Tasty Tuesday - Avocado Black Bean Burritos

When I was younger, as in birth to 5 years ago, I hated avocado. I didn't like it plain or in guacamole. I straight up wanted nothing to do with it. I tried a few guacamoles over the years that I didn't completely hate, but I always ordered my Mexican food with no guac. Then Chipotle opened, and my life changed forever. Their guacamole is one of the best things that ever happened to my mouth. I love it, and even better, so do H and B.

I gave straight avocado a try again, and I found that I now love it on everything. Avocado spread on a sandwich, chunks in a salad, or even just spooning it from the peel right into my mouth. I am having a love affair with avocado, and I hope it never ends.

In my search for all things avocado, I came across a burrito recipe on Pinterest that looked oh so good. Fried chicken, sour cream, lots of avocado, and cheese all wrapped up in a warmed burrito. It was a big let down. Like major. I loved the idea of letting avocado be the star, so I got to recipe tweaking, and what I came up with was fabulous. So simple, but so good!! I made a chicken version and a vegetarian version. Rob and I both agreed that the vegetarian version made with spicy black bean burgers was tastier than with chicken.

One of by best girl friends in a vegetarian, so we subjected our friends to this on The Walking Dead night a couple weeks ago. Everyone ate at least two burritos, so I'd say it was a hit. A major plus for me is that it only takes a couple minutes of prep time, and cooking the burritos doesn't take long either. Quick and easy.

My not so fabulous rolling skills

Avocado Black Bean Burritos

4 pack Morning Star Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers
2 ripe avocados
1 lime
7 oz pico de gallo
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
8 tortillas
oil or butter for frying

1. Cook spicy black bean burgers on stove according to package instructions. One cooked, cut into cubes, approximately 16 pieces per burger. Place cut up burger into a large mixing bowl.

2.Cut avocado into cubes. Place in bowl.

3. Add cheese and pico to bowl. Squeeze lime juice into bowl. Mix thoroughly.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. coat pan with oil or butter.

5. Spoon mixture onto tortillas and roll into closed burritos.

6. Cooking two or three at a time, place burritos in pan. Cover and cook until lightly browned. approximately 2 minutes on each side. Repeat until all burritos are cooked.

Notes: The black bean burgers can be cooked in the microwave, but cooking them on the stove top gives them a crispiness that adds a nice textural element. If you prefer not to use black bean burgers, you can use chicken instead, as is shown in some of the pictures. I used 1 large chicken breast and cooked it with taco seasoning in the crockpot. Any Hispanic variation on the chicken would turn out well, I assume. If you like a lot of heat, adding a diced jalapeno would complement this dish very well.

These will definitely be going into the rotation. I have a big thing for Mexican food, and would probably eat it 6 nights a week, no problem. I need at least one night for pasta, but otherwise I could live on burritos, enchiladas, Mexican casseroles, and quesedillas. Pretty much anything that involves corn, beans, salsa, spice, and of course avocado.

A huge thank you to everyone that entered our Ry + Rue Kids giveaway. Congrats to our winner, Dagmar Moretti! Check your email for how to redeem your shop credit.

It's Friday!

Hello Friday!! My morning started of with needles, yay acupuncture, and will be ending with them too, boo injections. It's all for the cause, right? Now onto my weekly dose of Friday randomness.

One - We went to see Disney on Ice last night, and it was so much fun!It was the Passport to Adventure show which includes Mickey and the gang, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Lilo and Stitch, and Peter Pan.  H and B loved all of it, except for maybe Lilo and Stitch. They haven't seen either of the movies, so they're attention wasn't held for long. Everything else though, they we're all about it. If you live in Fort Wayne and have kids, take them to see it this weekend. It plays through Sunday and tickets start at $12.50. We will definitely be going back again next time Disney on Ice is in town.

Two - I follow Kristin Cavallari on Instagram. She always posts pictures of her wearing shoes from her line with Chineese Laundry. The shoes are always super cute, and I've been a fan on CL for a long time. Their shoes are cute, reasonably priced, and they hold up well. Kristin posted a picture of her wearing these Tommy Sandals last week, and I was on Zappos almost immediately. They have zero arch support and would be horrible for my feet, but they are so damn cute! I may be splurging on these very soon.

Three - Target has an amazing new nautical line our right now. I wish I had a lake cottage or beach cabin to decorate, because I would be all over it. The gold and blue anchor pillow is what first caught me eye, but then I kept discovering more amazing pieces. I will be lusting over these for quite some time.

Anchor Pillow

Sail Boat Sculpture

Lamp Shade

       

Four - We have just over a week until Easter, and I haven't started on the kids Easter baskets. I ordered a few extra books from Amazon a few weeks ago that will be making an appearance in their basket, but otherwise, nada. I need to find some mommy time this weekend to hit Target for some Easter basket goodies. What are you putting in your kids' baskets?

