Search Results for: vegetable

February 18, 2021 Asian

Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chinese vegetable soup is an incredible, light-yet-filling meal that’s full of flavor and nutrients. It’s naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free. Ready to eat in less than 20 minutes!

What Makes This Chinese Vegetable Soup Recipe So Good

It’s full of hearty veggies, so it’s super filling, on top of being super tasty. It’s a light, brothy soup that doesn’t leave you feeling like you ate nothing.
If you’re cutting out meat for a meal (or a month or a lifetime), this is a great option. Our Chinese vegetable soup is completely vegan, plus it’s a good source of protein for a meal, coming in at roughly 11 grams per serving.
It comes together in no time at all. Perfect for any time you just need something quick and easy.

Key Ingredients for Chinese Vegetable Soup

Bok Choy – This traditional Chinese leafy vegetable has a flavor sort of similar to cabbage, but also a little like celery and cucumber. If you’re not able to get bok choy, you can substitute Napa cabbage!

Vegetable Broth – Go for low sodium broth, since we’ll be adding our own salt to this soup! If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or even beef broth if you want to.

Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chef’s Tips

For extra flavor, try adding a little rice vinegar. Just a splash!
For the freshest bok choy, look for green heads with firm stems that fit close together. The leaves will separate from the others when they begin to wilt.
Don’t overcook the bok choy. It only needs a few minutes, and you want it softened, not mushy!
If you want your Chinese vegetable soup to have even more substance, you can prepare a package of rice noodles while your broth is on the stove, then divide the noodles between two bowls and ladle the soup onto them.

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!

Overhead photo of a bowl of Chinese vegetable soup

More Tasty 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.

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Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chinese vegetable soup is an incredible, light-yet-filling meal that's full of flavor and nutrients. It's naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free. Ready to eat in less than 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Vegan

Keyword: easy to make, healthy recipe, meatless

Servings: servings

Calories: 141kcal

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Ingredients

2 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 head bok choy sliced
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
1 cup carrots shredded
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons salt plus more as needed
pepper to taste
cilantro optional, for garnish
scallions optional, for garnish

Instructions

In large pot, bring water and broth to boil.
Reduce heat to low. Add bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook approximately 2 minutes.
Add soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook an additional 2-5 minutes, until bok choy softens.
Stir in salt and pepper, to taste. Portion into bowls and garnish with cilantro and scallions. Serve warm.

Notes

Make it Gluten-Free: Double check that your broth doesn’t include any gluten-containing ingredients, like hydrolized wheat protein, and make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari).

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the 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 container the food is in) by 2. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 15, 2021 Gluten-Free

Keto Spaghetti

This keto spaghetti is comfort food made healthy! Traditional Italian meatballs are made low-carb with extra cheese and a touch of heavy cream. Palmini noodles are tossed in a simple, yet delicious sauce for an easy keto meal.

What Makes This Keto Spaghetti So Good

The meatballs are incredibly tender and flavorful! We removed the breadcrumbs and added in both parmesan and mozzarella cheese for keto meatballs that are totally irresistible.
The sauce is just four ingredients! There’s no need to complicate things when it comes to spaghetti sauce. Just diced tomatoes, garlic, and a couple spices make for an easy and delicious sauce.
Palmini noodles closely resemble spaghetti and offer a nice texture to this dish. This plant-based keto spaghetti alternative is super satisfying but a whole lot healthier!

Key Ingredients For Keto Spaghetti

Ground Beef – I kept things simple in this recipe by using just ground beef in my meatballs, but you can use half ground pork instead. If you want to use ground pork, mix together 1/2 a pound of ground pork with 1/2 a pound of ground beef.

Diced Tomatoes – Feel free to use whole or crushed canned tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes in this recipe. I find diced tomatoes break down just enough in this keto spaghetti sauce, though you can use whichever version of canned tomatoes you prefer. Make sure they’re low in carbs and sugar! And if you can’t find sugar-free canned tomatoes, you can use 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes instead, though they will yield less flavor than the canned kind.

