Dairy-Free

November 18, 2021 Air Fryer

Roasted Air Fryer Carrots

These air fryer carrots are perfectly roasted in just 20 minutes! With five very simple ingredients, these will quickly become your favorite healthy side dish.

air fryer carrots in air fryer basket with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese on top

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It requires just five ingredients you probably already have on-hand! Carrots, olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper are all you’ll need to make this delicious side.
They’re perfectly seasoned and cooked until tender! This recipe works to bring out the flavor of fresh carrots. The simple seasoning allows their naturally delicious taste to shine!
It comes together in two very quick and easy steps! Start by tossing all ingredients in a bowl before transferring to your air fryer. Then, give the carrots a quick shake halfway through cooking before serving and enjoying.

Key Ingredients

Carrots – To prepare the carrots for this recipe, start by giving them a quick rinse under cold water. Once dry, peel and remove the skin from each carrot along with 1/2-inch from the top. Last, slice the carrots any way you’d like before roasting and eating!

Fresh Thyme – A sprinkling of fresh thyme does an incredible job at bringing out the natural earthy flavor of the carrots. I prefer fresh thyme for how light and complimentary it is in this air fryer carrots recipe. However, you can use any fresh herb you’d like in place of the thyme in this recipe.

Chef’s Tips

Depending on the size of your carrots, they may cook in less or more time than instructed. I cut my carrots into about 2-inch pieces, then after 20 minutes they were perfectly roasted. However, evaluate how quickly your carrots are cooking at the halfway mark and adjust the time from there!
Finish these carrots off with an extra sprinkling of fresh herbs and maybe some savory parmesan cheese. Again, keep the seasonings light as to not overpower that delicious, fresh carrot flavor.
Serve these air fryer carrots however you’d like! I love enjoying mine as a healthy side dish with lunch or dinner. I’ve even tossed them into salads for an exciting and healthy addition!

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

We hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! We’d love for you to give us a star ★ rating below, and follow us on Instagram! For more delicious, healthy recipes, be sure to check out 40 Aprons.

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Carrots

These air fryer carrots are perfectly roasted in just 20 minutes! With five very simple ingredients, these will quickly become your favorite healthy side dish.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fewer than 5 ingredients, healthy side dish, less than 20 minutes

Servings: servings

Calories: 56kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer
Large bowl

Ingredients

1 pound carrots peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil see Notes
1 sprig fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat carrots in seasoning.
Transfer carrots to air fryer tray or basket and cook at 380° Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, pausing to shake halfway through.

Notes

Olive Oil: Feel free to use any vegetable oil in place of the olive oil in this recipe. Avocado oil also works perfectly and has a delightfully mild taste!

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including toppings. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

November 4, 2021 Dairy-Free

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast

A bacon wrapped turkey breast is a simple but mind-blowingly delicious entrée that’ll enhance any Thanksgiving, Christmas, or weeknight dinner. Tender boneless turkey breast is smothered in a garlic-and-herb butter sauce, then wrapped up tight in strips of savory bacon and baked until golden and juicy. Naturally low carb and keto, and super easy to make dairy free and paleo, too!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The garlic-herb butter sauce sandwiched between the turkey and the bacon keeps the turkey delectably juicy while adding an incredible level of flavor to the entire dish. For a different flavor, submerge the turkey breast overnight in this easy turkey brine and skip the butter sauce here.
Bacon wrapped turkey breast pairs beautifully with a variety of side dishes. Southern Smothered Potatoes, Italian Green Beans, Sweet Potato Pudding, Broccoli Cornbread – the possibilities are endless!
Don’t feel like you have to save this main for a holiday dinner. Bacon wrapped turkey breast is perfect any time of year, and it’s so easy to make that you don’t have to feel like it’s a special-occasion recipe.

Key Ingredients

Boneless Turkey Breast – Fresh or frozen turkey breast will work here! If you’re using frozen, just be sure to thaw it completely first. If you’re using a turkey breast larger than 3 pounds, you’ll likely need to increase the cook time and the amount of bacon you use. Oh, AND! Some turkey breasts will have a netting around them. If yours does, be sure to remove that netting before you get started!

