Healthy Nibbles

simple, healthy recipes for everyone

Summer

Easy Blueberry Smoothie

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This easy blueberry smoothie is a tasty drink to celebrate the flavors of summer. The smoothie contains oats, which make it more filling. It is a great morning or afternoon pick-me-up!

Easy Blueberry Smoothie - simple, satisfying smoothie made with just a few ingredients!

One of the best things about summer is the variety of berries in season. Blueberries in particular are one of my favorite berries to consume because they have a subtle sweet flavor and they are rich in antioxidants. They are also great for making a refreshing smoothie on a hot summer’s day.

I am a big proponent of keeping my smoothie recipes simple, using easy-to-find ingredients. After all, I don’t want you to feel the need to spend $20 on superfood powder or protein powder just to make one smoothie. Use this blueberry smoothie recipe as a guide, and feel free to swap out ingredients to fit what you actually have at home. For example, if you don’t have mangoes, then use frozen peaches or pineapple instead. It will still be a delicious smoothie.

VARIATIONS TO THE BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE

You will notice in the ingredients that I added 1/4 cup of oatmeal. This is to make the smoothie more filling. If you don’t like adding oatmeal to smoothies, you can take it out and use 1/2 avocado instead. You can also try adding a bit of coconut oil.

I tried a blueberry-banana version of the smoothie by swapping out the raspberries for a frozen banana, and using only 1/2 cup of frozen mangoes. The smoothie tasted fine, but the color of the smoothie was not as appealing as the raspberry version. The smoothie started turning gray in just 10 minutes, which makes it very difficult to photograph!

CAN YOU MAKE THE SMOOTHIE AHEAD?

Yes, you can make the smoothie up to a day ahead, but do note that the color of the smoothie will turn gray over time. If you notice any separation, shake the smoothie before consuming.

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Easy Blueberry Smoothie

Easy Blueberry Smoothie
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Small Drinks or 2 Large Drinks

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest (from 1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients inside a blender and blend until smooth. If you want a colder smoothie, feel free to add a few ice cubes and blend them with the other ingredients.
  2. Pour the smoothie into 4 small glasses or 2 large ones. Serve immediately.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount per serving: Calories: 228, Total Fat 3.8g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 189mg, Total Carbohydrate: 46.5g, Dietary Fiber: 7.3g, Sugar: 28.4g, Protein 4.8g

You can use frozen blueberries for the recipe, but note that they might be more difficult for you to blend because of the high quantity of frozen fruits in the blender.

Leftovers: Summer Red Curry Naan Pizza (Vegan)

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This vegan red curry naan pizza is topped with my favorite summer vegetables: corn, zucchini and tomatoes. All it takes is just 25 minutes!

EASY Red Curry Pizza ready in just 30 minutes! #vegetarian

Like most people, I often struggle with weeknight dinners. What can I cook that’ll be ready in 30 minutes from start to finish? I keep packages of naan around the house to make quick thin-crust pizzas on weeknights. Naan are usually quite thin, so they crisp up easily in a hot oven.

This pizza was made with leftover red curry paste, tomato sauce and bits of vegetables that I found in my fridge. It may seem a bit odd to mix red curry with tomato sauce for the pizza base, but the flavors go together surprisingly well.

EASY Red Curry Pizza ready in just 30 minutes! #vegetarian #vegan

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Failed attempts: I tried mixing the curry paste with coconut milk once, but the sauce was way too runny for pizza. I also tried spreading the curry paste alone on the pizza, and the curry was too overpowering.
  • Variations: Given the flavor of the sauce, I didn’t think the pizza needed any cheese, but feel free to add some if you want. I’ve also made a version with strips of prosciutto scattered about, which tasted delicious as well.
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Leftovers: Summer Red Curry Naan Pizza (Vegan)

EASY Red Curry Pizza ready in just 30 minutes! #vegetarian #vegan
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 Pizzas

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups)
  • 1/2 cup sliced zucchini (sliced into half moons)
  • 1/3 cup sliced bell pepper or any sweet pepper
  • 2 naan (I used a whole grain naan)
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
  • chopped basil and scallions for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place an oven rack in the center position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the corn, zucchini and peppers and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes, until they soften. Remove from heat.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the curry paste, tomato sauce and garlic powder together. Spread half of the sauce over each naan. Sprinkle the vegetables over the naan. Top both pizzas with some cherry tomatoes.
  4. Transfer the pizzas to the lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges of the pizza start to brown.
  5. Remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle chopped basil and scallions over the pizzas. Slice and serve.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount Per Pizza: Calories: 540, Total Fat 11.8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 1178.5mg, Cholesterol: 10.5mg, Total Carbohydrate: 83.5g, Dietary Fiber: 12.4g, Sugar: 11g, Protein 15g

July Produce Guide

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Your July produce guide is here! Find out what’s in season in this month, along with tips on how to pick and store the produce. Get some recipe ideas, too!

Find out what's in season in this July Produce Guide! You'll find tips on how to pick and store the produce as well as recipe ideas!

In my opinion, summer is the best time for produce because so many fruits and vegetables are now in season! I find myself eating my weight in fruit this time of the year and I do so with no regrets. Soft, leafy herbs are also in season, and I always keep several bunches around my house for salads and stir fries.

Without further ado, here’s the July produce guide!

AVOCADOS

Cajun Spiced Baked Salmon with Avocado Lime Sauce - a healthy, gluten-free meal ready in under 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

Even though we can find avocados in the supermarket year-round (usually from Mexico or South America), California avocados are in season now. Unless you are planning to use the avocado right after you buy it, you’re better off buying an avocado that’s slightly firm and letting it ripen on your counter for a few days. Ripe avocados turn brown or black quite quickly, so you should eat them within a day.

Besides using avocados for guacamole and salads, I love mixing 1/4 or 1/2 of an avocado in my smoothies to make the more smooth and filling.

BEANS

Summer Beans

When you’re picking green beans or any other type of string beans, pick the ones that look crisp and do not have a lot of brown spots on them. Store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Condensation tends to build up in plastic bags in the refrigerator. If you are not going to eat the beans in a few days, slip a sheet of paper towel in the bag to absorb extra moisture.

BLUEBERRIES

Easy homemade blueberry frozen yogurt that requires 4 ingredients only! by @healthynibs

Pick blueberries that are vibrant blue. Try not to pick the ones that have wrinkled skin. Store the blueberries in a sealed container that’s lined with a sheet of paper towel. Be sure to sift through the berries and throw out any that have moldy or mushy bits.

I love eating blueberries because they are high in fiber and Vitamins C and K!

CHERRIES

Steak Tacos Cherry Pico de Gallo from The Kitchen PaperPhoto Credit: Mary Warren from The Kitchen Paper

When buying red cherries, such as Bing cherries, pick ones that have a deep red color. It’s generally a sign that the cherries are ripe.If you are buying Rainier cherries (the yellow cherries), choose ones that look shiny and smooth without too many brown spots on them. Also, try picking cherries with green stems—it’s an indication of freshness. The stems will turn brown and woody over time. Store cherries in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. If you have a lot of cherries to go through, rinse and remove the cherry pits and freeze the cherries for smoothies. I usually line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and lay the fruit on top.

KITCHEN TIP: HOW TO PIT CHERRIES WITHOUT A PITTER

CORN

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas - a healthy, hearty soup to help you stay warm!

When you are picking ears of corn, squeeze the tip to see if it is filled with corn kernels. I like picking smaller ears of corn because the kernels tend to be much more tender and juicy. I don’t shuck the corn before refrigerating them because the husks help prevent the kernels from drying out. Once I cut off the kernels from the corn, I collect the corn cobs and freeze them in a bag to make vegetable broth (along with other vegetable scraps).

CUCUMBERS

Sesame Ginger Miso Cucumber Salad from Snixy KitchenPhoto Credit: Sarah Menanix of Snixy Kitchen

Pick cucumbers that look vibrant green (or yellow, if you’re picking lemon cucumbers) and don’t have much wrinkled skin. I typically buy Persian or English cucumbers because their skin and seeds are quite tender. I usually store cucumbers in a paper bag and then place that bag into a plastic bag. The paper bag helps absorb moisture from condensation. Cucumbers should be consumed within 4 to 5 days.

EGGPLANT

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt and Za'atar from Foolproof LivingPhoto Credit: Aysegul D. Sanford from Foolproof Living

Choose eggplant that are firm with little or no brown spots on the outside. Also, check the tops of the eggplant. If the eggplant is still fresh, the tops will not be dried and shriveled. You can actually store eggplant at room temperature for a day or two. If you still haven’t used the eggplant yet, store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

GREENS

Green Shakshuka - a healthy breakfast dish filled with kale, collard greens and sunny side up eggs. An easy gluten-free meal!

Pick the bundles of greens that are still vibrant—if you see yellowness in the greens, it’s an indication that they are beyond their prime. When I buy bunches of kale or collard greens, I typically strip the leaves off the stems, rinse and spin the leaves in a salad spinner. I then lay the leaves on a baking sheet lined with a tea towel and let them dry for about 30 minutes. I’ll then refrigerate them in plastic bags. This tiny bit of prep work usually makes cooking much more pleasant throughout the week.

SOFT HERBS

Basil

Many tutorials I’ve seen online recommend sticking herbs into a glass jar or cup filled with water and covering everything with a plastic bag. Some websites will say to store the covered herbs on your kitchen counter or the refrigerator. The problem with storing them in the counter, I’ve found, is that you’ll attract a lot of fruit flies (especially basil). On the other hand, the problem with storing them in the fridge is that I don’t usually have the space. That’s why I wrap a damp paper towel around the stem of the herbs and wrap everything in a plastic bag. I’ll tie the opening of the bag with a rubber band and refrigerate the herbs.

KOHLRABI

Kohlrabi

Usually, kohlrabi are sold in supermarkets without their greens. Pick the ones that still look green (or purple) on the outside without much brown spots. Wrap them in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or two. If you are lucky enough to find kohlrabi with their greens still in tact, don’t throw the greens away! You can cook them like collard greens!

PEAS (SUGAR, SNOW)

Kung Pao Tofu Stir Fry - easy and healthy stir fry that takes only 30 minutes to make!

Pick sugar peas or snow peas that are vibrant green with smooth skin. Store them in a plastic bag and keep them in your crisper drawer. I always string my sugar peas and snow peas before cooking them. It’s a habit I picked up from Mama Lin!

STONE FRUIT

Peach Baked Muesli from Heartbeet KitchenPhoto Credit: Amanda Paa from Heartbeet Kitchen

When you’re picking peaches or nectarines, choose the ones that have some red skin around the neck. If the skin around the stem looks completely yellow or white, it’s an indication that they were picked off the tree before the optimal time. Ripe peaches and nectarines will have some give when you squeeze them and the skin should be deep red. Ripe plums, pluots or apricots will also have some give and fell quite soft on the top. I usually buy stone fruit with varying degrees of ripeness. That way, I’ll have some ready to eat and can leave the rest to ripen over the next few days.

STRAWBERRIES

VEGAN Teriyaki Tofu Spring Rolls - simple, fresh spring rolls filled with vegetables, tofu and strawberries! Perfect party appetizer!

When I’m picking strawberries, I always go for the basket that have the least mount of whiteness around the stem. It’s an indication that the strawberries are ready to eat. Store strawberries in a sealed container lined with paper towels. Do not rinse the berries before you store them—this can cause the berries to turn mushy. I usually hull my strawberries and throw away the tops. After reading this article, I’m going to save them for my smoothies!

SUMMER SQUASH

Zucchini Corn Tomato Salad with Avocado Lime DressingPhoto Credit: Traci York from Vanilla and Bean

Pick summer squash that are shiny and have vibrant color on the outside. They can be stored at room temperature for a day or two. After that, store them in plastic bag inside the crisper drawer in your refrigerator.

TOMATOES

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

Pick tomatoes that have a vibrant color and taut skin. Store them at room temperature. If you notice that mushy spots are starting to form at the bottom of the tomatoes, eat them immediately or store them in the refrigerator for another day or two.

