Fall

February 25, 2021 Appetizer

Irish Potato Soup

Our Irish potato soup recipe takes a few simple ingredients and turns them a dreamy, creamy bowl of classic comfort food. This hearty soup is easy to make and absolutely perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you just need something warm and comforting.

What Makes This Irish Potato Soup Recipe So Good

It’s so quick and easy. Sure, it’s a delicious St. Patrick’s Day dish, but you can’t go wrong with this soup on a busy weeknight, especially in the winter!
Thanks to the potatoes and milk, it’s naturally thick and creamy. No added thickeners needed! And, since there’s no flour, this recipe is naturally gluten-free!
It’s hearty and nutritious! Potatoes, celery, and an onion make up most of this Irish potato soup, with a little broth, salt, pepper, and butter to boost the flavor!

Key Ingredients for Irish Potato Soup

Potatoes – I mean, obviously! You can’t have potato soup without them! Not only are they tasty, but they’re also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6. Because we’re eventually pureeing the veggies, starchy potatoes like russets work best.

Milk – This gives your Irish potato soup that iconic creamy texture and flavor. If you prefer a richer soup, you can use heavy cream instead of milk.

Irish Potato Soup

Chef’s Tips

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave.
In the recipe, I mention cooking the potatoes until “fork-tender”. Fork-tender refers to that perfect potato moment when you can easily pierce them with the tines of a fork with very little effort!
This method uses an immersion blender or traditional blender to get that perfect soup consistency. If you’re using a traditional blender, BE SURE to read the “Notes” section of the recipe card to avoid disaster!
If you want a slow cooker Irish potato soup, you can definitely use this recipe! Toss everything in your Crockpot and let it cook for approximately one hour on high. Once the potatoes are soft, pick up with Step 3 of the instructions below.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

Irish potato soup topped with bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar cheese in a white bowl on a table

More Incredible Soup Recipes

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

Irish Potato Soup

Our Irish potato soup recipe takes a few simple ingredients and turns them a dreamy, creamy bowl of classic comfort food. This hearty soup is easy to make and absolutely perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day you just need something warm and comforting.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: comfort food, st. patrick’s day, winter

Servings: servings

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Medium pot
Immersion blender or traditional blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter unsalted
1 medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery sliced
4 russet potatoes peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
½ cup milk or heavy cream
fresh parsley for garnish
bacon optional, crumbled, for topping
chives optional, chopped, for topping
shredded cheddar cheese optional, for topping

Instructions

In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter, then add onion and celery. Cook approximately 2 minutes.
Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and stock. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup in pot until thick and creamy. Feel free to make the texture completely smooth or leave chunks of potatoes remaining – your choice.
If using a traditional blender, pour liquid into blender. See Notes for tips regarding hot liquids. Blend until mixture achieves desired consistency, then return liquid to pot.
Stir in milk or heavy cream.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with parsley, bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips for Blending Hot Soup

Hot liquids will expand quickly in a blender, which can push the lid off and create a huge mess (not to mention it could burn you!). Fill the blender no more than halfway. You may have to blend your ingredients in 2 batches.
After pouring the liquid into the blender, let it sit a few minutes to cool slightly before blending.
Remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a dish towel instead.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 4. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

December 21, 2020 Air Fryer

Air Fryer Garlic Bread

This super simple recipe for air fryer garlic bread produces perfect crispy, buttery garlic bread each and every time. Ready in less than 10 minutes, it’s great as a side for pasta dinners (like this Baked Feta Pasta) or to dip into pizza sauce for a quick snack or appetizer.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This garlic bread is hot and table-ready in less than 10 minutes, so it’s perfect for easy weeknight spaghetti dinners.
It’s automatically better than store-bought garlic bread because it’s fresh and because you control the ingredients! Love extra garlicky garlic bread? Want it to be cheesier? Prefer a lighter bake for softer bread? You can make that happen!
If you’ve got older bread that needs to be eaten ASAP, this is a perfect recipe for it. Older bread will end up crispier, and really fresh bread will be a little softer.
Frozen garlic bread can go straight from the freezer to the air fryer with no thawing, so make a batch to keep on hand! Spread the butter mixture on slices of French bread and freeze them in a single layer. Once they’re fully frozen, you can transfer them to a zippered freezer bag and store them up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat, cook them in the air fryer at 340°F for 5-7 minutes.

