I’m a big fan of classic chicken salad, but this might just have rivaled that, y’all! I couldn’t believe how good it was! And so easy to throw together for lunch. I shot new photos of my Fresh Cranberry Sauce recipe for the blog, so I had plenty of leftovers to use up.

How to Make Chicken Salad 

For this recipe, you mix together mayo and leftover cranberry sauce in a large bowl. Then, add cubed chicken, celery, red onion and seasonings. Stir until combined. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours to let flavors marry, then serve on a bed of lettuce or bread.

How to Cook Chicken for Chicken Salad

You can use poached chicken, roasted chicken breast or even store-bought rotisserie chicken. I prefer to roast bone-in, skin-on chicken breast. Leftover roast turkey is also great!

Can You Freeze Chicken Salad?

The dressing recipe is mayo-based, and that ingredient doesn’t freeze well, so unfortunately no. To speed up the process for future meals, you can dice up some cooked chicken or turkey and place that in the freezer.

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Growing up, the only cranberry sauce I remember eating was the kind from a can. I can still recall the sound it made as it fell out the can. Schloop! My mom would cut the canned-shaped jellied sauce into slices, and it was served on the same glass dish each year.

Recently, I decided to try my hand at making some homemade cranberry sauce using fresh cranberries. I had no idea how easy this is to make!

Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe

There are lots of fresh cranberry sauce recipes out there, but I was intrigued by the ones calling for Rosemary. The hint of fresh herb flavor added a nice dimension to the dish. It’s a very subtle hint of rosemary that doesn’t overpower the cranberry sauce.

The addition of lemon adds a brightness to the dish, but you could also substitute orange zest and juice.

How To Make Cranberry Sauce

In a medium saucepan, add sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries and rosemary to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. The cranberries will pop as they cook. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest and let cool.

Recipe Notes:

I used coconut palm sugar to make mine, which is brown in color. That’s why it looks a little darker than most cranberry sauces. You can use regular sugar at a 1:1 ratio if you prefer.

The addition of lemon zest adds a brightness to the dish, but you could substitute orange zest.

How Long Does Cranberry Sauce Last?

When stored in a tightly covered glass or plastic container and continuously refrigerated, cranberry sauce should keep for 10-14 days.

Save this Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe to your “Side Dishes” Pinterest board!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in November of 2016, but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, and new tips in November of 2018.

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If you’re having a small Thanksgiving dinner, this roasted turkey breast makes the perfect main course to serve your guests! That buttermilk brine creates the most tender turkey meat. I’m not even a huge turkey lover, and I really enjoyed it!

After watching Salt, Fat, Acid and Heat show on Netflix, I decided I wanted to brine my turkey in buttermilk. The chef on the show brined a whole chicken and it looked amazing. I found the whole series really interesting and informative. If you like to cook you should check it out on Netflix or get a copy of her book by the same name.

How to Brine a Turkey Breast

There are a variety of turkey brine recipes out there, but I brine mine in buttermilk mixed with herbs and sea salt.

In a large measuring cup, pour 2 1/2 cups of buttermilk.  Whisk in some garlic powder, fresh rosemary, dried thyme, ground sage and sea salt until combined. Pour the mixture into a large food storage bag. Add the turkey breast to the bag. Carefully squeeze as much air out as you can, then seal the bag. Place the bag into a bowl to catch any leaks, then place into fridge for at least 12 hours.

How to Roast Turkey Breast

About one hour before you plan to cook the turkey breast, remove it from the fridge and allow it come to room temperature. Remove the turkey breast from the storage bag, drain well, and use paper towels to pat it dry. Place a roasting rack into a baking dish or roasting pan with low sides, then place the turkey on top.

Roast Turkey without a Rack

If you don’t have a roasting rack, you can use some thick cut vegetables to elevate the turkey breast off the bottom of the pan as I’ve done below.

How Long to Cook Turkey Breast

It depends on the size. For 2.25 – 2.5 pounds of turkey breast, it took between 85-90 minutes.

Recipe Notes:

Keep a check on the turkey once you’ve turned the heat up during the last 10-15 minutes to ensure that it doesn’t burn on top. You can tent it with some foil if it’s looking too dark.

Be sure to get a fresh turkey breast as they typically have not been injected with a saline solution. Otherwise, the turkey meat will be way too salty.

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It’s the perfect time of year to make a big pot of chili, and I have quite a few favorite recipes like my Chili con Carne and Easy Vegetarian Chili. But nothing says Fall quite like a turkey chili with pumpkin!

The pumpkin puree creates a thick and creamy base, and the roasted tomatillo salsa adds a ton of flavor with very little effort! This can be on your dinner table in less than 45 minutes, so it makes an easy weeknight meal.

Make my salsa recipe ahead of time, or get a good quality store-bought one that has your preferred heat level to use in this chili. I recommend the Frontera brand if you like a medium heat level.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Chili

Serve this with your favorite chili toppings.  I like to top mine off with sour cream, sliced green onions, and some fried tortilla strips.

Make it Paleo

Omit the black beans. Bump up the protein with additional ground turkey or chicken.

Substitute zucchini in place of the beans.

Check the food labels on the chicken stock to ensure the chicken stock is paleo friendly or use bone broth. Or make your own homemade stock or bone broth.

Omit the sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips garnishes.

Recipe Notes:

You can make this pumpkin chili recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken.

If you don’t like black beans, you can substitute pinto beans, kidney beans or white beans.

If the chili is looking a little thick as it cooks or you prefer a chili with a thinner consistency, you can add additional chicken stock or water.

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Well, the Fall temps have finally reached us here in Texas. After a super rainy and humid September, it’s nice to have temps in the seventies and some sunshine this week. And that means it’s time for all kinds of soup making to begin. This Chicken and Potato Soup is pure comfort food in a bowl!

I prefer to buy bone-in, skin on chicken breasts for soup recipes like this, then remove the skin after it’s cooked. It turns out perfectly moist every time. If you are short on time, you can certainly substitute some store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Chicken Skin Nutrition

I recently read about a study that showed chicken cooked with the skin on is actually a bit lower in fat and calories after cooking than skinless chicken breasts.  Say what?! Apparently, the fat in the breast flows out of the meat while its cooking and becomes trapped in the skin. The chicken skin becomes saturated with fat and retains it once it is removed. Plus, it’s also supposed to be higher in nutrients. Interesting stuff!

A good quality store-bought chicken stock can also come in really handy with a simple chicken soup like this. It doesn’t have a ton of spices to add flavor, so it’s important to have the best quality of ingredients. I’m a bit lazy when it comes to making my own chicken stock, so I keep a box or two on hand. For recipes like this Chicken and Potato Soup, I prefer to use the Imagine brand of organic, low-sodium chicken stock. For things like chili, I’m not quite as particular.

It’s a hearty soup on its own, but if you happen to have some homemade Skillet Cornbread, all the better!

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Hey guys! Hope you all had a great Summer! I can’t believe how fast it’s flown by, and that some kids are already headed back to school. It seems to go by faster each year. I always hate the end of Summer, but I sure am looking forward to Fall temps. Of course, that’s still going to be a while here in Texas, and will probably only last a week or two, but still. That good ‘ole Texas weather. Ha!

Today, I wanted to share my go-to salad dressing recipe. This Apple Cider Vinaigrette is the one I make the most often whenever we have a salad. This homemade salad dressing is so much better than that storebought junk filled with nasty ingredients. And it’s so easy to make, there’s no reason to buy it!

How Do You Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette?

Apple Cider Vinaigrette is a salad dressing made with extra virgin olive oil and featuring a tangy and slightly fruity taste. Dried Italian seasoning, garlic, and Dijon mustard add additional flavor.

I like a good balance of vinegar flavor in my Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing, but if you prefer, you can use a bit less of the apple cider vinegar. Or you could add a bit of raw honey to balance it.  That’s one reason making your own homemade salad dressing is so much better than buying it. You can change it to suit your own taste.

For recipes like this Apple Cider Vinaigrette, I like to use apple cider vinegar that has the “mother” in it. It’ll say if it does right on the front of the label. There are different brands that have it, but I buy the Braggs brand usually.

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It’s only the start of June, and we have already had temps reaching into the high nineties here. I feel like we didn’t really get to enjoy Spring, and then bam, hello Summer! That’s Texas for ya. We recently moved during some of those hot days, so that was fun. Ha!

It’s important to have nice and sweet tomatoes for a dish like this Tomato and Cucumber Salad. Trader Joe’s had some really good looking containers of the organic mixed medley cherry tomatoes last Sunday, and they were just perfect. You can just use all red tomatoes, but I do like the contrast of colors with the medley.

When the cherry tomatoes are looking good, I love to make all kinds of these salads. If you are as big of them as I am, I have another Tomato Cucumber Salad recipe that’s super tasty as well.

How Long Does Tomato Cucumber Salad Last?

This salad will keep for up to two days, but it will get more watery as it sits. It’s best eaten the day it’s made.

What to Serve With Tomato Cucumber Salad?

This salad would be a good healthy side dish to serve with grilled chicken or even steak.

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Coleslaw at restaurants can be hit or miss. If we’re eating at a barbecue or seafood place and it’s on the menu, I’ll usually opt for it over fries. Sometimes I wish I’d just gotten the fries, and then occasionally it’s perfect.  I really hate coleslaw that’s super sweet or so drenched in coleslaw dressing, it’s like soup. Um, I ordered a side dish, not soup. Thank you very much. Ha!

I took a little bit of help from the store and bought a bag of coleslaw mix to keep this super easy and quick to make. Since I don’t use it very often, I prefer to just buy storebought mayo. My favorite brand is Sir Kensington’s. I tend to only buy it when it’s on sale for a decent price at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers.

How Do You Make Coleslaw?

You can shred a head of cabbage using the grater attachment on your food processor or buy a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix. In the bottom of a large bowl, mix together some mayo, vinegar, honey, yellow mustard, and celery seed and salt. Add the cabbage to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to marry.

How Long Will Coleslaw Last in the Refrigerator?

Coleslaw has the best flavor and texture if you serve it the day it’s made, but it will keep for a few days in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more liquid there will be, so you may need to drain some of it off.

This Healthy Coleslaw goes well with barbecue or fried fish. I serve mine with my Quinoa Salmon Cakes for lunch yesterday, and they were delish together! I skipped the sauce with that recipe since we were having the coleslaw.

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I also tossed a little bit of this Spinach-Basil Pesto into the cooked basmati rice I served with the cod, and it was SO much better than just plain rice. You could also use this as a sandwich spread if you want. It would be delicious on a panini.  Stir a little bit into a bowl of white bean soup for a huge boost of flavor. See, there so many options for using this nut-free pesto!

Not only does homemade pesto taste better, but you can avoid all those unhealthy ingredients that you find in the storebought ones. You get to control what goes in and avoid nasty ingredients like soybean oil. Even if it touts extra virgin olive oil on the label, it’s most likely mixed with another type of oil. And when a recipe is as easy as this nut-free Spinach-Basil Pesto, there’s no need to buy a jar.

How Do You Make Pesto?

Traditionally, pesto is made using a mortar and pestle, but a food processor makes the process go a lot faster.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the basil, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and garlic; season with salt. Pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube,  stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Process until the mixture reaches your desired consistency of smoothness.

You can use this Spinach-Basil Pesto right away or refrigerate it and use within 5 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container like a small mason jar.

Save this Spinach-Basil Pesto Recipe to your “Sauces” Pinterest board!

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Strawberry season is upon us, and I could not be more excited. Warmer weather is here and Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. Whole Foods recently had their organic strawberries on sale for $3.50, so I just had to buy some. No real plans for what to make with them, but they looked so good, I got them anyway.

My Peach Salsa recipe is a favorite of ours, so I decided to make another fruit salsa using strawberries instead of peaches. Instead of the typical lime juice used in salsa, I used some white balsamic vinegar. It adds an extra little hint of sweetness and goes so well with strawberries.

How to Make Strawberry Salsa

Cut the strawberries into small diced pieces. Mince a large jalapeno, removing seeds and ribs or leaving some for a bit of heat. Finely chop some red onion and coarsely chop some fresh cilantro. Place into a medium bowl, add some white balsamic vinegar, cumin and sea salt. Mix to combine, allow thirty minutes for flavors to marry then serve.

What To Serve With Strawberry Salsa

You can serve Strawberry Salsa with tortilla chips for a snack or appetizer. It also makes a delicious topping for fish tacos!

We had ours both ways. We had it for a snack with chips, then for dinner, I served it on top of some fish tacos I made. It was super tasty both ways.

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This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Soup recipe in her Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. She likes to roast her chicken breast bone-in and skin-on for her recipes because it helps keep it moist and delicious. And boy does it! So much more flavor with bone-in, skin-on chicken. And it’s not hard at all. Worth a little extra effort for deliciously moist chicken. Of course, if you need a quick weeknight meal, you could always pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and use that instead.

How to Make Mexican Chicken Soup

Roast the split chicken breasts in the oven until done. Let cool, remove from the bone and shred. Meanwhile, saute veggies and add spices. Then, stir in the tomatoes and chicken stock. Let simmer for twenty-five minutes, then add the shredded chicken to the pot.

Recipe Notes:

I topped mine with some baked corn tortilla strips, but you could always use some crushed tortilla chips. I liked it fine with just that as a topping, but a dollop of sour cream, some diced avocado or grated Monterey Jack cheese would also be great. You could also serve this with rice.

Homemade chicken stock or a good quality store-bought one like Imagine Organic is best for this recipe. It adds a depth of flavor that you need in a soup like this.

Save this Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe to your “Soups” Pinterest board!

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I just love the flavor of fresh rosemary with white beans. The earthy flavor compliments the beans so well and makes them taste incredibly delicious. I make my White Bean Hummus without tahini.  I just don’t feel it’s absolutely necessary, and there’s one less ingredient to buy.

Let’s just say this didn’t last long the first time I made it. My husband loved it and so did I. I served mine with raw veggies, but pita chips would be great with it, too. I think I liked it best with slices of English cucumber, but the celery was pretty good as well.

What is White Bean Hummus Made Of?

You can flavor it a variety of ways, but I like to keep it pretty simple. Mine is made with cannellini beans, garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste and extra virgin olive oil.

How To Make White Bean Hummus

Place all of your ingredients into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Check seasonings, adjust if necessary, then refrigerate for at least an hour to let flavors marry.

Recipe Notes:

• If you would like less garlic flavor, just use 1 garlic clove instead of two.
• You could also substitute some of the bean liquid for the water if you’d like.

Save this White Bean Hummus Recipe to your “Snacks” Pinterest board!

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My husband and I ate half of these Baked Potato Wedges as soon as I took my last photo. That’s how delicious they are. Garlicky potatoes seasoned with rosemary and thyme. So good! The lemon zest adds a hint of brightness to this dish that I really like. It’s just a subtle note of extra flavor.

Our Kroger sells little packets of “poultry blend” herbs, which includes rosemary, thyme, and sage. If you have a Kroger store nearby, you can find them with the Simple Truth organic herbs in the plastic packets. I’m not sure if any other brands do this, but check your local supermarket for them. It’s a money saver because it costs the same as one packet and you get both herbs you need for this dish. Plus, you don’t end up with a bunch herbs that you have to figure out what to do with.

Baked Potato Wedges are simple to make, and are a healthy side dish that your whole family will love. Of course, if you’d like less garlic flavor, you can certainly use less. Me? I’m a big garlic fan, so it’s all going in.

How to Bake Potato Wedges

Put your cut potatoes on a baking sheet, then drizzle olive oil over them. Sprinkle herbs, garlic and lemon zest over them and toss to coat.  Spread out on the baking sheet and bake until light golden brown, tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. This will take somewhere between 25-30 minutes.

How to Reheat Potato Wedges

These are best eaten right away, but they can be reheated if you have leftovers. Preheat oven to 425°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the leftover potato wedges onto the pan and place into the oven. Bake for ten minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through.

*Look the potatoes over carefully to make sure there aren’t any sprouts on them. If you can find organic potatoes, even better. Our Kroger sells organic russet potatoes in bags and individually.

Save this Baked Potato Wedges Recipe to your
“Side Dishes” Pinterest board!

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Growing up, when we were sick, there were a few things that were a given. You were going to have to drink a ton of Gatorade and eat some form of chicken soup.  The chicken soup would either be Campbell’s Chicken and Stars or Chicken Noodle. I hated both of those canned soups as a kid.

In fact, that particular kind of soup never even sounded good to me until more recently.  So, I decided to try my hand at making some chicken noodle soup from scratch. It’s SO much better than that canned junk filled with nasty ingredients!

Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe 

Juicy roasted chicken, loads of tender veggies and pasta noodles come together to make a healthy chicken noodle soup. Make this gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta noodles and chicken broth.

How do you make Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch?

