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When I created this recipe I didn't expected the dressing to be the star of the show, but WOW. So flavorful, simple, healthy, versatile and delicious. I have been putting it on everything: salads, sandwiches and pizzas have been my go to's but the opportunities are endless. I made 4 batches of this this week between my boyfriend and I... I mean how can you look at that drool worthy drip and not crave ranch (or bleu cheese). I created the dressing so that it works for both bleu cheese lovers (me) and bleu cheese haters (aka the ranch folk). Whether you leave it as a creamy ranch or pump things up with bleu cheese crumbles it will soon be a staple in your fridge for all things drizzled, dunked, spooned, dipped and dodged. Kidding about that last one but you get the idea. I purposely held off on posting this recipe until I had the chance to drizzle it over this weekends buffalo chicken pizza and oh my goshhhhh. You NEED to try. It brings pizza to another level. If you haven't tried our healthy Low Carb High Protein Pizza Crust you are missing out. I mean how pretty does that look. Okay now back to lunch and these creamy buffalo chicken wraps. The wraps are ideal for a quick, easy and light lunch. I love to roll the chicken, lettuce and dressing up in a #Josephspita lavash wrap but sometimes I'll opt for a nice fluffy sandwich roll when I want a heartier variation. Personally I love chunks of ripe red tomatoes in my buffalo chicken sandwich but if that's not your thing feel free to leave out! Something I swear by in my buffalo chicken wraps are sliced scallions and I promise even if you don't usually use these, give them a try! Scallions give the sandwich that little bit of bite like an onion but they provide a much subtler flavor, which is always nice. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps with Healthy Ranch/Bleu Cheese Dressing 8 servings | 25 minutes Ingredients: Buffalo Chicken: 1.5 lbs chicken breast 1/2 cup hot sauce 2 tbsp water Optional: 1 tsp ranch seasoning Optional: 1/2 tsp buffalo seasoning 200g celery, diced 100g tomatoes, diced 2 oz plain greek yogurt Dressing: 2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp dried dill 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp lemon juice 8 oz plain greek yogurt 1/4 cup water For bleu cheese variation: 2 oz bleu cheese crumbles Wrap: 8 cups romaine lettuce 8 tortilla wraps or 4 lavash wraps, halved Directions: To make the buffalo chicken, add the first 5 ingredients to the instant pot. Close the lead and seal the vent. Place it on poultry for 15 minutes (if starting from frozen chicken breasts, set the instant pot for 20 minutes). Once the time is up, allow it to naturally release for 5 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, prep the dressing. In a mason jar combine all of the dressing ingredients, shake until well combined. For ranch dressing simply omit the bleu cheese and for bleu cheese dressing, include it! Personally I’m team bleu cheese but I know it’s not everyone’s favorite. After mixing, place the dressing in the fridge until ready to eat. Chop the lettuce into pieces. Wash it and set it aside. Once the instant pot is done cooking and it has naturally released, open the lid and remove the chicken. Using two forks, a handheld or stand mixer, shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the instant pot and mix it into the seasonings. If there’s excess liquid place the instant pot on brown/sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the plain yogurt, tomatoes and celery. Assemble the wrap by placing a wrap down, a layer of lettuce, a layer of the chicken mixture and a drizzle of the dressing. Roll the wrap up, slice and enjoy. Optional bonus step: for a grilled variation, heat a skillet over medium heat. Spray with non stick spray and place the wrap in the pan, seam side down. Once it browns and seals the wrap, flip and repeat on the second side. Remove, slice and enjoy! Printer Friendly/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition is provided for the chicken mixture and dressing variations. Lettuce and wrap are not included as nutrition facts can vary drastically depending on type of wrap/roll used.

