Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

If you’ve followed my blog for some time now, you would know that I’m not one to make a lot of sweet dessert type recipes. It’s not something I intentionally do, but it has more to do with the fact that I am not the biggest fans of sweets. I know, call me crazy, but since I was a little kid I have never been a huge fan of anything sweet. I wasn’t that kid that loved Halloween candy, desserts, or pastries that much. I enjoyed them if they were there but they were never something I was willing to go out of my way for. With that being said, today is an exception because I am sharing with you a recipe I have had in my head for about 2 years but I was never sure how it would come out that is until today. Today I got to work to make my vision come to life to transform the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate into a chewy cookie version. This cookie recipe embodies the flavors of the cult-favorite Abuelita Hot Chocolate with the cocoa and the cinnamon perfectly blended together. As I was making this recipe, I failed and forgot to stop to take photos step by step. However, the process is so easy that I don’t know how helpful those step by step pictures would have been. I will post below the Instagram Reel I created that does break down the process step-by-step for those of you who are more visual learners. One thing I want to mention about this recipe is that is not a cookie that is trying to be anything but a cookie. This recipe uses butter and sugar and it is incredibly delicious. I don’t have to justify why I am posting this recipe because food doesn’t need to be justified. I have said it once before and I will say it again,

The key to a healthy lifestyle is to maintain a balance between the foods that are nourishing to our bodies and those that are nourishing to our soul.

So with that being said, enjoy your holidays, eat the foods that make you happy, and be kind to yourself since we all know this year hasn’t been very kind to us. Now let’s get into what you will need for this recipe.

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December 16, 2020December 17, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Soy & Honey Halibut

Recently, my parents came back from about a week long trip to Alaska where they spent the majority of the trip on a boat fishing and enjoying all the natural beauty Mother Nature has to offer. One of those days spent on the boat was spent fishing for halibut and after a very successful catch, they ended up freezing and transporting 15 pounds worth of wild caught Alaskan Halibut! Me being the foodie that I am couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on the fish and right away I made my Crispy Fish Tacos with the fillets. Safe to say they were the best fish tacos I have ever had in my life and I do not mean that as an exaggeration. I have never had fresher more tender fish and now I don’t know that I can ever go back to conventional frozen seafood. But for now that I am being spoiled with the fresh fish, I decided to come up with some other yummy recipes. Last week I was looking through my fridge and pantry and noticed I was starting to run low on quite a bit of my staple items. Instead of making a run to the grocery store, decided to make due with what I had and with that this recipe was born. I started by defrosting the fish about 30 minutes ahead and started working on the marinade. After throwing some ingredients to a bowl and whisking it together this soy and honey marinade was born and let me just say that this recipe was a huge hit in my household. Adrian, my boyfriend, is not the biggest fan of fish but he devoured this meal and kept praising me for how good this was. I decided to serve the fish alongside some zucchini and shredded carrots that I tossed in a small amount of soy sauce, garlic powder, and sriracha all atop some white rice. This recipe is incredibly simple and can be used on just about any protein source but I find it goes really well with fish. Fish is a great lean protein source that is also abundant in omega-3 fatty acids which is particularly important for cardiovascular health. With the weather being so dreadful and many of us wanting to spend as little time a possible in the kitchen, this recipe is ideal because dinner can be on the table in no time if you prep the marinade in advance. All you need is 30 minutes to marinate and about 6-7 minutes to cook. Now let’s get into the details of what you will need for this recipe.

August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Green Enchiladas + Chile Verde Recipe

If I had to pick one of my favorite Mexican dishes, it would have to be enchiladas without a doubt. While I will never pass up a good taco or chile rellenos, I think enchiladas are usually my go-to dish. My mom makes the absolute best red enchiladas I’ve ever had in my life and since I already recreated that recipe here, I decided to take a whack at the green enchildas. When I was a little girl, I actually did not like green enchiladas and it wasn’t because of the taste or anything, but just because they were green and at that an odd shade of green. Well, fast forward to now and I can’t get enough of them and here I am all these years later making a recipe for them. Who would have thought? One of the reasons I made these was because of the abundance of tomatillos I have growing in my garden along with the poblanos I have coming in. I have started to plant vegetables and fruits that I utilize quite a bit so I can save myself some money and so far it definitely has. Anyways, back to these delicious enchiladas. Before we get into the ingredients, let’s talk about the nutritional benefits of tomatillos–the star of the recipe.

August 18, 2020August 25, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Crispy Tofu

It’s safe to say that the words delicious or yummy are not usually associated with tofu but today’s recipe should change your mind. Tofu has a negative reputation because most people assume you eat it as is and in its natural state is less than desirable. Tofu is a block of compressed soy beans that have been blended to various textures depending on the type of tofu purchased. Tofu comes in soft (best for smoothies or sauces), firm, or extra firm both of which are ideal for use in stir fries or for replicating a typical animal based protein like chicken. Just like traditional animal proteins, tofu needs to be well seasoned and prepared in order to have a satisfactory end result. Luckily it is easier than you may think to yield a delicious product. Without rambling on too much, I will be showing you today my simple recipe for a delicious and crispy tofu that can be tossed in a stir-fry, substituted in sushi, or simply served alongside some rice and veggies. Before we get into the details of what you will need for this simple recipe, let’s quickly review the nutritional advantages of consuming tofu.

