Category: Recipes

Homemade Granola

We’ve recently been on a big yogurt and granola kick in this house, probably because the warm weather means buying more fresh berries. So when we ran out of granola a week into our grocery cycle, but still had plenty of yogurt left, I decided to make some homemade granola!

I used to make homemade granola a lot when I lived on my own, in particular a random peanut butter granola recipe I found. But I decided to make a classic honey and almond recipe for the 3 of us since that’s what we’d been buying plus we have a Costco bottle of honey. The recipe I found is super customizable and easy to adjust: I’m not a big dried fruit fan so didn’t add any, but you could very easily add raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or anything else you like. The recipe also calls for almonds in particular but what we had were some individual packets of assorted roasted nuts? So I just used a bunch of those! No need to buy a big expensive bag of nuts if you don’t have to. But you could still do truly any nut you like. The recipe also specifies that the key to this granola is that it’s equal parts oil and honey. Which means you could easily decrease the honey if you want something that’s less sweet, just made sure you decrease the oil too.

So here’s a super easy granola recipe! Perfect for when you run out of granola or just want to use up some oats. Bonus points for being an excellent snack that I will be bringing on my camping trip next week.

Easy Homemade Granola

Time: 35 minutes

Makes: 5 cups of granola

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (vegetable oil, coconut oil, etc.)
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup sliced almonds (or any other nut of choice)
  • 1 cup raisins or other dried chopped fruit (or leave out)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven tp 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray
  2. Whisk together the oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
  3. Add the oats and nuts ad stir to coat.
  4. Spread the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. The granola is ready when it’s golden brown and the almonds have toasted. It will still feel wet coming out of the oven, but will harden as it cools.
  5. Add the fruit, tamp down, and cool. Store in an airtight container

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Bringing y’all another easy lunch recipe! This one is particularly good as we head towards summer because there is no cooking at all. It’s smashed chickpea salad! And when I say salad I mean like egg salad or tuna salad, not your average salad with greens.

I’ve seen this kind of recipe around a lot and since my roommates and I tend to eat vegetarian at least 50% of the time, I thought it would be a good recipe to try for some lunch time meal prep. And it was a hit!

I ended up reading through a bunch of recipes and then used what I had in our kitchen to make my own. But this is totally customizable to whatever you have! To make my version, I smashed my chickpeas, added mayo and dijon mustard, sprinkled in salt and pepper to taste, and was good to go! But you could add more or less mayo or mustard depending on your preferences, mix in some hot sauce or sriracha for a spicy kick, mix in some dill if you have it, add chopped cucumbers or celery or bell pepper for some crunch. This recipe simply serves as a base for whatever you want to add.

In terms of serving, my roommate Carissa and I have been eating this in sandwiches: I’ve been adding cheese, she’s been adding pickles. Both are delicious. Other options I think would be tasty: avocado, cucumbers, red onion, hot peppers. This would also make a great filling for a wrap, or a dip/spread for crackers or chips! And it keeps super well in the fridge, so is excellent as meal prep for the week.

As the weather gets warmer and you want to stand over a stove less, try this super easy smashed chickpea salad for some no-cook lunch meal prep!

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1-2 tbs dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Mash the chickpeas with a fork, or pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped.
  2. Add mayonnaise and mustard to desired consistency
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper (or any other spice you wish!)
  4. Enjoy! Keeps super well in the fridge

Carrot Cake Coffee Cake

Happy Thursday y’all! This week is the last week of class, so on Sunday I decided to make this Pinch of Yum recipe to celebrate! We’re big carrot cake fans in this house, and I love streusel topping so much I could eat it with a spoon (no joke). This recipe perfectly combines both!

I didn’t have a 9 inch round cake pan, so I made this in a regular loaf pan which worked just fine! You’ll just have to bake it for about an hour instead of a half hour.

Also the honey butter: I have a sensitive stomach when it comes to sugar, but my roommates absolutely do not, so I mixed up some honey butter for them. Just mix 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 honey! Super easy and made plenty (and perfect for other baked goods or some fancy toast).

