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I’m not sure why I’ve recently become captivated by the idea of vanilla. More specifically, the idea of a vanilla muffin has eked. Its eked way into my brain with zero intentions of leaving. (These Chocolate Muffins have also been on my brain.) Now, to be clear, I didn’t want to bake vanilla (i.e. boring) muffins; I wanted VANILLA muffins in the truest sense of the term. Vanilla muffins that would be bursting with so much vanilla flavor, they would be vibrant and undeniably delicious—two adjectives I seldom use when referring to vanilla (unless I’m talking about this Buttermilk Cake)....

Every January, I take a great big gulp of ambition juice. My blood flows with enthusiasm, hope, and a burst of energy that could rival Sunny D in the neon color/sugar department. I pull out a clean pad of paper, a fancy felt-tip pen (the purchase of which I justified by assuring myself I’d be more likely to complete any tasks that were written in its lovely, smooth ink), and write down my New Year’s resolutions....

Air fried wings have a fabulously crispy outside, are juicy inside, and (my favorite part) require exactly zero deep frying As much as I adore cooking and—like anyone else with tastebuds—find fried food addictive, I draw the line at deep frying in my own kitchen. A fryer is a hot mess to clean.Foods cooked in a fryer are something I prefer to indulge in when I am eating out, versus a more nutritious meal that I’d cook at home....

With its intense convection heating capability, the air fryer excels at creating healthy versions of fried food favorites that are magnificently crispy-crunchy. From Air Fryer French Fries (or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries) to Air Fryer Pickles (another of my favorite fair foods) to ridiculously crispy, juicy Air Fryer Chicken Wings, this appliance earns its cabinet space. When I’m craving a bite of nostalgia (or I’m hosting a game watch and really want to make my friends go crazy), baked Mozzarella Sticks are always the right choice....

What we have today is a real-deal, from-scratch, old-fashioned banana ice cream recipe with milk, cream, eggs, and should you desire, bonus add-in flavors like peanut butter and/or chocolate chips. I know that one-ingredient banana “nice cream” (the one that caused me to burn out my mini blender) is social media famous, and I do still enjoy it from time to time when I need a healthy dessert fix. But—and I think we should all be honest about this for a moment—it’s not real ice cream....

It’s fully loaded with all the best parts of the original broccoli rice casserole recipe—the creamy, cheesy inside, the scrumptious mix of veggies and rice, and the irresistibly buttery, crispy topping—and exactly none of the worst parts. This easy broccoli rice casserole is made from scratch with healthy ingredients you can feel good about.Its family-friendly flavor will be a hit with kiddos and grown-ups alike. Courtesy of a midwestern upbringing peppered with a large family collection of what I can only describe as “church lady” cookbooks, I consider myself a steady casserole connoisseur (Chicken and Rice Casserole agrees)....

On our weekly Mexican food outings (the ones where I got to order Beef Fajitas on special occasions), I often went in spurts, ordering the same entrée on repeat for a month straight. Mexican chicken tortilla soup (or as I tried to pronounce in my best 17-year-old limited Spanish sopa de tortilla con poyo) was such a chapter. At some point in my late teens, I started to become more health-conscious....

If you are looking for more easy, healthy crock pot chicken recipes to navigate you through a busy week, this crockpot chicken and rice will be your ride. A creamy, cheesy blend of juicy chicken, whole grains, and fresh veggies, this healthy chicken and rice crock pot recipe has a seat for everyone. It’s mild enough for picky eaters but flavorful enough for more adventurous palates.It yields a large batch and is rich in fiber and protein, so it’s hearty enough for hungry households, just like its cousin Instant Pot Chicken and Rice....

Whole wheat English muffins are split, spread with the pizza sauce of your choice (tomato? pesto? alfredo? It’s all fair game here), then smothered in cheese and any of your favorite pizza toppings, English Muffin Pizza is an easy, healthy, and highly personalizable dinner. Whether you are in need of sure-to-please meals for picky eaters, fast and healthy dinners for back-to-school nights, or are a grown up looking to cook yourself something a) presentable and b) exceptionally low-maintenance, you have a reason to make an English Muffin Pizza....

This fiesta chicken recipe is an oldie but a goodie from my recipe archives. It’s one of the first dishes I ever learned to cook (along with these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas), so I can attest that even if you are just starting out in the kitchen, you can make it with confidence and success. Despite its simplicity, fiesta chicken casserole is still a recipe I regularly make because it meets core dinner requirements:...

