This is one of those recipes that just makes life easier all around. The inspiration for it came from my sister-in-law’s mom. She often makes a recipe for a breakfast bake that’s commonly called a ‘wife saver’ although I think it has other names as well. I loved the idea straight off, but most of these recipes are made with bread. So rather than using gluten-free bread, I decided to go with hash browns instead and add some veggies in too....

So anyways… this whole day started off with both of us suffering from exhaustion. But we got up at the crack of dawn anyways because we had a kayaking tour scheduled to Meares Island. It was so much fun, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a little hiking and paddling in the ocean. After our sea kayaking adventure, we headed over and hiked Tonquin Trail, (details coming soon) and then headed over to Schooner Cove as our last adventure of the day....

Today’s adventure hiking to Two Medicine Pass in Glacier National Park began with my post about Rockwell Falls and Cobalt Lake. This particular day, we went all out and this hike ended up being around 19-21 miles! If that’s a bit over-the-top, keep reading for other shorter suggestions. First up you can do this hike as part of a backcountry trip if you book yourself a tent site. Most people make their way to Cobalt Lake, and then explore from there....

We absolutely loved both our visits to Victoria, and I feel like I could go on forever about this quaint city. It’s situated right on the water, and it’s simply stunning. There’s lots of places to visit and even more great places to eat at. So you’ll have a hard time narrowing it down when you visit. The Butchart Gardens are definitely worth a tour if you love plants, or love to admire nature....

Bacon wrapped mushroom cheeseburgers are good, but they’re even better with guacamole! These burgers are open faced and without the bun, it’s all about the toppings. Just envision smoky bacon wrapped juicy beef with aged cheddar cheese melting all around, and topped with zesty guacamole. The bacon gets crispy – caramelized and the smokiness is enhanced because of the barbecue sauce. All of this deliciousness is complemented with the freshness of guacamole, lettuce, and homegrown tomatoes – oh the joys of late summer grilling!...

We’ve been meal-prepping this Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding for over 8 years now, and it simply never gets old. The creamy coconut is so tasty with tropical fruits in the winter. And in the summer months, I love to add chopped peaches or berries! It’s a healthy, easy-to-make snack that’s really popular with kids as well. I used to make this recipe mostly for make-ahead breakfasts, but these days more often than not I eat it as a snack....

The original version of this recipe was developed by my sister who has much more promise and talent in the kitchen than she thinks! I mean… just look at these delicious noodle bowls – and they’re just something she threw together on a whim – winging it like any good cook would do! So, my main objective was to get the proportions down pat because it’s never been written down before, and it’s too good not to share....

Everyone needs a good basic green salad recipe, and this one has been a classic in our house for as long as I can remember. Both Tyler and I grew up with some variation of this salad on the table regularly. And it’s one of those recipes you never tire of because it’s easy to adapt. For instance, in the winter months, try diced red bell pepper in place of cherry tomatoes....

I got my love of French Onion Soup from my mom, and what’s not to love?! Deeply caramelized onions in a flavorful broth topped with toasty bread and cheese is always welcome. So while this recipe isn’t anything new, I sure hope you enjoy my version of this dish. My recipe is inspired by classic French Onion Soup from Cook’s Illustrated where they add thyme and balsamic vinegar for depth of flavor in the broth....

I’ve been into all things tropical during the last couple months. I think it’s because winter is starting to feel extra long, and I just can’t wait to feel the warm sun on my face again! I thought I might get a little reprieve when I went to California to work for a week, but they had unusually cold weather, and I found myself wishing I had brought my down coat along....

Once in a while we find a favorite that we’re both absolutely crazy about! It started with some store bought Peanut Butter Cookie bars for our backpacks. I always like to keep healthy packaged food along for emergency rations when we’re in the mountains. Anyways… it wasn’t really an emergency but I was super hungry so I cracked into one, and it really does takes like a peanut butter cookie (and sweet/salty flavors are really addicting when you’re hiking)....

Sweet Chili Sauce makes pretty much everything delicious. The only problem is it’s made up almost entirely of white sugar! So for a while now I’ve eliminated it from our refrigerator. However, like I said it’s incredibly delicious. So I finally came up with a healthier version to get this wonderful sauce back in our lives! Since I err on the side of easy in my recipes, (or read lazy/strapped for time) my chili sauce would probably be qualified as a hack....

Flavor is key for me to avoid boredom at mealtimes. Enter egg waffles, also called chaffles. I first saw these when my cousin made them during our visit, and I figured I’d dig my waffle iron back out again. In fact, it was sitting way up on the top shelf and needed a good cleaning before I could even use it after being neglected for a couple of years. Actually, I think the reason is because I tend to break them at least half of the time when folding them over....

To keep things super simple, I’ve listed out all 15 things to do below for a quick glance. Then after that, I break down all the details with tips, so you can have the best time possible. They’re not listed in order of importance or awesomeness, so read through and pick the ones that sound fun to you. We missed out on the other scenic backcountry drive called Cathedral Valley Loop to see the Temple of the Sun and Moon because we had blown out part of our suspension on Hole in the Rock Road during our time in Escalante....

I’ve never been that into anything banana-related. I mean banana is ok… but give me chocolate, caramel, or both any day over banana flavors! But I have to say these banana muffins have changed my tune. I don’t even think I would have developed this recipe if it wasn’t for repeated requests. After all, when I think about muffins, my mind almost always goes straight for these Paleo Blueberry Muffins....

If there’s one food I could eat everyday, it would be a Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich. They’re so good, they even supersede pizza for me, which is really saying a lot! Once I start talking about them, it would seem I can’t stop. I even got sidetracked when I was trying to talk about last week’s Vietnamese Caramel Chicken, and went off on a tangent about Banh Mi. Although that’s partly because I just started using Caramel Chicken in my Banh Mi creations to change it up a bit from my standard favorite of Saté Chicken....

We’ve been making this pudding for years, and it never ceases to please whenever I make it for company. It’s easy to throw together in the food processor, and it can be made ahead as well for the ultimate convenience. I’ve even made it meal prep style and portioned it out in the small 1/4 cup sized mason jars for Tyler’s lunches. His pudding ‘snack packs’ are all the envy at lunchtime where he works....

Morning Glory muffins have always been one of my favorites. In fact they’re probably tied with Blueberry for 1st place! If you’re not familiar with them, they’re sort of like carrot cake, but with some extra goodies thrown in. Between the apple, coconut, pecans, and golden raisins, the flavors of these muffins are hard to beat. They also freeze really well and can be gently reheated. This also wins some serious points in my book because it makes them good for easy weekend breakfasts, and for entertaining as well....

It doesn’t hurt that there’s peanut butter in there either, which makes everything so tasty. To be technically accurate, it’s actually peanut butter powder which is really high in protein. This is a fairly new ingredient to me, and so far I’m loving it. It’s a great way to get protein on the go, from busy mornings to road trips, it’s been fun having such a tasty source of protein handy....

The thing that makes these Peanut Butter Granola Bars extra tasty is the toasted oats. I got the idea from a peanut butter cookie recipe a friend sent me. How to make this recipe step by step I really hope you enjoy these Peanut Butter Granola Bars! If you get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. You want the mixture to be hot, but you don’t need to boil it like no bake cookies....