Make-Ahead Recipes
Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake
A high-protein meal replacement that pulls double duty as dessert? Sign me up! This thick, creamy shake has actually served me quite well over the years. Because of my penchant for a nightly bowl of ice cream–truly one of the hardest habits for me to break–I’m always on the hunt for healthier options that truly…
Chicken & Broccoli Slaw with Speedy Thai Peanut Sauce
This veggie-packed, protein-rich meal is quick, easy, and delicious. Perfect for busy weeknights and a great way to stretch some leftover chicken into a new meal. Summer cooking begs to be carefree and easy. Who wants to be holed up in the kitchen when the sun is shining and outdoor activities abound? Since you…
Strawberry Chicken Salad with Candied Walnuts and Goat Cheese
Easy jam jar dressing and candied walnuts add amazing flavor to this crisp, fresh plate. Leftover chicken makes it a satisfying, complete meal. Friends and family provide some of the best recipe feedback, which often steers me towards sharing a particular dish sooner than later–or in some cases, going back to the drawing board.…
Amish Baked Oatmeal
This wholesome family favorite can be prepared in advance and tastes a lot like a cinnamon oatmeal cookie. I typically take a minimalist approach, but the recipe is easy to customize through the addition of raisins, nuts, etc. Twenty years ago, when baked oatmeal was hardly a blip on anyone’s breakfast radar, a friend…
Abby’s Watermelon Salad
A little sweet, a little salty… this quick-to-assemble salad is perfect on a summer night paired with something off the grill. Though we only attended the same school for one year and weren’t even in the same grade, my friend Abby and I have a unique history and never fail to relive old memories…
Black Bean Dip (or Salsa or Salad)
Enjoy this easy, endlessly versatile recipe as a dip with chips, a salsa for fish or chicken, a super-simple salad, or the foundation of a healthy, plant-based meal. Perfect for a potluck and can be prepared up to a day in advance! Amidst all my experimenting with new recipes, this simple…
Easy Blueberry Lemon (or Lime) Sauce
It’s easy to pass over “component” recipes like sauces, dressings, and other condiments in favor of recipes that produce the whole meal. Time is always at a premium, and it can be hard enough to get dinner on the table without worrying about…blueberry sauce? Well this easy, versatile recipe might just be reason to rethink.…
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Have you ever wondered how to perfectly poach an egg or whether mayonnaise is a better option that butter on a grilled cheese sandwich? A sieve is your friend when poaching eggs, and mayo is easier to spread than cold butter, but there’s a little more to the story. A few months ago, Christine…
William’s Habanero Hot Sauce… and a hot sauce taste test
Though we often cheat and hope for no frost (or April snow, as was the case this year), the safe time for backyard planting where I live is always said to begin on Mother’s Day. Ever since my husband and I bought our first house, we’ve planted a garden. There is something so satisfying about…
Muesli Baked Oatmeal
If you were to choose your career all over again, what would you be? I love what I do, but I could have been very happy as a scientist. Given my love of experimenting in the kitchen, a career in the lab would have suited me well. Though it’s not exactly research for a new…
Beer Margaritas
This unconventional recipe makes a large pitcherful and tastes like the best version of the classic drink. Leftovers freeze well and become slushy-like! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect reason to enjoy a favorite Mexican meal, but what exactly is the holiday all about? Cinco de Mayo—the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862…
Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
Perhaps you’ve never tried them, but quinoa flakes are widely available and offer a wholesome alternative to flour in these lightly sweet, satisfying cookies. Cookies for breakfast anyone? When they’re loaded with wholesome ingredients, cookies for breakfast are a treat we can actually feel good about. Perfect to grab-and-go when time is running short too!…
