What you’ll love about this healthy side dish recipe:

• Easy Peasy: Toss ’em, roast ’em, enjoy ’em. It’s that straightforward.
• Bye-bye Cabbage taste: Roasting surprisingly sheds that cabbage flavor, making the sprouts more appetizing.
• Affordable: A 1-pound bag of Brussels sprouts costs just $2 at my local grocery store.

How to Master Oven Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts

You know how we’ve all had that moment when we’re staring into our fridges, desperately searching for something to whip up for dinner and wondering if you should just call it and order delivery? I had one of those nights recently when a bag of Brussels sprouts in my freezer came to the rescue. 

I never used to keep frozen Brussels sprouts around. I love fresh sprouts, but frozen always reminded me of the soggy, waterlogged vegetables that we are back when we were growing up. 

Everything changed once I discovered how easy it is to roast frozen Brussel sprouts though! 

They come out perfectly golden brown outside and tender beyond belief inside. They have a super mellow flavor, with a less pronounced cabbage flavor than if your were to boil or microwave them. 

Doused in your favorite sauce and served over a bed of rice, they’re a deliciously satisfying winter dinner either on their own or as an easy side dish.

How to roast frozen brussels sprouts 

Step 1: Toss in oil and season

Coating vegetables with oil helps shield them from the blazing heat of the oven so they can get crispy drying out. You don’t need much – a tablespoon or two of olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil is plenty. To keep things simple, I season them with a generous pinch of kosher salt or sea salt, but you can add garlic powder, oregano, curry or any other favorite seasonings that will complement the rest of your meal.

Step 2: Cook them in a single layer 

Stick your baking sheet in the oven while it preheats to help speed up the cooking process and get those veggies nice and hot!

Be sure the spread the vegetables in a single layer so they have plenty of space around them. If you crowd them together, they’ll steam and won’t get those terrific browned bits that make roasted vegetables so good.

Step 3: Roast in a super hot oven

After about 15 minutes, the sprouts will start to brown on the bottoms. Give them a good stir so both sides can get nice and caramelized.

Step 4 (optional): Broil to perfection

For extra crispy and browned Brussels sprouts, pop them under the broiler set to high heatfor 3-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn! 

​Serving Suggestions

Roast Brussels spouts are the perfect canvass for all of your favorite sauces and dressings! Try tossing your cooked sprouts in Thai red curry, peanut sauce, or Greek Yogurt Caesar dressing. Or drizzle them with balsamic vinegar, tahini, lemon juice, or maple syrup. 

Commonly asked questions

More delicious vegetable recipes

• Air fryer Brussels spouts
• Air Fryer Garlic Broccoli
• Roast Butternut Squash
• Charred Brussels sprouts salad 
• Utica Greens
• Creamy Homemade Coleslaw (No Mayo!)
• How to Bake Spaghetti Squash
• Miso Maple Roasted Carrots + Squash
• How to Roast Acorn Squash

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Easy Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts

Unearth the hidden potential of your freezer with Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts! .We're talking crispy exteriors, perfectly tender interiors, and a simple, unpretentious cooking method.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword roast frozen brussels sprouts

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 74kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 16 ounces frozen Brussels sprouts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or other neutral oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 450°F. For the best results, place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.
• In a large bowl, combine the frozen brissels sprouts, oil, and salt. Mix well to evenly coat the sprouts.
• Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the hot baking sheet in a single layer, being sure to leave plenty of room between them.
• Roast for 15 minutes. Flip the sprouts over so the other sides has a chance to brown.
• Roast an additional 10 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender and browned.
• If desired, broil under high heat for 2-3 minutes to crisp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Are certain ingredients or food groups that, when you think about it, you realize you eat way more often than you ever would have guessed?

For me, that’s quinoa.

It’s not something that I think about often, but I have SO MANY quinoa recipes and it’s always one of the first ingredients that I gravitate toward when I’m looking for a starch that’s a little off the beaten path. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook quinoa perfectly, I have your back!