Fava Bean Dip

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Have you ever cooked with fava beans (or broad beans) before? This vegan fava bean dip is made with just 8 ingredients. The dip is great for snacking or as a spread for wraps and sandwiches!

Fava Bean Dip - a simple vegan dip that is great as a snack, spread for wraps or pastas!

When I was a kid, I snacked on a lot of fried, salted fava beans. They’re crunchy, nutty and ridiculously addictive. I haven’t eaten them in years, and just talking about them makes me want to go to an Asian supermarket to pick up a few bags of them!

It wasn’t until I started shopping at farmers markets that I realized how fava bean pods actually look like. They look like giant sugar snap peas, but when you cut them open, you’ll notice that the pods have a furry lining.

I’ll be honest, cooking fava beans requires effort. After you shuck the beans from the pods, you need to peel each bean to get rid of the waxy outer skin. Trust me, that skin doesn’t taste nice. However, the delicate beans nestled within the skin makes the effort worth while. They’re very light and have a slight grassy flavor.

Fava Bean Dip - a simple vegan dip that is great as a snack, spread for wraps or pastas!

This fava bean dip is very versatile. You can use it as a dip for crackers and vegetables, or use it as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. I have even used the dip to flavor penne pasta. The dip is quite thick, so if you want to toss it with pasta, I recommend mixing in a few tablespoons of water to thing out the dip.

Fava Bean Dip - a simple vegan dip that is great as a snack, spread for wraps or pastas!

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Variations: Besides fava beans, you can also make a similar dip with 1 1/3 cups peas. The dip made with the peas will be slightly sweeter.
  • Testing Notes: In one of my test batches, I added 1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and 1/2 tablespoon of white miso to the dip. It tasted good, but I thought the flavors of the cheese and miso were distracting. I also made a batch of the dip where I didn’t remove the beans from the skin, mainly because I couldn’t be bothered. That dip didn’t taste nearly as good as the one I’ve outlined in the recipe.
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Fava Bean Dip

Fava Bean Dip - a simple vegan dip that is great as a snack, spread for wraps or pastas!

This dip works wonderfully as a spread for wraps. I’m sharing a simple recipe to show how you can make vegetable pinwheels. I’m using large lavash wraps for the pinwheels because they’re rectangular, but you can also use large tortillas.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 1 1/3 cups

Ingredients

Fava Bean Dip

  • 2 cups shelled fava beans
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 2 stalks of scallions, sliced
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste

Pinwheels

  • 4 to 5 lavash wraps or tortillas
  • 1/4 cup chopped mint
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Fill a bowl with ice water and set it aside.
  2. Bring 4 to 5 cups of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  3. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer the fava beans to the bowl with the ice water. The ice water will stop the fava beans form cooking further. Let the beans sit for about 5 minutes before draining.
  4. Remove the outer skin of every bean. You end up with about 1 1/4 cups of beans.
  5. Add the beans and the rest of the ingredients for the dip into a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Taste the dip and add more salt if you like. Transfer the dip to a bowl.
  6. To make the pinwheels, spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the dip over a lavash wrap or tortilla. Make sure that the edge of the wrap facing away from you has a good amount of dip on it. The dip will help you seal the wrap once it’s rolled up.
  7. Sprinkle some chopped mint over the wrap. Next, cover with a layer of baby spinach. Line the carrots and pepper along the edge closest to you. Roll up the wrap. Slice into 1 1/2-inch slices and transfer pinwheels to a plate. Repeat for the remaining wraps.
  8. Serve immediately.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount for 1/5 of Recipe: Calories: 200, Total Fat 17.5g, Saturated Fat: 2.4g, Sodium: 247mg, Cholesterol: 0mg, Total Carbohydrate: 10g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Protein 4.4g

If you want to make the pinwheels ahead, make sure to cover them with plastic wrap or foil. The pinwheels tend to dry up quite easily.

Greek Salad with Chickpeas & Heirloom Tomatoes

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This simple Greek salad with chickpeas is a healthy, fresh salad that is filled with sliced heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives and feta. It comes together in a breeze—15 minutes is all you need!

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

Thank you to USA Pulses and Pulses Canada for sponsoring this post!

In the blink of an eye, balmy Sacramento turned into a 100ºF inferno this week. I felt like I was melting. I guess it’s nature’s way of telling all of us that, ready or not, summer is upon us, so we better get ready. Time to let’s dig out those shorts and sandals from the back of closet!

On any given summer day, I will eat a big salad for lunch or dinner. Honestly, I probably eat my weight in salads during these three months. Typically, I make my salads vegetarian: I’ll pack a bowl with vegetables (oh my gosh, so many vegetables!), herbs and a handful of plant-based protein, like pulses.

Pulses are the dry, edible seeds of plants that are part of the legume family. These sustainable foods include dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas, and they’re packed in protein. I love adding pulses into my meals make them more filling. Pulses are filled with slow-digesting carbohydrates that can provide you with sustained energy throughout the day. They’re also incredibly versatile for cooking. You can add pulses to anything: tacos, salads, soups and even desserts!

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

In this Greek salad recipe, I’m tossing heirloom tomatoes with chickpeas and a simple red wine vinaigrette. It comes together in a breeze. I like eating this Greek salad as a meal with a side of toast. It’s a great salad to bring for parties, too. If you have a big crowd, double up the recipe to make a larger batch!

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Leftover salad: This salad is fantastic on avocado toast. I had it for breakfast and lunch for several days, and I was not tired of it at all.
  • Soak the onions and garlic in the vinaigrette: Before tossing the salad, I like to soak the onions and minced garlic in the olive oil and vinegar mixture to help get rid of the raw bite. If you’re not bothered by raw onions or garlic, you can skip the soaking.
  • More recipes for pulses: Check out pulses.org/nap for more healthy ways to add pulses to your cooking!

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

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Greek Salad with Chickpeas

Greek Salad with Chickpeas - a healthy salad that is great as a side or main dish!

Any tomatoes will work with this recipe, but I particularly liked using heirloom and grape tomatoes. The flavors of the different tomato varieties give the salad more complex flavors.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup chopped persian cucumbers
  • 1/4 cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cans of chickpeas)
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped mint

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, onions and garlic together. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Slice the tomatoes into wedges. If you are using grape or cherry tomatoes, slice them in half.
  3. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, chickpeas and chopped herbs to a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette on top and toss the salad to combine the ingredients together. Taste and season with more salt or pepper, if necessary.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount for 1/4 of Recipe: Calories: 323, Total Fat 19.3g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 716.2mg, Cholesterol: 1mg, Total Carbohydrate: 30.2g, Dietary Fiber: 8.6g, Sugar: 9.2g, Protein 10.4g

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by USA Pulses & Pulse Canada. Check out their website for more easy ways to use pulses in your cooking!

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

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This slow cooker corn and potato soup is the best thing to eat in colder weather. Top with roasted chickpeas for an extra crunch!
Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas - a healthy, hearty soup to help you stay warm!
I know, it’s been a while since I posted my last recipe. After my summer vacation and trip to Austin earlier this month, it’s been taking my brain extra time to get back to speed. And, well, something else happened.

I left my day job.

For the past year and a half, I had been working as a product manager at a Bay Area startup food company. I never pictured myself working in the food industry after law school. (Actually, I never imagined starting a blog either.) Yet, there I was, learning how to source food products and develop product packaging. And while I loved everyone that I worked with, there was something inside telling me that it was time to move on.

Let me just say that all of this is exciting and quite scary for me. Transitioning from a job with steady income to becoming a full-on #girlboss is scary. Yes, it’s great to have more time to work on building my blog and my brand, but trying to figure out how to manage this time is overwhelming. Quite honestly, I admire my fellow bloggers who have all of this together.

But at the end of the day, I had to ask myself what I want to do with my life. What do I want to achieve? (I’m turning 30 in a week, by the way, so I’ve been prone to bouts of introspection as of late.)

At this point, I can’t say that I have all the answers, but I do have a clearer vision of what I want to do: use my blog to help people become more comfortable with cooking and share recipes that are near and dear to my heart. Over the next year, I will try to create more content around kitchen basics, simple weeknight dinners and Asian recipes. I hope you’ll enjoy what there is to come!

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas - a healthy, hearty soup to help you stay warm!Now, on to this corn and potato soup. I want to keep cooking with fresh corn while it’s still available, so I decided to make a corn and potato soup—the perfect thing for a chilly autumn evening. I made this soup in a slow cooker, but you can certainly cook it on the stovetop, too.

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Using fresh vs. frozen corn: This recipe works well for fresh or frozen corn. If you’re using fresh corn, you’ll need about 3 to 4 ears. The soup tasted a bit sweeter when I used fresh corn, which I liked.
  • A note on using fresh thyme: If you are using thyme with tender stems (they’re usually green), don’t bother snipping the leaves off. Just blend them along with the rest of the ingredients. If you are using thyme with woodier stems, you’ll want to snip off the leaves.
  • Leftovers: If you want to store the soup for a long time, pour the soup into ice cube molds and freeze it. Once frozen, remove the cubes from the molds and store the cubes in a plastic bag. When you’re ready to eat the soup again, just melt the ice cubes in a saucepan. Try to eat the soup within 2 months for the best flavor.
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Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas - a healthy, hearty soup to help you stay warm!

Adapted from Cooking Light.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients

Corn and Potato Soup

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups (120g) sliced leeks (white and light green part only)
  • 3 1/2 cups (475g) corn kernels
  • 1 pound (450g) russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 5 cups (1.2 liters) vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Chickpeas

  • 1 15-ounce (425g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the leeks soften. Add leeks to the slow cooker. (NOTE: If you are pressed for time, you can skip this sautéing step and just add the butter and leeks directly into the slow cooker.)
  2. Add corn kernels, potatoes, broth, water, thyme and a pinch of salt to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 7.5 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
  3. When there is about an hour left on the soup, preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Pour chickpeas out onto a chopping board and rub them with a paper towel to get rid of some of the moisture. Toss chickpeas in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread chickpeas onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want your chickpeas to be.
  5. When the soup is ready, scoop out about 3/4 cup of corn kernels and set it aside. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Mix the whole corn kernels with the blended soup.
  6. Serve soup with roasted chickpeas.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Serves 6. Amount per serving: Calories: 274, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat: 2.3g, Sodium: 232mg, Cholesterol: 8mg, Total Carbohydrate: 46g, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g, Protein 8g

Rice Bowl with Green Pepper Sauce, Roasted Carrots & Eggs

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This nourishing rice bowl is seasoned with a light sauce made with Anaheim peppers and bunches of fresh herbs. Pair it with roasted carrots and some eggs for a delicious meal! 

Rice Bowl with Green Pepper Sauce, Roasted Carrots & Eggs - a hearty vegetarian fall meal by @healthynibsHi, y’all. I just got back from Austin for BlogHer Food—my first official trip to Texas! In 72 hours, I managed to eat my way through plate after plate of finger lickin’ BBQ ribs and breakfast tacos. My belly is still full and I have forgotten how to eat like a lady. It was the perfect food adventure, and I’m so glad I got to share it with my friends!

Now, it’s time to get back into my regular rhythm of lighter foods and roasted vegetables. This rice bowl is the first real meal I ate when I got back to Sacramento. I sautéed sliced Anaheim peppers with onions and garlic and blended everything with a bunch of cilantro, scallions, a bit of acid and a touch of honey. It’s funny, I never used to add honey to sauces, but just a touch of it makes huge difference to the flavor of any sauce. The honey definitely makes a big difference in this one.

I loved this green pepper sauce so much that in my recipe notes, I wrote down “THIS SAUCE IS AWESOME!!” That’s saying a lot.

