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This pizza dough is unlike any other. It's your perfect doughy, crispy, thin crust pizza packed with yummy herbs and a hint of parmesan for delicious flavor. The cheesiest part? It's low in carbs and high in protein! Only a few ingredients and you have homemade pizza crust baked in the oven! We even included recipes for our #brainsandbalance recommended top 5 pizzas, check out our printer friendly guide at the end of this recipe for the how to's! The Top 5: 1. Margarita 2. Spinach and Artichoke 3. Buffalo Chicken 4. Veggie 5. Pear and Prosciutto. Keep scrolling for all of the recipes! That perfect golden bottom and bubbles of melted cheese. You wouldn't believe how healthy and low carb the dough is! Yeast can be hard to come across in the stores these days and this dough is made with just 6 basic ingredients- none of which are yeast. I have made this dough countless times and learned a few tricks along the way. I like to chill the dough a bit so it's easier to handle and doesn't stick. I also like to save half the parmesan to use to "flour my surface" when rolling it out. I think my favorite part about this dough is how versatile it is. With a few tweaks I use it to make freshly baked or air fried bagels, rolls, these calzones, and even this chicken pot pie crust! When I first created this recipe I always made my pizza on a baking sheet in a very hot oven. This method is successful, simple and always delicious but as we approach the summer months I can't bring myself to turn the oven on to 500F. Instead, I trialed an entirely new cooking method for this pizza dough, on the grill! It came out so good, I may only make pizza on the grill going forward. The dough gets those gorgeous grill marks and puffs up like my favorite Neapolitan style pizza. It's easy, cooks in half the time compared to baking and keeps the heat out of your kitchen! Low Carb High Protein Pizza Crust 1 serving | 15 minutes Ingredients: 3 oz plain greek yogurt, my go top are #siggis and #oikos 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup flour 1 tbsp grated parmesan 1/4 tsp oregano Directions: Making the Dough: Whisk together all of the ingredients except the yogurt and 1/2 tbsp parmesan. Once combined, use a fork to mash in yogurt until just about combined. Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp parmesan on a surface, dump dough out and knead until it starts to get tacky, about 10-15 times. Return the dough to the bowl and place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes covered with a slightly damp dish or paper towel. The fridge firms the dough so it’s easier to handle. Cooking the Dough: Baking: Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 500F. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it's about 1/4" thick. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and spray with nonstick olive oil spray. Place dough on baking sheet and spray or brush the top with olive oil/spray. Bake it for about 5 minutes without any toppings. Remove from oven and add toppings! Return to oven for 10-12 more minutes or until the crust browns and cheese has melted. Grilling: Preheat the grill to 500F. Dab some olive oil on a paper towel and use tongs to move the paper towel along the grates of the grill to just wet them. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it's about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle some flour or corn meal on a cutting board, pizza peel or back of a baking sheet. Place the dough on the floured surface and transfer- with no toppings- to the grates of the grill. Close the grill and cook the dough for 1-2 minutes or until there’s some nice char marks on the bottom and the top starts to bubble. Again sprinkle a bit of flour or cornmeal on the board. Use tongs to remove the dough from the grill, flip and place bubble side down/grill marks side up on the board. Turn the grill down to low, about 300F (I left the grill open when I took the dough out to speed up this process). Brush the grilled side of the dough with 1/2 tsp olive oil, top with toppings and return the pizza to the grill. Close the grill and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of dough and heat of your grill. The pizza is done when the bottom is brown and crunchy and the cheese has melted. Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

Everything is better with tzatziki. I’ll say it again, everything is better with tzatziki. Tzatziki is a yogurt based dressing flavored with herbs, spices, garlic and fresh fruits like cucumber and lemon juice. Not only is it quick to make, easy to keep and drastically healthier than many other dressings but it is simply delicious! I love this dressing because it takes all of 2 minutes to make and it truly gets better with age. I love to make it ahead and let the flavors marinate together for a bit. Tzatziki is also very versatile. By using milk or a milk substitute you can turn it from a dip to a dressing. I love tzatziki as a dip for fresh veggies or adding a dollop on top of burgers or sandwiches. By thinning it out with milk the dip becomes a whole new recipe! As a dressing, I drizzle it on EVERYTHING! It’s the perfect healthy dressing for your salad or bowl concoctions. It pairs perfectly over a big bed of greens with our Tomato Cucumber Salad and Quick Pickled Onions. It brings any protein to the next level too, try it over our 4 ingredient Greek Turkey Meatballs or over our juiciest chicken recipe, the Greek Marinated Chicken. I love it in my copycat #Cava Mediterranean rice bowls but my absolute favorite is poured over our delicious Greek Chicken Gyro recipe with ALL the fixings. Homemade Tzatziki Dressing 4 servings | 5 minutes Ingredients: 1/4 cucumber, minced or grated (50g) 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (~8oz) 1/2 tbsp dried dill 1 tbsp fresh mint 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Juice of 1 lemon Milk of preference to desired consistency (~1/4 cup), I used unsweetened original almond milk Directions: Combine grated or minced cucumber, yogurt, dill, salt, pepper and lemon in a bowl. Pour in milk 1 tbsp at a time until you reach desired consistency (ie. Less or no milk for a dip consistency, more milk for a dressing consistency). Can prepare up to a day ahead of time. I prefer to stir in the fresh minced mint just prior to serving but you could definitely add this in advance as well. Note: if you don’t like the flavor of mint, sub it for parsley or leave the herbs out entirely!

