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This is no ordinary pork chop. Between the pungent smokey flavors in the fennel based marinade, the creative cooking method to crispy yet juicy perfection and the hearty sausage and vegetable gravy-like topping, you are guaranteed to impress! The fennel in these Air-Fried Pork Chops adds a warm bright fragrance to a classic pork chop. I am normally scared to cook pork for fear of overcooking them but I NAILED these. The air fryer keeps the moisture sealed in while crisping the outside to perfection. I used a meat thermometer to ensure they didn't over cook and with the air fryer it is so easy to check the temperature of the meat. I was able to use an electric thermometer that I could place in the chops while in the air fryer but a basic one works just as well! These pork chops are perfectly delicious, with or without the topping but I love the extravagance and delicacy the sausage and peppers add! If you opt to go without the topping I recommend sautéing the shallots with the chicken broth and red wine vinegar still for a little extra gravy on top. Fennel Crusted Air-fried Pork Chop Ingredients: Plain Pork Chop 4 small bone in pork chops or 2 large chops (1-1.5 lbs) 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced Salt & pepper Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke Sausage, Pepper & Onion Topping 1 shallot, diced 1 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 100g mixed bell peppers 6oz tomatoes (cherry, grape or diced) 2 chicken sausages, diced, if in casings then casings removed first Directions: For Plain Pork Chops Toast fennel seeds in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Combine fennel, paprika, olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper and liquid smoke in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture into the surface of all of the pork chops. Place pork chops in a bag and place in fridge to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, flip the bag halfway through marinating process. Remove pork chops from fridge 15 minutes prior to cooking. Place pork chops in air fryer at 360F for 12-14 minutes (could be longer or shorter depending on thickness of chop). Open the air fryer and use tongs to flip the pork chops halfway through cooking. The pork chops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145F. To confirm this I placed a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chop and monitored while they cooked in the air fryer. If you don't have an electronic thermometer you can use a manual thermometer and check the temperature at about 10 minutes. Once the chops are done, remove them from the air fryer and place them on a plate loosely tented with tin foil, allowing to rest at least 5 minutes. This ensures the chops stay nice and juicy. Serve warm over a plate of creamy mashed potatoes. For Sausage, Pepper & Onion Topping Dice bell peppers, shallots, chicken sausage and tomatoes into bite size pieces. I recommend this step be done while the pork chops are cooking. Heat skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray. Add in chicken sausage and vegetables to sauté until softened, 3-4 minutes. I recommend moving on to this step while the pork chops are resting. Add in red wine vinegar and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon. For more of a sauce, remove about 1/4 of the mixture and blend roughly with 1/4-1/2 cup of chicken broth. Return blended mixture to the pan along with any juices on the pork chop plates. Allow the sauce to cook together for another 2-3 minutes. Depending on the desired consistency of the sauce, add additional chicken broth if necessary. Scoop the mixture over the warm pork chops as a sauce. Nutrition facts provided for both plain pork chop and for topping mixture.

While I love pickles, I used to steer away from pickled onions, that is, until I had my first Mediterranean bowl from #Cava. Pickled onions are great because they take the edge off of regular red onions which can leave your eyes watering at times. By soaking them in vinegar and a sweetener you reduce that strong peppery flavor to a mild sweet flavor. My favorite way to enjoy these is piled on top of our Greek Chicken Gyro but the options are truly endless with these guys. I always want to have a jar of these tucked away for when that craving hits. I will be stuffing these pickled onions into all of my future burgers including these classic #brainsandbalance turkey burger favorites. This week I served these on top of a big bowl of arugula, veggies and all of the Mediterranean fixings. They are a fantastic counterpart to our Greek turkey meatballs or our Greek Marinated Chicken. It all comes together when they’re folded into a pillowy pita with tons of fresh veggies like my Tomato Cucumber Salad and drizzled (okay smothered) with my Homemade Tzatziki dressing. Quick Pickled Onions 10 servings | Prep time: 1 hour Active Cooking time: 2 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup water 1/2 tbsp salt 1 tbsp sugar or honey 1 red onion, thinly sliced (~300g) Directions: Combine vinegar, salt, sugar and water in an air tight container until sugar and salt have dissolved. Add thinly sliced onions to the container. Seal and store on the counter for at least 1-2 hours prior to eating. To eat, use a fork to scoop the onions out of the liquid and serve on top of your favorite Greek concoction, burger, salad or really anything. Enjoy and keep the leftovers in the remaining liquid. Nutrition facts shown below for a 30g serving of pickled onions, the recipe makes 10 servings.