What you’ll love about this foolproof quinoa recipe:

• Prep ahead: Quinoa keeps well in the fridge, so you can cook once and have it at the ready throughout the week
• Nutritious: A complete protein that’s high in fiber, gluten-free, and super delicious!
• Versatile: Tasty as a side dish — or add it to your favorite soup or salad recipes 

What is quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a nutritious superfood native to the Andes mountains in South America. Quinoa has grown in worldwide popularity over the past decade because it’s tasty, nutritious, and easy to grow in varied conditions. 

Although it’s technically a seed, it cooks up like whole grain and can be used in many recipes as a replacement for rice. 

Quinoa can be cooked whole, rolled into flakes and eaten like cereal, or ground into flour for gluten-free baking.

What does quinoa taste like?

Quinoa seeds have a mild, slightly nutty flavor that’s similar to brown rice.

I tried quinoa once and it tasted really bitter. What gives?

This is the worst! When prepared properly, quinoa should not be bitter at all. 

When it grows, quinoa is naturally coated with something called saponin, a compound with a bitter taste that helps deter predators like birds.

This natural coating isn’t harmful to ingest, but it definitely doesn’t taste great. Luckily, it’s easy to rinse away the bitter flavor under some water. 

Place your quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool water for about 30 seconds, or until the water runs clear and all foam subsides. 

These days, most commercially sold quinoa is pre-rinsed but you should always check the packaging to be sure. And it never hurts to give it an extra rinse before cooking it just in case! 

How to cook quinoa

The trick to cooking perfect quinoa every time is to use the right ratio of quinoa to liquid.

You’ll also want to boil the quinoa and then let it steam to finish. This is the best method to ensure your quinoa will be light and fluffy — never wet and stodgy. 

The ratio I like to use is:

• 1 part dry quinoa
• 2 parts liquid

This means if you want to cook 1 cup of quinoa, you’ll need 2 cups of water.

Using 2 cups of quinoa? You’ll need 4 cups of liquid! 

To give your quinoa more flavor, try cooking it in chicken stock or veggie broth instead of water. You can also add a bay leaf or two. I also like to add a generous pinch of salt and a glug of olive oil.

How much quinoa should I make?

1/4 cup of dry quinoa yields about 3/4 cup cooked quinoa. Plan for 1/4 cup dry quinoa per person for most recipes.

Rinse your quinoa well, then combine it with your liquid in a small pot. Give it a stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered until the water has been absorbed. 

At this point, your quinoa will still look pretty wet and mushy. Remove the pot from the heat and place a cover on top. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, then fluff it up with a fork. Your quinoa will be nice and fluffy! 

At this point, you can season your quinoa with fresh herbs, garlic, or your favorite spices.

Are the measurements the same if you want to make a double batch?

The great part about using this method to cook quinoa is that you can make as much as you want!

The only thing that changes is that it might take longer for the water or broth to absorb during the initial simmer. For a small batch of quinoa, this will take about 10 minutes. For a big batch, it can take up to a half hour. 

What about different types of quinoa?

There are so many different varieties of quinoa: red, white, black, and even multicolor quinoa that’s a mix of them all!

There are some slight nutritional differences among the various colors, but they all cook with the same water ratio and taste similar, so go ahead and use whatever color you like best.

How to store cooked quinoa

Store leftover quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. You can also freeze it for up to a year.

What to do with quinoa?

You can use quinoa in place of rice or other grains in so many recipes, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy this pseudo-grain: 

• as the base for quinoa and sweet potato cakes
• in homemade veggie burgers
• use it instead of bulgar for a gluten-free tabbouleh
• make quinoa muffins for a hearty breakfast
• top buddha bowls with browned butter and an egg!
• make quinoa and sweet potato chili
• use it in your favorite soup recipes
• use it as a breading for gluten-free chicken fingers
• stuff peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini
• use it to make a nutritious quinoa fried rice
• try a quinoa and chickpea salad
• Stuff it into a wrap or enchiladas
• Mix it with chopped raw veggies and your dill-lime vinaigrette

