dinner

5 Easy Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken

January 14, 2019

A juicy, crispy roast chicken with vegetables is one recipe every home cook can—and should—easily master.

Roast Chicken Recipe

Why would a little old bird seem so intimidating to me? Maybe because the little clucker has inspired more failed recipe attempts for me than any other recipe I’ve tried to master.

Am I alone here?

Roast chicken is supposed to be easy. It’s not like you need new technology or fancy schmancy ingredients. It’s one of the basics and cooks have been roasting birds for, like, forever.

So what was my problem?

continue to the recipe… about 5 Easy Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken

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

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

31 Winter Winner Chicken Dinner Ideas to Make Now

December 1, 2018

Hi there! What’s for dinner? How about one of these 31 chicken dinner ideas for a recipe every day of the month.

With the official kick off to the holidays a mere 8 days ago, I’m already feeling the flurry of parties, planning, family, and all the other a good/hectic things that come along with the season.

It’s too easy this time of year to let the dinner routine suffer amidst the whirlwind of gift-giving and holiday cheer—remember, that plate of fudge is for your neighbors, and gingerbread men alone do not constitute a balanced meal, even if they look super virile.

This month, step back from the appetizer table enjoy one or two cocktails instead of a bottle. It’s time to get back to basics, and keep on track with 31 days of healthy, easy, and tasty chicken dinners that are far from the naked chicken breast.

This specially curated list features exotic but accessible flavors, surprising twists on classics, and simple ethnic dishes that will spice up your routine and have you saying “winner, winner, chicken dinner!”

It’s December, so dig in.continue to the recipe… about 31 Winter Winner Chicken Dinner Ideas to Make Now

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

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

Baked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

October 22, 2018

Salmon recipes can be cooked many ways, but in my book, there’s nothing as easy as baked salmon in white wine and lemon for a healthy dinner, or to make and use for meal prep all week long.

Whether it’s baked salmon, poached, grilled salmon, pan-seared, whole salmon, or cut into filets, the benefits of cooking and eating salmon are not only fast and easy enough for any level of cook to make, but so incredibly good for your health, too.

While visiting my mom earlier this year, my Aunt Jane cooked us this simple salmon dinner baked in wine and topped with lemon, then topped with an easy, and totally flavorful creme fraiche sauce.

Jane is one of those cooks where everything seems effortless. But she confided that while she loves to entertain, she doesn’t always feel so confident in the kitchen, especially when cooking for others. That’s why when she does, she zeroes in on a recipe that’s tried and true. It leaves less margin for error, and more time for enjoying guests rather than time in the kitchen worrying over the stove.

Being from Seattle, this baked salmon with a creamy creme fraiche sauce has pretty much become Jane’s signature dish, and now it can become yours, too.continue to the recipe… about Baked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

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

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

Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel

October 8, 2018

Cooking thinly sliced, breaded meat in a fry pan is the easy technique used for any authentic, crispy German or Austrian schnitzel recipe. I use bone-in, thinly cut, tenderized pork chops coated in panko bread crumbs, but you can easily substitute tenderized chicken breast instead.

There are precious few things that can take you right back to childhood like certain foods can.

When looking back to those childhood faves, you either crave it like no tomorrow, laugh in hysterics at the lengths you’d go though to avoid it (liver and onions passed under the table to Posey the dog), or vehemently defend it as haute cuisine. Ambrosia anyone?

At my house, German schnitzel—or as we knew it, wiener schnitzel—was a favorite of everyone at the table. My dad loved it because he grew up on it, my mom loved it because it’s easy to make, and me and my little sister loved it because it was breaded, crispy, and totally non-threatening. Sorry pup, you’re not getting any of this passed to you for dinner.

Today you can find a version of schnitzel on many dinner tables, and you don’t even have to be Austrian, or German, or attend Oktoberfest to make it your own family favorite recipe, too.continue to the recipe… about Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel

One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice

September 17, 2018

This creamy chicken and rice casserole is a fast and healthy 30-minute meal made right on the stove top, making it a favorite one-pot dinner that feeds a family of four for under $10.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

September is Hunger Action Month. As someone who has the access and the means to buy/grow/order food at my fingertips (or within a short walk or drive) every day of the week, this public initiative is a reminder that it isn’t nearly as easy for far too many. Helping others cure food scarcity is near and dear to my heart. And I hope to yours too.

So when Kroger asked me to participate in their #ZeroHungerZeroWaste donation challenge, I immediately said count me in. And now I’m challenging you to join too.

It’s one thing to donate that stray can of beans at the back of your pantry or the expired box of crackers. But it’s so much more to make healthful eating approachable and economical, showing families that there are better choices to easily cook and eat at home.