Air Fryer Garlic Bread Ingredients

Bread – I love bread. I said it. I love bread. I used French bread for this recipe because it’s soft inside with a perfect crispy outer layer. You can also use Italian loaf or ciabatta.

Cheese – There’s just nothing like a great cheese. You can use any kind of grated parmesan for this recipe, but the mass-produced U.S. brands are usually imitation parmesan made with fillers. For the best flavor, buy a wedge of genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. If you’re a big cheese person, consider adding a little mozzarella or an Italian blend to your bread.

How to Make Air Fryer Garlic Bread

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

Once you know how to make air fryer garlic bread, you’ll never make garlic bread any other way!

Mix softened butter, parmesan cheese, parsley, and crushed garlic together in a bowl and spread the mixture on slices of French bread. Place the slices of bread in the air fryer and cook for 3-5 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Chef’s Tips

To cook properly, the air in your air fryer has to be able to circulate around the bread completely. Place your slices of bread in one flat layer without any overlap or touching, otherwise you’ll end up with unevenly fried garlic bread.
Preheating the air fryer is not necessary, but for the quickest cook, make sure your fryer is preheated to 360°F before you put in your bread.
If you’re using an air fryer with racks instead of a basket, be sure to rotate the racks halfway through the cook time. The food closest to the heating element will cook faster, and rotating the racks ensures everything cooks evenly!
The butter can sometimes cause a little smoke in the air fryer as it melts. If you run into this issue, adding a little water to the bottom of the air fryer basket may help.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Great Air Fryer Recipes

Slices of air fryer garlic bread arranged on a wooden cutting board

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Garlic Bread

This super simple recipe for air fryer garlic bread produces perfect crispy, buttery garlic bread each and every time. Ready in just 10 minutes, it's great as a side for pasta dinners or to dip into marinara for a quick snack or appetizer.

Prep Time3 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time8 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: freezer meal, pasta, pizza

Servings: servings

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Cost: $5

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

8 slices fresh French bread
4 tablespoons salted butter
4 cloves garlic crushed
¼ teaspoon fresh parsley
⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

Place butter in a small bowl. Microwave 10 seconds until soft. Mix in garlic, parsley, and parmesan.
Spread butter on bread. Arrange 4 slices at a time in air fryer tray.
Cook at 360°F for 3 minutes. Bread should be golden and crispy. Cook for another 1-2 minutes if necessary.

Nutrition

November 30, 2020 Fall

Keto Meat Pie

Savory meat pie is a classic crowd pleaser, but traditional versions can be hard to fit into a keto or low-carb lifestyle. This Keto Meat Pie recipe has all the flavor and texture of classic meat pie with a fraction of the macros.

What Makes This Keto Meat Pie Recipe So Good

The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days before you bake the full pie, which is super convenient for holiday dinners and regular meal prepping.
The ground beef in this recipe is a great low-carb source of protein and fat. If you don’t eat beef, you can also use ground turkey or ground pork, though your flavor profiles will be slightly different at the end.

Xanthan Gum – This gluten-free thickener is perfect for keto recipes because it has 0g net carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar. It’s becoming easier to find xanthan gum in most local grocery stores, too!

Apple Cider Vinegar – There are a lot of myths surrounding apple cider vinegar, but there is really no negative nutritional impact from consuming it on a ketogenic diet. It won’t knock you out of ketosis – in fact, the acetic acid in ACV is thought to help accelerate fat loss and to lower blood sugar levels.