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How to Cook Quinoa

How to cook perfectly fluffy quinoa every time!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword how to cook quinoa, quinoa recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 165kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Place the dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water for 20-30 seconds, swirling it around, until the water runs clear and any foam subsides.
• Pour the rinsed quinoa into a small pot on the stove top. Stir in the water and olive oil.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until the water is absorbed (abotu 10. minutes).
• Remove the pot from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Fluff the quinoa with a form and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg

Dyeing Easter eggs is a tradition that I have loved since I was a little kid. Even as an adult, there’s just something about lowering a pristine, white egg into the cup of dye and watching it transform into a jewel-toned nugget that never fails to make me smile. 

While egg dying kits are convenient, I also love experimenting with making my own natural Easter egg dye from common kitchen items. It’s a fun project, and the results were spectacular!  Plus it’s great it you forgot to buy a dye kit or the stores are sold out.

If you’re anything like me, which since you’re here, we already have a few things in common — our love for food and the desire to put our health at the forefront — you may have been dabbling at the idea of naturally dyeing Easter eggs. 

DIY Easter eggs are a great activity to do if you’re feeling a little creative, especially if you don’t mind getting a little messy and experimenting with colors. But it can be a bit intimidating learning what foods to use to produce different colors. 

Honestly, I think the part that steers people away from homemade Easter egg dye is: 

1. They think it will take too long — you really only need 30 minutes to an hour. 
2. They don’t know which foods will create beautifully dyed eggs. Some of them might surprise you!

So, I’ve taken the hard part out of experimenting for you. I’ve tried numerous techniques and have found the best foods to use to create a beautiful array of Easter eggs to use for your Sunday brunch.

If you have leftovers, you can also use these eggs in other recipes. Cobb salad or Scotch eggs anyone? And if you’re looking for healthy treats for your Easter basket, you can make healthy peanut butter eggs that taste just like Reese’s!

DIY Easter Egg Dye

To get started, you’ll need: 

• Water
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Beets
• Red cabbage
• Turmeric 
• Hibiscus tea 
• Parsley 
• Vegetable oil, optional, for rubbing eggs after coloring 

How to Make Easter Egg Dye

Everyone has their own method of how to get the best color out of plant-based dyes. Over the years, I’ve found that the best way for me to dye Easter eggs and still have fun with them is to eyeball my colors. 

I add them to a pot with one or two cups of water and let them boil for 15-30 minutes, basically until the dye is a few shades darker than the color I want my eggs to be.  

Pro Tip: If you want your colors to be darker, let them boil a bit longer, if you want your eggs to be lighter in color, take the dye off the heat sooner.

You can dye the eggs right in the pot, or transfer the dye to custard cups, tea cups, or small rammekins if you have multiple people dying eggs and don’t want to share.

Once the dye has cooled, stir in some white vinegar before adding the eggs. The acidic vinegar reacts with the calcium in the egg shell to help the dye stick, resulting in bright, vibrant eggs.

Natural Easter Egg Dye Colors

So, what kitchen items will you need to make your favorite color dye? The answer might surprise you!

• For tan dye use fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro
• For yellow, use turmeric. You can also add a few onion peels for a brighter yellow color
• For a pretty birds-egg blue dye, use red cabbage
• For a stone-like grey, hibiscus tea is what you’re looking for
• For pink eggs, use beets. Fresh beetroot will give you a soft pink, while beet juice will give your a deep fuscia! (Use the juice from a can of beets, and use the beets themselves to make beet hummus)

You can also layer the colors for more options!

An egg that’s dyed yellow and then blue will turn green. Or dye an egg yellow and then pink to make orange.

I also love wrapping a rubber band or some tape around the egg before dropping it into the dye to make stripes. Be sure the dye dries completely before removing the barrier.

You can also use a white crayon to draw on the egg shell. The wax will repel the dye, leaving a white design behind.

