Posts

Lately, every time I walk through the grocery store or hear an update about a friend’s garden, I’m in awe of the abundance of colors and flavors that burst from the earth this time of year. Summer ingredients demand little from us as home cooks, yet their rewards are great. It’s as if summer is showing off by not showing off. I’ve been stockpiling our kitchen with zucchini and tomatoes lately, the result of being a seasonally-obsessed bargain shopper who can’t resist a pretty piece of produce or a good deal....

Golden cubes of butternut squash tossed with a generous portion of Parmesan, garlic, and Italian spices, then baked until the squash is caramelized and tender and the Parmesan is browned, salty, and lightly crisp, this easy butternut squash recipe is everything your weeknight dinner routine needs. Roasted Butternut Squash Parmesan delivers the sought-after healthy-side-dish factor that will leave you feeling accomplished and excellent for cooking it in the first place (look at me dominate my servings of veggies today!...

The first Well Plated Holiday Gift Guide 2019 was so popular, so I decided to create a second! Just in time for the big holiday sales, this gift guide is filled with ideas for the women in your life. On this list, you’ll find unique and special gifts that will fit any budget. Whether you’re looking for clothes, shoes, jewelry, or beauty gift ideas, we have them all!

These healthy granola cookies are nutritiously crafted with 100% whole grains (a combo of whole wheat flour and oatmeal granola) and include plenty of peanut butter for added protein and that hubba hubba flavor. If you are a fan of these Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, I know you’ll love these peanut butter granola cookies too. Both wholesome and sweet, if you are looking for a more nutritious cookie to add to your diet, these beauties strike a true balance....

An accordion of crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside potatoes, with garlicky buttery amazingness sandwiched between each delicate wafer layer, these hasselback potatoes are a side dish your guests will remember. It’s no secret that everyone loves good ol’ Roasted Potatoes, but hasselsbacks are something special. And let me say again: HASSELBACK POTATOES TASTE SO GOOD. The cutting method creates both crispy and creamy textures that set this dish apart. You get the comfort of mashed potatoes with the crunch of a chip, all in one dish!...

Whether you need to know how to make shredded chicken for chicken enchiladas (like these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas), chicken tacos, chicken sandwiches, Greek yogurt healthy chicken salad (or Whole30 chicken salad), shredded chicken enchilada dip, or just to munch straight from your refrigerator when you’re hungry and in total desperation mode, this is the post for you! While you can cook shredded chicken in the oven or slow cooker, the method I show step-by-step below (cooking the chicken in a pot on the stove) is by far the fastest and easiest way to make it....

I am a long-time fan of Thai food (hello Shrimp Pad Thai!), an affinity that was solidified after Ben and I went to Thailand. “Curry” is a catch-all name for a genre of Thai dishes comprised of vegetables, protein, and herbs simmered in a complex sauce made from coconut milk and curry paste. Curry pastes differ in color, flavor, and intensity of spice. Green curry, like this Chickpea Curry is distinctly herbaceous and citrusy....

One of my most anticipated moments is when the “Peach Truck” arrives here in Wisconsin. Every summer, this family-owned business drives fresh peaches up from Georgia, then sells them at pop ups throughout the city. And every summer, I go crazy and overbuy them. Although, when Peach Pancakes, Peach Crisp, Baked Peaches, and Peach Shortcake are all options for the baking, can you really overbuy peaches? I think not. For this year’s haul, I couldn’t get an old-fashioned peach upside down cake out of my head!...

She originally wrote it as a guest post to cover for me while I was in France (this was a common thing in the old school blogging days!). This luscious ice cream is now one I love to make, because it is unique but also homey. It hits the spot! This recipe begins with a simple rhubarb compote. It’s just that it’s so gosh darn delicious, and if the early days of summer were to have a taste, this is it....

I realize I often blab on about my love for certain foods (like this, Italian Farro Salad), and it is because I truly cherish every recipe I post here—I wouldn’t waste either of our time by sharing a recipe with which I wasn’t smitten. Today’s recipe for roasted butternut squash freekeh salad, however, feels especially personal, perhaps because I honestly feel like I could eat some version of it every single day for the rest of my life....

