Chia seed pudding was THE breakfast of 2019 for me. I mastered the recipe and shared it on this post. It’s a favorite of coworkers, sisters, and students of mine as well. It’s creamy, full of healthy fats from the coconut milk, fibrous from the chia seeds, and simply delicious. I typically serve it with blueberries and strawberries or raspberries (depending which one is on sale). Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will take my chia pudding over the edge of deliciousness!
That being said, the granola stands on its own as a snack as well. When I was recipe testing I caught John eating it from the jar on the couch! The chocolate, espresso, and pecans are a trio made in granola heaven. This recipe is so easy to whip up and you’ve probably got most of the ingredients on hand. Give this a try:
Please note: I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program and I may earn a small commission from purchases you make using the links to products in this post. You will not pay more for your purchase by using this link. Your purchase helps me continue to create recipes and health and wellness content for you.
Cover a large sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa powder until well combined. It will be a dark brown liquid mixture.
Add oats, chocolate chips, and pecans and stir until the mixture is combined well and covered with the liquid evenly. I recommend using a strong silicone spatula to stir.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan, Press the mixture down into the pan so it is flat and even across the top. This will help the granola clump up and make nice big chunks as it cools.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Allow granola to cool completely – it’s important that you don’t stir the granola until it’s completely cooled to maintain the aforementioned clumps!
You can pop the sheet pan in the freezer or refrigerator to cool more quickly if you desire. This will help with clumps too because the cooling of the coconut oil will bond the granola more tightly.
Once cool, stir the granola and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy by itself as a quick snack, with milk like cereal, or top yogurt or chia pudding with it.
This recipe has quickly become a family favorite! It’s much more cost effective than purchasing granola at the store and there aren’t any funky ingredients lurking on this list. Try it out this week and drop me a comment to let me know what you think!
When I was pregnant I remember spending HOURS researching the best items. I looked at reviews online, asked friends, browsed Pinterest and Baby’s List and Amazon. I wanted the best possible products for my sweet baby, but like many people, I also had a budget! My quest was to choose the best baby gear in a sort of “middle of the road.” If you’re looking for luxury baby items, this is not the post for you!
Overall, I was pretty happy with the majority of my choices for baby gear. John and I reviewed our gear and narrowed it to 20 items that we deem our “must haves” for new parents. If you have questions about something NOT in this post, feel free to send me a message and I’ll do my best to help you. (There’s a lot of baby gear NOT on here because I didn’t want it to become too overwhelming.)
Please note: I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program and I may earn a small commission from purchases you make using the links to products in this post. You will not pay more for your purchase by using this link. Your purchase helps me continue to create recipes and health and wellness content for you.
We loved this car seat by Graco for the newborn stage and even past a year old. It has great safety reviews, is extremely functional, and easy to clean and maneuver.
I’d highly recommend getting a second base if more than one person will be picking the baby up or dropping the baby off from daycare/grandma’s/etc. This was great because I could leave the seat at daycare when I dropped off in the morning and John could grab it when he picked up in the afternoon. It made our routine seamless and was much cheaper than purchasing a second seat. Just be sure to double check that your base fits your seat!
2. The <a href=”http://<iframe style=”width:120px;height:240px;” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″ src=”//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=biteswithbeth-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B07XLNFBZX&asins=B07XLNFBZX&linkId=1909a1ac46eb954636674531964eaae8&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff”> Boppy nursing pillow was an absolute godsend. I promise that the day will come you’ll be able to breastfeed and walk or multitask in various other ways, but in the newborn days babies are tiny and almost slippery!! You want a boppy – even if its just to make it easier to hold your teeny tiny babe! We had a camping themed cover and there are TONS of adorable cover options. I love this neutral grey color available on Amazon!
3. The Boppy Lounger is amazing for the newborn stage and up until baby can roll. It’s so great to keep baby comfy cozy and elevate them just a little so you can keep an eye on them. Harry used to lay in this and watch mama get ready when he was itty bitty and it was just the two of us!
It’s also great for those adorable monthly photos before baby can sit up. Get another cover or drop your favorite cozy blanket over the lounger and you’ve got your DIY baby prop!
4. I adored my Milk Snob because it was just so versatile. The Milk Snob functions as a car seat cover, nursing cover, barrier between baby and grocery cart germs, etc. There are so many uses for the Milk Snob and they’re so soft and adorable. I love that it functions as a breathable car seat cover as well as a nursing cover so it’s one less thing to tote along when you leave the house. Did I mention they drop adorable new patterns every season?? Buy one. You won’t regret it.
5. This Sealy baby mattress has been fantastic (I’ll be honest, our little one occasionally jumps on his when he wake up from naptime). It’s affordable, durable, and has a waterproof coating to protect it from overnight diaper leakage.
6. These burp cloths were the absolute best! When I was pregnant with our first, I didn’t realize that burp cloth quality was a big variant, but it totally is. These were our favorites because they’re so soft and absorbent plus they don’t stain easily.