Tips for Naturally Dyeing Easter Eggs

1. Natural dyes are nothing like store-bought Easter egg kits, every egg dipped in the same colored dye may come out a different shade. But that’s the fun of dyeing Easter eggs! You get to create unique colors and creations; no two eggs are the same.
2. Let the dye cool completely before adding your eggs. Otherwise, the hot dye can cook them. No one liked overcooked boiled eggs!
3. If you want a richer color, let your eggs soak in the refrigerator overnight.  The eggs we dipped in the parsley dye, for example, were very light, even after 4 hours of soaking, but overnight the color darkened. 
4. If the pieces of the ingredients are not finely chopped, you may need to use cheesecloth to help strain the particles out of the dye before using it on your eggs.
5. White eggs work best! Sometimes I accidentally grab brown eggs by habit. You can dye them, but they’ll typically take on a more muted color once they’ve been dyed. If you’re looking for vibrant, jewel-toned eggs, be sure to grab white ones.
6. Allow your eggs to dry completely. Once they are dry, you can rub them with a bit of vegetable oil to give them a nice shine like a river stone that’s absolutely gorgeous. 

Easter Egg Safety Tips

These eggs are so gorgeous that you’ll want to keep them on display, but make sure to refrigerate them if you plan on eating them! so they don’t spoil!

They’ll keep safely in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Eggs should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.

If you accidentally crack any egg shells when dropping the egg into the cup of dye, throw that egg away.

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How to Make Easter Egg Dye from Kitchen Scraps

How to make bright Easter egg dye naturally from kitchen scraps like beets, red cabbage, parsley, turmeric, and tea.

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 dozen eggs

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 12 Hard boiled eggs
• 2 fresh beets peeled and sliced or 1 cup beet juice
• 1 small red cabbage shredded
• 2 tablespoons Turmeric
• 2 tablespoons loose hibiscus tea
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil optional

Instructions

• For each color you want to make, pour 1 cup of water into a small saucepan.
• Add the ingredients to make your desired color(s) and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-30 minutes, or until the liquid is a few shades darker than you want the color of your eggs to be.
• Remove the pan(s) from the stove and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain the dye using a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids. Stir in the vinegar.
• Transfer dye into coffee cups, mason jars, or other vessels suitable for dying an egg.
• Add eggs and allow to sit until the desired color. Remove from the dye and place on a wire rack or paper towel to dry.
• For extra shine, rub the dried egg with a paper towel dipped in oil.
  
  
  

2020. After talking about it for so long, it’s finally here! Which seems pretty unbelievable. I’m honestly not sure where the last few months went… wasn’t it September just a few weeks ago?

I have so many exciting new projects in store for this coming year, and I can’t wait to share more about them. But before we dive in, I always like to take a few minutes to reflect on the past year.

After a few not so great years (I’m looking at you 2016-2018), 2019 was actually really good to me! There were some really low lows and a few major life events that really threw us for a loop, but overall the good definitely outweighed the bad.

The biggest thing that happened in 2019 was that my first cookbook was published! I still have to pinch myself when I think about it, but it’s true. The Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook is available on Amazon and at bookstores like Barnes and Noble. It’s filled with some really great recipes that make it so easy to cook healthy weeknight dinners without spending a ton of time or energy in the kitchen.

Speaking of not spending a ton of time and energy in the kitchen, this year I really tried to get out of my kitchen and enjoy life more. I took up hiking, remodeled my kitchen, and went on an AMAZING trip to Italy that literally might have been one of the best weeks of my life. (That trip also ruined me. I haven’t tasted food or wine so good, seen sites quite as beautiful or felt so relaxed and unplugged since I’ve been back home. Italy might be heaven on earth. I can’t wait to go back!)

Because I’ve been spending more time offline, and because I’ve also been doing a ton of freelance work that doesn’t get published here, I only shared 44 new posts on Healthy Delicious in 2019. I knew I hadn’t been sharing as much here, but seeing that number just now was a little bit of a punch in the gut. In years past I’ve shared well over 100 recipes! Granted, there are 100 recipes in my cookbook so it’s not like I haven’t been cooking but still. In 2020 I want to return some focus and attention to this blog and try to rebuild the community that we used to have here.

