Nourished not Famished

Real-life healthy changes, made simple and delicious.

extra virgin olive oil

Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash

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The perfect balance of savory and sweet, Rosemary Roasted Butternut squash is a cinch to make and is a perfect, versatile batch-cooking item to have on hand to add to meals all week long. Butternut squash is a colorful, starchy vegetable, which means it is not only super-fueling, but also loaded with plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

all batch-prepped and ready for the week!

Ways to enjoy this easy recipe:

  • As a colorful, veggie addition to any basic meal, especially delicious with roasted chicken, turkey, or pork
  • Add to a comforting, nourishing bowl meal, along with other veggies, protein of your choice (for example, egg, tofu, tempeh, poultry, pork, beef, or lamb, etc.). Drizzle bowl with a delicious sauce or dressing, and add some beans, too if you like.
  • Add to a breakfast bowl, with eggs and sauteed greens.
  • Roll it over into a soup: puree with broth, and add a splash of something creamy like cream or coconut milk
  • Add to a salad
  • Mash it, and use as a “bed” at the bottom of your plate, and top with grilled meats and other veggies.
  • Use it in place of tomato sauce on a flatbread or pizza. Mash the cooked squash, spread on your pita/dough/crust, and add cheese and mushrooms for an amazing combination!

what you’ll need

Print Recipe
 Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash
Sweet, savory, and garlicky, this easy recipe is a great addition to your batch-cooking favorites!
roasted squash on sheet pan
Course Salads & Side Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Salads & Side Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
roasted squash on sheet pan
Instructions
  1. Place oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Combine all ingredients thoroughly. (You can do this directly on your sheet pan, or in a bowl.)
  3. Spread squash out evenly on sheet pan. Roast for 45-50 minutes, or until squash begins to brown slightly.
Recipe Notes

Note: If you double this recipe, use two sheet pans, or roast just one batch at a time if you've only got one sheet pan. Avoid "crowding" the squash on the sheet pan, because that will result in steamed rather than roasted squash.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

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Need to add more delicious veggies to your life, but you’re short on time? This recipe is for you! Also, it’s the perfect side to just about any taco, burrito, or carnitas meal (grab my pork carnitas recipe here).

To keep things simple, I’ve started with pre-shredded cabbage/ slaw mix. If you prefer, feel free to shred your own cabbage using a food processor. I’m guessing that a half a head of cabbage would yield a similar amount. Savoy cabbage or regular green cabbage works nicely here. Red/purple cabbage is also another good option.

bowl of pork carnitas with sides
This cilantro lime slaw is the perfect accompaniment to pork carnitas.
Print Recipe
 Cilantro Lime Slaw
bowl of cilantro lime slaw
Course Salads & Side Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Salads & Side Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
bowl of cilantro lime slaw
Instructions
  1. Combine lime juice, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Stir to combine.
  2. Whisk extra virgin olive oil into lime and spice mixture to make the dressing.
  3. Combine the cabbage, cilantro, and dressing in a large bowl (include optional red pepper if using). Stir gently to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Lazy Huevos Rancheros with Black Beans

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I get it. You want a hearty, delicious breakfast that’s going to keep you going all morning, but you don’t want to spend lot of time making it.

Maybe it’s the weekend, and it’s your only chance to have a chill morning at home. You don’t want to spend forty five minutes making breakfast.

Or, maybe you have a little time to sit and enjoy breakfast on a weekday morning, but you don’t have the wiggle room to play gourmet chef.

I got you covered with this lazy version of huevos rancheros.

In this version, you don’t need to chop anything (unless you feel a pressing need to chop the cilantro). You don’t need to make your own fresh salsa.

And guess what? Even with all of the shortcuts, it still tastes like a decadent brunch dish you would have ordered had you gone out. But you didn’t, you smart cookie! You stayed home in your pjs, saved yourself some money (because, brunch prices, ugh!), and enjoyed this quick and easy breakfast right there in your own kitchen. Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back for being a financially responsible adult who knows how to live the good life on a budget. Way to start the day!

Kitchen tip: I use a 10-inch skillet to make this meal.

Print Recipe
 Lazy Huevos Rancheros with Black Beans
Course Breakfast, Main Dishes, One Pan Dinners
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Breakfast, Main Dishes, One Pan Dinners
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat skillet to medium (I used a 10-inch skillet). Add oil to skillet.
  2. Throw in a small handful of greens if you like (I had some massaged kale leftover from a dinner salad a couple of days ago).
  3. Add salsa to skillet.
  4. Add drained, rinsed black beans.
  5. Let salsa and bean mixture simmer gently for a couple of minutes
  6. Crack four eggs into skillet (arrange as artfully as you like).
  7. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons (a.k.a. 1/4 cup) shredded cheese.
  8. Season with salt and spices (I used salt, cumin, ground coriander, and chipotle powder).
  9. Cover with lid and cook a couple of minutes more until eggs are set.