With simple soup recipes like this, one of the most important ingredients is a good broth or chicken stock. Homemade is best, but I keep a good quality store-bought version on hand for those times when I don’t have any in my freezer.  The Imagine brand Organic low-sodium chicken stock is the most flavorful store-bought version I’ve found.

I prefer to roast a couple of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, but you could use some store-bought rotisserie chicken if you are short on time.

The addition of kale makes this an even more healthy soup recipe. You could substitute some baby spinach if that’s all you have on hand. Just add it at the very end and let it wilt.

Egg noodles are more traditional in chicken noodle soup, but I used some gluten-free rotini in mine. The shape is similar, so they work just as well.

Recipe Notes:

If you know you are going to have leftovers, do NOT add all of the pasta noodles to the pot. Otherwise, they will absorb too much liquid and swell overnight. Just cook the pasta, place what you need into your bowls and ladle the soup over top. Then, place the rest of the pasta into a bowl, drizzle a little of olive oil on top and stir to coat the pasta. This will help to prevent it from sticking together. You can cook the noodles right in the soup, but you would need more stock or water.

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Making a quick meat sauce on the stove is great and all, but letting it simmer away for a few hours helps to really develop those delicious flavors. The only problem is you can’t just leave the house when you do that. So, that’s where the crockpot comes in handy. You can get this into the slow cooker, go do what you need to do for a few hours and come back to a tasty homemade meat sauce!

How To Make Homemade Pasta Sauce

Let the crockpot do most of the work for you! Start by sautéing the chicken sausage, onions and bell pepper.

Add the rest of the ingredients except for the parmesan cheese to the crockpot and stir to combine. Cover and let your sauce cook for four hours on low.

Moisture doesn’t evaporate in the slow cooker like it does on the stovetop. If your meat sauce looks a little too watery at the end, take the lid off, set it to high and let it cook off some of the excess liquid. Just keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t reduce too much.

To help balance the acidity of the tomatoes without adding sugar, you can use some finely grated carrot.

Recipe Notes:

I really like the flavor of fire roasted tomatoes in my homemade meat sauce, so that’s what I call for in my recipe. If you aren’t a fan, you could just use regular crushed tomatoes.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been serving mine over some of my Oven Roasted Spaghetti Squash lately. You could toss this with your favorite pasta or zoodles (zucchini noodles) if you like.

Stove-Top Option – Sauté the meat, onions and bell pepper together until meat has browned and veggies are tender. Add the garlic and seasonings, toss to combine and cook for one minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes while stirring occasionally.

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Lately, I’ve been making Roasted Spaghetti Squash to serve with my homemade meat sauce instead of gluten-free pasta. While I LOVE my pasta, this spaghetti squash makes a tasty substitute! When cooked properly, it has a nice al dente texture. Kind of like angel hair pasta, but with way fewer carbs.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash

I’ve cooked spaghetti squash multiple ways over the years and never been wowed with the results. I finally found a method that yields perfect strands of spaghetti squash every time.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the spaghetti squash, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Brush some oil all over the flesh of the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Place into a preheated oven and roast until the insides of the squash are tender and can be easily raked with a fork. It should have the texture of al dente pasta.

This is a method that I picked up from Ina Garten’s, Cooking for Jeffrey cookbook. I didn’t follow her exact recipe from the book, just the method.

How to Cut Spaghetti Squash

Ina also had a tip for cutting spaghetti squash in half which made it a bit easier to cut.

Slice a little bit off the bottom with a large chef’s knife to create a more stable surface. Stand the squash upright. Stick the tip of your knife into the top of the squash just below the stem. Carefully, make a straight cut down the middle of the squash from top to bottom. Rotate the squash and slice straight down the other side from top to bottom. Break the squash open with your hands.

To Make Ahead:

Roast and shred the spaghetti squash into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sauté the garlic, add the squash to the skillet and finish out the recipe.

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Now, a lot of Texans will say that beans in chili are a major no-no. It’s just not Texas chili if it has beans in it. Well, this Texan likes it with beans and without.One major perk of using beans is that it really helps to stretch a pound of ground beef. We buy grass-fed beef, which is more expensive, so being able to stretch it really helps. 

The classic Chili con Carne recipe is slowly simmered for an hour or two. Mine can be on your dinner table in less than an hour from start to finish, but it tastes like it took much longer!

Chili con Carne recipes typically call for pure ground red chile instead of chili powder, which is a blend of spices. You can use that if you prefer, but I’d use way less of the pure ground chili, and you might need to adjust the amount of other spices. I used a mild chili powder for mine. I’ve been buying the Fiesta brand of chili powder lately since I can’t find the Madrecita brand around here anymore. It’s the kind in the little packets hanging with the rest of the Mexican seasonings in lots of grocery stores. If your chili powder is more pungent and spicier, you might want to cut back on the amount you use.

How to serve Chili con Carne

Serve Chili con Carne over some plain white rice and top it with some cheddar cheese. It can also be served with some crushed tortilla chips and topped with a dollop of sour cream and scallions.

Save this Chili con Carne Recipe to your
“Soups” Pinterest board!

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I just love the combinations of flavors in this Oven Roasted Butternut Squash. The smokiness of the chipotle mixed with the sweetness of the butternut squash is just SO good! And the added sweet and tangy flavor of the chipotle lime dressing on top just takes it to the next level. Seriously, so good.

This recipe is one that I’ve slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen The Best Mexican Recipes cookbook. They used a tiny bit of canned chipotles in adobo for their recipe, but I haven’t been able to find a brand whose ingredients I like. So, I chose to go with chipotle chili powder. I used a brand of chipotle chili powder called Madrecita that I used to be able to find at Sprouts. Not all Sprouts stores carry it though, and I’ve had a tough time finding their spices lately. I know that McCormick also sells one.

How to Peel a Butternut Squash

Begin by slicing the ends off of the squash. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel away the outer skin, any white or light-colored flesh, and green lines. You want to get down to the bright orange flesh of the butternut squash.

Cut the squash lengthwise down the middle and use a spoon to scrape out all of the seeds. Lay the squash cut side down on the cutting board and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.

It does take a bit of time to roast the butternut squash, but it’s so worth it! It literally melts in your mouth.

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Most of the ingredients in this dish are items that I keep on hand, so it makes this easy to whip up just about any time. Having a well-stocked pantry is super important when it comes to cooking real food meals!

I really like the combination of quinoa and black beans. My Spicy Quinoa and Black Bean Salad is a huge favorite of ours and one of the most pinned recipes on my site. It’s perfect for lunch during the hot Summers we have here in Texas.

I served my Southwestern Quinoa and Black Beans with some chicken cutlets that were seasoned with some of the same flavors. It reheats well, so it’s great for easy work lunches.

I used the TruRoots brand of pre-rinsed sprouted quinoa. If your quinoa isn’t the pre-rinsed kind, you will want to give it a quick rinse in fine mesh strainer before adding it to the skillet. It should be rinsed prior to cooking because the natural coating on it, called saponin, can make it taste soapy or bitter.

I left some of the seeds from the jalapeño in my quinoa and black beans for a little bit of heat, but you can omit them all together if you want.

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Hey guys! Hope your year is off to a great start! Apparently, mine is off to a slow start. This is my very first post of 2018. It took me a while to get out of holiday break mode and get back into the recipe developing process, but I’m back at it. And these Oven Baked Eggs with Spinach will be on regular rotation this year for us. So easy to make and delicious! Not to mention the fact that these could be made Italian-style as well.

You could also make these in little ramekins if you wanted, but this way simpler. And there’s only one skillet to clean up! These Oven Baked Eggs make a tasty breakfast or lunch. Serve a little toast on the side for a heartier meal. If you leave your egg yolks runny, that’s the perfect way to sop up all that delicious runny goodness. 😉

I used a six-ounce bag of baby spinach because that’s what Trader Joe’s sells, but you can use up to a 10-ounce size bag. And you don’t have to go with Mexican flavors for this dish. You could substitute some leftover marinara or pizza sauce for the salsa, and use shredded mozzarella cheese instead. It’s totally up to you, which is one reason I like this dish so much.

How long does it take to cook baked eggs?

Cook times will vary depending on how done you want your eggs to be. If you prefer a runny yolk, it can be between 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven when the whites have set. A runny yolk will still wiggle when you shake the pan. Soft cooked and fully cooked eggs will take a bit longer. Start keeping a pretty close eye on it starting at around the 8-minute mark and take it out when it’s reached your desired doneness.

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Growing up, my mom had THE best deviled eggs recipe that I’ve ever tried. It’s been quite some time since she’s made them, and I really had a craving for them recently. I’d asked her for her recipe years ago, and she didn’t have one. Like many cooks of her generation, she just “knew” the amounts of ingredients she used. So, yeah, not really all that helpful. Ha!

After looking at a few other deviled eggs recipes, I had a basic idea of what I needed. Although there are many variations out there, the Best Deviled Eggs recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. Mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. That’s it.

I started with mayo and added mustard and vinegar until I had something that tasted like my mom’s version. Just the right amount of tanginess and super creamy. Finally, I have another recipe that takes me back to my childhood.

How to Make Deviled Eggs

Slice the hardboiled eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks and place into a bowl. Mash the yolks as fine as you can with a fork. Add the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix until well combined and creamy. Arrange the whites on a serving platter. Using either two spoons or a pastry bag filled with the mixture and fitted with a decorative tip, evenly distribute the mixture into the egg whites. If desired, sprinkle a bit of paprika onto each egg. Let chill for at least an hour before serving.

How Long do Deviled Eggs Last?

Although best eaten within 24 hours, they will last between 3-4 days tightly covered in the refrigerator. If making a day ahead, wait until just before serving to add the paprika.

*If you have a fool-proof method of making hard boiled eggs, by all means, use that one. And do share in the comments below. I loosely follow Martha Stewart’s method for Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs, which is one of the best I’ve found.

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It’s a healthy frittata recipe that is perfect for weekends! You’ve got an easy one-skillet meal that includes your protein, carbs and veggies!

Hash browns are one of my favorite breakfast foods. I could probably eat them just about every day and not get tired of them. This recipe gives me those crispy hash browns I love so much and my protein and veggie all in one pan! One less dish to wash is always a welcome thing!

This Hash Brown Frittata would make an easy Christmas breakfast for your family and extra guests who might be staying with you over the holidays. Serve it with a little fresh fruit on the side to round out the meal.

I used some finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for my frittata, but you could also use Grana Padano cheese. It’s slightly cheaper at some stores and tastes similar. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they sell Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for an affordable price.

How to Make a Hash Brown Frittata

1. After shredding potato, you need to place the shredded potato into a tea towel or layer of paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. Place into a pre-heated skillet and spread into even layer. Using a spatula, gently press down on potato, then let cook, without touching, until golden brown on bottom. Then, flip a let cook for another 2-3 minutes.

How Long to Cook a Frittata

After you pour the eggs into the skillet, let cook a minute or two until the eggs begin to set around the edges.

Place into your pre-heated oven and bake until the middle of the frittata is just set, about 15-20 minutes. Cook times may vary depending on size of skillet used.

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In life and in cooking, sometimes the best things are the simplest things. This Butternut Squash Soup is seriously one of the most comforting and delicious dishes to eat during the Fall and Winter months. It would also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dinner menu!

How To Make Butternut Squash Soup

Most butternut squash soup recipes call for heavy cream, but I make mine without it. I do like to garnish it with a little sour cream when serving to add a bit of tang, but that’s optional. 

1. Chop your butternut squash into 1-inch chunks before adding them to the crockpot.
2. Cook the onions until softened, then add them to the crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook until the squash is tender. This will take between 6-7 hours on high and 4-5 hours on low.
3. To puree the soup, use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender and process until smooth. You might need to work in batches if using a blender.

My favorite herb to pair with butternut squash is sage. They compliment each so well. Here I’ve used a combination of dried sage and thyme. They add a subtle savory flavor to the soup. I’ve also added a bit of cayenne for a tiny bit of kick. Nothing pronounced, just that heat you can feel in the back of your throat. It helps to balance the sweetness of the butternut squash.

How long will butternut squash soup keep?

This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge or for 4-6 months in the freezer. To freeze, let cool completely, transfer to air-tight freezer containers or freezer bags and place in freezer.

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Potatoes are definitely high on my list of comfort food dishes, and these roasted potatoes make a super comforting side dish. Slightly firm exteriors with yummy tender insides. Seasoned to perfection with fresh rosemary, sage, and garlic!

These roasted fingerling potatoes are elegant enough for a holiday meal, but also easy enough for a weeknight dinner. This recipe makes enough for four people so it would be great for a Thanksgiving dinner for two. Or, you could easily double it and just use a larger pan if you are having more guests.

How To Cook Fingerling Potatoes?

Roasting is the way to go when cooking fingerling potatoes in my opinion. One great thing about them is that they roast pretty quickly.

How Long to Roast Fingerling Potatoes

Preheating the pan is a key element in this recipe. It helps in getting the potatoes evenly browned and saves a bit of time. Then roast until crispy on the outside and they pierce easily with the tip of a knife. Exterior will still be slightly firm, with tender insides. They should be cooked in about 20 minutes

Originally, my recipe called for sliced garlic (as it shows in the pictures), but I found that it resulted in some of the garlic getting burned by the end of roasting. I’ve adapted my recipe to call for whole unpeeled garlic cloves.

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This southern-style cornbread dressing is easy enough you could make it any time of year and serve it with roast chicken. For the holidays, this goes great with fresh cranberry sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes, and some unbelievably good sautéed brussels sprouts with pancetta.

Chicken And Dressing Recipe

The key to good chicken and dressing is making the cornbread a day or two ahead so that it can dry out some. Then, start by sautéing some onions and celery. Next, crumble your cornbread into a large bowl.

Add the celery, onions, and seasonings to the bowl. One of the most important parts of making a delicious and moist dressing is that you use enough chicken stock. You’ll want to add the stock a little at a time until you get the right amount. The mixture should look pretty soupy like this.

I use my own recipe for Skillet Cornbread to make this, but you could use a mix if you want. Just do NOT add any sugar to your cornbread. It’s best to make the cornbread the day before so that it has time to dry out a bit. I have how to make cornbread dressing video on my post from last year if you’d like to check that out. The Same basic method here, just with chicken added.

This Cornbread Dressing with Chicken serves 4-5 people, so it’s perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner for two. Or, if you are having a big group of people, but need a gluten-free dressing option for a couple people attending, this works for that, too. Just make sure that your cornmeal is certified gluten-free, or that the mix and the rest of your ingredients are as well.

I used this simple shredded chicken recipe to prepare mine. I didn’t make the whole amount used in that one because I didn’t need that much. I cooked 1 pound of chicken breasts, used part of it for the dressing and served extra chicken on the side when I was testing this recipe out. It comes out really moist and tender. Just make sure you don’t overcook the chicken or it’ll be really dry.

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I’ve always loved bean burritos. I can remember when Taco Bell came to our small town growing up, and it was a pretty exciting thing for us. Gotta love small towns! Ha!  Money was pretty tight at that point, so we didn’t eat out often. But, because their tacos were like 39 cents or something, we could occasionally go after church on Sunday night. Their bean burritos and tostadas were also pretty cheap, so my go-to became a bean and cheese burrito and tostada.

Another cheap favorite of mine was the Patio brand of bean burritos. Man, I loved those, too. Unfortunately, those favorites are cheap for a reason. They are full of bad ingredients. So, I decided to start making my own bean and cheese burritos at home. Then, I just place them in the freezer for quick and easy lunches or on nights where I’m too tired to cook.

I get to control the quality of ingredients, so they are much healthier than my old bean and cheese burritos. No hundred mile long ingredient list of who knows what here! I do take advantage of some store-bought refried beans, but they have a pretty clean ingredient list. I get the Whole Foods 365 brand of fat-free refried beans. They are still pretty cheap to make, so they are great for healthy budget-friendly meals.

I use the Margarita’s Tortilla Factory brand of tortillas that I get at Whole Foods to make mine. They have a pretty clean ingredient list. You’ll want the burrito size tortillas to make these, and this recipe calls for nine of them. For the diced green chiles, you can either use the canned ones or make your own roasted green chiles.  If using canned, I’d go with the mild variety.

How do you make bean burritos?

I know there are a couple of ways to fold burritos, but this is my preferred method. Just place a couple of tablespoons of cheese onto your tortilla. Then spread half a cup of beans on top. Next, fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the beans and pull back slightly. Fold in the sides and roll the bottom half (the end nearest you) up the rest of the way.

How do you freeze bean burritos?

You’ll want to have a parchment paper-lined baking sheet ready to go before you start. Then, just place each burrito on the baking sheet as you go. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and let them freeze until solid. Then, pop them into freezer bags. You get nine servings out of this easy burrito recipe. Not bad for the little bit of time that these take to make. Serve them with sour cream, salsa or guacamole for a tasty hearty meal!

