Winter and fully working from home has me cooking a little more often than usual. So what better time to share a few of my favorite recipes? I have really enjoyed having a full kitchen since moving to Georgia, compared to the tiny one I had in my Charlotte apartment. I really loved that apartment, but the lack of counter space made it pretty difficult to cook. Anyway, I have been trying a lot of recipes since then. So let's take a look at a few of the standouts for dinners and healthier baking. By healthier baking, I mean a lot of traditional baking ingredients are substituted with things like maple syrup, coconut oil, or alternative flours.
Dinners:
I've probably made this recipe more than any other. It takes some time to make, but we love it. You could probably switch out the veggies, but I always use sweet potatoes and frozen broccoli. It instructs baking the sweet potatoes on their own first, but I just defrost the broccoli at the same time, on the same pan.
This one isn't quite the healthiest option (has a bit of butter), but oh is it good! I made this pretty often over the summer and always add some chicken.
I recently made this one for the first time, and know I will be making it again soon. The orzo makes it more filling than your average chicken soup, and the lemon adds a great flavor. But note you might need some extra broth when re-heating.
I make a slightly different version of this I found from a TikTok. The other version replaces the broccoli with spinach, and doesn't include mushrooms or onions. But it has become a favorite, I make it about once a month for dinner and usually get lunch out of it the next day as well.
I've only made this once, but I definitely plan to make it again soon! It is perfect for winter, and sort of a cross between a soup and a pasta dish. It also lasts quite awhile between 2 people.
"Healthier" Baking:
I've mentioned this one a few years ago and it's still great! I make them with coconut sugar in place of regular sugar and coconut oil in place of butter. You can sort of tell they are made differently, but only the slightest bit!
I recently found this one, and love a recipe designed for small portions. It could easily be halved for a single portion, but it was very quick to make for TJ and I. It's sort of a combination of a mug cake and an oatmeal bar.
I've made these several times in the last few weeks. They're super quick, and a serving of fruit! The taste reminds me of those Brookside chocolate fruit snacks, a definite favorite for pomegranate season.
I made these a few times last fall. They're very simple to make and if you have a mini muffin tin, I think a great size to keep around.
Thanks for reading!