lactose free – Healthy Delicious

Crispy Buffalo Roast Chickpeas (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian)

Lauren — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 02:16:01 +0000

Spicy Buffalo roasted chickpeas are a great healthy snack! You’ll love their bold, spicy flavor.

I’m back again with another spicy Buffalo-inspired snack recipe. Can’t stop, won’t stop. What more can I say? I hope you all like Buffalo sauce as much as I do!

This time, we’re making crispy roast chickpeas that are supercharged with bold, spicy flavor. If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of roasted chickpeas. They’re a great healthy snack packed with protein and tons of crunch.

If you love Buffalo wings, you’ll definitely love these!

Buffalo Roast Chickpeas

Since chickpeas have a pretty neutral flavor on their own, you can get really creative with seasonings. I’ve flavored them with everything from salt and vinegar to turmeric to lemon and za’atar.

For this recipe, I spice things up with big Buffalo flavor.

Start with your favorite hot sauce. For me, that’s Frank’s Red Hot. Maybe you have some leftover from making my low carb buffalo chicken dip or buffalo chicken lettuce wraps. Or maybe you’re like me and always have a bottle (or two!) in your fridge.

Then, bump up the flavor even more by adding smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Did I mention these baked chickpeas are spicy? If you like spicy food, ½ teaspoon of cayenne is a good place to start, but if you can’t handle heat ¼ teaspoon of cayenne will be more your speed.

Tips for Making Crispy Chickpeas

Drain and rinse your chickpeas, then dry them thoroughly with a paper towel. The drier you can get them the better! This will help the seasonings stick and will also help them get super crunchy. Any water that clings to the beans will steam in the oven, which can make the chickpeas soft.

Spreading the chickpeas into a single layer will also help ensure they crisp up rather than steam. Use two baking sheets if yours are small. More space is definitely better!

Keep a close eye on the chickpeas as they bake – especially during the last few minutes. They can go from a delicious, crispy snack to a burnt mess pretty quickly if you’re not paying attention.

Can I Air Fry these Crispy Chickpeas?

Yes, totally! Air fry them at 370 degrees, shaking the basket halfway through.

I love making these in my air fryer, but the one downside is that you can’t fit as many in there as you can on a baking sheet. If you decided to air fry your beans, I recommend scaling the recipe down by half or working in batches.

How to Eat Roast Chickpeas

This chickpea snack is great on its own. I eat them like popcorn! They’re also great on a salad. A bed of romaine hearts or iceberg lettuce topped with these shredded carrots, cucumber, Buffalo chickpeas, and blue cheese crumbles would make a great vegetarian alternative to Buffalo chicken salad! They’re also great sprinkled onto soup. These spicy chickpeas are especially great when used to cut through rich soups, like potato soup or creamy chowder.

How to Store Crispy Chickpeas

Buffalo chickpeas will stay crispy for about a week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Spicy Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas

Spicy Buffalo roasted chickpeas are a great healthy snack! You'll love their bold, spicy flavor.

Course Gluten-Free

Cuisine American

Keyword chickpea snack, crispy chickpeas, roasted chickpeas, spicy chickpeas

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 66kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

2 15 ounce cans chickpeas beans (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3 Tablespoons hot sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
¼ -1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Heat your oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels. Add them to a large bowl, then stir in the hot sauce, oil, and spices. Stir well so the chickpeas are evenly coated.
Arrange the chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper.
Bake 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until crisp.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely – the chickpeas will continue to crisp as they cool.

Nutrition

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Lauren — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 01:19:45 +0000

Thai chicken salad with spicy peanut dressing is bursting with flavor in every bite! Make a double batch of the dressing – you’ll want to eat it on everything.

We’ve been eating a lot of salads lately. Mostly because it’s too hot to cook but also because we’ve been cutting back on carbs. Have you tried cutting back on carbs? IT’S HARD! We’re not anywhere near keto-levels, but there are only so many ways you can combine meat and vegetables and boy does it get old fast. At least with salad you can drown your sorrows with spicy peanut dressing. Right? Right.

Even before you get to that delicious dressing, this Thai salad definitely isn’t boring! Plus since it’s made with hearty ingredients that don’t wilt or break down quickly, it’s great for meal prep. Just be sure to store the dressing separately until you’re ready to eat – I use little 2-ounce cups like these.

