Recipe: Fiesta Salad (Gluten Free & Vegan!)

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We love Mexican inspired meals in our house.

There's always taco shells and corn tortillas in the pantry and at least two cans of black beans, we have special taco plates and burrito bowl tins and every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday - without fail.

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This potato salad recipe was inspired by our love of Mexican food - but also created as the perfect way to use up the leftovers from our Taco Tuesday dinner the night before. 

I had leftover black beans, a bag of sweet potatoes and half an avocado so I decided to combine them, add some pilfered shallots from the herb garden and a can of corn kernels and hey whaddayaknow, I had a delicious lunch.

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Lately, this salad hasn't just been a way to use up leftovers - it's become a meat-free meal that we absolutely love - and it's so simple to make (and easy to make your own!). 

And as for the name... I don't really know why I first called it a fiesta salad, but the name stuck! 

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Healthy Ham and Potato Soup (Gluten Free & Grain Free!)

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Hello, my name is Kristy and I am pathetic when it comes to cold weather. 

No seriously. I'm currently wrapped in a blanket, delaying my morning walk until the sun starts shining and the temperature rises a few degrees. 

You'd think I lived in Siberia... but I actually live in Sydney... where it's generally only 20 degrees celsius (68F) and not actually freezing like I so commonly say it is. 

But there are a few good things about cooler weather. 

Things like; 

snuggly puppy dogs

cosy blankets 

fluffy slippers 

hot cups of tea 

steaming bowls of oatmeal

fireplaces 

decreased social activity*

*I kid... kind of.... I'm actually a really social person... just not in winter time because I turn into a massive grump thanks to S.A.D 😜

And soup. Soup is a majorly good thing. 

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Thankfully, whilst my parents are kind of weirdos and never thought of soup as "dinner food", Jesse is very much aboard the soup loving train - and every time the temperature drops just a little bit lower, he starts asking for it. 

This Creamy Ham and Potato Soup is a relatively new recipe that I made on a whim. It was inspired by my Healthy Creamy Potato and Leek Soup Recipe, only I didn't have any leeks and I had some leftover ham that needed to be used up - so I decided to make a Ham and Potato Soup instead. 

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When I first mentioned it to Jesse, he wasn't convinced. 

He gave me this weird look and said "well.. it could be good... but it could also be really weird.. I'm not sure how it will go". 

Luckily, I totally ignored his distrust of the soup and went ahead and made it, because it's now one of our all time favourites!

It's a flavour packed soup that is so easy to make and healthy to boot! 

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Easy Cookie Ice Cream Cake (Gluten Free!)

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Soooo, your birthday is coming up and I was thinking....

It's my conversation starter at least 4x a year with my family. 

Some might think that sentence ends with ideas for a magnificent birthday party or perhaps an incredible present... but really? I'm just trying to talk about dessert. 

You see, for me, birthdays are incredible dessert opportunities. No one bats an eye when you suggest pulling together an elaborate dessert creation when someone's birthday is near - so I milk birthdays for all they're worth. 

To the point where, even though I don't love celebrating my own birthday (I'm a lover of giving who is absolutely positively terrible at taking), I'll celebrate it just for cake. 

Or cheesecake... or ice cream... or cookies... or whatever I decide I want to make that year. 

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Just last week was Jesse's birthday and even though he said he didn't want cake (WHAT KIND OF MONSTER DID I MARRY?!?!?), I just pretended like that conversation never happened and instead went on a mission to create the ultimate birthday treat. 

But I did kind of have to tie it back to Jesse because, yaknow, it was his birthday and all and this wasn't all about me wanting to eat dessert (just 99.99999% of it 😉) and so I decided I would combine his favourite treats into one delicious dessert creation. 

If you've been reading SIL for a while, you'd know Jesse is a cookie monster. In fact, the first time he came to Australia he made himself sick after eating an ENTIRE BATCH of my infamous chocolate chip cookies. It was at that moment that I realised either a) I was a really good baker or b) I needed to impose strict cookie rations on this boy or he'd surely die before the two weeks ended. 

I went with b) and have been rationing cookies ever since.. 

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But back to this recipe.... Since Jesse is a cookie fiend who also really really loves ice cream - I decided I'd combine the two to create the ultimate birthday treat; a cookie ice cream cake. 

And ohhhhhhhhhh, my friends - the ultimate birthday treat was created. Whilst it's stupidly simple to make, this cookie ice cream cake is beyond delicious and has become a new favourite of our family. 

In fact, my Mum and Dad tried theirs on Jesse's birthday and then I heard; 

"Krissssssssssstyyyy! When are you opening up your shop?"

I looked at Jesse. "When am I going to hop? Something about hip hop? Electric shock? What did they just say?!"

Apparently they are shop worthy.... but I'm pretty sure we'd eat the profits if I ever opened up a cookie ice cream cake shop... 

Instead, let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Easy Gluten Free S'mores Brownie Bars

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Do you want to know the true story of how these brownies came to be? 

