Need a new idea for a casual family dinner?  Try a Burrito Bowl Bar!

We have an affinity for Mexican food in our house, and while we love tacos and burritos, sometimes it's also fun to throw it all together in a big bowl to enjoy.  Also, everyone can choose their favorite ingredients to create their own burrito bowl masterpieces!

We recently hosted some family for dinner, and served up burrito bowls.  They were a big hit!  I picked up most of our ingredients at Trader Joe's, but you can definitely set up a great spread with everything from your local grocery store.

First, you'll need some good, wide bowls.  Our everyday bowls are a bit more tall than wide, so I picked these up at Target for $2 each.  If you are serving a larger crowd, paper bowls are certainly acceptable!  Try some like these, pictured below.

Next, consider the base for your bowl.  You can go with rice, quinoa, shredded lettuce, whatever you like!  We went with two options - brown rice and jasmine rice.  These are easy, you just pop in the microwave and get perfect rice every time!  And no chemicals or additives!

Now consider your protein.  We did both chicken and steak (pre-marinated from Trader Joe's to make it extra easy!), but you can also do crumbled tofu or plant-based meat if you have vegetarians or vegans in attendance.  

The sky's the limit for toppings!  Trader Joe's has plenty of prepared salsas and guacamole...

You could also roast some peppers and onions for fajita veggies!  I added a corn salad, similar to Chipotle's recipe.  This roasted corn from Trader Joe's adds a delicious grilled flavor!  Add a couple of chopped jalapenos, a chopped roasted poblano pepper, red onion, cilantro, and toss in some fresh lemon and lime juice.  Salt to your taste.

You can serve the black beans as is, just rinse and serve!  Or, I like to drain (but not rinse) and put them in a pot to warm them up.  Add some salt, cumin and chili powder and give them a good mash!  

Set up your burrito bowl bar with all of the fixings and let your guests use their creativity to create their favorite (healthy!) meal.

If you carb cycle or follow a keto diet, you know the struggle...sometimes you just need a sweet treat!  Fat bombs are a great way to get some extra fat into your day, while satisfying your sweet tooth! 

And who doesn't love a peppermint patty?  These fat bombs are sure to please every low carb eater in the house.  

The recipe calls for both coconut butter and coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a superfood, which may promote heart and brain health, boost immunity and encourage fat burn.  Coconut butter has similar benefits, but it is made from the meat of the coconut.  Similar to other nut butters, it can be enjoyed with your favorite fruit, blended into smoothies, or just by the spoonful!  

Peppermint Patty Fat Bombs
Makes 24 fat bombs
For the mint layer:
1/2 cup melted coconut butter
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
2 Tbls. collagen peptides
1 tsp. peppermint extract
12 drops liquid stevia
Combine the above ingredients together and use a tablespoon to fill a mini muffin tray, silicone molds or ice cube trays.  Pop into the freezer for a few minutes until solid.  While freezing, make the chocolate layer!
For the chocolate layer:
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
20 drops liquid stevia
Mix the above ingredients together.  When the mint layer is frozen, take out of the freezer and use a teaspoon to top each bomb with a layer of chocolate.  Pop back into the freezer for a few minutes until frozen. 
​Remove from your molds and ENJOY!  Store the leftovers in the freezer. XO
Each fat bomb contains 119 calories, 12.2 grams of fat, 0.7 net carbs and 1.4 grams of protein.