Skinny Chicken Pesto Bake

Skinny Chicken Pesto Bake is a simple and tasty meal. The chicken was tender and juicy, topped with fresh basil pesto, juicy garden tomatoes, and a delicious blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Yum!

Mike made this meal a few weeks ago for dinner when we had a plethora of fresh basil and tomatoes from the garden. What are your favorite recipes to use garden herbs and vegetables?


Click here for recipe from Skinny Taste

Caprese Pasta

Caprese Pasta is a simple one-pot meal that is fresh, flavorful, and aromatic.

I am obsessed with Caprese. I devour any dish that has the deliciously fresh Caprese flavors that I'm in love with. Lucky for me, my husband hates Caprese. I don't know what's wrong with him, but it means I also get to eat his portion!

What are your favorite Caprese-inspired recipes?

Caprese Pasta
Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
·20 fresh basil leaves
·1 TBS parmesan cheese
·1 tsp minced garlic
·Salt and pepper
·2 TBS extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·8 oz gluten free pasta
·1½ cups small tomatoes, halved
·1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, combine 15 basil leaves, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Stream in 1 TBS of EVOO and pulse until smooth.

When pasta is cooked, drain. Heat 1 TBS EVOO in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then toss and cook for 30 second. Add cooked pasta and pesto, then toss to combine. Remove from heat and stir in shredded mozzarella cheese until it melts. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and fresh cracked pepper before serving.

Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta

This pasta dish is incredible. The creamy texture of the sauce is flavored with zesty lemon and freshly-picked basil.

Remember the to die for Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta recipe I posted a few weeks ago? Well, this Lemon Basil spin-off is equally delicious. It's another simple recipe I recommend making NOW!

Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta
Ingredients:
·2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·1 TBS minced garlic
·2 TBS butter, divided
·¼ tsp salt
·½ tsp pepper
·1½ cups homemade chicken stock
·2 cups water
·½ lb gluten free spaghetti noodles
·1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
·¾ cup half ‘n half
·Handful of torn fresh basil, to taste
·One lemon, zested

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add butter, heat until melted. Add salt, pepper, chicken stock, and water. Raise the heat to medium-high and let it come to a boil.

Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate.

Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, reduce the heat to medium and mix in the parmesan cheese until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the half ‘n half, basil, and lemon zest. Serve.

Parmesan Roasted Zucchini

Parmesan Roasted Zucchini is the BEST way to prepare zucchini! I loved it so much that I ate the entire plate. By myself. In one sitting. It's that good. The zucchini is tender, juicy, cheesy, and flavorful.


Click here for recipe from Budget Savvy Diva

Flourless Zucchini Brownies

I am shocked at how good these Flourless Zucchini Browines taste. They are moist and flavorful. I added cocoa powder to the original recipe, which gives them a nice chocolate flavor.


Flourless Zucchini Brownies
Adapted from Delighted Momma

Ingredients:
·1 cup almond butter
·1½ cups zucchini, shredded into strips and then chopped
·⅓ cup honey
·1 egg
·1 tsp vanilla
·1 tsp baking soda
·½ tsp cinnamon
·1½ TBS cocoa powder
·1 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and then pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Mushroom-Stuffed Eggplant

The combination of eggplant and mushrooms add meatiness to this vegetarian meal. It's loaded with cheese, which makes it a very tasty meal that is satisfying enough to serve as a main dish.

It's eggplant season and here are a few of my favorite eggplant recipes: Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant Pizza, Grilled Italian Eggplant, and Eggplant and Cheddar Rice Sandwiches.

Mushroom-Stuffed Eggplant
Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
·1 medium eggplant
·2 TBS butter
·10 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped
·1 onion, chopped
·½ tsp dried sage
·½ cup shredded mozzarella
·3-4 slices of mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Wrap eggplant in foil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, stirring and cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Add onion and sage, cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded mozzarella. Cut the eggplant in thirds or fourths. Make a lengthwise slit down the center of each eggplant slice. Stuff with mushroom mixture and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Place in a baking dish and bake until the cheese is melted, about 7-10 minutes.

Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta

You need to make this Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta recipe NOW! It's to die for. The creamy sauce is rich with garlic, tossed with mushrooms, and then topped with fresh parsley.

I absolutely loved this recipe and will be making it again very, very soon. I'm excited to try other mix-in variations like chicken. This dish reminded me of a non-jerk-chicken dish my husband and I had on our honeymoon in Jamaica a few years ago. So, so good!

Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta
Adapted from The Cheese Pusher

Ingredients:
·2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·1 TBS minced garlic
·5-10 Monterey mushrooms, sliced
·3 TBS butter, divided
·¼ tsp salt
·½ tsp pepper
·1½ cups homemade chicken stock
·2 cups water
·½ lb gluten free spaghetti noodles
·1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
·¾ cup half ‘n half
·2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add 2 TBS butter, heat until melted. Add salt, pepper, chicken stock, and water. Raise the heat to medium-high and let it come to a boil.

Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in 1 TBS of melted butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, reduce the heat to medium and mix in the parmesan cheese until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the half ‘n half, parsley, and mushrooms. Serve.