Palmini Noodles – Made from hearts of palm, this unique keto spaghetti is surprisingly delicious. Hearts of palm is a keto-friendly low carb vegetable, making Palmini noodles the ideal spaghetti substitute in this recipe. You can find Palmini noodles in a can or a sealed bag at most grocery stores. Be sure to drain and rinse your Palmini noodles well before using in this recipe.

Chef’s Tips

If your pot isn’t large enough to sear all meatballs at once, sear them in two or three batches instead. It took me two batches to sear all of my meatballs in this recipe. It is very important that you don’t overcrowd your pot, otherwise your meatballs will get stuck together.
This keto spaghetti recipe does not require cooking the Palmini noodles before adding them to the sauce and meatballs. However, if you prefer softer noodles, you can cook the Palmini noodles in boiling water for 5-10 minutes before using in this recipe.
I highly recommend finishing off this keto spaghetti with some extra parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil! The additional cheese makes the macros even better for the keto diet and fresh herbs add a bit of brightness to the overall dish.

Keto Spaghetti and Meatballs

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

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Keto Spaghetti

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: comfort food, family friendly, tomato sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 459kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Large bowl
Large pot

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground beef see Notes
1 garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese see Notes
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce

2 garlic cloves minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes no sugar added
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt

For the Spaghetti

24 ounces Palmini noodles see Notes

Instructions

Mix together the ground beef, garlic, egg, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, measure out 2 tablespoon of meat per meatball and roll into a ball using the palms of your hands.
Once all meatballs are prepped, add olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, sear meatballs for 2-3 minutes per side.
Sauté the garlic in the same pot you cooked your meatballs in over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add all other sauce ingredients and stir to combine.
Gently add your meatballs back into the pot. Cover pot with lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
Drain and rinse the Palmini noodles, then remove pot from heat and stir the noodles in. Divide into 4 portions and serve.

Notes

Ground Beef: You can use anywhere from 70% to 95% lean ground beef.
Parmesan Cheese: For keto-friendly grated parmesan cheese, we recommend buying a block of parmesan cheese and grating it yourself. Pre-grated cheeses often times contain fillers which add unnecessary carbs.
Palmini Noodles: Feel free to use your favorite keto pasta in this recipe. Zucchini noodles would taste great!

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 and types 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

April 8, 2021 Asian

Beef Pad Thai

This quick and easy take on beef pad Thai gives you juicy beef sirloin, slippery pad Thai noodles, and an incredibly flavorful sauce tied together in a delicious, complete meal in less than 30 minutes.

What Makes This Beef Pad Thai So Good

First things first, this easy beef pad Thai is based on westernized, Americanized pad Thai, so it’s not what you’d find if you were to eat authentic pad Thai in Thailand. For a truly authentic pad Thai recipe, I recommend checking out Hot Thai Kitchen or RecipeTin Eats.
My favorite thing about cooking at home, from scratch, is that you are in 100% control over what goes into your meal and how strong (or mild) your flavors are. This beef pad Thai is no different! Feel free to play with the ingredients and quantities to perfect your pad Thai.
It’s super easy to make, and comes together quick. All you need is 30 minutes to create a full meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Skip the drive-through and opt for this instead!

Key Ingredients for Beef Pad Thai

Pad Thai Noodles – These medium-ish flat noodles are an important component to pad Thai. If you’ve never had them before, don’t expect an Italian style pasta. Since these are rice flour noodles, they’re cooked differently than wheat flour noodles. They have a different texture once they’re cooked, too. On their own, their flavor is pretty neutral, but they absorb the sauce in the dish so every bite of noodles contains the perfect amount of pad Thai sauce.

Sirloin – Sirloin steak is a juicy, flavorful, lean cut of meat that’s perfect for recipes like this one where you’ll be pan-frying your meat. The cook time will vary a little depending on how thick you slice your sirloin, but only by a minute or two. When you’re slicing it, be sure to slice across the grain.