That’s why I’ve created this easy one-pot dinner to show you and those I’m donating it to that fast and easy dinners don’t have to come from a cardboard box, or sodium-loaded freezer meal, or be expensive.

They can just as easily come from real good, real food. And for many who are food challenged, most of the ingredients can be kept on hand in the pantry with little waste to be had.continue to the recipe… about One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice

Linguine con Vongole (Linguine with Clam Sauce)

September 9, 2018

Linguine with fresh clams in a garlic white wine sauce (authentically known as linguine vongole) is one of those dinners that sounds totally chic and fancy but is actually one of the easiest and budget-friendly Italian pasta recipes you can make.

I was recently sent the new Fred’s at Barney’s New York Cookbook by Barney’s New York’s chef Mark Strausman who teaches us how to make some of the famous dishes beloved for years by celebrities and chic shoppers in the fashion store’s Fred’s restaurant.

Flipping through the cookbook there were tons of recipes that looked divine, but when I found this recipe for Mark’s Baby Clams and Spaghetti, fresh clams went directly on my shopping list.

Clams and spaghetti at Fred’s became clams and linguine at my house, and now no matter which pasta you choose to prepare, this recipe is on it’s way to yours.

continue to the recipe… about Linguine con Vongole (Linguine with Clam Sauce)

Saucy Greek Baked Shrimp

September 4, 2018

This healthy Greek-inspired shrimp recipe in a saucy tomato base with feta can be cooked and served as a one-pot skillet dinner, or in a baking dish as a fast and easy-to-make appetizer that’s the first thing to disappear.

Don’t forget the bread.

That’s my big tip about this recipe. Don’t forget to add a few crusty sourdough slices to your shopping list. Bread is key if you’re a dipper like me. Because while you might first be attracted to this recipe because of the lure of perfectly baked shrimp (which they are), it’s every last drop of the sauce you’ll be sopping up that will have you making this recipe on repeat.

As we move from the heat of summer into fall’s cozy-up-comfort mode, this Greek flavored shrimp is the PERFECT transition recipe.

This tomato sauce is light and bright so it won’t bog you down, yet it includes the warming flavors of cinnamon and allspice to make you feel all cuddly and content.

And I’m pretty sure we can all agree that shrimp are totally right any time of year.continue to the recipe… about Saucy Greek Baked Shrimp

Mozzarella and Tomato Caprese Flatbread

August 15, 2018

This caprese flatbread recipe is an easy way to take advantage of the best of the season’s fresh tomatoes, basil, and of course mozzarella, making it the perfect appetizer bite or as an easy vegetarian dinner.

Head to the farmers market this time of year and you’ll see everyone around freaking out over the bulbous beauty of the heirloom tomatoes and just-off-the-vine-still-warm-from-the-sunshine beefsteaks.

I think they’re lovely too. But my fave tomato this time of year are the sweet cherry tomatoes I can pop straight in my mouth like candy.

Awwwww, who am I kidding? I love these baby tomatoes any time of year.

A few weeks ago I photographed the new winter menu of one of my favorite clients, Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT. If you haven’t yet been to Park City and Deer Valley, it’s a destination to put on your bucket list, not only for winter skiing, but truly any time of the year.

This time around we shot photos for the new menu items for their low-key bar and restaurant The Brass Tag. But where does that name come from? Back in the day aka around 1890, the silver boom was huge in Park City and local miners would hang a brass tag before entering the silver mines to work. When the day was done, if there was tag still hanging on the board, it was time to start a search for the miner. Think of it as the low-tech GPS system of yesteryear.

This easy to make caprese-style flatbread pizza was just one of the items we shot that day, and after looking at it through the lens, and then taking a bite (okay, maybe more), I knew it was something you guys would love to make at home.

continue to the recipe… about Mozzarella and Tomato Caprese Flatbread

Greek Chicken Gyro Salad

August 13, 2018

Greek food and especially gyros are one of my favorite kind of meals, but since I’m not much of a fan of lamb, it’s my marinated Greek chicken and chickpeas that adds the protein to this easy Greek gyro style salad with a yogurt tzatziki sauce perfect for a meal prep lunch or dinner.

This Greek gyro chicken salad is one of those types of salads that makes a statement, declaring that Mediterranean dishes are just as good in a bowl as they are stuffed in a pita or grilled on a skewer.

This Greek salad is far from contrived, or uppity, or way too out there. It’s just a good, basic salad that covers all the major food groups. I love that this salad can be prepped ahead for take-to-work or school lunches—proven by my Ali Smudge who is obsessed with it.

