Black Beans

Today I am going to share with you a couple of my favorite things....black bean flakes and instant black beans.  We LOVE these!!!  Especially for backpacking!  We took these with us when we hiked to Havasupai(you can read more about that here, here and here) and ate them everyday.  Black beans are SO healthy....you can read more about their health benefits here.

 

 

I love these because they are light for backpacking and SO easy to prepare!!  To prepare the flake, you simply add 1/3 cup boiling water to 1/3 cup of the bean flakes....stir and let sit for 5 minutes! 

 

For the instant beans you boil them in water until they are tender....the amount of water depends on how 'soupy' you enjoy your beans.  If you add too much water, you can boil them until the extra evaporates.

 

We love these for backpacking, but I also love to cook up the flakes at home.  I spread them on a tortilla(after preparing the beans), add cheese and make quesadillas.  My boys love them!!

 

We order ours online at Barry Farm Foods.  They have all kinds of other dried, dehydrated, etc. foods.  We have tried their beans and also some of their dried peppers.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

I found this recipe in a Lion House cookbook that my Mom gave me awhile ago.  I love coconut SO much!!  These bars are simple and delicious!! 

 

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup margarine, melted...I used butter

4 Tablespoons sugar

2 cups flaked coconut.....I used sweetened, but I'm sure they would still be great with unsweetened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

 

Mix graham crackers, margarine or butter, and sugar together and press into prepared baking pan.  Bake for 7 minutes.  Sprinkle the coconut on top of the crust and then pour the condensed milk over the coconut.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  When the chips are soft, spread evenly over the coconut.  Allow the chocolate to set up and cut into pieces.  It can be refrigerated to help the chocolate set up.

Utah Summer Games

About a month ago we signed our oldest son up to compete in the Utah Summer Games.  It was such a fun time and a great opportunity for him to compete.  Jake competed in the 400M run, high jump, triple jump and long jump.  While he was there he met a couple of brothers, that he was competing against in the high jump, who invited him to join their 4x100 relay team.  Jake hasn't competed or actually even tried the 400M or the long jump since junior high school and has never competed in the triple jump of the relay. 

 

He had a great time and did awesome!!

 

It was HOT, but beautiful!!  

 

Jake, Hunter and Ryder hanging out in the shade....trying to stay cool

 

The first day, Friday....Jake was supposed to start high jump in the morning, then start triple jump an hour or two later and then run the 400.  Everything was running so far behind...except for the 400.  SO, he ended up running the 400, ran over to the triple jump did his first 2 jumps, ran over to the high jump and did that, then straight back to finish up at the triple jump.  It was crazy and he was exhausted.

Jake running prelims of the 400M.  He qualified for finals and took 5th overall.  He didn't like running that event very much :)  I tried to get a picture of him in the finals, but just as I was taking pictures a guy walked right in front of the camera.

 

Triple Jump

High Jump

 

He ended up first place GOLD in the high jump.  They gave medals to kids as they had time to come get them, so the medal stand rarely had all 3 places on the stand at the same time.

 

2nd place SILVER in the Triple Jump.

 

Jake with his cheer squad!!

Jake is totally taller than me now....bittersweet!

 

Day 2 went much more quickly than day one.  Jake had long jump, 400M finals and the 4x100 relay.

Long Jump

 

The first place GOLD 4x100M relay team...missing one member that had to go home before they could get their medal.

 

We had such a great time watching Jake compete and hope to get all of the boys signed up for next year.  The other boys didn't want to sign up to compete....until we got there, then they all wished they were running or jumping.

 

It was also really fun to see a few friends from my home town.

My favorite summer dinner

I ♥ a good salad!!  I especially love salads in the summer!!  There is always so much delicious produce in the garden or on sale at the grocery store!!  I use whatever is in my refrigerator needing to be used up....I especially love strawberries, but they weren't on sale this week.

 

Summer Salad

 

Pictured above....sunflower seeds, pecans, feta cheese, cucumbers, diced peaches, blueberries, carrots, avocado.  We also love to add strawberries, craisens, mandarin oranges, bell peppers....really you could add anything you have sitting in your fridge.  Just add dressing(I prefer a squeeze of fresh lemon juice..some salt and pepper).  Serve with some grilled chicken, steak, or pork chops and there you go....a delicious, quick and healthy meal that won't heat up your house :)

 

What is your favorite go-to summer dinner?