What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Simple Shopping List: All you need are 8 ingredients, and most of them are likely sitting in your pantry already!
• Palate Party: It’s astounding how something so simple can explode with complex flavors – crunchy, tangy, and a delightful burst of fresh herbs.
• Textures Galore: This simple salad has so many different textures, from crunchy celery to creamy chickpeas to soft artichokes. Every bite is interesting, and it’s a great way to introduce peopel to the flavor of kale. 

Savor Simplicity: An Easy Kale and Chickpea Salad That’s Packed with Flavor

I love the comfort of a well-made, nutrient-rich salad!

This kale salad recipe is a tribute to the simple pleasures of home cooking, where simple ingredients combine to make something thats truely greater than the sum of it’s parts. It’s just the kind of inviting and satiating salad that is sure to find its place in your heart!

I’ve been making variations on this chickpea salad for years – along with my mayo free potato salad, it’s my favorite recipe to take on picnics and bring to potlucks. 

It’s simple, nutritious and always a crowd pleaser, even among self-proclaimed kale haters. 

The salad has evolved over the years, but the base always remains the same – chickpeas, artichoke hearts, cucumber, red onion, and red bell pepper. More recently, I’ve been inspired by the Confetti Crunch Salad from Whole Foods and I’m really into adding tons of celery. it adds so much crunch! 

This simple salad is so versatile — it works as a main meal or as a side dish. It’s equally as delicious chilled as it is room temperature, so it’s great for cookouts and potlucks! 

It stays crunchy in the fridge for days, so it’s perfect for meal prep lunches, too! I can’t get enough.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Celery: This veggie plays a key role in delivering a delightful crunch, balancing out the textures. Choose firm, vibrant green stalks. If your celery has leaves attached, even better! Add them right into the salad — they have an amazing flavor!

Red Bell Pepper: For a pop of brilliant color and more sweet crunch. Choose red peppers as they’re at their sweetest and ripest stage. Remember, red peppers are sweeter than green peppers, which.aren’t as tasty in this recipe. If you can’t find a red pepper, you can swap in yellow or orange, or chop up some jarred roasted red peppers. 

Fresh Kale: Known for it’s robust flavor and nutrient content, kale adds a hearty texture to the dish. Pick deep-colored, sturdy leaves without any signs of wilting or browning. I like making this with Curly Kale because it has a tender texture and a slightly less butter, more peppery flavor. That said, Lacinato Kale (also known as Tuscan Kale or “Dinosaur Kale”) is also a great option! The only thing I’d avoid is baby kale, which has an entirely different texture. 

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans): For an added punch of protein and a comforting earthiness to this salad. You can use canned chickpeas for convenience, just give them a rinse and they’re good to go!

Fresh Herbs: A mix of fresh herbs like oregano and mint adds dynamic flavor to the salad. Experiment with different herbs to find your favorite combo!

Caesar Vinaigrette

This dressing finishes off this raw kale salad. Make your own, or use store bought! I like Newman’s Own or Marzetti for grab-and-go options. 

To make your own, you’ll need olive oil, Worchestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, grated Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. 

Or opt for a creamier salad with my Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing.

Pro Tips

• To soften the kale leaves and remove some bitterness, massage them with a little salt before adding the other ingredients. It’s a trick I learned in cooking school and it’s a real game changer if you think you don’t like kale!
• Rinse canned chickpeas to reduce sodium content and improve the flavor.
• Let the salad chill out in the fridge for an hour or so to let all of the flavors meld together. The chilling step is crucial – the salad completely transforms in that hour and goes from being kind of blah to being totally awesome.

Variations and optional add-ins

This salad is so versatile, and once you have the base down, it’s fun to make it your own with your favorite twists. Try:

• Using crispy chickpeas instead of fresh ones for a different textural experience
• Add sunflower seeds or pistachios
• Stir in feta cheese crumbles or blue cheese
• Swap the chikpeas for white beans, cannellini beans, black beans, or even frozen and thawed edamame
• Don’t like Caesar dressing or need a vegan option? Try a lemon tahini dressing, Greek dressing, or my basic vinaigrette. In a pinch a drizzle of olive oil and apple cider vinegar is also delicious! 

