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Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

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This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

To be honest, I discovered this meal by complete accident.  We had quinoa in the fridge for the Healthy Quinoa Breakfast Bowl and some black beans from the previous night’s jerk chicken.  I needed a quick lunch, so I grabbed an avocado from the counter and combined the three.  I was shocked at how good it was, especially considering the absence of meat! To make it even better, it was super easy to make and nutritionally solid.

Handling the Avocado

The key to keeping the avocado in chunks and not smashing to the resemblance of baby food is simple.  Make the cuts before removing the green flesh from the skin. Using a pairing knife, half the avocado, remove the pit, and make both horizontal and vertical cuts on each halve.  Then, simply scoop the perfectly cut chunks out of the skin with a spoon. 

Other Ingredient Tips 

It is 100% possible to make this dish “organic”, if you choose.  When cooking the black beans, I typically add a teaspoon or so of Flavorgod Everything to help develop flavor.  The recipe calls for red quinoa.  Regular quinoa works just as well, but I use red because it has a more nutty taste that adds depth to the dish.  The choice is yours. Enjoy!

Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

Ingredients

  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1/4 red onion
  • 1/2 Jalapeno
  • 1 avocado
  • season to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. A fork works great to break up the quinoa, or "fluff" it.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, place the beans and diced vegetables in a small pot/saucepan and bring to a boil. Season to taste. Reduce heat to low and let beans simmer until quinoa is fully cooked.
  4. Halve, pit, and dice the avocado.
  5. In a bowl, layer the quinoa, avocado, and beans (in that order) and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 314Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 554mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 16gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g
© Cody
Category: 30 Minutes or Less

 

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

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This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!

I hunt and, when successful, I add to the freezer inventory to enjoy at a later date.  When handled and cooked properly, wild game is very palatable. Yet, I hear it all the time,….. “too gamey” or “musky”.  For those who feel that way, my argument is that somewhere after the kill, you’re lacking in skill (or at least whoever prepared it is).  There are various ways to improve the over all quality and taste of game meat.  When introducing a weary eater to wild game, I typically use ground meat to prepare a dish that has an abundance of additional flavors.

Enchiladas, spaghetti, Bolognese, and meatloaf are a few examples of good “introductory” game preparations. And, of course, there’s this Sloppy Joe recipe!!  I’ve made all of the pre-mentioned meals with venison (only) and nobody said a word about the use of wild game; until I asked, that is.  Then it’s “I thought there was something different about it”. 🙄 It was enjoyed, none the less.  If I’m dealing with an overly certain critic or super skeptic, I mix this 50/50 blend (venison/beef). This is the secret!! Just ask my grandma.  She refuses to eat wild game and hasn’t touched the stuff 🤫😉.

The 50/50 Meat

Now, especially in recent years, I process my own harvest.  This allows me to vary my lean/fat ratio as I see fit.  For standard ground venison, I usually stay around 80/20 or 80/15 and utilize pork fat as the other ingredient.  However, for ground game that I intend to add to beef, I do not add pork fat.  In adding a lean game grind to an 80/20 ground beef, the leanness is increased by about ten percent.  The result? A 90/10 venison and beef mixture.   If this doesn’t get your weary wild game guest to cross over, there may be no hope for them. 

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. ground venison
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 1 1/3 cup of ketchup
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Blend all dry seasonings together in a bowl. Season the meat with approximately half and save the rest for a later step. Tip: sub the seasonings with 1 tbsp of Flavorgod Everything.
  2. Brown the ground meat over medium-high heat. If you have any questions about this step, this is a good read (click here).
  3. Finely chop the onion and bell pepper. When meat is approximately halfway browned, add the chopped onion and pepper.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine Worcestershire, ketchup, and brown sugar.
  5. When the meat is fully browned, add the sauce and remainder of seasoning. Stir well.
  6. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  7. Serve on a sesame bun.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 678mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 31g
© Cody
Category: Main Dish

Wedge Salad

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With thin sliced sirloin and a balsamic drizzle added to the Wedge Salad’s classic toppings like blue cheese and bacon, how could you not crave this smothered iceberg boat!? 