The key to a delicious salad is to make sure you use a variety of flavors and textures that keep every bite interesting. Samin Nosrat, culinary goddess that she is, has even broken it down into an easy-to-follow formula – every balanced salad needs salt, fat, acid, crunch, and umami.

Let’s break down this Thai chicken salad and see how it stacks up:

Salt. This comes from the peanuts and also the peanut butter and soy sauce in the dressing.

Fat. Again, this one comes down to the peanuts and the dressing. They’re both super important in this recipe, so you don’t want to take too many liberties by leaving them out or you’ll really throw things off. If you need to, you can swap in cashews and use sunbutter to make the dressing.

Acid. A generous squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens this salad up and brings all of the flavors together. Again, this component of the salad really makes a huge difference, so don’t be tempted to skip it!

Crunch. I love using kale and red cabbage for a crunchy, slaw-like base in this salad. I also add a handful of snow peas – they’re unexpected and make this salad feel extra special. Finding crunchy ingredients to add is pretty easy, so there’s more flexibility here – if you prefer romaine hearts to kale or can’t find snow peas, it’s not a dealbreaker.

Umami. Umami is always a tricky flavor to nail down. Most salad recipes will get this flavor from tomatoes. This salad gets it from the soy sauce and fish sauce in the dressing.

It all comes together to make a super delicious salad that will make your mouth water.

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings servings

Calories 445kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 cups shredded kale
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup snow peas
2 carrots shredded
4-5 basil leaves torn into small pieces
4-5 sprigs cilantro chopped
4-5 mint leaves chopped
⅓ cup salted peanuts
2 limes quartered

For the dressing:

¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter or sunbutter
½ lime juiced
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons sambal oelek chili paste, to taste

Instructions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a pan set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and let cook, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the kale, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and fresh herbs. Squeeze 4 of the lime wedges over the salad base; gently toss to combine. Top the salad with diced chicken and peanuts.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth and combined. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve with remaining lime wedges.

Nutrition

Strawberry Peach Smoothie Freezer Packs

Lauren — Thu, 23 May 2019 01:23:39 +0000

Smoothie freezer packs are a game-changer for busy mornings. Make them ahead, then just dump, blend, and go! These strawberry-peach smoothies are my current favorite.

It’s finally starting to feel like summer here in Upstate New York, which means I’m getting excited about smoothies again! It’s well documented that I’m not a morning person AT ALL, which means simple grab-and-go breakfast options are a must.

Smoothies are pretty easy to make as it is, but these smoothie freezer packs make them completely foolproof. With these packs, all you have to do in the morning is grab one, add some liquid, and blend. No peeling, chopping, or real measuring required.

I have a few different versions of smoothie packs in my freezer right now, but these strawberry-peach smoothies are my current favorite.

During the week, I pour my smoothie into a travel cup so I can drink it on the go. I love this mug, because the lid screws on super tightly and it comes with two straws – plus they’re super cute!

On the weekends or on mornings when I have more time, I add less liquid for a thicker smoothie bowl topped with whatever goodies I happen to have around the kitchen.

How to make smoothie freezer packs

Making smoothie freezer packs is easy!

First, you’ll need some freezer bags. I like quart sized bags with a zip-top seal – they’re the perfect size for an individual smoothie and I don’t have to worry about them popping open and spilling in my freezer.

To each bag, you’ll want to add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit. Or, if you like vegetables in your smoothie, you can use 1 1/4 cup of fruit and 1/2 cup of leafy greens like baby spinach or 1/4 cup of bulkier vegetables like cauliflower or diced zucchini (both of which are surprisingly tasty when blended with fruit!) You can use fresh fruit or buy bags of frozen fruit for these smoothies. I use fresh in the summer when it’s at peak ripeness and on sale, and frozen the rest of the year.

In addition to the fruit/veggies, you can add up to 3 tablespoons of nutrient boosts, like nuts or seeds. I also like to add some rolled oats to help thicken my smoothies.

Fill the bags with whatever combination of ingredients you want, then seal them and put them in the freezer until you’re ready for a smoothie.

Add the contents of the smoothie freezer pack to your blender along with 1 cup of liquid – I like coconut water or almond milk – and blend until smooth. For an added protein boost, you can also add a scoop of collagen before blending.

