vegetables and fruits

Easy Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

February 11, 2019

When your main dish recipe needs a decadent side dish side kick, there’s nothing like a creamy, thyme-infused cheesy au gratin potatoes recipe to do the job, and to do it easily too.

Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe

There are few side dishes that are more comforting than those made with potatoes. Creamy mashed potatoes. Buttery parsley potatoes. The best potato salad ever. Smashed, twice baked, and roasted potatoes, and so many more.

But au gratin potatoes hold a special place in my food loving heart. They’re creamy, cheesy, and no matter how you slice, spoon, or stack them, they fit in just right alongside both special occasion main dishes or simple weekend burgers.

Creamy on the inside with crisped bites along the edges, these au gratin potatoes don’t call for a floured roux or canned soup, instead letting the potatoes, cream and broth combine to do their creamy thing they do so well.

And here’s the final fact of this potato act…whether you make au gratin potatoes for a crowd of one or a crowd of many, they’re going to be a crowd pleaser every which way.continue to the recipe… about Easy Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe

January 23, 2019

These blueberry muffins are moist, loaded with berries, and so easy to make from scratch I’ll never make the boxed kind again.

There are several recipes for my favorite baked goods that I am perennially trying to find the PERFECT recipe for. My top three recipe-seeking baking obsessions are: the best chocolate chip cookies—CHECK! and with chocolate chip with oatmeal—CHECK!, the best brownies—CHECK!, and the best blueberry muffins—now it’s CHECK CHECK CHECK!

I made these blueberry muffins as I always do for Christmas morning, and then I made them again a week later, and then I made them again just a few days ago. After referring to this post that many times I wanted to give it a refresh. So here we are, all shiny and new.

A few years ago when I purchased my copy of the multi-faceted-actress-singer-Goop-creator-now media mogul Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter cookbook, and discovered her mother’s recipe for blueberry muffins, my heart skipped a beat.

The photography plus my girl crush on Gwyneth back then made me pick up the book. But it was that blueberry recipe that sold it. And why I’m sharing it again today.continue to the recipe… about Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

January 16, 2019

This sautéed spinach recipe with sweet, caramelized slivers of garlic takes just 10 minutes to cook for a healthy side dish that goes with any meal.

Who else is joining me on the eat-more-plants train? And doing it the super easy way? I see you! You’re coming along for the ride too!

Getting more greens in our diets should be the focus of every eater, and the darker and leafier, the better.

While pretty much everyone likes a wedge of Iceberg, it’s the dark, leafy greens where you’ll find the real health benefits of getting in your veggie greens. Sorry iceberg, but all greens are not created equal.

This spinach side dish is fresh and light, with chunks of sweetened, caramelized garlic that infuses the oil the spinach is cooked in. It makes a perfect pairing for just about any main meal.continue to the recipe… about Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes

January 13, 2019

The Mediterranean Diet has been named 2019’s diet of the year, and this list of 50 breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes makes it easy to add more of the Med-inspired lifestyle to your weekly meal plan.

The Best Diet of 2019

Just as we were setting our sights on eating better with the New Year, US News and World Report came out with their standings of the best diets to follow for 2019, and for the first time, the Mediterranean Diet took top honors. CNN reports the diets were ranked on: “how easy it is to follow, its nutritional completeness, its ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss, its safety and its potential for preventing and managing diabetes and heart disease.”

Unlike many of the trendy, silver bullet diets that are at the bottom of this year’s list and you see everyone jumping through hoops to try (and ultimately bail out on), the Mediterranean diet is a centuries-old lifestyle for long-term health and wellness instead of a quick weight loss fad that never seems to really last.continue to the recipe… about 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Easy Chicken Piccata

January 9, 2019

This easy chicken piccata recipe with a lemon-caper sauce is a classic you’ll find on the menu of nearly every Italian restaurant, and because it can be made in just 20 minutes, it’s one of my favorite at-home recipes too.