Mushrooms – These veggies are extremely low-carb, and low in calories, too! They’re a great addition to a keto-friendly recipe.

How to Make Keto Meat Pie

Start with the crust! This recipe uses the exact same keto pie crust that is used in the Easy Keto Pumpkin Pie Recipe from 40 Aprons, and it is amazing.

Pulse your powders in a food processor bowl until they’re combined evenly. Add in the butter and cream cheese and pulse until crumbly, then add the egg and vinegar. After all of that is pulsed into crumbs, form it into a flattened ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour up to 3 days.

Here’s the fun part – roll the dough out into a 12″ circle on wax or parchment paper. Use whichever you prefer and have handy, but I prefer wax paper. The dough might crack a little, but that’s fine. Just press it all back together and keep on rolling!

Carefully lift the paper with the 12″ dough circle above your pie pan and flip it over so the dough lays in the pan. Gently peel away the paper and press the dough into the pan, then trim away the excess dough around the edges. Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough and then freeze everything for at least 10 minutes.

Step-by-step instructional photo for making keto meat pie crust

For the filling, sauté garlic and onion in butter and add in everything but the tomato paste, mushrooms, and cheese. Cook it all together until the meat is brown, then add in the remaining ingredients and cook until the mushrooms are soft. Pour the filling into the pie crust, top with mozzarella, and bake it all for 25-30 minutes!

Uncooked whole keto meat pie in a keto pie crust

Chef’s Tips

If your dough becomes hard to work with, just pop it back in the freezer or fridge for 10 minutes. Chilled dough is easier to work with than warm dough!
Store leftover pie in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2-3 days. Let the pie cool for no more than 2 hours before refrigerating.
Because you’ll be baking the meat in the oven, don’t overcook it on the stove top or it will be dry by the time you eat the finished meat pie. Cook it on the stove just until it’s browned, then cook with the mushrooms just until they’re softened.
Reheat leftover pie pieces in the oven to keep the crust crisp.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Whole ground beef, mozzarella, and mushroom keto meat pie in a keto pie crust

More Amazing Keto Recipes

Print Recipe

Keto Meat Pie

This Keto Meat Pie recipe has all the flavor and texture of classic meat pie with a fraction of the macros.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, English

Keyword: apple cider vinegar, high fat, xanthan gum

Servings: servings

Calories: 710kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Cost: $4

Equipment

Food processor
Plastic Wrap
Wax or Parchment Paper

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust

125 grams almond flour scant ½ cup
50 grams coconut flour 1 cup + 4 teaspoons
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
130 grams unsalted grass-fed butter cold, about 1 stick + 1 ½ tablespoons
70 grams cream cheese cold, about 2 ⅓ ounces
1 egg lightly beaten
2 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the Meat Filling

½ onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons butter or oil
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups mozzarella divided

Instructions

For the Pie Crust

Add almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, and salt to food processor bowl. Pulse until evenly combined.
Add butter and cream cheese. Pulse until crumbly, just a few seconds.
Add in egg and vinegar. Pulse until dough just starts to come together and resembles moist crumbs, not smooth dough.
Pour dough onto plastic wrap. Form a ball, then press to flatten. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour up to 3 days.
Roll out cold dough between wax or parchment paper. If crust cracks or falls apart, press pieces back together and continue. Roll out to a 12" circle. Carefully lift paper over pie plate and flip over, gently removing paper and laying dough into pie pan.
Gently press dough into pan and cut away excess edges. Prick all over with fork. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325º Fahrenheit. After crust has chilled, pre-bake crust 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden.Remove crust and increase heat to 350º.

For the Meat Filling

While the crust is pre-baking, sauté garlic and onion in butter until tender, 1-2 minutes.
Add in ground beef, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned.
Add tomato paste and mushrooms. Cook all together until evenly combined and mushrooms are softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in one cup of mozzarella.
Pour filling into crust and spread evenly. Top with remaining mozzarella and black pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and cooked evenly.