Still, I shared some pretty awesome healthy recipes here. Below are 10 of my personal favorites. A lot of them are low carb, but others feature pasta or whole grains. Almost all of them are perfect for busy weeknights. And they all taste great.

Did your favorite recipe make the list? If not, leave a comment below and let me know which one it was! You can also find my most popular recipes from 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010. (OMG that’s an entire DECADE of healthy recipes!)

This was a great year for me. I had a ton of fun in the kitchen and partnered with some of my favorite brands – I absolutely love working with Gold Medal Flour, Jones Dairy Farm, and Marzetti. I also got to go on some amazing trips (you can read about my adventures in Toronto, Disney World, Minneapolis, and New York City. I also visited the Finger Lakes and spent a day at the Culinary Institute of America but I haven’t written about those yet.)

These “look back” posts are always some of my favorite ones to write. I know what my favorite recipes of the year are, but this posts shows me which ones you liked! Sometimes they match up, but a few really surprised me. Some of my very favorites didn’t make the cut, while a few that I had completely forgotten about did. This is a great roundup though… I got really hungry while I was putting it together!

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2014! Thank you for all of your support this year. I have some really great stuff planned for the next few months, so I hope you’ll stick around for the ride!

(I ranked these based on the number of views each recipe received. Naturally, recipes that I posted earlier in the year had a little bit of an unfair advantage since there was more time for them to take off. I also limited this list to recipes that I posted in 2013… some of my most popular recipes were from previous years, but I wanted to keep the focus on the last 12 months.)

1. Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese: My most popular recipe of 2013 was Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese. This surprised me, but I guess it really shouldn’t. It’s easy, cheesy, and delicious. Plus, you hardly notice that it’s full of vegetables! I love recipes that are sneaky like that.

2. Smothered Chicken and Quinoa Skillet: Again, this one surprised me. I created it for the Tabasco 10-ingredient Challenge and it was a run-away hit. But again, it’s easy, covered in melted cheese, and healthy so I shouldn’t be surprised. (My personal favorite recipe from the challenge was Chicken Thighs with Farro and Burst Tomatoes.)

3. Honey + Sriracha Chicken Thighs: Not much of a surprise here. It took me a few tried to get this recipe right, but once I did it was awesome – the perfect combination of sweet and spicy! Interesting… this is the only recipe in my top 5 that doesn’t involve cheese.

4. Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese: Y’all really like cheese, huh? I can’t say that I blame you.

5. Baked Summer Vegetable Taquitos: If there was any surprise here, it was that these didn’t rank higher. These taquitos are crispy, delicious, and stuffed full of summertime veggies.

6. Brown Butter Banana Blondies: These blondies are chewy and have a great butterscotch flavor so I’m not too surprised to see them here (although I personally prefer my apple butter blondies)

7. Pink Lemonade Cookies: I actually forgot all about these until just now, but these cookies were pretty amazing! They’re big and soft, with a great tart lemonade flavor. Even better, they don’t use cake mix or food coloring.

8. Lemon Risotto with Seared Scallops: I think this might have been the only risotto recipe I posted this year, but it was delicious. The bright lemon flavor and briny scallops make it perfect for summer – it reminds me of the beach.

9. Mini Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole: These mini French toast casseroles were an instant hit, and for good reason. They’re fantastic plus you can make them on Sunday and eat them for breakfast all week. I know a ton of people are looking for easy breakfast options and these definitely fit the bill! (Guess what? I have a whole week of healthy grab-and-go breakfast recipes in the works! Stay tuned…)

10. Bakery-Style Raspberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins: These muffins are so awesome! First of all, they’re huge. They’re also loaded with good stuff like oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and dark chocolate. Ever since creating these, this has been my go-to muffin recipe.