Strawberry Peach Smoothie Freezer Packs

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings smoothie packs

Calories 236kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups large fresh or frozen strawberries about 16 strawberries
4 cups sliced fresh or frozen peaches
1 ⅓ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 banana sliced
¼ cup rolled oats
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons flax meal
2 Tablespoons hemp seeds

Instructions

Divide the ingredients evenly among 4 quart-sized zip-top freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as you can; seal.
Freeze overnight, then store in the freezer until you're ready to serve them.
To make a smoothie, add the contents of one bag to a blender along with 1 cup of your favorite liquid (I like coconut water or almond milk), then blend until smooth. To make a smoothie bowl, use 1/2 cup of liquid. For an added protein boost, you can also add a scoop of collagen to your smoothie before blending.

Nutrition

Roasted Spring Vegetables over Polenta

Lauren — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 13:49:47 +0000

A medley of roasted spring vegetables like radishes and sugar snap peas served over bed of creamy, cheesy polenta is a delicious way to welcome the change of seasons.

I love the longer days that come along with the arrival of Spring. I was so excited that I didn’t have to turn my headlights on when I drove home from work the other night! It finally feels like winter is almost over.

My cravings have definitely shifted, too. I’m suddenly in the mood for meals that are a little lighter– and a lot greener. My diet has been sorely lacking vegetables lately.

This cheesy polenta topped with roasted spring vegetables is exactly the kind of meal I like eating this time of year.

The polenta is warm, creamy, and super cozy.

The vegetables are fresh and seem new and exciting after weeks of eating hearty winter vegetables.

And it’s so easy to make.

You’re going to love it!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Asparagus. Look for long, thin spears with a bright green color. Nothing says Spring quite like them!

Radishes. If you’ve never roasted radishes before, you’re in for a treat! The have a creamy, potato-like texture with a subtle peppery flavor.

Zucchini.

Snow Peas.

Red Onion.

Vegetable broth.

Instant polenta or grits.

Shredded mozzarella cheese. I used lactose-free cheese here, but any mozzarella will work just fine!

Fresh basil. Because nothing brightens up a meal quite like a sprinkle of fresh herbs over the top.

Variations

Top this polenta with whatever roasted spring vegetables are your favorite. This recipe is a great way to clean out your fridge. I also love just walking around the produce section and grabbing whatever looks good.
Try another cheese. Monterrey Jack, Parmesan, and Gruyere are all really great choices.
Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, pistachio pesto, or a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese to give your leftovers new life.

How to make cheesy polenta

Polenta might look fancy, but it’s one of the easiest side dishes to make.

I like mine to be super creamy, so I always use more liquid than the package calls for, especially since I also add a ton of mozzarella.

A ratio of about 6 cups of liquid to every cup of cornmeal is perfect. I also stir in a big pat of butter or a good glug of olive oil at the end to help prevent it from setting up too quickly.

To make the polenta, start by bringing a combination of vegetable broth (there’s a GREAT recipe for homemade garden vegetable broth in my book) and of water to a boil.

Turn down the heat and slowly whisk in 1 cup of instant polenta a little bit at a time. Cook for 1 minute until the polenta is creamy and smooth.

Finally, stir in the cheese, butter and olive oil.

If the polenta seems too stiff, you can stir in another cup of water or broth.

Roasted Spring Vegetables Over Creamy Polenta

Spring is in the air and what better way to celebrate the season than with delicious and colorful roasted spring vegetables? Serve them over creamy polenta for a healthy vegetarian dinner that's perfect for the changing seasons.

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Keyword creamy polenta, roasted spring vegetables

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 314kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus cut into 2-inch segments
1 bunch radishes quartered
1 small zucchini cut into big chunks
¼ cup snow peas
¼ red onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup polenta instant
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Heat your oven to 350°F.
Toss the asparagus, radishes, zucchini, snow peas, and onion with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread onto a sheet pan in a single layer and roast until tender and beginning to char, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the vegetable broth and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Slowly whisk in the polenta and cook for 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.
Stir in the mozzarella and butter. If the polenta is too thick, stir in a little more broth or water to loosen. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon the polenta in a serving dish; top with roast vegetables and fresh basil.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Vegetable Breakfast Pizza (Lactose Free)

Lauren — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 02:05:38 +0000

These mini vegetable breakfast pizzas are loaded with toppings – from red bell peppers to butternut squash. And, of course, they’re topped with loads of GO VEGGIE cheese, so they’re lactose-free!