More hearty salad recipes you’ll love:

• Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
• Harvest Kale Salad with Pomegranate + Apples
• 5-Minute Summer Corn Salad with Curry and Lime
• Lobster Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
• Millet and Chicken Greek Salad

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Chickpea and Kale Caesar Salad

Course Healthy Salad Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword kale chickpea salad

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 136kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 4 stalks celery
• 1 red bell pepper
• ½ seedless cucumber
• ½ small red onion
• 1 cup (packed) kale leaves
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 can (8.5 ounces) artichoke heart quarters roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped oregano
• 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped mint
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Cut the celery, pepper, and cucumber into bite sized pieces. Thinly slice the onion. You should end up with about 1 cup celery, 1 cup cucumber, and 1/4 cup onion.
• Discard the tough kale stems. Slice the kale into shreds, then roughly chop.
• Add the kale to a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale until it begins to soften and releases some butter green liquid. Pour off the liquid, then add the chopped vegetables, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and herbs to the salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Parmesan cheese. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4748IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 1mg

This creamy chickpea soup, made with Swanson® Chicken Broth and topped with crispy bacon and fresh herbs, is the perfect easy dinner for blustery winter nights. 

It’s snowing. Again. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I really thought we were done with snow for the year. Luckily, I already had a warm, cozy soup planned for dinner. There’s just something about soup that makes winters in upstate New York a little more bearable. Especially when it’s as luscious as this creamy chickpea soup topped with fresh herbs and crispy bacon. 

This recipe is super easy to make and comes together in under a half hour. I especially love that it uses really simple, staple ingredients that I almost always have in my kitchen. At it’s most basic, this soup is nothing more than mirepoix (a fancy word for onion, carrot, and celery), garlic, canned chickpeas, and a carton of Swanson® Chicken Broth.

I love that their chicken broth is 100% natural, and it has a clean, balanced flavor that makes it no surprise it’s America’s #1 broth. Besides using it as the base for quick soup recipes like this one, Swanson broth is great to have on hand for adding flavor to rice or poaching chicken for flautas. There are a ton of recipes on their web site, so be sure to check them out for inspiration!

How to make creamy chickpea soup:

To make this creamy chickpea soup, start by sauteeing garlic and onion in a little olive oil until it’s fragrant. This is pretty much the best smell in the whole world if you ask me. Next, add diced carrot and celery and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Then add the chicken stock, two cans of chickpeas, and a few sprigs of rosemary, and simmer everything until the vegetables are soft. 

While the soup simmers, fry a few slices of bacon until they’re nice and crisp and chop some fresh parsley and chives. 

Discard the rosemary and transfer everything else to a blender; puree until smooth and season with salt to taste. Top the soup with more chickpeas, the crispy bacon, and herbs. 

Tips for the best creamy chickpea soup:

• Rinse your chickpeas well and remove any loose skins. The skins can sometimes get gritty, so this will ensure a silky smooth puree. You don’t need to go crazy with this step, but taking an extra mixture to discard any that are already loose can make a huge difference.
• Use great quality chicken broth. When you make a recipe this simple, the quality of the ingredients that goes into it really matters – you’ll taste every single thing, so there’s no hiding. As mentioned above, I love the rich but clean flavor of Swanson® chicken broth.
• Don’t skimp on your toppings. The best part of pureed soups like this one is loading them up with toppings, right?! I love the contrast of crisp, smoky bacon with this chickpea soup. It only takes a little bit to give your bowl a rich, meaty flavor. I also like to add some whole chickpeas. You can use them straight from the can or, if you’re feeling extra fancy, roast them until they’re crispy. Finally, don’t forget to add fresh herbs – they add a light, fresh element and the soup just isn’t the same without them. 

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Creamy Chickpea Soup with Bacon and Fresh Herbs

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 233kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 2 cans garbanzo beans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth
• 2 large sprigs rosemary
• 2 slices bacon preferably sugar-free
• 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
• 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped chives

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook 304 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the carrots and celery and cook 5-7 minutes, until beginning to soften.
• Stir in all but 1/4 cup of the chickpeas and all of the chicken broth; add the whole sprigs of rosemary to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
• While the soup cooks, cook the bacon in a skillet set over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then crumble.
• Transfer the soup to a blender, working in batches if needed. Blend 40-60 seconds, or until the soup is smooth. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve the soup topped with crumbled bacon, fresh herbs, and reserved chickpeas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 184mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g

These Cuban-style beef lettuce wraps are the fifth in a series of recipes I created for Moyer Beef. Moyer is sourced from small family farms in New York and Pennsylvania and can be found in many Tops Friendly Markets across the Northeast. 