My favorite part about chipotle is how customizable everything is. The picky-eaters and the I'll-take-some-of-everything eaters can dine and enjoy together. Now that most of us are cooking from home it can be hard to accommodate all these eaters and it is just not realistic to prep customized meals for each family member and expensive to constantly order out. These copycat Chipotle bowls bring the fun of the Chipotle assembly line to your kitchen! Building your own bowls makes for a fun activity for kids and an easy dinner for parents! Plus, almost all of the components can be made ahead of time and popped in the fridge until dinner. I have taken my own spin on all the classics including copycat chipotle chicken marinated in an adobo flavored sauce that takes all of 3 seconds to make. I've kicked up the guacamole with a creamy secret ingredient and even took the classic chipotle corn salad and created a street corn variation that I could literally eat as my meal alone. In creating this meal I really discovered the secret to flavoring Mexican food, lime and cilantro goes in EVERYTHING! So it was no surprise I loved pumping up my classic jasmine rice with those bright green citrus flavors. If you hate cilantro (I know some people do), simply leave it out, swap it for parsley or basil or punch things up with extra jalapeño! I haven't made this with steak but that's next on my list, because I'm sure this marinate would make a delicious steak or carnitas burrito too! I love this meal because it's customizable, easy to prep, makes great leftovers and there's truly something for everything. Mix and match your favorite flavors. Enjoy it wrapped in a burrito, alongside chips, over a bed of lettuce or however you please! And once your assembling line is prepped and ready you'll have plenty of time for margarita sipping and chips and guac dipping! Copycat Chipotle Bowls with all the Fixings 4 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes Scroll down for Printer Friendly Version and Grocery List! Ingredients: Pico de Gallo 1 cup tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp jalapeno, minced 2 tbsp red onion, chopped 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped Juice of half a lime Salt and Pepper Street Corn 2 ears fresh corn on the cob or 1 cup fresh or frozen corn 1 tbsp red onion, chopped 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp parmesan cheese Juice of half a lime 1 tbsp cilantro Guacamole 5 oz (or 1-2) ripe avocados 1 oz plain greek yogurt 1 tbsp red onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp cilantro Juice of half a lime Salt and Pepper 1 tbsp tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp jalapeno, minced Chipotle Chicken 12-16oz raw chicken breast, chopped 1 clove garlic 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tbsp red onion 1 tsp olive oil 1 tbsp adobo sauce 1/2 tbsp chili powder 1/2 cup water Cilantro Lime Rice 1 cup jasmine rice 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime 1-1 1/2 cups water Salt Fajita Veggies 1 bell pepper, sliced thinly, ~100g 1/2 white onion, sliced thinly,~50g 1 tsp taco seasoning 1 tsp olive oil 2 tbsp water Base and Toppings 2 cups lettuce, chopped romaine, spinach, arugula (whatever you prefer) 4 oz plain greek yogurt or nonfat sour cream 1 15 oz can low sodium black beans 2-4 oz shredded cheese Extra lime and cilantro Directions: Preparation Chipotle Chicken: Combine all ingredients, with the exception of the chicken, together in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Dice chicken into bite sized pieces and place in a large gallon sized plastic bag. Pour the blended marinade over the chicken and seal the bag removing any excess air. Place in the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. Pico de Gallo: Combine all Pico de Gallo ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Mexican Street Corn: If using corn on the cob cook the corn according to preference. I prefer to microwave it in the husk for 4 minutes, remove and peel off the husk. Otherwise I like to grill the corn until it gets nice char marks. Use a knife to cut the corn off the cob into a bowl. Toss the corn with the remaining ingredients. Set aside. Guacamole: Slice the avocados in half, remove the pits (save these) and scoop the flesh out into a bowl. Use a fork to roughly mash the avocado, leaving a few chunks. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Return the pits to the guacamole and cover with plastic wrap. Seal the plastic wrap directly against the guacamole leaving no space for air. The pits and lack of air will keep the guacamole from browning. Set aside. Cooking Cilantro Lime Rice: Bring 1-1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Salt the water and stir in the jasmine rice. Return the mixture to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and add in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Fajita Veggies: In a bowl, toss the fajita veggies with the olive oil and taco seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the fajita veggies until they start to soften. If the veggies start to stick or burn, use the water to deglaze the pan and assist in the softening. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside. Chipotle Chicken: Remove the marinating chicken from the fridge. Heat a large skillet over medium heat (I used the same one as the veggies were cooked in, no need to wash). Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the pan. Cook it for about 5-7 minutes until fully cooked, rotating the pieces every few minutes. If you prefer more of a sauce with the chicken, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken after about 5 minutes and sauté an additional 3-5 minutes to cook the marinade. Remove the chicken and set aside. Assemble The easiest way to serve this is just like they do at chipotle, an assembly line! Set up your hot items first: lime cilantro rice, chipotle chicken, fajita veggies and black beans. For the black beans I simply pour them in a bowl and microwave them but you can also heat up in a small pot until warm. Follow with your salsas: pico de Gallo, Mexican street corn, guacamole. Finish the lime up with all the other toppings you love: chopped lettuce, shredded cheese, plain greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro and lime. If your feeling extra fancy serve these with some warm tortillas, chips or hard taco shells! Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Recipe Grocery List: I have compiled all of the ingredients, for the entire assembly line, into a simply grocery list to make things easier! This way you don't have to go through and total how many limes etc. you need, I did it for you! Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