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It’s still not exactly soup season here in Texas, but we did get to experience two days of Fall-like temperatures this week. On Tuesday, it was actually a bit chilly and the perfect time to serve up this Italian Sausage Soup. Unlike last week, when we were sweating while eating a big bowl of it. Ha!

Healthy slow cooker meals are truly a cook’s best friend. My husband and I work out after he gets home from work for the day.  So, by the time we get back and get showers, it’s going on seven thirty many nights. Later than that,  if we have to stop by the store too. This soup is perfect for those days. The crockpot does all the work while I get other stuff done. Then,  I just stir in the pasta and get a  shower while it cooks. By the time, we’re done with that, the pasta is cooked through and dinner is ready!

I used Jovial Foods brown rice fusilli pasta for my soup. It cooked up perfectly in the crockpot. I’d never cooked pasta that way before this soup recipe, so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Cook times might vary if you use a different type of gluten-free pasta. I’ve only tested it with the Jovial Foods brand.

The roasted bell pepper adds another dimension of flavor to the soup. You can use either a homemade roasted bell pepper or one from a jar if that’s what you have on hand. Or, if you just want to use a regular red bell pepper, you can do that. It’s all up to you.

I’m sure this Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Soup with Pasta will be in regular rotation throughout this coming Winter.  So easy to make and we both love it!

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This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus recipe is not totally new to the blog. I originally posted it way back in 2010 when I was just getting started. I made a couple of slight adjustments to the recipe and took new pictures. This and my Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus are still two of my favorite recipes on the blog. I just love the versatility of hummus, don’t you?  You can make so many different variations of this healthy dip.

I’ve purchased store-bought hummus in the past, and there a couple of decent ones out there, but when you make it yourself you can control what goes in it. You can tailor the seasonings to your particular tastes. If you only like a hint of garlic, then you can only put a little of it in. Or, if you’re a garlic lover like me, then you can add more. That is the great thing about making your own food. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the preservatives that the store bought varieties have in them.

I’ve been making my own hummus without tahini for years now, and I like it that way. I did buy a jar years back, but I only used it one time, so it went to waste.  It can be a little pricey, depending on where you buy it, and I just don’t find that it’s absolutely necessary.

This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus gets a little heat from chipotle chili powder, which I love. My original recipe called for a chipotle pepper from a can, but I stopped buying those. I haven’t been able to find any brand with ingredients I liked. So, instead I just used some of the powder, and it works just great. Also, it’s easier than having to mess with the remaining canned chipotles.

My husband and I both love this healthy hummus recipe. You can serve it with pita chips, but we like it with just some raw carrots and celery. It’s a tasty and healthy snack that you can make ahead of time.

*I used two small cloves of garlic, but if you prefer a milder garlicky flavor, then just use one. If the garlic cloves are large, just use one instead of two.

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Today, I wanted to share a tutorial on how to roast bell peppers. This method is one I found in an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook. It’s so unbelievably simple and quick to do!  Plus, when you know how to roast bell peppers, you can avoid the added junk that some store-bought ones have.

How to Roast Bell Peppers

Adjust an oven rack to be 3 inches away from broiler element and preheat the broiler. Slice the tops and bottoms off of the peppers. Discard the stems, and remove the core and seeds. Slice down one side of the pepper and lay flat, with the inside of the pepper facing up. Lay your knife down flat sideways and slice off the ribs of the peppers.

Lay the flattened peppers, pepper tops and bottoms on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and place onto the oven rack. Broil until the skin is charred and puffed up, about 8-11 minutes, rotating the baking sheet about halfway through cook time. Place the peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let steam for about 10-15 minutes. Do NOT skip this step. It helps the skins peel off more easily. Then, peel off skin and discard.

Knowing how to roast bell peppers in the oven yourself will help save you money and unnecessary added ingredients. The added bonus is that they taste so much better, too. Roasted red peppers add such a delicious sweet and smoky flavor to a variety of dishes like pasta sauce, hummus and soups.

Use right away, refrigerate for up to 3 days or place into freezer bags and use within 4 months.

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I don’t know why I didn’t think about coming up with a breakfast burrito recipe way before I did. They are so great to have on hand, and SO simple to make!  Once you get all of the ingredients prepped and an assembly line formed, these come together super fast. You can have ten burritos made in no time!

How To Make Frozen Breakfast Burritos

1. 1. Have a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper ready to go before you start making the breakfast burritos.
   2. Spread a little cheese down the middle of the tortilla. Add half a cup of the egg mixture.  Fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the filling and pull back gently, then fold then ends in. Roll the bottom half (the end nearest you) up the rest of the way. Place onto your prepared tray.
   3. Put the tray into the freezer and freeze until firm. Then, pop them into freezer bags and put back into the freezer.

Recipe Notes:

1. 1. • If you don’t like sharp cheddar cheese, you could substitute it with one of your favorite flavors of cheese. I think Colby Jack or Monterey Jack would also be tasty in these.
      • You want large (burrito-size) tortillas to make these, not the smaller kind. Look for some with the cleanest ingredient list you can find.
      • Reheat as needed. I wrap mine in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for about 90-95 seconds (1000 watt microwave), turning over about halfway through.

Want More Portable Breakfast Ideas?

Einkorn Cottage Cheese, Jalapeno Muffins

Einkorn Protein Muffins with Bacon

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I’m not quite ready to let Summer go, but I AM really looking forward to soup season! We had a slight temperature drop this week due to a cold front that came through. Not much cooler, but still. I had a bunch of veggies in the fridge and pretty much everything I had went into this soup. I used pastured-raised Italian chicken sausage in mine, but you can use whatever your favorite sausage is. Mild or spicy. If using spicy, you will probably want to omit the red pepper flakes.

This is a quick and easy soup recipe that is similar to my Sausage, Zucchini and Spinach Soup . That is one of the most popular recipes on my blog, so I decided to recreate it with a few minor changes.

I can’t have soup without some homemade Skillet Cornbread alongside it, so I made up a pan of that, too . So good! Make some for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. Unless, you like sweet cornbread. In which case, you might be. We don’t put sugar in our cornbread here in Texas. No way! That’s called dessert, not cornbread around here. I did make mine a bit healthier by using ghee instead of the shortening that many old recipes call for. Oh, and it’s also gluten-free!

Before you know it, the chilly Winter weather will be here, and the recipe for this Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup will be great to have on hand!

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Who has plans for a backyard barbecue this weekend? If you need some Labor Day cookout food ideas, I have some great ones listed below. Some are mine, and some belong to fellow food bloggers. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

1. Easy Coleslaw with Jalapeños and Cilantro (Healthier Dishes)

2. GRILLED HONEY LIME CILANTRO CHICKEN (The Recipe Critic)

3. Watermelon, Cucumber & Jicama Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing (Paleo & Vegan) (The Rising Spoon)

4. Spicy Marinated Tomatoes (Healthier Dishes)

5. 5. Kid-Friendly Fruit Kabobs (Raia’s Recipes)

6. Paleo Chile Lime Mango (Plaid and Paleo)

7. GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN WITH NATURALLY SWEETENED SAUCE (Real Food Whole Life)

8. The Best Green Sauce (Healthier Dishes)

9. BACON BLUE CHEESE CORN SALAD (Lemon Tree Dwelling)

10. Spicy Maple Baked Beans (Healthier Dishes)

11. GRILLED WATERMELON, FETA, AND BASIL SALAD (Recipe Runner)

12. Spicy Cucumber Salad (Good + Simple)

13. Fresh Peach Salsa (Healthier Dishes)

14. Grilled Zucchini and Mushrooms (Natasha’s Kitchen)

15. Baby Red Potato Salad

What’s your favorite type of cookout food?

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Hey guys! I want to start off by saying Texas needs your prayers right now in a major way. I’m sure you have all seen and heard about the flooding down in Houston and damage done by Hurricane Harvey on the coast. It’s bad, y’all, and it’s not even over. The good news is that as of this morning, I saw that the rain is getting lighter and slowly moving out of Houston.  The bad news is that the effects will be long lasting for the people whose lives have been turned upside down. If you are able to help out, here’s a list of ways you can donate. The heartbreaking images are tough to see, but there’s another sight that gives you hope for humanity. Total strangers and neighbors helping one another flee the scary conditions of a terrible flood. Yes, it definitely gives me some hope.

It’s in times like this that we could all use some good comfort food. My husband and I both love Chinese food. Can you believe he had never even tried it before we started dating? I enjoyed eating at the local Hunan restaurant when I was a young kid, so I had to take him to my favorite buffet restaurant. Fortunately, he was a fan of it, too.

I’m not saying that this is in any way authentic Chinese food. This IS however really tasty! And you get to control the quality of the ingredients used. No MSG here. If you use Tamari instead of soy sauce, this is also gluten-free. I like the San-J brand of low sodium Tamari, which is certified gluten-free. Just be sure to get the low sodium kind. It’s available at Natural Grocers, Whole Foods and some conventional grocery stores.

I had a tough time deciding what to call this. It has riced cauliflower, but I included some basmati rice in my recipe, too. I tried it with just cauliflower rice and felt that it needed something to make it more substantial for me to be happy. This is totally up to you. You can leave the basmati rice out if you want. Add more cauliflower in place of it or not. It’s still lower in carbs than if it was all rice, so if you happen to be trying to eat less of them, this is a good compromise in my book. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak a veggie onto your kids (or picky husband’s) plate. 😉

Day-old rice works best in this Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice recipe because it’s had some time to dry out. If you forget to make it the day before, then I have a method that is almost as good. Cook the rice earlier in the day, spread it out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place into the fridge until it’s time to make dinner.

Now, I know cashews aren’t usually in chicken fried rice, but I felt that this needed a bit of a crunch. You can leave those out if you don’t like or want to use them.

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 If If If you’ve followed my blog for long, then you know that it’s usually listed in my recipe ingredients. So, what is ghee (gē) and why would I want to use it in my cooking?  Besides the fact that it is just utterly delicious, there are a number of reasons. I’ll not only tell you why I use it but also how to make ghee.

Although, it’s just begun popping up in conventional grocery stores in the last few years, Ghee has been used in India for thousands of years. It is a form of clarified butter in which the water and milk solids have been removed. Ghee is more golden in color than clarified butter and has a light nutty flavor.

It has a high smoke point of 450°F, which makes it great for sautéing and baking. And if you like the flavor that butter adds to dishes, then you are going to love your eggs fried in ghee and veggies that have been roasted in it!

During the clarifying process, the lactose and casein are removed from the butter. Because of that, sometimes people who have problems with dairy can tolerate ghee. That is not always the case though, so if you are someone with severe intolerance, you might want to check with your doctor or avoid it.

Ghee made from grass-fed cows is rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which has been shown in studies to be helpful in fighting cancer. It contains Vitamin K2, which is essential in helping the body utilize minerals including calcium. Human research has also shown it to be useful in helping to lower body fat and aid in weight loss. Ghee is also a good source of Vitamin D.

If you’ve seen jars of ghee at the store, then you may have been as shocked as I was at the price tag. A jar of a well known brand that’s about the same size as mine goes for around 12 dollars at our local Kroger. Twelve dollars! Which is exactly why I learned how to make ghee at home. See that jar up there? That only cost me around six bucks to make. That’s quite the savings! Plus, it’s so simple to make.

I use the Kerrygold brand of unsalted butter to make mine. Trader Joe’s has the best price on Kerrygold of all the stores in our area. Other stores do occasionally have it on sale for around the same price or less, but that’s rare to find.

While I don’t have much experience substituting ghee for butter in baking recipes, from what I understand you can. It may require less ghee than the butter called for. One recipe I saw called for a tablespoon less of ghee. In the case of vegetable oils, it can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio for baking and sautéing. It works great in place of Crisco or canola oil for my Skillet Cornbread.

I know that some people store this in an air-tight container on the counter for a few weeks, but I always refrigerate mine. Just feel better about it that way. Ghee becomes solid when refrigerated, which is why it looks a little different in the second picture above. Left on the counter it can be semi-solidified.

This time, I made a big batch of it, so that I wouldn’t have to make it again so soon. If you prefer, you can just use 8 oz. of butter (1 brick of Kerrygold) to practice making it first. Same instructions either way. Oh, and be sure to get the unsalted (silver package if using Kerrygold) kind of butter to use.

What you will need:

• 1 lb (pound) of butter (or 1/2 lb if you prefer)
• Medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan (stainless steel is best)
• Mesh strainer
• Cheesecloth (I use the Beyond Gourmet brand of unbleached cheesecloth)
• Pint-size air-tight jar (such as a canning jar)

How to Make Ghee

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. The milk solids will float to the top as the butter separates. Once the butter has completely melted, lower the temperature to low and continue cooking until most of the bubbling noises have stopped and the milk solids have sunk to the bottom of the pan and turned brown.

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This original recipe for these einkorn muffins first appeared here on the blog back in 2015. While I enjoyed that one, I’ve tweaked it just slightly over the dozens of times I’ve made these for us.  Plus, I’ve experimented with different seasonings, so you don’t have to necessarily put jalapeños or scallions in yours. You could have dill and chive muffins instead. It’s all up to you.

I’m sure at least some of you have kids that are back in school as of last week or are going to be starting soon. That usually means early mornings with little time for breakfast. Instead of hitting up a drive-thru, how about serving these savory muffins?  These reheat really well in the microwave.

What’s Einkorn Flour?

These muffins are made with Einkorn flour, which is the world’s most ancient wheat. Because the gluten in einkorn does not have the high molecular weight proteins that many people can’t digest, it is tolerated by some people with gluten sensitivity. Those with celiac disease should still avoid because it does contain gluten.

How Much Protein Is In Einkorn Flour?

Einkorn has 40% more protein and 15% less starch than commercial wheat, plus abundant B Vitamins and trace minerals like iron. Einkorn is packed with more nutrients, vitamins, and dietary minerals than regular wheat.

The cottage cheese not only provides a boost of yummy flavor and protein, but also helps to keep these muffins nice and moist. Which is exactly what you want in a muffin. I buy the Kalona Supernatural brand of cottage cheese, which is grass-fed and has a good ingredient list.

Recipe Notes:

• Do NOT substitute Einkorn whole grain flour for the all-purpose flour. The whole grain, which is ground from whole wheat berries, absorbs more liquid than the all-purpose.
• I use the If You Care. brand of large baking cups when I make these. I’ve never had any problem with these muffins sticking to the liners and just love them.
• If you want to make these gluten-free, you can substitute oat flour at a 1:1 ratio for the einkorn flour. I buy old fashioned oats and grind them into a powder in my food processor. It’s a much better deal than buying oat flour, and I can use it to make oatmeal.
• I buy the Jovial Foods brand of all-purpose Einkorn flour. You can find this at Natural Grocers and Whole Foods.

Posts contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will remain the same, but I earn a small commission. This helps to cover the costs of this site. Thanks for your support!

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Summers are definitely hot here in Texas, and this year is no exception. Multiple 100-degree weather days has me craving dishes that don’t require me standing over a hot stove forever. This refreshingly light Chicken Macaroni Salad is the perfect Summer salad recipe!

How To Make Chicken Macaroni Salad

If you are short on time, you can use some store-bought, pre-cooked chicken breast. I occasionally buy the cooked chicken breast from the deli section at Trader Joe’s. They are surprisingly really tender, not dry and taste good. The All Natural one has a clean ingredient list.

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Then drain and rinse under cold water.

While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. The dressing starts with some olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and whole milk yogurt that results in a light creamy dressing.

Fresh veggies are added to the mix and help create a filling and healthy salad full of flavor!

This will serve 4 to 5 people, depending on how hungry you are. This will transport well, making it a great work lunch idea.

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Hey guys! Today, I wanted to share one of mine and my husband’s favorite canned tuna and pasta recipes. I’ve been making it for years, and we still enjoy eating it. It’s a recipe that I slightly adapted from a book called The Mediterranean Prescription. The book talks about the Mediterranean diet and health, but also includes several recipes. In fact, one of our other favorite recipes using canned tuna also came from this book! I have a few variations of it, but the original Tuna with Cannellini Beans recipe is the one I make most often.

One of the best parts of this dish is that it can be made using pantry ingredients. I just about always have some cans of tuna, tomatoes and gluten-free pasta in my pantry. Which means I can have this whenever I get a craving or just don’t know what else to make!

Another great thing about this Tuna Pasta recipe? It comes together really quickly, which makes it a great weeknight meal. Seriously, it doesn’t get a whole lot easier than this.

I use tuna that is packed in olive oil. I’ve used tuna packed in water for this when I didn’t have the other on hand, but I think the olive oil packed kind is best in this recipe. As far as the white wine in this goes, I really don’t have an equally tasty substitute. I’ve tried chicken broth in place of it and it’s just nowhere near as good. And no, even a little bit of lemon juice doesn’t work either. Been there, tried that, too. If you don’t drink white wine, then you could just buy a small box of it. I recommend a Pinot Grigio for this recipe. The perfect amount of acidity it adds to this Tuna Pasta just makes the whole dish.

