Healthy No-Bake Cookies - Guest post

It's Cat again, this time with dessert! Remember those chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies? I sincerely hope these have been a part of your life, because they were always my favorite. My mom found this gluten-free, vegan version of them for me at TwoPeasandTheirPod.com, and I finally got to make a batch!
They. Are. Delicious. Alright, I wouldn't say they rival the "original," but they definitely stand on their own as a satisfying dessert. They stay a little sticky, or this first batch of mine did, at least, but nothing a napkin (or licking your fingers, I won't tell) can't take care of.
These are also heartily approved by my husband, for whom we are trying to go sans gluten. I'm still pretty shy about gluten free baking, but gluten free oats are helping me out here.

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone - Guest post

Hey y'all, it's Cat, with something I love. Love. I love this soup. I've been making it for a while, but just the other day I fed several additional family members (a total of five adults) from a pot of this heavenly stuff, and there were still leftovers enough for at least 4 bowls. That's fantastic, but do note that you need a 5 qt or larger pot. Also, I may be vegetarian, but that doesn't always mean I'm able to get all the vegetables I should be eating into my daily diet. This soup has so many vegetables, and even most of the nutrients that might be boiled out are still viable in the broth you're happily sipping up.
When I make this, I add a little extra pasta, slice up a whole zucchini for it, and use half a jar of prepared marinara sauce instead of the canned tomatoes. That last part is because my husband doesn't care for chunks of tomatoes, but I've also found that it makes the broth much richer. Check out this Olive Garden copycat from Todd Wilbur, found on Food.com.

Chicken and Waffles (Or Just Chicken)

While talking with Cat this weekend, she mentioned making some fried tofu, which made me crave these chicken tenders! We were also talking about planning our meals around the days we work/don't work. I'm off today, so it's the perfect time for a meal that's a little more labor-intensive than usual. I admit, I have never tried the chicken and waffles combo, but I've used this recipe to make chicken tenders, and they turn out wonderfully! The cayenne gives the breading a good amount of heat, and it crisps up nicely. If you aren't so into spicy, just use less cayenne. I can't say I'll ever need another recipe! Definitely give this one a try. You can find the recipe here on Allrecipes.com. If you try it with the waffles, let me know what you think!

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers - Guest post

Hello all! I'm Cat, meal planning addict and recent vegetarian convert. Super happy to talk about some meatless recipes! Thanks for having me, Ashley!
When Ash first invited me to roast some vegetarian and vegan recipes for this blog, I wasn't sure what I could write about. I'm a recipe tweaker, but I didn't think it was fair to review a recipe I never quite made according to spec. Then I remembered these burgers from ConnoisseurusVeg.com! I love them every time, but I have to say that I'm happiest when I just follow the recipe--I haven't been able to improve it (unless you count cooking my chickpeas from dry with some bay leaves? But don't count that, because that makes everything better anyway).
A couple of notes:
I've made these with any onions I had laying around, but the scallions are definitely the best.
These aren't overwhelmingly buffalo-y. My husband has never liked buffalo sauce on anything before, but he loves these patties. Being a hot sauce lover, I just pour a little more sauce on top of mine.
I'm not 100% sure what's going on with the amount of broth in the quinoa. You might want to cook it with less liquid than the usual 2x the quinoa amount to keep things from being too sloppy, but just 1/2 cup doesn't let it "pop". I think it might have been a typo. This is up to you, just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
I hope you like these as much as we do!

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

I've been kind of stingy with the recipes lately, and Summer is also about to make the descent into Autumn, so I thought I would share one of my favorites before the grills are put away. I love these! They're easy, and they're SO delicious. I add some chili powder, cayenne, and hot sauce to the marinade (I don't know how much, I just experiment), and they turn out great every time! We eat them with romaine, salsa, and a little bit of cheese. I think we may need to have these one or two more times before we say goodbye to Summer! You can find the recipe here on allrecipes.com.

Cripsy Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Now this, my friends, was a tasty dish. I have to say, I changed things a little. I'm a picky meat eater, so instead of the chicken legs used in the recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Also, as much as I'd like to own one, I do not own a cast-iron skillet. I used my non-stick skillet for the chicken, then put everything into a lightly greased casserole dish. That's it as far as changes go! This was VERY easy, and very delicious. I'm a little biased though- I love brussel sprouts! Other than the meat and prep change, I wouldn't change a thing. This was perfect! You can find the recipe here on soletshangout.com.

Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir-Fry

This was definitely quick and easy- loved that! I can't say it's the best dish I've ever made, but it's definitely good! It's just simple- I feel it needs a little more. Maybe some mushrooms or something just to give it a little more depth, but definitely a quick, easy, and healthy dinner! You can find the recipe here on skinnytaste.com.

Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl With Peanut Lime Sauce

Heaven. Heaven is a good word to start with when referring to this dish. I can't even tell you how good this was! Just make it! It was a little time consuming, but only because of roasting the spaghetti squash. The rest is a snap! I made a few adjustments (used dry ginger and garlic instead of fresh, skipped the sesame seeds and shallot, used Birdseye Steam Fresh broccoli florets, used olive oil instead of grapeseed, etc.), and I chose cashews as my toasted nut, and cilantro as my herb. If you like things a little spicier, go with 2 T. + hot sauce. I used about 1.5 T. and barely noticed any heat. Also, this made a TON! I'm so full I just might burst and we still have leftovers. Give this a shot, especially if you're trying to get more veggies in your diet/watch your carb intake. You can find this awesome recipe here on thefirstmess.com. Oh, and, as tempting as it may be, it's probably not a good idea to drink the sauce. . .

BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

Oh, man! This was so good! I won't lie, it wasn't quick, but it was relatively easy. We skipped the black beans since the husband doesn't like them (I do though- note a sad face here). I also didn't make my own dressing, since I felt cooking the bacon and chicken took up enough time. I should also say that I cooked extra so that we could do this for two dinners instead of just one, and that's part of why it took so long. This is a great veggie-filled dinner that still kind of feels like you're cheating and eating something junky and delicious! Especially since I kept a little bacon grease in the pan when I cooked the chicken. I definitely recommend this one! Give it a try and let us know what you think! You can find the recipe here on damndelicious.net.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is delicious, healthy, and GLUTEN-FREE! The best part is, it's very customizable. You can make it however you want. The photo above and accompanying recipe can be found here on Ari's Menu! I don't always follow a recipe. I just roast my spaghetti squash (I like the instructions found on eHow.com), and scrape out the shells, then layer everything back in! This is especially quick and easy if you roast your squash the night before. Give it a try! You won't regret it.

Chicken Pot Pie

I love this Chicken Pot Pie recipe! It's easy and quick, but still delicious. I make my own pie crust because I'm overly picky, but frozen works great. Also, sometimes I like to make the filling and pour into a greased casserole dish, and whip up some drop-biscuits to literally drop on top and bake. So good! Definitely a hearty meal. Give this a try! Our rainy weather lately is a great excuse. You can find the recipe here on Allrecipes.com.

Apple Cheddar Burgers

Sorry I haven't posted in a while! This week has been one of those weeks where all of your plans end up changing and most of your meal plan goes by the wayside. Lucky for you all, I'm coming back with an AWESOME recipe for you to try! The first time I saw this recipe, I thought it sounded interesting, but wasn't entirely sure what I would think about it. Then I made these. I am in love! They are so good, and so interesting. Definitely a keeper. I skip out on the red onion and use white, just because I'm not a fan of red onion, but do what works for you. Also, I like to save the Dijon mustard for the bun, but that's just my preference. I also use shredded sharp cheddar just for the convenience. You can find the recipe for these Apple Cheddar Burgers here on the Whole Foods website.

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

I don't usually make breakfasts, except on the weekends I don't work, I try to make something nice. I know, I know. . . it's not even August yet. It's a little early to be adding pumpkin to EVERYTHING, but I love it so much I thought we'd start a little. . . a lot. . . early. This was really good! Only I didn't fully read the recipe and skipped the "gently toss to coat" part, so it was a lot of pumpkin mush on top and dry bread on the bottom. Still good though, and would be even better if done properly! It was quick and easy to make as well- always a plus. You can find this recipe on Allrecipes.com.

