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When I visited Chicago last year my friend took me to an Italian restaurant where I ate the BEST pasta dish I’ve ever had. Each bite was smothered in the creamiest most decadent blush sauce. The ingredients were top knotch too... I’m talking BIG strips of chicken, homemade rigatoni and tons of flavor coming from the sun-drieds and artichokes. To say it was "good" would an injustice. I have been craving this meal for almost a year now and considering I have no flights to Chicago on the books (yet) I figured I better get to recreating this on my own. It took a few tries but I finally nailed it! Low and behold my take on my favorite pasta meal ever... Chicken, Sun-dried and Artichoke Rigatoni in a Prosecco Tomato Cream Reduction. Try it. Love it. You’re welcome. Chicken Sun-dried & Artichoke Rigatoni in a Prosecco Tomato Cream Reduction 4 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: 8 oz rigatoni pasta 2 large shallots, diced 12-16 oz chicken breast, cut into 3-4oz tender portions (you can leave as full breasts but this will increase the cooking time for the chicken) 1/2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup half and half 1 cup good quality tomato sauce (I used #Raos but any type you like would work or even your own favorite recipe) 1/2 cup prosecco (I used #lamarca because that's what I like to drink but any prosecco would work and if you're not into prosecco you could try champagne, a dry white wine or leave it out entirely!) 1-2 oz sun-dried tomatoes (depending on how much sun-dried flavor you like) 2 cans artichokes, drained and quartered (~500g) 1/4 cup fresh basil 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, for topping 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Directions: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once the water boils, generously salt the water and stir in rigatoni, cooking according to box. Note: when straining the pasta reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later. While the pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and season skillet with salt. Add chicken tenders to the pan in a single layer and season face up side with more salt. Allow to cook until browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and allow to cook for another 3 minutes or until completely cooked through (cooked chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165F). Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate to rest, cover the plate loosely with tin foil. Turn heat on the skillet down to low. Add Prosecco to the pan and use a wooden spoon to deglaze it. Add chopped shallots and whisk in the half and half. Cover and allow to reduce for 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant. Pour the reduced sauce, garlic and shallots into a blender. Add the cup of tomato sauce as well. Blend until combined but not entirely smooth, sauce consistency is really a personal preference. If you want it smoother, blend more or less if you want more chunks. Return the blended sauce along with sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and rigatoni to the pan. Pour 1/4-1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water into the blender. Swish it around to get any remaining sauce out of the blender and pour it into to the pan. Slice chicken into 1/2" strips and add to the pan along with any juices on the plate. Cover and allow the dish to cook on low for about 5 or so minutes to let all those flavors party together a bit. Just before serving, stir in fresh basil and season with extra salt and fresh cracked pepper, as needed. Serve hot topped with fresh basil and fresh parmesan! Now I know you are all curious about the original meal as well. WELL the original meal was consumed in Chicago, IL at this cozy little italian restaurant called Sapori Trattoria. The infamous dish was called the "Pennette Cardinale" and is described as: Penne pasta served with marinated artichokes, chicken, shallots and sun-dried tomatoes in a white wine tomato cream reduction sauce. Yes, I'm drooling writing this so I guess I'll have to go recreate this again next weekend but for now please enjoy a visual, below. When I ordered this in the restaurant I subbed the penne for their homemade rigatoni (GOOD choice) so I kept that pasta type in my version. I also opted for Prosecco instead of white wine because I felt I brought a deeper flavor to the dish and also brought an excuse to enjoy a glass of Prosecco with a splash of elderflower on top with dinner, if you haven't tried this drink before, I highly recommend! I don't know about you but valentines day is just around the corner, and there's nothing that says "I love you" quite like a bottle of Prosecco and this creamy plate of rigatoni.

