RECIPES TO HELP YOU SLOW TIME DOWN
UNIQUE RECIPES TO TRY
Breakfasts
Savory Oatmeal with Poached Egg and Avocado
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add rolled oats and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until creamy.
- Stir in soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- In a separate pot, bring water to a gentle simmer and poach the eggs to your desired doneness.
- Serve the oatmeal in bowls, topped with sliced avocado and a poached egg.
- Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with chopped green onions.
Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes with Lemon Zest
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Cooking oil or butter for the pan
Instructions:
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in cooked quinoa and blueberries.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it.
- Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
- Serve warm with additional blueberries and a drizzle of honey.
Sweet Potato and Spinach Breakfast Hash
Ingredients:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add diced sweet potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are translucent.
- Stir in smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Make four small wells in the hash and crack an egg into each.
- Cover the skillet and cook until eggs are set to your liking.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Lunches
Caprese Sandwich with Pesto
Ingredients:
- 2 slices ciabatta or sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- 2 slices ripe tomato
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions:
- Spread pesto sauce on one side of each bread slice.
- Layer mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil leaves on one slice of bread.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with the other bread slice, pesto side down.
- Brush the outside of the sandwich with olive oil.
- Grill on a panini press or skillet over medium heat until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Slice in half and serve warm.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Lettuce leaves (butter or romaine)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add ground chicken and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Add water chestnuts and green onions; cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the chicken mixture into lettuce leaves.
- Garnish with sesame seeds if desired, and serve immediately.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 8 oz rotini or fusilli pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta cheese, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Dinners
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- For the Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup beef broth or water
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine sliced beef with soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- In another bowl, mix together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Steam or blanch broccoli until tender-crisp; set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.
- Add beef and stir-fry until browned. Remove from wok and set aside.
- Add remaining oil and garlic to the wok; stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Return beef to the wok, add broccoli, and pour in the sauce.
- Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly.
- Serve hot over steamed rice.
Baked Lemon Herb Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the Vegetables:
- 2 cups baby potatoes, halved
- 2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, mix melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken thighs in a baking dish and brush with the lemon herb mixture.
- In another bowl, toss potatoes and carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Arrange the vegetables around the chicken in the baking dish.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and skin is crispy.
- Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya
Ingredients:
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz Andouille sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add sausage and cook until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in rice, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cooked sausage; cook until shrimp are pink and rice is tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.
Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or olive oil
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each eggplant slice into beaten eggs, then coat with breadcrumb mixture.
- Place coated slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray or brush with oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
- In a baking dish, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce. Layer eggplant slices over the sauce.
- Top with more marinara sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers if necessary, finishing with mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.