Nutrition

November 19, 2020 Air Fryer

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer

These delicious frozen sweet potato fries are a little sweet and a little salty. They crisp to perfection in the air fryer, making them a perfect snack or side when you want something quick, easy, and healthy.

Why Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer Are So Good

Because air fryers use air instead of oil to fry food, you save calories but still get that great deep-fried flavor and crunch.
Oven-baked fries can be soggy (or worse, burnt), especially if you’re reheating leftovers. Air fryer fries are perfectly crisp every time – plus you can cook them from frozen, no need to thaw!
Sweet potato fries specifically are best in the air fryer. Because of their lower starch content, it’s almost impossible to get the perfect fry texture when you cook sweet potatoes in the oven.
Air fryers generally cook faster than a conventional oven, and the clean up is usually easier, too!

New to air fryers and trying to decide which one to get? Visit our sister site, 40 Aprons, to read about the 5 Air Fryers We Love.

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes – This root veggie is a traditional Thanksgiving staple, but I love them all year long! When it comes to macros, they’re comparable to white potatoes, but they’re a much better source of antioxidants and vitamins A, B, C, and D.

Cinnamon – Everyone knows cinnamon is a little spicy and a little sweet – but did you know cinnamon is believed to have some wonderful health properties? It has essentially no protein or fat, but it does have small amounts of beta carotene and Vitamin A, which are both great for eye health!

How to Make Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

This recipe honestly could not be any easier! Toss your frozen sweet potatoes in oil, then coat them evenly in salt and cinnamon. Pop them in the air fryer for 7 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, flip them, and fry for another 7 minutes. If you like your fries a little crispier, add another 2-3 minutes in the air fryer.

Serve these hot with your favorite dipping sauce – they’re great with ketchup, honey mustard, spicy sriracha-mayo, or comeback sauce! If you’re Whole30, be sure your condiments are compliant!

Chef’s Tips

Bags of frozen sweet potato fries are super quick and easy, but I recommend making your own fries from scratch! Start with a sweet potato and cut it into fries by hand or with a french fry cutter. Plan ahead – you want all of your fries to be roughly the same size so that they cook consistently. Spread the unseasoned fries evenly on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan and stick them in the freezer. Freeze them for a couple of hours or until they’re hard. Toss them in a baggie or airtight container and keep them in your freezer until you’re ready for them. They’ll keep like this for a few months!
Be sure to spread the fries in a flat layer in the air fryer basket, and don’t let them touch or overlap. If the air can’t flow around them easily, they won’t cook evenly!
If you have any leftovers, you can totally reheat them in the air fryer! A few minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit will make them nice and crispy again.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy”?

Close up of sweet potato fries in a white bowl

More Air Fryer Recipes

Sweet potato fries with salt in a white bowl

Print Recipe

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, family friendly, healthy snack

Servings: servings

Calories: 218kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Cost: $4

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 15-ounce bag frozen sweet potato fries
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
big pinch cinnamon
Kosher salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss frozen sweet potato fries with oil and season evenly with kosher salt and cinnamon.
Working in small batches, spread an even layer of sweet potato fries in the fryer basket. Cook at 375° for 7 minutes. Flip fries, then cook 7 minutes more, adding 2-3 minutes if necessary. Fries are done when crispy and golden brown.

Nutrition

November 12, 2020 Desserts

Gluten Free Pecan Pie

This gluten free pecan pie is perfect for the holidays! Sweet and creamy inside with a crunchy, salty topping, it’s so easy to make and tastes just like the real thing.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Pecan pie is one of our favorite Southern desserts for the holidays. With a creamy, gooey center that’s perfectly sweet and a crunchy, nutty top, it’s a tradition for a reason.
This gluten free pecan pie is so rich and creamy, yet it’s surprisingly easy to throw together. It’s perfect for when you want an easy, yet delicious dessert to wow your guests at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
This recipe can either use a store-bought gluten free pie crust, or you can make your own (we linked to one of our faves in the top tips). This recipe can be as easy or as homemade as you like!