The MOST tender, juicy and flavorful chicken you’ll make. The seasoning is just the beginning on this one. The yogurt and citrus tenderize the meat with the olive oil seals in the delicious lemon, garlic and spices used to flavor. I cook the meat on a cast iron skillet and the delicious marinade gives the meat that PERFECT char grill marks. I always make sure to let the meat rest for 5 minutes or so before cutting into it to seal in all of those flavors and juices. The waiting is the hardest part but trust me it’s worth it. This marinade is perfect to make ahead of time and conveniently pairs perfectly with a few of our other make ahead recipes like our Homemade Tzatziki Dressing, Tomato Cucumber Salad and Quick Pickled Onions. Assemble all of sides ahead of time so when it’s dinner time you just have to heat up a soft pillowy pita and stuff it full of all of these goods for a truly delectable Greek Chicken Gyro. Greek Chicken Marinade 4 servings | Prep time: 1 hour ahead | Cook time: 10 minutes (tenders)/30 minutes (full breasts) Ingredients: 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (~2oz) 1 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 tbsp Mediterranean herb & salt blend (can replace with oregano, salt and pepper) 2 cloves garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon plus 1 tsp lemon zest 12-16oz chicken breast (either whole or cut into 4 tenders) Directions: In a gallon plastic bag combine, yogurt, 1/2 tbsp oil, spices, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest. Close the bag and use your hands to massage all of the ingredients together. Add chicken, squeeze all of the excess air out of the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken with your hands. Place chicken in marinade in the fridge for at least an hour, flipping the bag over halfway. Remove from fridge about 10 minutes prior to cooking. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. For larger chicken breasts, preheat the oven to 350. If just using individual tenders (~3oz pieces) the oven is not needed. Heat remaining 1/2 tbsp oil in the cast iron. Use tongs to remove chicken from marinade and place on cast iron. Grill for 3 minutes on the first side, until you get nice grill marks. Use tongs to turn chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes. For tenders, you can just cook them on the stove top until they’re cooked through (internal temperature of 165F). For larger for sized breasts, after the 3-5 minutes, transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 15-20 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165F is reached. Note: sometimes the olive oil can smoke, recommend turning the vent on over your stove to accommodate this. I will also cover the front part of my skillet to ensure any smoke goes out the back and up the vent. You may also choose an oil with a higher smoke point such as avocado oil, I just had olive oil on hand. Nutrition facts are an estimate based on starting with 12oz of raw chicken and include all contents of marinade. Note: not all marinade is used. If you wanted to be very accurate you could weigh the remaining marinade and subtract the macros but considering the majority is protein, I simply use 14oz of chicken but use the nutrition facts for 12oz and call it even.

I typically use this tomato cucumber salad in my Greek Chicken Gyro made with my Greek marinated chicken or I serve a scoop alongside my Greek Turkey meatballs over a big bowl of veggies, lettuce and rice. But don’t limit this salad to just that! It’s such a refreshing side that pairs perfectly with anything. Try it over fresh fish like haddock or salmon. Make it as an app and enjoy with pita chips! Mix it with some quinoa or rice for a deliciously healthy base for any bowl. This is one of those recipes that gets better the longer the flavors have to party together. Which is great because that means you can make it ahead of time and not have to worry about it during the hustle and bustle of dinner prep. While you’re prepping this ahead of time you might as well prep another one of our FAVORITE make ahead topping, these Quick Pickled Onions! Need a dressing to top all these yummy veggies with? How about drizzling our Homemade Tzatziki Dressing over everything. Make it all ahead of time and you have dinner, done! Tomato Cucumber Salad 4 servings | 5 minutes Ingredients: 1 large vine ripened tomato, diced (~100g) 1 cucumber, diced (~100g) Mixed colored bell peppers (~200g) 1/2 cup fat free feta cheese (~2oz) 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 a lemon 2 tbsp fresh mint, minced Salt and pepper, to taste Directions: Dice tomato, cucumber and bell peppers. Combine vegetables in a bowl with salt, pepper, lemon and red wine vinegar. This can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Prior to serving add in the crumbled feta and fresh mint. Similar to our tzatziki recipe, it's a personal preference to leave the feta and herbs out until the end. You can always add these in at the time of preparation. Note: If you don't like fresh mint, you can substitute it for fresh parsley or omit the herbs entirely.