“I have too many easy chicken dinner recipes” said nobody ever. And you guys agree, the more healthy the flavor, the more better. Not grammatically correct, but dang it tastes good.

When it seems there’s nothing to cook for dinner, this chicken recipe is one I can always pull out of my magic hat and wow my family with dinner on the table in under 20 minutes.

Because nobody ever said they didn’t want more fast dinners, too.continue to the recipe… about Easy Chicken Piccata

50 Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipe Ideas

January 7, 2019

This list of 50 slow cooker recipes for chicken, chili, pot roast, and even pizza are the secret to getting easy crockpot dinners on the table fast.

We all know money doesn’t grow on trees, and neither does time. Despite our best laid plans, it always seems to slip through our busy little fingers, and before we know it, we glance up from our watches after a hectic work day, and it’s already 5 o’clock.

On marathon days like these, coming home and having to scramble to figure out what’s for dinner, or diving into a multiple step recipe with a laundry list of ingredients is pretty much the last thing we feel like doing.

However, coming home to a kitchen that smells like Ina Garten’s taken over and has been cooking for Jeffrey all day—that’s just what the doctor ordered. And thanks to a little planning and a little slow cooker magic, it’s perfectly achievable.

Check out this list of FIFTY (!) slow cooker recipes for easy, breezy weeknight dinners that work for weekends too.

continue to the recipe… about 50 Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipe Ideas

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

December 17, 2018

I’ve been making this easy vegetable lasagna for years. It’s layered with a smooth butternut squash puree, shiitake mushrooms, a creamy white sauce, and melty cheese to make an irresistible layered lasagna noodle you’ll love digging into.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

It’s not even Christmas yet and I’ve already been looking toward the new year and listing out a few of the goals I plan to hit next year.

One of the biggies in my new year goal making sessions is to eat more meatless meals. It’s easy for me to do for breakfast and lunch, but where I tend to run into a road block is when I make meatless dinners because that’s not exactly my husband’s idea of a meal. But I’ve found it’s a whole lot easier to convince the family to join me on my veggie train when I’m serving dishes like this vegetable-loaded lasagna where nobody ever misses the meat.

I used to make this vegetable lasagna every.single.year when I hosted the volunteer holiday party for my fave animal rescue, where everything had to be served vegetarian. We were an animal rescue, not an animal eatery.

So did anyone (aka my husband) miss the meat? Not a chance! Why not? Because this Italian dinner recipe is completely delicious! That, and the layers of cheese don’t hurt to convince any doubting Thomas too.continue to the recipe… about Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

How to Make an Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board

December 11, 2018

Charcuterie boards loaded with all the antipasti snacks have taken over the internet. Here’s my tips for how to make your meat and cheese plates Instagram-worthy, along with a special treat for all to share.

This post is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

‘Tis the season for…charcuterie boards taking over the internet.

Whether it’s a spur of the moment gathering for cocktails and fellowship, or a full-blown party to deck the halls and the tree, a meat and cheese board is the easiest appetizer to pull together fast, and it’s always sure to please.

But how do you make your charcuterie board totally delicious, and at the same time a totally impressive image to show off to all your Instagram friends?

These are my tips for building the best charcuterie meat and cheese board platter that’s almost too good to eat. And I do mean, almost…

But first, I have a treat for you!continue to the recipe… about How to Make an Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board

French Onion Dip

December 5, 2018

This homemade French Onion Dip mixes sweet caramelized onion with Greek yogurt to make a healthy dip that’s the hit of the party.

This recipe is brought to you by Stonyfield

You see it at every party as the host tries to steer guests out of the kitchen and into the actual party. But people linger, dipping into the appetizer nibbles, and always congregating around the food.

And what’s the favorite at every party? It’s always the chips and dip. Everyone loves a dip. Because what’s not to love?

And pretty much there’s no dip more lovable than an easy, savory, French Onion Dip. It’s the gateway drug for anyone who claims they don’t like onions. It’s caramelized and sweet, and sturdy enough to take on any veggie or chip.