Bacon – Any type of bacon will work here, even turkey bacon! For a nicer presentation, try basket-weaving the bacon strips together around the turkey.

Chef’s Tips

This would be a great option to serve alongside (or in place of) a whole turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner if you’re feeding a large group or just want to mix things up a little. If you’re not sure how much turkey you’ll need to feed your guests, use the super easy formula in this post: How Much Turkey Per Person?
If you have trouble tucking the bacon strips under the turkey breast enough to hold them in place, use toothpicks to pin them down! After baking, you can remove the toothpicks to serve and the cooked bacon will hold its shape.
Don’t skip the wire rack! It’s super important. The rack elevates the turkey breast so the grease from the bacon will drip off and away. If you don’t use the rack, the turkey and bacon will just sit in the grease, and the bacon won’t get crispy all the way around.

Slices of Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast on a plate with green beans and a fork

Other Turkey Recipes to Make Your Mouth Water

Print Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast

A bacon wrapped turkey breast is a simple but mind-blowingly delicious entrée that'll enhance any Thanksgiving, Christmas, or weeknight dinner. Tender boneless turkey breast is smothered in a garlic-and-herb butter sauce, then wrapped up tight in strips of savory bacon and baked until golden and juicy. Naturally low carb and keto, and super easy to make dairy free and paleo, too!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas dinner, holiday dinner, thanksgiving dinner

Servings:

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Oven
Small bowl
Baking sheet
Wire baking rack
Internal meat thermometer

Ingredients

3 tablespoons salted butter melted
2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1 sage leaf chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 3-pound boneless turkey breast
8-10 slices bacon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. In small bowl, mix together butter, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, and garlic.
Place wire baking rack on baking sheet and set turkey breast on rack. Liberally coat turkey breast in butter-herb mixture, being sure to apply mixture evenly.
One by one, wrap strips of bacon around turkey breast and tuck ends of bacon under turkey to stay in place. Start by placing 2-4 slices of bacon horizontally across turkey breast to cover ends of turkey, then lay remaining slices of bacon vertically across turkey breast to cover sides.
Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake 2 hours or until turkey reaches internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit. Once temperature is reached, remove turkey from oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

If your turkey breast has a netting around it, be sure to remove that before you get started!
Don’t skip the wire rack! It’s super important. The rack elevates the turkey breast so the grease from the bacon will drip off and away. If you don’t use the rack, the turkey and bacon will just sit in the grease, and the bacon won’t get crispy all the way around.
Make it Dairy Free: Use dairy-free butter.
Make it Paleo: Use ghee instead of butter, and use a paleo-friendly bacon without sugar or other non-compliant additives.

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

October 21, 2021 Dairy-Free

Instant Pot Turkey Stock

This Instant Pot turkey stock is the perfect use for that leftover turkey carcass! It’s rich and deeply flavorful, packed with nutrients, and takes a fraction of the time to make as regular stock.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s extra healthy and nutritious! The vitamins and minerals from both the turkey bones and the vegetables are released into the stock while it cooks. Once strained, the stock holds onto all of those good-for-you nutrients.
It’s quick and easy to make! Traditional stock can take hours to cook, though this Instant Pot method takes just 45 minutes. Simply add all ingredients to the Instant Pot, set it to pressure cook, and then return to delicious homemade turkey stock every time.
It’s the perfect use for any leftover turkey bones you might have lying around after Thanksgiving dinner! Reduce your waste and use every single part of the turkey this holiday season.

Key Ingredients

Turkey Carcass or Turkey Wings – If you don’t have a leftover turkey carcass for this recipe, you can easily use three pounds of turkey wings in its place. I’ve tried this method with both variations, and they’re equally as delicious! So the next time you have turkey or even chicken bones lying around, don’t forget to save them for this recipe.

Onion – My favorite part about this recipe is how hands off it is. This even goes for preparing the vegetables, especially the onion. No need to finely chop or even peel an onion for this recipe! Simply leave the skin on and cut it into four equal pieces. Once cut, throw it in the Instant Pot with the remaining ingredients – it’s that easy!