On busy weeknights, it makes for a super fast dinner. It’s ready to roll for everyone at to eat together, or parceled out as your peeps filter in for meal time.

Because doesn’t it seem that’s more the case than ever these days?continue to the recipe… about Greek Chicken Gyro Salad

Stuffed Zucchini Hasselback Pepperoni Pizza Style

August 9, 2018

Stuffed zucchini takes on a whole new look when it’s cut hasselback-style then stuffed with pepperoni pizza fixins’ for an easy, healthy, all-in-one 6-ingredient meal or pull-apart appetizer.

For most every backyard farmers the question isn’t how to grow zucchini, it’s what to do with it all once the harvest begins. These guys are prolific!

So what are some ways to use up all that zucchini? Stuffed zucchini is likely one of the first recipes on your idea list.

But how about this…how about we make the method even simpler and forgo the scoop and hollow method and simply slice these bad boys hasselback-style instead?

They’re ripe for the stuffing, so let’s get slicing.

continue to the recipe… about Stuffed Zucchini Hasselback Pepperoni Pizza Style

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

August 7, 2018

This Chinese Chicken Salad takes the healthier high road than the heavier versions I always see at those popular food chains that everyone loves. But this one with crunchy romaine, wontons, and an almond crunch, topped with protein-packed chicken breast, pasta noodles, and a flavor-flav sesame dressing.

Lighter fare that totally satisfies is what I’m craving now. And as summer’s flowy skirts and loose-fitting shift dresses morph into fall’s jeans and thigh hugging pants, it seems lighter food is part of my weekly anthem.

Goodbye my fave potato salad and chocolate drizzled ice cream cones dripping down my chin. Hello meal planning, gym going, and my fave weight loss plan.

And that’s where my all-time favorite—and healthier—Chinese Chicken Salad comes in.

I’ve updated this recipe post because I refer to it all the time and it needed some updated love.

I CRAVE this salad, and it’s one I love to make for ladies lunches or for a simple, and lighter meal for a crowd. Because who doesn’t love a good Chinese Chicken Salad anyway?

continue to the recipe… about Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers

August 2, 2018

These easy stuffed peppers are made without rice, and instead filled with healthy ingredients like spiralized zucchini, protein-packed quinoa, and ground turkey sausage for a fast and super healthy all-in-one dinner everyone at the table will love.

The other day I read that the day of the family dinner plate being made up of a main protein (meat, chicken, fish), a side of carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes), and then a side of veggies (carrots, broccoli, whatever is languishing in the fridge), is quickly losing ground as the best idea of what dinner should look like. I grew up on the same idea of that ratio and for many years followed suit.

But thanks to the popularity of meals in bowls, hearty salads served as the main meal, and more all-in-one serving options, the dinner plate has changed. And it’s not only in how we divvy out portion size, but the actual vessel our meal is served in, like using vitamin-packed vegetables such as sweet potatoes, every squash imaginable, and cabbage leaves, just to name a few.

And at our house, there’s really no more versatile vegetable-to-bowl main ingredient than the almighty bell pepper.continue to the recipe… about Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

July 24, 2018

This easy caprese pasta salad recipe steeps cherry tomatoes in a garlic-infused oil that becomes the dressing over any type of pasta with sliced mozzarella, capers, lemon, and basil making it a healthy potluck recipe that’s perfectly ripe for brunch, lunch, or a dinner everyone will love.

This is a re-do of one of my favorite tomato pasta salad recipes I published my first year of blogging. I’ve been making this caprese pasta salad on repeat ever since the clock struck summer, but it’s very likely that many of you haven’t ever even seen it, and that’s a darn shame because it’s just too good to miss.

So after looking at it so many times already this summer, I thought it could use a refresh. And so here it is once again, with a spit shine, some new photos, and a video to show you easy it will be for you to make it too.

I’m a huge fan of summer’s fresh tomatoes, especially when my garden starts producing my beloved cherry tomatoes I pop straight into my mouth like candy. So back in August of 2011 when I spied this recipe on the Martha Stewart Living cover peeking over the others on the grocery store rack, there wasn’t a question whether the issue would be coming home with me.

And that’s why this salad has been in my summer recipe-making-repertoire ever since.continue to the recipe… about Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

Baby Back Ribs In the Instant Pot

July 15, 2018

This week’s forecast is: BABY BACK RIBS! And while you may think that baby back ribs on the grill are best, the fact of the matter is that baby back ribs first cooked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker then finished off quick in the oven can be cooked in under 30 minutes (!!!) and still deliver that amazing fall off the bone, barbecue flavor.

This recipe is brought to you by the Kroger Mobile App

Last year my mom and dad gave away their grill. My dad had rebuilt that thing at least five times over the years, but as the grill got older as they have too, the good old Char Broil just really didn’t see much grilling action anymore. So off to the trash heap it went.