Beef Pad Thai

Chef’s Tips

No coconut sugar on hand? You can use 3 packed tablespoons of light brown sugar instead.
Obviously this recipe is for beef pad Thai, but you can use any protein you’d like if you’re not into beef. Chicken, shrimp, tofu, and pork would all be fantastic options!
Traditional pad Thai sauce uses tamarind pulp or paste to give it its tang, but we weren’t able to find any tamarind paste locally. Instead, we substituted lime juice and rice vinegar. It’s not quite the same flavor, admittedly, but it’s delicious.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Overhead photo of beef pad thai on a plate

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5 from 1 vote

Beef Pad Thai

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Thai

Keyword: noodles, stir fry, takeout

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Small bowls (2)
Large skillet

Ingredients

For the Pad Thai Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 tablespoons coconut sugar

For the Pad Thai

8 ounces pad thai noodles
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 red chili sliced
1 1-inch piece ginger grated
4 scallions sliced, white & green parts divided
1 pound sirloin thinly sliced
1 egg
2 cups bean sprouts
salt & pepper to taste
peanuts without shells, for garnish

Instructions

In small bowl, mix together ingredients for sauce. Set aside.
Cook noodles according to instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
Heat avocado oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red chili, ginger, and white parts of scallions to pan. Sauté one minute, or until fragrant.
Add sirloin to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
Once sirloin is cooked, push everything to edges of pan to create well in center. Break egg into well and scramble, then mix everything together.
Add noodles to pan, followed by pad Thai sauce. Cook until noodles absorb sauce, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once noodles absorb majority of pad Thai sauce, stir in bean sprouts. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Portion beef pad Thai onto plates. Garnish with peanuts and green parts of scallions. Serve hot.

Notes

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 container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 6, 2021 Asian

Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you’re craving something cozy! It’s deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you’ll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

What Makes This Spicy Chicken Ramen So Good

This spicy chicken ramen is loaded with flavor in every bite! Fresh ginger, soy sauce, and mirin give this recipe a delicious Asian-inspired taste.
It has the perfect amount of spice. There is just enough sriracha in this recipe to give this ramen a kick without overpowering all of the other incredible flavors. Though you can totally customize this recipe to your liking and add as much or as little sriracha as you’d like!
It’s simple yet super satisfying. Spicy chicken ramen is my go-to comfort meal, there’s just something about this warming soup that will make you feel so cozy.

Key Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Ramen

Fresh Ginger – Make sure your ginger is fresh for this recipe! Fresh ginger contributes to the subtle spice in this dish. Be sure to remove the skin from your ginger before grating and using in this recipe. It is also very important that you grate your ginger as apposed to chopping it. Grated ginger gives this ramen delicious ginger flavor while avoiding large chunks of ginger throughout the soup.

Mirin – Mirin is a type of rice wine that is slightly sweeter than rice vinegar. If you can’t find mirin, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Sriracha – This is what makes our spicy chicken ramen spicy! Again, feel free to use as much or as little sriracha as you’d like in this recipe. I prefer making this recipe as instructed and then allowing others to add a drizzle of extra sriracha on top of their ramen, if they’d like.

Spicy Chicken Ramen

Chef’s Tips

Be very careful not to overcook your ramen noodles. Ramen typically takes just 1 to 2 minutes to cook completely. I advise even undercooking your noodles slightly since they will continue to cook once served in the warm spicy chicken ramen broth.
If shredding chicken is a bit too laborious for you, you can dice it into one-inch cubes instead. Follow the steps in the recipe to boil the chicken in the broth, then remove it and let it cool slightly before chopping. Once all of your chicken is chopped, add it back into the ramen broth and continue with the recipe.
In the event that you have leftovers (you probably won’t, it’s that delicious), you will wanted to store the ramen noodles separately from the chicken broth. If the noodles are left to sit in the broth in the fridge, they will quickly become mushy and inedible. Therefore, store each part of this spicy chicken ramen separately and heat up individually before constructing a bowl of leftovers.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Delicious Soup Recipes

