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Creamy gnocchi bake

This easy Creamy Gnocchi Bake with mozzarella and spinach is perfect for a weeknight meal. It takes about 15 minutes to prep, then 30 minutes to bake in the oven. While you’re waiting, throw together a tossed salad or sauté a vegetable for a super low stress, well-balanced meal. Plus, can we just take a moment to admire all of that cheesy, creamy goodness? Those seasoned cherry tomatoes are just bursting with flavor, and fresh basil makes everything better. It’s a dish your whole crew will go crazy for. Creamy gnocchi bake Ingredients 4 tbsp butter 4 gloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved salt pepper 1/2 – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 4 cups spinach 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1 large handful basil, chopped + more for garnish 2 (about 17-18 ounces each) packages…

Vegan Thai-inspired snow pea salad with peanut dressing

Crunchy, colorful and full of flavor. This crisp Thai-inspired salad tossed in a mildly spicy peanut dressing is a total powerhouse of nutrition. Carrots, snow peas, cabbage, quinoa — it’s going to be your new salad obsession. You can instantly add more oomph with grilled chicken, beef, or shrimp, but it’s just as satisfying and filling without any animal protein added. Vegetarians might already know that quinoa and peanut butter are both excellent sources of plant-based protein. (Quinoa brings about 8 grams of protein per cup, and peanut butter brings about 8 grams per two tablespoons.) This superfood salad is addictive! The peanut sauce is similar to that served at your favorite Thai restaurant with chicken satay or with fresh spring rolls, but it’s easy to whip up with ingredients common at your everyday supermarket. You’ll want to put it on everything! Get creative with your salad. Add anything from…

Super Simple Shepherd’s Pie

A 20-minute dinner doesn’t get much better than this classic Irish comfort food. It’s perfect for your St. Paddy’s Day celebration, but it’s plenty delicious enough to make all year long. Shepherd’s Pie is one of those foods you’ll find on any March 17 restaurant menu. You’re practically required to eat it at some point in the month of March. It has become as synonymous with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration as pints of green beer — which is to say, that neither the green-dyed drinks nor this beef-based dinner are exactly Irish. Traditional Shepherd’s Pie uses lamb or mutton (It’s Cottage Pie that uses beef). But here in the U.S., we’ve definitely put our own spin on the holiday, so I think this dish gets a pass, too. I like to cut corners with this recipe and get everything pre-chopped so all I have to do is brown some…

Weeknight broccoli chicken divan casserole

Retro dinners are making a comeback. That’s because so many of them were quick, easy, and tasted great. While some recipes will never make it to our tables again, others fell out of favor but are coming back in a big way — just reimagined a bit. Chicken Divan is one of those dishes. It has all of the earmarks of coming from a mid-century Southern housewife — except it originated in New York City! That’s right. The meal was created at the Divan Parisienne Restaurant at the Chatham Hotel in NYC in the early twentieth century, but it’s back and more popular than ever. Classic Chicken Divan is served with broccoli, almonds, and Mornay sauce (a béchamel sauce with shredded cheese). This casserole brings all of the flavors together in a quick and easy weeknight-approved recipe. Broccoli Chicken Divan casserole Ingredients 4 cups fresh broccoli florets 2 cups cooked, cubed…

Easy, sweet and tangy Crock Pot honey mustard chicken

Sweet and tangy flavors are so on trend this year. Everywhere you look, popular chefs and major food companies are coming out with incredible new items  inspired by the combo: Think Sriracha honey or sweet chipotle. This honey mustard chicken recipe is right on the mark. It’s a delicious combination of sweet honey and tangy mustard, with just a touch of heat. Choose either boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, but whatever you choose, it’s probably going to fall apart in the Crock-Pot — it’s just that moist. Serve with rice, pasta, on a sandwich, or with steamed veggies if you’re all about the low carb life. This chicken and this sauce will taste great no matter how you eat it. Actually this sauce was so fantastic with shrimp, I needed something else to put it on! Try one when you have time to set a Crock-Pot, and the other when…