The one thing that I’ve missed most since starting my paleo-ish diet at the beginning of the year is tacos. And pizza. But mostly tacos.

I had it in my head that I was going to try to satisfy my taco craving by making Chile Colorado stuffed lettuce cups for my fifth recipe for Moyer, but I was kind of “meh” about the idea. It just didn’t seem special enough. Then I was chatting with a friend about places to eat in Miami and started daydreaming about Cuban food. Suddenly it hit me – instead of making Chile Colorado lettuce wraps, I’d stuff them with Cuban-style mojo beef. I can barely remember the last time I was so excited about a new recipe.

Mojo beef lettuce wraps make a great weeknight dinner, but they’d also be a fantastic addition to your Superbowl party or even a game night.

The garlicky citrus marinade is a nice change of pace this time of year and the lettuce cups really highlight the freshness of this dish. The juicy steak bites are delicious enough on their own, but they’re even more special when they’re combined with creamy avocado and tart pickled onions.

To make this recipe, I pulled two Moyer petite sirloins from my freezer. I love petite sirloins because they’re the perfect size – not super huge but also not too small. You can see what they look like in my recipe for Sirloin Steaks with Miso-Butter Mushrooms. It’s also a lean cut, with a nice meaty flavor. After they defrosted, I cut the steaks into small pieces – about a quarter inch dice – and marinated them in a combination of orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and olive oil. Traditionally, Cuban mojo uses sour oranges, but orange juice and lime juice is a nice approximation.

Start the onions while the steak marinates. Cut a red onion in half through the root, then slice it as thinly as you can. Add it to a small pan with apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt, and bring it to a boil. It won’t look like you have enough liquid, but the onions will release some more as they cook. As soon as the vinegar starts to boil, remove the pot from the burner and let the onions cool. I’m obsessed with these and eat them on everything from chili to hummus. They really make this recipe, adding a great punch of flavor to the lettuce wraps.

When you’re ready to cook the steak, set a pan over a high flame and get it nice and hot. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to life the steak from the marinade and add it to the dry, hot pan – enough marinade will cling to the steak so that you don’t need to add any extra oil. Cook the steak for 3-5 minutes, stirring it once or twice to help it brown all over.

Serve everything separately and allow everyone to stuff their own lettuce wraps at the table, or you can pre-make them and arrange them in a deep-sides pan for easy grabbing – either way, you can’t go wrong.

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Cuban-Style Beef Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 380kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 orange juiced
• 1 lime juiced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 petite sirloin steaks about 3/4 pound total, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 small heads butter lettuce or romaine or iceberg
• 1 avocado diced
• fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the diced beef to the marinade; turn to coat. Cover and let rest at 1 hour. 
• While the steak marinates, prepare the onions. Add the sliced onions, vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt to a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When the liquid starts to boil, remove from the heat and let cool. 
• Heat a heavy pan, preferably cast iron, over high heat. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meat from the bowl to the hot pan, leaving the marinade behind. Cook 4-5 minutes, or until the steak bites are browned on the outside and medium or medium-well inside. 
• Divide the steak among 12 lettuce leaves. Top with pickled onions, diced avocado, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. 

Notes

The leaves closest to the heart of the lettuce typically make the best cups, since they're sturdy. Save the soft outer leaves for salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Protein: 18g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g

Thank you to WhatsForDinner.com for sponsoring this post and letting me share their recipe.

A while back, I heard a story about a restaurant called “I don’t know.” I thought it was pretty brilliant. More often than not, when Shawn asks me what I want for dinner, that’s my answer – I don’t know.

Unless I have dinner planned in advance, I can be pretty hopeless when it comes to coming up with ideas of what to eat. And the hungrier I am, the more impossible and overwhelming it gets. I usually browse my own archives for easy weeknight dinners or Shawn’s favorites, but even looking there or at my favorite blogs for inspiration doesn’t always help – depending on how hungry I am, either everything looks good or nothing looks good.