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Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you're craving something cozy! It's deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you'll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: asian-inspired, soup, takeout

Servings:

Calories: 492kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

2 (two) large pots

Ingredients

1 inch fresh ginger grated, see Notes
3 garlic cloves grated, see Notes
8 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
9 ounces ramen noodles see Notes for gluten-free option
2 boiled eggs
½ cup scallions sliced
3 nori sheets torn in half
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

Instructions

Add the ginger, garlic, chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, and sriracha to a large pot over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, add in the chicken breast, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook ramen noodles for 1-2 minutes or until al dente. Strain noodles and divide equally between four bowls.
Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks, then return to pot and remove from heat.
Top noodles with chicken and broth along with boiled eggs, sliced bamboo shoots, nori, and scallions.

Notes

Ginger & Garlic: To grate the ginger and garlic, remove the skins and then run them along a microplane or fine grater.
Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and rice noodles instead of ramen noodles.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. 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 recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

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?”

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

More Incredible Soup Recipes

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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

February 23, 2021 Appetizer

Amish Broccoli Salad

This easy Amish broccoli salad recipe (complete with a creamy dressing) is a simple and delicious side dish that’s perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, and summer cookouts. Crisp broccoli, cauliflower, and red onion, tangy mayo and sour cream, a little bacon, and shredded cheese create an incredibly flavorful salad everyone will love!

What Makes This Amish Broccoli Salad Recipe So Good

It’s great for reunions, holidays, potlucks, summer cookouts, or any time you just need to feed a lot of people. You can easily double or triple the recipe without much extra effort.
This recipe uses raw vegetables, so there’s absolutely no cooking involved! Just a little chopping, then some mixing, followed by some chilling – and that last step’s optional.
Any leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days, which makes this a terrific make-ahead or meal prep option!

Key Ingredients for Amish Broccoli Salad

Bacon – A lot of people are in the “bacon doesn’t need to be in everything” camp, and I hear you! BUT, I promise, it really adds an extra layer of flavor in this salad! The savory bacon is especially delicious with the tangy and slightly sweet dressing.

Shredded Cheese – We’re using cheddar cheese in this recipe, but you can use any kind of shredded cheese you like! Cheddar jack and parmesan are both solid options that go well with the other flavors in this Amish broccoli salad. Feta and goat cheese would also be great!

Amish Broccoli Salad

Chef’s Tips

This recipe is fully customizable. If you like really creamy vegetables, feel free to add more mayo and sour cream. Likewise, you can cut back on the dressing ingredients and the raw veggies will shine through. Use any kind of cheese you like. Add nuts, seeds, raisins, bell pepper, or cranberries.
If you’re making this more than a few hours in advance, store the bacon separately from the rest of the salad and fold it in just before serving.
Not big on sour cream? Try the same amount of full-fat Greek yogurt instead. The flavor will be a little different but still great!
Use fresh broccoli and cauliflower – not frozen – to get the brightest flavors and the crispest textures. Frozen vegetables just won’t work the same.
As amazing as it is right away, Amish broccoli salad gets even better after a little time in the refrigerator. If you can, factor in 2 hours of chill time before serving, to let the veggies really soak up the dressing.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Overhead photo of a white bowl of Amish broccoli salad, with wooden serving utensils

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Amish Broccoli Salad

This easy Amish broccoli salad recipe (complete with a creamy dressing) is a simple and delicious side dish that's perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, and summer cookouts.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy to make, no cooking, veggies

Servings: servings

Calories: 476kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Skillet
Small bowl
Large bowl
Silicone spatula

Ingredients

½ pound bacon
1 cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt plus more as needed
1 head broccoli chopped
1 head cauliflower chopped
½ cup red onion chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Dice bacon into small pieces. Fry until crispy, then drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli and cauliflower. Add mayonnaise mixture and stir all until veggies are well coated.
Fold in red onion, cheese, and bacon.
Serve immediately, or chill until cold.

Notes

Make it Keto: Instead of sugar, use your favorite granulated sugar substitute, like Swerve. You can also leave out the red onion to shave off an additional 1-2 carbs per serving.
Make it Vegetarian: Leave out the bacon completely, or use a vegan bacon.
Make it Vegan: Use vegan versions of bacon, mayo, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 8. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients.

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 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 11, 2021 Air Fryer

Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen egg rolls in the air fryer is a total game changer! Once you try this quick and easy method, you’ll never cook egg rolls any other way!

4 air fried egg rolls on a black plate with a ramekin of soy sauce for dipping

What Makes Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer So Good

You’ll get perfectly crispy egg rolls every single time with the literal least amount of effort possible.
No need to thaw your egg rolls or preheat your air fryer, which cuts way down on your total cooking time!
You can use this method with frozen egg rolls AND to reheat leftover egg rolls!

Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer Ingredients

Frozen Egg Rolls – This method works for any brand or variety of frozen egg rolls you like! The recipe below has instructions for cooking 4 egg rolls, but you can absolutely cook more than that. You just might need to do them in multiple batches depending on how many you’re making.

Spray Oil – You can use any oil you like for this recipe! It’ll work with vegetable, olive, coconut, avocado… pretty much any oil you can think of. You only need a little to keep the egg rolls crunchy. See the “Chef’s Tips” section for an important warning about aerosol spray oils!

Chef’s Tips

If you want your egg rolls extra crispy, spray them again (lightly) with oil when you flip them over.
Depending on the egg rolls you use, you may need to adjust the temperature or the cook time. Mini egg rolls may cook faster in your air fryer than full size egg rolls. Pay attention when you flip them over and pivot as you need to!
Don’t use aerosol spray oils in your air fryer basket! Aerosol sprays (like PAM) have harsh ingredients that can damage the coating on your air fryer basket. Instead, put your oil-of-choice in an oil mister or spray bottle and use that.
Place your frozen egg rolls in the basket in a single, flat layer, without any of the egg rolls touching or overlapping. They need to be spread out so the air can circulate around them on all sides – otherwise they won’t cook evenly!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Overhead photo of 4 air fried egg rolls on a black plate with a ramekin of soy sauce for dipping

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Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen egg rolls in the air fryer is a total game changer! Once you try this quick and easy method, you'll never cook egg rolls any other way!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time17 mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: 2 ingredients, easy to make, less than 20 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

4 frozen egg rolls
spray oil see Notes
green onion for garnish, optional
sesame oil for garnish, optional
soy sauce for dipping, optional

Instructions

Spray air fryer basket lightly with oil. Place frozen egg rolls in a single layer in basket. Spray egg rolls lightly with oil. Insert basket into air fryer.
Turn heat to 340° Fahrenheit. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip egg rolls, then cook an additional 5 minutes.
Finish egg rolls by toasting at 400° Fahrenheit for 2 minutes. Remove from air fryer. If desired, drizzle egg rolls with sesame oil, garnish with green onions, and serve with soy sauce.

Notes

Make sure the spray oil you use is safe to use in the air fryer. Never use aerosol sprays! They can damage the coating on your air fryer basket.

Recipe yields 4 servings. Nutritional information shown reflects the values for one serving of Pagoda brand pork egg rolls. For this purpose, one egg roll is one serving. Macros will vary depending on the specific brand and type of egg rolls you use.

Nutrition

February 2, 2021 Desserts

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you’re craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

What Makes This Gluten Free Mug Cake So Good

Remember Easy Bake Ovens? This is kind of like a grown-up version of that… only way better. In less than 5 minutes you’ll go from ingredients to gluten free chocolate cake, with minimal effort.
The single-serve portion size is so convenient for anyone living alone or just watching what they eat. You won’t be tempted to eat 2 or 3 cupcakes or a slice of cake as big as your head since you’re only making one mini-cake at a time.
This recipe is egg-free, which means it won’t have a rubbery texture when you microwave the batter. Instead it’ll be moist and light and melt-in-your-mouth good!

Gluten Free Mug Cake Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour – Your results will vary depending on the brand of flour you use. If your attempts at mug cake are a bust, you may need to try a different brand or type of gluten free flour. We used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour for our mug cake, so we can vouch for it working correctly.

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chef’s Tips

The cake will rise and expand as it “bakes” in the microwave. If your mug is on the small side, put a paper towel or a dish underneath it in the microwave, to catch any overflow.
You can make this mug cake in the oven if you prefer not to use a microwave, just be sure to use an oven-safe mug. Place the mug on a baking sheet, then bake 15-20 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
To cut down on clean-up, you can mix all of the ingredients directly in the coffee mug. I think it’s a little easier to mix them in a bowl and pour them into the mug, but do what works for you!
This recipe makes one single-serve mug cake. For larger quantities of cake, try this recipe for the Best Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes Ever (Gluten Free) from our sister site, 40 Aprons!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug with a scoop of cake on a spoon next to the mug

More Gluten Free Recipes You’ll Love

Gluten free chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you're craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 min

Total Time6 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keyword: comfort food, easy to make, less than 10 minutes

Servings: serving

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Whisk
Microwave
Medium bowl
Microwave-safe mug

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, avocado, coconut, etc.)
¼ cup milk plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ level cup all-purpose gluten free flour see Notes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
Add in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir batter until no clumps remain.
Pour batter into mug. Top with chocolate chips. Microwave 1 minute, then in subsequent 10-second intervals if needed until "baked".

Notes

We used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour which includes xanthan gum. If your all-purpose gluten free flour doesn’t include xanthan gum, be sure to add some in separately. For a recipe this small, you should only need a dash.
Our mug cake was ready after one minute in the microwave, but every microwave is different. You may need to heat your cake batter longer, but don’t go too long or your cake will be super dry. Check the doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs) then you’re good to go!
Make it Dairy Free: use almond milk or coconut milk, and vegan chocolate chips.

Recipe yields one mug cake. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one mug cake. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

November 3, 2020 Dairy-Free

Keto Green Beans

These easy keto green beans are the perfect low carb dinner veggie, whether you eat them alone or add them to other dishes. Simply, yet perfectly seasoned, they are bright, crisp, and full of green flavor.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This recipe only takes about 12 minutes to make, so it’s great for whipping up for a quick side dish.
Made with only 5 ingredients, these keto green beans are perfect for when you want to bulk up your meal without spending a lot of money!
Each serving of these green beans is about 6g net carbs, so it’s easy to fit into your low carb or keto diet.

Ingredients for keto green beans in bowls

How To Make Keto Green Beans

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!

Add the green beans to a large skillet and cook until they are bright and shiny.

Add the seasonings and cook while stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant.

Keto green beans in a skillet being stirred with a wooden spoon

Top Tips For Making

You can fancy up this dish by adding a squeeze of lemon juice or some lemon zest, a little butter (great if you need some more of your daily fat while on keto), fresh parmesan cheese, bacon, or slivered almonds.

More Veggie Recipes

Print Recipe

Keto Green Beans

These bright and fresh green beans are the perfect low carb side

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time12 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: low carb, under 30 minutes, vegetables

Servings: servings

Calories: 101kcal

Cost: $2

Ingredients

16 ounces fresh green beans
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add trimmed green beans and cook, stirring often, until beans are shiny, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook while stirring constantly about 3 minutes until garlic is fragrant and beans are bright and tender.

Notes

Variations: Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice or some lemon zest, a little butter (great if you need some more of your daily fat while on keto), fresh parmesan cheese, bacon, or slivered almonds.

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