Green Goddess Inspired Grilled Cheese

I found this Green Goddess Grilled Cheese on the Tastespotting blog, and decided to make something similar. I used Great Grains multi-grain bread, Provolone cheese, my own homemade pesto (using the recipe from Zucchini Pesto Roll-Ups recipe, substituting the basil with spinach from my garden), spinach from the garden, and a nice ripe avocado. I buttered the bread, then layered a slice of cheese, avocado, spinach, and one more slice of cheese. Then grill as you normally would! These are amazing. They were so good, and they were an awesome summer alternative to the standard grilled cheese. These would also be fantastic with Havarti, or an aged white cheddar. Definitely give these a shot!

Meal Planning

Meal Planning is something that everyone has a different way of doing. You just have to do what works for you and your family. For me, it's just my husband and I. We both work full time, so we both do something quick for breakfast (granola or oatmeal for me, oatmeal or Pop Tarts for him, etc.), I usually am able to eat something at work, and he takes something easy (ramen, sandwiches, leftovers, etc.), so dinner is the meal I focus on. It's the one meal during the day we get to eat together, and we have time to slow down and enjoy.

I have read about a lot of neat ways to meal plan, and have a lot of friends who have come up with really creative ways to go about it.  Some people do better with a written list, or a menu on the fridge, etc. Dorkasaurus Rex, better known as thatssorosie on Tumblr has a genius way of putting her meal plan together. I'm not going to lie, I'm totally jealous and wish I had thought of it. And if I wasn't already in the swing of the digital plan, I would totally switch over. You can read all about how she does it here on her blog. I'm telling you, it's a genius idea, go check it out. Especially if you're just starting! I go with a spread sheet. I use Google Drive, so I can pull it up on my computer, phone, or tablet where ever I am. That way, if I haven't had time to do my grocery shopping and have to grab just a bit on the way home to make the meal for the night, I can pull up my plan then and see what I need. The way I have things arranged on my meal plan template, leaves the items needed for that meal in the bottom cell, so the majority of my grocery list is right there!

I also try to make sure the meals I plan are at least semi-cohesive with one another. For example, if I'm making spaghetti squash lasagna, I'll most likely have left over mozzarella and marinara, so I'll make something like meatball subs. Or if I make Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups, I'll  use the extra asparagus either in another dish, or as a side. If I buy cheddar cheese to make Jay's Favorite Chicken, that's the type of cheese most of my husband's sandwiches for lunch will have. Just doing this will save you a lot on groceries!

Meal Planning is something I really love because, while time consuming initially, it saves me a ton of time and stress in the long run. Having everything planned out saves me headaches at the store, keeps me from buying extra things we don't need, and helps me stay within our budget!

I'll be posting more about meal planning in the future, so keep reading! In the meantime, try copying and pasting my template into a document of your own, and see if you can make it work for you.

Jay's Favorite Chicken

My mom simply loved all things Gooseberry Patch, especially their cookbooks. Now that she's passed away, I have all of them. Back when she was always buying them, I thought they were cute, but I wasn't overly-excited about them. Now that I've had the chance to really look through them and use them though, I think I might be just as in love as she was. They're great! This has been one of my favorites so far. The holiday ones are the very best too.

Anyway, the recipe I'm sharing with you today is from the Meals in Minutes book, and it's called Jay's Favorite Chicken. I've seen several variations of this in different places, but this was the version I decided to try. We love it. This is a staple in our meal plan at least once a month. It is quick and very easy, cheap to make, and feeds us for two nights. It's also versatile. Changing out the type of cheese or soup can give you a different dish every time! I like to use cream of broccoli soup with cheddar cheese, or cream of mushroom with swiss, but anything works! You can purchase the cookbook here on Amazon.com if you're interested (I highly recommend this cookbook- it's a great go-to one to have). And here's the recipe for Jay's Favorite Chicken!

Jay's Favorite Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices swiss cheese 
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1/2 c. milk
1 bag of herb flavored stuffing mix
1/4 cup of butter, melted

Arrange the chicken breasts in a greased 9x13" casserole dish and top each with a slice of cheese. In a small bowl, mix the can of soup with the milk and pour over chicken. In another bowl, toss stuffing mix with butter until well coated. Sprinkle on top of chicken. Bake at 350* F for 45 minutes.

Orange Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry

Tonight is a leftovers night, so I thought I would just share one of my favorite dinners! This stir-fry is SO good, so easy, and so versatile! This is one of those dishes you can put almost anything you want into, and it will always be good. I like to use my huge electric skillet for this and load it with as many vegetables as I can. The best! The only almost bad thing about this recipe is the time it takes to cut up everything, but that's it! And it's not even that bad. You can find this recipe here on Key Ingredient. It does make you sign up to see the recipe, but you can just do a quick sign up with your Facebook account and it's easy. You won't regret it!

