Black Bean Flautas

I recently made one of our go-to recipes, black bean flautas. We love Mexican food and this recipe does not disappoint. I still cannot believe I haven't posted this recipe before today! It's Mark's favorite recipe and I love it as well. This is a super easy weeknight meal and I've never met a person who doesn't like them. This week we added shredded chicken for an extra boost of protein but they are also super filling on their own. Add this into your dinner rotation ASAP! :)

Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) of black beans, with liquid
1 cup of vegetable broth (I typically use chicken broth)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
8 flour tortillas
2 1/2 cups of Mexican-blend cheese
1 cup seeded & chopped tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced green onion

1. Place the beans (with liquid), broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until beans are very soft.

2. Drain, reserving the liquid. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

3. Purée drained bean mixture with cilantro, juice of one lime, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until very smooth. Add a tablespoon at a time of reserved liquid if mixture is dry.

4. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of bean purée on tortilla. Then sprinkle with a 2 tablespoons (or so) of cheese, a tablespoon of tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of green onion. **I usually just eye-ball the amounts of each. Roll up very tightly and place in 13X9 backing dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas until all of the bean mixture is gone. I am usually able to fit 6 flats across and 2 more in the dish lengthwise.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp and browned on top. Serve with salsa, lettuce, and avocado.

Five on Friday {Exciting Week}

I am running off of no sleep but my mind won't let me go back to bed. AH! Such a bummer but oh well. Let's dive in...

1. Big League Time

Yesterday was a BIG day for the Bradford family. My brother in law, Chase, got called up to the big leagues!! I was running around my house screaming like a crazy person when I found out. Chase is one of the most hard working and humble people I know. He deserves this more than anyone and I still can't believe it actually happened! Immediately we started putting plans in place to head up to LA in the afternoon for the game. The Mets just happened to be playing the Dodgers so it was perfect.

We drove up to LA with some family and got to the game not too long after it started. We were able to see Chase warm up a couple times but they ended up not putting him in because they were losing going into the 9th. It was still such an incredible experience to be there to support him. We are so proud of you Chase!!

2. Goodbye Debt

This week was also exciting for me because I paid off a student loan with my Rodan+ Fields earnings!! Getting rid of debt is such a good feeling and I love that I have a way to put money aside that doesn't kill our checking or savings. When I started this business I had no idea exactly what I wanted from it. I thought a couple hundred dollars would be helpful but didn't realize that it could/ would turn into the income source it is today. So thankful to my friend Sara for introducing me to the business!

3. Fave New Book

buy it here 

A few weeks ago my friend Kylee recommended the book Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I usually don't read fantasy/ YA books but she always has the best recommendations so I immediately downloaded it. I seriously couldn't put it down, it was so good! It's a much different premise from what I normally read but it was just so intriguing.

The story is about two sisters, Scarlett and Tella who dream of going to the famous Caraval and getting away from their abusive father. They don't see how they can ever leave the island but their fate is changed by an invitation to the mysterious game. This has been Scarlett's dream for so long but the game is much different that it appears and could even be deadly. I don't want to give you any more info because it will give too much away. Read this asap!!

4. Black Bean Flautas

I really haven't been cooking much lately which is so weird because I LOVE to cook. It's just harder for me to get inspired when Mark isn't here. Half the fun of cooking is having someone else try your meals and love them. One thing I was craving this week though was black bean flautas. This is one of my fave meals and Mark's too! I made a batch to have for dinner a couple night and they were delicious!! 

Get the recipe here. 

5. New Decor

Stephanie gave me this owl sign as an end of the year gift. I have an obsession with owls and she know she so well! How cute is it??

Weekend Recap {Wooster/ Quinn visit}

Hey everyone! Happy Monday! We had a fun-packed weekend with family visiting. Thankfully Aunt Kathy is amazing with capturing everything in pictures so prepare yourself for a great weekend recap. Thanks Kathy!

