Our Mexican Bowl Obsession

SOOOOO, I realize how often we have a "Mexican-type" bowl throughout the week- like, when I don't have a plan as I unfortunately haven't the last couple of weeks, my thought process is-
*rice
*avocado or guac
*lettuce
*salsa
*some protein cooked with usually cumin + garlic + onion...
*sauteed onions + peppers

Dinner done- Seriously...kind of embarassingly basic but here are some pics and I will link the meat recipe part...

This one was roll into the house from being gone all weekend-
Just used ground beef and made "taco" meat-

Ground Beef Taco/Mexican Bowl
2 lbs ground beef
cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt

Heat skillet to medium heat. Add ground beef and brown the meat, breaking up the meat as you go along. Drain any excess fat. Add about 4 tbsp chili powder, 2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp oregano and salt to taste. Mix well. Then add about 1/2 cup water and simmer about 5-10 min until the liquid is reduced and the flavors meld into a "sauce"

*Simple Guac* 1 avocado + juice from 1 lime + 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro + salt and pepper- scoop out avocado and mash, squeeze juice from 1 lime, mix in cilantro and season to taste with salt + pepper.

Pork Carnitas Bowl

I took a meal to a family from our church who just had a baby and they requested Mexican food- YAY! : ) Seriously about the same as above and just changed the meat! 

Only change is I got fancier with the rice and made a cilantro + lime rice to go with the meal...

Cilantro Lime Rice- 

Cook rice according to package directions- I used 2 cups of rice to make plenty to go around- 

*Chop about 1-2 tbsp of cilantro

*juice of one lime

*1 tbsp of butter

After rice is finished cooking, add the cilantro, lime and butter and mix well. 

Okay so I didn't make this one- this is from Viva Chicken in Charlotte, NC- looks like my normal-

*rice * beans * steak* avocado * cilantro* 

Y'all MUST have your comfort food/obsessions, right? This is why I love me some Chipotle! 

What is funny is that my best friend Whitney sent me another recipe---here it is---

Healthy Mexican Bowl

*Camille Styles Blog* 

Look familiar? Does she know me or what? I am digging the pickled onion idea and want to try it! 

So, moving on to a few other meals besides Mexican Bowls : ) 

Slow Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

*Epicurious*

"Slow Baked" means it cooks in only 15 minutes, so still quick! 

Also, roasted some purple cabbage- delish + made some creamed kale- I will need to post this recipe- kind of freestyled this---what a colorful plate! 

So, I have lots of cooking FAILS despite it looking like things turn out well...made these Jamaican Beef Pies this week and it was thumbs down from all around the dinner table : / 

I tried to make a gluten free pie crust- the meat mixture in the pies was good but not redeeming enough for the whole dish! I am not even linking a recipe, just wanted you to know things don't turn out well all of the time : ) 

I am going to try this one this week---again, look familiar? Just in skillet form. 

Turkey Taco Skillet

*Pioneer Woman*

YUM! 

Made my Potato and Sausage Hash this week as well- so easy and quick. 

Some baking- I tried the Thumbprint Cookies from Danielle Walker's "Celebrations" Cookbook- 

Since she doesn't put all of her recipes out there on the internet because she wants you to buy her cookbook- I get that- here is a the link to something similar on her blog- FYI, I DID NOT make my own strawberry jam- ain't nobody got time for that...well, you may and that is great! 

Strawberry Jam Cookies

*these are gluten free*

Next, these Applesauce Muffins (food.com) are FULL of gluten and everything else- but I did reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup and they were still plenty sweet per Ben and the kids report. 

Lastly, I found this FB post HILARIOUS! I follow Jen Hatmaker on FB and she is doing the Whole 30 and she posted this last night...we don't do Whole30 but are close to this with a lot of meals we eat and YES! I FEEL THE SAME WAY! Looking at the veggie drawer...yes. 

Have a great week. Have a Mexican bowl and think of me : ) ! 

Life lately...

My fave part lately is a trip we took last weekend to Charlotte, NC. We went to visit my sister and the kids think she is the best.thing.ever. Like, they say "I want to sit by Tia! " "Can I ride with Tia?" "Can Tia put me to bed?", etc...

My obsession - there is this local company "Clean Juice" and it is sooo good. I went twice while we were there. 

Saw some of our dear dear friends who we met in Orlando, lived with in Georgia and now they live not too far from my sister, so we got a lot of time with them as well.  They live on 20 acres and have all the things - donkeys, goats, chickens...it was a blast! 

I will leave it here...*sigh*