Quick & Easy Chili-Lime Spiced Shrimp, Cucumber, and Avocado Salad

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It’s true, I do love to cook, but, I’m also living in the real world. I don’t have hours of time to prepare meals, and I bet you don’t either. I also don’t want to rely on processed, nutrient-poor foods for the sake of convenience. That’s why I look for meals that meet my top three requirements:

  • real-food ingredients
  • quick and easy
  • delicious

This no-cook meal, Chili-Lime Spiced Shrimp, Cucumber, and Avocado Salad checks all the boxes! Little conveniences like frozen cooked shrimp and canned beans add up to huge time savings without sacrificing flavor. It’s loaded with veggies, and the shrimp and avocado will leave you feeling fueled and filled. I whipped this recipe together on the fly one day as I rummaged through my kitchen, putting together a few lunches to get me through the week. This meal packs well as a lunch, but is also perfect for a busy weeknight when you’re short on time and need a quick-prep dinner.

I like to round out this meal with some additional carbs (brown rice is my favorite with this). Yes, technically the cooked rice means this isn’t a 100% “no-cook” recipe, but, it can be if you rely on batch-cooked rice that you included in your weekly meal prep (yes, that’s often the secret to my no-cook meals!). If you choose not to add that extra carb, consider increasing the olive oil amount a little bit.

The directions below are for two servings. Feel free to dial up or down the servings to meet your needs. If you pack up a couple for lunches, it’s best to hold off and add the avocado the day you will enjoy your meal.

All packed up for lunch (variation here is refried beans instead of black beans)

 

 


Print Recipe


Quick and Easy Chili & Lime Spiced Shrimp, Avocado, and Refried Beans

Course Main Dishes

Servings


Ingredients

Course Main Dishes

Servings


Ingredients


Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl, and gently combine. Enjoy!

Frittata 101: How to Make the Perfect Frittata

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Okay, so maybe perfect is a stretch, but that’s the beauty of this whole frittata thing. It doesn’t need to be perfect! Whew, right? Who needs perfection on a busy weeknight, anyway? There are some basic techniques and steps to follow, but beyond that, you can just get in there and do your thing. Add your favorite veggies, or, even better – use up the odds and ends of veggies that are hiding in your fridge. Want to add some more protein in the form of ham or sausage? Slice that up, and go for it. Does a little bit of feta, goat cheese, or cheddar work for you? If you need to keep things dairy-free, garnish with avocado slices. Feel free to add in fresh or dried herbs if you like. You do you!

Frittata know-how is one of those must-have kitchen skills that can help you throw together a healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner with very little effort and time. It’s also a great staple for batch-cooking meal prep, because you can double, triple, quadruple, etc. the amount to fit your household’s needs.

Eggs are a rich source of protein and healthy fats, so a frittata is a wonderfully satiating choice for breakfast. And, really, who has time to cook eggs from scratch every morning? The frittata is a shining example of how, with a little bit of meal prep, real food can be the easy, convenient, “fast food” choice.

Frittata made with tomatoes and zucchini

Nope, not pizza! It’s frittata made with zucchini, garlic, italian herbs, parmesan, and sliced tomato. Pizzata?

My recipe below is based on using eight eggs. Depending on your serving-size needs (1 egg? 2 eggs?),  it it makes 4-8 servings. This recipe is totally customizeable, so if you need to serve more than that, a 12-inch skillet can easily accomodate up to a dozen eggs. Also, if using a 12-inch skillet, I recommend using at least six eggs. If you plan to use less than six eggs, I recommend using a smaller, 9 or 10-inch skillet.

Use a heavy, sturdy skillet, as it conducts heat so much better. Cast iron is nice, but not necessary. You’ll need to use an ovenproof skillet, as the final cooking step involves the oven.

And one last bit of advice . . . be sure to coat the pan thoroughly with the oil. Baked-on/cooked-on egg is no joke, and will leave you scrubbing your pan for an hour. Ugh. Properly oiling the surface will make all the difference in the world!

If you want to go even bigger, try out my recipe here for Sheet Pan Frittata!

A slice of frittata from your meal prep stash is an easy way to build your plate for a quick lunch or dinner.

So good at breakfast with my favorite side – steel-cut oats, berries, Greek yogurt, and cinnamon, nutmeg, & cardamom!

 

Print Recipe
 Basic Frittata
Course Breakfast, Main Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Breakfast, Main Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in salt and pepper to taste. If you are using herbs or spices, add them in at this point, and combine thoroughly.
  3. Heat a 10-12 inch heavy skillet over low to medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil. Try to rub a little bit of the oil up the sides a tiny bit (I usually use a scrap of paper towel or a pastry brush to do so). This will prevent egg from sticking on the sides of the pan.
  4. Once oil is heated, add in raw veggies, and saute until softened. Cook time will vary depending on your choice of vegetables. If you are using pre-cooked veggies, do not add them at this point.
  5. Pour egg mixture into skillet, right over the sauteed veggies (be sure to spread them evenly around the pan before you add the egg mixture to the pan). If you are using pre-cooked veggies, add right on top of the egg mixture, being sure to distribute evenly (to make sure everyone gets their veggies!). If you are adding cheese, sprinkle it on top.
  6. Reduce heat to low and cook for two minutes.
  7. Turn off stovetop heat, and place skillet in preheated 400F oven. Cook for approximately five minutes, until eggs are set. Cook time will vary slightly depending amount of ingredients you used.
  8. Garnish with avocado (optional) and fresh herbs (optional).
  9. Slice leftovers into portions of your choice, and store in fridge for quick meals during the week.

5-minute Hummus

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If someone had told me a few years ago that someday I’d routinely be making my own hummus, I would have laughed at the absurdity. Well, never say never. These days, I make it on a regular basis – maybe once every two or three weeks as part of meal prep.

I used to believe that making hummus would be difficult and time consuming, and I didn’t see any need to make my own when I could simply buy it at the store.  I was motivated to finally try making my own when I got tired of paying SO much for those tiny little tubs of hummus at the supermarket (have you seen the price lately??). Also, as I began to read nutrition labels a bit more closely, I realized that many hummus brands contain poor quality, inflammatory, highly refined oils.

When I make my own hummus, I’m not only saving a bit of money, I’m also able ensure that it doesn’t contain those icky inflammatory oils. And the best part? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that making hummus is ridiculously easy! Seriously, if you know how to turn on your food processor, you can make hummus.

Hummus is a great addition to a bowl meal.

Hummus is super versatile, which is a nice bonus when you’ve actually taken the time to make it yourself. We enjoy it as a dip with veggies for a snack, in a mediterranean bowl meal, added to a salad or wrap, or even thinned with red wine vinegar to make a creamy dressing. It’s also delicious spread it on roasted eggplant slices, for a hearty snack or a side to round out your meal. It’s a meal prep staple in our house.

Give it a try in your meal prep this week! I swear it will make your life easier as you pack lunches and throw together meals.?

An easy, well-rounded snack: hummus and veggies.

Great as a spread on roasted eggplant slices with greens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Print Recipe


5-minute Hummus

Course Appetizers, Snacks
Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings


Ingredients

Course Appetizers, Snacks
Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings


Ingredients


Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients except water to a food processor, and blend until almost completely smooth.

  2. Add water as processor is running, and blend until completely smooth.

Easy appetizers: Salad-on-a-Skewer & Sprigs in a Blanket

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So much entertaining this time of year, right? I looove it, but I don’t want to spend the holiday season stuck in the kitchen! If you happen to party with me this time of year, you’ll probably see these quick and easy appetizers make an appearance.

Salad-on-a-Skewer and Sprigs-in-a-Blanket (a.k.a. prosciutto-wrapped asparagus) are a breeze to make, and also pack in a lot of veggies. And, let’s face it – it’s nice get a few veggies in this month in between all those Christmas cookies. These appetizers are also free of refined carbohydrates (unlike the usual appetizer choices full of bread and crackers).

Salad-on-a-Skewer:
I used the small bamboo skewers, and loaded each with a chunk of roasted beet (you can skip the roasting yourself and use the precooked), a few leaves of baby spinach, and a chunk of blue cheese (I found some Danish blue cheese that was firm enough to hold up to being skewered). Last, I drizzled them with some sherry vinaigrette (recipe below – makes a big batch to keep for other meals and salads during the week).

Sprigs-in-a-Blanket:

Works best with thick asparagus spears, but I could only find thin ones at my supermarket, so I just wrapped two sprigs in each. Spiral wrap a proscuitto slice around the asparagus, and cook on a baking sheet at 450F until prosciutto is crispy (5-8 minutes). Halfway through cooking, rotate the spears for even cooking.

Print Recipe
 Sherry Vinaigrette
Course Appetizers, Salads & Side Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Appetizers, Salads & Side Dishes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients except olive oil to a bowl or jar and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, a little bit at a time, whisking to combine. This makes a large batch, leaving you plenty for the rest of the week.