How To Make Gluten Free Pecan Pie

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and sea salt. Fold in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and place the pie on a large baking sheet. Bake until the pie doesn’t jiggle. Let the pie cool before you serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Top Tips For Making

You can use a store-bought gluten free pie crust, or try making this one from our keto pumpkin pie recipe.
We used vegan butter and coconut sugar for this recipe, but you can also use traditional butter and granulated sugar if you prefer.

More Gluten Free Desserts

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Pecan Pie

This creamy and crunchy pecan pie is gluten free and perfect for the holidays!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy dessert, pecans, thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Cost: $3

Ingredients

1 gluten-free pie crust unbaked
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons vegan butter melted
3 large eggs room temperature
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, vegan butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Fold in pecan halves.
Pour filling into the pie crust and put pie on a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350º F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Pie is ready when the filling doesn’t jiggle. Place on a wire rack to cool. Chill completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Pie crust: You can use a store-bought gluten free pie crust, or try making this one from our keto pumpkin pie recipe.
Ingredient variations: Can also use traditional butter and/or granulated sugar in place of vegan butter and coconut sugar.

Nutrition

November 5, 2020 Condiment

Keto Cranberry Sauce

This ridiculously easy keto cranberry sauce is the perfect holiday side. Made with fresh tart and sweet cranberries and no added sugar, it’s perfect if you’re trying to stay in ketosis this holiday season.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

One cup of cranberries has about 7 grams of net carbs, so you can easily add this dish into your keto Thanksgiving plan!
This keto cranberry sauce only takes about 10 minutes to cook, so it’s a great easy side that doesn’t take a lot of work or ingredients.

Fresh cranberries – Use fresh cranberries for a lightly tart, sweet burst of flavor
Orange zest – A little zest from an orange is optional, but it gives your cranberry sauce a bit of citrus of flavor and scent
Swerve – A great sugar substitute that fits in great with the keto diet, or if you’re watching your blood sugar. It also doesn’t have the artificial, chemical taste some other sugar subs have.

How To Make Keto Cranberry Sauce

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

Whisk the Swerve into a saucepan of water on the stove. Add the cranberries and let them cook until they start to pop and form a sauce.

Place the sauce in a bowl and pop in the fridge for a couple hours prior to serving.

Top Tips For Making

You can also use powdered or granulated erythritol instead of Swerve. If you’re not on a keto diet, you can use regular granulated sugar or maple syrup.
If you’d like to make this recipe ahead of time or you have leftovers, you can keep it in the freezer in an airtight container up to 3 months.

More Keto Holiday Recipes

Print Recipe

Keto Cranberry Sauce

This easy cranberry sauce is the perfect holiday side

Cook Time10 mins

Chilling Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy side dish, fewer than 5 ingredients, thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Calories: 16kcal

Cost: $2

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup Swerve granulated
12 ounces fresh cranberries whole
1 teaspoon orange zest optional

Instructions

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, whisk swerve into water. Stir in the orange zest and cranberries and cook until they start to pop, about 10-12 minutes. You can smash the cranberries a bit if you like.
Remove from heat and place in a bowl, then chill for at least 2 hours.

Notes

Swerve substitutes: Can also use powdered or granulated erythritol to taste. If not on a keto diet, you can use regular granulated sugar or maple syrup to taste.
Freezing: Keep in freezer in an airtight container up to 3 months.

Nutrition

October 8, 2020 Fall

Pumpkin Bisque

Pumpkin Bisque is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for fall! Made with only a few simple ingredients, this recipe is quick and easy to make but loaded with flavor and elegant enough for company. Easy to make vegetarian.