Five - Make sure to enter our Ry + Rue Kids giveaway. We are giving away a $25 shop credit to one lucky reader. Our shirts from them are some of our absolute favorites!! I can't wait to get our new items next week. You can enter here.

Linking up with

Amy, Karli, 

Darci, Christina, Natasha, April

Happy weekend everyone!

Ry + Rue Kids Giveaway

It's no surprise that I love shopping small business. I have discovered so many amazing shops through Etsy, Instagram, and other mom blogs. Much to Robbie's dismay, the kids' collection of adorable graphic tees is constantly growing. One of our absolute favorite shops is Ry + Rye Kids.

I started following Ry + Rue Kids on Instagram when they came out with their "Woof" tees and paw print knee highs last year. I knew we needed both immediately. Dogs are a huge part of our lives after all. We love the shirt and knee highs, and they've both held up really well through lots of washes. Then came the "Mouse Crush" shirts, and we've been hooked ever since.

Brooke and Harrison always get compliments on their RRK shirts. It could be the ladies at child watch or moms we meet at the play area, people always want to know where their shirts came from. I'm always happy to give credit where credit is due, and I send them Ashley's way.

Ashley, the fabulous woman behind Ry + Rue kids, just launched a new website and dropped her Spring/Summer 2015 line. Let me tell you what, she knocked it out of the park! We of course ordered tanks, tees, and a pair of gem knee highs. She also has amazing new rompers, dresses, and even flower crowns in her shop too. I really wish we were 100% reliable with potty training, because if we were there would be matching elephant rompers for H & B.

Ashley has been kind enough to help me giveaway a $25 shop credit to one lucky reader. The giveaway runs now through Sunday, and there are lots of ways to enter. Good Luck!!

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365 Challenge - Week 12 and My Thoughts on SB101

I know I usually keep the content on here pretty light, and mostly about the kids, but today I'm going to mix it up a little. I can't stop thinking about Indiana SB101. For those of you that don't know, it's a bill that allows business owners to discriminate against potential customers based on their religious beliefs. Namely Christian business owners against the GLBTQ community. It passed the house this week by a vote of 62-31. Seriously? How is it possible that 2/3 of the officials elected into office think it's ok to discriminate against anyone, regardless of your religious beliefs? And an even better question is why is our Governor happy to get the opportunity to sign in into law? I'm so baffled as to how people would think this is ok. When are we going to stop discriminating against other people, and finding ways to make out hatred legal?

As a business owner I would never turn someone away because I didn't approve of their way of life. Why would you? It would be a stupid decision to turn away potential income. It's not as though they are forcing me to join their way of life. They're asking for me to provide a good or service for them, the same as I would for any other customer. 

I haven't seen one person who has said anything good about this bill, other than our governor. All I have seen are people who are opposed to this bill. Huge money making conventions have threatened to pull out of Indiana if this bill passes. I know this will hurt our state's economy. Even if the bill doesn't pass, the legislators in Indiana have made our state look like a bunch of bigoted ass holes. And you would think the governor would care, right? No, he's stopped accepting calls, and last time I checked, you can't even leave a message. I hope everyone who lives in Indiana remembers this come next election, and that we all make sure to vote and to get these closed minded individuals out of office. I know I sure as hell didn't vote for them last election. Here's a list of who voted for it.

Now that I've voiced my opinion on that matter, on to some cute pictures of my kids.

3.19.2015 - post bath time crazy curls

3.20.2015 - daycare is exhausting

3.21.2015 - chicken dancer

3.22.2015 - I like big tires and I can not lie

3.23.2015 - why so serious?

3.24.2015 - big bites

3.25.2015 - pom pom hair

Easter Eggstravanganza and Our Weekend

I'm pretty sure this time last week I was sitting on our deck, basking in the sun while drinking a Summer Shandy. Today I'm sitting inside, drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow come down, rather heavily I might add. Go home Mother Nature, you're drunk. Oh yeah, and send spring our way when you get there. Now onto our weekend.

Friday morning was our first day back at The Y in weeks. I know, boring, but so exciting for us. The kids love going, and I have become very fond of my spot on arc trainer 3. Friday evening, I dropped the kids off for a slumber party at their Auntie and Uncle's house. There were no tears shed when I left, and from what I hear, they didn't even ask when I was coming back. I definitely see lots more slumber parties in their future.

Once we were kid free, it was off to Eddie's for dinner with friends. We had the best table in the house, right next to the fireplace. Dinner was fabulous. Robbie had a fillet, no surprise there, and I tried the salmon for the first time. It was the best salmon I've ever had. So good! The three martinis I drank, lush I know, may have a little something to do with my high praise, but I think it really was that good.