This year cinco de mayo falls on a weekday during a time when we can't just go out to our favorite Mexican restaurant for some chips and guac and a skinny margarita (can you tell I'm missing that) but what we can do is bring those flavors right to our stove top! I'm sharing this recipe because it is easy, healthy, inexpensive, quick to make and can be made entirely from pantry or frozen ingredients! This recipe is made entirely in one pan and comes together in just 20 minutes. I love using quinoa to soak up all the delicious spices and flavors and bind everything together. You can use fresh or frozen chopped veggies, whatever you have on hand! I served this alongside some homemade lavash chips. They are so easy to whip up and super low in calorie, which just means I can have twice the amount to ensure there's enough for every bite! I used chicken in this meal but you could definitely substitute that for ground beef, ground turkey or even shrimp! That's why this recipe is so great, it is super versatile, just toss in whatever you have with the yummy spices, close the lid and let all those delicious flavors absorb. I mean what's better than an easy dinner that only requires dirtying one dish? To answer my own question- a meal you can leave alone for 10 minutes to go make yourself a margarita, aka still this one! Mexican Quinoa Skillet with Chicken with Homemade Lavash Chips 4 servings | 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa 2 ears fresh corn on the cob or 200g fresh/frozen corn 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 200g bell peppers, diced 100g onion, diced 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, no salt added 1 cup water 12-16 oz raw chicken breast, diced 1 tsp olive oil 2 lavash wraps or chips of choice 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped, for serving 1 lime, sliced, for serving 2 oz cojita or feta cheese, for serving Plain greek yogurt or fat free sour cream, for serving Directions: If making lavash chips, preheat oven to 375F. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add diced chicken and cook until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and add diced veggies. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in garlic, spices and quinoa and toast for a minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, water, corn and black beans. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and turn down to low. Allow it to boil for 15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa has softened. While the mixture is cooking, cut the lavash wrap into triangle, chip sized pieces. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Spray with nonstick olive oil spray and season with salt, cumin and chili powder. Flip the chips and repeat for the other side. Place the chips in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through. Chips are done when they are brown and crispy. Top the mixture with a squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro and a crumble of cheese. Serve warm topped with whichever additional toppings you like. I love a dollop of plain greek yogurt on mine. Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

These calzones are made with my 5 ingredient healthy pizza dough. They are filled with creamy cheddar and ricotta cheeses, garlicky flavors and a hearty amount of broccoli and shredded chicken. I like a packed calzone- you'll see when you go to stuff the dough but hey if you can't get it all in there I guess you'll just have to lick the bowl! Don't worry if there's a will there's a way with these pockets of heaven. Serve them alongside your favorite marinara sauce and a light salad and you are set. I love this dough because it's just a few ingredients, it comes together in minutes and requires no yeast- something our stores are completely sold out of these days. The dough gets crispy on the outside and stays doughy on the inside. I like to add some extra parmesan before AND after cooking to ensure maximum flavor. I also love how the cheese cooks into the top of the crust. There's nothing better than some crispy cheese. This dough is so versatile. I first made it for bagels and rolls and then tried it's hand at pizza. I just tweak the spices and add ins for each recipe but the yogurt, flour, baking powder and salt are always the same. For this recipe, I turned my healthy pizza dough into healthy calzone dough!! Aka I folded it in half...groundbreaking! While the ingredients are similar the end results is a luxury experience let me tell you. These calzones are BIG. They can make for two hearty servings. If serving them as a main for two people, I would pair them with just a simple side salad. For this I did Caesar salad with avocado croutons. These would also be good sliced up and served as an appetizer for about 4 people. They are perfect finger food and delicious for dipping. How you serve them is up to you but you can't forget a good quality marinara on the side. I used some leftover sauce I had made for spaghetti and meatballs earlier in the week but jarred works just as well. When I use jarred marinara I always reach for #RaosHomemade. I like to use a sauce that has only good ingredients and is really homemade and Raos is that for me. Now let's focus on the star here- that filling. I chose cheddar and ricotta here because the ricotta binds the broccoli and chicken and the cheddar adds the creaminess and touch of melted cheese that we all love. You can sub the cheddar for mozzarella or any other favorite cheese. The cheese melts into the pockets of broccoli and shredded chicken. I used frozen broccoli florets that I defrosted in the microwave and premade shredded chicken, so easy! Rotisserie chicken would be perfect in this recipe. Having the ingredients pre made makes dinner a breeze and it also means that filling if fair game for eating straight from the bowl, YUM! Broccoli Chicken and Cheese Calzones with Healthy No Yeast Dough 2-4 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Ingredients: Calzone Dough: 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp oregano 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, divided 6 oz