Price of Entire Meal: $11.69

Rice Bowl with Green Chile Sauce, Roasted Carrots & Eggs - a hearty vegetarian fall meal by @healthynibs

COOKING NOTES

  • The sauce gets better over time: The green pepper sauce tastes even better if you make it overnight. I refrigerated a batch in a container and it was still fine after 4 days.
  • Type of rice: I didn’t realize that I was particular about rice until I started testing this rice bowl. Personally, I didn’t like the taste of long grain brown rice for this recipe because I thought the flavor was slightly off. Then, I tried using plain white rice and the taste and texture was worse than using brown rice. I highly recommend using jasmine rice for this rice bowl if you can!
  • Soft Boiled Eggs: I wanted eggs with runny yolks for the rice, so I decided to steam eggs for about 7 minutes. The outer part of the yolks firmed up, but the center was still runny when I cut into them. If you prefer hard boiled eggs, steam or cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
  • Substitutions: If you can’t find Anaheim peppers, go for 2 medium green bell peppers.

If you make this recipe, let me know! Take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump!

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Rice Bowl with Green Pepper Sauce, Roasted Carrots & Eggs

Rice Bowl with Green Chile Sauce, Roasted Carrots & Eggs - a hearty vegetarian fall meal by @healthynibs
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 5 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450g) carrots
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • pinch of salt
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1/2 pound (225g) Anaheim peppers, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 bunch cilantro (about 60g)
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 4 to 5 cups cooked jasmine rice*
  • 15-ounce (425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. Prepare Carrots: Peel and slice carrots into 1/4-inch slices. I used small and thin rainbow carrots I found at the farmers market and just sliced them in half, lengthwise. Toss carrots with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread carrots onto a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, when the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork.
  3. Prepare Eggs: To hard boil the eggs, fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring water to boil. Add eggs into boiling water and cook for 6 to 8 minutes for soft boiled eggs or 10 to 12 minutes for firmer yolks. To steam the eggs, fill a small pot with 1 1/2 inches of water. Fit a steamer basket on the pot and bring water to boil. Add eggs and steam for 6 to 8 minutes for soft boiled eggs or 8 to 10 minutes for firmer yolks. Run eggs under cold water before peeling.
  4. Prepare Sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for about 2 minutes, until they start to soften. Add peppers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they soften. Add a pinch of salt and sliced garlic and cook for another minute. Turn off heat and let the vegetables cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables into a food processor. Add remaining tablespoon of oil, garlic, cilantro, scallions, lemon juice, vinegar, paprika and honey to a food processor. Mix until you get a sauce, scraping down the sides if necessary. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
  5. In a large bowl, mix sauce with rice. I used about 3/4 of the entire batch and left some extra to serve on the side. If your rice is cold, heat it in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes first. Mix in the beans. You can also heat the beans in the microwave, if you like. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve rice with roasted carrots and eggs.

Notes

*1. I cooked 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice and it yielded about 4 1/2 cups cooked rice.
2. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, you can replace it with apple cider vinegar, though I didn’t the flavors as much.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 5 servings. Amount per serving: Calories: 481, Total Fat 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 333mg, Cholesterol: 186mg, Total Carbohydrate: 73g, Dietary Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 11g, Protein 19g

Cherry Lime Red Beet Smoothie

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This cherry lime red beet smoothie is the perfect drink for summertime. It is refreshing and the red beets give the smoothie a beautiful color!

Cherry Lime Red Beet Smoothie - a simple, refreshing smoothie made with just 4 ingredients!

Cherries are my summer candy. I love sitting around on a lazy summer day, stuffing my face with fresh cherries, and spitting out the pits like a baseball player with sunflower seeds. However, as we all know, cherry season is far too short. A few months a year just isn’t enough, but I guess this makes me appreciate cherries even more when they come in season!

To savor cherry season for as long as I can, I like to buy pounds and pounds of cherries during peak season and freeze them. I usually use a cherry pitter to pit all these cherries, but this wine bottle and chopstick trick works just as well. (It’s a great excuse for drinking a bottle of wine, if you ever need one.) After pitting the cherries, I’ll line them all on a plate and freeze them for a few hours or overnight before transferring them to a freezer bag. This way, the cherries won’t clump up together in the freezer.

At this point, you’re probably wondering why I don’t just go out and buy a bag of frozen cherries. Although frozen cherries taste fine, the color is definitely not the same. Frozen cherries tend to take on a more purplish hue while cherries that I freeze are still quite red, and they make my food look prettier. I’m a stickler for pretty food.

For this cherry smoothie, I added lime juice for zing and some beets to neutralize the sweetness of the cherries. The beets also give this smoothie a beautiful magenta color that just brings a smile on my face whenever I make it. Yeah, super cheesy but true!

Let’s make a smoothie toast to the last days of summer!

Cherry Lime Red Beet Smoothie - a simple, refreshing smoothie made with just 4 ingredients!

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Turning this drink into a slushie: If you are still battling the summer heat, turn this smoothie into a super chilled drink to cool you off from the inside out! Try adding 3/4 cup of ice cubes to this recipe. The ice cubes will water down your drink, so you might want to add more cherries, lime juice or beets to give the drink more flavor. Personally, slushies give me brain freezes, so I prefer drinking this as a smoothie instead.
  • If you want something more sweet: Try adding 1/2 to 2/3 cup of frozen mango if you want more sweetness in the smoothie. I thought the mango made the smoothie a touch too sweet, which is why I left it out of the recipe.

TOOLS USED

  • Using the right blender: If you’re going to commit to drinking smoothies a few times a week, I highly recommend getting a high-speed blender. I used to make smoothies with a  cheap blender, and I never quite got the consistency that I wanted. Currently, I use a Vitamix, but the Nutri Ninja served me very well for a long time and it’s less expensive than the Vitamix)

WANT MORE SMOOTHIES + DETOX DRINKS?

For those of you who are curious about my cherry pitting trick, here it is:

Cherry Lime Red Beet Smoothie - a simple, refreshing smoothie made with just 4 ingredients!

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Cherry Lime Red Beet Smoothie

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 Large Serving or 2 Small Smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (450g) pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
  • juice from 1 ½ to 2 limes
  • ½ cup (75g) raw chopped red beets
  • 1 cup (240ml) almond milk
  • a few ice cubes
  • lime slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve in glasses and garnish if a slice of lime if you like.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 2 small smoothies. Amount Per Serving: Calories: 194, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 113mg, Cholesterol: 0mg, Total Carbohydrate: 47g, Dietary Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 32.3g, Protein 4.1g

 

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers

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These Mexican rice stuffed peppers make a great vegetarian weeknight meal. Juicy peppers are stuffed with cheesy rice that’s mixed with fresh corn, black beans, chili, and cumin. They’re easily customizable, and will definitely keep you full!

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers - a healthy, gluten-free dinner that is ready in 45 minutes. (409 calories per serving) by @healthynibs

I am SUPER DUPER excited that so many of you signed up for my 4-week meal planning challenge! {NOTE: The challenge is now over.} My heart is full from reading all your sweet comments and encouragement, and it pushes me to make sure that I deliver an awesome set of recipes to you over the next 4 weeks.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks I faced as I developed recipes for the challenge was to figure out a way to cook fast, yet flavorful and filling dishes. Take this stuffed pepper recipe for instance. Usually, stuffed pepper recipes take over an hour to prepare, but we don’t have that kind of time during the weekday, right? To get over that hurdle, I experimented with different ways of making stuffed peppers and settled on this method.

I bumped up the baking temperature to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and covered the peppers with foil while they were in the oven. This allowed me to quickly roast the peppers in just 25 minutes. The peppers softened, the cheese melted through, and the beans didn’t dry out during the baking process. They were perfect!

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers - a healthy, gluten-free dinner that is ready in 45 minutes. (409 calories per serving) by @healthynibs

This stuffed pepper recipe is a sneak peak of one of the tasty dishes in the meal planning challenge! If you would like free weekday dinner recipes and shopping lists delivered right to your inbox, be sure to sign up for the challenge! Get on the list by the end of Friday so that you get the complete 4-week set of recipes. I hope that you enjoy them! {NOTE: The challenge is now over.}

PRODUCTS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE

  • Staub 10.5″ x 7.5″ Rectangular Dish: This is quite possibly my favorite baking/casserole dish ever. Everything bakes evenly in it, and it’s made of ceramic, so cleanup is always a breeze.
  • Lodge 12″ Cast Iron Skillet: I’m going through one of those phases where I am obsessed with cast iron skillets again. I used it to sauté the stuffing ingredients together, and it was a charm!
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Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers - a healthy, gluten-free dinner that is ready in 45 minutes. (409 calories per serving) by @healthynibs

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers (any color)
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • salt
  • 1 1/4 cup (170g) corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 medium zucchini (120g), diced
  • 1 15-oz. (425g) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups (290g) cooked brown rice
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 cup (85g) shredded pepper jack cheese

Optional Toppings

  • cilantro leaves, torn
  • 1/2 small avocado, sliced thinly
  • lime juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Lightly grease 2 baking pans with oil.
  2. Slice peppers in half and remove the seeds. Check to make sure all the pepper halves fit into your baking pans. Set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Mix in corn and zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in beans, rice, chili powder and cumin. Turn off heat and mix in shredded cheese.
  5. Stuff each half of a pepper with rice mixture. Place them in the prepared baking pans.
  6. Cover each pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  7. Uncover foil, and let peppers cool for a few minutes before serving. Top peppers with cilantro, avocado slices, and a squeeze of lime juice, if you like.

A Quick Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission if you decide to purchase a product after clicking the link. Buying products through affiliate links is an easy way to support your favorite bloggers at no additional cost to you. Thank you very much for your support!

Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad

8 Comments

This lemongrass chicken noodle salad is the perfect dish for weeknights. It’s packed with chicken that is marinated in a tasty lemongrass and coconut sauce, low-carb tofu shirataki noodles, and crisp vegetables. It’s a great light meal for summer!

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

A huge thank you to House Foods for sponsoring this post! 

When I traveled in Vietnam years ago, one of my favorite dishes to eat bún thjt nuóng, rice noodles with grilled meat. They were usually served at these curbside “restaurants” with short tables set up on the sidewalk adorned with small mismatched plastic chairs. The menus weren’t extensive, but what they actually served was done very well. What you got was a plate full of rice noodles with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs topped with meat fresh off the grill. My goodness, that stuff is good.

This lemongrass chicken noodle salad is inspired by the bún thjt nuóng I ate in Vietnam. I marinated chicken with a lemongrass and coconut sauce and quickly pan-fried them. Instead of the traditional rice noodles, I used House Foods’ fettuccine-shaped tofu shirataki noodles that are low in calories and carbs. I LOVE using these noodles for summer salads because they’re light yet they still fill me up. I paired the noodles with some crisp vegetables and dressed the salad with fish sauce, lime juice, a light drizzle of sesame oil, a tiny bit of sugar, and a pinch of salt.

The entire dish comes together pretty quickly, and it’s perfect for dinner! The leftovers are great for lunch the next day, too!

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Grating Lemongrass: For this recipe, I suggest grating your lemongrass instead of chopping it. Lemongrass is quite stringy and doesn’t break down that easy. The first few times I tried this recipe, I blended sliced lemongrass with the other ingredients, and the marinade didn’t turn out as smooth as I would have liked. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t grate the lemongrass. Just mince with your knife. However, you might notice a few bits of lemongrass in your chicken when you cook it.
  • Marinating the Chicken: To make sure that the chicken soaks up enough flavor from the marinade, make sure to leave it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Better yet, marinate the chicken overnight!
  • Variations: For a vegetarian version, used extra-firm tofu. Just chop the tofu into cubes before marinating it.