On Thursday, the Woosters and Tracy got to the house after work and we headed to Rockafellers on recommendation from Becky. Thank you! The food was delicious and the view was beautiful. Afterwards we got some ice cream and headed home. It was pretty dang cold out but when you're craving ice cream, you're craving ice cream!

On Friday, we ventured out to Norfolk to see the USS Wisconsin. The museum was super interesting and it was neat to see what it would be like to live on a ship. Afterwards, we went over to the Waterside District for lunch. We ended up eating at the Smokehouse and had the most delicious nachos. Fun fact about me: nachos are one of my favorite things to eat. SO good! We had some time to kill so we went to my favorite store, Kirkland's, to check out their Veteran's day sales. We got a couple of Christmas goodies but for the most part I was able to refrain from going nuts.  :)

Our last stop for the night was the Million Bulb Walk at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It was so beautiful and definitely got me in the holiday spirit. It was soooo cold out though. I was not prepared for it to be this chilly outside already. Thankfully Mark packed extra layers for me so we had plenty to go around. Plus the peppermint mocha from Starbucks helped too!

freezing people!

On Saturday, I wasn't feeling very well so I stayed home while Kathy, Mark, and Tracy went to Colonial Williamsburg. Their pictures looked like so much fun though. I made black bean flautas for dinner and we had a cozy night in by the fire.

Sunday, was spent at the Cape Henry Lighthouse and then at the Bodacious Bazarre in Hampton Roads. I was so disappointed by the Bazarre because I was expecting more cute crafty things. They just didn't have much that I liked but I did get a couple of Christmas items. Oh well, still fun to experience something new!

We had such a fun visit with Kathy, Mark, and Tracy! Thanks for coming to visit us in our new home :)

On this Week's Meal Plan

Good morning everyone! I thought it would be fun to share what we have on the menu for this week. I love reading other people's meal plans, especially when they are realistic to how crazy busy the work week can get. I always start the week off with a "plan" of sorts but try to give myself a few "outs" for when I'm too exhausted lol. Those outs include using leftovers for lunches, instead of making something completely different, and also having emergency meal items that don't take hours to prepare.

Monday: Chicken Milanese

This recipe is pretty easy and always a favorite with Mark. There's something so yummy about the arugula, lemon, parmesan, and lightly breaded chicken. We also had some sweet potato tater tots because why not, right?? :)

Tuesday: Black Bean Flautas

This is my go-to meal for when we have friends over, or I just want something satisfying. It's pretty easy to make but tastes like it took way more effort.  Plus nothing is better than Mexican food! YUM!

Wednesday: Pulled Pork Tacos

Another Mexican dish because I'm obsessed lol. This one is great because you throw it in the crockpot in the morning and you come home to the most delicious pork. Also, I normally make a large amount and use it for other dishes throughout the week. 

Basically, you sear (all sides of) the pork shoulder or pork butt in a pan with olive oil. Then place it in the crockpot and generously cover with garlic salt, cumin, and pepper. Add a diced onion and place enough chicken broth in the crockpot to almost cover the pork. Cook on high for 8 hours. Remove the broth and shred the pork. Add in raisins, sliced almonds, and blackened peppers. Serve in tacos or as a pork salad with salsa as the dressing. 

Thursday: Egg Drop Soup with Shredded Pork

The first time I tried Nom Nom Paleo's recipe for egg drop soup, I was amazed with how easy and delicious it was. This is a staple of mine for a quick and easy meal that is also pretty healthy. I add the shredded pork for some extra protein and more flavor. 

Friday: Steak and roasted veggies or Eating out :)

image via

Here is an example of giving myself grace for those long work days. I would love to grill some steaks and roast up a big batch of veggies but if I'm too tired to even think about cooking, we will most likely get sushi. Some days, the thought of cooking and then cleaning it all up, is just too much lol! :)

I would love to hear about what is on your menu for the week :)