Corn and Black Bean Salad

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

While I don't watch much football myself, living a stone's throw from Notre Dame stadium is a constant reminder that we're in the thick of football season right now. On home game days it gets loud with the military flyovers, the band, and the cheers from the crowd, all of which I can take in from my patio. And while I haven't had time to host any game day parties this year, I thought for those of you who will be having them, I'd share a fun Corn and Black Bean Salad recipe from Golden Blossom Honey with you this week. It's a perfect accompaniment for burgers, brats, and steaks fresh off the grill.

This is a salad that can be tossed together in under 30 minutes, but I like to make it a day ahead of time so the dressing really marinates into the veggies. This is the kind of salad recipe that's been hot on Tik Tok lately, with a bunch of yummy veggies mixed together without lettuce or heavy dressings. It's so perfect for not only a dinner side dish, but we served it as a stand alone lunch, too. Or, you could even serve it as a party appetizer. Just pop it in a festive bowl next to some tortilla chips. We like to get the scooped chips to really load up the veggies, but I'm sure there won't be any complaints with pairing this with whatever tortilla chips you have on hand. It will be a surefire crowd pleaser for any gathering this season.  

Ingredients

Salad:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups frozen or fresh corn

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

2-3 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper (to taste)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Have you watched any football games this season? 

Tuna with Tomato-Caper Sauce

 Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

October is the month that I have to start being really conscious of the foods I'm eating or serving to my family since the next 3 months are pretty much all about the treats, family meals, and holiday parties. It's easy to over-indulge in all of the goodies, then when January hits you wonder what the hell happened and why do your clothes no longer fit? My husband has already been complaining about all of the junk he's snacked on lately and he's feeling a bit sluggish these days, so I thought I'd offer up a few more lighter dinner options this week to help get him back on track. Our grocers had a nice sale on seafood recently, so I grabbed some salmon, mahi-mahi, and tuna steaks that I know my family enjoys. I was just going to sear the tuna for him and my daughter, but then I noticed that the last of the tomatoes that sprouted from my freebie plant this year had blushed and were ready for consumption, so I decided to be a little extra and made Golden Blossom Honey's recipe for Tuna with Tomato-Caper Sauce instead. 

 

This Mediterranean inspired recipe is light, easy to prep, and chock full of sweet flavor. Even though I am not a seafood eater, I found myself scraping up the tomato-caper sauce out of the pan to eat on its own. If you also don't eat seafood, make the sauce on its own and serve it with some crackers or bread chips for an amazing party appetizer. But for those who do eat tuna, you're going to love how the sweetness of the sauce compliments the fish. Pair it with a Savaugn Blanc to really bring out the best flavors of this dish. It feels like an indulgent meal without being indulgent on the waistline. And that's a real treat in itself! 

 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

pin ch of red pepper flakes

1 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks, 1-inch thick

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

  

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Have you used up or canned all of your summer garden bounty yet? 

Split Pea Soup

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

It's officially autumn, so that makes it officially soup season in my book. We do still have a few more warm weather days to get through, then it's time for all the good comfort things that the season brings, like knitted throws, chunky sweaters, hot tea, and lots and lots of soup. As much as I love soup and make it frequently throughout the year, I have never in my 45 years made split pea soup. I don't know why either, because peas have always been a favorite veggie of mine, and I'd eat them every night for dinner if my family wouldn't complain about the repetition. I usually have to find creative ways to sneak them into our dinners, like tucking them into fettuccine, shepherd's pie, steamed as a side dish, and so on. We had a few chilly, rainy days last week, so I hopped over to my favorite recipe resource, Golden Blossom Honey, to look for a few new soup ideas to test out and finally decided to give their Split Pea Soup recipe a try. 

 

If you're a big fan of soups that are jam packed with lots of different veggies, then this Split Pea Soup is going to shoot straight to the top of your favorites. Obviously the peas are the main draw here, but potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots added in give so much bulk and flavor variety to this recipe, it could also be called vegetable soup for those days that I want to sneak more peas by my family without them getting suspicious that we're "eating peas for dinner again? ugh!" Sometimes you gotta be sneaky like that. And I don't even feel an ounce of guilt since there are so many nutrients in this soup, that knocks the guilt away from my word play deception. Served with a side of crusty rolls, this is the ultimate chilly weather comfort food if there ever was one. 

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup fresh carrots, diced

2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Is it still hot in your area, or have the autumn temperatures started to move in? 

Peanut Butter and Fruit Energy Bars

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

Those dang Reese's pumpkins get me every time during the season. I've been so good with my sugar intake this year, but there's something about those pumpkins that make me throw out my good eating habits and buy a bag or four. Or five. Stop judging me. They're delicious. And I'll do it all over again when they are eggs next spring. I'm not even going to admit how many of those pumpkins I've snacked on this month alone, but even I was like "girl, get it together." I decided to make myself a snack this week that was still sweet and chock full of peanut butter, but a little on the healthier side. I found this Peanut Butter and Fruit Energy Bars recipe on Golden Blossom Honey and thought it would be a smart move to have these bars readily available to reach for instead of those sinful pumpkins.  