I used to be really good at sitting down every Saturday morning and planning out my menu for the week, but that hasn’t been happening as much lately. I still love to cook and play around in the kitchen, but I can’t think about it all the time like I used to. Life got busy and I’d rather spend the little free time I have on weekend mornings doing things like sleeping in, visiting the pottery studio, or just hanging out and relaxing (<– real talk).

I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in this. I have no idea how my friends who are moms get everything done. Between birthday parties and baseball practices and the thirty thousand other things they always have going on…well, I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

A new website just launched a new website that looks like it will be helpful on overwhelming nights where you have no plan but still need to get a better-for-you dinner on the table. At What’s For Dinner? you can browse recipes normally, or you can take a short quiz and have one suggested to you. The suggestions they send back are easy, flavorful, and creative. They’re also tailored to the amount of time you want to spend in the kitchen, so you don’t need to spend all day in there if you don’t want to.

Depending on your mood, these grilled fish tacos are one of the recipes the site might suggest to you. If it does, you should definitely take the suggestion – they’re delicious and super easy!

Cod filets are generously seasoned with spices, then grilled outside or on a grill pan until they’re tender and flakey.

The fish gets piled in charred tortillas and topped with an amazing slaw made with fresh vegetables, Marzetti original slaw dressing, and even more spices. Shawn doesn’t usually like coleslaw, but he loved this one and thought the flavor in it really made the dish. It’s crispy, creamy and has just the right amount of heat. Plus the fresh vegetables add great crunch and texture to the tacos.

Be sure to visit What’s for Dinner? for the recipe and others like it. You can also check out some great ideas on their Pinterest page and save your favorites. Hopefully, it’ll make those hungry nights just a little bit easier.

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Grilled Fish Tacos

 

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1761kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

!For the Dressing

• ½ cup Marzetti® Slaw Dressing
• ¼ head red cabbage shredded
• 1 large carrot grated
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons cilantro finely chopped

!For the tacos

• 4 cod filets
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 avocado sliced
• Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

• Preheat outdoor grill to high heat.
  
  To make the dressing, combine 1/2 cup Marzetti Slaw Dressing with the cumin, chili powder, black pepper, lime and cilantro. Store dressing in the refrigerator while you prepare the slaw and the fish.
  
  To prepare the slaw, shred the cabbage, grate the carrot, chop the green onions and combine them in a large bowl. Set bowl aside while you cook the fish.
  
  Pat fish dry with paper towels. Drizzle both sides of each filet with olive oil. Sprinkle each side with paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  
  Grill fish on a hot, clean, oiled, outdoor grill for about 5 minutes on the first side, or until the fish looks opaque. Flip the fish and grill until the fish is firm.
  
  Flake the fish for the tacos and heat up the corn tortillas by warming them in the microwave or tossing them on the grill for a few
  seconds. Toss the slaw with the dressing. Assemble the tacos and serve with sliced avocado and lime wedges.

Nutrition

Calories: 1761kcal | Protein: 187g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 397mg | Sodium: 4140mg | Fiber: 40g | Sugar: 18g

If you’ve ever done a Whole 30, you know that eggs are a pretty big component of the plan. They’re one of the best-tasting things you can eat, plus they’re one of the easiest things to make. You find yourself eating them morning, noon, and night.

After eating so many eggs, I thought I’d be tired of them by the end of my 30 days. Surprisingly, the opposite was true. They’ve gone from something we never gave much thought to, to a huge part of our diet.

We eat them over vegetable hash, poached in spicy sauce, and on top of grain bowls. These ham and kale egg cups are an easy make ahead breakfast that has saved my butt on more than a few mornings.

Standing in front of the egg refrigerator at the grocery store can be a little intimidating. Even at stores like Whole Foods or the local Co-op, there are a ton of options.

Cage free? Free range? White? Brown? Organic? Vegetarian Fed? It’s enough to make your head spin.

We had chickens when I was growing up, and nothing beats a farm fresh egg. Unfortunately, that’s not always an option. Backyard chickens aren’t allowed in my neighborhood and even if they were I don’t really have the time or space that they need.

So, I do the best I can at the grocery store. Nellie’s eggs are free range, which means they have easy access to the outdoors where they’re able to scratch, peck, and do all the other things chickens do. They’re also certified humane, and I like the idea that their hens are treated with a little respect.