However, my dad’s love affair with BBQ ribs will always remain strong. So when I was making my weekly meal prep plan that included taking dinner up to their house one night, I was thrilled to see baby back pork ribs were on sale and half price on my Kroger app’s 2-day Digital Deal. So with the tap of my finger, the deal was added to my grocery list and off to the grocery store I went.

Because while my dad loves his ribs, he loves a deal even more. And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.continue to the recipe… about Baby Back Ribs In the Instant Pot

Easy Greek Chicken Kebabs

June 12, 2018

Boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in the traditional Greek flavors of lemon, garlic and oregano then threaded on skewers with a few veggies makes these grilled chicken kebabs an easy and healthy weeknight dinner winner.

Dinner on the grill makes up about 95% of our summer dinner cooking routine, and with so much variety to be had (pork, steak, shrimp, and even cheese!) cooking skewers and kebabs is an easy, all-in-one healthy dinner that take as little as 15 minutes to marinate only about 15 minutes for the chicken kebabs to cook on the grill.

I’m not sure when I dropped the shish in shish kebabs, but whether you spell them kebabs or kababs, or maybe call them skewers too, these small chunks of chicken threaded on wooden or metal skewers with vegetable chunks are incredibly versatile to make.

Nearly every cuisine has it’s own ethnic flavor of chicken kebab (Indian, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Thai) as a popular street food to eat on the go.

But today we’re staying at home to make our own, and cure my summertime Mediterranean flavor-craving with grilled Greek chicken kebabs, all day, all the way, babe-ae.

How to Make the Greek Chicken Marinade

This greek marinade is my favorite go-to recipe for anything and everything chicken and it does double duty as a dressing for salads too.continue to the recipe… about Easy Greek Chicken Kebabs

Chipotle Lime Shrimp Bowls

May 8, 2018

Quick, easy, and totally flavorful, these Chipotle Lime Shrimp Bowls with brown rice, black beans, and served with tomatoes and avocado are just the right level of adobo spice with a touch of honey to sweeten up meal prep for any lunch or dinner.

When I looked over and read what her t-shirt said, I thought of several people I know who spend at least part of every day feeling exactly the same way.

Hangry. Hungry + angry = Hangry.

Personally, its rare that I ever get to the hangry stage because I work from home, so when I’m hungry, I can dart into the kitchen to make a quick lunch, grab a handful of almonds, or whip up my fave afternoon yogurt + berries + granola snack. But it’s highly likely I’m in the minority.

Enter #hangry.

This rice bowl recipe comes from the new cookbook aimed at solving that dreaded meal-time dilemma of getting nutritious meals in the belly when time isn’t always on your side. The Weekday Lunches and Breakfasts Cookbook: Easy and Delicious Home-Cooked Meals for Busy Families by Mary Younkin of the food blog Barefeet In the Kitchen, serves up super-simple breakfasts and lunches that work for everyone at the table. Or if you’re like me, easy to eat at the desk too.

Filled with recipes for quick, easy, and make-ahead breakfasts and lunches, this is the busy person’s cookbook with freezer storage suggestions and easy to reheat directions galore.

Over on my Instagram stories I took a poll and asked your opinion which recipe I should make from the book, and not surprisingly, this Chipotle Lime Shrimp Bowls came out on top. And here’s why… continue to the recipe… about Chipotle Lime Shrimp Bowls

Beyond Easy Chicken Mole Enchiladas

May 3, 2018

This super easy, no-cook, homemade mole sauce is made from scratch, and gives regular chicken enchiladas a delicious twist for a super fast Mexican dinner to meal prep or even throw together for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

I recently heard about a study that reported that no matter how many recipes they have on their Pinterest wish list or the dog eared in their favorite cookbooks, the home cook generally makes the same 15-20 recipes over and over and over again.

Now, on one hand, this limited recipe strategy can be a bonus, because:

They’re recipes you know you and your family will eat.
They’re proven recipes that work.
Since you’re familiar with them, there’s no time wasted leaning into a recipe learning curve.

But on the other hand, those recipes can get you totally get stuck in a rut. And who wants to be the boring cook in the kitchen anyway??!!

Today’s recipe is a hybrid of one of my go-to recipes to cook (enchiladas) with a twist (mole sauce!), because:

It’s totally familiar = enchiladas. Approachable = chicken. But with the addition of just two ingredients to regular enchilada sauce, this recipe gets serious brownie points for uniqueness.
When they’re as easy to make as these, enchiladas are pretty much impossible to screw up.
All you need to know about these babies is how to use a blender, an oven, and how to roll with the best of them.