Chef’s Tips

Allow the stock to cool completely before transferring it to the fridge. The stock will be super hot right after cooking, it might even continue to boil for a few minutes after the lid is removed. Therefore, to help speed up the cooling process, strain the turkey stock and transfer it to a large bowl on the counter to bring down the temperature.
Store this Instant Pot turkey stock in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week! Though if you won’t be using this stock within a week, you can easily freeze it instead. To freeze it, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in your freezer for up to three months.
Feel free to switch up the seasonings in this recipe any way you’d like! Add more spice with additional peppercorns or even red pepper flakes. You can even add some fresh herbs, such as parsley.

overhead image of instant pot turkey stock with fresh herbs on the side

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Turkey Stock

This Instant Pot turkey stock is the perfect use for that leftover turkey carcass! It's rich and deeply flavorful, packed with nutrients, and takes a fraction of the time to make as regular stock.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: leftover turkey, super easy, thanksgiving

Servings:

Calories: 189kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 turkey carcass or 3 pounds turkey wings
1 stalk celery sliced in half
1 large carrot cut into 3 or 4 pieces
1 onion unpeeled and cut into quarter
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Instructions

Add all ingredients to an Instant Pot, then fill with water to the max fill line.
Set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes, then manually release pressure before removing lid.
Strain stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Let cool before transferring to airtight containers to store.

Notes

I used a 6 quart Instant Pot and produced about 2 quarts of turkey stock.

Recipe yields approximately 10 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

October 14, 2021 Appetizer

Puking Pumpkin with Guacamole “Vomit”

Take your Halloween festivities to the next level with a delightfully disgusting puking pumpkin! This is a great centerpiece for your Halloween snack table, not to mention a fun way to serve a guacamole appetizer.

Close-up of a puking pumpkin with guacamole and tortilla chips

What’s So Great About This Recipe

It’s super fun, and a little gross – both perfect for Halloween! This is one that adults and kids alike will LOVE. Plus it’s a fun Halloween activity you can do with your kids (though you might want to handle the actual carving).
You can make a puking pumpkin as mild or as stomach-turning as you want! Instead of vomiting guacamole, your pumpkin could spew wrapped candies – much more chill. If you want to get really wild with it, the pumpkin could puke worms (spaghetti) and blood (tomato sauce). A taco dip with ground beef or even just a bean dip would work well, too – plus all those chunks and textures would be SO gross!
This guacamole appetizer goes really well with a batch of Halloween Monsteritas (cucumber and jalapeño margaritas). Talk about a perfect Halloween party spread!

What You’ll Need

Pumpkin – Any size, any color, any shape of pumpkin will work here! Don’t be afraid to get creative. Choose a size that matches your needs – for a large party and a lot of guac, you’ll want a larger pumpkin. Whatever size you choose, just make sure to get a pumpkin that’s relatively flat on the bottom so that it sits up well. You don’t want it to roll around and “vomit” guac all over the place.

Guacamole – Store-bought or homemade guacamole will both work for your puking pumpkin. You’ll want something that’s thicker, as opposed to an avocado salsa, so it holds a decent shape. Also, the chunkier the guacamole, the more visually interesting the whole arrangement will be!

Sharp Knife – Carving a pumpkin can be more difficult than it needs to be sometimes. One thing that makes a big difference is using the right tools. Make sure your knife is really sharp, and use a small, flat knife (like a paring knife) as opposed to a large knife. You’ll have better control over your cuts that way.

Chef’s Tips

If you want to use your puking pumpkin as a centerpiece or jack-o-lantern after the guac is gone, rub a little Vaseline (petroleum jelly) onto the cut-out edges of the face. Vaseline will help the edges stay fresh a little longer.
To make carving your pumpkin a little easier, use push pins! Draw your design (or place a stencil) on the side of the pumpkin. Then, insert push pins along the lines of your design, pressing hard enough to make holes in the pumpkin shell. Once you’ve done the whole design, it’s just a matter of connecting the dots with the knife!
I cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin to access the insides, but you can cut yours around the stem on top if you’d rather. I think it looks a little nicer without the cut seam around the top, and supposedly cutting the bottom instead of the top keeps the pumpkin fresher longer, too.

