broken toe

For today’s post, I wanted to talk about something I’ve experienced too many times: working out with a broken toe. I’ve broken the pinky toe on my right foot countless times – the Pilot said at this point, they should just amputate it – and for the first time ever, I broke my left pinky toe. It was exactly two and a half weeks ago, and I was running around the house getting things ready to film Fit Team videos. I raced into the living room and WHACK. I hit my foot in between the wooden chair leg and immediately fell to the floor, moaning in agony.

Usually when I stub a toe, it’s a few swear words and I move on with my life, but this one. Wow. I knew I really hurt it. I lied on the floor writhing in pain for at least five minutes. Then, I used pure adrenaline to film the 6 Fit Team workout tutorials (whew!), it throbbed all night, and the next morning, my foot was completely bruised and swollen. I got it good.

Because my foot was alarmingly purple, swollen, and hurting so badly, I actually went to urgent care to see if I truly damaged something. (Usually I know a toe is broken, buddy tape it, and let it heal.) They wanted to do an X-ray and sure enough: oblique fracture. The treatment doesn’t change and they just buddy tape it, so that’s my destiny for at least 2 more weeks.

The good news is that the doctor said I could work out as long as it feels ok. I can’t flex hard at my toes (no lunges, and definitely no high impact) but I was surprised to see that I can still do a LOT even with a broken toe.

In today’s post, I’m going to share some ideas and some of the things I’ve been doing! A broken toe doesn’t have to sideline your fitness goals. With a little creativity and some modifications, you can stay active and keep that body moving.

Talk to your doctor and make sure you’re ok to work out

First things first, safety always comes first. Make sure to consult with your healthcare provide

Strawberry Simple Syrup is easy to make with just 3 ingredients and it can be used in so many ways!

Add a splash of strawberry syrup to a glass of mint lemonade or to a pitcher of mojitos and you just might find your new favorite drink to sip this summer. Pour it over a stack of buttermilk pancakes or my grandmother’s German pancakes for a breakfast that everyone will love.

Strawberry Simple Syrup

My sister introduced me to this strawberry simple syrup years ago. She excitedly called me up to tell me that she’d made a double batch, and I just had to have the recipe.

We played around with the recipe during a visit later that month. This syrup works well in cocktails, as a topping for pancakes and waffles, and I’ve even been known to add it with some fresh fruit to a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

This delectable infusion of juicy, sun-ripened strawberries has the perfect amount of sweetness. Strawberry syrup takes whatever you put it on and adds a bright pop of color and flavor to it, beyond what you would get with regular syrup. I love having it on hand for guests and special occasions.

This syrup keeps in the fridge for weeks, though I’ve found that at my house it doesn’t last that long before I have to make another batch. My boys love pouring it over a stack of perfect pancakes.

Strawberry S