How to Make Mole Enchiladas

Because mole sauce isn’t found at most ordinary Mexican American restaurants, many people aren’t familiar with it which leads to the most popular questions about mole sauce: what is mole made of and what does mole taste like?continue to the recipe… about Beyond Easy Chicken Mole Enchiladas

31 Healthy Mexican Recipes to Make in May

April 30, 2018

These 31 healthy Mexican dinner recipes are ones you can feel good about, whether you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, or just your average weeknight.

Happy May!

Cinco de Mayo is fast-approaching, and while I really don’t need an excuse or a designated day to enjoy Mexican food, I will definitely jump at a holiday that encourages me to celebrate by eating a taco or two! Are you with me?

Mexican food is one of my favorites and the proof is in the number of recipes here on the blog like my favorite guacamole to slow cooker Chile Verde, to stuffed pasilla peppers here in my recipe archives. But today we’re leaning into our healthier main meal frame of mind and that’s where these 31 recipes come in.

These 31 recipes are all weeknight-friendly (you can make many of them in just 30 minutes), low-carb, and full of lean protein and veggies. Plus, there are several seafood and vegetarian options. Guilt-free, easy Mexican meals you can make any night of the week? Now that calls for my favorite margarita! Because you know…balance.

From burrito bowls that blow Chipotle out of the water, to big, hearty salads with all of the fixins, these 31 healthy Mexican recipes are the perfect way to kick off May and celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Make meal planning your month of meals a snap.

First, download this free printable weekly meal planner/to-do list to fill in, tape to the fridge, take to the grocery store, or use for reference next year when you can’t remember what the heck were your fave recipes from this one.

And then sign up for your free weekly meal plan and prep list here.

You get the idea. Now let’s dig in.

These lightened-up Mexican meals are coming at you just in time for Cinco de Mayo! So without further ado…

May 1: One-Pot Mexican Shrimp Orzo with Zucchini

FoodieCrush

One pot and 30 minutes are all you need to make this easy orzo made primarily with pantry staples you likely already have hanging around. It’s studded with plenty of healthy shrimp and zucchini, and is full of great Mexican flavors, making it an obvious choice for any night of the week!

May 2: Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole

Well Plated

Casseroles are notoriously known for excessive calories and globs of cheese, but not this one. It’s made with protein-packed quinoa, black beans, and chicken, and has a healthy does of veggies. And thanks to Greek yogurt and a reasonable amount of cheese, it’s just as creamy and satisfying as a casserole should be.

May 3: Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Stuffed peppers are the ultimate comfort food and these babies are low-carb, gluten-free, perfectly cheesy and spicy, and they come together in just 20 minutes!

May 4: Healthy Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls

Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Inspired by Mexican street corn (yaas), these colorful burrito bowls are guilt-free and full of so much awesome flavor.

May 5: Kale Taco Salad with Roasted Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette

Plays well with Butter

This kale salad represents what all kale salads should be (totally hearty, tasty, and yes, healthy). This one one is loaded with honey chipotle chicken, black beans, corn, radishes, a quick pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese, and a roasted jalapeño lime vinaigrette that will be your new favorite summer salad dressing, and it’s a keeper in our book.

May 6: Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Freutcake

You know the drill — warm weather means grilling season, and these shrimp tacos with shredded cabbage and avocado crema are definitely worth firing up the grill for. The shrimp are marinated in a citrus-rum mixture beforehand (um, yes please), and everything comes together in under 30 minutes.

May 7: Ground Turkey Tacos in Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Lime Crema

Joyful Healthy Eats

Think outside the tortilla with these ground turkey and lettuce tacos with tomato, avocado, and a super refreshing cilantro lime crema that’s buy delicioso.

May 8: Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs

FoodieCrush

Breakfast for dinner never tasted so good. This crave-worthy classic features tortilla chips, runny eggs, and an authentic enchilada sauce that’ll knock your socks off. Plus, it can be on your table in under 20 minutes.

May 9: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

Skinnytaste

The words enchiladas and light can actually exist in the same sentence. Filled with shredded chicken, white beans, and green chiles, and topped with a green chile enchilada sauce and just enough cheese, these hit the spot.

May 10: DIY Burrito Bowl

Oh She Glows

This gluten-free and vegan burrito bowl is for vegans and carnivores alike. It’s easy, healthy, filling, and completely versatile (try quinoa or cauliflower rice instead of traditional brown or white rice, or mix up the type of beans you use). Whatever you do, definitely don’t miss out on the avocado-lime sauce!