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

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Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

Recipe inspired by Nadia Lim.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) light coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 pound (450g) chicken breast
  • kosher salt

Salad

  • 3 8-ounce packages of House Foods fettuccine tofu shirataki, drained and rinsed
  • 3 small carrots, peeled and cut to matchsticks
  • 1 1/4 cups sliced cucumbers
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
  • 1 stalk of scallions, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • pinch of salt

Optional Toppings

  • chopped roasted peanuts
  • cilantro
  • red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Chop off the bottom end of the lemongrass stalk. Peel off a few of the outer leaves (about 2 or 3) to reveal the fleshier part of the lemongrass. Chop off the green, woodier part of the lemongrass. Using a microplane zester/grater, grate lemongrass, starting from the bottom of the stalk.
  2. Blend lemongrass, coconut milk, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and ginger. I like using an immersion blender for this. Set aside.
  3. Slice chicken breasts into smaller chunks. I like slicing a breast in half, and then take the thicker half and slicing that into 2 thinner slices. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken chunks with a bit of kosher salt. Place chunks in a sealable plastic bag and pour marinade inside. Shake bag so that the marinade covers all chicken pieces. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. While chicken is marinating, prep noodles. Fill a small pot or saucepan with water, about several inches, and bring to boil. Cook noodles for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain water and run under cold water. Pour noodles into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, juice of 1 lime, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir ingredients together and adjust seasonings to your taste.
  5. To cook chicken, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Shake excess marinade off chicken chunks before placing in the pan. Cook each side for about 4 minutes, until they’re cooked through. Dish onto a plate and let chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting them up. I shredded the chicken, but you can also slice them into 1/2-inch strips.
  6. Toss noodles, sliced carrots, cucumbers, red onion, scallions, and chicken together. Serve noodle salad with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and red pepper flakes, if you like.

Notes

Substitutions: For richer tasting chicken, you can use full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. You can also substitute fish sauce with tamari or soy sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 4 servings. Amount per serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 1344mg, Cholesterol: 73mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Protein 29g

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by House Foods. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen! To learn more about House Foods products and recipes, check them out at their website or follow them on Facebook!

This tasty Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad is the perfect low-carb, gluten-free dinner. It's light, healthy and packed with vegetables. by @healthynibs

Watercress Soup with Potatoes and Peas (Vegan)

10 Comments

If there ever was a way for watercress soup to be sexy, this would be it. Bunches of tender watercress are blended with potatoes, peas, ginger, scallions, and basil to make the perfect early summer soup.

Easy Watercress Soup with Potatoes, Peas, Ginger, and Basil - it's a healthy summer soup that's also gluten free! #vegan #glutenfree

A few months ago, I noticed something a little strange at the farmer’s market. At one of the farmer’s stalls, there was a fish bowl with 2 goldfish inside and some plants floating on top. “What is this?” I asked.

Aquaponic farming. Have you ever heard of it before? It’s pretty cool.

It’s a way of growing crops without soil. The plants are kept on a growing bed that is connected to a large fish tank, and water flows through both units. Fish waste provides nutrients for the plants, and the plants help clean the water for the fish to swim in. Besides creating an awesome ecosystem for the plants and the fish, aquaponic farming also uses less water than traditional farming. Pretty sweet, right?

One of the things that this aquaponic farm sells is watercress. Now, the way Mama Lin taught me how to cook watercress was by boiling it in a pot of water with some pork shoulder and seasoning it with some salt. I like it, but it’s definitely an acquired taste and it takes a longer time to make.

I googled a few watercress soup recipes, and landed on this one by David Lebovitz. My goodness, it was SO tasty. I quickly polished off the entire batch of soup in a few sittings and licked the bowl each time. To put my own spin to the recipe, I loaded the soup with ginger, scallions, and basil, which helped to brighten up the flavors. I also used less watercress so that the flavor of the cress would be more muted.

Save up a few bread pieces so that you can mop up all the soup in your bowl! I’ve also dipped my baked tortilla chips into the soup, and that was also scrumptious

Easy Watercress Soup with Potatoes, Peas, Ginger, and Basil - it's a healthy summer soup that's also gluten free! #vegan #glutenfree

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Variations: David Lebovitz’s recipe calls for a cup of peas. I tried two versions: one with the peas and one with 2 cups of baby spinach. I definitely preferred the version with the peas. The spinach, when blended, added a slightly slimy quality to the soup. I didn’t care so much for that.
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Watercress Soup with Potatoes and Peas

Easy Watercress Soup with Potatoes, Peas, Ginger, and Basil - it's a healthy summer soup that's also gluten free! #vegan #glutenfree

Adapted from David Lebovitz

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces (170g) watercress (leaves and tender stems only)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 pound (450g) potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 cups (950ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 1 cup (145g) peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup packed basil leaves (about 4 to 5 large leaves)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • coconut milk for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse watercress thoroughly. Set aside.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
  3. Add potatoes, broth, water, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook partially covered for about 10 minutes. The potato cubes should be easily pierced with a fork.
  4. Turn off the heat and add watercress, peas, scallions, and basil leaves. Keep stirring until the watercress has wilted. Let everything cool in the pot for 5 minutes before blending with an immersion blender or let everything cool for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing in a blender.
  5. Pour pureed soup back into the pot to reheat. Season with more salt and pepper, and serve with a splash of coconut milk, if desired.
  6. The soup will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Notes

Nutrition Information is for 1/5 of the recipe.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount per serving: Calories: 185, Total Fat 7.1g, Saturated Fat: 1.2g, Sodium: 642mg, Cholesterol: 0mg, Total Carbohydrate: 22g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4.4g, Protein 8.4g

Easy Watercress Soup with Potatoes, Peas, Ginger, and Basil - it's a healthy summer soup that's also gluten free! by @healthynibs

Summer Teriyaki Salmon Salad

12 Comments

This is summery salad is filled with vegetables, roasted potatoes, teriyaki salmon pieces, and tossed with a strawberry almond dressing. It’s the perfect weeknight meal!

Teriyaki Salmon Salad with Strawberry Almond Dressing - easy meal ready in 45 minutes! #glutenfree

Every once in a while, I like to ask my non-food blogger friends (I was about to call them “normal friends,” but that’s just weird) that if I could cater my blog content to them in any way, what would that look like? Their answer is always the same:

“I want to cook more at home, but I’m never prepared during the week. I wish there was some sort of guide with easy recipe ideas for dinner and a full shopping list so that I know exactly what to buy and how much. I hate buying something and only end up using very little of it.”

Well, wouldn’t it be cool if I came up with some sort of guide around this?

That’s exactly what I’m doing! Next month, I’m launching a four-week meal planning challenge and I want YOU to be a part of it! Every Friday, I’ll send you recipes for the following week, along with a shopping list. Most of the recipes will be ready to serve 45 minutes, and they’re all made with easy-to-find ingredients. The best part is that it’s all FREE! {UPDATE: The four-week challenge is over}

My goal for this challenge is to show you how easy it is to prepare healthy meals in less time than it takes to order takeout. (I swear, every single time I order food to be delivered to me, it takes over an hour.) This isn’t about weight loss—it’s about eliminating all that stress that goes along with wondering what to cook for dinner. Plus it would be fun for all of us to just cook together! If you are up for it, sign up here! {UPDATE: The four-week challenge is over}

Now, on to this salad. Not long after I developed the recipe for my shrimp spring rolls, I used the strawberry almond sauce as a dressing for a salad, and it tasted AMAZING. I made the salad into a meal by adding roasted potatoes and baked salmon, and all the flavors paired so well together. Honestly, I couldn’t stop talking about how delicious the salad tasted, until my husband interjected, “It’s good. I get it.”

Message communicated.

Teriyaki Salmon Salad with Strawberry Almond Dressing - easy meal ready in 45 minutes! #glutenfree

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Line baking sheet for the salmon: Make sure you line your baking sheet for the salmon! The teriyaki sauce will drip to the bottom of the baking sheet and will burn. To make cleanup easier, line the baking sheet.

Teriyaki Salmon Salad with Strawberry Almond Dressing - easy meal ready in 45 minutes! #glutenfree

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Summer Teriyaki Salmon Salad

Teriyaki Salmon Salad with Strawberry Almond Dressing - easy meal ready in 45 minutes! #glutenfree
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Roasted Potatoes

  • 1 pound (450g) yukon potatoes, scrubbed and chopped to 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Teriyaki Salmon

  • 1 pound (450g) salmon, sliced into 1/4-pound pieces
  • kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup of your favorite teriyaki sauce (or see recipe below)

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) low-sodium tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten free)
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (75ml) water, divided
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Salad

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup (140g) corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup (70g) peas (fresh or frozen)
  • salt
  • 6 cups of your favorite salad greens
  • strawberry almond dressing

Instructions

  1. Position oven racks to the top third and lower third slots. Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
  2. Toss potatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread potatoes on baking sheet and place potatoes on the upper third rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Season with potatoes with more salt and pepper, if desired.
  3. If you are making the teriyaki sauce, combine tamari, 1/4 cup water, mirin (if using), honey, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and set aside. Once the tamari mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and add cornstarch mixture. Let sauce simmer for an additional minute and turn off heat.
  4. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt on top of salmon pieces.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and place salmon pieces on top. Brush half of the teriyaki sauce on top of salmon. Place baking sheet on lower third rack. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Once the fish is done, pull it out of the oven and brush more teriyaki sauce on top. Once salmon is cool enough to handle, use a fork to break it up into flakes.
  6. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and cook for about 2 minutes, until the onions start to turn translucent. Add zucchini and a pinch of salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Add corn and peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Add more salt, if desired. Turn off heat.
  7. To prepare the salad, toss salad greens with potatoes, salmon, and sautéed vegetables with dressing. Serve immediately. If you want to make this salad ahead, don’t toss it with dressing.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Makes 4 Servings. Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394, Total Fat 16.5g, Saturated Fat: 2.4g, Sodium: 1500mg, Cholesterol: 50mg, Total Carbohydrate: 37g, Dietary Fiber: 6.5g, Sugar: 9g, Protein 29g

Teriyaki Salmon Salad with Strawberry Almond Dressing - easy meal ready in 45 minutes! by @healthynibs

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce

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These simple, fresh shrimp spring rolls are perfect for a summer gathering. It’s paired with a strawberry almond sauce that can double up as a salad dressing!

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! #healthy #glutenfree

Thank you Blue Diamond Almonds for sponsoring this post! These partnerships help keep me going in the kitchen!

We all know that summer is high time for barbecues, but can I let you in on a secret? I suck at grilling. Really, I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose that I can help someone flip a burger that’s already cooking on a grill, and that’s about it. Pathetic. So, if we’re ever going to the same summer party together (you never know), don’t expect me to bring the grilling essentials! I’ll leave that to the experts.

Fortunately, I have a good arsenal of recipes that I can contribute, like these shrimp spring rolls. Don’t let the folding intimidate you! They’re super easy to make. All you need is some rice paper, lukewarm water, some filling, and you’re ready to go!

I decided to pair these spring rolls with a fresh, naturally sweetened sauce. Strawberries are bonkers sweet right now, and they add such a beautiful color to anything. I added a tiny handful of Blue Diamond’s Lightly Salted Almonds to give the sauce a subtle nutty flavor. Nut butters tend to be very overpowering in dipping sauces, and I wanted the almonds to compliment rather than to mask over the strawberry taste. I think it was a good call!

Make these for dinner, or double up the recipe and bring them to your next gathering!

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! #healthy #glutenfree

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

There are a lot of notes for this recipe, so make sure to read through them!