I created this recipe for my client, GO VEGGIE. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen.

I made these mini vegetable breakfast pizzas for dinner the other night and I can’t stop thinking about them. They were so good!

Breakfast pizzas are usually loaded with meat like bacon or sausage. When you’re lucky enough to find a vegetarian version, it’s almost always loaded with spinach. Spinach is great, but something you just want something a little different, you know?

To be honest, this vegetable breakfast pizza recipe was a clean-out-the-fridge situation. I was loosely inspired by the idea of toppings inspired by Potatoes O’Brien, but in the end, I didn’t have a real plan and I

wasn’t sure what to expect. I threw on a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Some mushrooms. Some spiralized butternut squash. Italian seasoning. Not one but two kinds of GO VEGGIE lactose-free cheese.

It’s hard to go wrong with homemade pizza – there’s just something about freshly baked pizza crust – but these were exceptionally delicious.

I prefer making mini pizzas instead of full-sized pies when eggs are involved. It eliminates the risk of having to cut through an egg (and the dilemma of who gets which part), plus everyone can customize their own toppings. You can even go crazy and add an extra egg to your pizza – or leave it off completely if that’s how you roll.

I also like baking pizzas in a really hot oven – usually 450F. It helps the pizza dough get golden brown and crispy with big air bubbles.

I didn’t think tomato sauce would go well with the vegetables I used on these pizzas, so I skipped it and just brushed the dough with olive oil before piling on GO VEGGIE mozzarella and cheddar. Since GO VEGGIE melts just like regular cheese, it forms a nice, gooey base that helps all of those toppings stay on. (I also sprinkled a little more cheese over the top to weigh them down.)

Vegetable Breakfast Pizza

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 18

Total Time 28

Servings servings

Calories 492kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough at room temperature
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup GO VEGGIE lactose-free mozzarella shreds
1 cup GO VEGGIE lactose-free cheddar shreds
1 cup spiralized butternut squash
½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup thinly sliced baby potatoes
4 large eggs
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Heat your oven to 450F. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Stretch each piece into a round disk that’s as thin as you can get it. Arrange the discs on the baking sheet.
Brush each piece of dough with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning. Scatter ⅔ of the cheese over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge of each pizza. Top the pizzas with butternut squash, mushrooms, bell pepper, and potatoes. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the crust begins to set around the edges.
Crack an egg into a small cup, then carefully pour it onto one pizza. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Return the pan to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle with green onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

Lauren — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:19:14 +0000

This One-Pot Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry recipe is made with super simple ingredients and can be on the table in under a half hour. That’s what I call a weeknight win!

This sweet and sour pork stir fry recipe is one of my favorites from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook.

It’s based on one of my favorite meals growing up: my mom’s sweet and sour meatballs.

I brought it into the 21st century by using fresh pineapple and ginger and adding honey to help sweeten it naturally.

And, of course, I turned it into a one-pot meal that you can make in a skillet in under a half hour. This recipe is perfect for hectic weeknights!

This sweet and sour pork stir fry is definitely hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but you can also serve it over rice or cauliflower rice if you want to stretch it into more servings.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients for this pork stir fry recipe look super simple but it’s so delicious. the sauce is thick enough to cling to every bite and has a great balance of sweet and tangy flavor. To make it, you’ll need:

Fresh ginger. It has so much more flavor than powdered ginger.

Pork loin. This is a great lean protein option, but you can also use chicken or beef.

Pineapple. I love making this recipe with fresh pineapple, but you can swap in frozen pineapple in a pinch,. Just be sure to thaw and drain it so your stir fry doesn’t get waterlogged.

Bell pepper. You can use any color bell pepper you want. I usually grab red or green.

Green Beans. Or broccoli or your favorite green vegetable.

Apple cider vinegar. This gives the sweet and sour sauce it’s traditional sour flavor.

Light brown sugar.

Honey.

Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos, but you’ll want to add some salt if you do.

Cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

As a kid, sweet and sour meatballs were one of my favorite dinners. I brought my mom’s sweet and sour sauce into the twenty-first century with this pork stir fry recipe that's perfect for easy week-night dinners. This stir-fry is substantial enough to stand on its own but is also great served over rice.

Course Healthy One Pan Recipes

Cuisine Asian

Keyword pork stir fry, sweet and sour pork stir fry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 302kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 pound pork loin cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks cut into bite-sized pieces
1 green bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
4 ounces green beans trimmed
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
Add the ginger. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the pork. Coo for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned but not fully cooked through.
Stir in the pineapple, green bell pepper, green beans, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the pork is cooked though.

Notes

Substitution tip: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of pork loin

Nutrition

Chicken + Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Paleo, Whole 30, Gluten Free)

Lauren — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 10:00:13 +0000

Paleo and Whole 30 stuffed sweet potatoes are filled with a flavorful combination of chicken, bacon, and broccoli for a flavor-packed dinner that’s super easy to make!

This post was sponsored by North Country Smokehouse.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best recipes are the ones you end up throwing together with random ingredients? These paleo and whole 30 stuffed sweet potatoes came about when I was trying to clean out my fridge before we left town for a much-needed vacation.

I grabbed some chicken, a crown of broccoli, and a package of bacon…and then searched high and low for other ingredients that would work before giving up and rolling with what I had. I was afraid that it would be the kind of boring, bland dinner that tastes healthy (and while I love when my food is healthy, you know how much I hate when it tastes that way!)

To my surprise, this stuffed sweet potato recipe was actually loaded with flavor. They were completely delicious and I couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Paleo/Whole 30 complaint bacon can be tricky to find sometimes, but North Country Smokehouse recently launched a new line of sugar-free bacon that’s perfect for people doing Whole 30 or with a paleo or keto lifestyle. There are two products in the line – fruitwood smoked bacon and applewood smoked bacon – and they’re available at retailers like Hannaford, Whole Foods, Big Y, and Stop & Shop (find it near you with their store locator), which I’m really excited about. You can also buy it online!

North Country Smokehouse is located in Claremont, New Hampshire and is one of the last few-remaining family owned smokehouses in the country. They smoke their bacon low and slow for over 10 hours, giving it a rich, smoky flavor. Just a few strips was enough to give thee sweet potatoes a ton of flavor.

The bacon is made with 100% all-natural ingredients, no sugar, no antibiotics, no sodium nitrates or nitrites (which is why it isn’t as red as traditional bacon), no added growth hormones, and is certified humane raised and handled. The applewood version is also organic and is made from pork fed a vegetarian and non-GMO diet.

How to make baked sweet potatoes in the slow cooker

I’m always starving when I get home from work, so baking potatoes in the oven on a weeknight is out of the question. I got a head start on these stuffed sweet potatoes by “baking” them in a slow cooker all day. It’s so easy, and they come out perfectly! Just scrub the potatoes clean and poke them all over with a fork, then put them in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours – they’ll be super soft and fluffy!

The skins won’t be as crisp as potatoes baked in the oven, but it’s still delicious. And it will crisp up in recipes like this one that are finished in the oven.

Chicken + Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Paleo and Whole 30 stuffed sweet potatoes are filled with a flavorful combination of chicken, bacon, and broccoli for a flavor-packed dinner that's super easy to make!

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword paleo stuffed sweet potatoes, stuffed sweet potatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Additional Time 8

Total Time 8 40

Servings servings

Calories 209kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes
4 slices sugar-free bacon
¼ red onion thinly sliced
3 cups broccoli florets
½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed rosemary
Sea salt and pepper

Instructions

Scrub the sweet potatoes and poke them all over with the prongs of a fork. Place them in a slow cooker and cook on low 8-10 hours.
Heat your oven to 400F.
Add the bacon to a cold skillet set over medium heat. Cook 8 minutes, until beginning to crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and let drain on paper towels.
Add the onion and broccoli to the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the chicken, paprika, rosemary, salt, and pepper; cook 5-6 minutes, to until cooked through.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and arrange on a greased baking sheet. Scoop out some of the flesh from each potato to form a shallow boat. Fill each potato with the chicken and broccoli mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, until the potato skins are crisp and the broccoli is lightly charred.

Notes

Don't throw out the scooped out sweet potato - use it for sweet potato breakfast bowls!

Nutrition

Parmesan Herb Seasoned Pretzels (Lactose Free)

Lauren — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:30:26 +0000

I created this recipe for my client, GO VEGGIE. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen.

I’ve seen variations of party pretzels like these floating around for a while now, but I never got around to trying them out until now. You guys. Stop everything you’re doing and make these right now.

I’m not joking. They taste almost exactly like pizza combos, which are one of my favorite guilty-pleasure snacks, but they don’t have any of the questionable ingredients that you’re likely to find in food purchased at the gas station.

Shawn says I should call them “Cowabunga pizza party pretzels” because they’re that good. Call them what you want, I can’t stop eating them – they’re definitely my new obsession.

I first made these seasoned pretzels thinking they’d be great for tailgating, but they’d work for pretty much all of your snacking needs.

Sunday afternoon football? Check.

Pre-dinner snack? Check.

Holiday cookie exchange? Don’t tempt me.

How to make seasoned pretzels

To make these seasoned pretzels, start with a bag of small pretzels like mini twists or window panes. You want something with lots of little nooks and crannies for the seasoning to get caught in – bigger twists or sticks will work in a pinch, but the flavor won’t stick as well.

Next, mix up a blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and lots of GO VEGGIE lactose-free or vegan parmesan and add some neutral oil to form a thick paste. Put the pretzels in a large bowl and ass the seasoning. Stie them well until the pretzels are nicely coated, then pour them onto a baking sheet.

Finally, bake the pretzels at 200F for about 20 minutes. This will get the pretzels extra toasty as well as toast the spices and help them stick to the pretzels. Let the pretzels cool before serving – don’t worry, it only takes a few minutes.

The first time I made these, I coated the pretzels with oil and then added the seasonings, but I’ve found doing it this way helps the seasonings stick better and lets you use less oil.

The best flavors for seaoned pretzels

I’m obsessed with this combination of cheese and herbs, but you can definitely mix things up with different seasoning mixes. Try making spicy pretzels with cayenne pepper or use ranch dressing mix for cool ranch pretzels. If you don’t like pretzels or want to control your salt intake, you can make these with oyster crackers instead. Either way is totally delicious!

Now excuse me, but I have some more snacking to do.

Parmesan Herb Party Pretzels

Parmesan and herb seasoned pretzels are a super simple snack that tastes surprisingly like pizza! Once you taste them, you’ll want to have them all the time.

Course Healthy Snack Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Cool Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 249kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

½ cup GO VEGGIE lactose-free parmesan
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
¼ cup avocado oil
16 ounces pretzel mini twists or windowpanes

Instructions

Heat your oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.
In a large bowl, combine the parmesan and seasonings. Slowly mix in the oil to form a paste. Add the pretzels and mix them well until they're coated them with the spice mixture.
Spread the pretzels onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool.

Nutrition

One Pot Fresh Tomato Caprese Pasta

Lauren — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 09:30:15 +0000

This easy, one pot caprese pasta recipe features ripe summer tomatoes and fresh basil in a simple mozzarella cream sauce to highlight the best the season has to offer.

I wasn’t joking when I wrote that I’ve been completely obsessed with tomatoes lately. I think 3 of the last 4 things I’ve cooked have featured them prominently.

I love that you can find beautiful local and heirloom tomatoes at almost any neighborhood grocery store this time of year!

Besides Greek-inspired tomato and cucumber salads, I’ve practically been living off of caprese salad. It really doesn’t get much better than fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil.

I could probably make a whole meal out of caprese salad, but serving it over a tangle of spaghetti and zucchini noodles really takes it to the next level.

When I was dreaming up this recipe, the biggest thing I kept going back and forth on was if I should use the cheese to make a creamy sauce or if I should keep it cold and mix it into the tomato topping.

So I did both. More is more, am I right?

I ended up with a creamy, garlic-cheese situation that lightly clings to each strand of pasta. It was definitely the right call.

That’s what I call a meal!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti. Use your favorite brand. I’ve even made this with gluten-free pasta and it’s absolutely delicious.

Zucchini. When I have time, I like to spiralize my own zucchini on the thinnest setting. You can totally swap in store-bought zucchini noodles though!

Ripe, fresh tomatoes. The juciest, most gorgeous ones you can get your hands on.

Fresh garlic. Always.

Flour. To thicken the mozzarella-cream sauce.

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.

Fresh Basil.

How to Make it

Lightly salt the tomatoes and let them sit. This helps draw the moisture out of them and it really makes a huge difference in the flavor and texture of the tomatoes!

Boil your pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce!

Place the zucchini noodles in the bottom of your colander, then dump the hot pasta and water over top of them. The residual heat will cook the zucchini the perfect amount!