I pretty much only use Jovial Foods brand of brown rice pasta for my recipes now. If you are looking for a really good gluten-free brand of pasta, this is one you need to try. The taste and texture are amazingly good. You can find it at Natural Grocers, Whole Foods and online. I think I’ve only seen the bowtie pasta kind at Whole Foods so far though. –> Just my honest opinion, not a sponsored endorsement. I like promoting brands and products that I love and use.

Posts contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will remain the same, but I earn a small commission. This helps to cover the costs of this site. Thanks for your support!

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Quick and simple recipes that require no cooking, are absolutely a great thing to have on hand during the hot Summer months.  One of my favorite meals to make is sautéed cod served over some basmati rice and topped with this Tomato Vinaigrette.

Summer is when tomatoes are at their best, but little cherry tomatoes are available year round, so it’s something you could make any time. If all you can find are grape tomatoes, then you could use those instead. You might just need to cut those in half instead of quartering them since they are smaller.

Although, this Tomato Vinaigrette is great over fish and chicken, there are other tasty ways to use it. You could serve this Tomato Vinaigrette over a salad instead of a traditional dressing. Or, use it as a topping for an omelet at breakfast or brunch.

I used thinly sliced garlic to give a milder garlic flavor. You can mince it if you want a more powerful garlic flavor.

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Hey guys! First off, I want to let you know about some exciting changes that are coming to the blog. I’ve decided to change the name of my blog from The Texas Peach to something that better reflects what my blog is all about. The new name will be Healthier Dishes.

I’ve already renamed my social media accounts, so if you follow me there, you may have noticed the change. Also in the works is a new blog design, which will be rolling out this week. I think it will be much easier to navigate the site and find recipes. The only thing that won’t change is my recipes. They will still be simple, healthy meals made with real food. I’m super excited about the new things coming and I hope you will be, too!

Ironically enough, I am posting my very first recipe using fresh peaches. Totally fitting, don’t you think? Ha! This Peach Salsa recipe is so amazingly good! It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.

You’ll want perfectly ripe peaches to make this salsa. Otherwise, it’ll just be really tart and not good at all. Here are some tips on how to pick a perfectly ripe peach.

The heat level of this Peach Salsa will vary depending on the jalapeño and whether you use some or all of the ribs and seeds. I left half of the seeds and ribs in from a large jalapeño, and it was muy caliente!

How to Make Peach Salsa

I leave the peel on the peaches when I make this. It looks prettier and you can’t even tell it’s there. Plus, you can skip the boiling and peeling steps that some recipes call for. I’ve done it both ways, and since you can’t detect the peel when you take a bite, it’s worth skipping for me.

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Today’s recipe is a quick tomato sauce recipe that has a ton of flavor with very little work. It’s a Martha Stewart recipe that I adapted. You can make this ahead of time and just reheat for a quick weeknight meal. It also freezes beautifully.

I didn’t really feel much like cooking last night, and it was super nice to have this Spicy Tomato Sauce on hand in the freezer. I had some Italian sausage in the fridge already, so I just cooked that up and added this sauce to it. Boiled some pasta, tossed it in the sauce, added some Parmesan cheese and dinner was done!

Having tomato sauces like this already made up can make your life a whole lot easier during the week. You can have tasty and healthy meals made with real food ingredients during the week just by planning ahead some.

Pasta sauces like this can be used to make a simple pasta dish or even a soup like my Italian Sausage Soup with Potatoes and Zucchini. They can add so much flavor to soup and make a weeknight meal taste like it took a lot longer to make.

If you can’t find pancetta, you could substitute some bacon in this recipe. The end result will be smoky in flavor.  Pancetta is a cured but not smoked meat, so the flavor will be different depending on which you use. Either way, it’ll still be tasty.  Our local butcher sells some really good pancetta that they make in-house, and I almost always get some if they have it when we go to buy our meat for the month.

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Up until this year, I had never purchased tomatillos before. The tomatillo salsas that I’d eaten were not my fave, and so I basically thought I just didn’t like them. Then,I made my Green Sauce, and that totally threw that idea out the window. Man, that sauce is good! If you haven’t made that one, get on it!

So, my next obvious plan was to try making a green Mexican salsa. This time though, I roasted the tomatillos in the oven for a short amount of time. It’s super easy to do, and adds another depth of flavor.

You want to look for tomatillos that have fresh looking husks snugly attached and are dry and firm. I like to carefully peel back the husk slightly to take a peek and make sure that they are bright green and unblemished.

How To Make Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Place an oven rack 4 to 6 inches below the broiler, then preheat broiler. Or, preheat oven to 500°F. Let broil until they begin to turn brown in spots and their skins begin to burst, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, peel off the skins. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse into a coarse puree.

This Roasted Tomatillo Salsa can firm up a bit once refrigerated, so you may want to let it sit out for a few minutes before serving it with your favorite tortilla chips. By the way, if you want some of the tastiest and healthiest chips, the Jackson’s Honest brand sells the best I’ve come across. Whole Foods has them, but I’m not sure who else does at this point. Not sponsored, I just love their chips and like to promote products that I personally use and love.

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Today’s recipe is one of my favorite type of dishes. An Italian sausage pasta dish! It’s so gloriously cheesy and creamy! Deliciously easy to make and can be on your dinner table in about thirty-five minutes tops. Plus, you only have to clean up one pan and a lid!

This One-Pot Italian Sausage Pasta really is just about as easy to make as some of those boxed pasta meals you probably ate growing up. Even if you use pre-shredded cheese for this, you still come out better nutrition-wise. When you cook from scratch, you get to control the ingredients. That means you can avoid those nasty ingredients that are in processed foods.

Better yet, get the kids involved! Let them shred the cheese while you work on the rest. It’s a great way for them to start learning some cooking skills. Plus, they can feel a sense of accomplishment for helping get dinner on the table.

If you’re looking for another tasty one-pot meal, my One Pot Mexican Macaroni Skillet is a super tasty option!

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You guys, these hash brown waffles are so unbelievably good! First of all, a waffle maker is one of the best ways to get hash browns crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. If you haven’t made them this way, then get on it! I’ve already shown you how to make regular Waffle-Iron Hash Browns, and I love those.Recently though, I decided to kick it up a notch and make a new version.

I thought that roasted green chiles and Monterey Jack cheese would make tasty additions to my hash browns, and I was so right. These Cheesy Hash Brown Waffles also smelled amazing while they were cooking. My husband couldn’t wait for one to be done so he could try it!

In my recipe, I used my own homemade roasted green chiles, but you could use canned if you prefer. You just want to make sure to drain them super well before adding them to the potatoes.

Also, squeezing all of the moisture out of the potatoes before using is a crucial step in making these hash brown waffles. I had a super large russet potato, so I used that for mine. You may need a couple of potatoes if yours are smaller.

The post Cheesy Hash Brown Waffles with Roasted Green Chiles (Video) appeared first on Healthier Dishes.

Roasting my own green chiles is so easy I don’t know why I didn’t start doing it sooner. Every year during Hatch chile season, I love the smell of roasting peppers as I enter the grocery stores that roast them on-site. They really do smell amazingly good! Roasting them in the oven was almost just as good. I used Anaheim chile peppers, which are usually pretty mild in heat level. You can find them at most grocery stores. During hatch chile season, you could use those. I roast about four when I make them, but you could roast six or eight, it’s up to you and how many you need. And once you learn how to roast green chiles, you won’t waste your time on the canned kind ever again.

Flat smooth chiles work best for roasting, so look for those when buying. You’ll need to place an oven rack about four to six inches away from the heat element of your broiler. Then, preheat the broiler.

Wash and dry the green chiles and place onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Place them into the oven.

Roast until the skins are blistered and charred on one side, about three to five minutes. Then, turn them using tongs and roast on that side until it is charred and blistered, about three to five minutes. You are looking for about 70- 75% of the skin to be charred, not a totally black chile. Remove from the oven and place into a bowl.

Cover the bowl tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and let steam for about ten minutes. The condensation will work to help loosen the skins from the peppers. Once cool enough to handle, cut off the stems and peel away the skins.

If you want to remove the seeds and ribs, you can cut a slit into the side of each pepper and remove them. You may want to use gloves to do this step. It’s up to you if you want to leave them . I like to leave some in mine.

At this point, the green chiles are ready to use. You can leave them whole and make chile rellenos or cut them all the way open and use them whole on top of burgers. Or, chop peppers into desired size and use right away in a variety of dishes or let cool and refrigerate in airtight container.

If freezing whole peppers, let cool completely, then place into a freezer bag in a single, flat layer so that they freeze evenly. Another option is to place them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and place into the freezer until frozen solidly, then transfer into a freezer bag.

These will keep in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge. They will keep for one year in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

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We’re quickly getting back into the season of backyard cookouts and picnics. What backyard barbecue would be complete without a tasty potato salad? This Red Potato Salad is sure to become a family favorite this Summer!

Growing up, my mom always made mashed potato salad. There were no chunks, and that’s what I thought potato salad should be. No chunks, just smooth potatoes packed with yummy flavor. Her potato salad was just so incredibly good!

Fast forward to now, and I’ve become a huge fan of a chunky-style of potato salad. Mom’s will always be a top fave, but I’ve grown to love a different style, too.

I didn’t want my Red Potato Salad to be super heavy on the mayo. I wanted it to be just creamy enough, and that’s what I created. The dressing is deliciously creamy and light all at the same time! I substituted yogurt for some of the mayo and it also gets some healthy fat from extra virgin olive oil.

This potato salad is packed with tasty flavors that get better as they have a chance to marry. You can serve this after a thirty minute refrigeration time, but I found I liked it even more on the second day.

How about you? Mashed or chunky-style potato salad fan?

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As a Texan, it should come as no surprise that I’m a huge fan of chips and salsa. I’ve been known to eat so many chips before our entrees arrived at restaurants that I could hardly finish my meal. I just can’t help myself. When the salsa and chips are good, it’s so hard to resist!

But, green sauce or salsa is something that is a more recently acquired favorite of mine. A restaurant we just started going to has a Salsa Verde that totally changed my mind about it. It’s a rotisserie chicken and taco joint called Fireside Chicken and Tacos. They are located in Rockwall, TX. If you’re in the area around lunch or dinner time, you should check them out! It’s a locally owned restaurant with great prices and portions of delicious food!

I decided to come up with a Green Sauce of my own that I could enjoy at home. I wanted it to be much thicker and a little creamier than my fave at Fireside. It is seriously the BEST green sauce I’ve ever eaten. I couldn’t stop eating it while I was shooting my pictures! 🙂

You can tailor the heat level and balance of acidity to suit your own preferences. Omitting all the seeds will keep this on the milder side, but you can use as much of the seeds and ribs of the jalapeño as you like.

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Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a food blog for a while but aren’t quite sure how to start. Or perhaps you think you have to be super tech savvy to set up a blog. The truth is you really don’t need to be a computer genius to get started. Our helpful guide will show you how to get things set up and running.

We go over the pros and cons of a hosted vs. self-hosted blog platform.

Once you’ve decided on that, we show you how to set up your self-hosted blog. Directions, complete with handy diagrams, make this step super easy. I’m a visual learner, so this is something that my husband and I considered a must for our How to Start Food Blog book.

Of course your blog will need a name, so we guide you on how to go about that, too.

As far as the more creative side of food blogging, I have some super handy tips here as well. These are the things that I wish I’d known when I first got started. Helpful information like how to make your own food photography backgrounds for a fraction of what you might pay a professional to make for you. Also, where to source food props on the cheap.

Don’t have a fancy digital camera? Not a big problem when you are just getting started out. I have some handy tips and tricks for using your smartphone to take food photos. I also share with you what my favorite camera and photo editing apps are to use.

Yes, a food blog can be a lot of work, but it can also be really fun. Whether you choose this to be a hobby or perhaps a way to make a little money is up to you.  Either way, having an outlet for sharing your recipes with friends, family and the rest of the entire world is a great thing to have!

Click here to learn more about How to Start a Food Blog!

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While I love them fresh, frozen green beans can be quite good. I’d never really thought of roasting them until recently though. I saw online that other people had tried it and decided to give it a try myself. I wasn’t expecting that they would be so tasty, but they actually are really good! Who knew roasting frozen green beans could make them taste so much better?

How To Cook Frozen Green Beans

While you can cook them according to package directions, I prefer the flavor and texture of roasted green beans.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread out evenly onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place into oven and roast for thirty minutes, stirring about halfway through the roasting time.
2. Remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the beans. Serve immediately.

I sprinkled some freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of mine as soon as they came out of the oven. I also squeezed a little fresh lemon juice over the beans. This is totally optional, but I like the tiny bit of acidity it adds.

You could make this recipe with fresh green beans as well. The cook time would just be shorter. Either way, these Oven Roasted Green Beans make one yummy side dish!

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The secret to this soup is the enchilada sauce. It’s a simple way to add a ton of flavor.  Make your own homemade enchilada sauce ahead of time or use a good quality store-bought one in a pinch. It’s a delicious and easy soup recipe that you will want to make again and again!

Today, I’ve decided to share something very personal that’s been going on in my life.  My father was diagnosed with cancer towards the end of last year. He’s completed his first round of chemo and radiation treatments and last week he had surgery. He is still currently in the hospital because the doctor wants to take things really slow.

We were thinking that he would be in for three to five days, but we’re seven days in now. The good news is that he is doing pretty well, all things considered. The surgery went really well, and he hasn’t had a lot of pain. So incredibly thankful for that! It’s so tough to watch your parents go through things like this.

I’m writing this on Wednesday, and as of right now, we’re not sure exactly what day he’ll go home. Unfortunately, it looks like he’ll be in the hospital on his birthday this Friday. 🙁  I would really appreciate your prayers for my dad as he battles cancer.

I’ve made this soup recipe three times in the past two weeks. Two of those times were testing the recipe, and I made it again this past Sunday. It was really nice to come home to this amazingly good Beef Tortilla Soup after being gone all day. I took some to my mom, so she’d have some real food to eat at the hospital, too. Healthy food options are very scarce in hospitals, which is really sad. She really enjoyed having some real food to eat!

My Homemade Enchilada Sauce really is what makes this super easy soup tastes so incredible. You can make it a day or two ahead, and use it when you pop this into the crockpot. It adds so much flavor without a lot of work. A good quality store-bought sauce can be used in a pinch.

Of course, one great thing about this Beef Tortilla Soup is that the crock pot does all the work for you. I tested this on the high and low setting of my crock pot. Soups like this are just about always better cooked low and slow, and I really prefer the slow setting results. However, they both yield delicious results, so use whichever fits your needs best.

I topped ours with some fresh cilantro, fried tortilla strips, and sour cream. Some shredded Monterey Jack cheese would also be delicious with this!

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Salty pancetta adds a bunch of flavor, and canned beans help make this a super easy weeknight meal.

I’m not a fan of raw kale in salads, but I love it in soup recipes. This dish takes advantage of canned beans, which cuts down the cooking time dramatically.

Cannellini beans are white kidney beans, and I’m a huge fan of them. I enjoy them in all kinds of recipes. They are delicious in my White Bean and Tuna Salad and in soups.

I used about six ounces of pancetta in this White Bean and Kale Soup, but you can use less if you prefer. Or, if you prefer to use bacon, you can dice it up and use it instead.

Also, if you happen to have a parmesan rind on hand, you can add it to the soup with the beans and other ingredients. It’s amazing how much flavor it adds to the soup. Some stores even sell containers of just the Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds now in the cheese department. I know I’ve seen them at Whole Foods before.

I served some freshly made Skillet Cornbread with this White Bean Soup with Kale. You could serve yours with some crusty bread if you prefer.

*It will look like a ton of kale when you add it to the pot, but it will wilt down as it cooks.

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My go-to smoothie has always been strawberry and banana, but this Tropical Smoothie has become a new favorite. I’m not even a super huge fan of pineapple, so that’s saying something. It just tastes so amazing, especially after a tough workout.

The idea for this Tropical Smoothie recipe came from a Mexican food issue of Cuisine at Home magazine. I made some changes to suit my own taste, and it is absolutely yummy! It’s the perfect treat for those hot Summer days that will be here before we know it.

I use the Natural Value brand of canned, un-sweetened full-fat coconut milk. It’s GMO-free and has no added Guar Gum. If you’d like to read more about it, here’s some great info on coconut milk nutrition. I’m not really a fan of the coconut milk in cartons located in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Canned light coconut milk is a little thinner in consistency than the other because it has some of the fat removed. I’m not sure how much difference it would make if you use the light instead of the full-fat.