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Mike and I are buffalo chicken lovers, and this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs didn't disappoint. All of the flavors of buffalo chicken that we love (hot sauce, celery, chicken) are combined into small meatballs. We prefer ranch over blue cheese, so we dunked our Buffalo Chicken Meatballs into Protein Ranch Dressing.

If you are also a buffalo chicken lover, here are our favorite ways to enjoy it from appetizers to snacks to main meals: Buffalo Chicken Nachos, Healthier Buffalo Chicken Dip, Buffalo Chicken (Crockpot), Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole, Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac & Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Tacos, Hot Buffalo Chicken and Cheddar Sandwich, Jalapeno Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.

Click here for recipe from Rachael Ray

Cucumber Boats

This quick snack consists of fresh cucumber, filled with a mixture of cottage cheese, basil, and cilantro. Adding the herbs to the creamy cottage cheese makes this snack incredibly fresh and flavorful.


Click here for recipe from Susie Freaking Homemaker

Ranch Pork Chops (Crockpot)

This recipe for moist Pork Chops covered in flavorful Ranch gravy is one you must try!

I am a picky eater when it comes to pork, because it usually tastes dry to me. These pork chops are incredibly flavorful. The gravy keeps the pork chops moist and serves as a nice "dip" for the pork chops.

I normally avoid any crockpot recipe that requires any cooking before the ingredients enter the crockpot. This recipe is one exception to my "rule" because it doesn't require too much prep time in advance. I seriously whipped up the gravy in about 10 minutes when I was home for lunch, and the dish was ready by the time I got home for work.

Click here for recipe from "From Scratch to Plate"

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

I love Caprese Salad, and I absolutely love Lasagna. This Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage recipe combines my two loves into an utterly delicious dish. My favorite Caprese ingredients are paired with spicy sausage and a creamy white sauce resulting in a mouth-watering meal.

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage
Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
·9 gluten free, no boil lasagna noodles
·Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·¾ - 1 lb spicy Italian turkey sausage
·2 TBS butter
·2 tsp minced garlic
·3 TBS mild gluten free flour (i.e., oat, brown rice)
·1½ cups chicken broth
·1½ cups skim milk
·Salt and pepper
·5 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
·¾ - 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
·2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Squeeze sausage out of its casing and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove from heat.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour, whisk to combine, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, a few tablespoons at a time, whisking to break up any lumps. Whisk until smooth, and then add the milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a spatula, stir the sauce until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Pour into a measuring cup with a spout and set aside.

Spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9 glass baking dish with non-stick olive oil spray. Pour about ¼ cup of the white sauce into the bottom of the baking dish; use a spoon to evenly disperse. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, and brush the top of the noodles with EVOO. Top the noodles with about a third of the shredded cheese, sliced tomatoes, basil, turkey sausage, and remaining sauce. Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 layers.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta is a unique twist on a traditional meal. This recipe is creamy and hearty, yet somewhat healthier than the original recipe I found on Pinterest.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Adapted from Chef in Training

Ingredients:
·12 oz gluten free pasta
·1 cup half ‘n half
·6 oz plain Greek yogurt
·8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese
·1 tsp onion powder
·1 tsp garlic powder
·Salt and pepper, to taste
·1½ cups chopped swiss cheese
·2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips
·¾ cup bacon, cooked and chopped
·¾ cup ham, diced
·¼ cup gluten free bread crumbs

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, heat cream cheese over medium low until melted. Stir in half ‘n half and Greek yogurt until combined. Add onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of cheese and stir until smooth.

Grease a 9x13 dish with olive oil cooking spray. Layer noodles, chicken, bacon, and ham in the dish. Pour sauce over the top and stir to combine. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese and the breadcrumbs on top.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Roasted Potatoes, Chicken Sausage and Peppers

This one-pot meal is incredibly flavorful with roasted potatoes, chicken sausage, red peppers, and rosemary.

As this healthy meal is cooking, it filled my kitchen with a mouth-watering smell. Yum! The only preparation involved is chopping, which makes it a perfect meal for a quick weeknight.


This is another fantastic recipe I found on Pinterest. What's one of your recent favorite Pinterest recipe finds?

Click here for recipe from Skinny Taste

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

I have a major sweet tooth and was disappointed with this recipe because these healthy cookies taste like a healthy cookie.

I came across this recipe for Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies on Pinterest. I had high expectations for the recipe, since I love anything that combines peanut butter, chocolate, and banana. I took a bite and they tasted like healthy cookies. They should, at 50 calories a piece, but then I realized that I forgot the vanilla extract. Oops! To remedy the cookies, I whipped up a batch of Homemade Vanilla Pudding and I stirred in crushed up cookies. It helped improved the flavor, but I don't think these cookies are for me. If you don't have much of sweet tooth, you may enjoy these cookies.

Click here for recipe from Six Sisters Stuff

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole is a healthy and incredibly flavorful spin on the traditional Broccoli Rice Casserole.

Mike and I absolutely loved the quinoa version, and we didn't miss the rice, butter, or loads of cheese that are usually in the traditional version. To make this recipe gluten free, I used my Cream of Anything Soup Base. I am so glad I'm starting to discover great tasting recipes to use quinoa in, as it's quickly becoming one of my new favorite ingredients.

Click here for the recipe from Eating Well - Living Thin