You see, I really really wanted brownies and I wanted to share a new brownie recipe on the blog. I was all set to make them when I realised something; I have way too many brownie recipes on the blog already.

No kidding, I've got;

A Three Ingredient Nutella Brownies Recipe

The Best Gluten Free and Vegan Brownies Recipe

A One Bowl Oreo Cookies and Cream Brownies Recipe

A Healthy Raw Cookie Dough Brownie Recipe

The Ultimate Gluten Free Brownie Recipe

A Fudgy Peanut Butter Swirled Brownie Recipe

This Fudgy Avocado Brownies Recipe

A Secretly Skinny Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies Recipe

And that's only a small fraction of the brownie recipes on this blog...

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I realised I had a bit of a brownie obsession going on... so what did I do? 

I made a cookie base, poured a brownie batter over the top, added marshmallows and called them S'mores Bars so you guys don't check me into brownie rehab. 

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And I promise, you definitely won't want to throw me into rehab when you try these babies. 

The cookie base is soft and crumbly and the perfect pair for the rich, chocolatey brownie topping. The marshmallows add a bit of extra sweetness and texture to create the ultimate s'mores inspired treat - and you won't have any burnt fingertips or smokey clothes afterwards 😉

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Healthy Warm Potato Salad (Grain Free)

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Until recently, if I served Jesse dinner without meat, it wouldn't have been received very well. 

You see, I married a carnivore. A man who would be happy eating a steak the size of his torso every single day. 

But somehow, that guy married a girl who isn't overly fussed by meat - and a girl who knows how to create delicious meat free dishes. 

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This dish was actually the first vegetarian main dish to ever get Jesse's tick of approval - and it's one we've been making weekly ever since. 

Easy to tweak and change depending on what's in season and what you have in your fridge, it's a budget friendly dish that's quick to make and absolutely delicious.

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Don't like beets? Don't worry! I've also listed some other ingredient options below that we often opt for as Jesse isn't a huge beet fan either! 

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Savoury Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Muffins

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December and January are probably my two favourite months of the whole year - but they seem to whizz by in a flash! 

They're the most social months of the year with kids off school (at least in Australia), Christmas and New Year celebrations, summer barbeques and get togethers and time off work to enjoy. 

With the month whizzing by so fast,  I thought I'd share a make ahead recipe that will help you get through the busy days ahead. Whether you're heading back to work or the kids are going back to school, these savoury muffins are the perfect lunch option and an easy way to get extra veggies in (perfect for Mums looking for ideas for how to get kids to eat more vegetables!)

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There's one problem though... they don't seem to last very long. 

You see, I first made these for myself - only to have my Dad and Jesse spot them as they were baking away in the oven and they then subsequently nagged me until I gave them one to try. 

I thought this was definitely going to be a recipe they turned their noses up at. They're filled with pumpkin, spinach and zucchini and usually vegetable filled recipes are the ones they're most skeptical about. 

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I relented and shared my beloved muffins only to hear my Dad call from upstairs...

"Hey Kristy!"

".... yeah?" (let's be honest, I was expecting criticism...)

"You could make money on these"

"What?"

"You could sell them. They're really, really good"

Okay, so we had one winner... but what about the fussy zucchini hating husband. He came inside and grabbed one and said "These are actually really good... I mean.. bad... I'll just have to have them all so you don't have to suffer". 

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One big batch of muffins disappeared in two days with the boys taking them for work lunches. I opened the fridge the next day to grab some for lunch and huh... 

I really thought there was a container there. I moved things around in the fridge looking for my muffins only to find empty space. I looked on the bench, thinking I must have left them out the last time I got one and nothing. I opened the dishwasher and there was my empty container with not even a crumb remaining. 

They're that good... so you might want to hide them 😉

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Pasta (Healthy & Gluten Free)

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Happy New Year, friends! I thought I'd start the New Year with one of our favourite dinner recipes of the moment. One that's a comfort food made healthier and, dare I say it, more delicious and one that should fit in with whatever New Years Resolution you may have decided on. 

Inspired by a classic chicken pot pie but made 100x easier, this pasta recipe is super quick to make and will be loved by the whole family. Sneaking in veggies and coated in a rich and creamy (but secretly healthy!) sauce, it's a recipe that you'll be making over and over again. 

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You might be asking, why pasta? And the answer to that question is pretty simple... laziness. 

You see, I love all the flavours of chicken pot pie - but not being able to buy decent gluten free pastry means that chicken pot pie is a recipe that takes way more minutes than I'd like and always gets left for special occasions instead. 

Pasta, however, is quick and you can boil the pasta whilst you get the sauce ready - meaning this recipe can be made and on the table in less than 20 minutes. 

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But not only is it quick and easy - it's also all sorts of delicious. Whether you use gluten free or regular spaghetti or zucchini noodles (or any other vegetable noodles) for a low carb option, it's a healthy recipe that tastes anything but. 

So let me share the recipe with you  >>