plain greek yogurt Calzone filling: 2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed and chopped (I used frozen and microwaved them until just defrosted) 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (I cooked about 6oz raw chicken in my instant pot with water, salt and pepper) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 reduced fat cheddar cheese 1/4-1/2 cup ricotta cheese Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tbsp egg whites ~1 cup marinara sauce, extra grated parmesan and chopped parsley, for serving Directions: Prepare the dough: Sift the flour into a large bowl (I don’t always do this but I find the dough is lighter when I do). Whisk in the baking powder, salt, oregano and 1 tbsp parmesan. Add the plain greek yogurt to the bowl. Use a fork to sort of mash the yogurt into the dry ingredients until loosely combined into a dough, it will be partially crumbly still. Dump the crumbly dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it about 15 times until combined into a dough. Don’t knead it too much or the dough will get sticky. Divide the dough in half and return it to a bowl. Cover it with a damp paper towel and set aside. Prepare the filling: Combine cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. I used a hand mixer to whip them together but it’s not necessary. Fold in the broccoli florets and shredded chicken. Assemble the calzones: Preheat the oven to 475 and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Often I will use the remaining parmesan cheese as my “flour” I also lightly grease my rolling pin with nonstick spray. Roll the dough out into an oval shape until its about 1/4” thick. Divide the filling into half onto half of each of the rolled out doughs. Fold the top half of the dough over the bottom half and seal with a fork or by pinching with your fingers. Lightly brush the edges and top with egg white wash to help seal and aid in browning. Use a sharp knife to make 2 slits in the top of each calzone. Sprinkle with a little extra parmesan. Place the formed calzones on the baking sheet and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the dough is nicely browned. Serve topped with extra parmesan, chopped parsley and alongside warm marinara sauce. Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

A recipe for those times when you need a juicy slice of turkey slathered in a spoonful of garlic and lemon gravy and also for those times where you only have 30 minutes and don't want to dirty your kitchen. Turkey tenderloins are not only lean, but super flavorful and pair perfectly with roasted vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. While some see "gravy" and think grease and fat, the gravy is kept super light as it's mainly chicken broth and juice drippings but still packed with the butter, rosemary, garlic and lemon flavors we love. I mean a serving of the turkey, gravy and vegetables is only 200 calories! Everything cooks together in a large casserole dish in the oven. I love this because you can just pop it in and forget about it for a while. I use an electronic meat thermometer in the meat because it saves me so much guessing. There's nothing worse then taking it out multiple times to check the temp or having to cut it open to see if it's cooked. I just set the temperature and walk away until it beeps to tell me we're almost there! The gravy is absolutely my favorite part of this meal. I was unsure of what to call it because it's not exactly that classic thanksgiving gravy and it's not exactly a sophisticated lemon sauce either. It's more of a lightened up thanksgiving gravy with sophisticated lemon, rosemary and garlic flavor. So I settled on Light Lemon Garlic Gravy and am hoping that captures it's delicious elegance! The vegetables in this dish are really up to your preference. I went with whatever I had in my kitchen- carrots, onions, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I've found that heartier vegetables like Brussels and carrots take forever to soften up in the oven and if they're not done right they can come out hard and be difficult to digest. I added an optional step in the directions to avoid this- give them a quick steam to soften them up before tossing in the oven. The steam will take a bit of the edge off but won't cook them fully. This method will speed up your cook time and leave you with perfectly roasted-easy on the tummy- vegetables! Serve this alongside your favorite creamy mashed potatoes, rice, pureed cauliflower, quinoa or even pasta! Honestly everything would taste good until that lemony gravy/sauce/whatever you want to call it. Baked Turkey Tenderloin and Vegetables with Light Garlic Lemon Gravy 4 servings | 35 minutes Ingredients: 1-1.5 lb turkey breast tenderloin (I opted for one packed in savory flavorings) 1/2 tbsp flour 1/2 tbsp butter 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (1 tsp if using dried) 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 4-6 cups assorted veggies (I used large carrot chunks, quartered Brussels sprouts, large onion chunks and broccoli florets) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 large lemon Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Optional step: I prefer to steam hearty vegetables like Brussels sprouts and carrots over water for about 5 minutes prior to roasting them. I find this is easier on digestion and makes the roasting process faster. If you omit this step you will need to start the heartier vegetables about 10 minutes prior to cooking the meat. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick olive oil spray. Toss vegetables in olive oil, 1/2 tbsp of rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables in baking dish. If optional steaming step was omitted add the veggies to the oven and allow to bake for 10 minutes prior to adding the meat. Move the vegetables towards to outside of casserole dish and arrange the turkey tenderloin in the middle. Top the tenderloin with remaining rosemary (Note: if your turkey was not marinated in anything you may want to also add a bit of olive oil and additional seasonings like thyme, salt and pepper on top). Slice half of a lemon very thinly and arrange on top of tenderloin. I inserted an electronic meat thermometer in the tenderloin at this point but if you don't have an electronic one you can simply check with a hand meat thermometer when you think it's done. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 165F. When there is a few minutes left in the cook time open the oven and pour 1/4 cup chicken broth over the turkey and vegetables. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and allow the flour to cook in the butter for a minute or so. Whisk in 1/4 cup of chicken broth until the gravy is smooth. Squeeze in the juice of the remaining half of the lemon and the minced garlic. Remove the turkey and vegetables from the oven and drain all of the delicious juices into the gravy (I did this while the vegetables and turkey were still in the pan to make sure I captured ALL the flavors). Remove the turkey from the casserole dish, set aside to rest for 5 minutes and tent with tin foil. Remove the vegetables from the pan for serving. Use some of the remaining chicken broth to deglaze the pan and add the gravy. Slice the turkey tenderloin, saving any extra juices for the gravy of course! Serve sliced turkey tenderloin hot alongside the vegetables and with gravy poured over. I also served mine alongside some garlic smashed potatoes and with an extra wedge of lemon! Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

The rainy April showers have me craving all the soups lately, specifically creamy butternut squash soup. I'm telling you this soup will heal you from the inside out. It is so creamy, warm, healthy and perfect for a cold rainy day. This bowl of yum puts a bit of a twist on the classic by incorporating kale and Italian chicken sausage throughout. These fun ingredients add additional flavor, protein and make this soup more of a meal. When I first made up this recipe I intended to add cream to it but when it all came together it was already so creamy and delicious I ended up leaving it out entirely! The downfall of some soups like tomato and butternut squash is that the typically lack a protein. Usually I'm all for tossing a grilled cheese or chicken sandwich on the side and sold but sometimes I just want a big bowl of soup with nothing else but maybe a slice of bread. Sometimes pouring soup in a bowl is all I really feel like prepping for dinner and this meal fits the bill. The "broth" itself is so creamy and almost sweet it is the perfect balance to the savory sausage and kale. Kale is typically seen as a harsh, hard to chew vegetable but by wilting it down in the hot soup it transforms into this soft pocket of flavor that packs in the nutrients and hides extra delicious soup in it's every nook and cranny. Sausage & Kale Butternut Squash Soup 8 servings | 1 hour Ingredients: 2 large carrots (~100g), peeled and cut into large chunks 1/2 an onion (~100g), cut into large chunks 3 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced 4 cups fresh kale, chopped (sub for spinach or collard greens if preferred) 1-1 1/2 lb ground meat (I used 1/2 Italian chicken sausage and 1/2 ground chicken but regular ground sausage, turkey or pork would be delicious as well) 6 cups low sodium chicken broth Salt and pepper, as needed Directions: Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick olive oil spray. Arrange squash, carrots and onion chunks on the sheet and spray again with nonstick olive oil spray. Season everything with pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper. Bake everything in the oven for 30 minutes to get those delicious roasted and charred flavors. Remove baking sheet from the oven and heat a large pot over medium heat. If using an instant pot turn it onto the sauté setting. Add ground meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it’s browned. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Depending on meat choice the grease/water left in the pot will vary. Remove all but about 1/2-1 tbsp grease. Add garlic, sheet pan veggies and ginger to the pot. Toss with spoon and sauté until fragrant, just a minute or so. Stir in chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil. If using an instant pot, close the lid, put it on to cook for for 15 minutes. If using a pot, cover and lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until veggies are all soft. After cooking, release pressure (if applicable), open the lid and use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Once the soup is smooth, return the meat to the pot and add in the kale. If using an instant pot, close and cook for another 15 minutes. If using a pot, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until kale is soft and wilted. Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version: Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.

Everything you love about a Cuban sandwich is served up over a big bowl of greens in this recipe! It's drizzled with a refreshing mustard yogurt dressing that has the perfect amount of bite. A big scoop of smokey apple pork tenderloin brings warmth to the dish and sweet potato chips add that much needed crunch. The essence of a classic Cuban Sandwich but in massive salad form. Looks good. Tastes better. And you feel great after! If you're a volume eater, like me, a sandwich that's gone in 3 bites just doesn't cut it. This meal is nothing like that. You can pick and choose what yummy ingredients you on want on your fork together. You can add a wrap if you're really craving that sandwich aspect or you can scoop your favorite ingredients up on a crispy sweet potato chip. Basic deli ingredients like juicy pickles, chopped ham, sliced avocado and shredded cheese make this a dish that requires little prep but so much variety! I used low sodium ham and clean ingredient pickles to limit any unnecessary salt and added ingredients. When reading your label look for turmeric as the coloring in your pickles because no one needs Yellow 5 on their ingredient list. #McClures is a clean ingredient brand I love but another option is to pickle your own! Cucumbers, vinegar and spices and you're on your way! The dressing is probably my favorite part. It's creamy. It's borderline spicy. And it has that much needed mustard taste that every Cuban craves. It's packed with an abundance of flavors and would be the perfect sub for a more flavorful mustard or a non fat aioli in any sandwich, panini, burger, grilled cheese or salad! Speaking of those delicious fats... creamy avocado and Swiss cheese incorporate just enough fats that will leave you full and satisfied after digging in to this sandwich Bowl! Cuban Sandwich Salad with Baked Sweet Potato Chips 8 servings | Cook time (pork): 40 minutes and 15 minutes releasing pressure | Cook time (sweet potatoes): 