  • Always keep the bottom board wet: Whatever you use as a surface to roll your spring rolls (I recommend a bamboo or wooden cutting board), make sure that it’s moist. This helps prevent the rice paper from sticking on to the board like glue. Right before I roll a new spring roll, I’ll dip my hands into the water bowl and scoop up a tiny bit of water to spread over the board. You don’t need too much, just enough so that the entire surface is wet.
  • Make sure to use larger rice paper sheets: I’ve been noticing that most stores out here in Sacramento carry the smaller rice paper sheets. They’re fine to use, but you can’t wrap much filling in there. I recommend using the larger, 10″ sheets for this recipe.
  • Don’t forget to warm the olive oil! You definitely want to start off with warmed olive oil for the sauce. It will cook the garlic and shallots and take out their raw bite. I forgot this crucial step the second time I tried this sauce, and I was wondering why I had such bad breath right after tasting it. (Too much information?)
  • Using the immersion blender is better for mixing the sauce: I tested this with my immersion blender, high-speed blender, and food processor. The immersion blender yielded the best, smoothest results, followed by the food processor.
  • Cut prep time by using pre-cooked shrimp: If you don’t have much time to prepare these spring rolls, buy pre-cooked shrimp at your grocery store. You won’t have to spend 15 minutes shelling, deveining, and cooking the shrimp!
  • If you are using an immersion blender to prep the sauce, make sure the almonds are at the bottom: I made the mistake of adding the chopped almonds last when I first tested this recipe. Because the almonds were at the top, I sent shards of almonds flying everywhere as I revved up the immersion blender. Don’t let that happen to you.
  • Rolling tip: When you are laying your vegetables over the rice paper, you want to leave a gap between the vegetables and the shrimp. That way, you the shrimp won’t be wrapped in two layers of rice paper, and your spring rolls will look much more vibrant. It’s just a presentation thing, but it matters when you are serving food for your guests! I picked up this technique from Betty’s Instagram feed.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! #healthy #glutenfree

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Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! #healthy #glutenfree
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 28 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

Strawberry Almond Sauce

  • 1/3 cup (75ml) olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 1/4 cup (40g) Blue Diamond lightly salted almonds
  • 1 1/2 cups (150g) hulled and quartered strawberries
  • juice from 1/2 lime (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • zest from 1 lime
  • pinch of salt

Shrimp Spring Rolls

  • 12 large (10″) rice paper sheets
  • lukewarm water
  • 1 large yellow pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 1/2 cups pea shoots (or sub with any greens)
  • 12 basil leaves
  • 20 cooked jumbo shrimp, halved horizontally

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat for about a minute. Turn off heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallots to hot oil. They should sizzle immediately. Let oil cool as you prep the spring rolls.
  2. Set up your assembly line of ingredients. Lightly wet a bamboo or wooden chopping board.
  3. Dip a sheet of rice paper into lukewarm water and rotate the rice paper until the entire sheet is moistened. Lay sheet on chopping board. Add the sliced peppers, carrots, cabbage, pea shoots and 1 basil leaf about 1/2 inch away from the edge of the wrapper. Lay 3 halves of shrimp (orange side down) about 1 1/2 inches away from the vegetables.
  4. Begin wrapping vegetables toward the center, until you reach the shrimp. Fold in left and right sides of wrapper. Continue rolling everything and seal the spring roll. Repeat for the remainder of the spring roll ingredients.
  5. Pour oil, garlic, and shallots into a wide-mouthed jar. Add almonds, strawberries, lime juice, lime zest and salt. Using an immersion blender, blend everything until smooth. Serve spring rolls with sauce.
  6. If you are making these spring rolls a few hours ahead, make sure to cover spring rolls with cling film. Otherwise, the rice paper wrappers will dry out.

Notes

Nutrition information includes 1/6 of the sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 12 spring rolls; 2 rolls per serving. Amount Per Serving: Calories: 241, Total Fat 14g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Sodium: 698mg, Cholesterol: 98mg, Total Carbohydrate: 19g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Protein 9g

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! #healthy #glutenfree

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Strawberry Almond Sauce - easy, healthy summer appetizer ready in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa

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These easy, healthy quinoa cakes are filled with mashed chickpeas, shallots, and scallions. The cakes are gluten free with a vegan option.

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal! #glutenfree

Eight years ago, one of my roommates introduced me to this thing called quinoa. At first, I was perplexed. Judging by the spelling, quinoa should be pronounced “keen-NOAH” and not “KEEN-wah.” Clearly. Then, I was skeptical. My roommate described quinoa as if it was some sort of miracle grain, and I wasn’t ready to believe that anything could be better than rice. Mama Lin would have felt the same way.

It wasn’t until I tried out a quinoa cake recipe from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day that I actually started to like quinoa. The method is very simple: mix some cooked quinoa, herbs, cheese, and eggs together, shape them into small cakes, and give them a quick pan fry. It was healthy comfort food that sustained me throughout law school.

I nearly forgot about those quinoa cakes until a few weeks ago, when my husband reminded me. I made fish cakes from Naomi Daguid’s Burma (best use of tilapia, by the way), and he asked me why I didn’t make those grainy cakes anymore. It took me a while to figure out exactly what he meant, but when I did, I decided to make those quinoa cakes the next day. They were every bit as good as I remembered them to be.

Drawing from the recipes in those two cookbooks, I came up with these quinoa cakes. I swapped out the cheese and herbs in Heidi’s recipe, and added mashed up chickpeas, shallots, ginger, and scallions—flavors that are ubiquitous in Burma. These cakes are extra special right off the pan with its crispy crust on the outside and delicate flavors on the inside. I’ve made so many batches of these cakes already, and we always finish them with no trouble.

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal! #glutenfree

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Why didn’t you wash the quinoa before cooking it? That’s what I say to myself every time I get too lazy to give the quinoa a rinse. The thing is, quinoa has this saponin coating on the outside that gives it a slightly bitter flavor. It comes off once you rinse it, so don’t skip that step! By the way, the best way to rinse quinoa is to wash it over a mesh strainer. It took me 6 years to figure out that one.
  • Vegan Option: I made these cakes without the eggs, and they tasted good, too. The only problem was that the cakes couldn’t hold their shape well sans eggs. Plus, I thought that the eggs gave the cakes more of a crisp on the outside.
  • Use a food processor. It will save you from tears, literally: I highly recommend using a food processor to blitz the chickpeas, shallots, and scallions together. I cry every single time I chop shallots. My handy dandy food processor saved me from a few tears!
  • Variation: I added 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric to a batch, and they added a lovely color and flavor.

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal! by @healthynibs

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Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal! #glutenfree

Inspired by the fish cakes recipe from Burma: Rivers of Flavor and quinoa cakes recipe from Super Natural Every Day.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cakes

Ingredients

  • 1 15.5-ounce (440g) can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 shallot bulb, roughly chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 3 scallions (or green onions), roughly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups (275g) cooked quinoa
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Mango salsa

  • 1 medium mango
  • 3 strawberries
  • squeeze of lime juice
  • small pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Add chickpeas, shallots, scallions, ginger, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the chickpeas form into a thick paste. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
  2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, chickpea mixture, and eggs.
  3. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape into a cake, about 3/4 inch thick. Set them on a plate or a baking sheet until you’re ready to cook them.
  4. Heat half of the olive oil in a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 5 cakes and pan fry each side for 4 to 5 minutes. Plate and repeat with remaining cakes. Add more oil if necessary.
  5. To make mango salsa, finely dice mango and strawberries. Mix in a small bowl with a squeeze of lime juice and a small pinch of salt. Serve with quinoa cakes.
  6. Serve quinoa cakes with mango salsa.

Notes

1. You can make the patties overnight. Put them on a plate, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. They’ll cook well straight out of the refrigerator. I’ve never tried freezing them.

2. You can also skip the eggs entirely, if you want to make these vegan. Do note that the cakes are more crumbly without the eggs.

Nutrition information includes 1/5 of the mango salsa.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 10 cakes; 2 cakes per serving. Amount per serving: Calories: 195, Total Fat 12g, Saturated Fat: 2.2g, Sodium: 413mg, Cholesterol: 74mg, Total Carbohydrate: 38g, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Protein 11g

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal!

Healthy Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas and Mango Salsa - these protein packed cakes are great as an appetizer or a meal! by @healthynibs

How to Pit Cherries Without a Cherry Pitter

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Need to pit a whole bunch of cherries for a tasty delicious pie? Here’s a quick and easy trick on how to pit cherries without a pitter! No mess, no stress.

How to Pit Cherries Without a Pitter - an easy trick + video tutorial!

Summer. So begins the days when we kick off our shoes and run through the sprinklers to stay cool…the days when our biggest task is finishing our ice cream before it melts in our hands…the days when cherries are finally in season!

My favorite way to consume cherries is to shove them in my mouth and spit out the pits, while engaging in contests to see who can shoot the furthest. But when I’m planning to cook with cherries, this shove-them-in-the-mouth method might not be the best.

I own this OXO cherry pitter, which works wonderfully, but I get that most people don’t want to own kitchen gadgets with a limited purpose. That’s why I want to show you this quick trick on how to pit cherries without a pitter.

All you need is an empty bottle and a chopstick. That’s it!

How to Pit Cherries Without a Pitter - an easy trick + video tutorial!

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Use a stick with a wider, round tip: Some chopsticks have a flat bottom and others are pointier. You’ll want to use the ones with the flat bottom because they’re easier to push against the cherry pit. I tried using a pointed chopstick the first time around, and the chopstick kept sliding off the pit.
  • Use any sturdy bottle: You don’t have to use a wine bottle for this—any sturdy bottle will do. You can also do this without a bottle: just stick the chopstick through the cherry, as if you were skewering it. However, I don’t like this method as much because it’s messier.
  • Does the cherry juice squirt all over when I do this? It shouldn’t! From my experience, the juice doesn’t squirt out from the top, and all the juice coming from the bottom of the cherry is all contained within the bottle. I have found using my OXO cherry pitter to be messier.

Now that you’ve pitted all these cherries, let’s cook with them! Here are a few recipes for your inspiration:

Black Forest Mousse - decadent, rich, and creamy vegan delight that's ready with FIVE ingredients only! #VEGAN #GLUTENFREEBlack Forest Mousse

Vegan Cherry Crumble #VEGAN

Vegan Cherry, Peach, and Blueberry Crumble


Cherry Bourbon Barbecue Sauce - no refined sugar! #GLUTENFREECherry Bourbon BBQ Sauce

I also have a tasty round-up of 15 healthy cherry recipes, in case you’re looking for more ideas!

If you try this kitchen trick, let me know! Also, if you have a few minutes, I would love it if you liked my video on YouTube or subscribed to my channel!

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How to Pit Cherries Without a Cherry Pitter

How to Pit Cherries Without a Pitter - an easy trick + video tutorial!

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

  • cherries
  • empty bottle
  • a chopstick with a flat bottom

Instructions

  1. Stem a cherry and place it on top of your empty bottle, with the top facing up.
  2. Hold on to the cherry as you place your chopstick above the cherry, where the stem used to be. Push down until you can feel the pit. Keep pushing until the pit goes through the bottom. The pits can be at an odd angle sometimes, and you might find that you’ve poked through the cherry without actually dislodging the pit. Check to make sure that the pit isn’t still stuck on the cherry before cooking.

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus

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This dry coppa wrapped asparagus is one of my favorite appetizers to make. They’re flavorful, ready in 15 minutes, and can be made with 5 ingredients or less.

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

Thank you Columbus Foods for sponsoring this post!

The thing that I find most charming about San Francisco is the uniqueness of each neighborhood. The Mission is aplenty with hipsters, tacos, bars, and coffee. In the Presidio, you’ll find endless stretches of natural green wonder with a nice dose of fog. Lots and lots of fog. Chinatown is where you’ll find people who appear to be arguing with each other but are actually carrying a perfectly normal conversation. All these pockets of the city add to its charm.

During my middle school years (my tweens) North Beach was like a second home. This “Little Italy” is nestled right in between the calming waters of the bay and hustle and bustle of Chinatown. A walk along the often sunny Columbus Street, and you’ll be sure to find a bevy of Italian flags, cafes, restaurants, and gelato parlors that I became all too familiar with. That small sliver of San Francisco is a haven for any food enthusiast.

I was so happy when Columbus Foods asked me to create a recipe with their craft meats. Not only have I been cooking with their meats for years, but I felt connected to the company because they were founded in North Beach! Nearly 100 years ago, the founders started air-drying salami in the neighborhood. The foggy climate of the city was just want they needed to make the perfect salami!

Many of us are having spring gatherings with friends and family, and with Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, I wanted to share a quick and easy appetizer recipe using Columbus’s dry coppa. The coppa is already thinly sliced when you buy it at the supermarket, which saves a lot of kitchen prep time. Plus, the asparagus cooks in just 8 to 9 minutes!