The only thing better? The fact that this homemade French Onion Dip tastes better because it’s made healthier with organic Greek yogurt.

continue to the recipe… about French Onion Dip

Easy Tandoori Chicken with Vegetables

December 3, 2018

Traditional tandoori chicken is made in a clay oven, but this version of the classic Indian chicken dinner is baked on a sheet pan with Indian spiced vegetables for a complete meal any night of the week.

Chicken dinner ideas that are full of flavor but easy to make are definitely my idea of weeknight success.

It’s what I call my dinner flavor jam. Minus the literal jam.

This 30-minute chicken recipe comes to you from the New York Times Best Seller Skinnytaste One & Done Cookbook, written by my friend Gina of the blog Skinnytaste. This is Gina’s third cookbook, and home cooks everywhere are applauding and thanking it every time they use it.

Each of the recipes are family favorites made healthy and Weight Watchers friendly. They’re all cooked in either a skillet, in the slow cooker, in the Instant Pot, in the air fryer, or on a sheet pan in the oven, just like this easy, all-in-one sheet pan Tandoori Chicken dinner.continue to the recipe… about Easy Tandoori Chicken with Vegetables

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

November 25, 2018

This crockpot lasagna soup is like a deconstructed lasagna made in an Italian tomato broth full of vegetables with a creamy dollop of a three cheeses mixed in.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

If you’ve found yourself trolling Pinterest there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen the meaty stove top version of this easy vegetarian lasagna soup floating around. And there’s a perfectly good reason for that.

Because it’s so dang good!

I’m very much into giving my favorite comfort foods a different spin to make them brand new again. And when it comes to lasagna, I have a couple of recipe twists on this classic Italian comfort food up my sleeve, or at least, in my recipe box.

This time around, a healthy change-up to everyone else’s lasagna soup was in the works.continue to the recipe… about Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

The Best Easy Stuffing Recipe

November 20, 2018

This traditional stuffing recipe is a homemade classic. It’s an easy, basic stuffing made with simple ingredients to make for a Thanksgiving turkey, or served as a side dish to chicken, pork, or just about any comfort food craving any time of year.

The Best Easy Stuffing Recipe

If I were to stand at a table loaded with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner dishes, and have to choose just one to eat for the rest of my Thanksgiving dinner days, it wouldn’t be the turkey, it wouldn’t be the mashed potatoes, and it wouldn’t even be my grandma’s ambrosia salad that would make the cut. Nope.

The one dish I wouldn’t want to miss out on at Thanksgiving is this super simple, totally basic, bread stuffing I’ve been eating since I could put food in my hungry little mouth, and will still eat hot at the table or cold straight from the fridge. It’s my side dish kryptonite and the one I can never say no to.

I’ve shared other stuffing recipes that are more unusual with more ingredients, but I’ve never shared my favorite. I always thought it was just too basic, and not unique enough. But because it’s the same one I make year in and year out, and it’s the same recipe my mom made every year that I would more than happily taste test for seasoning, I figured it was high time to post it here where it proudly belongs.

There’s nothing fancy about this classic stuffing. It’s totally basic. But its simplicity is exactly why I crave it year after year after year.continue to the recipe… about The Best Easy Stuffing Recipe

Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe — How to Make the Best!

November 19, 2018

Knowing how to make mashed potatoes is a basic recipe every home cook needs in their kitchen skill set, and this easy recipe shows how to make the best creamy, buttery, mashed potatoes every time.

The Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Does the internet really need another mashed potatoes recipe? To some, the answer could be a “no”, but then the naysayers haven’t tried my easy recipe for the best mashed potatoes that works every single time.

Sure, flavored mashers like garlic mashed potatoes are tasty, and crock pot mashed potatoes might be convenient, but the best mashed potatoes to pair with any recipe are the kind mom used to make. Potatoes that are fluffy and creamy at the same time, and that don’t skimp on the butter.

There are a only a couple of easy tricks you need to master to get a great mashed potato to complete any meal. After years of mashed potato making, I’ve figured them out, and that’s why I’m adding my mashed potato recipe to the internet today.continue to the recipe… about Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe — How to Make the Best!

Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

November 14, 2018

The best way to cook roast turkey breast isn’t in the crockpot, but in the oven instead, and it only takes 30 minutes to cook.

Thanksgiving isn’t the only time of the year to talk turkey. Sure, it’s a popular protein over the holidays, but it should totally be considered as a dinner contender any time of year.

Turkey. It isn’t just for sandwiches anymore.

Turkey has so much more to offer than just a side dish to mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Especially when it’s cooked as a roasted turkey breast like this easy-to-make recipe.

My turkey-making-tricks result in a turkey breast that’s juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and ready to gobble down, whether it’s served with all the fixins’, in my favorite turkey pot pie, or yes, even as an awesome grilled cheese turkey sandwich.continue to the recipe… about Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

21 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

November 13, 2018

What is the best Thanksgiving side dish to serve with your Thanksgiving turkey? Here’s your list of 21 easy side dish recipes that are about to become your new classics.

Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and tradition, and when it comes to the Thanksgiving table, everyone has their favorite traditional dishes to share.

Ironically, the side dish is one area of turkey day where you can tweak tradition with simple twist or two.

Whether you’re hunkering down at home, or getting ready to brave the busiest travel time of the year, this list of Thanksgiving favorites are sure to set the mood for a festive feast.

From fresh takes on classic comfort sides to flavorful new additions, take a look and add a classic to your table. Dig in!

continue to the recipe… about 21 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apple and Cheddar Cheese

November 11, 2018

This easy, healthy, delicious kale salad with cranberries, sliced apples, sharp white cheddar cheese, and crunchy sunflower seeds is massaged tender with a maple syrup sweetened apple cider dressing for a savory and sweet salad everyone at the table will love.

A Delicious Kale Salad that Doesn’t Taste Raw

Kale has easily become one of the most healthful ingredients in salads today. The health benefits of kale and the virtues of eating this superfood raw—like in salad—are many, including being one of the most nutrient dense foods around. Besides being high in fiber to help you feel full (and regular), every 1 cup of raw kale providing nearly 3 grams of protein and contains more vitamin C than an orange.

With stats like that, you really can’t ignore kale’s super delicious super powers any longer.

This easy kale salad is one you can make up any night of the week, yet it’s pretty enough to add to any holiday dinner table.

But even better, because kale likes to sit and soak in it’s dressing and still hold it’s leafy shape, this kale salad is awesome for the buffet table or to take to potlucks, too. In fact, the last photo in this post is from when I pulled it straight from the fridge and into a bowl to eat for lunch 2 days after I made it.

Now that’s a trendy salad that stands the test of time.continue to the recipe… about Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apple and Cheddar Cheese

Tomato Basil Soup

November 7, 2018

This tomato basil soup recipe, homemade with fresh tomatoes roasted in the oven, adds a healthy and deliciously creamy flavor you won’t find in any old can.

If I think back to my childhood, tomato soup is at the top of the list of my all-time favorite comfort foods. But unlike my ultra creamy macaroni and cheese or my mom’s spaghetti recipe, tomato basil soup is on the lighter side of the comfort food scale.

Even better, when you have a stash of roasted tomatoes in the fridge, it’s an easy recipe to whip up for an easy dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

I’ve seen some recipes for this soup that call for canned tomatoes, but I use fresh tomatoes roasted with garlic and herbs in my tomato soup. Earlier this week I shared my recipe for roasting the tomatoes here, and since I had a jar left over, I decided to update the photos and post for this recipe too.

Soup at our house is a regular menu item, in fact, my husband has gone on an all-soup diet more than once. It’s also likely that our early marriage was built on tomato soup with grilled cheese. Because can one even eat tomato soup without a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking?continue to the recipe… about Tomato Basil Soup

Easy Quick Roasted Tomatoes

November 4, 2018

While there’s nothing quite like biting into a garden-fresh tomato, quick roasted tomatoes in the oven create a savory sweetness that’s delicious made into a simple roasted tomato sauce on pasta, made into soup, or served as appetizers, no matter what time of year.