July 31, 2020August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Chorizo Egg Skillet

A few weeks ago, I was looking for some new brunch ideas to change up the routine. I came across a recipe for shakshuka and decided to give it a try. As I was making it, I kept thinking to myself of ways I could modify it to give it more of a Mexican flare. Shortly after I made shakshuka, I decided to get back into the kitchen to try to recreate what I had in my head. To start with, I decided to add in some soy chorizo for some extra protein and also an extra kick. From there I decided what if I placed the filling over a bed of a corn tortillas to mimic huevos rancheros and then I added some cheese over that. Well, to say the least I ended up completely transforming the “shakshuka” but let me tell you that it may be one of my favorite things I have made to date. I made this for brunch on a day I had one of my friends coming over and it did not disappoint. It’s simpler than you may think so let’s dive into what you will need for this recipe.

July 23, 2020August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Easy Roasted Potatoes

One of my favorite foods to have for breakfast is potatoes. I’m not talking about the sweet kind either, I’m talking about the good ol’ golden Yukon potato. For whatever reason, potatoes have gotten a bad reputation over the last decade but I am here to tell you that in this household potatoes are an absolute must and household staple. Russet potatoes, golden Yukon, and red potatoes have just as much nutritional value as sweet potatoes do the only difference being the amount of minerals varies by each variety. Each potato has its appropriate use and for the purpose of roasting at a higher heat, I have found that golden potatoes yield the best results. I am working on a comprehensive blog post to outline each use of different types of potatoes but for now, i’m letting you know that golden yukon and/or red potatoes are the best types for roasting in the oven.

July 22, 2020August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

One of my boyfriend’s favorite snacks is spinach and artichoke dip. Anytime it is offered as an appetizer we usually order it. I have to admit, it is also one of my favorite dips as well and I can usually kill half if not all of the dip by myself. A couple months ago, I was playing around with recipes for this to make it healthier since the traditional recipe for spinach and artichoke dip involves using multiple cups of cheese in addition to mayonnaise. I started by swapping the mayonnaise out for a leaner and much lighter Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is high in protein and lower in fat than mayonnaise and also contains probiotics which is beneficial for our digestive health. From there, I decided to also reduce the amount of cheese used by substituting nutritional yeast in for about half of the cheese. Nutritional yeast is rich in B vitamins and is significantly lower in sodium and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol in comparison to traditional cheese. Nutritional yeast still gives a cheesy flavor to any dish so you won’t even notice that this recipe has less cheese than usual. The few times I have made this dip, it has not made it past the 6 hour mark. The entire bowl is always left completely clean and no one even knows that it’s a healthier version of the traditional spinach and artichoke dip. Now that we’ve gotten all the info out of the way, let’s dive into what you need for this recipe.

May 27, 2020August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Peppermint Mocha Tart

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Not just because it’s the holidays but mostly because school is finally coming to an end! With just a few days of the semester left, I felt inspired to make a little dessert for the holidays. After giving it lots of thought, I decided to turn a classic holiday drink into a yummy treat you can easily make for a holiday party or to enjoy at home! This peppermint mocha tart is decadent and perfect for the holidays. It’s so incredibly easy to make and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Whether you are a fan of peppermint or not, I am sure you will love this one. Not only is this tart easy but it’s also gluten-free, and vegan! Instead of using heavy cream like so many recipes during the holidays do, I used coconut milk to yield a creamy filling. Rather than using a graham cracker crust, I utilized nutrient dense walnuts that are packed with essential fatty acids, fiber, and a great source of protein.

Although I always aim to make recipes that are healthy, I do want to make a point that sometimes, the calories, sugar, or fat content are unimportant. The holidays should be about spending time with family while enjoying delicious food. You shouldn’t deprive yourself of the foods you want to eat during a holiday party because they don’t fit into your lifestyle. As I have said before, there is a time and a place for fun foods and rather than stressing out about your food choices, enjoy whatever makes you feel good and happy. Anyways, enough with the ranting for this simple and delicious recipe, let’s get into the details of what you will need to make it happen.

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December 9, 2019August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

Pea Pesto Pasta

Today is such an exciting day for me as I have been patiently waiting to share this recipe with you! After so much trial & error I finally came up with a recipe I am proud to call my own. I will be sharing with you my recipe for the perfect pesto pasta that is not only delicious but loaded with a variety of nutrients. Pesto is one of those foods that I know so many people love but it can typically be pretty price to make at home all because of the very pricey pine nuts. Not only is pesto a little pricey to make at home but it is also not the healthiest. Pesto is is typically loaded with olive oil & Parmesan cheese which contributes quite a bit of calories in just a small amount. In order to make this pesto healthier & more cost-effective I made a few changes.

August 23, 2019August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa

The BEST Red Salsa

Today was a very exciting day as I finally got to harvest the peppers I have been growing in my little garden. I have spent so much time & effort into growing my garden because what’s better than homegrown food? The answer to that is absolutely nothing because right away I ran to my kitchen to get to work on a new & improved salsa recipe. I decided to utilize the Anaheim chiles I picked because they were the largest & I know my mom swears by these chiles & her salsa is some of the best I have ever had in my life (I’m not just saying that either mom).  After whipping up the batch today, I will never go back to a salsa where I don’t include the Anaheim chiles. These peppers while mild provide SO much flavor that it tastes like it took hours instead of minutes. The Anaheim chiles add a depth of flavor that according to my boyfriend, is the best salsa I have ever made, I can’t argue with that. There are a few things I did differently this time that made the world of a difference and I am going to share them with you so you can boost your salsa game.

August 18, 2019August 15, 2020 by lifeatthemesa