Who else had those delicious Nestle Drumsticks growing up? You know the ones with the hard crunchy chocolate shell filled with vanilla? Well I have recreated these with lower carb ice cream, 4 ingredient homemade chocolate sauce and salty chopped peanuts. In case you haven't stepped outside lately (which is very possible these days)... IT'S SUMMER AND IT'S HOT! The past couple of weeks of this summer have been crazy hot and there's nothing a crave more on a hot summer day than ICE CREAM! I love these because they're hand held, can be made ahead of time and recreating them is a fun (a little messy) family activity! This 4 ingredient chocolate sauce is drastically lower in carbs than the store-bought variety and hardens perfectly over that big scoop of vanilla ice cream and seals in everyones favorite crunchy outside. In order to freeze these I actually made use of an overturned old egg carton. Simply poke a hole and inserted the cone through it so it didn't fall over in the fridge. If you don't have one of these on hand a short and narrow cup (like a juice glass) will do the trick as well! Homemade Healthy Drumstick 2 cones | Prep time: 20 minutes Notes: mix up the crunchy toppings and the ice cream flavors to mix things up. Drizzle some of the chocolate sauce in the cone for a surprise inside! Ingredients: 1 tbsp powdered peanutbutter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp sugar 2-3 tbsp milk (I used unsweetened original almond milk) 1/2 oz salted peanuts, finely chopped 2 sugar cones 1-2 cups ice cream Directions: Whisk powdered peanutbutter, cocoa powder, sugar and milk together in a bowl. Dip cones into the chocolate mixture to lightly coat the top. Place cones in holders and place in freezer for 5 minutes until sauce has solidified. Remove cones from freezer and evenly fill each with ice cream. Return the cones to the freezer for 15 minutes until ice cream has solidified. While ice cream is freezing, chop peanuts finely and arrange on a plate. Remove the cones from the freezer and roll them in the remaining chocolate sauce until fully covered. Then roll the chocolate covered cones in the peanuts. Return cones to the freezer until fully solidified and you are ready for dessert (at least 20 minutes)! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts are based on using 1 cup of the Breyer's brand no sugar added vanilla ice cream.

Everything you love about a cheeseburger but in a massive salad! Delicious ground beef is flavored with all our favorite cheeseburger condiments, the salad has all of the classic fixings and then the whole thing is drizzled with a garlic aioli dressing you'll want to eat with a spoon. To top it off, croutons made with none other then hamburger buns add the perfect crunch! Of course, the classics are all included in this recipe: mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato and onion but what really brings the flavor here are the added extras. Crunchy pickles and peperonchini come straight from the jar and add a delicious bite. Plus the hamburger bun croutons and garlicky aioli are full of flavor and textures that take this salad to another level. The croutons are the perfect amount of crunchy bread without overwhelming the other flavors because who likes when the burger is entirely lost in its bun?! If time is a big factor, cut this down to a 5 minute recipe using store-bought dressing and croutons. BUT, if you can take the full 15 minutes, I HIGHLY recommend making the croutons from the hamburger buns and twisting our classic garlic aioli into this dressing! So. Good. The garlicky aioli is just as good in dressing form as it is smeared on every sandwich I make, like this Steak Sandwich! Whole Foods was having a huge sale on grass fed 90% ground beef this week so naturally I stocked up. I try and save money wherever I can so I'm constantly stalking the sale flyers, farmers markets and local vendors for the best deals. I always make sure to label and freezer bag individual portions of meat for use later to make sure none of it goes to waste. I love this salad because there's very little prep and you can totally make it your own, just like a burger! I like to slice and dice everything a little differently, shred the lettuce really finely and add ALL the toppings. How do you cheeseburger salad? Cheeseburger Salad with Bun Croutons and Garlic Aioli Dressing 8 servings | Cook time: 15 min | Prep time: 5 min Notes: Cut time using store bought croutons/dressing if you’d like but if you have time, do yourself a favor…make them! Ingredients: Beef: 1 1/2 lb 90% ground beef 1 tbsp ketchup 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1/2 tbsp relish Salt and pepper, to taste Salad: 3-4 hamburger buns 4 cups spinach, shredded 8 cups romaine, shredded 2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped 200g red onion, thinly sliced 8 oz sliced hamburger pickles 8 oz jarred pepperoncinis 4 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese Garlic Aioli Dressing: 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp lemon juice 3 oz plain nonfat greek yogurt 1 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise 1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Dice the hamburger buns into small cubes. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick olive oil spray. Arrange the diced buns on the sheet. Top with another spray of olive oil spray and season with salt. Place the baking sheet in oven to cook for about 15 minutes, turning halfway. They should be toasted and starting to brown. While the croutons are cooking, make the dressing. Sprinkle salt on minced garlic and use the back of a spoon/knife to mash it into a paste. This step can be done using mortar and pestle (if you have that) or just on a cutting board. Add all of the aioli ingredients to a lidded jar and shake to combine. Set aside. Remove the croutons from the oven, set aside. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the beef to the pan and use a wooden spatula to break it up into small pieces. Cook until all of the meat has browned. Once browned, strain the excess grease. Then stir in the ketchup, mustard and relish until well combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Set the beef aside while you assemble the salad. Thinly shred romaine and spinach and arrange as the greens base in the salad. Top with thinly sliced red onion, chopped tomatoes, pickles, pepperoncini and shredded cheese. Top the salad with a scoop of ground beef and croutons. Drizzle the dressing over everything Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts provided for the salad with all toppings, croutons (using 3 large hamburger buns) and beef and then separately for the garlic aioli dressing.

If you’ve ever accidentally burned quinoa you will quickly realize what a lifesaver this set it and forget it method is. Simple. Easy. Perfect. Every time! The perfect proportion of quinoa to liquid in the instant pot is 1 to 1.5, in a normal pot it’s 1 to 2, but liquid doesn’t evaporate in the instant pot (aka no burning!!) so we use slightly less. A worry-free set it and forget method to cooking perfect quinoa every time. No babysitting, no burning and no wait! Not to quote despicable me but... IT'S SO FLUFFY! There's nothing worse than walking away for what you swear is a second and coming back to quinoa burned to the bottom of your pan. Say goodbye to half your dinner and hello to sore biceps from scrubbing the dish clean. Next time try this one minute recipe where the perfect "release time" is whenever you are ready to eat. Seriously I just keep it on keep warm or the lid on until I'm ready to go so it's hot, fluffy and delicious. I refuse to make quinoa any other way. Sharing and Linking #BrainsandBalance Top 5 Pairs for Our Instant Pot Minute Quinoa! Instant Pot Butter Chicken with Homemade Naan Greek Chicken Marinade Red Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry One Skillet Creamy Chicken and Vegetables Greek Turkey Meatballs Minute Instant Pot Quinoa 4 servings | 5 min heat, 1 min cook, 5 min release Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa 1 cup water 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or bone broth (could also just use 1.5 cups water and no broth but I prefer the added flavor the broth gives) Cooking spray 1/2 tsp salt Directions: Spray the instant pot with nonstick spray. Ideally, rinse and strain the quinoa before adding it to the instant pot. Add quinoa, salt, water and broth to pot. Set the instant pot to cook at high pressure for 1 minute (if you are like me and own the crock pot version, I cook it on the rice setting at high and just turn it off after it has counted down for 1 minute). The instant pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure. After the 1 minute of cook time, allow it to naturally release. Fluff and enjoy! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