May 11: Instant Pot Chipotle Chili

My Food Story

This super flavorful, chipotle-spiked chili tastes like it spent all day simmering away on the stove, but it only takes 30 minutes in the Instant Pot.

May 12: Meal Prep Carnitas Burrito Bowls

Fit Foodie Finds

Take an hour on a Sunday and prep these yummy bowls for quick and healthy lunches or dinners all week long. You can cook the carnitas in the slow cooker, and while they’re cooking, make your cilantro lime rice, chop your lettuce, and prep your beans and street corn.

May 13: Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad

Cafe Delites

Ditch the carb-heavy tortillas and turn your fajitas into a big, hearty, healthy salad. This one’s bursting with flavor, especially thanks to tender chicken thighs in a chili-lime marinade that doubles as a vinaigrette, stir-fried peppers and onion, and cool, creamy avocado.

May 14: Blackened Fish Taco Salad

Chef De Home

This loaded salad has everything you love about fish tacos — flakey, blackened fish, juicy tomatoes, avocado, kidney beans, red onion, jalapeño, roasted corn, cilantro, and tortilla chips, all on a mixed bed of lettuce and kale. And don’t even get us started on the avocado lime cotija dressing.

May 15: Fresh Huevos Rancheros

Cookie and Kate

If huevos rancheros is on the menu, we’re ordering it. This vegetarian dish may be a popular choice for breakfast and brunch, but we love it so much, we eat it for dinner just as often. And with plenty of protein from refried black beans and a perfectly runny fried egg, it always fills us up.

May 16: Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls

How Sweet Eats

This honey-chipotle marinade has become one of our favorite ways to flavor chicken on the grill. Paired with fluffy coconut-lime quinoa and a fresh and zesty side salad, these chicken bowls are the perfect light but hearty summer dinner we crave.

May 18: Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos

Gimme Some Oven

These healthy vegetarian tacos feature turmeric-roasted cauliflower, black beans, avocado, and a zippy tahini-lime crema you’ll definitely want to put on everything.

May 19: Fiesta Chili Lime Chicken Salad with Mango Avocado Salsa

Little Spice Jar

Marinated chili-lime chicken, avocado, mango salsa, and grilled red peppers bring mega flavor to this satisfying salad that’s so tasty you don’t even need dressing.

May 20: Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce

FoodieCrush

These Baja-style Cajun-spiced fish tacos are filled with a cool and refreshing avocado and cilantro tartar sauce, shredded cabbage, and fresh cilantro, beach-view and cerveza not included (but definitely recommended).

May 21: Skinny Refried Bean & Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Ambitious Kitchen

These refried bean and chicken enchiladas were lightened-up with a few simple tweaks, like baked and shredded chicken breast (instead of rotisserie chicken, which has more calories and fat), less cheese, and refried black beans, feature and a wonderfully authentic homemade enchilada sauce that will have you vowing to never use the store-bought stuff again.

May 22: Beef and Butternut Squash Enchiladas

FoodieCrush

Slow cooker Mexican flavored beef gives these savory enchiladas their start, with a healthy dose of butternut squash to round out the healthier side. Give these an even lighter bite when you go easy on the cheese—if you can.

May 23: 20 Minute Skillet Blackened Shrimp Fajitas

The Recipe Critic

Restaurant-worthy shrimp fajitas in just 20 minutes? We’re so there.

May 24: Vegetarian Chili

A Beautiful Plate

You won’t miss the meat in this hearty, nutritious, and smoky 3-bean chili, made with fire-roasted tomatoes, toasted ancho chili peppers, veggies, and kale.

May 25: Skinny Taco Salad

Well Plated

Forget the soggy, bland iceberg lettuce and greasy ground beef taco salads you used to know, because this one’s getting a healthier (and tastier) makeover. Made with lean ground turkey, black beans, crispy tortilla strips, tomatoes, avocado, crunchy romaine lettuce, and a Greek yogurt salsa dressing (yes, please), this taco salad will be your new favorite.

May 26: Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

Two Peas and Their Pod

This slow-cooker shredded Mexican chicken takes just 10 minutes to prep and is perfect for your next DIY burrito bowl, tacos, salad, nachos, and more.

May 27: Mexican Grilled Chicken Tacos

RecipeTin Eats

A bold marinade brings awesome flavor to the grilled chicken in these Mexican street food-inspired tacos. Even if you skip the taco part, make. this. chicken, because it’s all about that marinade, baby.

May 28: Chickpea Corn Fiesta Salad

Brewing Happiness

This 30-minute vegetarian salad (easily made vegan, by the way), starts with a bed of crisp romaine that then gets topped with crunchy tortilla strips, spiced chickpeas, corn, poblano pepper, avocado, and cotija cheese, and tossed with a lemon-honey dressing.