For my sisters, dad, and me, weekend breakfast was a sacred ritual. My dad took time to cook us something special every weekend, always with a side of bacon (recommended: Oven Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon). While we got “fancy” with our pancakes every now and then (see Banana Oatmeal Pancakes and the Apple Cinnamon Pancakes in my cookbook), classic fluffy pancakes were the ones my dad made most....

This grilled chicken recipe is a shining example of the simple, delicious pleasure that occurs when familiar, individual ingredients unite to create something new and more delightful than they could ever be apart. It has the fresh-but-familiar feeling of an old friend who can still surprise you. It’s the summer berries and juicy Grilled Chicken you’ve loved since childhood, presented in a new, unexpected way (like in this summery Grilled Naan Pizza with Strawberry Chicken and Avocado)....

A maple-mustard marinade that takes seconds to stir together infuses the pork with robust flavor, tenderizes it, and helps it to maintain juiciness. With a taste that’s tantalizing, it’s worthy of a dinner party (unless it’s raining, and then you can serve this sassy Stuffed Pork Tenderloin instead). Pork tenderloin is also FAST. Unlike tougher cuts of pork that need low and slow cooking (like this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), pork tenderloin does not become more tender the longer it cooks....

When a craving strikes for authentic Chinese beef and broccoli, I typically turn to one of my delicious healthy beef recipes with broccoli (a.k.a. Crockpot Beef and Broccoli and Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli). Today’s recipe for skinny beef and broccoli is for those days when I’m craving beef and broccoli and need it to be extra veggie-packed. After seeing this recipe in my friend Lindsay’s beautiful new cookbook, Nourishing Superfood Bowls, I knew I needed to make it....

This recipe is based on my 5-star Healthy Oatmeal Cookies. Like those cookies, this recipe is flourless, naturally sweetened with honey (there’s no refined sugar), and they’re a breeze to whip up anytime a craving strikes. What makes these healthy cookies special is peanut butter. They harness peanut butter’s rich, thick texture and healthy fats to bind the cookies and make them moist. Thanks to PB, there’s no need to make these peanut butter oatmeal cookies with oil or butter....

Salmon is incredibly versatile, delicious, and waaayyy easier than most people think! My healthy salmon recipes are some of my most frequented for weeknight dinners and entertaining. I know these healthy salmon recipes are some of YOUR favorites too! The recipes have dozens of glowing reviews, including ones from a number of you who used them to cook salmon for the first time. While these recipes are simple (and, super tasty!...

This healthy teriyaki chicken recipe is a wholesome twist (like this Healthy Fried Rice recipe) on the ultra-appealing teriyaki chicken stir fry that was my earliest gateway into Asian food. I was introduced to Japanese teriyaki chicken via our hometown’s favorite (only?) Japanese takeout joint. It was in the corner of a nondescript strip mall simply decorated with photos of menu items on the wall and soy sauce bottles on the tables....

Creamy, cheesy, and southwest-spiced, this fiesta corn dip is one of those no-brainer recipes that people go crazy over. Want to feel like the bell of the appetizer ball? Be the person who brings creamy street corn dip! Mexican corn dip is among the small rotation of reliable, crowd-pleasing appetizer recipes that have become signatures. (The Cowboy Caviar and Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip from my cookbook are two others.) Not only do my friends stay consistently excited about these recipes—it’s gotten to the point where I’m practically not allowed to bring anything else!...

If you’ve never had French silk pie, you are in for a royal treat. It’s luscious and velvety smooth (like this Vegan Chocolate Pie).It is decadently chocolatey, without being excessively sweet. It’s also a dessert that requires only a few basic ingredients (like this Chia Seed Pudding).It is dangerously easy to whip together. Today, I’m sharing a pint-sized version of this classic pie (because everything, like these Brownie Bites, is always better in miniature form) in the form of mini chocolate silk pies....

Healthy Recipes from Pantry and Freezer Ingredients I’ve grouped the recipes by common pantry and freezer ingredients, but you’ll find some overlap (many recipes use ingredients from multiple categories, for example). Don’t be afraid to make adjustments based on what you have on hand. You can often swap one vegetable for another, use frozen vegetables instead of fresh, or change up the type of beans the recipe calls for, to name but a few examples....