One pot dinners are priceless when it comes to weeknight dinners.  Magic happens when you can toss everything into one giant pot, throw it in the oven and watch an entire meal come out.  Calling for only a tiny amount of planning (soaking the beans overnight), this recipe needs to be added to your arsenal of one-pot dinners perfect for the chilly fall weather knocking on our door.

A warm bowl of creamy, lemony white beans topped with tender shredded chicken and a zesty dollop of pesto for added kick.  The kind of meal that warms you from the inside out, this is perfect for a family dinner or can be dressed up for a quick dinner party.  Easy, delicious and healthy … what else are you waiting for?

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!

Am I the only person who was under the false impression that making a roast chicken was extremely difficult and wildly time consuming?  For years, I was convinced that roasting a chicken (like my more familiar Thanksgiving turkey) was an all day affair.  If you jump over the logical gaps involved in that analogy (i.e. the difference between a 20 pound turkey to feed twelve and a 3 pound chicken to feed, um, two) you will quickly discover what I recently did.  Roast chicken is a simple, delicious and totally doable weeknight dinner.

When I tell you this is the best roast chicken I have ever had, I am not exaggerating.  Succulent, juicy meat that falls off the bone with a perfectly crispy, papery, thin skin you will find it hard to believe that bird came out of your own oven.  If I could FedEx you a sample in the mail I would, but you’ll have to take my word for it.  This recipe will impress your friends, loved ones will begin requesting it be added to the regular recipe rotation and neighbors will pound on your door begging for an invite to dinner.

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!

Ever try something that is so perfectly ready for adaptation that you instantly begin dreaming of ways to make it better?  A chocolate chip cookie leads you to a dark chocolate cherry cookie.  Or a piece of pumpkin pie leads you to spiced sweet potato pie.  Well, that was my experience with zucchini boats.  So versatile.  So healthy.  So easy.  So many possibilities!

Zucchini makes a perfect vessel for a variety of fillings.  The insides of the zucchini are easy to scoop out, leaving a sturdy shell that is just asking to be heaped full of delicious goodness.  Choose from an Italian filling with tomato sauce, peppers and topped with mozzarella cheese or a Southwestern filling with black beans, green chilies and topped with cheddar cheese (and sour cream!).  With all these flavor combos, you will never again be screaming “What can I do with all this zucchini?!?!”

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!

I wish I could say that I’ve always been confident when it comes to cooking fish at home.  I wish I could say that, but I can’t.  For years I’ve been terrified of working with fish at home.  Fish is delicate, hard to handle and liable to go awry at any moment.  Leave the fancy seafood to the fancy restaurant chefs.  Fortunately, in an effort to be fearless and incorporate this healthy protein into my diet, I have debunked the myth that fish is too finicky for home cooks.  You too can be a fancy seafood chef, amazing your family and friends alike.

A miso-based ginger glaze coats this tender salmon fillet.  Pairing sweet agave nectar with salty soy sauce and the tang of fresh ginger, this is a flavor packed meal that will impress even the most skeptical dinner guests.  Salmon has a remarkably fast cooking time (less than fifteen minutes), which makes this gourmet meal a viable candidate for your weeknight schedule.  Weeknight seafood gourmet?  Go on …

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!

Football food is not known for being beautiful.  More often than not, it falls into the Roll-Up-Your-Sleeves messy category and comes with a side of napkins.  This dish turns the tables on the traditional football fare: Buffalo Hot Wings.  These inside-out, fork-and-knife wings may still require a side of napkins but they certainly up the ante on traditional game-time wings.

This more refined version of traditional wings is also considerably healthier.  While most wings are fried and coated with sugary sauces, these babies are baked and can be topped with a hot sauce that contains as few as 5 calories (my personal favorite is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce).  Old fashioned hot wings have become a football food you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying!

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!

Quick — Name the number one preconceived notion about turkey burgers … 3 … 2 … 1 … you said they are dry and have no flavor, right?  This ingenious recipe from Cook Yourself Thin is going to convert you into a lifetime turkey burger lover.  I promise.  I was never a big turkey burger fan because they generally tasted like dried out sawdust.  This recipe incorporates diced green chilies in the burgers which not only keep the burgers profoundly moist (even if you over cook them!) and but also give them a flavorful kick in the behind!

No joke, I’ve eaten these burgers three times in the last two weeks.  They are just that good!  When I was asked to whip up a recipe for an interview segment on WithJosh.com, these turkey burgers were the first thing that came to mind.  Yes, you read that right … an interview segment!  My first interview!  Cooking up the burgers was a blast and the best part was that we got to eat all the leftovers.

Keep reading …

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure you subscribe to receive free updates by email or RSS feed!