Saturday morning I ran into the daycare to meet a couple clients, and then it was off to pick up the kids. The Y was hosting their annual Easter Eggstravaganza, so off we went. Egg hunting, face painting, balloon animals, cookie decorating, the Easter Bunny, dancing, a bounce house and caricatures. We managed to do it all except for the caricatures. We probably would have had time for those if it weren't for the 92 times the kids went through the bounce house. 

If looks could kill

Brooke fell asleep in the car on the way home from our mid day daycare trip which equated to no naps. It's amazing how a 7 minute snooze in the car can ruin nap time. Since naps weren't taken, I knew it would be off early to bed. We took baths early, picked up chocolate shakes from Zestos, and then did our final daycare trip for the night. Brooke again fell asleep in the car on the way home. They were both asleep by 8:30. DVR time!!

Sunday was a PJ day. Brooke and Harry stayed in their pajamas all day, and I lived in yoga pants. If it wouldn't have been my weekend to work at the daycare, we probably would have stayed home all day. We hosted our usual TWD dinner night, but otherwise not much happened. I can't believe there's only one week left in this season. I can't wait to see what crazy shit happens during the season finale. Who else watches? Do you think their going to exile Rick? Is Morgan finally going to show up?

Friday Favorites

Today we woke up to snow on the ground. Friday, you are not off to a good start. However, the day is looking up. After weeks of being sick, we are finally getting back to The Y today. The kids and I have to head into work for a couple hours this afternoon, but after work they are having a sleepover at their Aunt Lynn's house, and Robbie and I get to go out with some friends. Bring on date night. Today definitely has promise. And now for some Friday favorites.

One - I have less than a week to consume all the alcohol I need to hold me over for nine months. So before we start our injections, I'm on team booze it up. I definitely plan to have a martini or two tonight with dinner. I picked up the new Leinenkugel Shandy sampler pack last week, and it was so good that I picked up another one yesterday. The grapefruit shandy is my new favorite, I really hope they bring it out as a six pack on it's own. I also tried the blackberry tart ale from Blue Moon, and I was less than happy with it. You win some you lose some

Two - I used to drink Celestial Seasonings decaf mint green tea all of the time. Then it started disappearing off of shelves, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I was so happy to see it one day while in Kroger. I bought a few boxes and have been drinking it every morning. It almost makes me not miss coffee. Almost. Harrison has decided he likes warm tea, so he's been hitting me up for sips once it cools down.

Three - While on a Target trip for batteries, we happened to walk past the scarves and had to stop. I saw the cutest scarf with pom pom trim. It was blue, so of course it needed to enter my wardrobe. Even better than finding an adorable scarf? This week Target has a mobile coupon for $5 off a $25 apparel, shoes, or accessories purchase. Score!

Four - I have been on the hunt for some new sandals with good arch support. I cam across these Sanuks yesterday, and I love that they have a built in arch support. I wish that they came in prints like the yoga sling does, but I still think the charcoal will make a good addition to my summer wardrobe.

Five - Jumping dogs + concrete floors = a phone disaster. Every time I take my case off of my phone, a dog winds up jumping on me at work and down goes my phone. I cracked my iPhone 5s screen two weeks after I got it thanks to a handsy chocolate lab. Thankfully it was only a small crack, but I haven't gone without a case since. Speck makes the best cases. I have used them for a couple years now, but they've always been a solid color case with an accent color trim. When I saw this floral case, I was all over it. It's functional and keeps my phone safe from all of my bouncy four legged friends. While I still lust for the cute Kate Spade covers that would crack in 2.5 seconds, this is pretty enough I won't be tempted to buy one anytime soon.

Linking up with

Amy, Karli, 

Darci, Christina, Natasha, April

365 Challenge - Week 11

My Grandma Schmitt passed away when I was a 19. Before she passed, she gave me a shamrock pin and I make sure to wear it every year for St. Patrick's Day. We are predominately German, but she always made sure to point out that there was a little bit of Irish blood flowing through my veins. For as long as I can remember, my family has always celebrated St. Patrick's Day with corned beef and cabbage dinner followed by creme de menthe cake. It's something I look forward to every year, and a major plus of living so close to my mom, because she does it best.

Yesterday the kids and I had shamrock pancakes for breakfast, we covered our arms with green and gold tattoos after lunch, And we spent the evening celebrating our Irish heritage with my parents and aunt. Harrison and I had seconds on dinner, and both kids devoured their cake. I hope they grow to have fond memories of celebrating St. Paddy's Day, just like I do. I also hope Brooke grows to like cooked cabbage. ;) 

3.12.2015 - but first

3.13.2015 - bows and bros

3.14.2015 - yay basketball

3.15.2015 - the sad life of Harrison Pargeon

3.16.2015 - sunset

3.17.2015 - my lucky leprechauns

3.18.2015 - my future's so bright