The roasted asparagus pairs so well with the savory and slightly peppery flavors of the coppa. Trust me, this will be a crowd pleaser!

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • How to Prepare Asparagus: I usually give the asparagus a quick rinse to get rid of the soil that’s stuck on the stalks. Then, I pat them dry. I’ll snap off the ends of the asparagus. I learned this tip from Ted Allen when he was on Queer Eye—the asparagus will naturally snap at the point between the part is good to eat and the part that’s too woody. For the purposes of these photos, I snapped and then trimmed the bottoms so that they looked neater.
  • Alternatives: Don’t have any asparagus at home? Try wrapping the dry coppa around sliced bell peppers. They taste great!

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

P.S. While you’re at it, try some of Columbus’s Felino and Hot Sopressata salami. It’s so delish.

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

If you make this recipe, let me know! Take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump!

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Dry Coppa-Wrapped Asparagus

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

This dry coppa wrapped asparagus is one of my favorite appetizers to make. They’re ready in 15 minutes and can be made with 5 ingredients or less.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 7 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 32

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • 2 packages of Columbus 3-oz. dry coppa
  • 2 bunches of asparagus (roughly 18 to 20 each bunch)
  • salt
  • pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Spray foil with oil spray and set baking sheets aside.
  2. Take the coppa out of the packaging and separate the slices.
  3. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus stalks. Wrap each stalk with a slice of coppa and set on top of prepared baking sheets.
  4. Spray asparagus with more oil spray, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and season with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you don’t have any asparagus around, try using sliced bell peppers! The cooking time is the same, and they taste great, too!

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

Thank you to Columbus Foods for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

Dry Coppa Wrapped Asparagus - easy appetizer ready in 15 minutes and made with just 5 ingredients! by @healthynibs

Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Noodles

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Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

When it comes to cooking, Mama Lin has taught me many things: how to pleat potstickers like a pro, how not to overcook my bok choy (she’s particularly picky about this), and how to peel an orange in less than 15 seconds. The most valuable lesson she’s taught me, though, is to be resourceful with my food. If you’ve ever met Mama Lin, you’ll know that she hates food waste. She saves the bones from a feast for soup broth; she dries pomelo skins to concoct a tasty herbal tea. Now that I’ve become my own cook at home, I’ve tried to adopt these lessons about being resourceful with food to my own cooking. That’s why I’m partnering with Earthbound Farm today to celebrate Earth Month and to show how to make the most out of the food we buy.

A lot of you may know this already, but food waste is a big problem in the U.S. I’ve read reports from the USDA that food waste amounts to 30 to 40 percent of our food supply! It boggles my mind that we’re spending so much time and resources to food that doesn’t end up being consumed. That’s why I want to share a few creative recipe ideas to make the most out of our food and to do our part to limit the amount of food we throw away.

Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

I love buying bunches of carrots at the farmers market, particularly because they come with those beautiful green tops. I know a lot of people (including my sister—tsk, tsk) who toss those greens away, but they’re great in an herb soup or a pesto sauce! Besides flavoring pasta dishes, the carrot top pesto is amazing on top of a pizza, too.

Aside from carrot tops, I’ve also included a handful of salad greens in this pesto. If you’re like me, you’ll open a package of salad greens in the beginning of the week, only to forget about it for days. By the time you dig out that package from the back corner of your fridge, you realize that the greens look less than optimal for a salad. Instead of just tossing them away, throw them into a green sauce or sauté them with other vegetables. They’ll add an extra bit of nutrition to whatever you’re eating.

Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

Let’s do our part to try to lower the amount of food waste by making simple changes to the way we cook. Every bit of our efforts can add up to make a big, positive impact to our food systems, and, ultimately, our earth. To get more tips on how to make more earth-friendly food choices, visit Earthbound Farm’s website and take their “How green is your cart?” quiz! For every quiz taken, Earthbound Farm will plant a tree (up to 20,000)! Isn’t that cool? Also, at the end of the quiz, you’ll get a $1 coupon that can apply to any Earthbound Farm product. Be sure to check it out!

Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Noodles - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Did you say miso in the ingredients? Yes! I love adding miso to my pesto sauces because it adds an umami flavor. If you don’t have any around, leave it out and just add salt.
  • Rinse carrot tops thoroughly: A lot of dirt gets trapped in carrot tops, so be sure to rinse them thoroughly!
  • Refrigerating the Pesto: The pesto does start to turn brown at the top after a day. Just give the sauce a quick stir before using it, and it should look green again.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment or sending me a message. Take a photo of the food and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump. Seeing your creations makes my day!

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Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Noodles

Carrot Top Pesto Pasta by @healthynibs
  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients

Roasted Carrots

  • 1 small bunch of carrots (should yield 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots)
  • 1/2 TBS olive oil
  • pinch of salt

Carrot Top Pesto

  • carrot tops from the bunch of carrots, (leaves and tender stems only – you should get about 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup Earthbound Farm Half & Half Baby Spinach & Baby Arugula Mix
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup shredded or grated parmesan
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 TBS water
  • 1 TBS lemon juice
  • 1 TBS miso paste
  • pinch of salt, if necessary

Pasta

  • 6 oz. gluten-free angel hair pasta
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced

Optional Toppings

  • freshly grated parmesan
  • freshly ground pepper
  • lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
  2. Peel carrots and slice them thinly on the diagonal. In a bowl, toss sliced carrots with a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread carrots on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven to cool.
  3. In a pot, bring a quart of water to boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Add pasta and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
  4. Rinse carrot tops thoroughly. In a food processor, blend all the carrot top pesto ingredients together. Taste to see if you need to add more salt.
  5. Trim ends of zucchini and cut into noodles using a vegetable spiralizer or a julienne peeler. Set aside.
  6. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Add pasta to pan and toss everything with 1/2 the pesto sauce. Feel free to add more sauce, if you like. Refrigerate remaining sauce for 1 to 2 days.
  7. Top pasta with roasted carrots, parmesan, pepper, and a bit of lemon juice.

Notes

1. I like using 1 tablespoon of miso paste in my pesto, but you can replace that with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.

2. Be sure to rinse the carrot tops thoroughly! I lot of dirt can get stuck in there!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Serves 3 to 4

Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Earthbound Farm.

Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

Vegan Tomato Soup

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Easy Vegan Tomato Soup that's ready in less than 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

I’m so not ready for it to be Monday already, yet here we are on tax day—my favorite day of the year. I suppose I can’t complain too much because I don’t handle my taxes. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not that great with numbers, and I’m worse at managing my finances. I’m just glad that I can shove those responsibilities to someone else.

I only deal with food, and, occasionally, art. Let’s move on to things that are slightly more in my wheelhouse.

I’ve been having serious cravings for tomato soup lately, and the only way I know how to deal with them is to make it myself. This recipe is lightly adapted from a tomato soup recipe I found on Chowhound. I made quite a number of modifications here, but the most significant one would be swapping heavy cream for light coconut milk. I had my doubts about whether the coconut milk would work, but you don’t actually taste it at all! If you don’t have coconut milk lying around, soy milk or almond milk will work, too.

Only 30 minutes stand between you and delicious and creamy vegan tomato soup. It’s tangy, creamy, and perfect as an appetizer or a meal on its own with some croutons.

Easy Vegan Tomato Soup that's ready in less than 30 minutes! by @healthynibs
Easy Vegan Tomato Soup that's ready in less than 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

Easy Vegan Tomato Soup that's ready in less than 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Be careful with the tomatoes: In the directions, I ask that you break up the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Be careful, though! The tomatoes are incredibly squirty (<—probably not a real adjective, but you get the picture).
  • Try to use a blender to mix the soup: Normally, I would use an immersion blender to blend soups right in the pot, but in this case, I highly recommend using a blender. The tomatoes squirt everywhere, and you’ll just create a huge mess if you use an immersion blender.
  • Cashew Cream: If you want to make cashew cream for topping the soup, soak 1/2 cup of cashews with boiling water for about an hour. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid, and drain the rest. Blend cashews with the water until smooth. You can also a bigger batch of cashew cream. Just remember you want a 1:1 cashew cream to water ration.

By the way, is it just me, or does the cashew cream drizzle on this soup look a bit like Bob Marley?

Vegan Tomato Soup 12

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump! Seeing your photos make my day!

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Vegan Tomato Soup

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This easy vegan tomato soup is the perfect appetizer. It’s ready in 30 minutes! Lightly adapted from Chowhound.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 28-oz. (800g) can of whole peeled tomoates
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (regular sweet paprika works, too)
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) light coconut milk

Optional toppings

  • freshly ground black pepper
  • basil leaves, julienned
  • cashew cream

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-low heat. When the pot is hot, add onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onions are soft. Stir often to keep the onions from burning.
  2. Add the entire can of whole tomatoes, including the liquid, and 1 cup of water. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently smash the tomatoes. Add dried oregano, dried basil, paprika, and a pinch of kosher salt. Raise the heat to medium and bring everything to boil. Let soup simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Let the soup cool off for 5 minutes before transferring to a blender to blend.
  3. Return soup to pot and stir in coconut milk.
  4. Serve in bowls with black pepper, basil leaves, and cashew cream, if you like.

Notes

To Make Cashew Cream: If you want to make cashew cream for topping the soup, soak 1/2 cup of cashews with boiling water for about an hour. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid, and drain the rest. Blend cashews with the water until smooth.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Makes 4 one-cup servings.

Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip

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Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

Thank you House Foods for sponsoring this post!

I once had a not-so-secret obsession with The Baby-Sitter’s Club. I suppose all girls who grew up in the 90s enjoyed a little bit of BSC, and we all identified with one character. For me, I wanted Dawn to be my BFF. She was from California, she was always the chill one in the group, and she loved tofu. She would have been the kind of girl who drank green smoothies before it was a thing. Can you see why we would have gotten along?

The one thing that didn’t do Dawn any favors was that she tended to eat her tofu in its raw glory. She was bound to make the other BSC girls squeamish. If I were in Dawn’s shoes, and I wanted to convince others to actually enjoy tofu, I would have dished up a fresh batch of teriyaki tofu. Nothing converts tofu skeptics better than some good pan-fried, sweet and saucy tofu. Trust me on this one.

To celebrate National Soyfoods Month, House Foods asked me to share a few healthy ways to enjoy tofu. I decided to showcase two easy tofu recipes that everyone—even people who claim to dislike tofu—will enjoy.

First up, I have a pan-fried teriyaki tofu that, in my opinion, is better than what I get at restaurants. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and it’s not overly greasy. This tofu is so tasty, even my meat-loving husband requested that I cook it several times in the last week! Next, I have an herbed tofu dip that’s made with spring herbs, tofu, and greek yogurt. I’m featuring the dip as a spread for the sandwich, but I also love it on my morning toast and as a protein-packed afternoon snack. Although the teriyaki tofu and the herbed tofu dip can be enjoyed alone, they taste phenomenal together in this sandwich. We’ve eaten several rounds of these sandwiches already, and we can’t get enough of it!

I think Dawn would have enjoyed these, too.

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • Prepping the teriyaki tofu: To get nicely pan-fried tofu with crispy edges, you’ll want to try and get moisture out of the tofu before you pan fry it. Make sure to wrap the entire block of tofu in paper towels and let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing into it.
  • Herbed tofu dip: I tried a version of this dip with a stalk green garlic instead of garlic cloves, and it tasted phenomenal! Feel free to play around with different herbs that are available to you right now.
  • How to use the rest of your soft tofu: You’ll only use about 1/3 of a package of House Foods soft tofu for this recipe. Use the leftovers for your next smoothie or a deconstructed vegan banana cream pie!

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump! Seeing your photos make my day!