You could say I’m obsessed with roasting tomatoes.

Even when they’re at their most flavorful, summertime prime, it’s highly likely that sweet cherry tomatoes, Italian plum roma tomatoes, and just about every other variety I pick up (minus the big beefsteaks) typically find their way into the oven at some point for a quick roast to pull out their most jammy-sweet flavor.

But the real appeal of roasting is when we’re eating those dead-of-winter tomatoes. You know the ones. The tomatoes who left their taste at the door.

I love long, slow-roasted tomatoes at a low temp in the oven, but sometimes there’s no time to wait. When it comes to quick and easy, no-fuss roasted tomatoes, the big return on the little time invested is totally worth it, because a roast in the oven for less than an hour is all that’s needed to release the super sweet powers of any noble tomato. continue to the recipe… about Easy Quick Roasted Tomatoes

30 Days of Soups, Stews, and Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm

November 1, 2018

Sign me up for this list of 30 days of soups, stews, and chilis on repeat to warm up this body of mine and soothe my ever-loving seasonal soul all month long.

I know, I know–wintery weather blows in just about every 365 days from right about today, yet I’m never quite ready to give up on the gorgeous warmth of Indian summers and the fall leaves a-falling. I love me a snowy white winter, but fall has my heart.

While winter doesn’t officially begin until Christmas is nearly here, the change in weather and my freezing cold feet—now clad in fuzzy socks and boots— is the sure-fire signal for me to start craving the heartiest of rib-sticking comfort food.

This list of 30 soups, stews, and chilis are sure to warm us up and fill us up, but not fill us OUT, because each of these recipes are made with healthy, real good, real foods.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a spoon and dig in!continue to the recipe… about 30 Days of Soups, Stews, and Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm

The Best Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes

October 24, 2018

Crispy oven roast potatoes are an easy, healthy side dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, because no matter what time of year, they fit every meal.

The Best Crispy Oven Roast Potatoes

Forget feeling all the feels, lately I’ve been feeling all the sides.

Maybe it’s because when I make up my weekly not-a-plan-flexible-meal-plan (subscribe to my newsletter and I’ll send it to you each Saturday for FREE) I realize there are so many easy side dishes I make that I haven’t yet shared here on the blog.

Or maybe it’s because if I had my druthers, my plate would be composed of a taste of this and a bite of that. Variety is my friend.

These crispy oven roasted potatoes will also add variety to your plate, with a variety of herbs, and served at a variety of times, these taters are at the top of my easy side dish list. And now, they are about to shoot to the top of yours. continue to the recipe… about The Best Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes

10 Easy and Healthy Brussels Sprouts Recipes to Fall For Now

October 23, 2018

Roasted or sautéed, dressed with bacon or balsamic, this “best-of” list of 10 healthy Brussels sprouts recipes are literally on everyone’s lips.

Ok. I know it might be a bold statement to make, because not everyone loves Brussels sprouts. Really?? But hear me out! These recipes are NOT the gross and gloppy suspicious green mystery orbs of your youth.

I was never a fan of Brussels sprouts, and would sneak them under the table to feed them to the dog whenever my mom made them. But not anymore. Maybe it’s the fact that my taste buds have grown up, or America’s obsession with revisiting retro classics, but these veggies have received some major glow in recent years.

From the texture (crispy, crunchy, shredded, shaved), to the flavor (blackened, buttery, smokey, salty, sweet) Brussels sprouts are are having their moment.

Welcome them to your table–or at least let them pull up a seat, and give them a try–with the 10 tasty recipes I’ve rounded up below.continue to the recipe… about 10 Easy and Healthy Brussels Sprouts Recipes to Fall For Now

Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways

October 18, 2018

The fresh bite of this arugula dinner salad with a simple lemon dressing and shaved Parmesan is made three ways for three easy salad recipe ideas to go with any dinner’s main course meal.