These delicious and flavorful turkey meatballs can be thrown together in minutes with just a few simple ingredients! The sneaky veggies keep the meatballs so moist with an effortless greek twist. Spinach and fat free feta are the key players here. I mix them in with the meat along with a few spices and you are all set. They are so flavorful and versatile I recommend making a big batch and enjoying all week! Typically I serve these a top a big bowl of grains and greens and as many greek dressings and vegetables I can get my hands on. They are also delicious wrapped up in fluffy pita, served over a warm bowl of lemony noodles or even enjoyed in a sub roll! How you eat them is up to you but we made sure to share all the tips and tricks to enjoying all things greek with them. Scroll down for the links and recipes to make or buy all of our favorite dressings, sides and sauces! If I have fresh parsley on hand I will chop it up and add it but if I don't, I won't and they are still delicious, which is why I made that ingredient optional. As for the fennel, that's a new spice I have been trying and LOVING in these meatballs. It adds a different peppery flavoring that is irresistible. For the original recipe, simply leave this spice out! Greek Turkey Meatballs 4 servings | 25 minutes Ingredients: 12-16 oz ground turkey 2 cups frozen chopped spinach (defrosted) or fresh spinach, chopped and sautéed until wilted 2 oz fat free feta cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp oregano Optional: 1/2 tsp fennel seed Optional: 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with nonstick spray. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Form into 16 meatballs and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 min, turning once. Serve it up over a big bowl of all the Greek fixings! A hearty grain like rice or quinoa. Check out our favorite Minute Instant Pot Quinoa! Pita bread (#josephspitabread pita cut into quarters is a great low carb option or #komlos for a fluffier but still macro friendly option) A big ole greek salad packed with veggies like our Tomato Cucumber Salad, our Quick Pickled Onions, roasted bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, olives, feta etc. Dressings for dipping like my favorite Homemade Tzatziki Dressing, hummus, tahini or lemon juice! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version:

A filling and comforting bowl filled with big bites of summer vegetables, flavors and colors. A massive serving equipped with of all of the good stuff you'll find overflowing in your garden, on display at the local farmers market or on sale at the grocery store right now. Shopping in season is such a great way to save money! I know what you're thinking.. soup in the summer? Well this isn't some heavy can of soup. This soup is filled with fresh bright flavors straight from your overflowing summer garden. With every bite of zucchini, summer squash and asparagus you would swear your garden came to life in the bowl. You will be shocked when you see how big a serving is! The veggies add some much volume and I choose small noodles to ensure there are plenty in every bite! The macros in this soup are fantastic as well. High in protein, full of fiber and lower in carbs and fats. The perfect rainy day companion. Summer Chicken and Vegetable Soup 8 servings | 25 minutes Note: if not using an instant pot use a large pot on the stove and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken to shred and cook an additional 10-15 minutes with the vegetables. Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts 6 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 2/3 cup onions, diced (100g) 1 cup celery, diced (200g) 1 cup carrots, diced (150g) 1/2 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 1/3 cup zucchini, chopped (200g) 1 1/3 cup summer squash, chopped (200g) 1 1/2 cups, asparagus, chopped (200g) 4 oz macaroni Optional: 1 tbsp lemon juice, parsley, greek yogurt Directions: Turn the instant pot onto sauté and add the olive oil, chicken breasts, onions, celery and carrots. Allow to sauté to 2 minutes. After 2 minutes add the garlic, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken, shred it and return it to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients (zucchini, squash, asparagus and macaroni). Close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, release the pressure, stir and, if preferred, add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to cool and thicken and enjoy! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

This is no ordinary apple pie. It's a concoction of your personal creation starting with a base of cinnamon sautéed apples. You wouldn't believe just sautéing your apples with cinnamon would create the heavenly smells and tastes of apple pie in 5 minutes- but it does. Check the full how to video here or scroll down for the drool worthy recipe! This recipe is a go to dessert for me. I LOVE yogurt bowls for dessert in general but this one takes the cake- pun intended. It's so simple and quick people are shocked it tastes this good. These sautéed apples are literally apple pie in minutes. But healthy. And SO much less work. How you dress up the apples is completely up to you. Personally I'm a-nonfat plain greek yogurt (#siggis or #oikos), granola (#purelyelizabeth) broken