That home-sick-from-school-in-winter kind of soup. You know the one that you get to eat in bed? The kind that warms you from the inside out and is low key packed with veggies and cold curing deliciousness but you're just tasting the cheese? Yeah that one. Broccoli cheddar soup is one of those that just makes you feel instantly better when you eat it. Naturally, I couldn't just make a basic broccoli cheddar soup, I had to mix it up a bit! This one is CREAM FREE. Instead I used steamed cauliflower to thicken it up a bit. By blending it with milk and spices you get that creamy consistency from vegetables! If you're a major cream fan and this turns you off- maybe ease into it, try halving the cauliflower and adding some half and half! Play around with it. Cream Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup 5 servings | Ingredients: 3 cups broccoli florets (~500g) 10oz bag frozen cauliflower or riced cauliflower 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (or bone broth for extra protein) 2 cups skim milk (I used #fairlife) 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt or sea salt 1 cup onions, diced (~150g) 1 cup carrots, shredded (~100g) 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (~150g) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp olive oil 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder If you love spice: a little bit of cayenne or a dash or two of hot sauce Directions: Steam frozen cauliflower. Blend cauliflower with milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder and mustard powder until smooth. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add in onions, carrots and celery and sauté until tender, 5-6 minutes. Add in minced garlic and sauté an additional minute until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze bottom of the pot of any vegetables. Stir in cauliflower and milk purée. Add additional salt and pepper if needed. Pour in broccoli, cover and allow to simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Once tender, stir in the cheddar cheese slowly allowing it to melt as you do. Once again, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, serve hot and garnish with extra cheddar cheese and/or shredded carrots.

Healthy citrus pineapple chicken. This recipe is perfect for a lunch meal prep. Enjoy warm or cold, alongside rice or over greens. It's light, fresh and full of bright colors and flavors. The zesty lime and juicy pineapple add a punch of flavor to the fresh vegetables and grilled chicken. Try this dish and bring a little taste of summer to your workday. I served my citrus pineapple chicken over a half serving of some warm jasmine rice but if you're looking for an even LIGHTER version you could sub the rice for cauliflower rice or a bed of fresh greens! Whatever you do, be sure to mix that citrusy marinade into every bite and serve with extra fresh squeezed lime and chopped cilantro. For this recipe I used #stubbs citrus and onion chicken marinade. You find it at most major grocery stores! You could easily make your own too but- we're all busy, so why not keep things as simple as possible? While this marinade is called a "chicken marinade" it is not exclusive to chicken and neither is this recipe! While I went with chicken as my protein here, feel free to sub it for something more your style: shrimp, steak or turkey tenderloin would be delicious in this marinade as well. Citrus Pineapple Chicken 4 servings | 30 minutes + 30 minutes marinating Kitchen Equipment: Large skillet 2 large ziploc bags Medium pot with lid or rice cooker Ingredients: 12oz chicken, diced 100g pineapple, diced 100g yellow bell pepper, diced 100g red bell pepper, diced 100g green bell pepper, diced 100g orange bell pepper, diced 100g onions, diced 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 1 tsp coconut oil, divided 2 tbsp citrus marinade, divided (#stubbs onion & citrus marinade) 1oz fresh pineapple juice, reserve by slicing pineapple ahead of time and storing in a bowl, after a few minutes pour off 1oz of the juice that collects at the bottom of the dish 1/2 cup dry jasmine rice 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Juice of one lime Optional: 1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch Directions: Dice chicken into bite size pieces and place in ziploc bag. Pour in 1 tbsp citrus marinade and zip the bag, pressing out excess air. Mix the chicken around in the marinade while it's sealed. Dice bell peppers, onions and pineapple and place in second ziploc. Pour in 1 tbsp citrus marinade and pineapple juice. Seal the bag, remove excess air and mix the vegetables into the marinade and juice. Store both bags in the fridge for about 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Turn bags over halfway through marinating. Cook rice according to package. I cook mine in a 2:1 ratio of water to rice (1 cup water to 1/2 cup dry rice), bring it to a boil in a pot and lower to a low simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork prior to serving. While rice is cooking melt half the coconut oil over medium in a skillet. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from marinade and add to skillet. Throw away excess marinade. Brown chicken in skillet until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes per side. Once chicken is cooked, remove from skillet and set aside. Add remaining coconut oil to dish. Add fresh grated ginger to skillet and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from marinade and add to skillet. Leave excess marinade in the bag, you will use it later in the recipe!! Cook vegetables until slightly tender but still have some bite, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the dish and pour in remaining marinade using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan of any brown bits. Stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Optional extra step: You can leave the dish as is with more of a liquid dressing or you can stir in the arrowroot starch to thicken it into more of a glaze. Both options are delicious. This time I added the arrowroot but next time I may leave it as is! Nutrition facts included for both the base chicken and vegetable mixture (left) and for the entire meal (right) which includes 1/8 cup jasmine rice per serving. Recipe does not include 1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch. If including this ingredient add 1g carb and 6 calories per serving.

