Cheese and refried beans meld together to create a flavorful layer in these Cheesy Chicken and Refried Bean Enchiladas.

Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

Oh, how my family loves enchiladas. It’s almost ridiculous how often we make and eat them. Typically we serve them piping hot with tortilla chips on the side to scoop up all the cheesy melted deliciousness.

Nothing beats a gooey cheese pull and these enchiladas don’t disappoint in that department. For the most flavorful cheese in this dish go with sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend.

Mexican blend cheese is worth it for its flavor and melting abilities. It is usually a combination of Monterey Jack, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso which all factor into how well it melts into that creamy, gooey goodness.

Pork, beef, and chicken all work quite well for enchiladas. For this recipe, I use rotisserie chicken – though, in a pinch, canned chicken from the pantry will work as well.

These chicken and bean enchiladas will be scoopable after resting for 15 minutes out of the oven. Let the dish rest a bit longer if you want to slice the enchiladas versus scoop them onto plates.

We typically serve them warm and scoopable with plenty of tortilla chips on the side for scooping the enchiladas.

Refried Bean Enchiladas

While the majority of my enchilada recipes do contain beans, chicken with refried beans is a new variation for us and it’s been a huge hit! The refried beans form a creamy cheesy layer and the flavors work beautifully together.

Canned refried beans are a fantastic, simple hack for these enchiladas. I find that heating them and then slightly smashing or smearing them with a spoon helps to make them spreadabl

With all the advances in the world, one thing that remains a constant battle is the fight to live as our authentic selves. Here, columnist Bhavna shares the terrible reality for many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and implores us to stand with them to fight for everyone’s right to love, with pride

Love is love. Loving and being loved are the most basic of needs in any organism. Poets tell us that to love is the goal of human existence, and to be loved is the greatest treasure of the heart. And yet, for some like me, who are part of the global LGBTQIA+ community, loving whom we choose could be a death sentence.

Despite advances in LGBTQIA+ rights through Stonewall’s first riot to the Pride marches across the globe, loving someone of the same sex can mean death in many parts of the world. Only in June, during our Queen’s Jubilee, the representative of Her Majesty in Indonesia was called to account over why there was a Pride flag flying at the British Embassy. This is timely proof that there are still many countries around the world where there is a price to pay for love.

We hear of young couples being reported to authorities, sometimes by their own families, because they are gay and love each other. Why?

We hear of two young women in India, in their early 20s, hounded by their families because they have chosen to be in a loving relationship, and abducted by their families to force them apart, having to go to court to fight for their right to be together. Why?

We hear of corrective rapes in South Africa, and other parts of the world, to ‘teach’ LGBTQIA+ people a lesson. Why?

We hear of trans siblings of the LGBTQIA+ family being harassed and murdered, transwomen being assaulted and murdered, because they found the courage to be who they are.

We hear of high rates of suicides in the LGBTQIA+ community, because of the stigma of being gay. Why?

We hear of people choosing to enter heterosexual marriage and betray themselves to keep family happy, and take the target off their backs. This raises many other questions. We can’t hide what we feel – I know, I was in the closet for 32 years of my life until it became unbearable to live the lie, and I had to come out before it killed me. I will never get those three decades of my life back.

One of the excuses I read and hear repeatedly about why being LGBTQIA+ could be a death sentence for some is that it is against ‘their’ religion. Yet, despite my study of religious literature over decades, the main lesson I’ve taken from all religions has been love, forbearance, and peace. The final commandment of Jesus was to ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’

The Office for National Statistics found that 1.9 million people in the UK (3.1% of the population) identify as LGB, whereas those identifying as trans number 1%, according to Stonewall.

The National LGBT Survey carried out in 2017 found that LGBT respondents are less satisfied with life compared with the general UK population. Furthermore, more than 66% stated concern about holding hands in public for fear of reprisals. The report stated that at least two in five people had experienced verbal haras

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream is an old-fashioned favorite when made simply with strawberries, sugar, and cream (or milk). Just a few ingredients adds up to a summer ice cream treat that everyone loves.

Strawberry ice cream melts into deliciousness about as fast as you can eat it. This is light, creamy, smooth homemade ice cream with bits of strawberries mixed throughout.

Top a scoop of this Strawberry Ice Cream with Simple Berry Sauce or Homemade Chocolate Sauce and serve it over Double Chocolate Brownies for a dessert that any fan of chocolate-covered strawberries will love.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember when making ice cream with fresh strawberries is to taste the berries.

It sounds overly simple, but the berries will contribute nearly all of the flavor to this recipe. If the berries are sweet and flavorful, the ice cream will be fantastic.

However, flavorless fruits will not be magically transformed into great ice cream. The resulting ice cream when working with subpar fruits is going to be very bland.