May 29: Enchilada Style Baked Chicken

The Harvest Kitchen

You can have the whole enchilada with this easy, low-carb chicken, baked with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and a homemade enchilada sauce. It all get topped with cheese, green onions, cilantro, and black olives, and it seriously could not be simpler to make.

May 30: Grilled Steak Tacos

FoodieCrush

Steak doesn’t have to be expensive. These tacos call for flank steak — an inexpensive but super flavorful cut that’s perfect for the grill. The steak’s marinated in a spicy, tangy citrus-adobo sauce, so it’s nice and tender and bursting with flavor. Top the tacos with some chopped onion and tomato, cotija cheese, avocado, fresh cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime, and you’ll really be livin’ right.

May 31: Mexican Cobb Salad

What’s Gaby Cooking

The classic cobb gets a Mexican spin with this totally loaded but healthy salad recipe. It’s got shredded romaine, spicy sautéed shrimp, black beans, cheese, guac, and pico de gallo, and we could seriously eat this salad every day.

This recipe round-up was curated and written by FoodieCrush contributor Hayley Putnam of Seven Day Weekend. Follow her foodie tastes and other flights of fancy on Pinterest and Instagram.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting FoodieCrush. Have something to say or a recipe round-up request to make your dinnertime meal making easier? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at heidi@foodiecrush.com or let me know in the comments below.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

Thanks for reading and subscribe to FoodieCrush to have each post delivered straight to your e-mail box.

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30 Healthier Spring Pasta Recipes to Make in April

April 3, 2018

These 30 irresistible, lighter, healthier spring pasta recipes are simple and perfect for when you’re craving carbs but don’t want to feel weighed down.

Happy April!

We’re pretty happy to greet spring’s arrival, because that means fresh produce, flowers, and all things green—and the start of rosé season, of course.

So when the weather shifts from snowflakes falling to daffodils blooming, our food cravings shift as well, from heavy comfort foods to lighter fare. We’re big fans of pasta around here—it’s basically our spirit animal—and we crave it on the regular. But come spring, we find ourselves trading in the noodles cloaked in rich cream and meaty red sauces for lighter, simply-sauced dishes with fewer calories and big flavors.

These lighter pastas highlight seasonal veggies like asparagus, peas, and greens, and are seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon, and you can throw many of them together in 30 minutes or less, making them totally weeknight-friendly.

And so without further ado, here are 30 lighter, easy, spring green pasta recipes to make in April!

Make meal planning your month of meals a snap.

And then sign up for your free weekly meal plan and prep list here.

You get the idea. Now let’s dig in.

These pretty spring pastas will totally put some pep in your step, so go green or go home!

April 1: Linguini and Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

FoodieCrush

This perfectly garlicky, always delicious and popular seafood dish gets a healthy makeover with a mix of zucchini noodles and whole wheat linguini, and it’s also made with a lot less butter (your hips will thank you).

April 2: One-Pot Spring Pasta with Dill + Lemony Vinaigrette

With Food + Love

Take what you know about macaroni salad and throw it out the window, because you’re going to want this dill and lemon-flavored pasta on repeat all spring and summer-long.continue to the recipe… about 30 Healthier Spring Pasta Recipes to Make in April

One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini

March 26, 2018

This easy shrimp, zucchini, and orzo pasta recipe straddles the line between a one-pot pasta a 30-minute meal dinner. But with a healthy dose of zucchini and a bit of heat from Mexican flavors, it should actually fall into the wonder-pot category, because it’s all the healthy flavor bites all in one.

When readers share their biggest challenge with cooking and eating more healthily, 98% of them have exactly the same problem. (btw, email me yours!)

It isn’t lack of desire.

It isn’t lack of recipe ideas or inspiration.

And it isn’t a lack of skill.

The number one challenge is always the same: Finding the time to shop, prep, and cook homemade meals with real good real food.

That’s why having a stocked pantry, along with a couple of long-lasting fresh ingredients plus a few freezer staples is my way to successfully challenge that challenge.

continue to the recipe… about One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini

Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Broccoli and Tomato

March 20, 2018

Chicken quinoa bowls have staked their healthy claim on quick and easy meal-prep dinners that are flexible enough to mix and match ingredients for take-to-work lunches that never get boring, too.

This quinoa bowl combines what seems to be my ever-lasting, default flavor combo, inspired by Mediterranean flavors ala Donny and Marie: it’s a little bit Italian, and a little bit Greek goddessness. And it all taste good to me.