This creamy cheesy bowl of heaven will satisfy even the hungriest and pickiest trick-or-treater. Before you take the kids out for pillowcases full of candy, make sure to sneak a few veggies in, served in the cutest roasted pumpkin bowls! I'm seriously drooling writing this and will absolutely be making this again very soon. Adding pumpkin to the cheese sauce takes creamy to another level, I'm talking spoonfuls of the good stuff in every nook and cranny of broccoli and oriecchette (or whatever your Mac preference). Sneaking a delicious vegetable like broccoli should be a given with Mac and cheese. It bulks up the portion size, adds flavor and micronutrients! Those extra bites of energy are crucial before a monster night like Halloween (for both parents and kids)! Obviously this Mac and cheese is delicious out of the bowls but, come on, how cute are these? They're also super versatile and decorative. Perfect for serving any number of dips or tricks you may have for your grown up halloween parties too! Pumpkin Soup Bowls 4 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 mini pumpkin pie pumpkins or other small pumpkin Olive oil spray Salt and pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cut the tops of the pumpkins off, keep in mind you're making a bowl so you want the opening pretty wide. Scoop out the insides of the pumpkin, seeds, flesh and all. Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake open side up on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until it can be punctured with a fork. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese 4 servings | 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin puree 2 tbsp butter 2 cups broccoli florets (~300g) 2 tbsp flour 1 cup skim milk 4 oz #traderjoes cheddar and gruyere cheese (just cheddar works just as well) 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp powdered mustard A dash of cayenne pepper (like just a dash, ~1/8 tsp?) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 tbsp breadcrumbs 8 oz macaroni (I used orecchiette) Directions: If cheese is not shredded, shred cheddar cheese. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt water and add pasta, stirring occasionally. Steam broccoli, I used a steamer basket over the boiling pasta to save a dish! Heat a separate pan on medium low. Add butter to melt. Once melted, add flour and whisk for about 3 minutes to cook off the flour taste. Whisk in milk, pumpkin puree, spices and 3/4 of cheese until smooth. Strain pasta and broccoli and fold into cheese sauce. Place Mac and cheese into mini pumpkin bowls or other oven safe bowl. Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Broil for 2-3 minutes in the oven until cheese and breadcrumbs start to brown.

This recipe has it all! Not only is it crazy healthy, but it's low carb, low calorie, packed with only the good stuff and easily made dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo or whole30 approved with a few swaps. You won't believe it's actually good for you! When you really look at it, this recipe is essentially veggies topped with more veggies (and chicken) and smothered in a creamy sauce made with-big shock here- more veggies! But all I'm tasting is a massive- and I do mean massive- bowl of delicious ingredients smothered in a creamy garlicky Alfredo sauce. So PLEASE don't let all this veggie talk deter you.. because it is damn delicious! The tasty secret here is in the sauce. It always it, right? I roast the cauliflower and garlic together in a convenient pouch for a no mess route to flavortown. If you haven't roasted garlic in the oven before, you have to try it. It comes out sweet and soft and I could eat it as is or smeared on some crusty bread. For this recipe though it's going right into the sauce to be blended with milk and veggies until it's creamy perfection. The convenient tin foil pouch is the perfect way to keep the flavor in and gets you perfect sweet roasted garlic and cauliflower, every time! The pictures below show the before and after of roasting the squash, cauliflower and garlic in the oven. Prior to cooking the squashes are sliced in half and seasoned before placing seeds side down on a baking sheet. The garlic and cauliflower, meanwhile, are wrapped up in a tightly sealed pouch. After cooking everything is nice and brown, soft and ready to be eaten! I love spaghetti squash because VOLUME. I will normally buy a small spaghetti squash which ends up being ~1000-1200g total. Then after cutting it in half and subtracting the seeds and shell you're left with about 400-500g of flesh in each half (I have one half as a serving). For this much flesh you're talking about 28-32g of carbs. That's the carb equivalent of about half a small russet potato or a small apple. Now compare the size of half a spaghetti squash and an apple... you see what I mean by volume? I served this to my boyfriend and he couldn't believe the size for just 1 serving! Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Spaghetti Squash 4 servings | 50 minutes Ingredients: Roasted Cauliflower Cream Sauce: 10 oz bag frozen cauliflower or half a fresh head of cauliflower, cut into florets 1/4 cup skim milk or dairy free milk (I have subbed for unsweetened almond milk) 8 cloves garlic 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 cup chicken broth 1 tsp olive oil Spaghetti Squash Bowl: 2 small spaghetti squashes 16 oz bag frozen broccoli florets or 4 cups fresh broccoli, cut into florets 1 tsp olive oil Additional salt and pepper for seasoning 2-4 oz shredded cheese and a little grated parmesan for topping (omit for dairy free) Directions: Preheat oven to 425. Cover a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray with nonstick spray. Slice both squashes in half using sharp knife (if you have trouble with this, use a fork to poke a few holes in the squash and microwave for 6-8 minutes and then try and cut in half). Once in half, spray all halves with nonstick spray and season with salt and pepper. Place all four halves face down on a large baking sheet. Peel the skin off of garlic cloves. Place garlic and cauliflower florets on a piece of tin foil. Drizzle garlic and cauliflower with 2 tsp olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Fold sides of tin foil up around garlic and cauliflower and tightly seal it at the top to form a pouch (you want to make sure there's no open spots so the contents don't burn). Add squash and tin foil pouch to the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. While those are cooking, prepare the chicken and broccoli. Bring a pot of water to a boil and steam broccoli florets until fork tender. Dice chicken into bite sized pieces and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a medium sauté pan with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Add chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink. Once broccoli and chicken are cooked, remove from pans and set aside. Remove the squash and tin foil pouch from the oven. Scoop the seeds out of the spaghetti squash and use a fork to break up the flesh. Dump the contents of the tin foil pouch into a blender along with 1/2 cup chicken broth, milk, pepper, mustard, garlic powder and onion powder and blend until smooth. Add remaining chicken broth until your ideal consistency is reached (I usually end up adding the whole remaining 1/2 cup but you can add more or less depending on preference). Mix broccoli, chicken and cauliflower cream sauce into the flesh of the spaghetti squash. You can remove the flesh from all halves and combine everything in a large bowl or serve each person a half and let them top with their own chicken, broccoli, sauce and cheese. The latter is my preference because build your own = less work for you! Optional extra step: Set oven to broil, add in squash halves topped with cheese and broil until the cheese begins to bubble and brown. Remove from the oven, top with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and enjoy! Nutrition facts for Roasted Cauliflower Cream Sauce (left) and for entire meal, including the cream sauce (right).

You are only 5 minutes away from perfectly al dente angel hair pasta bulked up by delicious zucchini noodles. By cooking this in the instant pot you can cook the pasta and the veggies together and allow the zucchini to simply melt into the spaghetti. The result? A massive bowl of pasta for half the calories. Instant Pot Veggie Spaghetti 2 servings | 5 minutes Ingredients 1 cup jarred or homemade marinara sauce (I always use #Raos Tomato Basil Marinara) 1 cup water 2-4 oz whole grain angel hair spaghetti, I usually use #barilla 400g spiraled zucchini Pro tip: Feel free to use whatever sauce you want! Lately I've just been using 2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt and then stirring in tons of veggies and my favorite Pumped Up Pesto! Directions: Combine water and sauce in the instant pot. Submerge pasta in the sauce (I usually break the noodles in half to add them). Arrange the spiraled zucchini on the top of the pasta (these do not need to be submerged they'll be steamed in the pot). Close the lid and cook on meat/stew for 5 minutes. I let it slow release for a few minutes after but that's usually because I got distracted by something else. Then I'll release the steam valve and combine the zucchini and noodles with a fork. I will usually enjoy this under some cheesy Air Fried Chicken Parmesan or a pile of turkey meatballs. Or simply as is with a big ole glass of wine and freshly shaved parmesan on top!