I didn't buy the Kashi cereal that the recipe suggested because my store didn't have any in stock, but if you have a Meijer close to you, their True Goodness brand offers puffed cereal with a cocoa center, and when you add in the peanut butter mixture, that's about as close to a healthier alternative to the candy that you're going to get. This is a super simple recipe with minimal ingredients. They bake up and set quick, so you aren't waiting all day for a tasty treat. Jason likes to keep snacks in our break room at work, but he buys things that I typically don't eat since I'm only there a day or two a week, so these energy bars will be a great treat for me to take for myself. With our 10 hour days in the shop, snacks are super important, especially as the day wears on and energy starts to deplete. These are a perfect pick me up for those mid-afternoon slumps. Great for work or for school lunch boxes alike. And a great way to try and kick the Reese's habit. If there's a support group for peanut butter pumpkin addicts, sign me up and I'll bring these to share with the group instead. 

 

Ingredients

3 cups 7 whole grain puffs cereal (such as Kashi)

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup craisins

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

  

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

  

Paella-Style Baked Rice with Sausage and Shrimp

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

 

My dishwasher was on the fritz this week, which was totally not cool since we just replaced our fridge a few months ago. Thankfully I was able to order the part and fix it myself, but since Amazon took their sweet time getting it to me, I had a period of 3 days where I had to hand wash everything. I know, what a thing to complain about with all of the other real issues in the world, but my plate is already overflowing and I didn't need extra tasks this week. I relied heavily on recipes that didn't add to the piles in the sink. If I could get a twofer, like chili that we could eat 2 nights in a row, or one-pan meals, I was all on it. My daughter has been talking about wanting paella recently and I remembered I had saved a one-pan paella recipe from Golden Blossom Honey recently (Paella-Style Baked Rice with Sausage and Shrimp), so there was no better time to give it a whirl.  

 

As far as one-pan meals go, this one is tip top! Super easy and super delish, and with my family, there is something for everyone in the ingredient list. While Allison and I skip the sausage, which is easy enough to pick out, it's my husband's favorite part of the dish. For us girls though, the shrimp and chickpeas are where the party is at. My daughter actually thought she never liked chickpeas, but after trying this was like "I guess I do like them after all!" Our palates are ever changing, so it goes to show that there's always room to explore new and old foods alike. And even if your dishwasher isn't on the fritz, we could all use a little time saving in the kitchen, so having one-pan meals such as this one to lean on is always a good idea. 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, separated

1 pound Italian sausage links, hot or mild according to your preference

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and de veined

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons paprika

1 cup medium or long grain rice (not instant)

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups hot chicken broth

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Do you hand wash or use a dishwasher? 

Moroccan Vegetable Couscous

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

 

Over the last 3 or 4 years, I have found myself getting choosier about who I invite out to eat or who I am going to cook for in my home. For me, eating isn't just a necessary part of life, but it's an experience to enjoy as well. I like flavor when it comes to food. I like the spices and herbs and all of that good stuff that makes a dish really pop. There's a Latin restaurant in my town that I can only dine at with my best friend when she's visiting from Georgia because the food isn't bland. It is flavorful. It packs a punch. It's not boring burgers, hot dogs or pizza. It's art for the taste buds. So it took me a minute to learn that when one's idea of fine dining is getting excited when the local hot dog stand opens up for the season, they probably aren't going to be enjoyable company as far as dining goes. I once invited a friend over for tacos and asked how she liked them. "Just meat and cheese." What? No extra herbs or spices or toppings? Or when I make hot wings and am told to make theirs without the sauce. So, you just want a piece of breaded chicken (or cauliflower for the vegetarians)? The heck? Honestly, I just can't with those kind of eaters anymore. So, when I find a recipe like this Moroccan Vegetable Couscous on Golden Blossom Honey, I know it's going to be one of those meals that I have to save for myself, or just the right kind of company who has the same palate that I do. 

 

 

If something like a plain grilled cheese sandwich or a hot dog excites you for dinner, I'm just going to stop you right here and ask you to move along because this recipe is not for you. This Moroccan Vegetable Couscous is packed full of flavors that tickle the taste buds. Couscous is boring on it's own, I do admit, but what makes it stand out are the other ingredients you pair with it. Herbs, spices, broth, and veggies, especially the ones in this recipe, turn the couscous into an experience instead of just a meal. This particular recipe not only has all of the flavor, but some fun textures, too. It will keep your mouth guessing what each bite will bring. I made this for dinner this week and even with 3 of us eating, there was still enough leftover that I could save for my lunch the next day. Filling, packed with nutrients and tasty, you couldn't ask for a better recipe. So if you have a refined palate and love flavorful dishes, add this to your recipe box or add my phone number to your dining buddy list because you are my people. 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions cut into thick slices (about 2 cups)

1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons SOUTHERN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 cup raisins

1 pound zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1 cup plain couscous, uncooked

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

1/2 cup toasted almonds*

1/2 cup sliced scallions

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Is your palate more on the tame or wild side?