Quinoa is one of my favorite go to ingredient these days. It full of protein and very satisfying. Plus my toddler loves it, always a win. I used to turn my nose up at crock pot meals, but now as a busy mama, they can be a life saver! Quinoa is one of the ingredients that I think stands up well to a crock pot. This meal is also vegetarian, which makes it not only affordable, but a healthy option for Meatless Mondays! 

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 avacado sliced 

Put your oil, onion, pepper, garlic, quinoa,  broth, chili powder, cumin, salt/pepper, and both kinds of tomatoes in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours. Add your beans and corn. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.  Top with cheddar cheese and avacado. Enjoy! 

Valentines day is fast approaching! Are you ready? 

I don't know about you, but if you're like me, you can't help but sometimes feel like fresh flowers are a little bit wasteful. All that money spent (especially with the inflated prices around valentines day) just for the flowers to wilt and die a few days later. When my husband first married me, I told him not to waste his money on flowers. If he was going to spend the money, I wanted something more permanent. But as the years passed and I never got flowers, my emotional self was telling my practical self to be quiet! 

Well the perfect solution for a woman who loves flowers but hates to see them die a few days later, is a beautiful dried lavender bundle! 

We have hand cut our very own organic mountain grown lavender. We hang it to dry in our farm cottage. When its ready we bundle it up, wrap it in tissue paper or butchers paper, and tie it with a luxurious ribbon. It's such a unique gift!

Dried lavender bouquets from the Lavender Apple smell like heaven, but since they are dried, they will last forever! I have several beautiful bundles that are years old that are still placed in vases around my home. I love being able to have real flowers in my house that don't die right after the holiday. If you have a tricky someone to buy for on valentines day, a lavender bouquet is a gift I'm confident she's never received and will absolutely love. 

Another easy 20 minute dish for you today! This creamy rice is reminiscent of a risotto, only much easier and much healthier too! 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup white wine

salt and pepper

1 pound shrimp, peeled

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced

8 springs fresh thyme 

1/4 cup fresh parmesan shavings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 1/2 your oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, cook your onion until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the wine and rice and cook on medium high heat until the wine is absorbed, this should take about 2 minutes. Add your water and 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper to your pan. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, should take just under 20 minutes. While your rice is cooking, toss your shrimp with oil, salt, pepper, the tomatoes, thyme, and garlic. Roast them on a baking sheet in the oven until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 15 minutes. When your rice is done, mix in a little parm or sprinkle it on top as a garnish, serve your shrimp on top of the rice. 

Lovely, easy, with nice flavor combinations. What more could you want for a great weeknight meal? 

Easy weeknight meals are a must when you make a homemade meal every night. This chicken dish is just that. I love meals that can be made ahead of time and then easily cooked when ready. 

3 chicken breasts 

Juice and zest of 3 limes 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp pepper 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoons melted butter 

Place your chicken breasts in a ziplock bag. Add the juice of 3 limes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic to the bag. Let marinate for at least an hour or more. Place your chicken and marinade in a greased baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter, and salt and pepper lightly. Cook at 425 for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. When cooked, sprinkle with lime zest and serve over quinoa. 

Fresh, easy, low fat, affordable, what more could you want in a dish? Enjoy!