Why spend money on enchilada sauce at the store that's packed with sodium and questionable ingredients when it's this easy to make your own... with just basic tomato sauce and a few tasty spices you too can have classic enchiladas for dinner tonight! The filling has lots of veggies and the dish is packed with protein you don't even have to add chicken. Try going meatless tonight! Classic Cheesy Chicken & Veggie Enchiladas 4 servings | 35 minutes Ingredients: 1 zucchini diced 1/2 onion diced 2-4 cups spinach 1/2 lb chicken 1/2 cup water 2 cups no salt added tomato sauce 12 mini tortillas or 6 full size tortillas (I used #tumaros multigrain wraps) 6 oz cheddar jack or Monterrey jack cheese 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (4 oz) (I used #siggis) 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp lime zest Optional: 1/2 tsp jalapeño powder (for a little extra spice, a bit of cayenne would do the trick too) Directions: First make the enchilada sauce by combining tomato sauce, lime zest and spices in a medium bowl. This recipe can be prepared a few different ways. Personally I cooked mine in an instant pot because I had it on hand and liked that I could dump it all in and have it ready quickly but a crockpot or simply a pan and precooked chicken work just as well. It doesn’t matter how you cook the chicken, it all comes together the same or even just omit the chicken for a vegetarian version! Prepare the filling according to one of the cooking methods in steps 4-6. Crockpot: Combine chicken, enchilada sauce and water in the pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add zucchini and onion to the pot when there’s about 30-60 minutes remaining. Stir in chopped spinach when cooking has completed until it wilts. Instant pot: Combine chicken, enchilada sauce and water in the pot. Seal the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Allow it to release naturally for 10-15 minutes. Open, add the zucchini and onion and sauté until veggies start to soften. Stir in spinach until it wilts. Precooked Chicken: Cook and shred the chicken however your prefer. A time saving technique is to use a rotisserie chicken here but grilling, baking or poaching it is just as simple. Once your chicken is cooked and shredded, sauté zucchini and onion in a pan until they start to soften. Add in enchilada sauce, precooked chicken and spinach and cook until chicken is heated through and spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and stir in plain yogurt and half the cheese. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray and coat the bottom with a little of the reserved sauce. Distribute chicken mixture between tortillas of choice. Roll up and arrange in dish, seam side down. Cover with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes covered with tin foil. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is nice and melted Top with your favorite toppings like cilantro, plain yogurt/sour cream or guacamole. I served this alongside a scoop of brown rice and black beans! Nutrition facts are shown for enchiladas with chicken (left) and without chicken (right). Nutrition facts were generated based on using 6 large #tumaros multigrain wraps as the tortillas. The may change slightly when using other brands or if using mini tortillas instead.

All the flavors of delicious stuffed peppers in a soup! Just dump everything in an instant pot or regular pot and you’ve got lunch for the week. It doesn’t just taste great either, it’s also low calorie and packed with veggies and protein! Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup 6-8 servings | 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 bell peppers, chopped (~100g each) 1/2-1 onion, chopped (~150g) 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp olive oil 1 lb ground turkey 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp italian seasoning 6 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 cup brown rice Directions: Turn instant pot onto sauté (if using regular pot, heat on medium) and add olive oil. Add ground turkey to the pot and brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add diced bell peppers, onions and spices to the pot. Stir to combine. Cook until just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Pour in crushed tomatoes, fire roasted diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, rice and low sodium chicken broth. Stir to combine. Turn off sauté feature and close lid. Set to cook on soup for 15 minutes. Allow it to release naturally (about 10-15 minutes) once the cook time is done. Remove lid, stir and enjoy!

This white chicken chili is made with simple ingredients and packed with flavor. The spice profile here is unlike any other, you gotta try it! It's creamy and delicious but still healthy with the use of half and half and greek yogurt. Whether you prefer it more as a soup or a chili, it is so filling and makes for the perfect winter-work-lunch to keep you full and focused through the 3 PM slump. I love topping it with fresh lime juice, the citrus really enhances the flavor! White Chicken Chili 5 servings | 25 minutes No instant pot? No problem. Just modify and go! Use pre-cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie would be great) and just add with the veggies and simmer it all together on the stove for about 10 minutes and proceed to step 11. Don't want to pre-cook chicken? Still no problem! Boil the chicken in the broth, covered, for 10 minutes, add veggies and boil another 10 minutes before removing chicken to shred and proceed to step 11! Ingredients: 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp olive oil, divided 1 lb chicken breast 2-3 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 cup corn 1/2 cup onion, diced 1/2 cup zucchini, diced 1 4oz can chopped green chilies 1 15oz can white kidney beans 1/4 cup half and half 2 oz plain greek yogurt Chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice and/or additional yogurt for topping If you are not a big fan of zucchini, try using celery instead! Directions: Turn the instant pot on to sauté and heat 1/2 tsp olive oil. Sear chicken breast for 3 minutes in the oil. Use tongs to flip chicken and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and add remaining 1/2 tsp oil. Pour in corn, zucchini, onion and all of the spices. Toss to combine. Allow veggies to cook for about 2 minutes before adding in the chopped green chilies. Stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pot. Pour in chicken broth (recommend 2 cups for a thicker chili and 3 cups for more of a thick soup, I opted for 3 cups). Place the lid on the instant pot and close the vent. Cook in the instant pot for 15 minutes, I used the poultry setting but a soup or chili setting works too. They are all the same in the end, just adjust it to 15 minutes! When the timer finishes allow the pot to naturally release for 5-10 minutes. Open the instant pot, remove the chicken and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Turn on sauté feature and add in the can of beans and cook until heated through. Turn off heat and stir in half and half, plain greek yogurt and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warmed topped with some extra fresh chopped cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice and a dollop of plain greek yogurt.