Saute the garlic in oil, then whisk in the flour to create a roux. Stir in the pasta water and some of the the mozzarella, allowing it to melt completely. If needed, add the remaining pasta water to thin the cheese to a sauce-like consistency.

Return the pasta and zucchini the to pot and stir to coat with the cheese sauce. Top with the tomatoes, basil, and remaining cheese. Season to taste with cracked black pepper.

More pasta recipes you’ll love

Caprese Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes

This fresh tomato caprese pasta is served over a mixture of spaghetti and zucchini noodles that are tossed in a delightful mozzarella cream sauce.

Course Pasta Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Keyword caprese pasta, caprese pasta with fresh tomatoes, fresh tomato caprese pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

Spiralizer

Ingredients

½ pound angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti
1 medium zucchini or 2 cups zucchini noodles
2-3 large tomatoes very ripe
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1 ¼ cup shredded mozzarella divided
¼ cup fresh basil thinly sliced

Instructions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Follow the directions on the pasta box for al dente pasta.
Meanwhile, use the thinnest setting of your spiralizer to spiralize the zucchini. Place the zucchini in your colander.
Roughly chop the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Pour the rest, along with the pasta, into the colander with the zucchini.
Return the pot to the stove and set to medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant but not brown.
Stir in the flour to form a thick paste. Whisk in half of the reserved pasta water.
Slowly sprinkle in 1 cup of the mozzarella, allowing it to melt completely. If needed, add the remaining pasta water to thin the cheese to a sauce-like consistency.
Return the pasta and zucchini the to pot and stir to coat with the cheese sauce. Top with the tomatoes, basil, and remaining cheese. Season to taste with cracked black pepper.

Nutrition

Mushroom-Swiss Zucchini Boats (Gluten Free)

Lauren — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 09:30:05 +0000

Mushroom-Swiss Zucchini Boats topped with melty lactose-free Swiss cheese make use of the best the season has to offer!

I created this recipe for my client, GO VEGGIE! As always, thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen.

It’s almost August and you know what that means – tons of zucchini everywhere!

If you or a friend has a garden, you probably have more than you know what to do with. You could participate in “national sneak some zucchini into your neighbor’s porch day” on August 8 (yes, it’s a real thing) but, personally, I prefer finding new ways to eat it myself.

Zucchini muffins and zoodles are classics that never seem to get old. You can use them in a savory summer vegetable crumble.

Or you can make zucchini boats filled with yummy fillings – those are always fun!

Last weekend, I made these spinach-mushroom zucchini boats smothered with GO VEGGIE lactose free Swiss singles.

It was an easy recipe that I threw together on a whim – mostly just because I was craving some Swiss – but it was really fresh and flavorful and perfect for summer. You could pair them with a simple salad and treat them as your main course, or serve them as a side dish.

(Funny enough, after I made these I realized that I shared enchilada zucchini boats topped with GO VEGGIE mozzarella shreds almost exactly a year ago!)

Since I really wanted to use Swiss for these zucchini boats, I decided to go with mushrooms and spinach in the filling. Mushroom and Swiss is a great combination, but unless you’re putting it on top of a burger, it’s not really one you see too often this time of year.

I also added some sauteed onion and red pepper for flavor, along with some of the scooped out zucchini and leftover cooked rice to help bulk it up.

I stuffed the filling into the zucchini shells, then topped them with GO VEGGIE Swiss before baking them.

I love the way GO VEGGIE’s singles melt. Just look how gooey they are! They’re also amazing in grilled cheese. And since they’re lactose free and have only 40 calories per slice you really can’t go wrong!

Mushroom-Swiss Zucchini Boats

Cuisine American

Servings -8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped white onion
1 pint cremini mushrooms chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup cooked white rice
8 slices GO VEGGIE Swiss flavored singles cut in half

Instructions

Heat your oven to 400ºF.
Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the center of each zucchini half, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roughly chop half of the zucchini that you scooped out.
Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat Add the onion and cook 5-6 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the mushrooms and red pepper and cook until the mushrooms are deeply browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped zucchini and spinach; stir until the spinach is wilted. Fold in the rice.
Arrange the zucchini boats on a baking sheet or in a pan. Spoon the filling into the shells, then top with Swiss slices.
Bake 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and the cheese is melted.
Serve hot.