Angled puking pumpkin with guacamole on a plate surrounded by tortilla chips

Be Sure to Try These Pumpkin Recipes, Too!

Print Recipe

Puking Pumpkin with Guacamole “Vomit”

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time0 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: halloween, kid friendly, party food

Servings:

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Sharpie
Sharp knife (paring knife or other small knife)
Large metal spoon (or ice cream scoop)
Parchment paper or plate

Ingredients

1 pumpkin wiped clean, then dried
guacamole or other thick dip of choice
tortilla chips optional, for serving

Instructions

Using Sharpie (or similar marker), draw large circle on bottom of pumpkin, encircling center point. Circle should be big enough to allow your hand inside pumpkin.
Use sharp paring knife to cut along Sharpie circle, inserting knife deep enough to cut completely through bottom of pumpkin shell. Once entire circle is cut, remove center of shell and set aside.
Use large spoon to scoop out all seeds, strings, and guts from inside of pumpkin. Discards innards or set aside for another purpose. Continue scraping inner wall of side you intend to carve, until wall is roughly 1" thick.
Carve desired face into thinned side of pumpkin using sharp paring knife, following stencil or hand-drawn design of choice. Discard excess pieces from side of shell. Replace bottom circle of shell.
Set carved pumpkin on long sheet of parchment paper, or place large plate beneath carved mouth. Scoop guacamole onto parchment paper or plate, then build dip up and into pumpkin mouth, to give appearance of vomit. Serve with tortilla chips (or fresh veggies, or crostini).

Notes

Dip: If you don’t want to use guacamole, use an equally thick dip in its place. Something thin (like queso) won’t work here because it won’t hold any sort of shape without a container. You’ll end up with a huge mess! A taco dip with ground beef or even just a bean dip would work well, or you could just use wrapped candies for a less-gross version.
I highly recommend NOT trying to move the pumpkin once you’ve added the guacamole. If you’re using this as a centerpiece for a party or snack table, place the pumpkin where it needs to be first, then add the guacamole. Moving everything together is too risky.

Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes and the amount of guacamole used.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving of guacamole, not including any tortilla chips. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used

Nutrition

October 7, 2021 Dairy-Free

Sous Vide Potatoes

These sous vide potatoes are perfectly cooked until creamy and tender! Potatoes, butter, salt, and a sprinkling of your favorite fresh herbs is all you’ll need to make this savory side dish.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The sous vide traps flavor, making them buttery and delicious! Compared to other cooking methods, these sous video potatoes absorb so much more flavor.
They’re super easy and hands-off! Simply place all ingredients in a large zip-top bag, then place in the sous vide. Return an hour later to perfectly tender potatoes!
With a few tablespoons of your favorite fresh herbs, they pair well with virtually any meal! These potatoes are the perfect all-purpose side dish. I love serving mine with grilled steak or salmon for a complete and healthy meal.

Key Ingredients

Baby Potatoes – This small variety of potato cooks up super soft and creamy. I love baby potatoes for their naturally buttery flavor. However, if you prefer a different kind of potato, go ahead and use it. Really any potato will work in this simple sous vide recipe.

Fresh Herbs – I used fresh parsley and fresh chives in my sous vide potatoes, though feel free to use whichever herb(s) you like best! A sprinkling of fresh thyme would make for a great and cozy side dish. Even fresh dill would make for an exciting twist in this recipe.

Chef’s Tips

Be sure to place a few heavy utensils into your plastic bag, along with the other ingredients. Potatoes are relatively light and have a tendency to float in the water bath. Therefore, to ensure they cook fully and evenly, weigh the bag down with two or three utensils.
Switch up the flavors in this recipe however you’d like! Substitute butter for any oil you’d like. A few cloves of minced garlic or even a couple lemon slices would also make delicious additions to these sous vide potatoes.
Meal prep these potatoes to enjoy all throughout the week! I love making this easy side dish at the start of my week to have in the fridge for busy weeknights. To reheat, I simply toss the potatoes in a hot pan with a little oil until warm throughout.

