Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread [+ Video]

This easy zucchini banana bread is studded with chocolate chips and packed with flavor! Enjoy it warm from the oven, or freeze a loaf for later!

Recommended Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Bread Pans

Before You Begin…

Spray your bread pans with cooking spread and then take a paper towel and wipe the spray off the top inch of the pan, all the way around. This will help the batter “catch” the side of pan and then poof up in the middle. Your loaf will be both gorgeous and delicious!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread Recipe

Did you ever play school when you were growing up? I totally did and I was pretty darn sure I was going to grow up to be a teacher. I didn’t. But I did grow up to be a banana bread lover. Not sure what that has to do with being a teacher, but it’s the truth.

Zucchini bread on the other hand, gross. I did not like the texture as a kid at all. I refused to eat it, which must have been so much fun for my parents. And then I slowly forgot about it until I became a food blogger. If there’s one thing pinterest doesn’t need more of it’s quick bread recipes, so obviously I chose to give you all one.

Not true? Well, either way I decided it was high time I tried this whole zucchini bread thing again and guess what, I was a total chicken about it. I mean, I couldn’t just jump in right? I’m a toe dipper in the pool for heaven’s sake! I needed a slow start so what better thing to try than a chocolate chip zucchini banana bread? And guess what? It’s so blasted delicious I’m going to try a zucchini bread tomorrow. All by myself. If I hate it, I’ll give it away to the neighbors, ha!

Zucchini Banana Bread Ingredients

As with most quick breads, this chocolate chip zucchini banana bread requires mostly pantry staples:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda and baking powder
• Cream of tartar
• Salt
• Canola oil
• Granulated sugar
• Egg
• Mashed banana
• Grated zucchini
• Chocolate chips

How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together the egg, sugar, and oil.
3. Whisk the grated zucchini into the egg mixture.
4. Add in a little of the flour mixture, followed by some of the mashed banana. Continue alternating between the two until everything is added to the batter.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Turn the batter into a loaf pan and bake until done.

How to Store Zucchini Banana Bread

To maximize the shelf life of banana zucchini bread, cover with foil or plastic wr

Skillet Italian Sausage and Peppers Penne [+ Video]

This skillet Italian sausage and peppers with whole-wheat penne is the perfect home cooked meal and it’s all in one pot which makes clean up a breeze!

This dish is a family favorite for us! And it’s weird to say that because I have picky eaters (they are SO much better than they used to be), and usually peppers and onions aren’t on the “yes list” for picky eaters, but in this recipe, they just work! The flavor is bold, and everyone loves sausage and pasta!

When I need to get dinner on the table quickly, this is one of my go-to recipes. All you need is one pan and 30 minutes!

What Do I Need to Make Sausage and Peppers Penne?

Most of the ingredients in this dish are pantry staples, so all you will need at the grocery store are some sausage links, a couple of peppers and an onion. Here is a list of what you will need:

• Whole-wheat Penne Pasta – you can find this right by all the other pasta at the grocery store
• Italian Sausage – I generally go with mild uncooked sausage, but you could use spicy sausage or a sweet sausage depending on what you are craving
• Green Pepper – remove the stem and seeds and slice into thin slices
• Red Pepper – remove the stem and seeds and slice into thin slices, red peppers are a little sweeter than green peppers so they add another dimension of flavor
• Yellow Onion – use a sharp knife to slice the onion in the thin slices
• Red Wine (cooking wine) – we don’t drink alcohol so we cook with cooking wine, but feel free to use whichever you prefer
• Tomato Paste – a 6oz can, any brand works, just choose your favorite
• Tomato Sauce – an 8oz can, any brand works, just choose your favorite
• Water – thins out the sauce a little
• Italian Seasoning – a dried seasoning blend that you can buy at the grocery store that usually includes dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme and dried marjoram
• Sugar – enhances the flavors
• Salt – adds flavor
• Parmesan Cheese – great for a garnish to add an extra punch of flavor

The measurements for every ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. The detailed instructions for how to make this recipe are also in the recipe card.

Reasons You Will Love This Italian Sausage Recipe

Here are a few reasons that you are going to love this recipe:

1. Easy: The ingredients are simple and easy to find. The recipe is made in one pot so cleanup is easy. The only techniques you need to know are slicing, sauteing and simmering. Nothing fancy here!
2. Quick: I live for dinner recipes that come together in less than a half hour!
3. Flavor: By sauteing the sausage in the pan first, it flavors the whole dish. The peppers and onions get flavored by the sausage and add their own flavors and then the tomato pasta and sauce with the Italian seasoning and red wine add all the flavor you need.
4. Well rounded: This dish includes veggies, protein and carbs all in one pa

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad +Video

Bright Mediterranean flavors are packed into this fresh and healthy quinoa salad – spinach, tomato, cucumber, feta, red onion all tossed with fresh herbs and a sweet and tangy homemade dressing. It is a perfect summer salad!

Years ago we had a blogger lunch with all of the Utah food bloggers. There were only a few of us back then and it was simple to gather around a table to discuss life and business. There was a quinoa salad at one lunch that was fairly decent but lacked a little flavor.