2 hours | Assembly time: 10 minutes Ingredients: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin: 1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup water Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (find this with the barbecue sauces at the grocery store) Mustard Yogurt Dressing: 1/4 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp dried mustard 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp lemon zest 2 tbsp lemon juice A few dashes of hot sauce 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 tsp horseradish 1/3 cup dijon mustard (I used 1/4 cup regular dijon and 2 tbsp course ground dijon mustard for texture) 6 oz plain greek yogurt Salad Ingredients: 8 cups lettuce (I did a mix of spinach and romaine) 1/2 lb or 8 oz low sodium deli ham, chopped into bite sized pieces 4 oz swiss cheese, shredded or chopped into bite sized pieces 8 pickles, slices (I used 8 oz slices deli pickles) 1 avocado, chopped (~4 oz) Sweet Potatoes: 2 sweet potatoes (~20 oz) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt Directions: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin: Cut pork into 4 chunks and add it to the instant pot. Add applesauce, liquid smoke and water to the instant pot. Close the lid and set it to cook for 40 minutes on high pressure. After 40 minutes allow the pot to release the pressure naturally for another 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot and use two forks or a stand mixer to shred. If needed, return the pork to the pot and cook on sauté to reduce any excess liquid. Mustard Yogurt Dressing: Add all of the ingredients to a food processor except the yogurt and and blend until smooth. Add the yogurt and blend until combined. Baked Sweet Potato Chips: Salad Assembly: Start with a base of lettuce. Top the lettuce with chopped ham, chopped Swiss cheese, avocado chunks and sliced pickles. Serve with a scoop of warm shredded pork. Drizzle over the mustard yogurt dressing and serve with our baked sweet potato chips! Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Cuban Sandwich Bowl Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Baked Sweet Potato Chips Nutrition Facts are provided as an estimate. Exact nutritional breakdown will depend on brand, quantity and ingredients used.

There's nothing more comforting and nostalgic than a warm bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese. And who said comforting and nostalgia couldn't also be sophisticated and impressive? It's called elevated comfort food and this Truffle Lobster Mac and Cheese is just that. Beneath the buttery and brown bread crumb topping is a creamy bowl of noodles and big chunks of lobster swimming in a bubbling hot cheese sauce. For this recipe I used a combination of some of my favorite melting cheeses: cheddar, gruyere and Monterey Jack. Classic melting cheeses paired with new flavors of lobster, shallots and truffle salt result in the perfect elevated comfort food that'll impress any hungry dinner companion. The filling for this dish can be prepared in advance. Then when ready to eat, simply top with that savory breadcrumb truffle topping and pop it in the oven to finish off! I love how brown and crispy the breadcrumb layer gets. For this I used panko breadcrumbs, because I prefer that consistency, but any breadcrumbs will do. What is truly impressive about this dish lies beneath the surface. A basic rue of butter and flour is the foundation for this creamy cheese sauce. It doesn't take much of either, just enough to slightly thicken the final product. I used almond milk here which is a lower calorie alternative to many typical milks but any milk will do here! Just let the milk bubble and the sauce thicken before you melt in whatever combination of cheeses you enjoy! From cheddar to gouda, you can really play with the flavors. Truffle Lobster Mac and Cheese 2 servings | 50 minutes Ingredients: 4 oz whole grain elbows pasta 2 cooked lobster tails (can be previously frozen and defrosted [what I used], leftover or steamed ahead of time) 3 oz fresh grated cheese (I used 2 oz #traderjoes cheddar-gruyere and 1 oz Monterey Jack) 1 small shallot, finely diced 1/2 tsp truffle salt 1 cup unsweetened original almond milk (or other milk of choice), room temperature 1 tbsp butter, divided into 2 tsp and 1 tsp 1 tbsp flour 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper 2 tbsp panko bread crumbs Optional 1/2 tbsp parmesan Simply fill the ramekins with the Mac and cheese mixture, top with the breadcrumb topping, place it on a bake sheet and let it cook! Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and stir in pasta. Cook pasta according to directions. In another medium pot, melt 2 tsp of butter (2/3 of total butter) and add shallots. Cook the shallot for about a minute. Add the flour to the pot and whisk it into the butter. Allow the flour and butter to cook for about 2 minutes, while whisking. Whisk the milk, nutmeg and pepper into the flour and butter mixture until smooth. Cook for an additional minute or two so it slightly thickens. Turn off the heat and stir in cheese. Drain the pasta (reserving about 1/4 cup pasta water just in case) and roughly chop the lobster tails into bite sized pieces (Note: I like to have some larger chunks and some smaller chunks of lobster). Fold the elbows and lobster chunks into the cheese sauce until evenly coated (if the sauce is too thick you can add some of the pasta water 1 tbsp at a time). Divide the pasta mixture evenly between two oven safe bowls or ramekins. In a small bowl melt the remaining 1 tsp of butter and stir in bread crumbs, truffle salt and optional parmesan cheese. Divide the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle it on top of the pasta and cheese. Place the oven safe dishes on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the top is browning and the cheese sauce is bubbling. This is a pretty heavy dish that can be served alone but if you're in the mood for some extra veggies I would recommend pairing it with a light garden salad. Another way to add some broccoli, cauliflower or other veggie to the pasta and lobster filling. Trust me, cover any vegetable in this cheese sauce and you'll swear it's just more of the good stuff. Printer/Screenshot Friendly Version: Nutrition facts are based on using whole grain elbows, full fat cheese and unsweetened original almond milk. Nutrition facts may vary depending on brand, quantity and variation of ingredients.