One of the biggest game-changing s’mores moments in my life (because yes, these moments exist) came when my childhood friend Laura introduced me to the concept of using a peanut butter cup in place of the standard square of milk chocolate in my s’mores. Friends, please promise me you’ll try a peanut butter cup s’more at least once in your life. It won’t be your last. Peanut butter and marshmallow are a salty-sweet, sticky-creamy, heavenly combination....

Ben and I arrived home from the most magical vacation in Italy on Sunday night, and while I wouldn’t trade our time for anything, after 10 days in a completely different time zone + a 21-hour travel day home, my body clock/sleep cycle/ability to process logical thoughts is…compromised. Case in point: Yesterday morning, I stepped out of the shower and realized I’d only shaved one leg and couldn’t remember whether or not I’d rinsed the conditioner out of my hair....

Strawberry spinach salad is my unofficial start to spring because—and I think it’s important that we are honest about this—a March or early-April spring is not a real thing when you live in the upper Midwest. Slowly, however, my little yard turns greener, and I notice my salad cravings shifting away from warm toppings like the lentils and roasted vegetables in this Lentil Salad with Roasted Cauliflower or the sautéed potatoes in this Pea Salad to ones that are distinctly lighter and brighter: strawberries, poppy seeds, feta....

I find quiet satisfaction in creating memorable recipes from humble ingredients, especially ones like grains and legumes that hang out faithfully in my pantry, patiently awaiting their time to shine. They cost little—these vegan stuffed peppers are one of the most budget-friendly dinners you can cook—have a long shelf life, and are happy to sit stoically on my shelf until I feel inspired to pull them out and see what we can make together....

Spiced cubes of intensely golden-and-crispy-outside, sweet-and-creamy-inside roasted sweet potatoes, a hearty mashed black bean and zucchini filling, and a shower of melty cheese, these filling tacos are here to appease meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. Tacos are one of our go-to ways to enjoy meatless meals that are satisfying and hearty (this collection of meatless main dish recipes contains dozens more vegetarian meal ideas). Plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh are great options to put into tacos instead of meat (check out the reviews on these Tofu Tacos and Tempeh Tacos for proof)....

A comforting (but not coma-inducing) baked casserole of thinly sliced zucchini tossed in a creamy garlic sauce, then baked beneath a crown of golden, crispy breadcrumbs, easy, cheesy zucchini casserole gives a vegetable we usually think of as a straightforward side dish (Easy Sautéed Zucchini with Parmesan) the star holiday treatment usually reserved for Healthy Green Bean Casserole. Could it be that Healthy Zucchini Muffins (or, gasp! Zucchini Brownies) might not be summer squash’s highest calling after all?...

I am doggedly convinced that anyone who says they don’t like tofu hasn’t tried to air fry tofu yet. And if you count yourself among the tofu skeptics—I get it. Tofu can be (and this is a culinary term) ick. Without the proper treatment, tofu is soggy, mushy, and bland. WITH proper cooking technique, however, tofu is a culinary playground! A hungry sponge, tofu (like Air Fryer Cauliflower) readily absorbs any flavors you add to it....

Fresh asparagus, herbs, green onions, and arugula make the dish feel light and bright. The luscious and creamy Greek yogurt avocado sauce gives it a comfort food feel. The secret to making this spring pasta taste creamy and decadent, a role usually filled by heavy cream, mayonnaise (in avocado pasta salad) and butter, is Greek yogurt and ripe avocados. It’s a trick I discovered when I first made this Avocado Pesto, and I’ve loved it since....

Pasta and self-acceptance: the makings for a long, happy life. Caprese chicken pasta is fast and easy to prepare, made with simple, wholesome ingredients, and everything I could ask for in a weeknight dinner. It comes together quickly, tastes wonderful reheated for lunch the next day, and is healthy enough to atone for any weekend excesses of the Bloody Mary variety. Why I Love This Creamy Chicken Caprese Pasta The inspiration for this chicken mozzarella pasta originated from the grand empress of summer dishes herself, Caprese salad....

Maybe you know the kind of restaurant Italian chopped “salad” I mean? Chopped salads are ubiquitous at many Italian American restaurants. I remember a similar one at my own hometown pizza joint. If you are lucky, you’ll find a few pieces of lettuce (iceberg usually) here and there. They’ll be drowning in Italian dressing. Mostly, these Italian “salads” are meat, cheese, and more raw onions than a full pack of gum could hope to mitigate....