Often you can get away with subpar berries for cobbler, cake, or a crisp, because the cooking process enhances the flavors in a way that the simplest of ice creams will not be able to do.

I’ve been making this Strawberry Ice Cream for over ten years now and I’m happy to tell you that milk, half and half, or a combination of milk and cream may be used to make this ice cream. 

If you choose to make this

Sharing some ideas on how to set healthy examples for kids, teach them about health, and get them excited about nutrition.

Hi friends! How’s the week going? We’re having the dreamiest time in Hawaii; I never want to leave.

For today’s post, I’m answering a reader’s request about teaching kids about nutrition and setting a healthy example for kids as they grow up. While I’m not an expert in this (please keep in mind that I’m NOT an RD), it’s been important to me to model healthy behaviors our babies can keep for life. In today’s post, I’m sharing some of the things that have worked for us, and as always, I love hearing your input, too!

How to teach kids about nutrition

Show, don’t tell

This is my #1 tip and I could probably just end this post here. A lot of the things the kids know about nutrition, they’ve learned from watching us and how we eat, how we plan our meals, and how we shop. I don’t have to really “tell” them anything; kids are little sponges and are always soaking up information from the world around them.

I love the fact that our kiddos are adventurous eaters who seem to enjoy food as much as we do. They’re not picky and will try anything, and while they each have a giant sweet tooth (I do, too!), they also enjoy lots of fresh produce, protein, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense starches on their plates. One of my biggest goals for nutrition for the girls was to teach them about balance, which they can only learn if I model that myself. I’ll have a giant salad, but I’ll also have a cupcake or ice cream with them, and it’s no big deal. We order Domino’s pizza (they love it) and get donuts weekly. I never want anything to be *weird* or forbidden, and they know that we focus on colorful, fresh foods from the earth + room for the soul-hugging stuff in there, too.

(Their favorite snack: smoked oysters and skinless/bonless sardines. They eat them straight-up out of the can.)

This can be hard if you’ve grown up with a tricky relationship with food, but remember that kids are always watching. Enjoy treats guilt-free and don’t talk about how food affects your physical appearance. Instead, you can say things like, “I’m going to have so much energy after this salad” or “soup always makes me feel better when I’m under the weather.” Or, you could also say nothing. I find that whatever I’m eating, the girls want to eat, too. I’ll often make my portions larger because I know at least half will be “tasted.”

Eat the rainbow

I don’t think kids *need* to know the vitamin, mineral content, or

Breakups are rarely easy. But what if moving on after a relationship isn’t as easy for you as it is for others?

Ending a relationship can be… tough. Perhaps you’ve drifted apart and things have ended amicably; maybe communication had broken down, or your emotional connection has faded over time. Infidelity, money troubles, toxic or excessive jealousy, trouble making things work long-distance – there are more reasons than you can count for a relationship to end. Yet, for many of us, that doesn’t make the healing process any easier.

The average American adult will experience three major relationship breakups during their lifetime, taking six months to get over each fully. Yet, according to research, on average we give ourselves just four days to ‘wallow in sadness’ (or rather, grieve for the relationship we have lost) immediately after it has ended. For those ending a more long-term committed relationship like a marriage, studies have estimated it can take up to 18 months to feel ready to move on.

So, why do some of us seem to be more affected than others when it comes to moving on from our relationships? And could taking longer to ‘get over’ your ex be a sign of something more serious?

Relationship breakups: What’s normal?

The end of a relationship can come with huge life changes. If you shared a home, you may find yourself needing to move; if you shared bills, you’ll need to take another look at your finances. If things weren’t amicable, who gets to ‘keep’ your shared friends? And that’s not even touching the emotional turmoil that can leave you feeling anxious, angry, sad, overwhelmed, bitter, confused, hurt, and heartbroken.

While there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to experience a breakup with someone, there are aspects which can make it feel easier for both of you. You may feel more able and ready to move on if:

• Your relationship broke up face-to-face. Ghosting, or being rejected by text, call, or email can stop you from having the chance to express yourself and your feelings, and have a final opportunity to go through things together. This can stop you from feeling able to move on, as you may feel like you have unfinished business, or too much has been left unsaid.
• You both had the chance to be honest. Having a real reason for the ending of a relationship (without things going into too much detail, or feeling too brutal) can help to create a sense of catharsis. You may still be unhappy, or may not even fully agree with that reason, but knowing the why can be a big help in moving on.
• You had a clean break. When one partner tries to hang on, insists on ‘fixing’ or ‘saving’ your relationship, or even tries to argue that your reasons or feelings that have led to this breakup aren’t valid, it can cause more harm than good. Even if you want to remain friends (something 60% of us manage, according to one 2017 study), it can be easier if you don't.
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