up into tiny tiny bits of heaven crumbled all over the apples and a dollop of natural penautbutter (#smuckers or #crazyrichards) drizzled everywhere- type of person. But my sister is a- dollop of light cool whip over the apples with crumbled granola (#purelyelizabeth) over the top of that- type of person. Are you a yogurt, cool whip or other? Who knew apple pie was so accommodating to us lazy folk who want to be healthy? Lazy Apple Pie 1 serving | 5 minutes Ingredients: Apple base: 1 apple, diced 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed. 1/2 tsp cinnamon Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla Yogurt version: 1 cup yogurt (I use non fat plain #siggis or #oikos) 15g good quality granola (I use #purelyelizabeth) 1 tbsp natural peanut butter Cool Whip version: 1/2 cup low fat cool whip 15g good quality granola (I use #purely Elizabeth) Directions: Dice the apple into small pieces. Add water, apples, cinnamon and vanilla to the sauté pan over medium heat. Bring the apples to a simmer and cover for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, stir the apples and assess. Water quantity will vary depending on the type, age or quality or the apple. Sometimes there will be excess water at this step and you will have to just simmer the apples until it is absorbed. Sometimes the water will be absorbed but the apple is not soft enough yet, just add some more water and simmer it until they’re your preferred consistency. Sometimes it’ll be done perfectly and you’re good! When the apples are done cooking assemble your bowl: Base of yogurt, topped with sautéed apples and finished with crumbled granola for crunch and natural peanutbutter drizzled on top. Base of sautéed apples, topped with a dollop of cool whip and crumbled granola for crunch. These are just two ideas… get creative and tag @brainsandbalance with your best sautéed apples creation! Step by step how to video: Find it here. Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts provided for apple base, yogurt variation and cool whip variation.

Macaroni salad is a staple side for the summer. It's cool in the hot summer heat and can be prepped ahead of time to bring to the family cookout! The dressing is only 2 ingredients and you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Prep it ahead of time and you are good to go. My favorite part about this salad is all of the colors and vegetables! Crunchy diced vegetables add a stark contrast from the creamy dressing and soft macaroni. This blend of textures, colors and flavors brings this macaroni salad to the next level! Unfortunately many macaroni salads are packed with mayonnaise, sugar, corn starch and preservatives. No, there is nothing wrong with mayonnaise, especially a brand with good ingredients, but it does not hold up well in the summer heat and it adds a lot of unnecessary fat to the dish. Here we replace all of that fat with plain greek yogurt. Same creaminess but with zero fat. Instead we bring in healthy fats and flavor from good quality olive oil, rice vinegar and a basic seasoning mix! It's that simple. Only 2 components to our PERFECT tangy dressing. We served this alongside #traderjoes frozen turkey burgers on a fluffy roll and all the fixings and grilled corn on the cob. It was a perfect oven free summer meal and it's almost too easy which means more time in the pool and less time at the grill! Low Fat Macaroni Salad 4-6 servings | Cook time: 10 minutes | Prep time: 5 minutes Ingredients: 4-6 servings | Cook time: 10 minutes | Prep time: 5 mn 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced (100g) 1/3 cup celery, diced (75g) 1/2 cup red onion, diced (75g) 6 oz elbow pasta 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (4 oz) 1/4 cup (2 oz) Good Seasonings Italian dressing, prepared (or other favorite Italian dressing) Salt and pepper, to taste Optional: chopped parsley Directions: Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt and cook pasta according to packaging. While the pasta is cooking, dice all of the veggies and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the Italian dressing and greek yogurt so there are no lumps. When the pasta is done cooking, strain it and add it to the bowl of dressing. Add the veggies to the macaroni and dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and feel free to add fresh herbs like parsley if you have on hand! Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Toss before serving and enjoy alongside all of your summer classics! Screenshot/Printer friendly version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts based on 5 servings but this can feed anywhere from 4-6 people depending on appetite, person and what the rest of the meal is! Total is about 920g.