Choosing a main course dinner idea is pretty easy to do. But when it comes to rounding out the meal with some extra plant nutrition, it can add another layer of what-to-make-wondering to your meal planning.

That’s why I depend on a few simple recipe ideas for side salads and dressings that are easily customized to dress up or dress down, depending on what extra ingredients I have on hand.

That’s why this easy 5-ingredient arugula salad recipe with big flakes of salty parmesan is often where I get my start.
continue to the recipe… about Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways

Curry Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Greens

October 15, 2018

Simple vegetarian soups are easy to come by, but this healthy curried lentil soup recipe serves a purpose, too.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

My best friend is one of the most enthusiastic people I know. She is a PhD. She is a dreamer. She is a CEO. She is an avid, and I mean AVID animal rescuer. She travels, she mentors, she’s curious, she’s beautiful, she loves mimosas, and in business and in life, she is the ultimate planner.

And my best friend has Stage 4 Metastatic HER2 Positive Breast Cancer.

Wait. Hold up. This is not part of Kim’s plan.

Stage 4. Cancer. Those words…they’re so scary to hear. I have no idea what it’s like to live with them banging about in your brain, rattling your heart, day in and day out.

Ironically, I received her call about the cancer diagnosis on a Saturday morning while at a Kroger retreat in Detroit. She had been to the doctor the day before. She told me the cancer was back. She told me she wished that five years ago her insurance would have allowed her to have the double mastectomy she wanted, instead of just the one she did have. I’ll never forget that phone call as I paced the floor, talking to Kim, my head spinning out and my heart breaking for my friend.

And now, here I am, sharing our story and a very special recipe in a post sponsored by Kroger’s Sharing Courage breast cancer awareness program for women, their families, and their support systems. And each and every one of them are very important stories to tell.continue to the recipe… about Curry Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Greens

Easy Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta

October 11, 2018

This easy 5-ingredient couscous recipe combines the Mediterranean flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, green onion, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese for a healthy 10-minute side dish.

This recipe is brought to you by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Mamma Mia! Here we go again! Literally.

We don’t need many excuses to eat good Greek or Mediterranean food at our house, but when we can make a themed night of it, it’s even that much more fun.

So when I was asked to create a recipe that ties into the DVD release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Sing-Along Edition (yes! more Abba to sing along to while I cook!) it was just another reason to get the party started.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta

17 Friday Night Homemade Pizza Recipes to Make This Fall

October 10, 2018

Pizza is the ultimate gathering food, and these 17 homemade pizza recipes are the best reason to forget all about delivery and make yours at home instead.

Raise your hand if you love pizza. Anyone? Everyone? YES, indeed, everyone! Ok, good.

It seems like Fridays are a popular pizza-prep night, but then come the weekend there’s all the football games, and then Sunday turns into Monday and how easy is it to whip together a homemade pizza pie to cure those Monday night blues?

Pizza fits into every day.

Pizza is universally appealing, and not just because we’re all trying to capture the perfectly Instagrammable cheese pull. (BTW, have you seen the new Instagram-worthy pizza pop-up museum for us perfectly crusty diehards?)

It’s the ultimate delivery vehicle for innovative flavor combinations, complimentary textures, and beyond-infinite varieties suitable to any diet or taste preference—and season.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of pizza night faves for fall, plus a few FoodieCrush favorites that’ll make you forget all about dialing up to order your delivery-style pizza, and make it at home instead. continue to the recipe… about 17 Friday Night Homemade Pizza Recipes to Make This Fall

31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

September 30, 2018

Comfort food cures all our cooking cravings, and there’s no better time to cozy up to hearty soups, easy slow cooker meals, and comforting pastas, than the 31 days of October.

It feels good to fall into fall, don’t you agree?

While I fiercely LOVE the summer months, there is a totally cozy nostalgia that comes with changing leaves, a chill in the morning, and the don’t-want-to-admit-but-I’m-getting-excited-thrill of the holidays peeking just around the corner.

