Mango Pina Colada Smoothie

Add of bit of tangy sweetness to your typical pina colada flavors of pineapple and coconut all in a healthy smoothie.  You will swear you are on a beach somewhere!

 

Mango Pina Colada Smoothie

A great way to start the day is with a healthy smoothie and what better than one that takes you away to a tropical beach.  With flavors of mango, pineapple, and coconut you'll be whisked away to a tripical island in the carribean.

Full of healthy ingredients like pineapple, mango, banana, and coconut milk this smoothie comes together in a few minutes and is full of vitamins and protein.  A satisfying breakfast that tastes like heaven is on the horizon.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• banana
• frozen mango
• frozen pineapple
• coconut milk
• greek yogurt

Substitutions and Variations

• Use coconut flavored greek yogurt for a stronger coconut flavor

• Use any non dairy milk - or use regular milk in place of the coconut milk

• Add a dash of vanilla for a boost of flavor

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• freeze your ripe bananas for making smoothies

• place the liquid in the bottom of the blender to assist in the mixing

• Using frozen fruit make your smoothies slushy and there is no need for ice.

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Mango Pina Colada Smoothie

serves 2

1 cup greek yogurt

1/2 banana
3/4 cup frozen pineapple
3/4 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup lite coconut milk

In a blender add coconut milk, yogurt, and the fruit.  Blend on high until blended.  If the mixture is too thick add an additional splash of coconut milk and blend again.  Serve immediately.

Skillet Dish: Sirloin Tips with Bell Pepper and Onion

Tender and juicy seasoned sirloin tips mixed with sweet onion and bell peppers and ready in 20 minutes with this quick weeknight skillet dish!

Sirloin Tips with Bell Pepper and Onion

It's hard to make good on my New Year's intension to eat healthy after the holiday indulgence when it is freezing cold outside.  Cold healthy food (i.e. salads) aren't cutting it on these cold days.  So I opted for a low carb skillet dish that is easily made in 20 minutes.  Now you will see rice in these pictures, whihc will satisfy my carb loving husband, this is great just as is to keep the carbs at bay.  

You'll get juicy tender seasoned steak tips that are tossed with a mixture of bell peppers and onions. This sure is good cold weather comfort food!    This is a great weeknight meal, or for any day you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  Leftovers will surely taste heavenly in a salad or wrapped up in a warm tortilla for lunch, but you probably won't have any leftovers anyway.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• sirloin steak 
• olive oil
• steak seasoning - I use the Montreal 25% less sodium steak seasoning or Weber's Chicago steak seasoning
• red bell pepper 
• yellow bell pepper
• sweet onion
• fresh garlic
• Optional : Hot cooked rice for serving

Substitutions and Variations

• For an Asian flavored dish marinate the meat for several hours in a Teriyaki Sauce.

• Switch up your seasoning blend for variation.  Try cajun, adobo, or a lemon pepper seasoning.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Don't overcrowd your beef in the skillet or it will steam instead of sear the meat.  Cook in batches if necessary to get a good sear on the meat.

• Use a good cast iron skillet like this one.

• Using a hot skillet and stir fry method the meat will cook quickly since it is cut into small pieces.  Don't overcook.  

• Buy sliced bell peppers and onion in the grocery store to save time.

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Sirloin Tips with Bell Pepper and Onion

serves 4

2 lb sirloin steak cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 teaspoon steak seasoning, divided 
1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper seeded and sliced
1 large sweet onion, sliced

3 clove garlic minced

Optional : Hot cooked rice for serving

Rinse, pat dry and cut the sirloin steaks into 1-inch pieces.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sirloin tips. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of steak seasoning and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and to your preferred doneness. Season with 1 teaspoon of steak seasoning.  Remove from the pan to a platter to rest.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil if needed.  Add the sliced bell peppers and onion to the skillet. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon steak seasoning.  Cook for 5 minutes scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Once crisp tender add in the minced garlic and return the beef back to the skillet.  Toss to combine and until heated through.   Serve as is or with rice if using.

Game Day Eats: Beef Barbacoa Nachos

These ultra-juicy Beef Barbacoa Nachos are hands-down
the BEST game day food around!

Beef Barbacoa Nachos

With Super Bowl Sunday approaching it's time to plan those infamous snacks to eat while watching the big game.  These aren't just any old nachos these babies are topped with boldy flavored Mexican shredded beef barbacoa.   The beef is made in the slow cooker so you can make this start this early the morning of game day or even start it the night before and let it cook overnight.  Since we are using the slow cooker this is simple to put together.

Once the beef is done and shredded the nachos come together easily by layering chips, beans, cheese, and meat.  Plus don't forget all the scrumptious toppings.  I used chopped tomatoes, Jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream.  YUM!  This dish is a winner and soon to be your favorite game day food of all time!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

For the Beef Barbacoa

• Chuck roast - 1 to 2 pounds
• beef broth
• apple cider vinegar
• tomato sauce
• fresh limes - 3 - 4 limes
• black pepper
• cumin 
  
• garlic powder
• Mexican oregano
• onion

For the Nachos

• Tortilla Chips
• cheese - Monterey and Cheddar cheese
• Black beans
• Beef barbacoa
• tomatoes
• Jalapeños
• avocado
• cilantro
• sour cream

Substitutions and Variations

• Instead of the slow cooker you can made the beef barbacoa in the Instant Pot.

• Choose different toppings:  refried beans or whole pinto beans,  pepper Jack cheese, diced green chiles, red onion, quacamole, red bell peppers, or green onions.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Browning the beef on all sides before you cook it give it more depth of flavor.

• Choose the sheet pan size based on how many nachos you want to make.  Or use 2 sheet pans when feeding a large crowd.  I use these sheet pans becuase they are sturdy.  Full size sheet pan.  Half size sheet pan.

• Don't skimp on the cheese!  You want your nachos cheesey so start with the 2 cups and add MORE if you what cheese pulls and super cheesey nachos.  You can also make a cheese sauce with 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese, 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 cup evaporated milk (microwave or stove top until melted and blended).

• Try and cover all the chips with cheese and other toppings, otherwise a plain chip is just a chip...not a nacho!

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Beef Barbacoa Nachos

For the Beef Barbacoa:

1-2 lb. Chuck roast
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 onion diced

In a large skillet add some canola oil and heat over medium high heat.   Brown meat in skillet on all sides.. Place meat in slow cooker and add all the rest of the ingredients on top. Cook on low for 8 hrs.  Remove beef to a cutting board and then shred.  Return shredded beef back to the juices in the slow cooker.

For the Nachos:

Tortilla Chips
1 cup each type of cheese - Monterey and Cheddar cheese
1 cup Black beans, drained and rinsed
Beef barbacoa

Preheat oven to 420 degrees.  Lay tortilla chips on a baking sheet.  Add as many or few as you would like your serving size to be.  Sprinkle both types of chesses over the chips reserving some cheese to add to the top.  Add on the black beans, spreading over the chips and cheese, then add on the amount of beef barbacoa you would like.  (roughly 1 - 2 cups depending on how many nachos you make) Sprinkle on the remainder of the cheese then bak at 420 degrees for 10 min.

Top with chopped tomatoes, Jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream.  Serve.

source: Beef Barbacoa recipe adapted from Jar of Lemons