7. The baby monitor was something I researched extensively. I weighed pros and cons and spent hours mulling over the right baby monitor for us. A little back story: the news story about baby monitors and home cameras being hacked and then used to exploit families was a big deal when I was pregnant and building my registry. I decided to go with a monitor that does not connect to Wifi for this reason. Infant optics video monitor has great range, an impressive camera with night vision and daytime that automatically adjusts. You can move the position of the camera, it has decent battery life. You can also add multiple cameras which is great for families with multiple small children or if you want to keep one in an area where the baby might play and also the nursery. We love ours.
8. We have two Regalo baby gates that we use. We love these because you can walk through the gate and don’t have to take the entire gate down or climb over it while holding a baby. They hold up well and are easily adjustable for the size of doorway or hallway you’re using it in.
9. This Pack ‘n’ play Snuggle Suite was completely worth the money. Our master bedroom was downstairs and the nursery upstairs so we used this as our crib for longer than I should admit. This pack comes with a bouncer that rests as a bassinet style seat next to a convenient changing table! The mesh storage baskets on the side are the perfect size to organize diapers and wipes. It was such a convenient setup to have downstairs. There’s a bassinet insert and when baby outgrows that, there’s a sturdy playard mattress. We more than got our money’s worth with this one! (The bouncer was a favorite and you can’t buy the same style separately!)
10. These Mam Pacifiers were the only ones that our little one liked. They come with these awesome little pacifier holders that are great for keeping pacis sterile in the diaper bag..and keeping them from being misplaced in the cabinet! (You can also use the holders to sterilize the pacifiers in the microwave, but I personally, have never tried that.)
11. Although solid foods are a little far off, it’s not a bad idea to register for some feeding basics! We loved our ezpz Mini Mat. It’s great for when baby is just learning to eat and hasn’t quite grasped the “not throwing your plate” concept.
Grab these pre-spoons while you’re at it! It’s basically baby’s first step in learning to use utensils. It can double as a teether and is the perfect size for those adorable hands.
Save yourself some sanity and grab a Bapron while you’re at it. They’re available in tons of adorable patterns and colors and they’ll save all those adorable clothes you’ve been collecting. It makes dinner cleanup a snap.
12. This Munchkin dishwasher basket will save your sanity when you’re packing six bottles a day for your breastfed baby so you can go to work or spend a day out and you’ve washed about a million bottles that week.
13. To properly dry all of the aforementioned bottles preventing the risk of bacteria growing, you need a good drying rack. You definitely want the bigger one (unless you have more of a compact kitchen, then you may want the smaller version).
14. Something I didn’t register for, but wish I had, was a baby carrier….or five! When I was a new mom I was also home alone because my husband was halfway across the world. Baby carriers were my BFF and babies usually love them because their snuggled up to their favorite person and it feels almost like the womb. The Boppy carrier is a cross between a carrier and a wrap. Super great for when baby is small – some of the more structured carriers aren’t suitable for babies under eight pounds. We kept this one in the car for grocery trips and it was fantastic!
I was a little intimidated by the Moby wrap at first because you have to wrap it yourself, but we love love loved this one. It’s great because it’s so soft and snuggly and a bit more breathable than some others. Some mamas are even talented enough to breastfeed while baby wearing in the Moby! It’s super cozy and is extremely comfortable.
This Baby Bjorn carrier was so comfy and breathable while still a little more structured which is great for older babies. I used this one when I flew solo with the baby!
15. Frida Baby products are always incredible quality and this set was a lifesaver! It includes a fridet for mama – I personally didn’t use this but I’ve heard it’s superior to the ones they provide in the hospital. The Nail Frida and the file that come with it are awesome for cutting baby nails – there’s a little viewing window so you can make sure you’re trimming only nail. The Windi Baby and Nosefrida are great for those unfortunate truths of having a little little one. I promise with this set in the nursery, you’ll feel just a little more prepared.
16. I definitely recommend getting at least one extra bouncer. It’s great to have them in multiple rooms so you can seamlessly move from one room to the next – for example showering when you’re home alone! We loved this puppy bouncer from Fisher Price!
17. If you have hard floors, this playmat will bring you peace of mind. Our entire first floor is hardwood and it can be really nerve-wracking with a baby who’s just learning to roll, sit, and play. I love that this playmat is very neutral in color because it keeps the integrity of decorations of the room in tact. We’ve had ours for more than a year now and it has held up very well for us!
18. The Haaka is so great for building up a small “stash” of breastmilk for date night or in preparation for returning to work. It also helps you not lose any of those precious ounces. Be smarter than me and buy this one with the stopper! I went cheaper and didn’t get the one with a stopper when I purchased mine and I DID lose some of those precious ounces!
19. This Graco Stroller clicks right into the car seat I mentioned at the start of the post. It’s super great for a quick transition from car to indoors especially if it’s cold! We still use ours every day for walks and it seems to be very comfy.
20. This Skip Hop play center was the most convenient way for baby to play, mama to cook dinner, and dance and sing along the way! This activity center grows with baby and converts to a play table and eventually to a toddler table.
I’m pretty sure I could write about this for days but these are sort of our “Top Twenty!” that I’d recommend you consider purchasing for your babe! If you need more suggestions or opinions on products please send me a message! I’m happy to share my experience if I’ve used the product before!