While it does have health benefits, it is still higher in calories and fat than regular milk.  Because of that,  I consider this Tropical Smoothie recipe to be more of an occasional treat than something I’d have everyday, but what a treat it is!

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One of my favorite healthy snacks is homemade hummus with veggies. It’s so easy to whip up in the food processor and you can make so many variations of it. It makes a good healthy snack, but you can also use it as a spread on a sandwich if you want. By making your own hummus dip, you also get to control the quality of ingredients, which is always a good thing!

Traditional hummus is made with tahini, but that’s not something I keep on hand. I think I’ve only made a hummus dip with it one time, and ended up throwing out an almost full jar after it sat in my fridge forever.   In my recipe, the yogurt takes the place of the tahini and adds a nice bit of tang. It’s also much lower in fat than tahini, even with using full-fat yogurt!

The jalapeños add a touch of heat to the dip. You can adjust the amount of jalapeño slices to suit your own heat level preference.  I used some of my own homemade Pickled Jalapeños to make mine.

My husband really liked this Zesty Jalapeño Yogurt Hummus Dip, too. It’s a good thing since I had to make it twice in one week because I had to reshoot my photos. Ha!

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Finding ways to add tasty flavor to veggies is something I love to do. I mean, plain steamed broccoli with a little bit of butter and sea salt is fine, but it can get old sometimes. That’s where spices can really save the day. A little seasoning can take boring old broccoli and turn it into something super delicious! Roasting broccoli makes it so much tastier than just plain steamed.

One of my favorite all-time spices is smoked paprika. I use it in all kinds of recipes. It adds such a unique smoky flavor to all kinds of dishes.  My Smoky Sautéed Green Beans  recipe is a favorite of mine. If you love green beans, you should try that recipe out, too!

There are several brands of smoked paprika on the market. Some that I like, and some that just aren’t quite as good in my opinion. The one I’m currently using and really like is from Chiquilin.

For convenience, I like to buy bags of fresh organic broccoli florets at Trader Joe’s. Yes, I know I could cut my own, but they are just so handy to use in recipes like this!

I decided to go with melted ghee instead of olive oil for this recipe. The ghee adds just a hint of buttery flavor. We’re cooking this at a higher temperature, so you wouldn’t want to just use regular butter here. Clarified butter or ghee is what you want to use. Or you could just use olive oil, if you prefer.

This Smoky Roasted Broccoli with Scallions recipe is a flavorful, easy and healthy side dish that is sure to please at the dinner table!

Post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will remain the same, but I earn a small commission. This helps to cover the costs of this site. Thanks for your support!

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Kristin over at Live Simply Mom was recently saying on Instagram stories how much she was enjoying using the Skinnytaste Fast and Slow Cookbook. I decided to check it out of our local library to see if we might enjoy the recipes, too. It’s by Gina of the Skinnytaste food blog.

It has several tasty sounding recipes, and one that stood out was a recipe for Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup. I love crockpot meals and my husband loves stuffed bell peppers, so I was pretty sure we’d both enjoy this stuffed pepper soup recipe.

That’s where the inspiration for this recipe comes from. If you haven’t seen Gina’s cookbook or her blog, then you should definitely check it out. The recipes all seem to be fairly simple to make, which is really nice. So many cookbooks these days seem to only have a couple of recipes in the whole book that I might actually want to make, but this one has several. Do any of you run into that same problem? This is why I like to check cookbooks out of our local library before I invest any money in them.

I’ll be honest, I have made stuffed bell peppers in the past and didn’t really enjoy eating them. My husband loves them, but I just don’t enjoy eating the whole bell pepper like that. Is that weird? Plus, it was much easier to make this Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup recipe. You can have it ready to go in the crockpot in no time, and then be off to do whatever it is you need to do. I know we can all use more healthy crockpot meals like this in our lives! Especially, if you are trying to eat a real food diet.

I served mine with white basmati rice because that’s what I keep on hand, but you could use brown basmati rice or whatever rice you prefer.

Posts contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will remain the same, but I earn a small commission. This helps to cover the costs of this site. Thanks for your support!

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It was a cold, rainy and dreary day here yesterday. The kind of day that just begs for a bowl of hot soup and some homemade Skillet Cornbread. Apparently, my husband was thinking the same thing because that’s what he said he wanted for lunch. Since I had a bag of shredded cabbage sitting in the fridge that needed to be used, I decided to make some type of sausage lentil soup with it.

If you aren’t familiar with sprouted lentils, you might be asking, why don’t you just use regular lentils? Here’s why I use them in my cooking. Sprouting them makes them easier to digest and the nutrients more readily available. You can sprout your own, or buy already sprouted and dried lentils like I do. The TruRoots brand can be found in natural food stores like Natural Grocers and the Kroger’s in our area also carry it.

When I was looking online for some recipe inspiration, I came across a recipe of Robert Irvine’s on the Food Network for a Smoked Sausage and Cabbage Soup. One of the ingredients he used was whole-grain mustard. I thought that was an interesting sounding addition to soup. I had some stone ground mustard in the fridge, so I decided to give it a try.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d love this Smoked Sausage Cabbage and Sprouted Lentil Soup or not. The main seasonings I used were dried dill and stone ground mustard. Would it be tasty and flavorful? With my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was it good, but I actually loved it. I waited as my husband took his first bite, and I got the “Mmm, this is good!” that I was waiting for. We both were really looking forward to leftovers today. It would make a great meal anytime, but it’s definitely the perfect soup recipe for a cold Winter day!

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This recipe came about because I didn’t have my usual gluten-free crackers I needed to make my usual Salmon Patties one night. I did have some quinoa in my pantry though, so I decided to see how well that would work. Turns out, it worked great and we really enjoyed them. So much so, I decided they should be added to the blog. I always have canned salmon and quinoa on hand, so this is something I can whip up just about any time!

I really like the Wild Planet Sockeye Salmon, but it’s pricey for a can of salmon, so I don’t always buy it. Sometimes, I’ll use a mixture of their sockeye and pink to save a little money. Or if I’m at Whole Foods, I might get their store brand pink salmon because it’s over a dollar cheaper. It just depends on where I’m shopping and what’s on sale at the time.

If you just happen to have two cups of leftover quinoa, you could use that to make these. Sometimes, I’ll go ahead make extra quinoa or rice if I know I’m going to need it in the next day or two. If not, just plan ahead and cook the quinoa at least an hour ahead of dinner time, so that the quinoa has time to cool before making the patties.

Tip: To portion out equal-sized portions, I used mounded 1/4 cup amounts of the salmon/quinoa mixture, then shaped them into patties. It makes it much easier to get them the right size.

These Quinoa Salmon Cakes make a delicious and healthy main course for lunch or dinner. You could serve them with tartar sauce, but I think the Creamy Dijon Sauce pairs perfectly with them. The ingredients are all staples in my fridge, so it’s something I can whip up anytime, too.

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Hurrah for easy one-pan meals! I made this for the first time last week on a night when I really didn’t feel like cooking. I kind of just threw everything into the skillet and hoped for the best. No measuring spoons for the spices either. I just kind of eyeballed the amounts for that. Fortunately, it turned out so well, I decided it should go on the blog. Because we can always use more quick weeknight dinners, right? Oh, and I did use measuring spoons this time around. 😉

This is also a healthy dinner dish that really doesn’t feel like your eating healthy. That’s always a bonus in my book. Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean eating baked chicken and steamed veggies. Spices are my favorite way to make a healthier dish taste super yummy. I didn’t use corn the first time around, but I really like the hint of sweetness that the corn adds to the dish.

You may have noticed that I use ground meat and poultry the most in my recipes. That’s because it’s one of most affordable options when you are buying pasture-raised chicken or grass-fed beef. A pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast can cost you twelve or thirteen dollars. Yeah, so not cheap. Buying ground chicken and chicken thighs are a more cost effective option. Still not super cheap, but it’s not a crazy amount more than conventional, and it’s better for you. Plus it’s easy to stretch a pound of ground meat like I did in this One-Pan Mexican Chicken Quinoa recipe.

This made enough for two meals for my husband and I. Depending on who you are serving, this makes between 4-5 servings.

*I use the TruRoots brand of sprouted quinoa in my dish, which comes pre-rinsed. If you are using regular quinoa, you will want to rinse it prior to adding to the skillet.

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Well, here it is! As I promised in my Homemade Enchilada Sauce post, I have a recipe for you to use it in. And it’s a good one! I mean it’s kind of hard not to be tasty when beef, cheese and Mexican flavors are involved, right?

Some of my favorite cooking magazines are from the people at Cuisine at home. Specifically, the thicker ones you can get at Barnes and Noble. They have pictures of every recipe, which is just one of the reasons I love the magazine. The other one is that they always have great sounding recipes.

Late last year, they came out with a Mexican food issue, and it had several recipes in it that I wanted to try. I don’t normally spend ten bucks on a magazine, but I did in order to get that one.  I tend to get my magazines at Half Price Books for a dollar. What can I say? I’m thrifty, but Mexican food is my weakness. 😉

Anyway, that issue is where the idea for this Taco Casserole recipe came from. I’ve adapted it some to suit my own personal taste, and I think it turned out super yummy. This can be on the dinner table in about 30 minutes, so it’s something you can whip up even on a busy weeknight. If you like, you could also make some of my Easy Mexican Rice to go with it.

*If you prefer, you could make this with ground chicken or turkey. I just wouldn’t recommend using ground chicken breast or turkey breast for this dish.

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If your team is playing, best of luck to them! Of course, no Super Bowl watch party is complete without some tasty food. Here are some of my top picks!

These Beef and Black Bean Tacos are delicious any time of year, but also make a great dish to serve on Super Bowl Sunday. I’ve had a major craving for them lately! If you have a larger crowd, you could double the recipe and set up taco bar and let guests pick their own toppings!

This Jalapeño and Pumpkin Seed Dip is not only delicious, but healthy as well. Serve it with raw veggies or tortilla chips!

Sloppy Joe’s are a great hit with kids and grown-ups alike. These Greek-Style Sloppy Joe’s are a nice twist on an old classic!

Fans of blue cheese and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce will love this Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip!

Serve this Fresh Mexican Salsa with chips or as a topping for your tacos! Either way, it’s super tasty!

More in the mood for chili? Well, this Chicken and Black Bean Chili is sure to be a family favorite. Serve it your favorite chili toppings!

This Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus is delicious with raw veggies, but can also serve as a substitute dressing on sandwiches.

And finally, another tasty but healthy snack dip. This Creamy Avocado Dip is sure to be a hit at your Super Bowl party.

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Making Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce is so easy that I don’t know why I didn’t try it sooner! It’s not something I use super often in my cooking, but I would use store-bought when I did. The canned versions have ingredients that I didn’t like. The Frontera brand was my usual pick because the ingredients in it were better than the canned ones.

I love that I now have my own recipe for Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce that is delicious and has a much better ingredient list. And with it being so easy, why not make your own? You can even make this a day or two ahead and have it ready to go in the fridge on enchilada night!

Of course, this doesn’t have to just be for enchiladas. Try this in place of tomatoes in your chili recipes. Use some of it as the sauce to make Tex-Mex Sloppy Joe’s. Or you can use it an upcoming recipe that I will be posting! However you choose to use it, it will be delicious!

*The heat level of chili powders can vary from brand to brand, so you can adjust the amount you use if necessary. Mine was a mild chili powder.

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After leaving The Lodge, we drove back into town and headed for The Pioneer Woman Mercantile. I just love neat old downtown areas, and I think it’s so awesome when someone restores the old buildings. The exterior of the building looks incredible, don’t ya think? It was just a little too chilly for sitting outside, but I can imagine it would be nice to have lunch out there.

One thing I really enjoyed was the variety of the products for sale. The general store part of the building is quite large, and it was filled with all sorts of items. A little something for everyone. Sadly, some of my pictures came out way too blurry to use. No amount of Photoshop could fix them. 🙁

After browsing and picking out what I wanted to buy later,  we headed upstairs to check out the bakery portion of the mercantile. We were both starving by this point. A packet of cheese and peanut butter crackers from the gas station had been our lunch because we were running so late. Ha!

I really wanted to try their coffee because I was so tired, but I decided to pass since it was already after 5 P.M. at that point.

As soon as I saw the chocolate croissants, I knew what I was getting. My husband went with their brownie. Loved these plates! They are by Homer Laughlin, in case you were wondering. There were some dishes in this pattern also available for sale in the shop.

The restaurant was completely packed, so I didn’t want to go over and stand their like a nut taking a picture. Ha ha! I shot this picture through the window as were heading to the car. The line for the restaurant had been out the door earlier when we stopped by to get directions to the ranch. I was really glad to see that on a random Thursday!

It was dark enough as we were leaving, that the Mercantile sign was lit up. So pretty!

I really hope that this is the beginning of a revitalization of downtown Pawhuska. I think it has some real potential to be great, with the Mercantile being there. We have an awesome downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants here where I live.  I hope the same can happen in The Pioneer Woman’s town.

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Last week, my husband found out he would have to make a trip up to Oklahoma for business. My immediate thought was “I wonder how close the job site is to The Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile?” Turns out, it was a little over two hours away. Not super close, but close enough for me! While I was on the Mercantile website, I read that for the first three Thursdays in January, they were giving tours out at The Lodge. This is where Ree films most of her Food Network shows. I was even more excited now. I’ve been reading her blog since before she had her cooking show, so to see her ranch in person would be really neat!

We got up SUPER early this past Thursday morning to get ready to head out. I’ll be honest, 4:45 A.M. is not a time of day that I normally see. Only something I really wanted to do could get me out of bed that early. So, if I look a bit rough in that photo above, that’s why. 😉

As soon as my husband was done working, we headed for Pawhuska. Well, actually, we headed for Pawnee. Let me explain. For some reason, I keep getting Pawnee and Pawhuska mixed up. So, I had put Pawnee instead of Pawhuska into Google maps. We realized my mistake when I saw the mileage sign and said, “Oh, we’re only nine miles from Pawnee.” My husband was like, “Yeah, but her store is in Pawhuska.” Oops!

Anyway, fortunately for us it only added 22 miles to our drive. We were cutting it seriously close though because we still had to stop at the Mercantile for directions and drive out to the ranch, which is several miles outside of town. The note and directions were written with Ree’s typical funny humor and made you feel like a special guest at her ranch.

I knew the Drummond Ranch was big, but driving out there really gave us a much better idea of the vast expanse of their land. When we got to the top of the hill just above the lodge, there was the most incredibly scenic view of their property. Yes, it’s Winter, so not quite as beautiful as the pictures I’ve seen of it in the warmer months. Nonetheless, it is still a jaw-dropping view. You can see for miles.

The kitchen where episodes of  The Pioneer Woman are filmed.

Love this stove!

Her custom floral standing mixer, plus artwork of her kids.

My husband told me later that he thought it was weird that I was taking a picture of her mixer. You Pioneer Woman fans get it, I know. 😉

The walk-in pantry.

The opposite side of the pantry.

Dining Room

Living Room

That stunning view from the living room area again.

This is one of the bedrooms at the lodge.

Bathroom (Obviously)

Another one of my favorite moments just before we left. Two of the ranch dogs came over to say hello. Two of the sweetest doggies I’ve ever met!

I just want to say thank you to Ree Drummond and her family for allowing this unique opportunity. It really was a neat experience that I will always remember!

*After leaving the lodge we headed back into town to check out the Mercantile. I’ll have an upcoming post detailing that soon!

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All of the recipes on Healthier Dishes are pretty easy, but this Beef and Black Bean Taco recipe might just be the easiest ever.  It has certainly become one of my favorites because of that. Well that, and of course because they are just plain delicious!

I like to top my tacos with a little pico de gallo, Monterrey Jack cheese and lettuce. You can certainly use whatever toppings you prefer. For this recipe, I took a little help from the store and purchased a container of pico de gallo. I also bought a bag of Taylor’s Organic shredded lettuce to make things even easier.

If you’re looking to make a delicious topping of your own, this Fresh Mexican Salsa recipe is super yummy, and yes, much better than the store-bought stuff! If you prefer just plain diced tomatoes on yours, then use that. Hate tomatoes? Don’t use them! That’s the beauty of this dish. You can tailor it to suit your own tastes.

My husband and I both loved these tacos, and he wasn’t even a huge fan of tacos before I made these. These aren’t the dripping-with-grease kind of tacos that you might find at a Tex-Mex restaurant. They are, however, full of flavor and get a dose of fiber from the added black beans. Plus, the beans help to stretch the pound of beef. When you’re using pricey grass-fed beef, that’s always a bonus!

If you are looking for a great side dish to serve alongside these tacos, my Easy Mexican Rice is a great option. You just need to get that started before cooking the beef. Even with the rice, this can still be done in about 30-35 minutes! Not bad for a super delicious and fun weeknight meal!