Over the years I’ve found myself adopting more and more recipes inspired by the Mediterranean diet to my weekly eating plan. I eat more anitoxidant-rich vegetables and fruits (avocado all day!), healthy legumes and whole grains, and loads of fresh herbs. I don’t eat a whole lot of red meat, but chicken, turkey, and EFA-loaded fish like salmon are my friends and olive oil tinged with lemon is one of my favorite flavorings.

And wine. Yes, wine is heart-healthy too.

I’ve known about the heart-healthy benefits of the Mediterranean style of eating ever since my days designing health and wellness magazines, way back when you had to shop for quinoa in specialty health food stores and when my editors made sure I didn’t sound alike a complete goof when I said “kwin-O-aaa” instead of “KEEEN-wa.” Bless their hearts, they were always looking out for me.continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Broccoli and Tomato

20 Easy Healthy Cauliflower Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight

March 15, 2018

Cauliflower might be the most versatile vegetable. You can roast it, steam it, grill it like a steak, puree it like mashed potatoes, or grate it and eat it like rice. These 20 fast and healthy cauliflower dinner recipes prove cauliflower is a whole lot more than just a side dish, but is also great for easy meal prep and exactly what we need to carry us through a busy week.

Cauliflower is stealthy. It’s like the Madonna or Tilda Swinton of vegetables, always reinventing itself and morphing into something new.

Gone are the days when it existed solely as part of a boring medley of steamed broccoli and carrots. Now it’s “riced,” or mashed into a creamy deliciousness that often rivals even the best mashed potatoes, cut into steaks and grilled, and pureed into a healthier creamy chowder soup that’s so decadent you’d swear it had heavy cream. Cauliflower keeps us guessing and keeps us on our toes.

That’s why we’re big fans of this cruciferous veggie. There are endless ways to enjoy it, and since its flexible nature and creamy texture allows us to trick our brain into thinking we’re eating regular rice, pizza dough, and mashed potatoes, it totally satisfies our carb cravings (in a healthier, forgiving way).

Heck yes for sneaky brain tricks!

*But first, A QUESTION*

I’m experimenting with the best day of the week to share recipe round-up posts like this one so they’re most helpful for you.

so….

Will you please answer the following poll:

Which day of the week is most helpful to receive meal-planning recipe ideas?

To see the other posts in this Meal Plan series, check out the following:continue to the recipe… about 20 Easy Healthy Cauliflower Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight

dinner

Roast Chicken Recipe

How to Make the Greek Chicken Marinade

How to Make Mole Enchiladas

Make meal planning your month of meals a snap.

May 1: One-Pot Mexican Shrimp Orzo with Zucchini

FoodieCrush

May 2: Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole

Well Plated

May 3: Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

May 4: Healthy Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls

Chelsea’s Messy Apron

May 5: Kale Taco Salad with Roasted Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette

Plays well with Butter

May 6: Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Freutcake

May 7: Ground Turkey Tacos in Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Lime Crema

Joyful Healthy Eats

May 8: Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs

FoodieCrush

May 9: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

Skinnytaste

May 10: DIY Burrito Bowl

Oh She Glows

May 11: Instant Pot Chipotle Chili

My Food Story

May 12: Meal Prep Carnitas Burrito Bowls

Fit Foodie Finds

May 13: Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad

Cafe Delites

May 14: Blackened Fish Taco Salad

Chef De Home

May 15: Fresh Huevos Rancheros

Cookie and Kate

May 16: Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls

How Sweet Eats

May 18: Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos

Gimme Some Oven

May 19: Fiesta Chili Lime Chicken Salad with Mango Avocado Salsa

Little Spice Jar

May 20: Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce

FoodieCrush

May 21: Skinny Refried Bean & Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Ambitious Kitchen

May 22: Beef and Butternut Squash Enchiladas

FoodieCrush

May 23: 20 Minute Skillet Blackened Shrimp Fajitas

The Recipe Critic

May 24: Vegetarian Chili

A Beautiful Plate

May 25: Skinny Taco Salad

Well Plated

May 26: Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

Two Peas and Their Pod

May 27: Mexican Grilled Chicken Tacos

RecipeTin Eats

May 28: Chickpea Corn Fiesta Salad

Brewing Happiness

May 29: Enchilada Style Baked Chicken

The Harvest Kitchen

May 30: Grilled Steak Tacos

FoodieCrush

May 31: Mexican Cobb Salad

What’s Gaby Cooking

This recipe round-up was curated and written by FoodieCrush contributor Hayley Putnam of Seven Day Weekend. Follow her foodie tastes and other flights of fancy on Pinterest and Instagram.

Make meal planning your month of meals a snap.

April 1: Linguini and Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

FoodieCrush

April 2: One-Pot Spring Pasta with Dill + Lemony Vinaigrette

With Food + Love

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals