All Posts By

mkibler

Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Oh yes, I'm going there! Basically the second it was officially Autumn, I grabbed a can of pumpkin and my apron. Call me "basic", see if I care! While I wouldn't say the weather is exactly screaming "FALL!", the mornings have been cooler, the days slightly crisper, and the harsh heat seems to have at least taken a break for the time being. In Southern California, that's really all you can ask for! So on Sunday morning, I decided it was time to whip up a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I feel like we all[...]

Meal Plan Monday

Posted In: Lifestyle | Recipes
Hello friends! I am back after an unwarranted break from blogging. Call it a rut, call it writer's (or recipe maker's) block, whatever it was, I have no legit excuse. But that is the past, and I wanted to come back with a delicious meal plan to kick off a new week. I usually have a "theme" or a mindset as I am writing out my menu for the week, and this one is no different! I actually had a couple of things in mind as I sat down to meal plan. First off, Travis will be out of town this week, which means I can make[...]

A Weekend in Chicago

Posted In: Lifestyle | Travel
Hi! I have been a bit of an absentee blogger lately...we went on an AMAZING trip and I just had a hard time getting back into my routine after our return! But vacation mode is officially over now ;) Although I haven't been doing much in the "recipe development" realm, I definitely wanted to share all about our recent trip to Chicago, because it was such an awesome weekend and if anyone is considering going, I can't rave about it enough! Chicago is one of the major US cities that has been on my bucket list for a while[...]

Meal Plan Monday 8/6/18

Posted In: Lifestyle | Recipes
Howdy, friends! It's been a little while since I've shared a meal plan, and since it is my number 1 secret to success, I feel it is something I should share more often! Seriously, I've said it before and I'll say it again, but if I could offer people trying to eat more home-cooked, healthy meals ONE piece of advice, it would be to meal plan. The most common reason for failure that I hear (and have experienced first hand, might I add!) is that people are TIRED when they get home from work/a long day and the last thing t[...]

Simple Summer Pasta

Posted In: Recipes
There is something about the summertime that just naturally makes me crave lighter food. I am always reaching for fruit for snacks, and dinners tend to be much lighter as well. I could easily have a salad for dinner every night, but since I can't quite get away with that (husbands) I still try to make more "summery" dinners when the temperatures peak. I can't be alone in this, right? It seems only natural to go for lots of fruits, veggies, and lighter foods when its hot and then crave the denser, heavier meals come winter[...]

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers

Posted In: Beef | Recipes
These Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers check all of the boxes when it comes to weeknight dinners. First off, they are absolutely delicious (even after eating them as leftovers for the 3rd time!), they have a pretty short ingredient list and are easy to throw together, and they are nice and light/low carb and healthy! You just can't go wrong here! I can't say with certainty that I've ever actually eaten a Philly Cheesesteak? But regardless, I had the hankering to make this lighter, healthier, veggie packed version.[...]

Summer Garden Pico de Gallo

Posted In: Recipes | Side Dishes
First of all, I want to start by saying how grateful I am for all of the encouraging messages/comments/texts I received about my post on Monday. It just exemplifies what I mean about having such an amazing support system, both near and far! It's not easy opening up about such a personal topic, but I think it is important to be open when the time is right. So again, THANK YOU all! Today I have a super simple recipe for you that is a perfect way to use up your summer garden tomatoes! I have to say, there is nothing qui[...]

Sitting, Waiting, Hoping

Posted In: Lifestyle
Disclaimer: Non-food-related post ahead! It's been 5 whole months since the last time I spilled my guts about our journey to becoming parents. It's hard to believe that that much time has already passed, and at times I feel like life is flying by at an uncontrollable rate. For whatever reason, I feel compelled to share an update here on the blog. I know that even some of my closest friends and family members are curious as to what is going on, but let's be honest-it's hard to ask someone about their uterus! ;) I wan[...]

Paleo Thai Crunch Salad

With summer in full swing, I am all about the entree salads! My husband has different thoughts, but I like the challenge of creating filling, delicious, and complex salads that will satisfy even the pickiest of salad eaters! Especially in the summer, but really year round, I could probably live off the notorious "Big A$$ Salads" I have in my repertoire. I just love the variety of flavors and textures they offer, plus they fill you up without making you feel TOO full.  And also, vinegar. I've always been a big fan of vine[...]

Meal Plan Monday 7/9

Posted In: Lifestyle
How did everyone's week go? Did you enjoy the weird mid-week holiday? We definitely did, but it also threw us off the rest of the week. Total "what day is it?" syndrome! We laid low for the 4th because our little woofers are afraid of fireworks, so I wanted to be home with them. We ended up taking them for 2 long walks AND over to my mom's to play for a couple hours, so they actually pretty much slept through all of the loud noises. So now we know that's the "secret"! :)  Anyway, now that we are back to a "normal" wee[...]