Fall means soup season in my kitchen, and Pumpkin Bisque is such a quick and easy dinner or side dish. Just a few pantry ingredients are needed for this simple recipe packed with pumpkin, garlic, onions, chicken broth, shredded cheese, and nutmeg. It’s hearty, filling, and the perfect comfort food!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Butter: Healthy fats are important, and a little bit of grass-fed butter is the perfect way to get those fats! You can always substitute olive oil, avocado oil, or another neutral oil here.
Onion: Onion is in most recipes because it brings amazing flavor with it!
Garlic: Much like onions, garlic has a fantastic flavor that works in almost anything. No fresh garlic? Try garlic powder in a pinch.
Chicken broth: For a vegetarian diet, you can switch this to vegetable broth.
Canned pumpkin: I don’t often use canned ingredients, but pumpkin is perfect from a can! Check your can and get the option with the least additional ingredients. Fresh pumpkin also works here but is a LOT of work.
Salt: A little salt will help bring out the natural flavors of the pumpkin and help the other seasonings stand out!
Nutmeg: I don’t love nutmeg but a pinch can really bring out that fall flavor of the pumpkin in this soup. A little goes a long way here!
Pepper: Pepper brings a little background spice to this recipe, but not so much it overpowers the delicate pumpkin flavor.
Heavy whipping cream: This plus the pumpkin is what makes the soup so extra creamy! You can use an alternative milk or coconut cream for this, but you could also skip the cream completely!
Shredded cheese: I love a little creamy, melted cheese in my bisque, but it’s not required. Use a vegan cheese or no cheese if you’re trying to make this recipe dairy-free!

How to Make Pumpkin Bisque

Start by sautéing the onion in butter and add the garlic when it’s almost translucent.

Then, add the broth, pumpkin, and seasonings and simmer.

Once cooled slightly, transfer your ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Now back to the pan!

Add the heavy cream and heat through before adding the shredded cheese. Mix everything together and serve! It’s that easy!

Garnish with chives, more shredded cheese, or a drizzle of cream!

Close-up shot of pumpkin bisque in white bowls garnished with chives and cream

Top Tips for Making

Be sure to add the garlic about 30 seconds to a minute before adding the broth and pumpkin. You want it to get slightly roasted and fragrant but not burnt, which happens in a flash with garlic!
Once you add the cream, you only need to heat everything to serving temperature. No rapid boil here! Milk and cream are notorious for boiling over if not watched, and this is no exception. Once the soup is perfect temperature for eating and melting cheese, you’re done!

Two bowls of pumpkin bisque surrounded by spoons, glasses, and bread

More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Bisque

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 363kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Dutch oven
Blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 14-ounce cans solid-pack pumpkin
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheese Gouda, white cheddar, or gruyere
2 tablespoons chives chopped, for garnish, optional

Instructions

In a dutch oven, sauté the onion in butter until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Stir in the broth, pumpkin, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all soup to the pan. Stir in heavy cream and heat through.
Add shredded cheese and stir until melted.
Garnish each serving with chives, additional shredded cheese, or a drizzle of heavy cream.

Nutrition

October 6, 2020 Dairy-Free

Pumpkin Seed Butter

Pumpkin seed butter is deliciously creamy, lightly sweetened with maple syrup or honey, and a pinch of cinnamon that takes this spread or dip over the top. Pop your roasted pumpkin seeds in the food process and let it do the work.

An apple slice dipped in pumpkin butter in a glass cup

What You Need

Pumpkin seeds — Make sure they’re raw, shelled, and preferably unsalted. If you have pre-roasted pumpkin seeds, you can skip the roasting and go straight for the food processor!
Cinnamon — Optional, but this brings so much delicious flavor to the pumpkin butter.
Salt — This helps bring the natural flavors out of your ingredients a bit more.
Oil — Nut and seed butters are naturally filled with oil, and sometimes they need a little extra to be super creamy and luscious. A little goes a long way here!
Honey — Also optional, but the only sweetness in the recipe. Skip if you want, or swap it with maple syrup to make this recipe vegan.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This creamy fall butter is great on so many dishes! Dip your farm-picked apples in it, make a pumpkin butter and banana sandwich, or add it to your morning smoothie for some nuttiness and protein!
While this recipe takes some time to make, it’s almost all hands-off. The food processor will do all the work while you sit back and wait for pumpkin butter!
With only one ingredient swap, this recipe is easily made vegan and is naturally vegetarian!