close-up overhead image of sous vide potatoes

Other Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

Sous Vide Potatoes

These sous vide potatoes are perfectly cooked until creamy and tender! Potatoes, butter, salt, and a sprinkling of your favorite fresh herbs is all you'll need to make this savory side dish.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy potato recipe, easy side dish, holiday recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 138kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Zip-top freezer bag
Sous vide

Ingredients

1 pound baby potatoes sliced in half
2 tablespoons butter see Notes for vegan option
½ teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons fresh herbs such as chives or parsley

Instructions

Set sous vide to 190° Fahrenheit (87° Celsius).
Add all ingredients to a large zip-top freezer bag along with a few heavy utensils to weigh the bag down.
Remove air and seal the bag using the displacement method then submerge the bag in the sous vide water bath and cook for 1 hour.

Notes

Make it Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, simply use 2 tablespoons of olive oil in place of the butter.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving, using butter. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

October 5, 2021 Appetizer

Red Cabbage Soup

Vibrant and gorgeous red cabbage soup deserves a place on your dinner table! This bright purple soup adds a pop of color and a hearty helping of vegetables to your diet. Thickened with potatoes and onion, it’s naturally gluten free and vegetarian, but you can easily make it dairy free and vegan if needed.

What Makes This Soup So Good

Red cabbage soup is a delicious, nutrient-rich soup that you’ll absolutely want to make a part of your autumn and winter soup rotation. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamins A and K, and it’s high in fiber.
It’s beautiful! How often do you get to eat a delicious bowl of vibrantly purple soup? The soup’s signature color comes from the red cabbage, which contains anthocyanins that make the cabbage naturally purple.
This is a great make-ahead or freezer meal option, so go ahead and start carving out freezer space! Once the soup is completely cooled, portion it into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. It’ll keep up to 4 months in the freezer. You can also refrigerate any leftovers up to 5 days, so feel free to make some extra for lunch.

Key Ingredients

Cabbage – When you’re picking out your fresh red cabbage, there are a few things to keep in mind. Look for a head of cabbage that doesn’t have loose leaves or soft spots. The cabbage should be shiny and a deep, vibrant purple or maroon color. The leaves should be tightly closed, almost like a flower that hasn’t bloomed.

Potato – Potato thickens up the red cabbage soup, so you want to use the right kind of potato for the best texture. Starchier potatoes, like russets or Yukon gold potatoes, will give you a creamier soup. If you want to lower the carb count, you can use cauliflower florets instead of potatoes.

Chef’s Tips

If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can purée your red cabbage soup in a standard blender instead. Just be very careful. Blending hot liquids can result in a really dangerous mess. See our notes on the recipe card below to safely purée the soup.
Don’t worry about being too precise with your chopping. Since you’ll be cooking the vegetables and then blending them completely smooth, it really doesn’t matter how well you cut them up to start. Just make them small enough to be manageable. Not sure the best way to dice or chop your vegetables? Check out the tips in this post all about dicing onions easily!
We kept the seasonings really simple here, just using salt and pepper to play up the natural flavor of the cabbage. You could add ginger, cinnamon, lime, or bay leaves to change up the flavors a little.

Angled photo of red cabbage soup with a heavy cream swirl in a white bowl

Try These Delicious Soups, Too!

Print Recipe

Red Cabbage Soup

Vibrant and gorgeous red cabbage soup deserves a place on your dinner table! This bright purple soup adds a pop of color and a hearty helping of vegetables to your diet. Thickened with potatoes and onion, it's naturally gluten free and vegetarian, but you can easily make it dairy free and vegan if needed.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: autumn recipe, meatless monday, one pot meal

Servings:

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Large pot with lid
Immersion blender (or standard blender)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
5 cups red cabbage roughly chopped
1 large potato peeled, cubed
1 medium apple peeled, chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
salt to taste
pepper to taste
¼ cup heavy cream plus more for serving if desired

Instructions

In large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add onions and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
Add cabbage, potato, and apple to pot. Stir and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until cabbage is softened.
Pour in vegetable stock and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Bring liquid to boil, then reduce heat to low and cover pot with lid. Simmer 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove pot from heat. Insert immersion blender and purée until smooth. Alternately, transfer soup to standard blender – see Notes. Stir in heavy cream and portion soup into serving bowls. Serve warm.