With thin sliced sirloin and a balsamic drizzle added to the Wedge Salad's classic toppings like blue cheese and bacon, how could you not crave this smothered iceberg boat!? 

 I rarely crave salads but when I do, I crave this one! This spin on the classic wedge salad adds some extra meat for a more filling meal. This salad makes a perfect lunch, too.

Wedge salad?

A wedge salad is typically a wedge of iceberg lettuce with, at least, blue cheese, bacon bits, tomatoes, and red onions.  All I’ve done is double the blue cheese, add some steak, and drizzle some balsamic to bump this pre-meal snack to the main course. 

Wedge Salad

Wedge Salad
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 58 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz sirloin steak, seasoned
  • ½ cup bleu cheese dressing
  • ¼ cup bleu cheese crumbles
  • 1 head of lettuce
  • 8 grape tomatoes
  • ¼ red onion
  • 3 pieces of bacon
  • 1 tbsp balsamic glaze (approx. for drizzle)

Instructions

  1. Rub the steak down with your favorite seasoning and allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately 30 min.
  2. Cook the bacon, let cool, and chop.
  3. Over medium-high heat, cook the steak for approximately six minutes per side to achieve medium. Let steak rest for about ten minutes.
  4. Wash the iceberg head and peal the first two layers off. Then, chop into quarters
  5. Either quarter or halve the grape tomatoes, whichever you prefer, and slice the red onion. I slice thin rings then chop those into thirds.
  6. Place each wedge on a plate and equally top with tomato, onion, bleu cheese crumbles, steak, and bacon.
  7. Pour the bleu cheese dressing over each salad and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
  8. Hit with a couple twist of fresh cracked black pepper (optional)With thin sliced sirloin and a balsamic drizzle added to the Wedge Salad's classic toppings like blue cheese and bacon, how could you not crave this smothered iceberg boat!? 
© Cody

Air Fryer Wings

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These crispy, juicy air fryer wings are so tasty and easy that they’re sure to be a new favorite.  

These crispy, juicy air fryer wings are so tasty and easy that they're sure to be a new favorite.  

 

A party invite shouldn’t become a stressor.  We’ve all been there! Football season has started, but so has school, the kid’s extra curriculars are back in full swing, and the weekend “to-do” list isn’t getting any shorter. So don’t let an appetizer feel like a ball and chain.  Rather it be game day, fight night, or any other “bring a dish” gathering; these chicken wings have got you covered! All you have to do is dump them in the air fryer, press the button, toss in your favorite sauce and you’ll be ready to bring some flavor to the party. Even better, while they’re busy getting crispy, you can still keep checking things off your “to-do” list.

Air Fryer Wings

These crispy, juicy air fryer wings are so tasty and easy that they're sure to be a new favorite.  
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs chicken wings

Instructions

  1. Put chicken wings in air fryer at 390 (or recommended setting for your machine).
  2. Set timer for 55 minutes; press start, and walk away. It's that easy! If you're working with thawed chicken wings then cut your time down to 30-35 minutes.
  3. About halfway through, return and give the basket a shake, tossing the wings around.
  4. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do two rounds. No big deal, just place the cooked wings in the warmer. I have a Phillips Starfish Technology XL and it takes me two to cook a 4 lb bag of wings.
  5. When all wings are cooked, toss in your favorite sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4.5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9.5gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 290mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 19g
Category: Appetizer

I like a variety, so I’ll typically toss two or three flavors.  So here are three sauces  that you can whip up real quick if you choose to not buy or make your own favorite sauce:

 

Buffalo Garlic (not spicy)

  • 1/2 tbsp garlic and herb seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Buffalo seasoning 
  • 2 tsp Parmesan 
  • 1/4 cup creamy Italian dressing (not vinaigrette)

Sriracha BBQ (sweet & nice w/ a little spice)

  • 1/8 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Korean BBQ (spicy)

  • 1/4 cup gochujang sauce
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ginger (minced)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic (minced)
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper
  • 1/2 tsp fresh chives (finely chopped)

 

THE Greens Drink

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Assisting the immune system and gut health, THE Greens Drink may help address your nutritional shortfalls and boost overall wellness.