This recipe is cooked all in one pan, ONE PAN, even the pasta. The sauce is creamy and packed with flavor. It's the perfect amount of spice thanks to some green chilies and taco seasoning but as always is packed with veggies and protein for a deliciously easy and balanced meal. How can you not drool over that forkful? On this night we used rigatoni because it was what we had on hand but you could use penne, rotini, cavatappi or even mix things up with linguine if you would like! The pasta shape doesn't matter, the flavor does and it's... DELICIOUS. The only must have in this recipe is a pretty big pan, otherwise you might want to half the recipe it or divide between two. My normal size sauté pan makes two servings comfortably but when I up it to four I have to upgrade to a large sauce pan that's wider and deeper. I loved adding spinach at the end for color and extra fiber but feel free to omit it if you don't add spinach to basically every recipe (me). Seriously give this recipe a try, the green chilies add the perfect punch alongside the taco seasoning in this creamy one pan wonder! One Pan Chicken Fajita Pasta 4 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes 1 4 oz can diced green chilies 4 cups unsweetened original almond milk (or other milk of choice) 1 tbsp taco seasoning 2 bell peppers, sliced thinly 4 cups spinach, chopped 1/2 an onion, sliced thinly 2 tsp olive oil 8 oz pasta (penne, rigatoni or rotini) 12-16 oz chicken breast 2 oz pepper jack, cheddar jack, Monterey jack or mozzarella cheese Directions: To a very large sauté or sauce pan (it will be a lot of liquid at first so you need a big one or a deeper one) heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to the sauté pan and season the top side with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the chicken is nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add remaining olive oil to the pan along with peppers, onions and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, green chilies, milk and pasta and stir to combine. Slice the chicken and return it to the pan, stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and lower to a simmer for about 20 minutes, until the liquid reduces down to a creamy sauce. You want to stir every few minutes to ensure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the pasta is cooked stir in the chopped spinach and shredded cheese and allow them to wilt/melt. Remove the pan from the heat and serve hot, topped with some fresh scallions. Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

This recipe is more than an Alfredo, I should call this shrimp and broccoli Mac and Cheese with how thick and creamy this sauce is, with almost no cheese added! The secret creamy ingredient is pumpkin, flavored and spiced to perfection, the end result is this velvety sauce that melts into the shrimp, pasta and veggies. To see us make it step by step check out our video here. The trick here is to undercook the pasta and veggies just barely and let everything bubble around in the sauce until it reduces and sticks to everything. Just be patient, give it a minute and let it get thick, creamy and absolutely delicious. I kept things simple with basic broccoli and zucchini but any vegetables of your choosing would be delicious. The pumpkin adds the creamy velvety texture we all know and love in our Alfredo sauce but instead of getting it from a melted cheddar or other cheese it's from a vegetable! I opted for shrimp in this because it cooks in minutes and I could add it directly to the sauce but any protein would work here. I included the slight modification to the directions if you are using a protein that takes more time to cook, like chicken, in the notes section of the recipe! Shrimp and Broccoli Pumpkin Alfredo 4 servings | 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup canned pumpkin 2 cups unsweetened original almond milk 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 onion, diced 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/8 tsp cayenne (or more depending on spice preference) Salt and Pepper 4 cups broccoli (I also added 2 cups chopped zucchini for bulk and extra veggies) 8 oz whole grain rotini or other pasta of choice 1 lb raw shrimp (can sub for chicken or protein of preference) Directions: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water, stir in pasta and lower the heat to medium. Cover the pot with a steamer basket with the broccoli to steam while the pasta cooks. Stir the pasta 1-2 times during cooking. Note: Undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add diced onion, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in pumpkin and almond milk and bring to a boil. Stir the parmesan in and return to a boil. Lower it to a simmer and add in the shrimp. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until just pink. Remove the pasta and veggies from the boiling water (2 minutes early), strain the pasta and rinse it with water. Stir the pasta and veggies into the shrimp and sauce and allow the sauce to continue cooking until it thickens and reduces, tossing occasionally. Another 5-6 minutes. Serve warm topped with extra fresh cracked pepper and fresh parmesan. Check out our step by step video on #tiktok by clicking here! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