Notes

No immersion blender? No problem. See the notes below for tips to purée your soup in a standard blender.
Make it Dairy Free: Use coconut cream or a dairy-free heavy cream substitute.
Make it Vegan: Use coconut cream or a dairy-free heavy cream substitute.

Tips for Blending Hot Soup in a Standard Blender

Fill the blender no more than halfway. You may have to blend your ingredients in a few batches.
After pouring the liquid into the blender, let it sit a few minutes to cool slightly before blending.
Before blending, remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a dish towel instead. This will keep pressure from building up inside the blender. Keep your hand on the lid to hold it down while blending.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using ingredients listed, not including additional heavy cream. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

September 23, 2021 Air Fryer

Air Fryer Scallops

Scallops are cooked to buttery, tender perfection in the air fryer! With just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on-hand, you’ll have delicious scallops in under 10 minutes.

What Makes These Scallops So Good

We kept the seasoning simple, making them the perfect addition to virtually any meal! Serve these delicious scallops over a salad or alongside your favorite roasted veggies for a healthy, low-carb meal.
The air fryer takes all the guesswork out of how to cook scallops! This delicate seafood can be easily either over or undercooked. Therefore, by tossing them in the air fryer for just 6 minutes – we take all the guesswork out of how long to cook this sometimes tricky dish!
They’re perfectly tender and nearly melt in your mouth! There’s nothing quite like a simple yet perfectly cooked scallop. These scallops are buttery and insanely delicious with even the most simple seasoning.

Key Ingredients

Sea Scallops – There are two main types of scallops which are sea scallops and bay scallops. While also delicious, bay scallops are much smaller than the sea variety. We use sea scallops in this air fryer recipes because of their larger size and heartier texture. However, if you’d like to air fry bay scallops, you most certainly can. For bay scallops, set the air fryer to just 4 or 5 minutes instead of 6 minutes.

Spray Cooking Oil – Spray cooking oil is an extremely helpful ingredient when it comes to cooking in the air fryer. The spray allows seamless and easy coating of the inside of any air fryer basket or tray. Though if you don’t have spray cooking oil, you can use a drizzle of your favorite vegetable oil instead.

Chef’s Tips

Feel free to switch up the flavors of this recipe however you’d like! A sprinkling or garlic powder or even a touch of Old Bay seasoning would make delicious additions to these air fryer scallops.
If you’re concerned about whether or not the scallops are cooked through, then simply give them a quick check with a meat thermometer. Scallops are done cooking once they’ve reached an internal temperature of 120° Fahrenheit!
Be sure to pat each scallop totally dry in the first step of this recipe! Dry scallops will cook up with that delectable crispy golden brown outside.

overhead image of air fryer scallops on a plate with fresh parsley on top

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Scallops

Scallops are cooked to buttery, tender perfection in the air fryer! With just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on-hand, you'll have delicious scallops in under 10 minutes.

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time6 mins

Total Time8 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 15 minutes, fewer than 5 ingredients, seafood

Servings: servings

Calories: 63kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

6 large sea scallops
spray cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Pat scallops dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Spray the inside of air fryer basket with cooking oil, place scallops inside, then spray scallops with oil.
Cook at 400° Fahrenheit for 6 minutes, pausing to flip halfway through. Serve scallops with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings of 3 scallops each. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving, out of 2. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

September 21, 2021 Dairy-Free

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

Cooler weather calls for a rich, delicious, filling, comforting dinner, and this Instant Pot chicken and rice soup totally fits the bill! Juicy chicken, tender white rice, hearty vegetables, and a light seasoning, all cooked to perfection in the pressure cooker.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s nutritious, filling, and full of delicious flavors and textures. Instant Pot chicken and rice soup comes out thick and creamy without adding any dairy at all, thanks to the starches in the rice.
It’s super easy to make! Everything gets cooked right in the Instant Pot. I mean everything! Brown the chicken in the Instant Pot, sauté the veggies in the Instant Pot, even the rice goes into the pressure cooker uncooked and comes out perfectly tender and fluffy.