I'm going to fill you all in on a secret. Put down that chip, turn off your oven, close your wallet and save yourself an hour because the greatest appetizer only takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes. Creamy. Whipped. Ricotta. If you haven't whipped your ricotta cheese before, you are missing out on one the greatest kept secrets my kitchen has ever held. With a few minutes and your electric mixer your kitchen will transform into the fine dining establishment of your dreams. My favorite part is the drizzle of good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. The #brainsandbalance secret here is to create a groove throughout the surface for the delicious toppings to get caught and pool into. This ensures they stay a top the creamy cloud of ricotta cheese and each scoop is filled with every delicious ingredient. Have you ever seen a more perfect scoop? Between those beautiful grill marks and velvety ricotta, I'm ready to grab this slice right off the page. I always get my fresh San Franciscan sourdough loaves from the local amish farmer's market or from #WholeFoods. Good quality bread is key but if you would prefer a low carb alternative, try quartering some veggies into logs and serving in place of bread. Raw or roasted: zucchini, carrots, broccoli or even squash would be perfect for dipping. Trust me your guests won't believe how easy this is to make but then again, no one said you had to tell them. I did say this was a secret, remember? For this recipe I used #Galbani Double Cream Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, because double is always better, right? Of course the classic whole milk ricotta will whip perfectly as well. Other than the creamy ricotta cheese, there's only 2 additional ingredients involved in this creamy cloud of perfection: fresh lemon juice and flaky sea salt. It's that easy. So grab your electric mixer because in 5 minutes your plate could look like this. Whipped Ricotta with Grilled Sour Dough Bread 4 servings | 5 minutes Ingredients: 1 15oz container whole milk ricotta (I used #Galbani double cream whole milk ricotta for an extra punch of creaminess) 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more for topping 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 a big lemon), divided 1/2 tsp lemon zest, plus more for topping 1 tsp good quality olive oil, for topping 1 tsp good quality balsamic vinegar, for topping (a fig balsamic would be delicious on this) 1/2 tsp dried oregano Directions: Scoop the container of ricotta cheese into a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to whip the ricotta for 1-2 minutes until is starts to get airy. Add in the salt, lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice to the ricotta. Whip the ricotta and lemon for another 1-2 minutes or until it's nice and creamy (Note: remaining tablespoon lemon juice made be added at any point but depending on the batch of ricotta I recommend adding a tablespoon at a time and evaluating consistency after the first tablespoon is added. You may find you don't need the second tablespoon). Use a spatula to scrape the contents of the bowl onto a plate. Use a butter knife to swirl a 1/2" deep track into the surface of the ricotta for the toppings to pool into. Drizzle the top with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Finish it off with a sprinkling of the extra lemon zest, flaky sea salt and dried oregano. Serve with fresh slices of grilled sourdough or country bread. Just spray the bread with olive oil spray and grill/toast them however you prefer! For this I used a grill lined cast iron skillet until they got nice char marks but a few minutes under the broiler, in a pan or even in the toaster will do the trick. Then I sprinkle a little extra flaky sea salt on the bread for good measure. Nutrition facts are provided for 1/4 ricotta cheese mixture. Nutrition facts do not include sour dough bread. I recommend 1 large slice of sour dough, sliced in half, per person.