Whether you call it a "Yee-ro" or a "JY-roh" we call it delicious. Our Greek Chicken Gyro combines a few of our favorite recipes for the perfect blend of mediterranean flavors all snuggled up inside a warm soft pita. I mean who wouldn't want a bite of that? I like to start of my Gyro with a few leaves of fresh arugula in the pita as a bed for the big chunks of chicken. The chicken is effortlessly juicy and tender thanks to our Greek Chicken Marinade but even if you did dry it out (you won't I have faith in you don't worry)- but if you did- you wouldn't even notice next to our flavor packed toppings. The sweet and tangy Quick Pickled Onions bring a crunch to the wrap while our fresh tasting Tomato Cucumber Salad brings all the colorful fruits and chunks of feta cheese. Everything melts together under our creamy Tzatziki Dressing packed with fresh herbs and citrus flavors. Every bite is a new flavor experience and every Gyro is personalized. Are you someone who smears hummus on the pita first? Would you prefer to use the pita as a spoon and scoop the ingredients out of a bowl? Maybe you'd omit the pita entirely and opt for rice instead? Maybe you'd opt for both? My method is always to have a half serving of rice or quinoa and a big bed of arugula at the ready under the gyro to catch any delicious ingredients that fall. Then I drizzle on some (a lot) of tzatziki and eat the rest as a salad. Greek Chicken Gyro 4 servings | Prep Time: 1 hour ahead | Assembly: 10 minutes Ingredients: Greek Marinated Chicken Homemade Tzatziki Dressing Tomato Cucumber Salad Quick Pickled Onions Arugula Pita bread Other ideas for ingredients to add: Tahini Brown rice, quinoa or riced cauliflower Hummus Roasted red peppers Directions: Preparation: At least 1 hour or up to a day ahead, make the quick pickled onions, homemade tzatziki dressing and tomato cucumber salad. Also at least 1 hour ahead make the Greek chicken marinade. Leave the pickled onions out at room temperature to marinate but place the tzatziki, tomato cucumber salad and chicken in the fridge. Assembly: Preheat oven to 350F if using full chicken breasts, if using tenders preheat to 200F. Cook chicken according to the Greek Chicken Marinade recipe. While the chicken is cooking, make rice or quinoa if using. I recommend my favorite Minute Instant Pot Quinoa recipe for a foolproof way to perfect quinoa, every time. While chicken is resting, if necessary, lower oven temperature to 200F. Wrap pitas in tin foil and place in oven to warm. I used #kontos smart carb pita because they’re pillowy and soft. A lower carb option would be #josephspita pita pockets, they’re not AS pillowy but they are delicious. See the nutrition facts at the bottom for other pita alternatives Assemble your bowl, I always start with a base of greens like arugula, spinach or mixed greens to catch any veggies that fall out of the gyro. If using a grain like quinoa or chicken, add this in too. Assemble the gyro by placing a warmed pita on tin foil and use the foil to roll the pita into a cone. Fill the pita with a base of some greens and the Greek marinated chicken. Top it with the tomato cucumber salad and quick pickled onions. Finish the gyro off with a hefty drizzle of the homemade tzatziki dressing. This wrap can really be made your own. Add in whatever extra sides or toppings you love like a spicy hummus, a creamy tahini drizzle, charred roasted red peppers or extra fresh lemon/herbs! Nutrition facts are based on 1 gyro with ingredients listed, not including optional ingredients. Note I used a high protein pita bread so I included the contents of the gyro without the pita in case you chose a different brand. Pita alternatives: Kontos Smart Carb Pita (20g carbs, 5g fat, 15g protein), Kontos Classic Pita (38g carbs, 2g fat, 10g protein), Josephs Pita Bread (9g carb, 1.5g fat, 6g protein), Middle Eastern Bakers (30g carb, 0g fat, 10g protein), Generic pita (38g carb, 2g fat, 8g protein)

Twice baked sweet potatoes are the perfect blend of potato skins and creamy mashed potatoes. They are just sweet enough to call dessert yet healthy and hearty enough to serve alongside your favorite dinner. The creamy sweet potato filling is flavored with delicious and nutritious ingredients like cinnamon, pure maple syrup and greek yogurt. The warm, slightly sweet and buttery filling is served up in a crispy sweet potato skin, caramelized with brown sugar and topped with candied turkey bacon crumbles. The candied crispy bacon on top is the perfect contrast to the creamy inside. The turkey bacon can be left off or subbed for classic bacon, just follow the cooking directions on the bacon package for cooking time adjustments. The filling can be evenly divided between the four potato skin shells. The filling should overfill the shells by about half an inch due to the addition of the greek yogurt and other ingredients mashed in. I love cinnamon and sweet potatoes but feel free to get creative with the ingredients and spices. Nutmeg? Pumpkin pie spice? Maybe you like a chipotle variation? A southwest version? Let me know what you come up with! The perfect forkful of potato: a creamy sweet base topped with bits of candied bacon. You can see the flecks of brown sugar and cinnamon that have caramelized to the top of the potato filling. Crispy and creamy, the perfect combination of style and flavors. The best part about sweet potatoes is that you can dress them up with cinnamon and yogurt or you could go back to basics and dip them in ketchup. I love the variety these potatoes can take! Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Candied Bacon Crumble 4 servings | Cook time: 1 hour Ingredients: 2 sweet potatoes 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tbsp brown sugar, divided into teaspoons 1 tsp cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling on top 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp butter 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (~4 oz) 2 slices turkey bacon Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Use a fork to poke about 4 sets of holes into each potato to allow for venting. Baked potatoes for about 50 minutes or until fork tender, rotating halfway through cooking time. Remove potatoes from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400. Place a small metal rack on a baking sheet and lay bacon slices on top. Sprinkle bacon with 1 tsp brown sugar (I added some extra cinnamon for good measure too)! Use a sharp knife to half the sweet potatoes. Scoop out the flesh of the potato halves and place in a medium bowl, leave about 1/4” layer of flesh in the potato so the skin will hold up on its own. Add maple syrup, cinnamon, butter and 1 tsp brown sugar to the bowl with the potatoes. Mash everything together. Use a potato masher for chunkier potatoes or use an electric hand mixer for a minute or two until creamy, don’t over mix. Place the potato skins on a baking sheet (I used the same one the bacon was on because my metal rack only covered half the sheet but separate ones work too). Evenly divide the filling mixture between the four skins until potatoes are filled. Spray the tops of the potatoes with nonstick spray and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp brown sugar and extra cinnamon. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through and the brown sugar melts and caramelizes on the bacon and potatoes. I finished mine off under the broiler for an extra minute or two. Remove baking sheet(s) from oven. Use a knife to break bacon up into crumbles. Place the potatoes on a plate and sprinkle with the candied bacon crumble. Dig in and enjoy this sweet side! Top it with an egg for breakfast, a dollop of yogurt for dessert or alongside stuffed chicken and veggies for a healthy and hearty dinner! Nutrition facts are based on using 2 large sweet potatoes (weighing about 700g total).

This recipe is one of those you will feel good about eating, and in times like these where getting outside and staying active can be hard, we need to prioritize our own health and feeding our body the nutrients it needs. Some of these ingredients may be new to you, which is what makes this recipe fun! Trying new things is a way to keep cooking exciting, which is especially important when we all seem to be cooking at home A LOT these days. This recipe has something for everyone. Chicken sausage is such a fun protein that I don't use often but I never regret it when I do. It's ready in minutes and can incorporate great flavor into a dish while limiting the fats. Any protein would work here but I used my favorite #organics balsamic kale chicken sausages because the flavors fit in perfectly. I've made these balsamic caramelized onions before- like on this burger or this drool worthy grilled cheese- but I think I need to start making bigger batches so I can keep them on hand for when the craving hits. The subtle sweet onions just melt into the crispy kale and roasted butternut squash. This recipe takes a little over an hour in total but the majority of that time is just roasting the squash. This can be done up to a day advance or- since most of us are working from home- whenever you can pull yourself away to turn the oven on. The rest of the recipe comes together pretty quickly. I like to let the onions cook on low for however long I can- until everything else is ready- because in my opinion the longer, softer and sweeter the onions get, the better. I portioned this recipe out by slicing the squash after it was roasted into 1 inch thick wedges and then adding all of the toppings. This way every wedge has its serving of toppings and people can easily take a piece. A variation of this is to leave the squashes in large halves and scoop the butternut squash out of it's shell, mash it and then divide the mashed squash between the shells. This twice baked variation is great for those who prefer a softer base- almost mashed potato like- but can be harder for serving. Chicken Sausage, Caramelized Onion and Kale Butternut Squash Boats 4-6 servings | 70 minutes Ingredients: 1 butternut squash 1 cup chopped kale 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 shallot, diced 1 package balsamic kale chicken sausage or other chicken sausage 1/2 onion 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tbsp butter 2 tsp olive oil, divided Salt and pepper 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped 2-4 oz shredded gruyere cheese Directions: Butternut Squash Boats Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the butternut squash in half, carefully, using a sharp knife. Scoop the seeds out of the bulb of the squash and throw away. Place squash halves face up on a baking sheet and rub both halves with 1 tsp of olive oil. Season the halves with salt and pepper, pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tbsp rosemary. Bake butternut squash for 60 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender. While the squash is cooking, make the caramelized onions. Balsamic Caramelized Onions Slice the onion into thin strips. Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Add the onions an turn the heat down to very low. Toss the onions in the oil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove cover, salt and toss the onions. Return the lid and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cover again and cook until onions are completely broken down and caramelized, about another 10 minutes or so. Chicken Sausage I used the Organics brand balsamic kale chicken sausage which comes in a pack of 5 links and is not in a casing. If chicken sausage is in a casing, use a knife to slice open the casing and remove the ground sausage. Using your hands or a spoon, break up the meat. If chicken sausage is not in a casing, use a food processor to pulse the sausage until it's broken up into small pieces. Set aside. Garlic Roasted Kale Roughly chop the kale and place in a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with remaining teaspoon of olive oil and use your hands to massage the oil into the kale. Mix the salt, pepper, remaining rosemary, garlic and shallots into the kale. Set aside. Assemble the Boats Once the squash is fork tender remove it from the oven. There's two ways to serve this dish. The first method is to slice the squash into thick 2" wedges and return it to the baking sheet. The second option is to use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the squash from it's skin and place in a separate bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the squash. Return the flesh to the butternut squash boats. For either method, top the squash with massaged kale, chicken sausage and balsamic caramelized onions. Return the squash to the oven to baking for 10 minutes or until the kale starts to roast and the chicken sausage is heated through. Remove the boats from the oven and top with shredded cheese. Return it to the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with a little rosemary and serve warm with fresh bread or a nice salad. Nutrition facts are based on using a 2lb (after seeds removed) butternut squash and breaking it into 4 servings. An estimate of 3 oz of cheese topping was also used to calculate these numbers.

This is the most indulgent tasting, moist, delicious zucchini bread I've ever eaten. Ironically, it's also the healthiest zucchini bread I've ever eaten. Not only are you sneaking 2 cups of zucchini in every loaf, this bread is butter free and made with good quality olive oil instead of processed canola or vegetable oil. And to top it all off... it's good. Like really good. Like I could sit there and eat the whole loaf good. And it's healthy. Like really healthy. Like I could sit there and eat the whole loaf healthy, although I wouldn't advise it, because then there will be none left for tomorrow! By replacing butter in a classic loaf recipe with unsweetened applesauce, you maintain the buttery moist texture without sacrificing any flavor. I prefer this recipe to many of my loaves where I use butter because it's nearly impossible to overcook and dry out! The end slices are my favorite because one side gets perfectly crispy from the bread pan, while the inside is so soft, warm and the perfect texture. While there's no chocolate in this recipe I swear it fits that chocolate sweet tooth in just a bite or two but if that's not enough, sprinkle in some chocolate chips! Zucchini is such a unique and versatile vegetable. Eat it raw in salads, roast it as a side dish, spiralize it and it's suddenly pasta and now, yes, I'm telling you to grate your zucchini and you've got yourself a tasty treat for breakfast or dessert!! Top it with yogurt, berries and honey for breakfast. Shmear on some butter and enjoy with a hot cup or tea as a snack. Or even heat it up and scoop on some vanilla ice cream for dessert. Mix Things Up for breakfast this weekend with this twist on a classic: For an especially decedent secret variation... turn it into French toast! Simply slice the loaf and dip each piece in an egg and milk mixture (add some extra cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice if you're feeling wild). Toast it until it's golden brown and top it with a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Caution: you may never eat classic French toast again. Extra Healthy Zucchini Bread 1 loaf or 12 slices | 60 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups grated zucchini (2 medium zucchini) 1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce 1/2 cup oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil) 3/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown but light or dark brown works) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Wash the zucchini, slice one end off and finely grate it into a bowl. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the zucchini using a cheese cloth, clean dish rag or paper towels. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and pumpkin pie spices together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine apple sauce, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and stir until just combined, not overly mixed. Use a spatula to pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Once the toothpick comes out clean, remove the bread from the oven and let cool. Remove from the pan and let cool completely prior to slicing. I love this bread as is, warmed up with a slab of butter and hot tea or under a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I also will freeze the bread and pop it in the toaster or microwave to defrost and enjoy. Nutrition facts estimated based off 1 loaf sliced into 12 slices.