They also offer farm tours so you check them out for yourself, which I think is really cool and transparent of them. Plus even though they’re in the business of selling eggs, they encourage everyone to raise their own chickens and even have a section of their web site dedicated to showing you how. I’ve never met them, but they seem like good people so I feel good about choosing their eggs.

How to make egg cups

I love making eggs cups because they’re super easy and can be customized in a million different ways.

They’re baked in a muffin tin for built-in portion control and portability – think of them like a mini crustless quiche or fritatta.

To make egg cups, start by whiskng together a dozen eggs along with salt, pepper, or whatever other seasonings you like.

Then, pour the eggs into a muffin tin. I like my egg cups on the larger side, so I use 12 eggs to make 9 cups.

For this version, I added massaged kale, diced ham (I just use a small ham steak), and fresh herbs.

Add the fillings to each cup individually rather than trying to mix them in to all of the eggs. That way, you won’t have to pour out something full of solids (messy!) and you can make the mix-ins are distributed evenly throughout all of the egg cups.

This combination is my personal favorite, but you can customize them with your favorite fillings or even do a try that’s mix and match.

Sometimes I’ll make half a pan of ham and kale egg cups for myself, then swap out the kale for spinach and add some cheese to the rest for Shawn.

They keep in the refrigerator for several days, and are delicious hot or cold so they’re great for breakfast on the go!

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Ham and Kale Egg Cups

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Calories 134kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 cups kale
• salt and pepper
• 12 large eggs
• ¼ cup milk or nutmilk optional
• 4 ounces diced ham
• ¼ cup parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 350ºF.
• Cut the kale into thin ribbons. Sprinkle with salt and massage several minutes, until the kale begin to soften. Set aside.
• Crack the eggs into a large measuring cup. Add the milk, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
• Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray or oil. Pour the eggs into nine of the muffin cups, filling each 3/4 of the way full. Add some ham, kale, parsley, and chives to each cup. Use a fork to stir gently, so that the kale is submerged.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the egg cups are set. Let cool slightly, then remove the eggs from the pan. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Taste of Home. The opinions and text are all mine.

I created this recipe for my client, Nielsen-Massey. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen!

Homemade Lamb Chops: Broil Them, Baby!

These broiled lamb chops are hands-down the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in ages. When making healthy recipes, it’s important to choose pure ingredients with complex flavor profiles that keep things interesting. These homemade lamb chops only use a handful of ingredients, but they have major flavor.

Balsamic reduction is always amazing, but I kicked this version up a few notches with woody vanilla extract and a hefty dose of black pepper.

The earthy-sweet-spicy combination blew my mind. I want to eat it on everything!

Vanilla is a staple for baking, but I really love the deep, earthy flavor that it adds to savory recipes. It’s my secret ingredient in everything from a smokey vanilla tomato relish for grilled steak to the perfect vinaigrette for a roast pear salad.

To make these lamb chops

Start by making the glaze. Bring some balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer it until it reduces by about half. At this point, it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in a good amount of black pepper to help balance out the sweetness.

Prepare the lamb chops with brushing them with a little olive oil and sprinkling on some fresh rosemary.

Broil the lamb for about 5-7 minutes on each side (5 minutes for a perfect medium, 7 if you like them more well done).

Once the lamb comes out of the oven, brush the chops with glaze. Be sure not to brush them before you broil them, or the glaze with burn.

For an elegant presentation, you can use rib chops, like I did here, or you can use loin chops, which have a triangular shape without the long bone. Rib chops are my favorite, but it seems like loin chops are slightly easier to find these days. Either way, you can’t go wrong. (If you like lamb, you’ll also love my recipe for Garlic and Herb Lamb Chops)

I served these lamb chops with juicy pomegrante seeds, roast carrots and manchego polenta. And I drizzled that balsamic glaze over every. last. bite.

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Broiled Lamb Chops with Vanilla Balsamic Glaze

These broiled lamb chops are everything you need in a dinner. They're easy to make, delicious, and homemade—and they'll make you feel like a total boss. The balsamic glaze is rich and sultry – perfect for a date night at home!