Pesto and fried chicken are usually synonymous with a lot of fat and densely packed with calories. Well I'm here to change that narrative! By sneaking vegetables into pesto you create extra volume with no extra calories or fats. As for fried chicken, oil is simply not required for that perfectly crispy outside. I use a simple yet flavorful way to bread the chicken and my air fryer for an oil-free way to get extra crispy chicken cutlets! My struggle with pesto is that for the same reason I love it, I also hate it. Pesto is very dense and by that I mean one tiny teaspoon packs a ton of ingredients and flavor which is great because a little goes a long way- but if you're like me- you'd rather have your pasta drowning in that delicious sauce. Unfortunately, for that to happen you're probably packing an extra 1,000 calories into your meal! Well- I found a simple solution using 3 kitchen staples... Pumped Up Pesto Pasta 4 servings | 15 minutes Ingredients: Pesto: 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade pesto 4 cups sautéed spinach 3 tbsp half and half Salt, as needed Pasta: 8 oz whole grain pasta, I used rotini 1 tsp salt 2 cups broccoli florets 1 cup grape tomatoes 1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes Parmesan cheese, for topping Directions: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta, cooking according to box. Saute spinach in a sauté pan until wilted. Remove and roughly blend in a blender. Add pesto and half and half to blender. Taste pesto and add additional salt as needed, the spinach came dull the flavor of the pesto so you may need to add salt to bring it out again. Cook veggies as preferred. I used frozen florets and microwaved them to defrost and then added broccoli and tomatoes to the sauté pan for a few minutes to add some color. Strain pasta and toss with vegetables and pesto. Serve topped with fresh parmesan and enjoy as is or if your looking for a yummy protein kick scroll down for some healthy oil-free fried chicken! Healthy Air Fried Chicken 4 servings | 20 minutes How will you serve up this healthy take on fried chicken? Chicken parmesan, over pasta and the classic chicken and fries dipped in ketchup are some of my go to's! Ingredients: 12 oz chicken breast 1/4 cup bread crumbs 1/2 tbsp dried oregano 1/2 tbsp dried basil 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tbsp flour 2 tbsp almond milk 2 tbsp egg whites Optional: sometimes I'll also include grated parmesan! Obviously you could use an alternative milk or a regular egg. I just like egg whites because I can use just a tbsp or two at a time! Also instead of oregano and basil, you could use 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning or neither! I just like the extra flavor the spices bring. Directions: Divide chicken breast into 4 equal portions. Pound chicken until about 1/2" thick. Set up three plates to bread your chicken cutlets. Plate 1: Whisk flour, salt and pepper together. Plate 2: Whisk egg whites and milk together. Plate 3: Whisk breadcrumbs, oregano, basil and the optional parmesan together. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off any excess, following by a dip in the milk/egg plate and lastly cover each with the breadcrumb layer. Place cutlets in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes at 350, flipping halfway. Cooking times may vary depending on thickness of chicken, if looking cutlets thicker than 1", recommend 20 minutes. If you have a small air fryer it may be easier to cook the chicken in two batches as you don't want to overcrowd it. Nutrition facts based on just the pumped up pesto recipe and just the air fried chicken recipe. Nutrition does not include pasta and vegetables.