One bite of this spaghetti squash enchilada casserole and you may never use tortillas again! The hardest part about enchiladas is sitting there rolling up each individual enchilada and assembling them neatly in the casserole dish. Mine just never fit quite right and I end up with one squished in horizontal and cut in half. This dump and go enchilada recipe is perfect for those of us with no patience to roll up individual burritos! Ditch the tortillas for some delicious roasted spaghetti squash and you have yourself a filling, satisfying and delicious casserole of enchiladas for both you AND your neighbor. I used shredded chicken in mine but ground turkey, ground chicken, shredded pork or even chicken sausage are other great protein ideas! Whatever you have on hand. I split mine into 2 pans with 4 servings in each pan. That made for more of a shallow casserole and optimal surface area for adding cheese. Each slice was long and wide but not super thick. If you prefer a deeper dish, simply layer it all in a single casserole dish and you're good to go! In this case all 8 servings will come from that one casserole dish instead of split between two. I kept the spices super simple in this one to ensure most people have them on hand. All I used was cumin and chili powder in addition to the red enchilada sauce I used right from the can. The rest of the ingredients came straight from my pantry or freezer. Beans and frozen veggies like corn and diced peppers and onions are great things to keep stocked up on. They're perfect to throw in soups, chilis or this enchilada casserole! Of course I did have one ingredient from the produce isle and that's spaghetti squash but I swear those things will sit on my counter top for a good while and still be perfect. I serve my enchilada casserole hot and topped with all the classic toppings like cool tomatoes, creamy avocado and a dollop of plain greek yogurt. I love this recipe because it is super versatile. You can change the beans, add in extra veggies, omit the cheese or go vegetarian with it. I also adapted this into a single serving taco bowl. I added a bed of spinach and just dumped all of the ingredients in a bowl! Make this ahead of time and have it ready for dinner in a flash! Prep the casserole and top it with cheese a day before you plan to bake it. Then toss it in the oven covered in foil for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese melts! Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Casserole 8 servings or 2 9x13 casserole trays | Cook time: 1 hour Ingredients: 2 small spaghetti squashes Salt and Pepper 1-1 1/2 lb chicken, cooked and then shredded 1 can red enchilada sauce 1 jalapeño, fresh or jarred, minced and seeds removed if you don't like spicy (~1 tbsp but can adjust depending on spice preference) 1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup frozen corn 1/2 cup onion, diced (frozen or ~1/2 an onion) 1 cup red bell pepper, diced (frozen or ~1 fresh pepper) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp chili powder 1/2 tbsp cumin 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese 1/2 tsp olive oil Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice spaghetti squash in half, spray the flesh with nonstick spray and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on a large baking sheet for 45 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender. Spray two glass casserole dishes with nonstick spray. Remove the squash from the oven. Remove the seeds and throw away. Use a fork to remove the flesh from the skin and divide between the two casserole dishes. Preheat the oven to 375. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add peppers, jalapeños and onions and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add spices, garlic, shredded chicken, beans and corn to the pan and toss to combine. Cook an additional 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Divide the chicken and veggie mixture between the two casserole dishes. Pour half the enchilada sauce into each casserole dish and combine the squash, chicken, veggies and enchilada sauce. Top both dishes with shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through. Top with whatever you want! I like fresh tomatoes, Greek yogurt and some avocado. My boyfriend enjoyed his with a side of chips, a lime wedge and lots of avocado! Nutrition facts provided based on the use of 2 casserole dishes for the recipe. If using one dish, a serving would be 1/8 of casserole. Nutrition facts do not include toppings.