By the way, if your family is into doing non-traditional holiday type food for Christmas like mine, these Beef and Black Bean Tacos would be a perfect option. You could double the recipe (depending on size of your family) and set up a taco bar. Put out all the toppings, and your friends and family could build their own tacos. Speaking of toppings, my Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots are another tasty option!

*I get my taco shells at Trader Joe’s. They are organic and the ingredient list is pretty good.  Plus, the price is great!

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Christmas is just around the corner. Who’s finished all of their shopping? Are you an online shopper or do you love going to the mall to buy your gifts? I kind of like a little of both. I still like actually seeing something in person at the store, even if I do end up buying online. If you are looking for some Christmas gift ideas for the home cook in your life, I have some really great ones below. There are some really budget friendly options and a couple of splurge items. Many of the items are things that I currently own and personally love and recommend. Happy shopping!

1. Tovolo Better Batter Tool

“Ideal for stirring sauces, mixing batter or gravy, and even breaking up ground meat. The 12.5″ Better Batter Tool has tapered, silicone fins to scrape sides clean and thick blades to mix ingredients faster.” – Source

I found mine at HomeGoods for $1.99, so you can check there to save some $. Color selection and availability will vary from store to store, of course. Pair it with a couple of nice dish towels for an easy gift or use it as a stocking stuffer!

2. Oliver & Kline Narrow Measuring Spoons

This measuring spoons would make a great stocking stuffer. Any cook would appreciate the fact that these spoons actually fit into spice jars!

3. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

I’ve already mentioned that the cast iron skillet I use is one that I got from my mom. Since, I’ve gotten it, I’ve made several batches of skillet cornbread and frittatas. I absolutely love it and think every home cook should have at least one in their kitchen.

4. Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender

I’ve had this immersion blender for a few years and just love using it! It works great for pureeing soups and even making smoothies. Super handy tool!

5. Crock-Pot 5-Quart Digital Slow Cooker

This slow cooker honestly cooks the best out of the three I’ve owned. You wouldn’t think that there could be such a huge difference in slow cookers, but there really is.  I love the programmable features and that it has a warm setting. When the cook time has finished, it automatically switches over to warm. If you know a busy family, who is looking to start eating at home more often in the new year, this would make a great gift!

6. Berard Olive-Wood Salt Keeper

This handcrafted salt keeper will hold up to half a pound of salt. It’s designed in France and made in Tunisia. The wood comes from sustainably managed forest and no two pieces are exactly alike. It’s not only a practical gift, but a beautiful one as well!

7. Emile Henry Modern Classics Ramekins

I have a set of four Emile Henry ramekins, and they are quality pieces. I love making my Mexican Baked Eggs in them. They are Made in France, which for me, makes them somehow automatically more impressive. Ha! I love anytime I can find good Made in USA kitchenware, but the French are amazing when it comes to quality cookware and bakeware.

8. Anchor Hocking Bake ‘N’ Store Dishes

I have all three sizes, including two of the five-cup capacity, of the Anchor Hocking Bake ‘N’ Store dishes. They are my favorite dishes for storing leftovers. I really like the fact that the lids are made of glass and not plastic. They do sell some now that have silicone gaskets around the glass lids, but mine are just the plain glass kind. You could give a set of these or pick a couple of them out to give as a gift. They would also make a great wedding gift. Bonus points for being Made in USA!

9. Staub 10″ American Grill Pan

I happened to get really lucky to find one of these in near perfect condition at a local thrift store. Can you believe someone would dump a piece of Staub cookware like that?! Oh, well! Their loss is my gain! The one I have is in the color Graphite, but the cobalt blue and red ones are simply gorgeous! I love using mine to grill chicken breast for a quick dinner!

10. Cuisinart Electronic Yogurt Maker

Now this is a gift real food cooks would really appreciate! Making your own yogurt with your choice of milk and flavorings is pretty awesome! This machine makes more than six 8oz. servings of yogurt.

11. Staub 5 Quart Round Cocotte

I have an oval 4-quart dutch oven that is from a less expensive line that Staub came out with some time ago and no longer available, I believe. Based on the two pieces I have, I’m a big fan of Staub cookware. They are without a doubt pricey, but will last for years and years if well taken care of.

12. KitchenAid Artisan Mini Mixer

This is an item that I don’t currently own, but it’s an item on my wish list. I don’t currently bake enough to justify the cost, but if you have an avid baker in your life, I’m sure they would love to get this! Plus, it would kind of be a gift for yourself because you get to enjoy the treats! 🙂 This stand mixer is 25% lighter and 20% smaller than KitchenAid’s other stand mixers. Although it is smaller, the bowl can still make up to five dozen cookies.  Also, just like with their other stand mixers, special attachments can be purchased.

This post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.

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Hey guys! I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends! It was a beautiful day here in Texas. If you hosted dinner at your house, then you might have some Thanksgiving leftovers hanging around. When I was testing out recipes, I certainly had plenty.

With my leftover Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips and Toasted Garlic, I decided to turn them into waffles. I use my waffle iron to make crispy hash browns sometimes, so I knew that this couldn’t possible turn out badly. If you haven’t made hash browns in your waffle iron, then get on that! They are SO good!

Because I folded my toasted garlic into the leftover mashed potatoes, they had a good amount of garlicky flavor. If your leftover mashed potatoes don’t have garlic, you could add a little garlic powder if you want a boost in flavor. My potatoes also had some chives already in them, so I only added a couple of tablespoons.

I had some Grana Padano cheese hanging out in my fridge, so that’s what I used for my Leftover Mashed Potato Waffles, but you could substitute your favorite parmesan cheese. Just please don’t use the stuff in the green can. No. Just, please no.

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My favorite dish at Thanksgiving has always been southern cornbread dressing. My mom makes the best chicken and dressing of anyone I know. It’s always perfectly moist and well seasoned.

I know that everyone has a different opinion on what dressing or stuffing should be like. Some recipes call for cubed pieces of bread, but this is closer to the consistency that I grew up with and prefer. My mom used a combination of cornbread and french bread, but I make mine with just my Skillet Cornbread that has no wheat flour in it.

Not only is it just as delicious, but this is also a way to make it gluten-free. Just make sure that your cornmeal and chicken stock are certified gluten-free. I like the Arrowhead Mills brand of yellow cornmeal.

How To Make Cornbread Dressing

I cooked a pan of my Skillet Cornbread to make my dressing, but you can use your own favorite cornbread for yours. I only needed half of the pan of cornbread to make this small batch. Do NOT use sweet cornbread for this recipe.

One of the keys to a good homemade cornbread dressing is making sure your cornbread is really dry before you begin this recipe. Make it a couple of days ahead and place it in a bowl or storage bag and leave it on the counter. Then, crumble it up into really small pieces in a large bowl.

The second trick to making the best cornbread dressing is to use enough chicken stock. The mixture should look a bit soupy before going into the oven. If you don’t use enough stock, it will end up dry and no one wants that!

This cornbread dressing recipe will serve up to four people, so it’s perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner or for when you just have a few guests who eat gluten-free.

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Cornbread was something we had often when I was growing up, and it’s still one of my top comfort foods to this day. A big pot of pinto beans, fried potatoes, and hot cornbread with loads of butter was one of my favorite meals as a kid. Of course, my mom would usually add some green veggie like canned mustard greens to it and ruin what was an otherwise perfect meal. Ha!

How To Make Cornbread 

A cast iron skillet is the key to great cornbread. You will need to place it into the oven as it pre-heats so that the pan can get nice and hot. That’s how you develop that wonderfully crispy crust. The batter will sizzle as you pour it into the skillet.

You can make this in a glass dish, but it won’t have that same crispy layer. If you do make this in a glass dish, skip the pre-heating step. The glass dish could break. Just grease the pan and pour the batter in and put it in the oven.

Southern Cornbread Recipe

There’s quite the debate amongst people on the addition of sugar to cornbread. Up North, cornbread is really sweet, like a dessert and more cake-like in texture. Many Texans and Southerners say sugar is a major no-no, but there are some who admit to using a bit of sugar. To me, a true Texas or Southern Cornbread recipe does NOT call for sugar.

You can use yellow or white cornmeal for this recipe, but my Mom always used yellow, so that’s what I use and prefer taste-wise.

Instead of the vegetable shortening many old traditional recipes call for, I use ghee (clarified butter because it’s a healthy fat that can handle high heat. You could also use bacon grease or some other type of high-heat oil if you prefer.

My recipe does not call for any wheat flour because I wanted to create a gluten-free cornbread recipe. If you are gluten sensitive or celiac, look for a certified gluten-free cornmeal. My cornmeal of choice is Arrowhead Mills. It’s certified gluten-free and Organic.

Whether you serve this Skillet Cornbread with soup or use it to make cornbread dressing during the holidays, it’s totally delicious!

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Well, here it is! The recipe for brussels sprouts that changed my opinion of them.  My memory of having to eat these yucky cabbage mini-me’s as a kid is not a good one. I know I’m not alone in this. It seems that people either love or hate them.

My husband happens to be one of those people who loves them, so I decided to give them another shot. If you think you hate them or know someone who does, I urge you to give this Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta recipe a try. It might just change some minds in your household, too.

Bacon and pancetta are commonly paired with brussels sprouts. I mean, they basically make just about everything better, so why not? And trust me, they definitely make these sautéed brussels sprouts better!  If you can’t find pancetta, you could substitute some bacon.

How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts

First, remove any damaged leaves from the brussels sprouts.  If using a food processor, you’ll need to trim the core as well. I used the mandoline side of my grater to thinly slice them, but a knife or a food processor fitted with the slicing blade can also be used.

How To Sauté Brussels Sprouts

I start by cooking the pancetta until crispy and golden brown. Save some of the grease to cook the brussels sprouts in. Because the brussels sprouts are shaved, they will only need to be sautéed for about 3-5 minutes. Add the cheese and black pepper and toss to combine.

Recipe Notes:

• I happened to have Grana Padano cheese on hand, but Parmigiano-Reggiano would be equally as good.
• If you can’t find pancetta, you can substitute some diced bacon instead.
• This serves about four people as a side dish, but it can be made into a main course for two. That’s exactly what I did for lunch one day. I added a can of cannellini beans to the skillet after the sprouts were done with a little bit of chicken stock and just heated it through.

Whether you serve these Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta as a Thanksgiving dinner side dish or just a regular weeknight, they are sure to be a hit!

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Mashed potatoes are a classic Thanksgiving side dish. They are also one of my favorite comfort foods. The parsnips add a hint of sweetness to the potatoes. The toasted garlic is an idea I got from an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, and trust me, it’s worth taking the extra step to make it.

The butter that the garlic is toasted in gets added to the potato and parsnip mixture. It adds a buttery, garlicky flavor that is utterly delicious. It’s just enough butter to satisfy your taste buds, without adding a crazy amount of fat like some mashed potato recipes.

This makes enough to serve between four to five people. However, if you are having a small Thanksgiving for two, you can use the leftovers to make potato pancakes or waffles. Speaking of which, I just happen to have a potato waffle recipe coming your way very soon. I used up my leftovers by making those, and they are so flavorful and yummy!

If you’ve never tried mashed parsnips with potatoes before, I suggest you give them a try. The hint of sweetness adds a little something different to your basic mashed potatoes. Oh, and that toasted garlic? Definitely, try that for sure! You’ll be happy you did!

The post Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Toasted Garlic appeared first on Healthier Dishes.

Mexican rice or Spanish rice is usually one of my favorite parts of dinner at Tex-Mex restaurants. I’ve had several different variations of it and like it both with the vegetables and without. Recently, I decided that I wanted to see just how easy it was to make a version at home, and boy, it is super simple!

I watched several videos on YouTube and looked at multiple recipes online before deciding on how I wanted to make mine. To make sure my recipe for Mexican rice was as easy as possible, I kept the ingredient list short. Just what I considered absolutely necessary. You can always add some defrosted frozen corn or peas to yours, but this recipe features just the basics.

One important detail about making Mexican rice is that you need to rinse the rice before frying it. This helps to remove the excess starch, so that the rice is fluffy. I did learn through my research that traditionally the rice is soaked for a few minutes in hot water, then drained and rinsed.  I decided to skip that step and just rinsed the rice until the water ran clear.

I cooked my rice in water, but chicken stock would add a small amount of flavor if you want to use that. It’s totally up to you which one you want to use.  In my recipe, I used white basmati rice because that’s what I keep on hand.  The whole jalapeño used in the recipe flavors the rice without adding any heat. Serrano peppers could be substituted.

This Easy Mexican Rice recipe makes a quick and delicious side dish to serve alongside your homemade enchiladas or fajitas.

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Who doesn’t love a delicious one-pot meal? And this cheesy Taco Pasta can be on your table in about 35-40 minutes! That makes it a great option for a weeknight comfort food meal! So much better than that box of Helper!

Recipe Notes:

I recommend the Jovial Foods brand of brown rice pasta if you need a gluten-free option. It holds up better in preparations like this better than some of the other brands I’ve tried.

If you are looking for a great regular pasta brand, I really like the Montebello Organic Pasta. The texture and taste of their pasta is seriously good.

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Is there any other side dish that is as tasty and comforting as roasted potatoes? Pretty sure there isn’t. I made these Roasted Baby Red Potatoes last year for Thanksgiving. Last year, my husband and I stayed home and had a Thanksgiving dinner for two. The weather was just plain miserable that week. I remember that it rained like crazy that whole weekend. I’m talking, should we start building a boat-type of crazy. We got between 8-9 inches of rain that weekend. That whole year was pretty much just rain, rain, rain.

Anyway, when it’s just the two of us or we have a couple of guests, we don’t need large amounts of side dishes for Thanksgiving. And, I want something really simple to prepare to go with whatever else I’m cooking. I tend to make pot roast. It’s one of my husband’s favorite dishes, and I love the fact that it can be cooking away in the crockpot while I do other things.

Shortly before the pot roast was done, I popped these potatoes in the oven. About thirty-five minutes later, we had delicious oven roasted red potatoes to go with our pot roast. Such a great and simple side dish! Of course, you don’t have to just save these for a special occasion. They make a tasty side dish any time of year!  Another delicious and really simple side dish that would be great for a Thanksgiving for two meal is my Super Tender Green Beans with Butter and Garlic.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

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Natural Grocers is one of my favorite specialty markets to shop for real food grocery staples. It certainly isn’t the only place I shop for groceries, but the great prices and quality of products keep me coming back. All of their products have also been rigorously screened before being approved and placed on their shelves. It’s also one of our favorite places to buy vitamins and supplements, but this list will be strictly grocery related.

It can be so confusing and time consuming to shop for healthier grocery items. I mean I know reading labels and researching companies is super fun and all, but still. 😉 Today, I thought I’d share what I personally buy from Natural Grocers.

I recently became a member of Thrive Market, so there are some items I buy through them now instead of Natural Grocers. It all comes down to who has the better price at the time. Thrive Market has free shipping on orders over a certain amount and occasionally there’s free shipping without a minimum purchase amount. Love that!

Natural Grocers has several items that I can’t order through Thrive Market. They have a few dairy and meat products that I can’t get somewhere else. Or, at least not for the same price. Their sales run for about a month, which helps in deciding if I should to order a product online or buy there.

They only sell organic produce, which is great. However, it can be hit or miss, so it varies how much I buy here vs. somewhere else.

Below, is the list of what I buy from Natural Grocers. There may be some items not pictured that I also buy. This store is about a 20 minute drive during a low traffic time, so it’s not always convenient to shop here.

I’m not affiliated in any way with Natural Grocers or any of the brands mentioned. Just simply a fan of both!

Pantry Staples

Natural Grocers has the best price on Jovial Foods Einkorn flour that I’ve found locally. They also have some of the best prices on the Redmond Real Salt in a bottle or bag. The baking powder can be found at several stores, not just here.

They have a pretty good selection of regular and gluten free pastas. I like the Jovial Foods brand of gluten-free pasta. They have recently added a couple of new shapes to their line, but they didn’t have the macaroni at our store last time I checked. The texture of the Tinkyáda brand is very good when cooked. Another amazing (not gluten-free) one that I occasionally buy is the Montebello organic pasta.

I buy canned seafood here when it’s on sale. Otherwise, I’ve been either buying it through Thrive Market or whatever grocery store I’m at when I need it. The Wild Planet sardines with lemon is something I like to eat for a snack. Slap on several dashes of Tabasco and I’ll eat the whole can! Ha!

The Mediterranean Organic olives are something I buy if they are on sale. They are a little pricey and have to be used up pretty quickly after opening. The Westbrae Naturals canned beans come in BPA-free cans, and I occasionally get them when they are on sale.

I love, love, love the tomato products in glass jars from Bionaturae! Not all of their tomatoes come in glass, but the two that I buy do. The convenience of just being able to pop the lid back on the tomato paste is really nice. For all of my other canned tomato products, I buy Muir Glen. Their fire roasted tomatoes are a long time favorite of mine.