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Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

Herbed tofu dip adapted from Food and Wine.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Makes 2 to 3 sandwiches

Ingredients

Teriyaki Tofu

  • one 12 oz. (340g) package of House Foods extra-firm tofu, drained
  • 1 TBS sesame oil
  • 2 TBS low-sodium tamari (use soy sauce if not gluten free)
  • 2 TBS maple syrup
  • 2 tsp mirin (optional)

Herbed Tofu Dip

  • 4.5 oz (125g) House Foods soft tofu
  • 2/3 cup (125g) low-fat greek yogurt
  • 1 cup packed (20g) cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup packed (10g) basil leaves
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • pinch of salt

Sandwich Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 slices of bread (I used gluten-free bread)
  • thinly sliced red onions
  • sliced red pepper
  • butter lettuce or your favorite greens

Instructions

  1. Wrap two paper towels around the tofu and set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prep the herbed tofu dip. Throw all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
  3. Stir tamari, maple syrup, and mirin in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Slice block of tofu into 6 slices. Over medium-high heat, heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. When the pan is hot, add tofu slices. The tofu should start sizzling as soon as it hits the pan. Fry each side for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. You can also brown the edges for about a minute. Plate fried tofu.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour teriyaki sauce into pan. Add tofu pieces back to the pan and cover them in the sauce. Turn off heat.
  6. Build your sandwich with the herbed tofu dip, teriyaki tofu, red onions, red pepper, and lettuce. If you are using small slices of bread, you’ll only want to use 2 slices of tofu. If you have a larger slice of bread, use 3 slices.
  7. Serve immediately.

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

Another big virtual hug to House Foods for sponsoring this post! I am so grateful to be able to work with brands that I trust and share recipes that I know you’ll enjoy. Please note that the link to the food processor is an affiliate link. 

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs
Gluten-Free Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich with Herbed Tofu Dip - ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect healthy lunch! by @healthynibs

Strawberries and Cream Oat Flour Waffles

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These simple gluten-free waffles are made with oat flour and topped with strawberries and homemade whipped cream! Plus, here’s a neat trick on how to make whipped cream in a jar!

Gluten-Free Strawberries and Cream Oat Flour Waffles - these waffles are paired with a homemade kahlua whipped cream that you make in a jar! (video tutorial) by @healthynibs

We’re working with magic today. Pure magic.

Pour heavy cream into a jar, give it a good shake, and, poof, fresh whipped cream in your jar! I first talked about this whipped cream trick last year with my churro waffles, but I really wanted to make a video so you could see how easy it is to make. Seeing is believing, right?

Why does whipped cream in a jar work? If you think about it, when we’re shaking heavy cream in a jar, we’re forcing air molecules to integrate with the cream, just like whisking heavy cream with a mixer. The longer we shake the jar, more the air bubbles will surround the fat in the cream and turn the liquid into a sturdy structure. It all seems like magic to me.

Now that I’m starting to see more strawberries pop up at my farmers’ market, I can no longer resist the urge to pick up a few baskets of them and bring them home. They’re still not quite in their peak season form yet, but I can’t care less. Those ruby berries are just calling my name!

Gluten-Free Strawberries and Cream Oat Flour Waffles - these waffles are paired with a homemade kahlua whipped cream that you make in a jar! (video tutorial) by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • When to stop shaking: When you start shaking the jar, you’ll hear the heavy jostling inside the jar. Stop ONLY when you can no longer hear anything moving inside the jar. This process usually takes me 3 to 5 minutes. I’ve seen some videos say that you can finish whipping the cream in 45 seconds, but that’s never long enough for me.
  • Let batter rest before cooking: When you’re working with gluten-free batters (whether they’re for waffles, pancakes, muffins, or breads), you want to let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before cooking it. Gluten-free flours need some extra time to absorb moisture. You may notice that the batter is very runny right after you mix it. If you let it sit for a little while, the batter will thicken.
  • Coconut Sugar: I tried making the waffles with regular sugar, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. The waffles made with coconut sugar are by far my favorite because of the golden color.
  • Adding chopped strawberries to the batter: I thought it would be a good idea to add some strawberry chunks into the batter, but my waffles didn’t turn out great. The chopped strawberries actually added too much moisture and made my waffles soggy.
  • Try to warm up the milk and use room temperature eggs: Because melted coconut oil hardens very quickly, I suggest using an egg that’s been left out at room temperature and warming up the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds before mixing up everything. It’s not essential, but I think the ingredients mix better this way.
  • Looking for more ways to enjoy the whipped cream? It also pairs very well with my churro waffles and soy milk pancakes.

Gluten-Free Strawberries and Cream Oat Flour Waffles - these waffles are paired with a homemade kahlua whipped cream that you make in a jar! (video tutorial) by @healthynibs

If you like my whipped cream video, I would love it if you could give it a thumbs up on YouTube! For the latest updates on my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel! Also, if you try making any part of this recipe, let me know! Take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump!

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Strawberries & Cream Oat Flour Waffles

Gluten-Free Strawberries and Cream Oat Flour Waffles - these waffles are paired with a homemade kahlua whipped cream that you make in a jar! (video tutorial) by @healthynibs
  • Author: lisa lin
  • Prep Time: 15 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4-5 waffles

Ingredients

Whipped Cream

    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 3 TBS powdered sugar (any sugar works)*
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • splash of Kahlua (optional)

Waffles

  • 1 3/4 cups (220g) oat flour
  • 2 TBS coconut sugar (any sugar works)
  • 1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 TBS melted coconut oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/3 cups (315ml) low-fat milk (I used 2% milk)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • cooking spray
  • 10 to 15 large strawberries, sliced

Instructions

  1. Pour whipped cream ingredients into a jar. You want to make sure that the jar is not full after you pour in the cream. You want it to be 1/3 or 1/2 empty. Shake jar for 3 to 5 minutes, until you can no longer hear any liquids jostling inside. If you hear a little bit of liquid still shaking inside, it’s NOT ready! Keep shaking. Chill whipped cream in refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Stir in coconut oil, egg, milk, and vanilla until well combined. A few small lumps are okay. Let batter rest for 10 minutes. Heat your waffle iron to medium-high.
  3. Spray your waffle iron with cooking spray and pour in about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of batter. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the waffle are golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
  4. Top waffles with sliced strawberries and serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Refrigerate leftover whipped cream in the jar for up to 3 days.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount Per Waffle (without whipped cream): Calories: 330, Total Fat 14g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Sodium 359mg, Cholesterol: 40mg, Total Carbohydrate: 42g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 11g, Protein 10g

*1. If you’re using regular sugar for the whipped cream, I would use between 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons.

2. I like using coconut sugar for the waffles because it gives everything a deeper golden color. Feel free to use whatever sweetener you have on hand. Liquid sweeteners will work, too.

2. Because the melted coconut oil hardens very quickly, I suggest using an egg that’s been left out at room temperature and warming up the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds before mixing up everything. It’s not essential, but I think the ingredients mix better this way.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 0
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

 

Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp

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Would you believe me if I told you that this scrumptious vegan microwave apple berry crisp is ready in less than 10 minutes? YES! It’s so easy, you have to try it!

Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp - a delicious crisp that is ready in under 10 minutes! (gluten-free)| healthynibblesandbits.com

Thanks to the sponsors of Blog Brûlée for partially funding my attendance at the conference! I received a discounted registration to the event in exchange for writing this post. I was not compensated for my time.

The microwave. A college student’s best friend. How many times have you used the microwave to:

cook cup o noodle dinners;
reheat coffee to stay awake for the all-nighters;
revive greasy Chinese/Mexican food to cure drunken munchies; or
make a cup of tea because even boiling water on the stove is too much effort?

No need to feel embarrassed. We’ve ALL been there.

Well, at least I have.

In an interesting turn of events, the microwave has turned from being my vehicle for churning out cheap college eats to a true kitchen apprentice. It is my go-to weapon for melting chocolate in a hurry, cooking lasagna when I have an appetite for only a small portion, and making “fried rice” when I’m too lazy to wash pots and pans.

Today, we talk desserts.

Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp - a delicious crisp that is ready in under 10 minutes! (gluten-free)| healthynibblesandbits.com

Admittedly, I created this recipe because I have no idea where some of my pans ended up during my move to Sacramento. They’re under this roof somewhere, I can sense it. I just can’t take opening up another box or suitcase to unpack, especially when I have fun travels ahead of me.

Tomorrow, I’ll be hopping on another jet plane to attend Blog Brûlée at Smugglers’ Notch! As some of you know, I post a recipe for The Recipe Redux once every month. Well, Blog Brûlée is an invitation-only conference for members of The Recipe Redux and contributors to Healthy Aperture (a food gallery site curated by dietitians). Since joining The Recipe Redux over a year ago, I’ve had the pleasure to connect with a great group of dietitians and healthy food bloggers. So when I got the invitation to attend Blog Brûlée earlier this year, I said yes in a hurry. It’s also my chance to finally visit Vermont, so how can I say “no” to an opportunity like that?

I feel like I know a lot about these bloggers from following and commenting on their blogs all the time. But actually making a face-to-face connection with my blogger friends is what I thrive on the most. I’m looking forward to getting to know these blogger friends more over the weekend while making s’mores over an open fire. I’m squealing with excitement over here.

Until then, let’s take a moment and enjoy a quick microwave crisp together.

Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp - a delicious crisp that is ready in under 10 minutes! (gluten-free)| healthynibblesandbits.comMASTER LISA’S MISTAKES (AKA COOKING NOTES)

  • Whenever you’re using the microwave to cook, it’s a good idea to lay a sheet of paper towel underneath the bowl you’re using. You never know when spills will occur!
  • The bowl is going to be hot, hot, hot when the crisp is done cooking. Make sure to use an oven mitt or a thick towel to help you remove the bowl from the microwave. You don’t want to get burned like I did!
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Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp

Vegan Microwave Apple Berry Crisp - a delicious crisp that is ready in under 10 minutes! (gluten-free)| healthynibblesandbits.com

Making a crisp has never been this easy. This vegan apple and berry crisp is ready in under 10 minutes! All you need is your bowl, your microwave, and a sweet tooth! Serves 1 to 2. Adapted from Averie Cooks.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Category: vegan, gluten-free dessert

Ingredients

Fruit Mixture

  • 1/2 large apple, thinly sliced (I used a mutsu apple)
  • 1/2 TBS maple syrup
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)

Crisp

  • 1 1/2 TBS vegan butter spread or coconut oil, melted
  • 1 TBS light muscovado sugar (or light brown sugar)
  • 3 TBS rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 TBS almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • ice cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Toss sliced apples, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger together. Arrange apple slices in a shallow, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle berries on top of apples. If you are using frozen berries, run it through warm water to quickly defrost and give them a gentle squeeze to wring out excess water.
  2. In another bowl, mix melted vegan spread, sugar, oats, almond flour, cinnamon, and ground ginger together. The mixture should feel gritty. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruits.
  3. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. If the berry juices are bubbling, the crisp is done. If the crisp isn’t quite ready yet, microwave it for another 30 seconds. All microwaves are different, so make sure to check at around the 1 1/2 minute mark for doneness.
  4. Use a pot holder or oven mitt to remove crisp from the microwave. The bowl will be HOT! Serve with a scoop of vegan ice cream if you like.

Notes

1. Adapted from Averie Cooks. [br][br]2. You can also use butter for the crisp if you’re not making a vegan version.[br][br]3. I like to use muscovado sugar for cooking because it’s less refined. However, regular brown sugar will work very well here too.[br][br]4. If you don’t have any almond flour on hand, gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour will work too.

LIKE THE VEGAN MICROWAVED APPLE BERRY CRISP? TRY THESE:

Meals in a Mug from healthynibblesandbits.com1. Egg Fried Rice in a Mug
2. Spinach Ricotta Lasagna in a Mug 

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto

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Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.com

While I was on the Whole30, there was one dish that I wanted more than anything else. It had nothing to do with chocolate. Or peanut butter. Or dirty Chinese food. (Yes, that surprised me, too.)

All I wanted was to sink my teeth into a BIG tomato galette. A galette with a crust so flaky, it would leave golden brown crumbs all over my lips. I don’t pretend to be a dainty eater.