Whether you’re looking for a new killer chili recipe to bust out at your next tailgate party, a simple throw-together weeknight meal, or a healthy-fill-you-up breakfast, these 31 tasty recipes are what you should be making this month.

And since we are in the 31 days of October, don’t you dare forget the pumpkin recipes!continue to the recipe… about 31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

How to Cook Instant Pot Butternut Squash

September 27, 2018

One of the best features of the Instant Pot pressure cooker is when vegetables like butternut squash can go from gourd to gourmet in just 3 minutes cooking time. Who doesn’t have time for that?

You guys asked for more Instant Pot recipes besides those in my archives, and I’m here to deliver.

This Instant Pot butternut squash is a staple in my meal prep, and a recipe I make all of the time. Sure it tastes great, but even more, it’s so incredibly quick and easy to cook, there’s simply no excuse NOT to make it.

Easy side dishes give life to any meal. They’re that extra something that rounds out the plate and should add a bit more healthy to it too. I’ve always been one who would rather have a dish of three sides than anything else on the menu. Give me a bite of everything, because I can’t stand to leave any taste out.

This ridiculously easy butternut squash recipe can be a simple side to the main meal, or added to salads, rice or grain bowls, or used in recipes like these beef and butternut enchiladas.

Either way you cube it, smash it, blend it, or beat it, butternut squash cooked in the pressure cooker is the quick and easy way to go.continue to the recipe… about How to Cook Instant Pot Butternut Squash

Easy Shredded Chicken and Zucchini Tacos

September 25, 2018

Easy shredded chicken tacos get a healthy veggie upgrade when diced zucchini is added in for a fast dinner or lunch any day of the week.

“So, Sara…what’s your mom fixing for dinner tonight?”

It was my running joke with my daughter’s friend when I drove them home from Tuesday night basketball practice.

“Ugh. Taaaccccos, again,” she typically replied. “I’m kind of sick of tacos.” But how one possibly be tired of tacos?

Tacos are fast and easy to pull together as a simple vegetarian meal (these fried avocado tacos are BEYOND!) or with any sort of protein added in: fish tacos, beef tacos, slow cooker pork tacos, and yep, even spaghetti tacos. They’re one of the ultimate what-to-do-with-the-leftovers meal-prep meals.

So while Sara might be tired of Taco Tuesday, it makes a whole lot of sense to me.continue to the recipe… about Easy Shredded Chicken and Zucchini Tacos

Rosemary Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes

September 13, 2018

This hybrid of roasted and mashed potatoes is literally a mash up of cooking techniques t0 create a creamy potato on the inside with the crispy edges everyone craves on the outside, and it’s all made extra good thanks to garlic, butter and rosemary flavored smashed potatoes.

Easy side dishes should be a dime a dozen but I keep hearing from you guys that this is one of the most challenging parts of putting the finishing touch on your dinner time meal.

The beauty of a simple side dish like potatoes is they go with pretty much any main dish. Personally, I could eat them as the main dish all on their own.

So why mash when you can smash?

Because smashed baby red potatoes that are crisped with garlicky butter and rosemary like these smashed red potato babies here are the sure cure for your dinner-finishing cravings.

continue to the recipe… about Rosemary Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes

11 Use It Up Zucchini Recipes

September 5, 2018

These 11 recipes are sure to answer question of what to make with zucchini and cure your healthy recipe cravings at the same time.

I am 100% for fresh produce–but things can get a little out of hand in the garden this time of year, know what I mean?

If you’re like me, your counter tops are covered with zucchini and if you don’t have your own garden, I bet you’re getting doorbell ditched with tons of the stuff from friendly neighbors, desperate to offload their bounty.

Not that I’m complaining.

With so many ways to use this versatile veggie, you can eat squash every day through September without getting sick of it.

This roundup features 11 healthy, delicious recipes, guaranteed to help you make the most of summer’s most popular veggie.continue to the recipe… about 11 Use It Up Zucchini Recipes

vegetables and fruits

Easy Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe

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