A juicy and oh-so-flavorful turkey burger with all the toppings. I know what you’re thinking- juicy and turkey burger do not relate... UNTIL NOW! Check out the optional moist maker for an extra juicy addition. Turkey Burger 4 servings | 25 minutes Ingredients: 1 lb ground turkey 1 tsp Worcestershire 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp italian seasoning 1 tsp salt 1/2 pepper Optional: 2 oz goat cheese or 2 tbsp whole milk ricotta cheese 4 buns, toasted Arugula 4-8 slices tomato 2 oz cheese (cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, gruyere) Directions: Preheat oven to 400, line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non stick spray. Combine ground turkey, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl. Include the optional "moist maker" aka goat or ricotta cheese here if adding. Form 4 patties, arrange on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 10 min, flip and return to oven for another 10 min. Turkey burgers are great because they can be baked and therefore require less babysitting. Turkey is also much leaner than ground beef which is why turkey burgers like some extra help in the flavor department than a typical beef burger would but this also leaves room for some much variety and experimenting! I always start with the spices in this recipe but sometimes I like to get fancy with an extra spice or fun toppings... How will you spice up your next turkey burger From top left to bottom right: Caramelized Onion and Fig Aioli Turkey Burger: Classic turkey burger recipe topped with caramelized onions, cooking directions here, and fig jam made with 4-8 figs, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 cup water microwaved for 6 min or until all but a few tbsp of water remains blended with 1 oz plain greek yogurt. Stuffed Mozzarella Burger with Grilled Red Onion and Pickles: Classic turkey burger but instead the moist maker form the patties around 1/2 oz mozzarella cheese and add fresh chopped parsley. Top with sliced pickled and grilled red onion plus all of the usuals. Caprese Turkey Burger Sourdough Melt: Add 2-4 cloves minced garlic and fresh chopped basil to the classic turkey burger recipe. Blend 2 tbsp pesto with 2 oz plain greek yogurt and spread on grilled sour dough slices. Top burgers with fresh mozzarella, chopped tomatoes and balsamic glaze. Balsamic Onion and Bleu Cheese Turkey Burger with Homemade Sesame Bun: Add 2 tsp dijon mustard and use ricotta cheese as moist maker in the classic turkey burger recipe. Top with balsamic caramelized onions, bleu cheese, bleu cheese dressing, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. Spicy Chipotle Ranch Turkey Burger: Add 1 tsp ranch seasoning and 1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning to classic recipe. Combine 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning, 1 tbsp dijon mustard and 1 tsp pickle juice. Spread the chipotle sauce on the bun and top the burger with all the usual toppings. Bruschetta Turkey Burger: To the classic burger recipe add 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese and 1 tbsp parmesan cheese. Top with pesto, more fresh basil, tomatoes, mozzarella and balsamic glaze. Nutrition facts are shown for both the basic turkey burger recipe and also with the additional "moist maker" added to the recipe.

This salad combines so many different flavors you wouldn't think they would work together as deliciously as they do. It takes all of a minute to put together with the only prep being a little pear slicing and mason jar shaking so it makes for the perfect side dish to any meal. I served this salad alongside a juicy garlic peppercorn pork loin I got from #traderjoes. The dressing is oil free and only 5 basic ingredients, 2 being salt and pepper... Pear and Bleu Cheese Salad 4 servings | 2 minutes Ingredients: Salad: 4 cups arugula 2 pears 1 cup rainbow cherry tomatoes 4 oz bleu cheese crumbles 1/4 cup chopped pecans Dressing: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp honey 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard Salt and pepper Directions: Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake or whisk to combine. Slice the pears into 1/4" thick slices. Assemble salad with arugula, pear slices, tomatoes, crumbled bleu cheese and the chopped pecans. Drizzle with dressing. You're done! Pork tenderloin 4 servings | 30 minutes To make the garlic peppercorn tenderloin I followed the instructions on the package I got from trader joes but most pork loins are the same. If your not into garlic peppercorn, have fun with the seasonings: balsamic, maple, dijon, thyme, paprika, sage... pork loin is so versatile, the options are endless! Cooking the Pork Loin: Preheat the oven to 425. Heat a cast iron skillet with a little olive oil and sear all sides of the pork loin. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 is reached. Let it sit about 5 minutes before slicing and serving (you could use this time to make the entire salad essentially)! For 4 servings I recommend a 1-2 lb pork loin. 4 oz is the recommended serving size but you'll want leftovers!