As part of our week of southwestern inspiration, we threw together this spiced bean salad for a side option with extra bite. We love a bean salad. There’s nothing better than a protein packed side to eat with larger meals, throw into a green salad, or enjoy all on its own. For this one, we wanted to bring out some more southwestern flavors, so we included roasted corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and our favorite not-too-spicy spice, ground cumin.

The roasted corn gave this a lot of sweetness which was a perfect balance to the strong cumin and red onion flavors. Not to mention, with green beans, tomatoes, corn and two kinds of beans, this packed in a lot of nutritional bang for its buck.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
10 oz tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tsp cumin
2 ears fresh corn, roasted and cut from cob
1 cup green beans, roasted

Also, if you like a little more spice, you can dice up a jalapeno and mix it in for an even hotter salad. Be sure to let us know if you like this with the extra kick!

We love spaghetti squash and know that you do too!  So what better way to continue our southwestern week than with a Southwestern Spaghetti Squash? This recipe was actually our inspiration for this whole week of southwestern foods, so thank you to the Comfort of Cooking for inspiring us!

We were skeptical of the pre-roasting and cooling of the squash before cutting it in half, but let us say that this is how we are going to make all of our spaghetti squash from now on.  Sure it takes more time, but it is WAY easier to cut than feeling like you are risking life, limb, and fingers to cut a raw squash in half before roasting.  If you let the squash cool for thirty minutes after roasting whole you can reasonably handle and scoop even without having an insanely high-heat-hand threshold (*cough Jennie cough*).

Depending on how spicy you want the dish adjust the jalapeno and chili powder and don’t skimp on the cheddar cheese.  In our opinion it really brings the dish together.

We can’t wait to make this again, what are you looking forward to cooking in this new year?

We’re back in action and we want everyone to be able to make dinner themselves this year. First up, we wanted to share with you a run of delicious Southwestern influenced dishes we think you’ll soon be cooking at home – even on a weeknight after work and working out and folding the laundry. You’ll even be able to get in an episode of a show. We know, we know, there are important things in life!

These enchiladas have made their way into our rotation recently and we want you to have them, too. They come together pretty quickly, they can have whatever you want in them (we like chicken, black beans, and spinach), and they can be vegetarian (omit chicken). Plus these make amazing leftovers, which makes lunchtime at work pretty fun.

So here’s a weeknight dinner recipe that can be ready pretty quickly we think everyone will enjoy. These take about 15 minutes to put together, and about 20 minutes to cook – we love a fresh meal that’s ready in less than an hour!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast
1/2 tsp cumin
2 bunches fresh spinach
1 can black beans
1/2 block jalapeño jack cheese
1/2 block cheddar cheese
1 bottle red enchilada sauce (we use TJs)
cilantro
1-2 avocados (depending on how much you like!)
tortilla shells
s/p

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Dice chicken and cook in pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil, the cumin, and salt and pepper.
2. While the chicken is cooking, grate your cheese – I use about one cup each of jalapeño jack and cheddar.
3. Scoop chicken out of pan and put aside; use pan to saute spinach.
4. Open your black beans and drain.
5. Set up a space on your counter where you can assemble your enchiladas. Heat your enchiladas if you’re using corn so they’ll be easier to roll (twenty seconds in the microwave should do the trick.)
6. Drizzle the bottom of a casserole dish with about a fourth of your bottle of enchilada sauce.
7. Add spinach to your tortilla, followed by chicken, beans, and cheese. Roll and place in your casserole dish and repeat until you run out of tortillas (or chicken. I always seem to run out of chicken first.)
8. Top all your rolled enchiladas with remaining sauce and a layer of cheese. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until all cheese is melted and all the enchiladas are hot. Serve with fresh cilantro and avocado.

Happy New Year, everyone! Rolling into 2015, we know that everyone wants to put their best foot forward and try their hardest to meet their goals. Whether you want to eat healthier, cook more, spend less, or simply be aware of what you’re putting into your body, you have 2015 stretched out in front of you full of possibilities.

To help you out, we thought we’d start the year with some smoothie recipes from GMS that will help you start eating a little healthier right off the bat. The good thing about smoothies is they’re easy to make, change, and save, so once you find a combo you like you can adjust all year long as fruits and veggies come in and out of season!

We love an apple citrus smoothie – and citrus is coming into season full swing, full of vitamins to keep your immune system up during flu season.

This green smoothie is great for keeping you full and getting in a variety of produce. It combines creamy avocado, sweet apples, and healthy herbs and spices such as parsley and turmeric to keep you going all morning or afternoon long.

Like your smoothies a bit more veg-heavy? This earthy smoothie is for you. It’s got tons of kale, and strawberries (frozen can be used in the winter) as well as lemon juice for good measure. Plus, it has less milk which can be better for those of you who are lactose intolerant.

This smoothie has it all: orange, kale, coconut oil, peanut butter, and ginger – the bones of all healthy things. Add more orange juice for a sweeter blend, or try a tablespoon of coconut oil!

Prefer veggies but also something sweet? This brightly colored smoothie has you covered – carrots are amazingly sweet, the spinach is a leafy green that is in my opinion underutilized, and ginger gives this a bit of a zing.

We hope you are having a happy, healthy new year! Let us know what your favorite smoothie combinations are – we love new smoothie ideas!

We love coffee. We really, really love it a lot. It’s basically the fuel that keeps GMS running, so we thought we’d start off the new year with an ode to our truest and tastiest love. Because everyone needs a caffeine filled pick-me-up sometimes, especially at the start of a new year, am I right? Go get yourself a cup of joe and get crackin’ on those resolutions!