The Best New Way to Bring Your Lunch I’ll admit it—my workday lunches can get pretty boring. I always think I’m going to finally make use of all those delicious recipes I’ve been pinning away, but then nighttime rolls around and I’m too busy watching really important things like The Bachelorette and Vampire Diaries. And then morning comes, and I’m running around like a headless chicken and I’m lucky if I remember my keys and bus pass on the way out the door, let alone find time to throw a tasty lunch together. But with a teensy amount of planning, delicious lunches can be just a few easy steps away. Why mason jars, you might ask? There really are only two rules to the mason jar salad: Start with the dressing or sauce, and end with the lettuce and herbs. The best part is you can make five salads at a time, and they’ll stay fresh for the whole week—just grab and go on your way out the door! To get you going, check out three of my favorite recipes, ingredients listed in layering order. Caprese Pasta Salad 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Quick and Easy Recipes We all have those days where it seems as though there simply aren't enough hours in the day. That's why we put together our favorite 15-minute recipes, so you can still enjoy a delicious meal even when you're short on time! Our list is complete with breakfast, lunch and dinner options that can all be prepared without spending countless hours in the kitchen. Check out the slideshow above to get the recipes! Tags: Dinner, Quick, Easy
77 Healthy Crock-Pot Recipes Crazy schedules, long work hours, and tempting takeout menus make it tough to even think about cooking most nights during the week. Despite the inconvenience, firing up the stove or oven is almost always cheaper and healthier than ordering in or eating out. How about a compromise? Breakfast 1. Tart apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and walnuts — what’s not to love? 2. Why not begin the day with a protein-rich superfood like quinoa? 3. This vegetarian burrito filling includes loads of vegetables, beans, and eggs. 4. Making yogurt from scratch is takes some time, but it’s hands-off with a slow cooker and it’s much cheaper than buying it at the supermarket. 5. This healthy treat is usually served after dinner, but it works just as well in the morning. 6. For the meat eaters out there, here’s an easy pork-based burrito filling that can be made overnight. 7. Forget the constant stirring and standing at the stove. 8. 9. 10. 11. Hosting a brunch party? 12. 13. 14. 15. Soups and Stews 16. 18. 19.
Spin on Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers: BBQ Peanut. These BBQ Peanut Sweet Potato Burgers are a spin on one of my fave veggie burger recipes. This time around, I added in some bold BBQ flavors via dry BBQ spices and smoky sweet BBQ sauce. Plus some nutty, amazing crushed roasted peanuts to pump up the burger texture. This southern-inspired recipe really made me swoon. Toppings!!.. The basics: rice, beans and crushed peanuts. Go for a juicy, ripe tomato sliced on top.. Side of vegan tater tots .. compliments of Trader Joe's freezer section. Guys, I have to vent, things are pretty crazy at Healthy Happy Life headquarters. But stress is good! And even though my work revolves around food, I still adore pleasure cooking. So with that, lets all get in the kitchen and whip up these fun burgers. Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers: Peanut BBQvegan, makes 5-6 patties sides: slaw, sweet potato tots (from Trader Joe's! Directions: 1. Notes: * Not So Nutty? * BBQ flavors. * To Bake or Saute? *Enjoy* Have you checked out all my smoothie book updates?