Key Ingredients

Long-Grain White Rice – I really recommend using white rice, and not brown rice or instant rice. Why does it matter? It’s all about the cook times! The cook times vary depending on the type of rice you use. Brown rice typically takes longer, which can overcook the chicken. If you use instant rice, you won’t need as long of a cook time, which may give you undercooked chicken.

Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work, too. The recipe will be a little more flavorful since thighs are a fattier cut of chicken than chicken breasts. Just be sure to cook the thighs all the way through before eating!

Vegetables – Feel free to change up the types of vegetables you use. You could also stick with the classic carrots, celery, and onion, and just increase or decrease the quantities used based on your tastes. If you decide to add something like spinach (yum) be sure to add it after the cook time so it doesn’t overcook.

Chef’s Tips

Forget to thaw the chicken? No problem. In a pinch, you can actually use frozen chicken in your Instant Pot chicken and rice soup. Skip step 1 of the instructions below, and add the frozen chicken with the rice in step 5. You may need to add 2-3 minutes to the cook time to ensure the chicken is cooked through. After releasing the pressure, shred the chicken in the Instant Pot or take it out and chop it on a cutting board, then return it to the soup.
A little squeeze of lemon juice can really brighten up the flavors in the soup. Totally optional, but definitely worth a try! Add it to the soup once you’ve released the pressure.
The seasoning in this soup is very simple – salt, pepper, and some fresh herbs. Feel free to add your favorite spices and herbs to your Instant Pot chicken and rice and really make it your own!

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup in a white bowl, taken from above

You’ll Fall for These Instant Pot Recipes

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy meal ideas, one pot meal, pressure cooker

Servings:

Calories: 363kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Cutting board & sharp knife
Instant Pot
Large bowl

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 stalks celery sliced
2 carrots sliced into coins
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
¾ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

Instructions

Trim chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil to Instant Pot and heat 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, add chicken pieces, working in batches as needed, and brown all pieces on every side. Be careful not to overcrowd Instant Pot.
Transfer browned chicken to large bowl and set aside. Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic to Instant Pot. Sauté another 2 minutes, then add rosemary and thyme and sauté 1 additional minute.
Add white rice and chicken broth to Instant Pot with vegetables. Return browned chicken pieces to pot and stir everything well.
Secure lid on Instant Pot with valve in sealing position. Set to Manual High Pressure for 13 minutes. After cook time is up, Natural Release pressure for 10 minutes, then Quick Release any remaining pressure. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

September 14, 2021 Appetizer

Buffalo Shrimp

This buffalo shrimp is insanely flavorful and requires just a handful of simple ingredients! Shrimp are cooked until tender, then tossed in a spicy sauce with just a touch of sweetness. Enjoy this easy buffalo shrimp on its own as a tasty appetizer or over a salad for a delicious meal!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s one of the easiest shrimp recipes ever! Simply coat the shrimp in seasoning, then broil for a few minutes per side. Remove them from the oven and toss in a quick three-ingredient buffalo sauce – that’s it!
It can be served in a variety of ways! This buffalo shrimp makes the perfect appetizer with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing. It also tastes great over a salad or alongside roasted veggies for a complete and healthy meal.
These shrimp are insanely addictive! You ever start eating a bag of chips and just can’t stop? Well these shrimp have that same exact quality – pop one and you’ll want to eat the whole batch!

Key Ingredients

Shrimp – Pick up a pound of raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp for this recipe. You can either leave the tail on or off your shrimp. I prefer keeping the tail on as I think it helps trap just a bit more flavor. Though for easier/neater eating, simply remove each tail before cooking!

Cajun Seasoning – Cajun seasoning coats these shrimp in intense flavor. The blend of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and a variety of other spices take this recipe to the next level. However if you don’t have Cajun seasoning, you can instead use a mix of paprika, salt, and black pepper in its place.

Hot Sauce – Any hot sauce will work here, though I recommend Frank’s RedHot. It’s spicy without overpowering the other flavors in this recipe. It’s also not too thin and does a perfect job at coating and sticking to the shrimp.