This green breakfast burrito is stuffed with nutritious flavorful ingredients like creamy goat cheese, peppery arugula and delicious nuggets of broccoli. It all scrambles together with organic pasture raised eggs and a scoop of pesto. I first had a burrito like this at my favorite cafe in Philly and I've been hooked ever since. I love eggs for breakfast but sometimes you want to mix things up from the classic eggs and toast and this is the perfect healthy way to do it. These burritos make for an easy meal prep and are freezer friendly. To freeze and store these guys, simply allow the egg mixture to cool completely before assembling the burritos, wrap tightly in tin foil and freeze! Reheating is a breeze as well, just a minute or two in the microwave and you're on your way. I love the fresh flavors in this wrap. Between the fiber rich broccoli, protein packed eggs and other healthy fats, this wrap is sure to get your day off to a great start! You'll be full, focused and ready for whatever is thrown your way. Whether you're making a big batch for the whole family, stocking up the freezer or making just enough to get you through a tough Monday, these will hit the spot. Breakfast Green Wrap 2 servings | 10 minutes Ingredients: 2 wraps (I used #tumaros multigrain wraps) 4 pasture raised eggs (Your local farmer's market is where I find the most wallet friendly eggs but #vitalfarms, #PeteandGerrys and #Nellies are a few of my other favorites) Optional protein bump: 4 oz egg whites 1 cup arugula 1 cup frozen broccoli florets 1 oz goat cheese 1 tbsp pesto Salt and pepper, to taste This recipe is easily doubled or tripled to make a bigger batch. It is also freezer friendly and quickly reheated. The instructions to freeze and reheat can be found at the end of the recipe. Directions: Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Microwave broccoli florets until fully defrosted and warm, 2-3 minutes. Heat a medium sauté pan and spray with nonstick spray. Add eggs and broccoli to the pan. Using a rubber spatula, continuously stir the eggs until they start to congeal. Once the eggs start to solidify, stir in the pesto and goat cheese and continue cooking for another minute or so until they are no longer runny. Remove eggs from heat and fold in arugula (if freezing the burritos- skip steps 8-14 and continue on to the freeze and reheat section below). Divide the egg mixture between the two tortillas. Return the pan and heat over medium. Spray the pan with nonstick spray. Fold the tortillas into burritos by tucking in the sides and rolling the top part to meet the bottom while folding the egg mixture in. Carefully place the burritos seam side down in the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until it browns and seals the tortilla to itself. Flip the burrito and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side. Remove the burritos from the heat, slice in half and serve warm! To Freeze and Reheat Burritos: Allow the egg mixture to cool completely, about 10 minutes or so. Lay out 1 sheet of tin foil/burrito, slightly larger than the tortilla. Lay a tortilla on each piece of foil. Divide the egg mixture amongst the tortillas and fold the tortillas into burritos by tucking in the sides and rolling the top to meet the bottom while folding the egg mixture in. Wrap aluminum foil tightly around each burrito, covering it completely. Place in resealable plastic bags in a single layer. Remove as much air as possible from the bags before sealing. Store in the freezer until ready to reheat. Reheat by removing the aluminum foil, placing the burrito on a microwave-safe plate, and top it with a paper towel. Heat in the microwave until evenly warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Option to seal the burritos by following steps 12-14 after reheating. Nutrition facts are based on ingredient amounts listed. Nutrition facts do not include the optional protein punch of egg whites. To account for these, simply add 31 calories and 6.5 grams of protein per serving.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post my classic Chicken Salad recipe on the website. This really was the recipe that turned me on to sharing my recipes. It's creamy and so so basic. I regularly make a big batch of it to keep in the fridge for a protein packed lunch or snack option. I love chicken salad because you can get super creative with your ingredients and the product itself is so versatile. By swapping out the majority of the typical mayonnaise based sauce with greek yogurt you save 700 calories and 85g of fat. For reference 4 oz of mayonnaise is about 770 calories, 0.6g of carbs, 85g of fat and 1g of protein vs the equivalent of plain greek yogurt is about 68 calories, 4.5g carbs, 0g fat and 12g protein. I recommend you pay attention when choosing your yogurt. Plain yogurt should always have more protein than carbs and have very few added sugars. I typically use #siggis or #oikos in my recipes. Also, if you're someone who craves that classic mayo taste, I recommend you opt in to the optional 1 tbsp mayo ingredient! Healthy Chicken Salad 