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.com

Now that the Whole30 is in the rearview mirror, my food porn daydreams can finally come to life. So let’s grab all the lush, ripe heirloom tomatoes that we can get our hands on and have a baking party!

Gluten-Free Galette Crust | healthynibblesandbits.com

First, the crust. I haven’t talked about this much on the blog yet, but reintroducing wheat into my diet has been a bit of a problem for my tummy. I can feel my body working harder to digest wheat, and there’s some discomfort in my stomach. More on this in my recap post, but suffice to say, I’m going to try to keep things gluten-free here for a little bit longer.

I don’t know anything about baking a gluten-free galette, but I’m so glad that my friend Sarah does. She made this beautiful apricot galette with a lovely flaky crust, and it looked like it would be perfect for my tomato version. The dough was a bit tricky for me to roll out and to fold over, but the extra effort is worth it. The flakiness of the crust was spot on, and I couldn’t tell that it was gluten-free!

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.com

And yes, I know that this crust contains 8 tablespoons of butter. The standard formula for a galette is 1 1/4 cups of flour to 8 tablespoons of butter, and I didn’t want reinvent the wheel and tinker with the formula. Instead, I lightened up the toppings with a healthier kale pesto and a small sprinkling of cheese on top.

I waited 4 weeks to make this flaky delight, and it was so worth the wait!

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.comMASTER LISA’S MISTAKES (AKA COOKING NOTES)

  • Read the ingredients carefully because I didn’t. Instead of adding 3 tablespoons of tapioca flour, I added 3 tablespoons of xanthum gum to the mixture my first time around this recipe. Bad call.
  • Even though you’re rolling the dough out on parchment paper, make sure to flour it. You’ll be able to lift the dough easier.
  • “But Lisa, what if I don’t want to bother buying all those different types of flour?” No worries. As a food blogger, I tend to get carried away with food experimentation. You can make the dough with 1 1/4 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp of xanthum gum, 8 tablespoons of butter, and 4 to 6 tablespoons of iced water. You can also use regular all-purpose flour if not gluten free.

When you make this recipe, be sure to share your creation with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and use #hnbeats! I love it when you share your photos with me!

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.com

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Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto

Gluten-Free Heirloom Tomato Galette with Kale Pesto - a delicious savory galette with a flaky gluten-free crust! | healthynibblesandbits.com

This delicious summery galette is filled with ripe heirloom tomatoes and kale pesto and set on top of a super flaky gluten-free crust. Savor the flavors of summer! Serves 6 to 8.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Category: gluten-free

Ingredients

Dough (adapted from Snixy Kitchen)

  • 1/3 cup (50g) oat flour
  • 1/4 cup (45g) white rice flour
  • 1/4 cup (45g) brown rice flour
  • 1/4 cup (40g) quinoa flour
  • 3 TBS tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
  • 1/2 tsp xanthum gum
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes.
  • 4 to 6 TBS iced water

Kale Pesto

  • 1/2 cup packed kale leaves (2 large kale leaves)
  • 1/2 cup packed basil leaves (small handful)
  • 2 TBS pine nuts (or walnuts)
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 2 TBS parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 TBS water
  • 1/2 TBS miso
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Tomato Filling

  • 10 oz heirloom tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh yellow corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup (20 to 30g) parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix oat flour, white rice flour, brown rice flour, quinoa flour, tapioca flour, xanthum gum, and salt together.
  2. Using a pastry cutter, incorporate the butter into the flour. When the pastry cutter gets clumped up, just use your fingers to break up the dough. Continue cutting the butter until the butter pieces are no bigger than the size of peas. You can also do this step by using a food processor or your hands to mix ingredients until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
  3. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of cold water to the bowl and stir ingredients with a fork or with your hands. You should see a very crumbly dough. Squeeze a small handful of dough together with your hands. If the dough stays together in one piece, your job is done. If the dough is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of water and stir. Keep doing this until your dough can clump up together.
  4. Gather all the dough pieces together in a ball and flatten it into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. While the dough is chilling, slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay them over a dish or a baking sheet that is lined with paper towels. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt on top and set aside.
  6. Prepare the kale pesto by blitzing all the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
  7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
  8. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Sprinkle some white rice flour on top and flour your rolling pin. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it until you get a circle that is about 12 inches wide. If the dough starts sticking to the pin, flour the pin more or sprinkle some flour directly on the dough. Trim off the uneven edges of the dough if you like. Slide the parchment paper on top of the baking sheet. I find it easiest to transfer the dough to the baking sheet at this stage.
  9. Spread the pesto all over the dough, making sure to leave about 1 1/2 inches of space around the perimeter. Pat the tomato slices dry and lay them on top of the pesto spread. Sprinkle on corn kernels and parmesan cheese.
  10. Fold in the edges of the galette. The dough was a bit crumbly for me and there were a few cracks here and there. I pinched the dough together along these cracks to close it up.
  11. Crack the egg and beat it. Brush egg wash on the galette crust.
  12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheesy is bubbly.
  13. Let galette cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. Dough recipe adapted from Snixy Kitchen.[br][br]2. If you trimmed off any of the crust, you can bake it to make some super buttery crackers. Be careful though—these pieces will be done sooner than the galette. Pull them out when they are a nice golden brown.[br][br]3. SUBSTITUTIONS: If you’re not gluten-free, just make the dough by mixing 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 8 tablespoons of butter, and 4 to 6 tablespoons of iced water together. You can also use 1 1/4 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp xanthum gum.

 NOTE: This post contains affiliate links to some of the ingredients I used for this recipe. I’ve included them here in case those ingredients are difficult for you to find in grocery stores.

Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips

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Summer Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips - gluten-free, whole30, paleo, vegan | healthynibblesandbits.com

transition (n.)

  1. the process of moving from one state of being to another;
  2. the process of packing your life into boxes and unleashing them into your new home;
  3. the gradual shift in seasons

As I write this post, I’m surrounded by a sea of cardboard boxes, stacks of books and papers, and a huge pile of food magazines that I’m not entirely ready to party ways with just yet. I need a Marie Kondo type to come into my home and tell me that I don’t need to keep all 100 books I’ve collected over the last 2 years. If any of you have decluttering skills, come on over and help a sister out.

Summer Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips - gluten-free, whole30, paleo, vegan | healthynibblesandbits.com

If there is a single dish that represents this current transition period of mine, it would have to be this soup. It’s jam packed with fresh summer herbs that give the soup lightness in flavor, but it’s also a soup that will ease you into fall.

Summer Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips - gluten-free, whole30, paleo, vegan | healthynibblesandbits.com

When you look at the ingredients, you’ll notice that there is a healthy amount of mint in here. This was my first time adding so much mint leaves into a soup, and I LOVE the subtle sweetness that it brings. Finally, these freshly baked mushroom chips that are perfect with the soup. It gives the soup just the right amount of flavor and crunch.

Let’s all make this soup and celebrate these transitional moments together!

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Summer Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips

Summer Green Soup with King Oyster Mushroom Chips - gluten-free, whole30, paleo, vegan | healthynibblesandbits.com

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

A light green soup that is packed with summer herbs and vegetables and topped with crisp mushroom chips. It’s the perfect late summer soup! Serves 4 to 5.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Category: soup, appetizer, vegan, paleo

Ingredients

Soup

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup light or full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 1/3 cups cilantro (about half a bunch)
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • 3/4 cup fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint
  • 2 stalks green onions
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • 3 TBS unsweetened apple cider
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mushroom Chips

  • 190g king trumpet mushrooms, sliced at about 1/8-inch thick
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

Optional Toppings

  • chopped toasted hazelnuts
  • paprika
  • cashew cream*

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread mushrooms all over the baking sheets. Brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the mushrooms are crispy. After about 25 minutes, rotate the baking sheets and swap the position of the baking sheets on the racks. Make sure that they are completely crisp before pulling them out of the oven.
  2. Bring water to boil in a large saucepan Once water boils, stir in coconut milk and let the liquids simmer on medium-low heat.
  3. Blend cilantro, spinach, basil, mint, green onions, almonds, oil, apple cider, jalapeno pepper, garlic, lemon, and a teaspoon of salt in a food processor. You should get a nice creamy mixture in 1 to 2 minutes. You may need to scrape the sides of the food processor bowl to get all the herbs blended.
  4. Pour mixture into simmering liquids and stir until the ingredients are well mixed. Turn off the heat. Add more salt (if desired) and freshly ground black pepper. If the soup still has large chunks of herbs in there, you can pour all contents into a large blender to blend, or you can use an immersion blender.
  5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the soup. Top green soup with chopped hazelnuts, mushroom, paprika, cashew cream.
  6. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. The soup can be served chilled, too!

Notes

1. Green soup adapted from Vegetarian Times. King Oyster Chips adapted from Nom Nom Paleo.[br]2. *For the cashew cream, you’ll want to use a blend that is equal parts water and cashews (e.g., 1/2 cup water to 1/2 cup soaked cashews).

Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca

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This naturally sweetened watermelon strawberry agua fresca is the perfect way to refresh yourself on a hot summer’s day! 

Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca - super simple, five-ingredients | healthynibblesandbits.com

Hello from Colorado, friends!

Yes, I’m on another vacation because it’s the summer of Lisa, and I’m milking every minute of it. My to-do list this weekend is short and sweet:

Drink
Hike
Eat
Laugh
Drink

I hope your weekend will look a little something like that, too.

Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca - super simple, five-ingredients | healthynibblesandbits.com

Before I sail off into the sunset with a pint of microbrew, let’s talk about this perfect summer beverage.

When I was still wee little Lisa, my favorite beverage in the world was fruit punch. In particular, Hawaiian Punch. More specifically, Hawaiian Punch in powdered form. I mixed 4 tablespoons of it to a cup of water. I used my fingers as a dipstick and stuck them straight into the jar of powdery red brilliance. That punch was the stuff that childhood dreams were made of. I downed that sugary mix as my tongue turned brighter red by the minute. Hawaiian Punch: the ambrosia for 5 year olds.

My Hawaiian Punch days were over the day I learned to read nutrition facts labels. The sugar high was not worth the 50+ grams of sugar per can nor the constant visits to the scary dentist who liked to drill into my teeth. See what age does to your reasoning abilities?

Now, I my bevvies of choice are naturally or mildly sweetened. (But I do have a higher tolerance for sugar when alcohol is involved. No surprise there.) You’re not going to find a single spoonful of sugar in these watermelon strawberry agua frescas. Just nature’s candy.

Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca - super simple, five-ingredients | healthynibblesandbits.com

I know kids are already making their way back to school now, but I’m still hanging on to my final days of summer.  There’s no better way to enjoy the last days of summer than with a load of fresh watermelon and watermelon facials. You mean you don’t massage your face with the watermelon rind like I do? It’s completely awkward but also unbelievably refreshing. You really only need five ingredients for this recipe: watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, apple cider, and water. The rest is just garnish to make you drinks all fancy. Paper straws are a must, and you get bonus points if you use color-changing straws.

Go forth: drink, refresh, and be merry!

Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca - super simple, five-ingredients | healthynibblesandbits.com

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Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This recipe serves 4 to 5. You can easily double this recipe to make a larger batch.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Agua Fresca

  • 5 cups (500g) cubed watermelon
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1 TBS lime juice
  • 3/4 (180ml) cup unsweetened apple cider
  • 2 cups (480ml) water
  • ice cubes

Optional Garnish

  • lime slices
  • cucumber slices
  • mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Blend watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, apple cider, and water until smooth. Taste to see of the sweetness is to your liking. Feel free to add more watermelon or apple cider if you want a sweeter beverage.
  2. You can serve the drink immediately or refrigerate it for an hour to let the flavors set. If you are refrigerating it, I like to add some cucumber slices and a few sprigs of mint to the agua fresca to give it more flavor.
  3. Serve agua frescas with ice and garnish with lime slices, cucumber slices, and mint leaves.
  4. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Sugar-Free Watermelon Strawberry Agua Fresca - super simple, five-ingredients | by @healthynibs