I think we’ve all been there – you want to make something delicious and you have ALL the ingredients…except for one! Dropping this simple pizza sauce recipe in hopes it might help someone out of this spot and maybe save you a trip to the store.
Pizza sauce is super versatile. You can spread it on pretty much any carb, add pepperoni, cheese, etc. call it pizza, and your kids…or husband are totally IN. Score.
You’ve probably got all the ingredients for this pizza sauce in your kitchen right now. If you don’t, grab ’em next time at the store – they’ll help jazz up other recipes too!
Ingredients
6 oz tomato paste
16 oz tomato sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
sprinkle of salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp coconut sugar
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon sage
Note: if you don’t have oregano, thyme, sage but you have italian seasoning, that’ll work too!
Procedure
Measure all dry ingredients and stir until well combined in a small dish.
In a medium mixing bowl, add tomato paste and tomato sauce.
Gradually add seasoning mixture until the mixture is combined well.
Add to your favorite carb, or in place of pizza sauce in any recipe!
Store leftovers in a mason jar in the refrigerator for later use!
Let me know how you like this recipe by commenting below!
I’ve been teasing this recipe for a while. It’s GOOD good. My parents got a preview when they visited us in March and they were impressed. It’s a crowd pleaser and tastes like it is much less healthy than it is!! Note: I have substitute options for several ingredients in this recipe because although I’m gluten and dairy free, John isn’t, and these flavors POP with or without the gluten and dairy.
This recipe is multi-step. We love to have these on Friday nights or Saturday’s because they feel like a “Weekend Food!” If you love buffalo, ranch, and chicken – this recipe is for you. You’ve GOT to try it. Seriously.
It’s also great to have if you have leftover chicken tenders from this post — heat them in the oven or stovetop in a cast iron. This will cut down on prep time a little
Prepare a batch of my gluten free chicken tenders as detailed in this post.
While chicken is baking, whisk mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl until a smooth dressing forms.
Toss the coleslaw mix to coat. Allow the coleslaw to rest.
When chicken temps up to 165 fahrenheit, add tenders and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss gently so to avoid pulling breading off of tenders.
When tenders are coated, allow to rest in the remaining hot sauce.
Assemble the chicken wraps as follows: top tortilla with one chicken tender, a tablespoon of coleslaw, 2 pickle slices, cheddar, and a drizzle of Sir Kensington’s ranch.
Recipe notes: If you’re in Texas, I HIGHLY recommend swinging by your local HEB store and grabbing the bakery made butter tortillas. They’re chock full of wheat and butter but they’re so good. Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese is key here! It’s best if you let it set while you prepare the rest of the recipe so it isn’t quite as cold. It really makes the recipe next level!!
Serve these Buffalo Chicken Wrappers with carrots and baked fries for the gameday experience. Share them with friends, and you’ll be the talk of the party. Try these wraps ASAP. They’re bomb.
Be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on instagram using #biteswithbeth – there’s nothing I love more than seeing my recipes being used! Let me know how you like them!
If you’ve recently gone gluten free, you’ve likely traveled down the sad road of pre-packaged gluten free items because you just weren’t sure how to handle this new lifestyle. I get it. I’ve been there. What the in-store items lack in wheat, they make up for in excess salt and crumbly texture most of the time. Not a fan.
This goes for frozen items like gluten free chicken fingers too! I have not once been impressed by a pre-packaged gluten free chicken finger. So, I set out to create my own recipe…and it’s one of the first gluten free recipes that I made up and perfected on my own! I’m so excited to share this with you!
Whether you’re gluten free or not, give these little guys a shot! They crisp perfectly in the oven, have few ingredients, and come together quickly. I don’t have an airfryer but I bet they’d be DIVINE in an airfryer.
John and I have been loving this recipe for years but our littlest toddler taste tester approves too!!
GF Chicken tender coating with seasoning Chicken Tenders coated before baking
In a blender or food processor, pulse Mary’s Gone Crackers until they’re ground into a flourlike consistency.
Pour cracker flour into a shallow dish for coating tenders with onion powder, garlic powder, ground paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
In a shallow dish for dredging, whisk egg until it is an even yellow consistency.
Using a paper towel, dry each chicken tender – this will help you coat each tender evenly and allow coating to stick better.
I like to set up a dredging station of shallow pyrex dishes like this. I set up a small assembly line on my counter in this order from left to right: raw chicken tenders, egg wash, flour coating, a sheet pan sprayed with avocado oil.
Dip each chicken tender individually in egg wash, then in the Mary’s Gone Cracker flour coating, put each on the prepared sheet pan.
Continue the process until all tenders are dipped.
Spray the sheet full of prepared tenders with avocado oil on top – this helps your chicken tenders get the nice crisp factor!
Bake tenders for 30-35 minutes (be sure to temp the chicken up to 165 to ensure that it is done, as ovens may vary.)
Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
These gluten free chicken tenders are an amazing addition to your normal dinner rotation! I hope you’ll give them a try and let me know how you like it!! Share your recreations on instagram and tag me @bethannsbites – I LOVE seeing people try my recipes!!
Bites With Beth 