Frozen Seafood

I alternate between Trader Joe’s and Natural Grocers when buying frozen fish. The Henry & Lisa’s brand of wild-caught salmon and Orca Bay cod are two of my faves to buy here.

Dairy and Eggs

The milk we buy isn’t available at Natural Grocers, but I do get my whole milk sour cream, cottage cheese and yogurt here. Not pictured is one of my favorite brands of yogurt, Maple Hill Creamery. The price on their 100% grass-fed dairy is hands down one of the best deals out there! If you haven’t tried the Kalona Supernaturals brand of cottage cheese and sour cream, you are really missing out! Our store carries several Rumiano cheeses, and it frequently goes on sale. It’s hands down my favorite brand of organic cheese.

The brand of eggs varies based on our budget and what grocery store we are at. Whenever possible, we buy pasture-raised eggs because they are more nutritious. Natural Grocers carries a couple of different pasture-raised eggs. We usually buy a couple of cartons of the soy-free Coyote Creek Farm (Jeremiah Cunningham’s “World’s Best Eggs”) once a month. If you’re wondering about soy-free eggs, it’s for consumers who want to avoid the “overconsumption of soy”. Alfresco Farms is another brand we buy here on a regular basis. Occasionally, we will get the Organic Valley ones because they are slightly more affordable.

Meat

We buy our pasture raised chicken and some of our grass-fed beef from a local butcher, but I do get a few items here. It’s no secret to my regular readers that I’m a fan of the Teton Waters Ranch brand of sausage pictured above. All of their products are delicious and 100% grass-fed! I usually buy one package of bacon a month, and the one I’m currently buying is from Pederson Farms.

Convenience Foods

The Kraut and corn tortillas above would have to be two of my favorite items that I get at Natural Grocers. If you think you hate sauerkraut, then you need to try this brand. They have several different flavors (available options vary depending on store), but the smoked jalapeño is AMAZING. Seriously, it changed my opinion on sauerkraut. The corn tortillas are organic and the only ingredients are corn, water and lime.

The Mary’s Gone Crackers are an occasional purchase because they are pretty pricey when I can’t find a good sale on them. I love using them in my Salmon Patties recipe. I can make my own mayo, but don’t really care to because I rarely use it. The Sir Kensington’s brand of mayo is one of the better store-bought options. Natural Grocers now carries Primal Kitchens mayo, which is also good, but pricier.

To download and print your shopping list, click on the image below.

The post What I Buy at Natural Grocers appeared first on Healthier Dishes.

Happy Friday, y’all! I’m so excited that we’re getting back into soup season! Sad to see Summer go, but excited for Fall recipes and the upcoming holidays! Still can’t believe that Christmas is just a few months away though. It seems like it comes around sooner and sooner each year.

Butternut squash is my favorite type of squash, so I like using it in all kinds of recipes. I just love its slightly sweet flavor in dishes like this Butternut Squash Stew with Andouille and Quinoa. The spiciness of the andouille pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the squash. If you’re a fan of sweet and savory dishes, then I think you’ll enjoy this one!

If you aren’t a fan of andouille sausage (say what?!), then smoked sausage would probably work here as well. I just personally love the spicy kick of the andouille paired with the sweet butternut squash flavor. The Teton Waters Ranch brand is, as I’ve mentioned before, my personal favorite.

The quinoa really helps to bulk this butternut squash stew up and make it incredibly hearty and filling. With the upcoming chilly months, this recipe is a great one to have in your recipe file. It will warm you right up!

*This stew will thicken up as it sits, so you’ll want to add a little more stock or water if you are re-heating leftovers. Just add a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

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Weeknight meals can be a pain to prepare if you don’t plan ahead. This Black Bean and Ham Soup comes together quickly with the help of canned beans. Of course, if you’ve cooked up a pot of black beans the weekend before, you can certainly use those instead!

I usually cook my beans from scratch, but I do keep a few cans on hand for quick meals. The kind I tend to always have in my pantry are cannellini beans (white kidney beans) and black beans. Basically, if you keep your pantry and fridge stocked with a few key items, you can always whip up something to eat. I always have onions, garlic, celery and carrots on hand. They are the basis of so many dishes like this black bean soup.

Of course, this Black Bean Soup recipe is also a good way to use up those ham leftovers during the holidays. With Christmas and Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s great to have leftover ham recipes on hand. Speaking of which, my Ham and Pasta Salad is another delicious and easy way to use them!

You’ll need about 1-1/2 cups of cubed ham for this soup. I bought an 8 oz. ham steak from Niman Ranch for my recipe. I’m not sure how many other stores carry this brand, but I get mine from our local Natural Grocers.

This Black Bean and Ham Soup recipe can be doubled to make a bigger batch if you need to feed more people. It makes about 4 main course servings. You can garnish it with your choice of toppings. I served mine with sour cream, but you could also add monterrey jack cheese, scallions or some tortilla strips.

Tip: You can also serve this over rice to stretch it. I didn’t have quite 2 full servings  ( my hubby had seconds!) the next day, so that’s exactly what I did. 

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Today’s recipe is a super quick and easy dish that you can have for lunch or dinner. I really enjoy the Pancetta and Sprouted Lentil Salad that I came up with a while back, which features a nice spicy kick of jalapeño. If you haven’t tried that one yet, be sure to get that recipe, too. It’s so yummy and good for you!

These lentil salad recipes are both great to have on hand if you need something healthy to pack for lunch at work. Just take it out and let it come to room temp before eating. My husband likes them cold straight from the fridge, but I really prefer them at room temperature.

I really enjoy all of the flavor and textures going on in this Lentil Salad. You’ve got the mild earthy flavor of the lentils, saltiness of the pancetta and the crunch of the zucchini. If you’d like a little more of a sweeter flavor to the dressing, you could certainly add a bit more honey to it.

The brand of sprouted lentils I buy is TruRoots. Natural Grocers, Kroger and a few other grocery stores carry them. Sometimes, you can score a good deal on them at Kroger when they have them on sale. You should be able to find them in the organic section of your Kroger. Or you could certainly use your own sprouted lentils if you are actually way more Martha Stewart-like than I am. Ha!

If you can’t find sprouted lentils in your area, you can always try this with regular lentils. The cook time will be different, of course. Just cook the lentils according to package directions, then drain.

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Enchiladas would have to be one of my top 10 favorite foods to eat. When I go out to eat, I tend to order cheese enchiladas or beef fajitas. But at home, I’ve been making enchiladas using ground beef or chicken for the last six months or so. I’m still working on and perfecting that recipe, so stay tuned!

The inspiration for this Beef Enchilada Skillet recipe comes from an issue of Cooks Country magazine. Their recipe called for a can of enchilada sauce. I’m working on my own enchilada sauce recipe, but haven’t come up with one I’m totally happy with. Store-bought enchilada sauce usually contains funky ingredients like modified corn starch, so I don’t buy it. I have bought Rick Bayless’s Frontera enchilada sauce in the past, and it’s one of the better store-bought ones you can get ingredient-wise.

I always have crushed tomatoes in my pantry and ground beef in the freezer, so it’s pretty easy to whip this up. The only thing I might need from the store is corn tortillas. Speaking of which, this is the brand of tortillas that I use and love. They’re organic corn tortillas and contain only three ingredients. Bonus that they only cost $1.39!

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

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I’ve told y’all that I am not a fan of mushrooms, but I do try to eat them occasionally because they’re good for you.  The one way I don’t mind them so much is in a frittata like this one.  My husband loves them, so that’s another reason why I try to come up with ways to eat them. He will eat them completely raw, and I’m just like, no way! If I order a dish at a restaurant that contains them, I will pick them out and give them to him. Ha!

Leeks are one thing we both enjoy eating. Their subtle oniony flavor and sweetness is simply delicious. I usually buy the trimmed leeks in a package at Trader Joe’s.  I like the convenience of having them already trimmed, but you still need to clean them. You may have already seen how many people clean leeks by slicing, then placing in bowl of water to rinse them off. I hate needlessly dirtying extra dishes, so I prefer this method. It works perfectly and no extra bowl to clean.

Frittatas are a great way to get a nutritious, one skillet meal on the table for your family. They can be made ahead, so they’re great for busy mornings.  The versatility of them makes them one of my favorite healthy breakfast foods. You can create dozens of variations by just changing out the ingredients.

If you have picky eaters, then you’ve probably struggled with how to get kids to eat vegetables. Dishes like this Leek Mushroom and Cheddar Frittata might just be a way to get your children to eat their veggies. Or perhaps even your picky spouse.  😉

Ingredients like mushrooms and leeks make this a healthy breakfast dish that contains loads of nutrients.  Leeks are a good source of vitamin K, manganese, vitamin B6, Copper, Folate and Iron.  Crimini mushrooms contain Folate, and are a very good source of Thiamin,Niacin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Zinc, Potassium,  Copper, Manganese and Selenium.

Of course, frittatas don’t have to be just for breakfast. They can also be a super easy dinner time meal for those nights where you just don’t feel much like cooking. Add a tasty salad alongside it, and there you go. Dinner is done!

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Hey guys! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. It was gorgeous here on Sunday, but it was also super HOT! It was definitely feeling like August in Texas. I’m not ready for Fall, but I sure am ready for the Fall temps. Late September and October are my absolute favorite months for running, and I can’t wait to do more outdoor running. It’s supposed to be in the 100’s again this week, and I’m craving dishes like these Healthy Salad Recipes.

Super easy salads that require very little time standing over the stove to make. Because nobody wants to do that right now. The Pancetta and Sprouted Lentil Salad is a particular favorite of mine. My husband and I both love the White Bean and Tuna Salad one. We have it probably three times a month. It is super filling and easy to make. Most of the time we eat it without the lettuce, but it’s good either way. Those two are both main dish salads, which can serve 2-3. Although, my husband and I polish off both usually. 😉

Sprouted Quinoa Lentil Salad

Spicy Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Tomato Olive Feta Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad

Pancetta and Sprouted Lentil Salad

Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad

White Bean and Tuna Salad

Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad

Do you have any favorite healthy salad recipes that you like to eat in the hot months of the year?

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If you’re like me, who tends to go overboard in the produce department, then you have probably found yourself throwing out veggies that have gone bad. Even though I do a lot of cooking, I do find myself occasionally throwing stuff out. I really hate throwing away food and money, so I’ve been trying to do better about my food waste. One thing I’ve started to do is freeze bell peppers when it looks like I’m not going to get to them soon enough.

I’ve already told you that I have a hard time resisting peppers of any kind when they are looking and smelling particularly good at the store. Yes, I find the smell of peppers hard to resist. I tend to find myself with peppers of some kind in my grocery cart on just about every produce run.  The fact that  Trader Joe’s only sells their organic bell peppers in a pack of two doesn’t exactly help my problem. Why, TJ’s, why?

I can’t believe I waited so long to freeze bell peppers. It is SO easy! Seriously, I could slap myself for not doing it sooner.

Here’s what you need to do:

Wash the pepper(s) and completely dry with a paper towel. Cut into strips or whatever size dice you want.

Place onto a baking sheet and spread out in one single layer. I line mine with a piece of parchment paper, but it’s not required. It does make it easy to transfer to a ziploc bag. I just carefully lift each long side of the paper until it’s folded in half. Then, I slide the frozen pieces into a bag. Easy peasy! Most will just slide right into the bag, but if a few have frozen to the paper, just tap on them and they will come off. Hope that makes sense.

Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for an hour or until the peppers are completely frozen.

Place into a freezer bag and put back into the freezer. Voila! Bell peppers available whenever you need them!

What ways do you use to reduce your own food waste?

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I can’t seem to get enough of these pretty cherry tomatoes lately! Super easy side dishes like this Tomato Cucumber Salad are perfect for the warmer Spring and Summer months. They are so nice and light, which is just what you want when it’s one hundred degrees outside. Seriously, the heat index was 109° here in DFW yesterday.

Tomato salads are incredibly versatile, which is one reason I love them so much. You can create all kinds of variations of it, depending on what else you are serving. From Mexican to Italian, you can create a salad to compliment your meal. If you’re looking a delicious tomato salad with a bit of a kick, be sure to check out my Spicy Marinated Tomatoes recipe.

Cucumbers were one of my favorite veggies as a kid, and I still love them. I especially love English cucumbers. I partially peeled the cucumbers, but you could peel all of it or none of it if you prefer. I just think that the partially peeled ones look pretty in this Tomato Cucumber Salad. I basically just ran a vegetable peeler down the length of the cucumber, removing half the peel.

If you can’t find the mixed medley of cherry tomatoes, you can certainly use all red. Trader Joe’s has had the organic ones lately, so I’ve been buying those. I just love how pretty the medley of tomatoes looks with the green cucumbers!

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I’ve been a huge fan of strawberries ever since I was little. Strawberry Shortcake was one of my all-time favorite desserts as a kid. My family used to go eat at Wyatt’s cafeteria, and I have fond memories of going through their line and picking out what I wanted. Who else here can remember going through the line and picking out their food at Wyatt’s?

Getting to the dessert section of the line was my favorite part. We got to pick out a strawberry shortcake for me and my brother to share. So delicious! Okay, I mainly just loved the strawberries, syrup and whip cream. 😉 I wasn’t a huge fan of the cake part.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and my tastes have grown up a bit. I really enjoy the spinach salad at La Madeleine, which has pecans, bacon and strawberries in it. Crunchy pecans, salty bacon and the sweetness from the strawberries is sheer deliciousness. The only part I don’t really like is the mushrooms. I pick those out and let my husband have them. I’m trying, but y’all, I just haven’t found a recipe yet that has made me a fan. I’ll eat them because they’re good for you, but no, I do not enjoy them.

Using strawberries in a non-dessert or smoothie recipe of my own like this Quinoa Salad was a first for me. The fresh flavors of the strawberries and basil just go so well together and they absolutely scream Summer.

This Quinoa Salad recipe is a healthy and light side dish that would be great to serve alongside some grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp. I love all of the textures going on in this quinoa salad recipe, especially the crunch that the walnuts add.

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Even the best jar of marinara sauce in the grocery store can’t compare to a good homemade one. Just a handful of ingredients, about 20 minutes of your time, and you can have your own delicious homemade marinara sauce!

If you’re like me, you probably grew up eating one of the two most well known pasta sauces in the supermarket. There weren’t a whole ton of options back then, but now, there are tons to choose from. The quality and taste of store-bought sauce has come a long way since my childhood. I have a few favorites that I do occasionally buy for quick meals, but still nothing beats making your own.

Some recipes call for a really long simmer time, but this marinara sauce recipe is done in about 15 minutes. It’s naturally sweetened with some finely grated carrot, so there’s no added sugar. Plus, you get the bonus of sneaking an extra veggie into your family’s diet.

My Marinara Sauce recipe is a slightly adapted version of Lidia Bastianich’s marinara sauce from her cookbook, ” Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking” . Who else loves watching her on PBS? She’s one of my absolute favorite cooks to watch on TV.

It’s very important that you use a large skillet and not a deep saucepan to make this sauce. The larger surface area allows the water to evaporate quicker.

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A Strawberry Smoothie recipe that included jalapeños probably isn’t something I would’ve thought to make on my own. However, I’m glad I discovered this delicious pairing of flavors! It’s been getting warmer by the day, and ice cream is something that has been sounding really good lately. There’s a local restaurant here in McKinney called Nom Noms Mexican Grill and Chill that makes its own ice cream. They had some pretty good reviews on Yelp, so we decided to try their ice cream out one afternoon. There were some out of the ordinary flavor combinations available.

I spotted a strawberry jalapeño ice cream in the case and asked for a taste. I don’t normally ask for a sample, but there was no way I was getting a whole scoop of that one without trying. Surprisingly, it was really good. You could taste both the strawberries and jalapeños, and it had a kick of heat that I could feel in the back of my throat. So good!

Right then and there, I thought about making a smoothie version of the ice cream. Something with less sugar, organic ingredients and with some added protein. I like using greek yogurt in my smoothies for the thickness and protein value it adds.

You can leave out all of the seeds of the jalapeño or add in however many you like to get the heat level you want. Personally, I like the bit of kick they add to the drink.

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It’s no secret that I’m a fan of pasta salads. I’ve already shared recipes for Chicken Macaroni Salad and Macaroni Tuna Salad. This new pasta salad recipe features ham and a light, creamy dill dressing that is very tasty.

I used a Niman Ranch brand of ham steak for my pasta salad.

The gluten-free brown rice pasta I used is from Tinkyada. It holds up really well in dishes like this one and doesn’t get all mushy when cooked correctly.

The light dressing is what makes it such a great Summertime pasta salad. Most pasta salad dressings are very heavy on the mayo.  The dressing is mayo-based, but I keep it light by using a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, mayo and dijon mustard. It gets a touch of sweetness from a little honey, and the dill adds a ton of extra flavor that pairs so well the rest of the ingredients. I used dried dill in my recipe, but you could certainly use some fresh if you have it.