Chef’s Tips

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before tossing in Cajun seasoning. Dried shrimp will bake up crispier and more delicious in the oven!
If you’d like, you can grill this buffalo shrimp rather than broiling it! To do this, simply add to a hot grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Once the shrimp is completely opaque, it’s cooked through and ready to be tossed in the sauce.
Feel free to customize the spice in this recipe based on your preferences. For less spicy shrimp, replace the Cajun seasoning with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Then, for even less spice, use half the amount of hot sauce!

buffalo shrimp on a plate with ranch dressing on the side

Other Easy Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

Buffalo Shrimp

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time6 mins

Total Time11 mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 15 minutes, easy shrimp recipe, spicy

Servings: servings

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Baking sheet
Large bowl

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning see Notes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup hot sauce such as Frank's RedHot
2 tablespoons butter melted
1 tablespoon honey optional

Instructions

Set oven to high broil and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add shrimp to a large bowl and toss in Cajun seasoning. Then drizzle in the olive oil and mix to coat.
Transfer shrimp to baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Mix together the hot sauce, butter, and honey in a large bowl then toss in the cooked shrimp to coat in sauce.

Notes

Cajun Seasoning: If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, you can use Old Bay seasoning or a combination of paprika, salt, and black pepper in its place.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including ranch dip, celery, or carrots. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

September 9, 2021 Asian

Beef Vindaloo

This beef vindaloo is amazingly rich and spicy! It’s an easy yet delicious curry that comes together in just one skillet.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s a restaurant-quality dish that’s easy enough to make at home! With just one skillet you’ll have a homemade Indian curry. Throw this recipe together in the same amount of time it’d take you to drive and order it out!
It’s intensely flavorful and delicious! This beef vindaloo is jam-packed with warming spices and irresistible flavor.
You can easily customize it to your spice preferences. This recipe yields a very spicy vindaloo, however you can use less spice if you’d like. And if you’re spice-obsessed, then go ahead and add a few more dashes of cayenne pepper (that is, if you dare).

Key Ingredients

Beef Chuck – Vindaloo can be made with a variety of meats such as chicken, pork, or even lamb. Though this beef version is my personal favorite. You can either purchase pre-chopped beef chuck, sometimes referred to as “stew meat” or chop the beef yourself at home. Either way, aim for even-sized beef chunks to ensure even cooking.

Garam Masala – This spice blend is popular in Indian cuisine. Garam masala consists of a variety of flavorful spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and cloves. If you don’t have a jar of this delicious spice blend in your kitchen, then I highly recommend you pick one up next time you’re at the grocery store. Garam masala contributes a ton of flavor to this beef vindaloo and is an integral part of this dish!

Chef’s Tips

In the third step of this recipe, cook the onions for the full 15 minutes. Cooking down the onions in this dish will give it an incredible depth of flavor. Don’t rush this step, and feel free to add small amounts of water to the skillet to prevent burning!
For low spice tolerance, leave out the cayenne pepper altogether. This recipe is already pretty spicy and the cayenne pepper takes it to a whole other level. Therefore, if sharing with little ones or simply the spice-intolerant, ditch the cayenne pepper!
Serve this beef vindaloo however you’d like! I enjoy mine with a side of rice and some warm naan bread.

beef vindaloo in a dish with spices, cilantro, and rice on the side

Other One Pan Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

Beef Vindaloo

This beef vindaloo is amazingly rich and spicy! It's an easy yet delicious curry that comes together in just one skillet.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: curry, one pan recipe, restaurant-style

Servings: servings

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Large skillet

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck cut into 2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup beef stock
rice for serving

Instructions

Season beef chuck with salt and pepper, toss to coat.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add in the beef chuck and cook for 6 minutes or until brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, add in onion and cook for 15 minutes stirring frequently.
Add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add in garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Stir for 1 minute or until very fragrant.
Stir in tomato paste then add in the apple cider vinegar. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until brown bits become unstuck from the bottom of the skillet.
Pour in the beef stock and add in the beef chuck, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 4, not including rice. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition