Happy Wednesday, friends! Welcome back to the blog. I don’t know about you, but I am always on the hunt for new recipes, especially during a busy week! I’ve been on a cooking kick recently and thought I would share four of my go-to meals that are not only quick and easy to make, but healthy too! Aside from a nut allergy, I do not have any dietary restrictions, but I have been trying to prioritize whole foods whenever possible – I hope you enjoy!
Overnight Oats
If you’re looking for a simple and quick breakfast to eat at home or take on the go, look no further than overnight oats! These are super easy to make and will save you so much time in the morning! Another great thing about this breakfast is that it can be prepared a million different ways! My go-to combo is as follows:
you will need:
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- chia seeds & coconut sugar – I just estimate the measurements on these
- 1 scoop plant based vanilla protein powder – this is optional but makes it so much more filling!
- mini chocolate chips
- frozen raspberries
- oat milk (or milk of your choice – add as much or as little as you would like)
how to make it:
- combine all ingredients in a desired container such as a mason jar
- place in the refrigerator overnight & enjoy in the morning!
“Snow Day” Soup
The winter season is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different soup recipes. I came up with this one during one of the snowstorms back in January. I was very pleasantly surprised with the outcome and thought I would share! It’s a pretty basic soup, but is great alone or paired with a sandwich. I have made this twice so far, and always had enough for leftovers at lunch the next day:
you will need:
- diced carrots, celery, white onion to taste – I used the pre-chopped veggies from Trader Joes!
- 2 cups of chicken bone broth
- brown rice pasta
- sweet Italian style chicken sausage
- spinach
how to make it:
- sauté veggies until onions are translucent
- add chicken broth and any additional seasonings that you would like – I used garlic and parsley
- on the side, cook your pasta according to the package
- when finished, add to the pot of broth and veggies
- sauté chicken sausage and spinach, add to the pot
- enjoy!
Shrimp Salad
This is one of my favorite salads to make! You could eat this as a side, or add some brown rice to make it a more filling lunch or dinner. My favorite dressing to top this with is the Brianna’s Homestyle Poppyseed dressing – I get this at Target and it pairs well with pretty much anything! This is another one of those “everything but the kitchen sink” meals – feel free to use whatever veggies and toppings you have on hand:
you will need:
- romaine & spinach
- veggies of your choice – I typically use some combo of carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, red onion etc…
- sautéed shrimp
- poppyseed dressing
how to make it:
- wash your greens and add to a bowl
- defrost shrimp in a separate bowl with water
- chop veggies while waiting for shrimp to defrost
- once defrosted, saute shrimp in butter for about 2 minutes per side
- I use frozen pre-cooked shrimp to save some time! You could also sauté in olive oil but I find that a little bit of butter adds more flavor 🙂
- combine all ingredients, toss with desired dressing, and enjoy!
Chicken Sausage & Gnocchi
Chicken sausage is one of my go-to protein options when I am in a time crunch or looking for something quick to make. I love adding this to pastas, salads, rice dishes, etc. but have been especially loving it when paired with the Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi. I am not a cauliflower girl, but I’ve been eating this gnocchi for years and absolutely love it! Pair it with a veggie of your choice for a quick and easy one-pan weeknight meal:
you will need:
- Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi (or any gnocchi/pasta of your choosing)
- chicken sausage – I love a Caprese option
- spinach
how to make it:
- saute your gnocchi in a little bit of olive oil until defrosted
- I personally like to brown them a little bit
- slice and sautee chicken sausage, add in spinach at the end
- combine and enjoy!
Thank you so much for reading! Definitely let me know if you decide to try any of these recipes yourself!