This easy Pasta Salad will serve four as a main course or up to six as a side dish.

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This Vegetarian Chili recipe could not be any simpler to make and can be on your dinner table in about thirty minutes. If you want, you could serve over some cooked brown rice or make a pan of Skillet Cornbread while the chili cooks.

If you don’t happen to like one of the varieties of beans I used, just substitute an extra can of one or the other. Or, you could just use one type period. Totally up to you! Also, I used the Westbrae brand of beans, which are low-sodium.

Even though this Vegetarian Chili recipe contains no meat, it is super filling. Trust me, I’m no vegetarian or vegan, and I felt satisfied after a bowl of this. That’s saying something because most vegetarian dishes don’t leave me satisfied at all. Serve it with some Skillet Cornbread for an especially hearty meal!

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Cookout season is in full swing, and I know we could all use some good make-ahead dishes like this one. This Cherry Tomato Salad would make a terrific dish to serve at any of your backyard parties this Summer!

Although you can find cherry tomatoes in grocery stores pretty much any time of year, Summer is when they’re at their best. Trader Joe’s had the most beautiful mixed medley of organic cherry tomatoes recently, and I just had to get some! I love coming up with new cherry tomato recipes.  My Spicy Marinated Tomatoes are one of my absolute faves!

Recipe Notes:

This tomato salad can be served by itself, over a little romaine lettuce (the marinade becomes the dressing) or bruschetta. If you can’t find a mixed medley package, you could just use all red or buy an 8oz. package each of red and yellow. I just think the medley makes a prettier presentation.

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Today’s dish was inspired by a recipe for chili roasted potatoes recipe from the Texas Eats cookbook, which was written by Veteran Texas food writer Robb Walsh. Inspired by his travels through the Lone Star State, Mr. Walsh created a cookbook featuring recipes and stories from all across Texas. The classics like chicken fried steak and barbecued brisket are in the book, but the roasted potatoes recipe really caught my eye.

I’m a big fan of roasted potatoes in general, but I hadn’t tried seasoning them with chili powder before. Why I hadn’t yet, I really have no clue. I mean, it’s one of my favorite seasonings after all, and this is such an easy side dish. Of course, I had to add a little extra smokiness to mine by throwing in some Smoked Paprika and Cumin because those three spices are amazing together.

Some white balsamic vinegar helps to season the potatoes from the inside out. It adds a hint of sweetness, which pairs perfectly with the other smoky flavors. These roasted potatoes are just bursting with delicious flavor!

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Next week is Cinco de Mayo, and while I certainly don’t need an excuse to eat Tex-Mex or Mexican food, I sure will take one! It’s my favorite type of food in the world to eat. Today I thought I’d do a roundup of Mexican-inspired recipes from my blog, just in case you need some Cinco de Mayo recipe inspiration of your own.

Salsa, Dip and Condiment Recipes

Fresh Mexican Salsa

Homemade Salsa

Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots

Guajillo Salsa

Jalapeño Pumpkin Seed Dip

Creamy Avocado Dip

Spicy Guacamole

Side Dishes

Easy Coleslaw with Jalapeños and Cilantro

Spicy Marinated Tomatoes

Fresh Sweet Corn and Jalapeños

Pinto Beans with Bacon and Peppers

Sauteed Zucchini with Poblano Peppers

Soups

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

Smokey Black Bean Soup

Main Courses

Chicken and Black Bean Chili

Spicy Black Bean and Corn Tacos

Tex-Mex Chicken and Quinoa Casserole

The post Cinco de Mayo Recipes appeared first on Healthier Dishes.

My aunt gave us a waffle iron for Christmas years ago, and I hadn’t really used it much until the last year or so. It makes heart-shaped waffles, so I might’ve made them once or twice for Valentines’s day, but that’s about it. But now, it’s something I’ll make about once a week.

One of my favorite things to do is make waffle sandwiches. I make a couple of waffles and fry some eggs. When the second waffle is cooked, I topped it with eggs and cheese, place the other waffle back on top and close the lid. I sometimes put a heavy pan on top to help press it down. Yum!

On other days, I serve them topped with my Strawberry-Blueberry Compote, which is equally delicious. The waffles themselves aren’t really sweet, so the compote is a nice addition when you’re craving a sweeter breakfast dish.

Here’s a tip I read on a couple of websites on how to keep your waffles from getting soggy as you make a batch. They recommended putting your cooked waffles into a pre-heated 150°-200°F oven directly on the oven rack as they come off the waffle iron. Haven’t tried this, but I probably will next time I make these.

P.S. Waffle irons also make THE most delicious and crispy hash browns!

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I’m a huge fan of coleslaw. When it’s done right, that is. Have you ever had coleslaw that is so drenched in dressing that it was almost inedible? I have, and it is definitely not good. I like just enough dressing that the slaw is well coated.

Coleslaw is the perfect dish to help cut through foods like fried fish and barbecue. Those foods need something to help balance them. This easy Mexican Coleslaw is a different spin on the old classic version. Spicy and flavorful, this coleslaw is one you will want to make again and again. I know I sure will be. My husband saw me editing the photos for this post and was like, “Mmm, I want more coleslaw.” Ha! I think that’s a good sign he really likes it!

Summer is quickly approaching and that means plenty of cookouts and barbecues. Wouldn’t it be great to serve something that’s a little different than just your plain old coleslaw along with your grilled meats?

I took a little help from the store and bought a bag of coleslaw mix. That means this side dish comes together in about ten minutes, which gives you plenty of time to fix the rest of the meal.

*I used some of my homemade pickled jalapeños for this recipe. I leave most of the seeds with mine, so it was fairly spicy. If using homemade, you could simply use less or omit the seeds when pickling. If you want less heat and are using store-bought, look for mild or “tamed” on the the label. A good store-bought brand option would be Jeff’s Naturals.

Pictures updated 5-20-2017

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This quinoa recipe was my first experiment with using fish sauce in my cooking. I had debated over buying it for quite some time. The top recommended brand of several food bloggers is the Red Boat brand. It’s a minimally processed (extra virgin, first press) fish sauce from the Vietnam Island of Phu Quoc. The only two ingredients are fresh wild caught anchovy and sea salt.

The first place I found it was at Whole Foods, and it was a bit pricey (between six and seven dollars for a bottle). I just didn’t know if I’d use it enough to justify the expense. Then, I happened to see someone’s Instagram of a bottle that she said she’d gotten from Trader Joe’s. Sure enough, the next time I went to TJ’s I found a bottle, and the price was around four dollars. That’s a little more affordable, so I got a bottle to try.

I’m not going to lie, you don’t want to stick your nose up to the bottle and take a whiff. The smell is far from yummy. It does however add a unique and delicious flavor to a variety of dishes.

I just love colorful dishes like this Thai-Inspired Quinoa, don’t you? They do say you eat with your eyes first. This is a tasty side dish that I think would be great served with some type of Thai-style Chicken or even my Honey Dijon Chicken with Lime recipe.

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I am a HUGE fan of chips and salsa. It’s one of my favorite parts of going out to eat Tex-Mex or Mexican food. In fact, if the chips and salsa aren’t good, I’m probably not going back. It doesn’t matter how good the rest of the food is if the chips and hot sauce are bad. Luckily, Texas is full of good chips and salsa!

While I love going out to eat, I like having the ability to whip up a quick batch of salsa to eat at home. It’s so easy to make that there really isn’t any reason to buy a jar. Plus, you get to control the quality of ingredients. I used a can of Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes for my recipe.

This Homemade Salsa recipe makes about a pint of salsa.  I cut some tortillas up into wedges and fried them to eat with this batch. By the way, kitchen shears are a great tool to use for this task and for making tortilla strips. I was using a knife before, which was a pain. The kitchen shears are a whole lot faster and easier.

Hope you enjoy!

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Hey guys! Hope you are having a great week so far. We had thunderstorms here in our area this afternoon. Marble-sized hail was hitting our windows so hard that I thought they might crack. The tornado sirens going off in the background were a nice accompaniment to Twister, which just happened to be on TV. Spring is always an interesting time weather-wise here in Texas.

One of my favorite dishes for Spring and Summer is pasta salad. It really makes a nice refreshing lunch dish on a hot day, which is just one of the reasons I love it so much. You do have to turn on the stove to cook the pasta, but there’s no standing over a hot stove for an hour. Another great thing about pasta salads is that they are so versatile, you can create a whole variety of different dishes.

This Chicken Macaroni Salad has quickly become my new favorite. It comes together quickly and is so deliciously flavorful. While I think this is best served the same day, you’ll have leftovers if you’re only serving two people. You may need to add a little warm water to loosen the pasta up before serving the next day.

I used a brown rice macaroni, but you can substitute your own preferred pasta. If you don’t have macaroni, you can use any type of tube pasta the same size. I used the Tinkyada brand of gluten-free pasta, which holds up really well in this pasta salad.

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Tex-Mex food is without a doubt my favorite type of food period. Growing up, El Chico was our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. These days, there are so many more restaurants to choose from. Some great, some not so great. But the great ones? Yes, they take care of that intense craving for Tex-Mex. Chips and hot sauce. Beef fajita’s, cheese enchilada’s and tacos al carbon. All. So. Delicious. Maybe not all figure friendly, but still super delicious! And now I want chips and hot sauce.

This Tex-Mex Chicken and Quinoa casserole recipe incorporates some of my favorite flavors, while still being healthy. It’s also really quick to throw together. This is a casserole that can be on your table in a total of about 40 minutes, counting prep time. Which means that you can make this on a weeknight. It feeds between 5-6 people, so it’s great for families. If you seed the peppers, the heat level is mild.

It’s also great for busy couples because a big casserole means plenty of leftovers. And I love having leftovers in the fridge because that means there is one meal that I don’t have to worry about making the next day. Yay! That’s huge when you make pretty much every thing you eat yourself.

Alongside my quinoa casserole, I served a green salad with a lime vinaigrette. I think some black beans would also make a great side dish.

*I used pre-rinsed, sprouted quinoa for my dish. If you buy quinoa that is not pre-rinsed, you’ll want to rinse it before cooking to get rid of the bitter coating on the outside.

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Do you ever find yourself at a loss for a side dish at dinner time, only to come up with a delicious new side dish? That’s exactly how this grated carrot salad recipe came about. I had decided somewhat at the last minute to make some fried cod for dinner. Cole slaw is always a must-have side dish whenever I have something like fried fish. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any cabbage or cole slaw mix in the fridge. The thought of going to the store just for that really didn’t sound appealing. I decided to try to come up with something that would be a satisfactory substitute for the slaw.

My produce drawer didn’t have much in it, but it did have a whole bag of organic carrots. I also had some limes on hand and a red onion in the pantry. I decided to make a grated carrot salad with a lime vinaigrette.

The combination of the sweet carrots, tanginess from the lime and a hint of smoky flavor from the chipotle chili powder totally checks off one of my favorite flavor combinations. This Grated Carrot Salad is not only super yummy, it’s also a very affordable side dish.

I served mine with fried cod, but this would also be great served alongside some Mexican seasoned grilled chicken. To complete the meal, I served some of my leftover Jalapeno Cheddar Einkorn Cornbread Muffins that I had tucked away in the freezer.  Delish!

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Today’s recipe is inspired by Sunny Anderson’s Pasta, Pancetta and Peas recipe that I found over on the Food Network. It’s a tomato-less pasta dish, which I wasn’t sure if my husband would like or not. He’s not a huge fan of pasta in general (I know, crazy!), but cover it in a tasty tomato sauce, and he’ll scarf it down. The man loves anything made from tomatoes. Turns out, he actually liked this one even though it wasn’t covered in red sauce. 🙂

I used a brown rice spiral pasta from Tinkyada for my dish. It’s one of the two brands of gluten free pasta that I like and use in my cooking. The other brand that I really love is Jovial Foods.  I can get their gluten free penne at Natural Grocers, but they don’t carry their spiral pasta at our store. By the way, I just saw that Jovial Foods added three new gluten free pasta shapes to their line-up. Farfalle, elbow macaroni and manicotti. I can’t wait to get my hands on those! I use and love their Einkorn all-purpose flour, but I haven’t tried their Einkorn pasta yet.

I recently read a great article over on The Healthy Home Economist blog about How to Find the Best Healthy Pasta. She learned while on a Jovial Foods culinary getaway that their brown rice is soaked 24 hours prior to cooking the grain and shaping the dough. This means that the pasta is more easily digested and the nutrients are more readily available.  Nice to find a company that is doing things right way!

The basil wasn’t looking so great at the store, so I didn’t have any to add to my dish. Some chopped basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon would both be great additions to this pasta dish.

FYI: If you happen to be in the DFW area, Local Yocal sells some incredibly tasty pasture raised pancetta.

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I just have to say that I’m pretty excited about today’s recipe. The chicken just comes out so tender and delicious! Like, it’s probably the best baked chicken I’ve ever made. It’s a far cry from my first attempts at baking chicken. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

We were newlyweds temporarily living in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. My husband’s company in Texas had merged with a company up there, and he was helping them get set up. Since I didn’t have a job and had plenty of time on my hands, I needed something to do. The apartment we stayed in was furnished, so I had a full kitchen with cookware and dishes. We had only brought the absolute essentials with us up there, so I didn’t have any cookbooks. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not even sure I owned a cookbook at that point.  No cookbook and no real cooking skills. What could possibly go wrong?  ?

Anyway, one of my “brilliant” creations was to bake some chicken breasts covered with pasta sauce. I don’t think I even had salt and pepper to season the chicken with. Ha! Since I had no clue how to cook, I had no idea how long to cook the chicken breast. It turned out extremely dry and tough, but my husband still ate it. 🙂

This Honey Dijon Chicken with Lime recipe is a far cry from the dry chicken we had in Cleveland. My husband said it was some of the best chicken he’s ever had. Yay!

The best part is just how crazy easy this is to make. The marinade/sauce takes maybe 5 minutes to make, then you just let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to an hour on the countertop. Then, pop it into the oven and bake until done. It doesn’t get a whole lot easier than that!

*The crushed red pepper flakes do add a nice kick of heat to the chicken. If you want it less spicy, just lower the amount to your preferred heat level.

How about you? Did you know how to cook when you got married? Any kitchen disaster stories you’d like to share? 

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I don’t know about you, but the warmer weather has me craving lighter dishes lately. This Sprouted Quinoa Lentil Salad is the perfect lunch for Spring and Summer. It also transports well, so you can take it to work with you. I tend to prefer meals with some type of meat, fish or eggs as my protein, but I think it’s healthy to have some meatless meals occasionally. This might be just a salad, but it’s a very hearty one.

I used both store-bought sprouted lentils and quinoa for my salad. If you can’t find sprouted quinoa, regular quinoa works just fine in this. Just be sure to rinse it before hand to get rid of the bitter coating on it. The price on the sprouted lentils usually isn’t too bad at our Natural Grocers, but the quinoa can be pretty pricey. I usually only buy it when I find it on sale.

Our Kroger carries the TruRoots brand for both items, and they’ve had a really good sale on both of them within the last few months. If you have a Kroger in your area, it’s located in their organic section. I always check their organic section when I go to see what might be on sale or close-out. It’s a great way to score some deals and perhaps stock up on staple items.

You can serve this at room temperature or cover and let chill for an hour or two, then serve. I let mine chill for a couple of hours, then removed it from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before serving. I added a splash of lemon juice before serving leftovers the next day.

If you want to make this totally vegetarian or vegan, you could omit the feta cheese. Me? I gotta have the feta cheese. 🙂

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Hey guys! Hope you had a great weekend! I sure did hate losing an hour. Who else is still feeling a bit groggy? While I don’t enjoy that part of daylight savings, I do LOVE having more hours of daylight! What about you? Love or hate daylight savings?

If you have a super busy week ahead, then this Pinto Beans with Sausage recipe is just what you need. The slow cooker does all the work. All you have to do is chop and drop! And, if you prep everything the night before, then you can just toss it in the crockpot in the morning and turn it on. And you get to come home to a delicious comfort food meal! How’s that for easy?

I used a package of organic smoked sausage from Pederson’s for my dish. The organic version doesn’t seem to be readily available here in our area, which is a bummer. So far, I’ve only found it at our local butcher shop.  Most supermarkets here only carry their natural sausage products, which I do occasionally use. If your budget allows, try to find a good brand of organic smoked sausage.

Best Crock Pot Pinto Beans

One of my favorite things about cooking pinto beans in the slow cooker is the thick, delicious broth that you get. You know what would make this even better? A nice big slice of Skillet Cornbread. Make up a pan of that and serve it with these Slow Cooker Pinto Beans with Sausage for an even tastier meal!

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