Tag: dinner

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.

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!

Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe is one of my all time favorite comfort foods from home, and I was reminded just how much I love it when my mom made it a few weeks before Christmas. Shepherd’s pie has always been a dish I enjoyed, ground meat with vegetables and cheese, topped with mashed potatoes. But my mom didn’t love it, so she made some changes that make it infinitely better (even for me!).

Number 1, she tops it with tater tots instead of mashed potatoes. This makes it SO easy, and the crispy, crunchy tater tots just bring the dish to the next level. And number 2, she mixes sriracha into the meat. To be honest, regular shepherd’s pie just seems boring to me now. The slightly spicy meat and crispy potatoes, with vegetables hidden inside and melty cheddar cheese? The perfect casserole for a chilly weeknight dinner.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

  • ~3 lbs ground meat (I use turkey)
  • ~2-3 tbs Sriracha sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1-2 bags frozen mixed veggies
  • 1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 bag frozen tater tots

Instructions

  1. In a large pan over medium heat, cook the ground meat with salt, pepper, and sriracha sauce to taste. Meanwhile, steam the frozen vegetables for about half the time indicated on the bag (just to thaw them, not completely cook them)
  2. Pour the meat into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Pour the thawed (and drained, if applicable) vegetables over the top of the meat, and top with the shredded cheese.
  3. Top with the tater tots, and lightly salt.
  4. Bake according to tater tot package directions (generally, at about 425°F for 25-30 mins, or until tots are golden)
  5. Serve hot, with extra cheese sprinkled on top!

Teriyaki Tofu Bowls

Ready for a super easy, super tasty dinner recipe? Then this post is for you. Bringing you another Pinch of Yum recipe, this time their Crunchy Roll Bowls. This is a tasty combo of tofu cooked in teriyaki sauce, fluffy rice, tons of crunchy vegetables (edamame, cucumber, jalapeño), smooth avocado, and spicy mayo!

I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it lasted me 4 dinners, and it truly couldn’t be easier! Just cook the rice, fry up the tofu, and chop all your toppings. Store everything in separate containers to keep it fresh throughout the week and you’ve got your meal prep sorted! Bonus points, this recipe is vegetarian! But if you’re a meat lover, you could definitely use chicken or pork (though the cook time will be different).

Another shoutout to Pinch of Yum for always bring super tasty recipes to the meal prep game! And try these teriyaki tofu bowls for a fresh, easy, and tasty dinner with tons of different textures

I forgot to buy jalapeños, so just imagine some sliced jalapeños on top too!

Teriyaki Tofu Bowls

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 1 cup rice, uncooked
  • 2 cups frozen shelled edamame
  • 1 cucumber, finely diced
  • 1 avocado, cut into chunks or slices
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • swish of neutral oil
  • 1/2 cup teriyaki or savory-sweet Asian-inspired sauce (I like the Aldi brand!)
  • 1/2 cup crunchy fried onions, crushed (the kind on top of green bean casserole)
  • spicy mayo (just mix mayo with sriracha, or other hot sauce of choice to taste)

Instructions

  1. Press the water out of the tofu by layering in paper towels and pressing down with a large pan
  2. Cook rice according to package directions
  3. Cook edamame according to package directions
  4. Cut the tofu into cubes. Heat oil over high heat and fry tofu until golden brown. Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sauce (just enough to coat the tofu) and stir fry again until golden brown.
  5. Assemble bowls with rice, tofu, more teriyaki sauce, edamame, cucumber, avocado, crunchy onions, and spicy mayo. Enjoy!
  6. For meal prep, store ingredients in individual containers to stay fresh.

Easy Turkey Chili

Making chili runs in my blood; every Halloween my family hosts a pumpkin carving party where we invite everyone we know and my mom makes 30 pounds of mac and cheese, and my dad makes 40 pounds of chili. We all carve pumpkins outside and eat food and drink apple cider and it’s my favorite day of the entire year. I think this year would’ve been almost year 30? But covid meant having it on a much smaller scale back home in MD, and I decided to host my own for my roommates and our significant others.