10/10 recommend this recipe! I’m always here for cake that’s acceptable to eat for breakfast and I hope you are too.

Carrot Cake Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 large carrots
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Streusel topping:

  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and grate the carrots. You should have about 1 1/2 cups.
  2. Whisk sugar, melted butter, and eggs. Stir in carrots. Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
  3. Mix ingredients for the streusel until you get a texture like pebbles (I used my hands).
  4. Spread batter into a greased 9 inch round cake pan (or a loaf pan). Sprinkle with streusel. Bake for 30 minutes or until center is set (about 60 mins for a loaf pan). Top with honey butter if desired.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

This recipe was part of my mission to find more lunch recipes that aren’t sandwiches or leftovers, and oh my gosh guys it’s incredible. I made it 2 weeks in a row if that’s any indication!

Of course this pasta salad recipe comes from Budget Bytes, and it’s honestly one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. Because I don’t have a grill (college life) I used the broiler on my stove, and this recipe was as easy as 1. cooking my veggies, 2. making my dressing, 3. making pasta, and 4. putting it all together. It honestly took me half an hour, and for a whole week of lunch meal prep? Incredible.

It would also be a great side for dinner, especially for a cook out. And could definitely be a filling vegetarian dinner if you added some protein like beans! Or add (grilled) chicken for a delicious summer meal.

Dropping the recipe below, but just know you could use any vegetables you happen to have! Or use more than the recipe calls for to bulk it up (I did this, adding more peppers and squash)! Add beans or chicken for protein! The possibilities are endless so you should definitely try it. Bonus points for being tasty warm OR cold. Basically a perfect recipe.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tbs dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 lb penne pasta

Instructions

  1. Wash the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper. Remove the stems from the zucchini and the squash and cut into large slices or pieces (cut each in half, then each half in thirds). Remove the seeds and stem from the bell pepper and cut in half. Slice the red onion into thick slices.
  2. Place all the vegetables on a large baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Grill the vegetables (except the cherry tomatoes) over an open flame, OR move top rack of oven to 6 inches from the top and cook all vegetables (including tomatoes) under the broiler until vegetables are charred, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a handful of salt, and cook pasta 8-9 minutes. Drain and let cool.
  5. While the pasta is cooking and the vegetables are cooling, prepare the dressing: mix all dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk to combine.
  6. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, chop into 1 inch pieces. Add pasta and vegetables to a large bowl and add about half the dressing, tossing to combine. Eat warm or chill in fridge, adding more dressing as necessary.

No Knead Bread

Introducing my go to homemade bread recipe!! Is it any surprise it’s from Beth at Budget Bytes?

When I started living on my own, I decided I wanted to become someone who made their own bread. It’s quite inexpensive and super tasty, so I embarked on a journey of finding the best bread recipe. After a lot of trial and error, and realizing that being in college doesn’t really afford me much time for kneading and preparing bread, I settled on this No Knead Bread.

If you are intimidated at the idea of making bread at home, this recipe is for you. And if you have absolutely no time, this recipe is also for you. And if you would rather spend your time doing anything else, this recipe is for you. Because this is basically the easiest recipe of all time. Just mix flour, salt, yeast, and water. Let it sit for 12-18 hours (or longer! Sometimes I leave it for a whole day). Preheat your oven. Then bake. And you end up with the best, easiest, crusty loaf of bread. Perfect for toast, dipped in sauce (like the shakshuka I shared this week!), or just ripped right off the loaf.

Shoutout to Beth for consistently bringing easy, inexpensive recipes! And give this bread recipe a try, I promise you won’t regret it.