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Assemble: 5 minutes Ingredients: 12-16oz chicken breast 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt 4 oz plain greek yogurt 1 tbsp dijon mustard Optional: 1 tbsp mayonnaise (I typically omit this because I'm not a fan of it but if you like the flavor, a little goes a long way) 1 cup celery, chopped (~100g) 1/4 chives, chopped 4 cup raw spinach, arugula or other lettuce 4 wraps (I usually use #tuamros or 1/2 a #josephspita lavash wraps) Directions: Cook chicken according to your preference. I typically use an instant pot and place raw chicken in with 1/2 cup water and some salt and pepper. Cook on poultry for 15 minutes for defrosted chicken and 20 minutes for frozen chicken. Alternative methods would be grilling it, boiling it, baking it or using rotisserie chicken (about 3 cups). Use 2 forks or a food processor to shred the chicken. In a large bowl mix yogurt, dijon, spices and (optional) mayonnaise. Mix in shredded chicken, chopped chives and chopped celery until evenly coated in dressing. Serve with spinach or other lettuce in your favorite wrap. Pro tip: for a little extra bite, sometimes I'll sprinkle in some #traderjoes everything but the bagel seasoning or a few dashes or hot sauce for good measure! Alternatives: I love the classic celery and chive combination in my chicken salad but some of my other favorite mix ins are quartered grapes, chopped pears, chopped apples or chopped carrots. Try a combination of ingredients and see what your favorite recipe is! Nutrition facts are provided for the basic recipe for chicken salad with celery and chives on half a #josephspita lavash wrap. Nutrition facts do not include optional 1 tbsp of mayonnaise. If you choose to include mayonnaise, simply add 2.6g of fat/serving to account for it.

I’m an avid 8pm snacker. I love a little dessert before bed and this chocolate peanut butter protein cake fills that sweet tooth perfectly! For some people, the taste of cocoa can be overwhelming but by using 1 part powdered peanut butter to the 1 part cocoa powder you end up with a great flavor balance between chocolate and peanut butter, plus it's a great way to add a touch more protein! I find the powdered peanut butter by the regular peanut butter in most grocery stores. This cake is chocolatey, gooey in the middle and packed with protein! I use unsweetened original almond milk as my liquid, it’s super low in calories and doesn’t add any fake flavoring but any milk works! I also love to top mine with a soft scoop of ice cream (some of my go tos are #halotop, #breyersdelights and Ben and Jerry’s #moophoria) but cool whip, whipped cream, yogurt or even keeping it as is, are other ways to enjoy this tasty treat! To me, protein cake is an art form. It’s always delicious but it might take a few tries before you get it just right. Some people like it more gooey and others more solid. Some like it sweeter and others might opt for a salty mix in. I prefer mine a bit more gooey so I add some extra milk, it gives it that runny inside like a lava cake. If you prefer it to keep that cake consistency all the way through, air on the lesser side of the milk spectrum! This recipe is great because you can customize it to your specific flavor preference! Minute Protein Cake 1 serving | 1 minute Ingredients: 1 scoop protein powder of choice (I’ve been using PEScience chocolate brownie batter, 33g/120 calories). I order mine on #amazon but the key is to look for one that's mainly protein, some have so many unneeded carbs from added sugar. This one is 24g of protein and 1g of carb. Other than that it's just trying different ones and seeing which you like best! 1/4-1/3 cup unsweetened original almond milk (I’ve found it depends on the protein powder how much milk you need, I also like a little extra milk to keep the middle of the cake more gooey and not fully formed, it’s like a warm melty lava cake... this is definitely a trial and error to find how you prefer your cake, my golden number to go with the PEscience protein powder and get that lava cake consistency is 90mL almond milk) 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tbsp powdered peanutbutter 1/2 tsp baking powder Optional: if you want it sweeter, add 1/2 tsp vanilla (personally I do not) Optional mix ins: when I’m feeling really ~crazy~ I’ll drop in a few chocolate chips or mini Reese’s pieces after I’m done mixing the batter, they leave little pockets of melted chocolatey goodness throughout There's so many different ways to make this cake your own, above are just a few of my favorites! Directions: Combine all dry ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Pour in milk and stir to combine. Microwave 45 seconds-1 minute (timing depends on your microwave, how cooked you want it and how much milk you added. For the first time i would check it after 45 seconds and return to the microwave if you want it cooked more). Top with your favorite toppings- whipped cream or halo top are my go to’s but I’ve also tried berries, pretzels and even a dollop of yogurt a time or two! & finally... dig in!