11. Hot Italian Giardiniera: This one one of my favorite recipes of the summer, and it’s so easy to make! It also makes a great sandwich piled on top of some roast beef on a soft roll.

12. Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadews: Shawn asks me to make these at least once a month, so it’s no surprise that you like them too! They have a great sweet-spicy thing going on, are easy to make, and are a guaranteed hit at parties. Hey, it’s not too late to make them for New Year’s Eve (or the Superbowl).

13. Roasted Peach Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel: I made these muffins three times in August. They’re just that good! I also brought them with me to the Big Summer Potluck.

14. Crockpot Beef on Weck Sliders: I figured out how to make the perfect roast beef… in the crockpot! This recipe was pretty much life changing. Sliced thinly and served with horseradish on homemade kimmelweck rolls, these are football food at it’s finest!

15. Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli: I made these ravioli entirely by hand, and I wasn’t sure if you would love them or run away screaming. It turns out that you love them! These are a great project for a Sunday afternoon. (The spicy arribbiata sauce I served them with is one of my new favorite sauces, but I hear people also like these ravioli with cream sauce or brown butter.)

16. Moroccan Spiced Carrot Hummus: This is another recipe that I completely forgot about until now! Blending carrots into hummus is a great way to make an already healthy dip even lighter. It also gives it a nice sweet flavor that goes really nicely with the warm Moroccan spices that I mixed in.

17. Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms: Based on the number of people who tell me they love this recipe, I’m surprised it didn’t land higher on the list. It’s perfect for a weeknight but tastes fancy enough to serve to company, too. I love it with mashed potatoes.

18. Chicken, Bacon, and Scallion Potstickers: If you haven’t tried making potstickers yet, these are a great recipe to start with. It’s surprisingly easy but packs a ton of flavor. I made these for the Saucy Mama recipe contest and they helped me get all the way into the final round.

19. Carrot Cake Granola: Carrot cake in granola form… how can you go wrong?

20. Skinny Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Sauce: This was another recipe that I completely forgot about. To be honest, it’s not one of my favorites… it’s kind of a pain in the butt to make. It is tasty though!

Hungry for More? Check out the Top 12 Recipes of 2012, 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2011, and Six Favorite Healthy Recipes of 2010. You can also visit my recipe index or use the drop down menu on the lower right side of this page to find your own favorites!

2012 was an amazing year for Healthy. Delicious. and I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be even better. Earlier this month I attended a new blogging conference, Mixed, and I came home with pages and pages of notes filled with ideas and inspiration that I’m excited to put into action. I also spent the last few weeks cooking up a storm, and I have some really great recipes (and photos!) that I can’t wait to share. My posting schedule slowed down a little in 2012, but I’m really going to try to get back into a 3 posts a week schedule starting on the 1st so that this site is alway a place you can come for fresh recipes and new ideas.

Before that though, let’s take one last look at the recipes that 2012 brought. This is always one of my favorite posts to do, since it reminds me great recipes that I’ve forgotten about! First, lets start with your favorite recipes. These are the five recipes from 2012 with the most views (there are a few older ones that have more, but I limited this list to recipes that were originally posted this year.)

1. Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas – By far my most popular recipe, these flautas have been viewed over a half million times since I posted them back in March. Um, what?!?

2. Buffalo Chicken Taquitos – Not quite as popular as the original flautas, these were also a huge hit. Personally, I liked them even better than the originals.

3. Turkey, Mushroom, & Spinach Lasagna – A healthy twist on a classic, with turkey that’s seasoned to taste just like sausage. It doesn’t surprise me at all that this recipe was a huge hit!

4. Doritos Locos Taco Bake – Taco Bake has been one of my most popular posts since 2010. This updated version (yes, inspired by Taco Bell) is really fun. It also takes great and is a total man pleaser.

5. Clementine-Soy Chicken Thighs – I’m honestly surprised to see this recipe in my top 5, but it’s place there isn’t unwarranted. The bright burst of citrus is welcome in the dreary winter months, and it’s a great way to use up the last of that crate of clementines that I bet you have on the counter.