How to Make Pumpkin Seed Butter

Preheat your oven and toss your pumpkin seeds with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Then, spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown. Be sure to stir the pumpkin seeds halfway through baking!

Once baked, let the seeds cool to room temperature. This could take an hour or more.

When the seeds have completely cooled, move them to your food processor with your oil and process for a solid 15 minutes or more. If your butter becomes too crumbly, let it rest for half an hour and try processing again.

Then, add your honey and continue until creamy.

That’s it! You can store this pumpkin butter in an airtight container for up to 2 months. This seed butter is a great substitution for peanut butter or almond butter!

Side shot of a clear glass filled with pumpkin butter garnished with seeds

Top Tips for Making

To keep this as healthy as possible, we chose to roast our own pumpkin seeds. Pre-roasted seeds are seasoned with extra salt and other preservatives usually, and it’s so quick and easy to roast your own! You can even use the seeds from your jack-o-lantern for this recipe!
We tried this in a blender and it did not go as smoothly as the food processor. A blender is meant to combine foods together and was not prepared for the long, long processing time for this recipe. However, your food processor should whip through these seeds with no struggle and keep processing for many minutes without needing to cool down.
If the pumpkin seed butter gets too crumbly in the middle, all is not lost! Let your mixture rest for 30 minutes to an hour for the natural oils to return and try again. If it’s way too crumbly, you can always add a little extra avocado oil to the mix! Much like peanut butter, you’ll need a little neutral oil to make smooth for spreading and dipping.

What Do We Mean by “Healthy?”

Overhead shot of pumpkin seed butter garnished with roasted seeds

more pumpkin recipes

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Seed Butter

A delicious and easy fall favorite! Perfect butter for dips and spreads.

Cook Time15 mins

Processing time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 1450kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Ingredients

3 cups pumpkin seeds raw and shelled
¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons neutral oil
2 tablespoons honey optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, toss pumpkin seeds and cinnamon to evenly coat. Spread seeds across baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Stir seeds halfway through cooking for even browning.
Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, place seeds in a food processor and process into butter for about 15 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides with a spatula.
Add the honey and continue pureeing until it becomes smooth.
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Notes

Ingredient notes: If you’re using pre-roasted pumpkin seeds, skip steps 1 through 3.
Processing notes: This works better in a food processor than in a blender. If your mixture becomes too crumbly, let it rest at least half an hour and try processing again.

Nutrition

September 30, 2020 Fall

Keto White Chicken Chili

This keto white chicken chili is the ultimate keto comfort food! Quick, easy, and packed full of flavor, it’s perfect on cold days or when you just need a filling, low carb meal.

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Shredded chicken
Onion powder
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Chicken broth
Heavy cream
Cream cheese – If you are on keto, use full-fat cream cheese
Sriracha
Monterey Jack cheese shredded – You can use other shredded cheese if you’d like, like Colby Jack or cheddar
Diced green chilis
Garlic cloves
Green onions – The white bases. You can use the green parts as garnish.

Ingredients for chili in bowls on a white counter

How To Make Keto Chicken White Chili

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the spices.

In a stock pot or thick-bottomed Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the garlic cloves and green onion bases. Cook until the green onions become fragrant.

Add chicken broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, and Sriracha to the butter and green onions. Bring everything to a simmer and cook until the cream cheese melts.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make to sure to keep an eye on the chili so it doesn’t burn! After cooking, season with a little salt and pepper.

Serve with garnishes like more cheese, bacon, green onion slices, or jalapeño slices.

