Easy Teriyaki Turkey Bowls

It’s no secret that Kaz and I love all kinds of Asian dishes. In an effort to order/ eat out less and cook at home more, I began to play around with recipes for an easy but yummy teriyaki sauce! This is the result of countless attempts to get it just right. I normally use ground turkey, carrots, and broccoli, but the sky’s really the limit with this.

  1. What You’ll Need
    • 1 lb Ground Turkey
    • 2 Cups Broccoli
    • 2 Cups Diced Carrots
    • 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
    • 1/4 Cup Water
    • 2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
    • 2 Tbs Brown Sugar
    • 2 Tbs Granulated Sugar
    • 2 tsp Minced Garlic
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 1 tsp Ground Ginger
    • 1 Tbs Cornstarch
    • 2 Tbs Warm Water
    • 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
    • Salt and Pepper to Taste
    • Diced Green Onions (Optional)
    • Sesame Seeds (Optional)

To start things off you’ll combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of water, red wine vinegar, brown and granulated sugars, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugars are dissolved.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 Tbs of warm water in a small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into the sauce over medium heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Season with the 1 tsp of garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Add your ground turkey until thoroughly cooked.

Pour your teriyaki sauce over the cooked ground turkey and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for about five minutes so everything has time to soak up all the flavors until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Serve over rice, noodles, or riced cauliflower. Green onions and sesame seeds are option for additional flavor!

XOXO,
Leah

Share the Love: Raleigh Cheesy

If you live in the Raleigh/ Durham area, chances are you’ve heard of Raleigh Cheesy before! 

Courtney Bowman is the brains behind the operations and it all started in October of 2019. Raleigh Cheesy strive to offer hand-crafted cheese and charcuterie boards. From personal sized snack boxes to grazing tables to feed a whole party, there’s a little something for everyone.

In February 2021, their first brick and mortar location was opened at 1460 Chapel Ridge Road, Suite 170 in Apex, NC. Inside the charming store, you’re able to get grab and go snack boxes, pick up orders you placed online, place orders, and buy other items you might need to make your own board at home!

Raleigh Cheesy is located in Apex, NC at 1460 Chapel Ridge Road, Suite 170

I’ve had several of the snack boxes and love how convenient they are to just grab and take with; road trip snack, picnic in the park, movie night, etc. They really up the snack game with how delicious they are! Recently, Courtney also started offering private cheeseboard making classes at the store! It’s a great chance for you and some friends to get together and learn how to make the perfect cheeseboard!

To keep up to date with all the happenings and to see her drool worthy boards, check Raleigh Cheesy out on Instagram or see what all they have to offer at their website!

Charcuterie jars make for perfect appetizers for a large crowd!

Your Perfect Cup of Hot Chocolate

These cooler temps and all things holiday season have really been getting me in a festive mood!

Growing up, my mom’s homemade hot chocolate mix was always something I looked forward to. Now that I have a home of my own, I love finding ways to incorporate that tradition into my little family!

This year, we opted to add out hot chocolate to our coffee bar! From now until the end of winter, if you stop by we’ll have all the options for your hot chocolate drinking pleasure!

Every good hot chocolate bar starts with good hot chocolate! Three of my favorites from Target are the Swiss Miss packets, Good & Gather Double Hot Chocolate, and since I’m slightly lactose intolerant, I always like to have a dairy free option on hand like this Swiss Miss Non-Dairy mix!

In my mind, the perfect cup of hot chocolate has lots of marshmallows. The more the better! I found these vanilla star and Christmas tree shaped ones along with the peppermint flavored ones on the Holiday section at my local Target. Both are by Wondershop and so yummy! I may have eaten a few of the peppermint ones just by themselves…

Before I found the peppermint marshmallows, I used to sometimes stir my hot chocolate with a candy cane to get that pepperminty flavor. Something about the chocolate and mint combination just gets me! This crushed peppermint shaker is perfect and so cute to sprinkle on top of a peak of whipped cream.

If you’re looking to have single serve and individually wrapped options on hand, these Hot Cocoa Stir Spoons from Wondershop are perfect for you! I picked up a few for my hot chocolate bar as well as to give along with gifts at Christmas!

What are you hot chocolate must haves?

XOXO,
Leah

Homemade Baby Food: Butternut Squash

Baby K has had teeth since he was about three months old! Ever since he started showing signs of teething and showing an interest in food, I’ve been doing all the trial and error runs I can with making his food.

I love the convince of store bought baby food, but at the end of the day, it’s super easy to make and takes me less time than it would to get it from the store!

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What You’ll Need

  • 1 Medium sized Butternut Squash

First things first, wash and peel your butternut squash. Then you’ll dice it into cubes. Don’t worry about how big or small they are, everything is going to be puréed.

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Next, throw all of the cubed squash into a pot and cover with water. For me this came out to be about 3 cups. Bring water to a rolling boil and leave until squash is tender (about 20 minutes).

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Reserving the cooking liquid, strain the squash and put into a food processor or blender. Pulse on high or blend until the squash has a smooth consistency.

Incorporate the reserved liquid into the purée until it reaches your desired thickness.

Depending on the size of your squash and how much of the cooking liquid you add back into your purée will determine how much it makes. For me, I used 3/4 of the cooking liquid and got about 32 oz. of food.

The purée can be kept in the fridge for about 3 days or frozen for up to three months! Use any freezer safe container you’d like. I have these ice pop bags from Amazon and freeze in two oz portions!

And voila! Homemade butternut squash baby food.

XOXO,
Leah

Parmesan and Cheddar Crisps

Happy Monday, y’all!

After several weeks of computer issues, I think I’ve finally gotten it back up and running (fingers crossed)!

Especially in the summer, I love a good crunchy and salty snack to go with a nice cold drink! Popcorn, chips, pretzels, you name it!

With my love of cheese, my latest addiction has been really any kind of cheese crisp, but buying them can get a little on the pricey side. Enter this recipe I whipped up one night, and boom! An easy and way cheaper version of my most craved snack!

What You’ll Need

• 2 Cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• ½ Cup Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Parchment Paper

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You’ll want to preheat your oven to 350°.

Next you’re going to line your baking sheet with parchment paper. This will help your crisps not stick and make clean up that much easier!

In a bowl, mix the two shredded cheese s together until well combined.

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Now you’ll drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. They don’t spread out too much when in the oven, so I put four mounds in each row.

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Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper right after you take them out of the oven so the seasoning sticks best!

Let sit until cool to the touch and then you’re all set to enjoy your homemade Parmesan and cheddar crisps!

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While yummy on their own, there are also tons of ways to jazz them up; turkey and avocado, in place of tortilla chips for nachos, with eggs and bacon…

What’s your go to snack right now?

XOXO,
Leah

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I have such a big sweet tooth; candy, cake, ice cream, you name it! My husband on the other hand is a little pickier when it comes to the ones he likes. While I will eat pretty much any kind of sweet, he would much rather have something that’s light and not quite so sugary sweet tasting.

Enter these cookies that he had months ago, and I knew I had to figure out how to make them for myself! After much trial and error to get the texture just right, I have a new go to cookie recipe that we both can enjoy!

What You’ll Need

• 1 Box of Lemon Cake Mix
• 1 Egg
• 1 8 oz tub of Cool Whip
• About 1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar

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Like always, you’ll want to start by preheating your oven to 350°F and having your baking tray ready to go. I lined mine with a silicone baking mat to help prevent sticking, but parchment paper would work too!

Next you’ll combine your cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip in a bowl. Mix all of this together until it’s well combined. The mixture may seem lighter and a little fluffier than normal cookie doughs, but that’s how it’s supposed to be!

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Next you’ll take two spoons and a portion at a time, coat the dough in the powder sugar before placing on your baking tray. Once your tray is full, you’ll put them in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes! Repeat this step until all of your cookie dough has been baked.

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Allow cookies to cool on the tray for a minute or two before moving them to a wire rack to fully cool. Once all of your cookies have been baked, enjoy!

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XOXO,
Leah

Warning: In my experience, it is impossible to eat just one!

6 Dates to Treat Yourself This Valentine’s Day

With my husband being in the Army, spending holidays together can be hit or miss. The last two years we’ve missed out on our fair share! Just because he’s not home to celebrate doesn’t mean I skip the celebration all together though!

With Valentine’s Day coming up and the possibility that my husband may be gone again, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite ways to treat myself!

1. Dinner for One. I’ve always been a big believer in having no shame with taking myself out to dinner at any one of my favorite restaurants! It’s a nice little twist on a traditional date night, and it gets me out of the house when my husband is away! I’m not going to lie though, the first time I went out by myself, I definitely felt a bit out of place.  At the end of the meal I was so glad I did! Now, I’m a pro at the game!

2. Go Exploring. If you’re someone that loves a good adventure, this will be right up your alley! I love getting to discover new things and places for myself. These trips make up some of my best memories! There is something so freeing about not having a set plan and just going with the flow. It could be a hike in a new place, going to a new city, or even just immersing yourself in something new! The possibilities are endless!

3. Buy the Outfit. Is there an outfit you’ve been eyeing from afar? This is your chance to buy it! Go all out; top, bottom, shoes, accessories, even new makeup to complete the look! Did you know that even just making an online wishlist of things you like can help reduce stress? I do this on a regular basis and definitely notice a difference from start to finish. Imagine what buying yourself a whole new outfit can do!

4. Visit Your Favorite Coffee Shop. If you follow me over on Instagram (@alongftride), you’ll know that I love having a good hot drink; coffee, tea, hot chocolate… My guilty pleasure is a hot vanilla latte! Have you ever gone to your favorite coffee shop with a good book and just enjoyed your drink and book? In our technology driven world, this idea may seem a little crazy, but I promise that unplugging for even just a half hour feels so good!

5. DIY Spa Day. I’m a big believe that treating myself can also involve things that are good for my mental health! I’m a whole package deal, so taking care of myself in this way is definitely high on my priorities. One of my favorite ways to do this is having an at home spa day. For me, this always includes a good bubble bath with Epsom salt, a hydrating lotion, fuzzy socks, a face mask, and a hot cup of tea! I love this because it can be whatever I need that day!

6. Netflix and Chill. Who says you need someone else for this? Personally, I think there’s nothing better than wearing my comfiest clothes and burrowing in a pile of blankets! Since my husband and I have very different tastes in what kinds of shows and movies we like to watch, when he’s gone is always a perfect opportunity to binge on the shows I normally wouldn’t or find a new series to watch! Add in your favorite snacks and drinks, and you’re all good to go!

What’s your favorite way to treat yourself when you’re flying solo for the day of love? Let me know down below!

XOXO,
Leah