No Knead Bread: so easy a 4-yr old can make it! Monday, September 10, 2007 No Knead Bread: so easy a 4-yr old can make it! It’s been almost a year since NY Times unveiled the secret to the revolutionary No-Knead Bread. And while fads come and go, this certainly is a recipe that has transcended the fickleness of foodies. It’s time to revisit the bread…. as many of us have been brainwashed by this summer’s ice cream! We’ve made close to 60 loaves since last November and I’ve got to tell you, it is still one of our family’s favorite things to eat. I firmly believe that every person should bake a loaf of bread at least once in their lifetime. No Knead Bread recipe so insanely brilliant – no sticky fingers, no doughy mess, no intricate measuring, no complicated kneading. So, without further blabbering, I’ve pimped out my son to demonstrate that baking No Knead Bread is so simple a 4-year old can do it. Of course I had to bribe him with 2 temporary tattoos. So, let’s start. 3 cups of bread flour in a big bowl. 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast:
Pantry List By: Vered DeLeeuw A well-stocked pantry can save you from what happened to me yesterday. It was 6pm, we had just arrived from the kids’ gymnastics class, and I had absolutely no idea what to make for dinner. Eventually I decided to make a quick pasta dish – spaghetti with olive oil and oregano. But alas, there was no pasta in the house and only a tiny bit of olive oil left. Now, don’t get me wrong – the occasional pizza dinner is fine. A pantry list is a great way to make sure you always have the basic staples in the house – those that would enable you to quickly put together a homemade, healthy meal. If you need help creating your pantry list, take a look at mine. DRIED GOODSCoffee, teaCornmeal, cornstarchDry cerealsAll purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour Granulated Sugar, powdered sugarJellies, jams and preservesPeanut butterRice Pasta PopcornNuts and seeds BASIC BAKING SUPPLIESBaking PowderBaking SodaOatmealChocolate ChipsDark chocolateBrown sugarVanilla Extract HoneyRaisins
Cajun Chicken Pasta Note: Since this recipe is featured on the Food Network episode this morning, I’m bringing it to the front for easy reference. This really is one of my favorite recipes here on The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and I regularly hear from people who’ve made it with great success. Crowd-pleaser! This is an exceedingly yummy, decadent pasta dish with chicken, vegetables, and lots and lots of scrumptious carbs. It’s a cinch to throw together, and if you don’t have prepared Cajun spice in your cabinet, you can just throw a few spices together to make your own combination. Just remember: part of the deliciousness of this pasta dish is the spicy kick. Here’s how you make it. The Cast of Characters: boneless, skinless chicken breast, olive oil, butter, Cajun spice (make your own or buy the prepared stuff; whichever you prefer), salt, pepper, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, fresh parsley, low sodium chicken broth, white wine, and heavy cream. Oh. Then slice the pepper down the middle.
German Style Soft Pretzels Maybe it is my German background… or maybe my love of all things salty, but I think nothing is better than a hot pretzel. Soft pretzels are great, but they are only good fresh. Luckily they are not too tough to make at home. The following recipe may look long, but it is easier than making bread. In order to give the pretzels a dunk in boiling water gives them their chewy skin. Ingredients:1 teaspoon instant yeast1 tablespoon malt powder or brown sugar2 to 3 cups all-purpose unbleached or bread flour1 teaspoon salt1 cup warm milk (approximately 110 degrees, which is 1 minute in my microwave)Directions:Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until it forms a ball.
Crispy Baked Spicy Pumpkin Wontons Sadly, I haven’t always been kind to pumpkins. Quickly dismissed as something to be decorated and displayed, while other squashes make the cut and are happily cooked and eaten. That all changed last year when I tried pumpkin curry for the first time at a Thai restaurant. I had an epiphany; pumpkin is yummy in a savory dish. No longer shunned, I grabbed a couple cans from Trader Joe’s mountain of canned organic pumpkin puree before they’re all gone (15 oz can for $1.99). Baked wontons are easy and quick to assemble, especially using the canned pumpkin. For the savory filling, I went with Asian-inspired flavors and Sriracha sauce for its fiery kick. Crispy Baked Spicy Pumpkin WontonsMakes about 24 wontons 24 wonton wrappers 1/2 of a 15 oz can pumpkin puree 3/4″ piece of fresh ginger, minced 1 green onion stalk, finely chopped 1 teaspoon soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste Sriracha hot chili sauce to taste Olive oil 1 package Tofutti cream cheese non-hydrogenated plain
Broccoli Cheese Soup: Panera Bread Copycat Recipe On Wednesday my sister and I volunteered to make the soup supper to go with the Advent service at church. Before you go thinking I'm some kind of charitable, goodhearted soul, I must tell you that the only reason that I do it is because I LOVE COOKING. In case you hadn't figured that out yet. Okay, so I was like, "Whadaya think, Nemo? Will two huge pots of soup, a crockpot full of barbequed meatballs, five trillion chicken salad sandwiches, fifty thousand and two loaves of bread, and a couple bazillion desserts cover it?" Well, it would have, except everybody had to try a huge bowl of BOTH kinds of soup AND meatballs. Barbequed meatballs in broccoli soup. I had to leave the room. Anyways, we ran out of soup after about ten minutes of serving. So during church I had a sudden inspiration (um, Pastor, if you're reading this, that was a typo. Anways, I burst out of church and ran up to my friend screaming, "Hey guess what!! Yeah. I mean it would be like getting paid to have fun. Okay.
Easy as hell pizza balls by ~1stFrostfirewolf on deviantART