Spicy cauliflower, arugula salad

I love when a restaurant dish inspires me to make something similar at home. It’s not that making it at home stops me from going back to the restaurant — the exact opposite, actually! I find that it keeps the menu item top of mind, so I actually can’t wait to return! This dish was a restaurant-inspired salad. Roasted cauliflower and raisins might not seem like they’d be the best of friends, but the combo is really quite nice, especially when the cauliflower is roasted with the spicy heat of Calabrian chili peppers. Add some arugula, Parmesan cheese, and lemon, and you have a unique flavor explosion that is creative, healthy, fresh and crisp. Spicy Cauliflower, Arugula Salad Ingredients Serves 4 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets 2-3 spicy chili peppers, finely chopped + 3 tbsp of hot pepper oil (more if you love heat) 4-5 large handfuls of arugula 2 lemons,…

Sweet and spicy glazed bourbon carrots

These carrots are simple to make but pack tons of flavor. All you need is a stove top and five easy ingredients (plus salt and pepper), and you have yourself a delicious side dish for any holiday meal. I like to use baby carrots because they save time and always look pretty, but feel free to clean and chop whatever else you have in the fridge. The whole dish can be ready in under 30 minutes. You’ll love this glaze so much, you’ll start imagining what else you can smother in it — salmon? Chicken? Swedish meatballs? Ice cream? But you’ll have to make more, but there is no way you won’t want to lick the bowl clean. Make sure you choose a liquor you like, because the flavor combo comes across pretty strong — in a good way. The sweetness from the sugar and the heat from the cayenne…

Pickle Soup is quirky, fun, and a really big dill

Pickles have been somewhat of a sensation lately. The beloved briny cucumbers show up in everything now days from icy slushies to creamy dips and fried chips. So I say, why not soup? There are several different recipes out there circulation around the web, but I think this variation is the best. The bold color flecks of veggies look delicious in the bright yellow broth. It’s tangy and salty, yet mild enough to enjoy a whole bowl — and then another, and another… It’s addicting and delicious and you just might make a believer out of folks less fanatical about pickles than yourself. I definitely recommend dill kosher pickles, because is there any other pickle? The snap makes every bite the best bite. I like to finely chop all of the ingredients to make it easy to eat and pour. Plus, I think it looks most delicious. Serve it hot…

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese perfect for fall

Here’s an earthy mac and cheese that takes a risk and wins! Pumpkin and cheese are actually make a great flavor combination. If you’re skeptical, substitute for another squash such as butternut squash. This quick dish is yummy and totally fun for fall. Imagine the surprise when you tell everyone it has a touch of pumpkin! The flavor isn’t overwhelming. It’s just subtle enough that you can taste the unique fall take on this class comfort food. Pumpkin puree has a moist, velvety texture, and it will keep the cheese gooey a little longer, I find. I like to grate my own cheese because it melts faster too, but whether you buy bagged or block, make sure it’s extra sharp cheddar — there’ just more flavor that way. Note: Be sure to use pumpkin puree and nothing labeled “pumpkin pie mix.” The latter has lots of spices mixed. Pumpkin Mac and…

Easy 20-minute Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup

Think back to your childhood. If there was one guarantee when you got sick, it was that Grandma would be making you a big batch of chicken noodle soup. But does chicken noodle soup have any actual impact on impending sniffles? According to UPMC, when you’re sick, your immune system can receive support to help fight infections from standard cold and over-the-counter medicines. However, in some cases, the nutrients you get from a big bowl of chicken noodle soup can give additional aid to that support system. Studies have shows that the anti-inflammatory effects from the ingredients in chicken noodle soup can help ease cold symptoms, while the warm broth can clear nasal congestion. So while it may not be a miracle cure-all, chicken noodle soup makes a great meal when you’re feeling under the weather because it’s packed with nutrients. They are easy to digest, soothing to the throat…