For the next five recipes, I wanted to share a few of my personal favorites. Some of these were pretty popular (although not in the top 5 above) but  for some reason or another others might not have been. That make me a little sad, because I think they should all be right on top. If you’re looking for something new to try, I’d definitely recommend any of these, which show up on my table frequently.

6. Asian Pulled Chicken Sliders – These sliders, made in a crock pot, have a sweet-spicy thing going on that I can’t get enough of. I also really love the photos that I took for this post – I was in the middle of a food photography course when I made them and I feel like they represent a turning point in my photography.

7. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Maple Vinaigrette – Bacon, Maple, and Hazelnuts – what’s not to love? I’ve made this salad a few times in the past few months, including for Thanksgiving, and it’s always a huge hit.

8.Perfect Roast Chicken and Lemon and Za’atar – Simple and delicious, plus it makes the whole house smell amazing! Don’t forget to use the bones to make stock for the freezer!

 9.Baked Risotto with Sausage & Kale – The hearty flavors in this risotto are so comforting. Bonus – the new cooking technique means you don’t have to stand over the pot all night!

10.Fettuccini with Cauliflower, Prosciutto & Peas – This recipe was inspired by a meal I had at Mario Batali’s Otto Enoteca, and it took me a few tried to get right. I refused to give up until I did, and it was worth it. Pureed cauliflower makes a thick sauce that clings to the fettuccini. This is one sexy pasta!

One of the biggest reasons that I didn’t post as many recipes here in 2012 as I did in 2011 is because I spent a ton of time developing recipes for other companies and web sites. One of my biggest projects this year was working with General Mills, primarily for Live Better America (which focuses on healthy recipes) and Betty Crocker.

Back in May, I even had the opportunity to fly out to their headquarters in Minneapolis and spend a few days touring their kitchens and learning from some of the very best recipe developers and food photographers around. It was an incredible experience, and a huge part of my year. Any recipe roundup simply wouldn’t b complete without at least a small mention of some of the recipes I developed for them. I’m proud of everything I sent over to them, but these are two of my very favorites – easy, delicious  and healthy recipes that I’ve made again and again.

11. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza Poppers – These are a heathy take on pizza rolls, with shredded chicken, turkey bacon, and cheese all tucked inside a fluffy, ranch-flavored pastry.

12. Grilled Peaches with Honeyed Ricotta – Summertime perfection. These grilled peaches are an easy and elegant dessert. The honeyed ricotta was inspired by cannoli filling!

If you’ve hung out around this blog for a while, you know that risotto is a staple in our house. You might even says it’s my thing. In fact, when I was asked to bring a gift that represented my blog to the Foodbuzz Festival I brought a risotto kit.

So when Marx Foods was looking for people to test and review four different kinds of risotto rice, I jumped on the opportunity. I almost always use arborio rice, both because its easy to find and affordable and because its what I know, but I was super excited to try out the rice that Marx Foods sent me: Vialone Nano, Organic Arborio, Organic Integrale (a brown rice), and Organic Carnaroli. Shawn and I did a blind tasting and ended up ranking the rice the exact same way as each other — and the results surprised us!

First, the ground rules: In order to keep the results as unbiased as possible, I identified each rice only by the pan that I cooked it in; I didn’t know which was which until the end. I prepared them all at the same time (quite the task!) using a simple recipe that would let the flavor of the rice itself shine through — just the rice, some onion, white wine, and chicken stock. I kept detailed notes as I cooked and tasted and rated each rice on appearance, creaminess, smell, and taste. When Shawn came home from work, he tasted each and ranked his favorites (again, he didn’t know which was which. He also didn’t know that I used the same recipe for each version of the risotto.)

. Roast Steelhead with Citrus and Olives over Saffron Risotto (psst — there’s still time to make this recipe and blog about it for a chance to win $100! See Kitchen-Play.Com for details.)

Parmesan Risotto with Spicy Pork Meatballs

Risotto with Scallops and Grapefruit

Risotto with Crab and Lemon