Easy Shepherd's Pie

This was pretty good! Not excellent, but good. It wasn't as quick as the recipe says, but that's largely because I made my own mashed potatoes and didn't use instant. Next time I make it, I think using fresh veggies and a little more seasoning would be worth the extra prep time. All in all, a good base. And filling enough that my sister-in-law, her husband, my husband, and me ate tonight, and there's enough left over for my husband and I tomorrow! You can find the recipe here on Allrecipes.com.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Let me start out by saying, there is pretty much nothing healthy about this recipe. So if you're looking for that, keep scrolling! That being said, these were delicious, and "easy" is an understatement. From start to finish, these were done in about 15 minutes. And they were every bit as good as any restaurant french dip I've ever had. And THAT'S coming from a french dip enthusiast. Seriously, make these. You won't be sorry! The recipe is here on Allrecipes.com.

Double Whammy- Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese AND Sweet, Sticky, and Spicy Chicken

So, I was supposed to make the Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese last night for dinner, but we still had meatballs left over. We finished those off last night, and I made this as our side tonight. I thought it turned out really well! I used butter instead of ghee and regular flour instead of whole wheat. It was a little watery, but only a little bit. I can't think of anything I would change! You can find the recipe here on POPSUGAR Fitness.

 I thought this Sweet, Sticky, and Spicy chicken was really good! It was quick and easy to make too. Instead of just sprinkling salt and pepper on the chicken, I put about 1/4 cup of corn starch in a Ziploc bag with some salt and pepper, put the chicken in, and shook it up to coat it. Now that I've tasted it, I would definitely skip the salt and just use corn starch and pepper. The soy sauce adds plenty of salt for me. But I try to watch my sodium intake, so if you're a salt-lover, go for it anyway! I thought the heat in this was perfect. Two tablespoons of hot sauce seemed like a lot, but it was the perfect amount of heat. Hubby and I ate it sans the rice, but I think the rice would lighten up the sauce a bit. Definitely give this one a shot! It would be great as a stir-fry too. You can find the recipe here on Allrecipes.com.

Starr's Savory Meatballs

Here is another Allrecipes gem! I love this recipe and have been using it for ages. The flavor is perfect, and the texture isn't weird like some meatballs. These make the best meatball subs ever! Instead of making four large meatballs as the recipe says, I make a lot of much smaller ones. I get about two dozen out of a batch. You can find this keeper here on Allrecipes.com.

Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups

Oh my goodness, these were SO good. I am a huge fan of asparagus, so I was very excited to make these. I thought they would be more time consuming than they were, but they actually ended up being fairly quick and easy. There was a lot of extra sauce, and I felt it was a little heavy on the mayo, so I think if I were to make these again, I would probably half the amount. I think then it would be simply perfect! The recipe can be found here on Allrecipes.com.

Zucchini Pesto Roll Ups from PaleOmg

These were as delicious as they look! I used spinach from my garden instead of the basil for the pesto, but it turned out wonderfully. The only thing I didn't like about this recipe was that it ended up being a whole lot of preparation for something relatively simple. It took me as long to make these as it would have to make something a little more complex. Next time, I think I'll definitely skip the assembly and maybe use the pesto on some whole wheat penne pasta, add the sausage to the pasta, and serve the grilled zucchini on the side. You can find the recipe on PaleOmg.

A Bit of an Introduction

Hi! I'm Ashley. I've been wanting to create a place to review and share recipes for a while, and here it is! I will be roasting/reviewing recipes I try, as well as just sharing some that I love.

My husband and I try to live on the cheap for the most part, so meal planning is a huge thing for me. I also have PCOS and try to eat a lot of lean-protein and low-carb meals. I eat plenty of things that don't fit into that category as well! Anyway, every two weeks, I sit down and dig through my recipe collection (or find new ones!), and I plan out our dinners for two weeks. I have a meal plan template you can view here. I like to use Google Drive for my meal plan. I love that template because I can see all of my meals, where the recipe is at, and what I need from the store all in one place!

I hope you find some good recipes and inspiration on my little blog.