Instructions for keto white chicken chili

Top Tips For Making

You can use any hot sauce you like if you don’t have Sriracha. The chili is also amazing with Frank’s Red Hot, Louisiana, or Tapatío.
You can cook your own chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it using the methods in The Best Shredded Chicken. If you have an Instant Pot, this recipe for shredded chicken is super easy!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

A bowl full of keto chicken white chili topped with pieces of bacon and jalapeno slices next to lime wedges

More Keto Recipes

Print Recipe

Keto White Chicken Chili

This low carb chili is creamy, cheesy, and packed full of flavor.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time28 mins

Total Time33 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, cream cheese, low carb chili

Servings: servings

Calories: 639kcal

Cost: $4

Ingredients

4 cups chicken shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
salt to taste
pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilis
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup green onion white bases, sliced

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
In a stock pot or thick-bottomed Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and green onion bases. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add chicken broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, and sriracha to green onions. Bring to a simmer and cook until cream cheese is melted. Add the chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, and diced green chilis. Stir together. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Make to sure to keep an eye on the chili so it does not burn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Hot sauce: You can use any hot sauce you like if you don’t have Sriracha. The chili is also amazing with Frank’s Red Hot, Louisiana, or Tapatío.
Shredded chicken: You can cook your own chicken and shred it by hand or buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it. If you have an Instant Pot, this recipe for shredded chicken is easy.

Nutrition

August 20, 2020 Dairy-Free

Vegan Apple Crisp

This easy vegan apple crisp is warm, sweet, and absolutely delicious! With crispy, gluten free crust and a perfectly seasoned apple filling, it’s a delicious and quick treat any time of the year.

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Red apples
Maple syrup
Cashew butter
Rolled oats
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Sea salt

How To Make Vegan Apple Crisp

Mix together some maple syrup, cashew butter, and sea salt in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.

Add the apples to the cashew butter mixture and stir until they’re coated. Pour the apple mixture into a baking dish.

Stir together all the topping ingredients in a large bowl.

Spread the the topping over the apples. (We prefer to use our hands, but you can also use a large spoon or spatula.)

Bake the crisp until it’s beginning to brown on top.

Serve plain or with a dollop of vegan ice cream or whipped cream.

Top Tips For Making

We used honeycrisp apples in our recipe, but you can use whatever your favorite red apple is! You can use green apples if you like, but the crisp may be a bit more tart, depending on which apples you use.
Cashew butter is a little expensive, but we highly recommend it for this recipe. It makes the apple crisp buttery, nutty, and absolutely decadent. If you prefer not to use it, you can swap it for vegan butter or regular butter.
You can also pulse your topping ingredients a few times in the food processor until fully blended.
We love this recipe with our keto whipped cream, but if you are vegan, try it with a plant-based whipped cream or ice cream.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Delicious Desserts

Print Recipe

Vegan Apple Crisp

This warm, sweet apple crisp is absolutely delicious with an apple filling and gluten free topping.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy dessert, gluten-free, rolled oats

Servings: servings

Calories: 564kcal

Author: Jenny Hurley

Cost: $4

Ingredients

Filling

3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups red apples peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Topping

2 cups gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Mix 3/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup cashew butter, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in large bowl well combined. Add apples and stir to coat well.
Pour apple mixture into medium sized baking dish.
Stir together all topping ingredients in a large bowl.
Spread topping over apple mixture, covering evenly. Using hands is recommended. Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is beginning to brown.

Notes

Apples: We used honeycrisp, but any red apple will work. You can use a green apple, but your crisp may be a bit tart, depending on the type of apple.
Butter: Highly recommend cashew butter, but you can sub with regular or vegan butter.
Mixing option: Can also pulse topping ingredients in a food processor until combined instead of hand-mixing.
Serving suggestions: Keto whipped cream (not vegan), plant-based whipped cream, or plant-based ice cream.

Nutrition