Course Beef Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword broiled lamb chops, lamb recipes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 291kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Mexican Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 pound lamb chops rib or loin
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• sea salt
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds optional

Instructions

• Add the vinegar, sugar, and vanilla to a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper.
• Lightly coat the lamb chops with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt. Place in a single layer on a broiling pan. Broil under high heat for 5 minutes on each side.
• Brush the lamb chops with the vanilla balsamic glaze. Serve with remaining glaze. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg

I’ve been running around like crazy this week. It’s been so gorgeous out on the weekends that the last thing I want to do is housework… which means that I have even more to tackle during the week than normal. I’m so behind right now and I’ll admit it – my kitchen is a total disaster.

It’s times like these that I like to turn to sheet pan dinners like roast sausage with apples and parsnips, vegetables with tahini-almond sauce, or good old fashioned chicken fingers and french fries. Dinners like these make minimal mess and are super easy. Plus, since they don’t require a lot of TLC I can take advantage of the time they’re in the oven to get caught up on dishes or whatever else needs attention.

Instead of coating these chicken fingers with breadcrumbs, I used leftover quinoa! I’ve been making a big pot of it every Sunday to use throughout the week in salads and as a side dish, but it turns out that it also makes an amazing coating for recipes like this one.

Since the quinoa is so mild on its own, I added plenty of GO Veggie! lactose free parmesan to ramp up the flavor. Like the quinoa, the parmesan is gluten free. It also has less calories and fat and twice the calcium of traditional parmesan cheese.

When it coms to dipping sauces for chicken fingers, I’m usually a honey or hot sauce kind of girl but since these have such a prominent parmesan flavor, my go-to sauces don’t really go. I love whipping up a simple sauce by blending marinara and roasted red peppers. The flavor is mellow and super delicious. They’re also great dipped in pesto or your favorite pasta sauce.

If you love chicken fingers as much as I do, be sure to also check out my buttermilk chicken tenders. They’re brined in buttermilk to make them extra juicy! Tired of chicken? You’ll love my spicy steak fingers, made in your air fryer.

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Baked Quinoa Crusted Chicken Fingers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup cooked quinoa chilled
• ¼ cup GO Veggie! Lactose-Free Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound chicken tenders trimmed
• ½ cup marinara sauce
• 1 jar 7 ounces roasted red peppers

Instructions

• Heat oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat and spray it with cooking spray.
• In a shallow dish, mix together the quinoa and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Brush the chicken tenders with olive oil, then press them into the quinoa mixture, coating them well. Place the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spritz the top of the chicken with cooking spray.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the chicken fingers over; bake an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cook 2-3 minutes before removing form the baking sheet.
• To make the dipping sauce, add the marinara sauce and roasted red peppers to a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve at room temperature or warm in a saucepan set over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Lately, I’ve been all about taking some time on Sunday nights to get a head start on meals of the week ahead. I’m not talking about anything crazy – little things like cooking a few extra pieces of chicken to use on salad or in pasta or cooking a big pot of rice or whole grains can make a huge difference on a busy weeknight. I’m also finding that it helps a ton to make a simple potato, pasta, or grain salad that can serve as a simple lunch or quick side dish.

I especially love a good, mustardy potato salad. The contrast between the tangy mustard and the cold, creamy potatoes is so good! Plus, they’re so easy to throw together. Sometimes I throw in crispy ham and arugula and other times I add massaged kale. Recently, I’ve been making this version, inspired by nicoise salad, with green beans, hard-boiled eggs, and olives. I use red-skinned Idaho® potatoes because they have a great, creamy texture and really soak up the flavor of the dressing. Throw the green beans right into the potato pot and let them cook together for the last few minutes, just until the beans turn bright green. Nicoise olives have a mellow, rich flavor that rounds out this salad, but they can be difficult to find. Kalamata olives are stronger and have a more pronounced salty flavor but they also work nicely in this, just adjust the seasoning in the dressing to taste.

It’s a simple but incredibly flavorful summertime dish that goes great with just about anything – from hot dogs thrown on the grill to sliders made with slow cooker honey bourbon pulled chicken and topped with spicy pickles.

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Nicoise-Style Potato Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 4 red-skinned Idaho® potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ cup green beans cut into 2-inch segments
• 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
• 1 large shallot minced
• ¼ cup nicoise or kalamata olives
• 1 lemon juiced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup grainy mustard
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the green beans to the pot along with the potatoes and cook 2 minutes, or until bright green. Drain. Transfer the potatoes and green beans to a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, shallot, and olives.
• In a small jar, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and sea salt. Cover and shake to combine. Pour over the potatoes and mix well.
• Chill until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste.