This was my first introduction to quinoa so I blamed it on the grain. However, it felt fresh and nourishing so I’ve been playing with my own version ever since.

A friend of mine blew my mind by introducing me to Prosecco vinegar and it’s become not only the best quinoa salad but one of my favorite summer side salads period.

How to Make Quinoa Salad Video

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is technically the seed of a plant, but it is classified as a whole grain. It is a great source of plant protein and fiber.

Ingredients for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this tasty summer salad and the homemade salad dressing to go with it…

• Tri Color Quinoa: You can use any quinoa that you want. I just love the way this looks in the dish.
• Spinach: Grab some fresh spinach and chop it up! It adds great color, flavor and nutrients!
• Cucumber: We prefer English cucumbers so you don’t have to peel them and they are less seedy.
• Mung Beans: This is totally optional but I love the texture of beans in a salad and they are a great source of plant protein. We like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
• Grape Tomatoes: Slice them in half to make them easier

Fabulous Ranch Green Beans Recipe [+Video]

This is a green beans recipe like you’ve never tasted before and it is FABULOUS! The green beans are creamy and full of that comforting ranch flavor that everyone loves all topped with a crunchy Panko topping. Boom! You’re going to love this vegetable side dish!

I’ve been spending some quality time with more and more teenagers lately, and I’ve never felt more old and out of touch. Haha! I find myself asking them to explain all the slang words they are using. I learned a new one the other day and I’m totally incorporating it into my everyday lingo because it’s used to describe really, really good food — now that is something I can relate to! The word is “bussin'”. I can confidently say that these green beans are totally bussin’! 

After I accidentally created our melt-in-your-mouth baked ranch chicken, I had the thought that swapping the chicken for green beans would be stellar! And then I thought, nobody ever cares about green bean recipes. My next thought was…I don’t care! I’m going to do it anyway! And I was 100% correct, creamy ranch green bean casserole is out of this world…aka bussin’! And you need to try it!

Ingredients for Ranch Green Bean Casserole

You only need a few ingredients to make this tasty side dish, and most of the items will already be things you have on hand. Here is what you will need:

• Green Beans – fresh, washed, trimmed and then blanched
• Shallot – part of the onion and garlic family but more subtle in flavor
• Salt and Pepper – adds flavor
• Butter – used in the base for the sauce and as a binder for the crunchy Panko topping  
• Flour – thickens the sauce
• Ranch Salad Dressing – Trust me on this, make it from the packet, following the directions. It will taste way better then if you just buy a bottle of ranch.
• Milk – combines with the ranch to create the sauce
• Panko Breadcrumbs – Japanese-style breadcrumbs that adds crunch to the top of this casserole

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also save and/or print the recipe from there.

How to Blanch Green Beans

Blanching green beans takes just a few quick and easy steps. Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add kosher salt to the water (about 1 tablespoon for every quart of water). When the water starts boiling, add the beans and let them cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice while the beans are cooking. When the beans have finished cooking, transfer the beans to the ice bath. Let them sit for a few minutes in the cold water. This helps the green beans maint

Teriyaki Pina Colada Burger [+ Video]

Teriyaki Pina Colada Burger is our favorite! It’s a secret blend of meat for the juiciest burger, topped with teriyaki sauce, grilled pineapple, crispy bacon and a special pina colada sauce.

Cade has created a monster. A real life hamburger monster. Annnd that sounds gross. I’ve never really cared for burgers, but slowly and surely I’m realizing that it’s all about how the burger is made.

In fact I had one in Portland a few years ago that is still one of the best I’ve ever had. Except I had to shower when I got home as all the spices had gotten stuck in my hair and made my hair smell horrid. But it was worth it.

Anyway we’ve been creating quite a few favorite burger recipes like the Brazilian burger and the rest I’ll list at the end of the post so you all can have a list of them. But this teriyaki pina colada burger recipe (which was inspired by the darling Jeana Hammer), well thanks to our 2 secrets for the best burger, is awesome!

How This Recipe Came to Be

This is one of those burgers that you kind of have to trust me on. I know some maybe find it weird that we baste the burger, but trust me, it’s so yum. Good golly it’s good! I mean, if you can make a teriyaki steak (which happens to be a favorite of mine at Tepanyaki grills) then why not a burger?

And then as they were cooking I thought, we just had Maui pork nachos with pina colada sauce which is one of our favorite football foods ever, so why not use the leftover sauce to make a pina colada mayo?! BOOYAH BABY!!

Ingredients for a Teriyaki Pina Colada Burger

Here is what you will need to make these heavenly burgers! This is just meant to given you an overview of the ingredients need. The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below.

• Brioche Buns – The bun makes all the difference and brioche is soft and fluff but will home up to the sauce and juicy burger.
• Ground Beef – We recommend using 80/20 or 85/15, but nothing leaner than that. The more fat, the more flavor!
  • This recipe also works great with ground turkey or chicken!
• Teriyaki Sauce – you could make the sauce homemade or buy your favorite brand at the store
• Salt and Pepper – added flavor
• Butter – used to grill the buns
• Pineapple – that grilled brown sugar glazed pineapple ring is noth