The glaze on this salmon is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy-with notes of maple and chili-it's the perfect counterpart to the sweet sweet pineapple plank the salmon is cooked a top of. By baking the salmon on the pineapple plank, not only does it soak up all of the delicious flavors from the salmon and the glaze, but it calremelizes and softens perfectly. You can eat this dish with a spoon if you'd like! The salsa here is optional, but the plank is not! If you're looking to keep things simple, just omit the pineapple salsa to cut down on ingredients. It serves as a cool and refreshing topping but is by no means required especially when the pineapple plank can provide the necessary sweetness in this dish. Serve alongside rice and a fresh vegetable for a healthy and balanced meal! I baked this salmon on a baking sheet in the oven but it could just as easily be done on the grill. I think I'll try that next time! Just rub the glaze all over the salmon and bake it directly on the pineapple plank! Maple Chili Salmon with Pineapple Plank and Pineapple Salsa 4 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 sockeye salmon filets (about 6 oz each) 1 tbsp maple syrup 1/4 tsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chili lime seasoning or 1 tsp chili powder and 1/4 tsp lime zest 1 tsp salt 1 small pineapple (whole, you will use this for both the salmon and the salsa) For the salsa: 1/3 cup diced pineapple 1/2 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup diced bell pepper 1/4 cup diced red onion 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped 1/2 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tsp salt Optional: 1/2 tsp lime cilantro seasoning Directions: Using a sharp knife, remove the top and bottom of the pineapple then remove the remaining skin. Stand the pineapple up tall and slice the whole thing into 1/2” thick planks. Start at the outside of one side until you reach the core then turn the pineapple around and repeat on the other side. Depending on the size of the pineapple you should be able to get 4-6 1/2” thick planks each about 80g in weight. Set 4 planks aside and dice the remaining planks and remaining fruit attached to the core into small pieces. You will need about 1/3 cup or 80g for the salsa. Preheat the oven to 400 and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange 4 pineapple planks on the sheet. Top each plank with a salmon filet. I used #traderjoes frozen sockeye salmon filets that I defrosted. Whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, chili powder, lime and salt in a bowl. Divide the spice mixture between the 4 filets and use your hands or the back of a spoon to evenly distribute it throughout the fish. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the fish is flaky. While the salmon is baking combine the salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside. When the salmon is done, remove from the oven and serve alongside jasmine rice and topped with the cool salsa. Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition provided for the planked salmon and pineapple salsa separately for easier tracking.

Giving one of our classic and most favorite recipes a tune up! We took everyone's favorite mini meatloaf cups, stuffing them in a roll and topping with these yummy air fried crispy onions! Still healthy. Still tastes like moms. Still delicious. But this one you can eat with your hands! The perfect 25 minute week night meal! I recommend making a huge batch of these on Sunday night and having them for dinner with mashed potatoes. Then using the leftovers throughout the week for more casual meatloaf sandwiches with these tasty crispy onions! A modern take on a traditional favorite- all in one one sandwich! Meatloaf Burger with Crispy Onions 4 servings | 25 minutes Ingredients: For the sandwich: Mini Meatloaf Cups (8 cups) (screenshot friendly recipe below) 4 rolls For the crispy onions: Original unsweetened almond milk 1 onion (~100g), sliced thinly 1/4 cup flour Salt and Pepper Directions: Bake the mini meatloaves in the oven at 400F for 25 minutes. The detailed directions can be found here. While the meatloaves are cooking prepare the onions. Slice the onion into thin strips. Arrange in a bowl and add enough almond milk to cover. Allow onions to soak for 10-15 minutes (this helps them not burn). Whisk salt, pepper and flour in a bowl. Remove the onions from the milk and toss in the flour until fully coated. Spray the bottom of the air fryer with nonstick spray. Add onions, separating any big clumps, and spray the top of the onions with another spray of nonstick spray. Bake the onions in the air fryer at 300F for 15-20 minutes. Toss the onions every 5 minutes and remove once they’re brown and crispy. Slice the rolls in half, spray with nonstick spray and pop in the oven to toast for the last few minutes of the loaves baking. Remove the meatloaf cups and rolls from the oven. Place the meatloaf cups in the roll and top with crispy onions. Cover with the top half of the bun and dig in! Screenshot Friendly Versions: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts included for 2 mini meatloaf cups and a serving of crispy onions. Nutrition facts for roll not included as they may vary depending on brand.