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

Have you ever cooked with hummus? We eat it all the time, but almost exclusively as a snack – set me up next to a pool with a tub of hummus and some pretzels and I’m good for hours. From time to time I’ll also use it on a sandwich or in my favorite no-mayo potato salad, but other than that I haven’t really branched out in terms of using it as an ingredient in recipes.

How to make spicy hummus pasta

I created this spicy hummus pasta for National Hummus Day and I’m so excited to share it with you! I came up with the idea a few weeks ago, and it’s ridiculously good.

I thought I was taking a risk using hummus as pasta sauce, but I really had nothing to worry about. It turns out hummus adds the perfect touch of rich, creamy flavor to your pasta. This pasta recipe reminds me of a classic Cajun Alfredo – without any cream. It’s dairy-free and packed with protein! 

I used Sabra’s chipotle hummus and we loved the way it came out. The chipotle peppers give the recipe a great, spicy kick! Since most of the flavor in the dish comes from the hummus, it’s infinitely adaptable. Swap the chipotle hummus for supremely spicy (another one of my favorites), jalapeno, or even take the recipe in a totally different direction with basil pesto hummus. You can also swap out the chicken for shrimp. Whatever you do, make plenty because you’ll definitely be excited for leftovers.

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Spicy Chipotle Hummus Pasta

Hummus pasta is super creamy but completely dairy-free! This version uses spicy hummus ad the base for a delicious Cajun pasta recipe. On the table in about a half hour!

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword hummus pasta, recipes with hummus, spicy hummus pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 325kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ onion diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 package Sabra Spicy Chipotle Hummus
• 1 bunch Swiss chard chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1 pound penne pasta

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the paprika, oregano, thyme, and salt. Rub the spice mixture over the chicken breasts.
• In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 5-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Turn the burner to low and return the pan to the stove. Sweat the garlic and onions for 5 minutes, or until softened. Turn the heat to medium and add the red bell pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until soft. Slowly stir in the chicken stock and hummus to form a creamy sauce. Add the Swiss chard. Cover and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the drained pasta and the cooked chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 265mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g

I don’t usually mind cooking dinner, but sometimes I don’t actually feel like eating it. I get burned out pretty easily and feel like we always eat the same things – or slight variations on the same things – all the time. It gets boring.

I came up with the idea for loaded Greek fries on one of the nights. It looks like junk food and eats like a snack, but when you break it down into its key components, it’s just a normal, balanced meal: baked fries, sauteed chicken, a simple salad full of vegetables like cucumbers and artichoke hearts, and yogurt-based tzatziki sauce. In fact, if you stuffed the chicken and vegetables into a pita and served the fries on the side, it might even be considered boring. It’s amazing what a little repackaging can do to a meal, right?

I used Alexia’s Organic Yukon Select Fries as the base for these loaded Greek fries. I love Alexia products and frequently turn to them when I’m looking for a side dish that will make everyone happy (or if I need the perfect onion ring for the top of my smoky lentil and cauliflower burgers). The Yukon Selects are great for this recipe since they cook up nice and crisp and have a neutral flavor that doesn’t compete with all of the toppings.

For more great weeknight meal ideas using Alexia products, be sure to sign up for their newsletter and check out their website – they have some amazing looking recipes for things like turkey schnitzel with dried cherry relish and sweet potato pulled pork sliders.

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Loaded Greek Fries

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 bag Alexia Yukon Select julienne fries
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
• 1 cucumber diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 red onion minced
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
• ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ½ cup prepared tzatziki sauce

Instructions

• Heat oven to 425ºF. Spread the fries on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25 minutes, or until crisp and golden, turning them over halfway through.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, turning to coat. Let sit 10 minutes. Heat the remaining olive oil in a arge skillet. Add the chicken and saute 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through.
• In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, artichoke hearts, olives, and vinegar.
• To serve, top the fries with the chicken, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce.

Alexia Foods offers frozen potatoes, appetizers, breads and side dishes with minimal, but distinctive, real ingredients that serve-up exceptional taste. Alexia frozen sides are a delicious addition to a balanced meal with that little something extra and can be ready in 25 minutes—or less. Sign up for Alexia’s Club 350 newsletter for more great meal inspiration!

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alexia . The opinions and text are all mine.