Assisting the immune system and gut health, THE Greens Drink may help address your nutritional shortfalls and boost overall wellness.

I love virtually all food! If something doesn’t taste THAT great, I try to figure out a way to make it better. With that being said, I find it nearly impossible to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables through meals regardless of taste. It’s not an easy feat!

I have my own supplement regimen that I follow, as do many, but I also try to make sure that my nutrition intake comes from as much real food as possible.  Increasing the issue, is the fact that I’m not a big breakfast eater. More often than not, I’m up and at it with only a drink (shake, smoothie, or even just coffee) to carry me to a mid-morning snack.  This led to exploring the world of greens drinks/shakes/smoothies (whichever you choose) to supplement my meal intake. 

Taste

So, I’m going to keep it real with you.  None of these things, and I’ve tried several, are overly satisfying.  If someone says that they truly enjoy drinking them and just can’t wait to drink the next, I personally, would consider questioning their sanity.  But if you want to keep the adventure going and live life to the fullest, you have to fuel the machine. Know what I mean? Trying to make the healthy tasty, I finally came to these ingredients.  This is THE Greens Drink for me!! All of the ingredients blend perfectly into a 16 oz mason jar.

THE Greens Drink

Assisting the immune system and gut health, THE Greens Drink may help address your nutritional shortfalls and boost overall wellness.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup kale
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 kiwi
  • 1 lemon squeezed
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup pineapple
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp garlic
  • CBD isolate (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash all fruits and vegetables. Pat dry.
  2. In measuring the leafy greens (kale and spinach) pack it in to maximize amount (just a firm press). Remove kale stalks.
  3. Peel the kiwi and apple. Slice/chop.
  4. Peel the ginger root and garlic. Mince. You can purchase minced ginger and garlic, if you choose.
  5. Add the fruit, leafy greens, ginger, garlic, and apple cider vinegar to the blender/food processor.
  6. Blend. The amount of time this takes ultimately depends on your equipment. High speed new equipment should get you there quick; but if you're using Momma's old beater blender that still works despite a few missing pieces, then you may be there for a bit. Also, you may need to give it the occasional stir (scraping sides) to ensure there are no clumpy particles at the end.
  7. You should end up with 16 oz (+/-).
  8. If you want bulk, just multiply the ingredients by the number of drinks you want. I'll make three or four jars for the week so I can slam one first thing in the morning and go on about my day.
  9. Keep the pineapple! If you choose to core a fresh pineapple, keep the remains for cool drinks for the kids. Or........show up to the weekend cookout/gathering in a Hawaiian shirt sipping out of an open pineapple to let everyone know good times are near.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 20gSugar: 35gProtein: 16g
Category: Drinks

CBD

In recent years there has been a huge movement in the CBD market with a wave of supporting legislature that followed (and continues to follow).  Having a number of possible benefits, I added this to my daily routine a couple of years ago.  For me, it’s made a huge difference, so I encourage people to try it when facing any issues that it is alleged to help.  I use a CBD isolate (THC Free) in drinks such as this.

If you opt to add this ingredient, there a few things that I think are of importance.  First, ensure the product is third party tested with a posted Certificate of Analyses.  If you are subject to drug testing, make sure you purchase a THC free product and that it is confirmed (see the prior sentence). Full Spectrum products (honestly my preference), by federal law, can contain trace amounts of THC up to 0.3% which could possibly result in a positive reading. Third, look at the label to check the concentration of CBD. Products vary and can range in milligrams per serving. I look for the highest concentration for the least amount of money, or best bang for your buck.

Assisting the immune system and gut health, THE Greens Drink may help address your nutritional shortfalls and support overall wellness.

As with a lot of things in life, I try to expand my experience beyond one product so I’ve tried plenty.  When UnCanna dropped, that’s where I stayed.  They’re Veteran owned, overly informative on the industry, and they cover my three important things above.