Naturally, I had to make chili and mac and cheese. This is the chili I made, and I kid you not it’s the best chili I’ve ever made in my entire life. I’ve truly never been more proud. The picture below doesn’t quite do it justice, but that’s just my college house lighting haha. I love the flavor of ground turkey, and the heavy spices really bring it to the next level.

We served this with mac and cheese and some tater tots, and it was delightful fuel for carving pumpkins and watching scary movies. So try out this super easy turkey chili!

This pic is terrible. The chili is perfect.

Turkey Chili

  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 19 oz ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon olive/vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • ~1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon pepper
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 jalapeños, diced
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
  • ~1 cup water with chicken bouillon (or broth)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, in about a tablespoon of olive oil, cook the turkey until cooked through. Add about half of the seasonings
  2. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, season with more salt, and cook until starting to soften.
  3. Add the beans, jalapeños, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth, as well as the rest of the seasonings. Bring pot to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Let simmer for at least 25 minutes to let those flavors meld
  4. Serve with your fave toppings: cheese, chips, sour cream, avocado, mac and cheese, rice. Endless possibilities!

Stewed Tikka Masala Lentils

Okay so bear with me, this recipe was a complete improvisation that ended up absolutely delicious. My roommate really wanted to make a lentil curry, but we couldn’t find any curry at Aldi so we ended up picking up some tikka masala simmer sauce. What we ended up with later that week was the most delicious, super easy, stewed lentils for dinner. The whole recipe is actually vegan if you use vegetable broth instead of chicken, and made a delicious full dinner over rice with some warm (store bought) naan. And what’s easier than throwing everything in one pot?

I also consider myself the queen of doctoring leftovers, and ate this for lunch with an over easy egg on top a couple days later and it was absolutely delicious.

Definitely try out some stewed lentils next time you need a super easy, cozy dinner. Especially as the weather starts to cool down!

Stewed Tikka Masala Lentils

Ingredients

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 8

  • Olive oil
  • 4 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 cups lentils
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 jar tikka masala simmer sauce (I got the Aldi brand)
  • Rice, naan, sliced green onions for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the carrots, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and a pinch of salt in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Add the lentils and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking until lentils are almost soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add the entire jar of tikka masala simmer sauce, stir, and bring back up to a simmer. Cook until most liquid has been absorbed and the lentils have a soft, stewed texture.
  4. Serve over rice with naan, top with sliced green onions

Crockpot Chicken Chili

I make this chili ALL the time. When I lived by myself I would make the whole batch and then freeze half of it, but now that I have roommates again it makes excellent meal prep. The three of us probably got at least 4 meals each out of it!

I found the original recipe for this on Sally’s Baking Addiction, but as I’ve made it throughout the last few years, I’ve changed things up a bit. I like to double the beans from her OG recipe because I prefer a higher bean ratio, and this most recent time I added diced potatoes to bulk it up! You could even take the chicken out and add sweet potatoes too to make it vegetarian.

I love serving this with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and some avocado, but you could also eat it with cornbread, mix it with rice, or make chili mac! Below is the version I made most recently, but the options are truly endless, so add or take out whatever you want! Although I guarantee it’s absolutely delicious as is.

Not the prettiest photo, but absolutely delicious

Crockpot Chicken Chili

  • Cook time: 7 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (or one 28 oz can)
  • 2 7-8 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 14 oz can of corn, or 1 package frozen corn
  • 2 14 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1-3 jalapeños, minced (depends on how spicy you want your chili!)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning mix
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder)

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir to combine
  2. Cook low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3 hours
  3. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken
  4. Serve warm with your fave toppings! Cheese, chips, avocado, cornbread, rice, mac and cheese, etc.

Black Bean Burgers

Big shoutout to my friend Ellen for this recipe. This past July, the lease on my apartment ended a week before my new lease started, so I crashed at my friends Kenny and Ellen’s place. While couch sleeping isn’t necessarily the most comfy, we had the best time cooking yummy things and watching movies together. Ellen is a vegetarian, so one of the recipes we made was homemade black bean burgers. And they were SO good and also way easier than I was expecting??

They were so easy and delicious that I’ve already made them twice at my new place with my housemates Carissa and Sam (our house has 2 kitchens, so even though there are 6 of us, I share my kitchen with two other people). The first round of black bean burgers was definitely not as strong, but I got the hang of the proportions of ingredients and the second round was delicious. We baked some tater tots and sliced up a cucumber to round out our dinner and it was perfect.

Absolutely 10/10 recommend making your own black bean burgers! Perfect for meatless Monday, bean lovers everywhere, or just anyone looking for an easy and delicious dinner option.

Black Bean Burgers

Cook time: 35 minuts

Makes: 7 hamburger sized burgers

Ingredients

  • 2 16 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Spices to taste (I used salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder, about a teaspoon or so of each)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Burger buns, lettuce, condiments for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, lightly mash the black beans with a fork (leaving some beans wholes, some in chunks)
  2. Add the red onion, garlic, and spices of choice (should smell fragrant and well seasoned)
  3. Beat the 2 eggs and mix into bean mixture
  4. Add the breadcrumbs and mix with your hands until the mixture comes together, and stays in a patty form without falling apart
  5. Add oil to a large pan, and cook burgers over medium heat, about 10 minutes on each side. They should be brown and crispy on the edges, and cooked through the middle
  6. Serve with your favorite toppings and condiments!

Spice Rubbed Lemon Chicken

A couple weeks ago I decided I wanted to make a lemon pepper chicken breast. So I bought some lemons and improvised and the dinner that I ended up with tasted AMAZING. And looked pretty fancy too 😉 This is definitely not a quick weekday dinner (although I made it on a Wednesday). But it’s perfect for a nice weekend dinner or a date night!

A note, the chicken breast I used was very large, so I used way more spices than this. So just make more of the rub if you need it depending on how much chicken you have.

I also neglected to use parchment paper or aluminum foil, and cleaning the pan was super difficult. So definitely make sure you line your pan!

I served this with my go to green beans as well as rice, but feel free to switch the sides up! Pasta or potatoes would be great too, and you could make a salad or any other vegetables you choose.

So here’s my lemon chicken!

Spice Rubbed Lemon Chicken

Serves: 2

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large or 2 medium/small boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 lemons
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of basil
  • 2 teaspoons of oregano
  • 2 teaspoons of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Then juice one lemon into a medium bowl, and mix in all the spices and the olive oil (add up to 2 teaspoons more if your chicken breast is very large).
  2. Slice the other 2 lemons and arrange in a mound on a sheet pan covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  3. Place the chicken breasts atop the lemons slices (this helps keep the chicken moist) and then brush/pour on the spice mixture, making sure all of the chicken is covered.
  4. Place the chicken in the oven and bake until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160°F, about 25-35 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breast. It will continue cooking to 165°F on the pan once you take it out of the oven.
  5. Take the chicken out and let rest about 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve!

Quick and Easy Tacos

I’ve already written about breakfast tacos on the blog, and today I’m sharing my regular taco recipe. It couldn’t be easier; mostly because I just use the seasoning packets from the grocery store 😉

I know that the best homemade tacos are made with all the important spices: cumin, pepper, chilis, garlic, etc. But we’re poor college kids, we don’t want to have to buy all these different (expensive) spices that we won’t use that often. So I always just buy a taco seasoning pack (think Old El Paso), because they’re so cheap and so easy.

Along with meat for my tacos, I love black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese. But you could also add lettuce, onions, peppers, rice, sour cream. Whatever you have in your fridge works! Don’t have tortillas or taco shells? Make some rice and make it a bowl to have some homemade (super cheap) Chipotle or make taco salads for lunch during the week. It couldn’t be easier and tastier. We love easy meal prep.

So here’s the quick and easy taco recipe that I make all the time. Again, feel free to add or take away anything based on what you have!

Quick and Easy Tacos

Cook time: about 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of ground meat (beef or turkey)
  • One taco seasoning packet
  • Small tortillas (corn or flour)
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1/2 an avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Cheese, shredded, (cheddar or jack cheeses are best)

Instructions

  1. In a pan on medium heat, cook the ground beef until brown
  2. At the same time, in 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat, cook the black beans until thick and warmed through.
  3. Add seasoning pack and follow instructions (usually, add water) and cook meat until thick.
  4. Top tortillas with meat, cheese, and all other toppings of choice and enjoy
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