No Knead Bread

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp instant or bread machine yeast
  • 1/2 tbs salt
  • 1.5 to 1.75 cups water

Instructions

  1. The day before baking, combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl and stir until they’re well combined. Stir in about 1.5 to 1.75 cups room temperature water until a shaggy, sticky ball of dough forms and there is no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
  2. When you’re ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on top of the fermented dough and scrape it out of the bowl (the dough should be very light, fluffy, and bubbly by this time). With well floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes,
  3. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the Dutch oven inside the oven as it heats, and make sure it sits in the fully heated oven for at least 15 minutes before baking the bread.
  4. Once the bread has risen and the Dutch oven is fully heated, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the parchment paper (or just the ball of dough) straight into the Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
  5. Return the Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, lift the bread out by using the parchment paper, and allow it to cool before serving.

Note: if you don’t have a Dutch oven, just use a sheet pan! The bread will just be slightly less crusty (but no less delicious)

White Bean Shakshuka

Back with another Budget Bytes recipe! But truly, what’s new. This White Bean Shakshuka is amazing: smoky tomato sauce, gooey poached eggs, some beans to give some added heft, and of course salty feta cheese on top. And super easy!!

I made this last week along with some no-knead bread for dipping and it was so tasty. And made for great leftovers! A few adjustments I made: I added a diced yellow pepper that we had in the fridge as well as a yellow squash that I didn’t want to go bad. And to compensate, I added a little bit more crushed tomatoes from an open can we had, and used 6 eggs instead of 4 (so each of my 2 roommates and I got 2 servings!). But this recipe as is still knocks it out of the park.

So try out this White Bean Shakshuka for a super easy dinner! And a nice change of pace from Italian style tomato sauce 😉

White Bean Shakshuka

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 tbs smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 15 oz can cannelini beans (chickpeas work well too!)
  • 4 large eggs
  • Feta cheese

Instructions

  1. Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cook both in a large deep skillet with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add the can of crushed tomatoes and the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until it has thickened slightly. Add 1/4 tsp salt, then taste and adjust spices to your liking.
  4. Drain the white beans, add them to the skillet, then stir to combine. Allow the skillet to return to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
  5. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet, then place a lid on top and let them simmer for 5 minutes or until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
  6. Top with crumbled feta and enjoy!

Cucumber Salad

It has been HOT in Pittsburgh this week. I think the high today is 80° which is a far cry from the snow storm we had last Thursday. But with this heat comes the need for cold, refreshing recipes and this salad from Budget Bytes is perfect.

I made this this past weekend as a side for the burgers we made for dinner, and it was delicious. Refreshing, fresh, crunchy, and so easy! Just chop up your veg, make a quick dressing, and enjoy! Or let it hang out in the fridge to absorb all the tasty flavors (which is what I did).

We’ve had this just chilling in the fridge for the past couple days and it’s made an excellent side for burgers or sandwiches (especially made with leftover Easter ham!) but today I decided to switch it up by mixing it with pasta! It made for an excellent, pretty filling lunch for today and was a nice little change up from eating it plain. You could also totally do that with rice or quinoa too!

So try out this cucumber salad for your next hot spring or summer day! You won’t regret it.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

Red Wine Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 4 Roma tomatoes (about 1 lb)
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 2 oz feta

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vinaigrette first to let the flavors blend as you prepare the rest of the salad. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set the dressing aside.
  2. Peel the cucumbers if desired. Dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Thinly slice or dice the red onion. Crumble the feta cheese.
  3. Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and feta in a large bowl Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

We’ve had a few really lovely days of sunshine and warm temperatures up in Pittsburgh these last few weeks, and it really put me in the spring mood. So I decided to spend a random Wednesday afternoon off of work making this lemon cake! I saw this Ina Garten recipe on Twitter forever ago, and it seemed like the perfect treat to get us in even more of the spring spirit.

And it totally did! Super moist, super easy, and delicious. The bulk of the lemon flavor comes from the syrup that you pour over after it bakes, which means the cake itself is very subtle. But I felt like the balance was perfect, and it was enjoyed by me, my roommates, and the boyfriend.

Now that it’s continuing to warm up and Easter is approaching, try this Lemon Yogurt Cake! You won’t regret it.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Time: 1 hour 20 min

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
  3. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
  6. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar syrup over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
  7. Optional: combine 1 cup confectioner’s sugar and 2 tbs lemon juice to make a glaze, and drizzle on top

Tofu Noodles

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Popping in with a super yummy tofu recipe we tried out the other week. My boyfriend found this recipe on Reddit and raved about it, so we knew we had to try it too. And it is SO good and super easy!

The recipe he sent me was super bare bones and for about 2 servings, so I’m dropping the version we made with more vegetables that made probably 9 servings (3 meals each for me and my two roommates). But this is super easy to scale up or down, and you can add literally anything! We added a bag of coleslaw (an easy shortcut for cutting up your own cabbage), sliced up a container of mushrooms, and added one of those frozen stir fry vegetable mixes. But you could very easily add any vegetables you have on hand: onions, bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, edamame. Just cook them through before tossing with the noodles and sauce! And if you aren’t a tofu fan, try cooking up some pork or beef instead!

We also decided to use packets of extra Ramen we had on hand, but I think this would be amazing with Udon noodles, or any other long noodle you happen to have.

So try out this easy Tofu Noodle dish, and make sure you have leftovers because it’s even better on day 2 (or 3, or 4).

Tofu Noodles

Serves: About 9

Ingredients

  • 6 (2.46 oz / 70 g each) blocks of uncooked ramen, or other noodles of choice
  • 2 blocks extra firm tofu
  • 1 bag coleslaw mix
  • 1 container mushrooms
  • 1 bag frozen stir fry veggie mix
  • Salt, to taste
  • Green onions and sesame seeds for serving

Sauce:

  • 2.25 cups room temperature broth or water
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 4.5 tablespoons corn starch
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar (or to desired sweetness)
  • 1.5 tablespoons gochujang or Korean chili paste (or substitute with other chili sauce, like Sriracha) to desired spice level
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice or rice vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil or neutral oil

Instructions

  1. Mix all sauce ingredients in bowl until well incorporated, set aside. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil
  2. Heat a pan over medium heat and sauté tofu and vegetables in some oil. Then add sauce, leave to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent starch from sticking to the bottom.
  3. Boil noodles according to package directions, then add to the sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat until the noodles absorb the sauce, and the sauce thickens. Season with salt to taste, if needed
  4. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and enjoy!

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Who is surprised, back with another Budget Bytes recipe! This one is her Unstuffed Bell Peppers. All the flavors and comfort of stuffed peppers, but made in one pot with chopped up peppers for ease of eating! No more trying to figure out how to saw through your stuffed pepper without losing any of the filling.

I doubled this recipe for my 2 roommates and I just to guarantee plenty of leftovers, but it couldn’t have been easier. Just sauté your veggies and meat, throw in your rice, and then hang out! We also decided to use red bell peppers instead of green like Beth uses because we like the flavor (although green bell peppers do tend to be cheaper) and we used ground turkey instead of beef because we LOVE ground turkey. This would also work great with ground chicken, ground sausage, or no meat at all if vegetarian is more your style! Although if going meatless, I would suggest upping the vegetables or adding something like diced potatoes to bulk it up.

So try Beth’s Unstuffed Bell Peppers for a super easy weeknight meal! With the best leftovers (perhaps even better than the first day…)

Not the prettiest picture but I swear it was SO good

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Serves: 6

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 pound ground beef (or other meat)
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1.5 cups beef (or chicken or vegetable) broth
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Mince the garlic and dice the onion and bell pepper
  2. Add the olive oil and meat to a deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until it is fully browned
  3. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, basil, oregano, and pepper to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir until the onions are soft
  4. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), uncooked rice, and broth. Give everything a brief stir to combine
  5. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest with the lid on for another 5 minutes
  6. Once the rice has rested, remove the lid and fluff it with a fork, gently folding all the ingredients together (the vegetables may rice to the top during the cooking process)
  7. Pour the tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle with the cheese, and place the lid back on to allow the residual heat to melt the cheese
  8. Remove lid and enjoy! Season with salt if necessary
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