Fresh cod filets are poached to flakey perfection in this uniquely seasoned tomato sauce. Be sure to serve this meal with plenty of sourdough bread because you will want to soak up all of that flavorful sauce. While a classic Shakshuka is served at breakfast with eggs, we took a twist on this Mediterranean dish and swapped poached eggs for poached cod and breakfast for dinner. This recipe is healthy, simple and FULL of flavor. It's made in one dish and the sauce is outstanding! The spices, fresh bell peppers and onions all simmer together on the stove for a while before adding the fish to ensure each bite is delicious and packed with flavor. It's so good, we scraped up what remained of the sauce and saved it to serve with pasta the next day. We couldn't waste a drop! While any number of side dishes would pair delightfully with this oven baked dish, I went with a recipe that is closer to home, "Yellow Rice". It took almost five years with my boyfriend to finally uncover what "Yellow Rice" actually means and I'm here to share the golden jewel with you all. A scoop of creamy yellow rice is delightful under this healthy yet hearty dish of fresh fish, veggies and mediterranean flavors. Yellow Rice, according to his family, is essentially a blend of Paella, Risotto and your typical Spanish rice. Their way is traditionally spiced with saffron and Italian cheese, but I put a #brainsandbalance spin on it- of course- and added turmeric. Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is full of antioxidants. Saffron, another powerful antioxidant, and turmeric together give the rice its classic golden color. The rice is made very similarly to a typical long grain rice but it is spiked with delightful colors and flavors making it better tasting and better for you. The onions, spices and rice all toast together for just a minute before adding chicken broth to ensure maximum flavor! Just like the rice, the Shakshuka is made all in one pot. The veggies are sautéed and toasted with the spices before letting everything simmer together in the crushed tomatoes. The blend of cumin, paprika and chili powder with the crushed tomatoes results in this most flavorful and uniquely spiced sauce I've ever created. When it comes time to add the cod, it's as easy as making room and transferring to the oven! Shakshuka Baked Cod with Yellow Rice 4-6 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: Shakshuka Cod 1/2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced 1/2 cup green bell pepper, sliced 1/2 cup white onion, diced 1/2 tbsp cumin 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chili powder 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, minced (more if you prefer it spicier, less if you don't) 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt 2 lb cod filets Fat free feta cheese, for topping Sour dough bread, for dipping Yellow Rice 1/4 cup onion, diced 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup jasmine, or other long grain, rice 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 tsp turmeric Pinch of saffron strands 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Heat olive oil in a very large oven safe sauté pan, large cast iron skillet or dutch oven. If you don't have any of these you can use whatever sauté pan you have and transfer the sauce to a casserole dish before adding the fish and transferring to the oven. Add bell peppers and onions to the oil and toss around to coat in oil. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and cook, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeños and spices to the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for a minute until garlic is fragrant and spices start to toast. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and mix to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil. Lower it to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 10-15 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, melt butter in a separate medium pot for rice. Add additional diced onion and stir to coat with melted butter. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion starts to soften and cook. Stir in turmeric, saffron strands, salt and rice. Cook for another minute to toast the rice and spices. Mix in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower is to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, undisturbed until chicken broth is absorbed. While the rice is cooking, slice the cod filets into 4-6 oz portions. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the white wine vinegar (cooking sherry would also work here). If your skillet is not large enough to fit the fish as well, this is the time to transfer it to a casserole dish. Nuzzle the cod portions into the sauce, spooning some of the hot sauce over the tops of the fish. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes or until the fish is white and flakey. While the fish is cooking in the oven, the rice should be ready. Turn off the heat under the rice and fluff it with a fork. Stir in grated cheese and cover again with the lid. Set aside until ready to eat. Remove the baked cod from the oven and serve topped with fresh herbs like parsley or basil and crumbled feta. Serve the fish over the rice with plenty of sauce to be sopped up by the fresh sourdough. #brainsandbalance tip: if there's leftover sauce, save it for a fantastic pasta dish the next day! Printer/Screenshot Friendly Shakshuka Baked Cod Recipe: Printer/Screenshot Friendly Yellow Rice Recipe: Nutrition facts are a guideline. Nutrition facts may vary slightly depending on brand, quantity, etc. Nutrition facts for Shakshuka do not include side of bread or feta cheese topping. Shakshuka recipe is baked off of 5 servings although this recipe could serve anywhere from 4-6 people, depending on sides and appetite!

Fall is in the air so we’re kicking this season off with a twist on a classic | tomato soup & grilled cheese | This is no Campbell’s soup and American cheese on wonder bread... we brought pumpkin into the soup and a few surprise players in its cheesy counterpart. As for the grilled cheese, you can find that here or here, but for today I’m sharing this creamy fall soup that’ll warm you from the inside out! Having a fool proof tomato soup recipe in your back pocket is key. I always make a big batch of soup and store leftover in freezer safe bags. I label the bags with a sharpie so I know what's in them, how much is in them and when I froze the recipe (ie. Roasted Tomato Pumpkin Soup, April 1, 2020: 1 serving). This way you know exactly what your pulling out of the freezer! To defrost simply transfer to the fridge a day ahead or place the bag in a slightly warm bowl of water. Roasted Tomato Pumpkin Soup 5 servings | Prep: 1 hour Cook: 15 minutes Ingredients: 1.5 lb tomatoes (I used Roma) 1 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 can pumpkin purée (15oz can) 1 large shallot, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt and pepper 1/4 tsp Marjoram 1/2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice 1/4 tsp cayenne 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp smoked paprika 3/4 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp citrus juice (lemon or orange) 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth For serving: top with half and half, fresh cracked pepper and freshly chopped basil. Note: instead of roasting your own tomatoes you can use a 28oz can of whole tomatoes but I loved the flavor the roasted tomatoes brought to the dish! Directions: Roast the tomatoes: Preheat oven to 375. Slice tomatoes in half, drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and salt. Bake for ~1 hour until they start to brown and wilt. Make the soup: While the tomatoes cool a bit, heat large pot, dutch oven or instant pot with remaining 1/2 tbsp oil. Sauté the shallot in the oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove pot from heat. Add the roasted tomatoes and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add pumpkin, spices, sugar and citrus and blend until smooth. Return pot to heat and add broth. Heat through and allow to simmer until ready to eat. I did about 20 min while making the grilled cheese but once it’s heated through it’s good to go! Serve hot topped with a drizzle of half and half, ribbons of fresh basil and fresh cracked pepper. Pair this with our Caramelized Onion, Kale and Gruyere Grilled Cheese or our Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese for an insatiable combination you won't be able to put down! Printer Friendly Version: