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Category Archives: Quick & Easy


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Spring Veggie Quinoa Power Bowls

Spring is here. With spring, comes spring cleaning. Most people clean out their closets and rid the house of dust bunnies. Why don’t ya take it one step further and clean up your lunchtime routine? Stop running to the closest fast food joint and prep this at home the night before instead. Your body will thank you.

I love quinoa for its amazing health benefits. It has protein, fiber, and iron, plus lots of vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy and help it repair itself. It’s naturally gluten free and it is one of the few plant foods that is considered a complete protein. As an added bonus, the texture is really, really cool. It can be a bit on the pricier side when you compare it to other grains like pasta, bread, and rice, but it’s worth the cost. (Hint: I like getting it from Costco. They come in huge bags for a good price and it lasts forever.) Asparagus is also packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. How could you not love a veggie that is a cancer-fightin’, health-improvin’ machine?

spring veggie quinoa power bowls | doughseedough.net

This quinoa bowl is packed with goodness and is so easy to throw together. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and it’s good warm, cold or at room temp. What more could you ask for?

Spring Veggie Quinoa Power Bowls | doughseedough.net

Quinoa Power Bowls
serves 4

1 cup quinoa
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
olive oil spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 ½ – 2 inch pieces
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 – 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 large lemon, juiced
8 cups spring mix (lettuce or other salad base of choice works, too)
4 ounces feta cheese
1/2 cup almonds
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  1. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add quinoa and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the dish. Spray a large pan with olive oil. Add garlic and onion and saute for 1 – 2 minutes, or until onion softens. Add asparagus, bell pepper, and garbanzo beans and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 3 – 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables. Toss to combine.
  3. To serve, divide the spring mix between four bowls. Fluff quinoa with a fork and place on top of greens. Top with vegetables, feta, and almonds.

 

adapted from Clean Eating Magazine


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Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

So, remember that amazing (and easy!!) pineapple salsa I posted a couple weeks ago? It’s not only good on chips, with pretzel thins, or plain by the spoonful… it’s delicious on marinated chicken, too! I’m loving all the pineapple that’s on sale right now and this dish is super easy to prepare. Prep and marinate the chicken the night before and then you have dinner on the table in 30 minutes the next day!

Pineapple Chicken with Fresh Pineapple Salsa and Cilantro Rice | doughseedough.net Pineapple Chicken

1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
cooking spray
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups fresh pineapple salsa

  1. Whisk together pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Place chicken in a shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, turning halfway through.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Discard marinade and place chicken into prepared baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake chicken for 30 – 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Pour reserved 1/4 cup marinade over chicken.
  4. Combine brown rice and cilantro in a bowl. Serve chicken with brown rice and pineapple salsa.

 

adapted from Cooking Light

 


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Recipe Remake: Crunchy Caramel Corn

 

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

I’ve been making this caramel corn for years now, and it still hasn’t let me down. The results are consistently good and it couldn’t be easier. My step-dad loves this popcorn so much that I started making it for him for Christmas. This past holiday, I stuffed a 3-foot tall stocking full of caramel corn… and included some gift certificates for more batches of it throughout the year. He cashed in one of the gift certificates recently and here are the results. It was so irresistible that I ended up making two batches – one for him, and one for Mike and me. We may or may not have eaten the entire batch in just a few short days.

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

Feel free to use more or less popcorn. I’ve started to use closer to 8 quarts of popcorn so that the caramel is a bit lighter and you get the occasional piece that isn’t 100% coated in caramel. Use just 6 quarts for a very in-your-face sweet, sweet caramel corn.

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

Crunchy Caramel Popcorn
makes 6 – 8 quarts

3/4 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 – 8 quarts air-popped popcorn

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Line three baking pans with foil or spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil, unstirred, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
  3. Pour popcorn onto baking pans, dividing evenly between three pans.
  4. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Stir gently, breaking up large pieces. Serve immediately or store in air-tight container.

 

Tips for clean up – soak the pot and utensils in hot water. The sticky caramel will melt right off and there will be minimal scrubbing required. The foil in the pans will give you a quick, easy clean up. Just crumple up and toss!

 


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Fresh Pineapple Salsa

I’ve been loving the spring weather this week. All the snow is gone and the temps have been warm enough for me to run in a tee. Mike and I are hoping to take advantage of this weather by going on a nice, long hike and with the pups this weekend and then grilling out after. Fingers crossed that the forecast is wrong and that it doesn’t rain!

This pineapple salsa is sweet with the perfect amount of heat. It’s super versatile, too. I ate it with chicken, with pretzel thins, and even just straight-up with a spoon.

Fresh Pineapple Salsa | doughseedough.net

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

1/2 pineapple peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

  1. In a large nonreactive bowl, stir together pineapple, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


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Lemon-Raspberry Muffins {dairy-free}

I’m a big fan of keeping the freezer stocked with cinnamon rolls, muffins and other goodies. I love being able to grab something, microwave it for a few seconds, and have an easy breakfast or snack. Right now, I’ve got whole wheat cinnamon rolls and lemon poppyseed muffins in the freezer. This week, I added some  lemon-raspberry muffins to the mix.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins {dairy-free} | doughseedough.net

Oh my deliciousness. They were the little burst of sunshine that I needed this week. So, if you find yourself with an hour of free time this weekend, make these muffins.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins {dairy-free} | doughseedough.net

 

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins {dairy-free}

makes 16 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut cream*
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 muffin tins with 16 paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut cream, soy milk, canola oil, applesauce, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in raspberries.
  5. Fill prepared muffin tins two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

*to get coconut cream, let a can of full-fat coconut milk sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Open the can carefully without shaking. Scoop off the thick cream that rises to the top of the can. Reserve the rest of the coconut milk for another use

recipe slightly adapted from


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Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies

Still here? You didn’t run away at the mention of chickpea + chocolate + blondie? Good. Trust me – these are delicious. They don’t taste anything like beans. All you get is a chewy, delicious peanut buttery blondie studded with chocolate chips.

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies | doughseedough.net

The weird thing is, I actually found the unbaked batter to be tastier than the baked product. So you choose – bake it or just eat the batter by the spoonful. I won’t judge.

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies | doughseedough.net

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies

15 ounce can low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8×8 square pan and set aside.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Remove and discard the skins from the chickpeas. Place the skinned chickpeas into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add in baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, vanilla, oats, and peanut butter. Blend until very smooth.
  3. Mix in 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips and spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top, being careful not to overcook. The blondies will appear to be undercooked, but they will firm as they cool.
  4. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 pieces and serving.

 

recipe slightly adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie


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Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

I’ve been on a peanut butter kick lately. The rate at which I’m whipping through jars of peanut butter is kind of alarming. Peanut butter on toast with bananas or with some orange marmalade is a daily occurrence. Sometimes, I just eat a spoonful of peanut butter. I made these cookies because I needed another way to get peanut butter into my mouth. These peanut butter cookies are amazing. Soft and chewy and oh-so-addictive. They also happen to be the perfect Wisco to St. Louis road trip snack. Portable peanut buttery goodness.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies | doughseedough.net

 

 

I kind of regret not making more. Because the drive back home from STL is going to be very, very sad 😉  Do yourself a favor and make a double batch right away.

 

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies | doughseedough.net

 

 

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together baking flour, baking soda, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir in peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
  3. Roll dough into balls about one inch in diameter and place two inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and cracked on top. Let cool completely on baking sheet.

 

recipe adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie


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Southwest Turkey Meatball Skillet

This easy meal uses my favorite baked turkey meatballs and is on the table in 20 minutes. The best part? Cleanup is simple – this is a one pot meal, folks. If you’re a starch-lover like me, serve this with your favorite crusty bread, quinoa, or brown rice.

Southwest Turkey Meatball Skillet | doughseedough.net

Southwest Turkey Meatball Skillet
serves 4 – 6

16 baked turkey meatballs (recipe here)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1-15 ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, about 3 – 5 minutes. Stir in corn, beans, tomatoes, kale, and broth. Season with lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  2. Nestle meatballs into the vegetables and bring mixture to a simmer. Partially cover and let cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until meatballs are heated through.
  3. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.


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Cheeseburger Chili Mac

This dish is obviously cheesy and not at all dairy-free. The crazy thing is, it actually tastes really, really good without the cheese. I guess the version I had would be more appropriately titled “Chili Burger Mac” or something. It makes me incredibly happy when I can find a dish that tastes good with and without cheese. Mike had it both ways and insisted that the cheesy version wasn’t better than the non-cheesy version. I think he’s full of it, but it does make me feel a bit better 🙂

This recipe makes a scary amount of chili mac. But don’t fret – it freezes beautifully! I made it so Mike would have enough food to feed him for a few days while we were apart. If you’re ever short on time, give this meal a try. It’s super simple and comes together in just minutes. As an added bonus, you probably have most of these ingredients lurking around in your pantry and fridge already!

Cheeseburger Chili Mac {dairy-free adaptable} | doughseedough.net

Cheeseburger Chili Mac // Chili Burger Mac
serves 8 – 10

olive oil spray
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 cups beef stock
2 pounds whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, optional

  1. Coat a large pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the meat thoroughly and return to pan.
  2. Add in onions, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup, mustard, and beef stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
  4. Serve macaroni with a scoop of the chili and top with shredded cheddar, if desired.
  5. Alternatively, mix the chili and macaroni together and pour into an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese is browned and melted.

 

adapted from Rachael Ray


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Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs

I love it when I can make one thing and use it for several meals. These meatballs were meant to go into a southwestern meatball dish, but I was wiped out after a long day of work and a 10 mile run. By the time I finished mixing up the meatballs, I was done. I just couldn’t do anything more – I threw together a quick tomato sauce and cooked up a few meatballs for dinner and threw the rest of the meatballs into the fridge for later.

Fair warning – this recipe makes a lot of meatballs. Like 5 dozen+ depending on how big you make them. But, don’t worry – they are super versatile and freeze beautifully!

Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs

Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs

3 pounds lean ground turkey
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
6 egg whites
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two large baking pans and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with hands until well incorporated, being careful not to over-mix. Roll into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place onto prepared baking pans about 1 inch apart. Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until meatballs are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
  3. Use meatballs immediately, or lay on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once the meatballs are frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or dish. Meatballs will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.