oatmeal bites

no bake and secretly nutritious.

• 1 1/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup nut butter

• 1/4 cup flax or chia seeds (or a combination)

• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 scoop unflavored or vanilla protein powder

• splash of milk (almond, oat, dairy, whatever)

• 1/2 cup mix ins: mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins + dash cinnamon, 1/4 cup white chocolate chips + 1/4 cup craisins

combine all ingredients, leaving the milk out. refrigerate for 30 minutes. add milk until the consistency is easily formed into balls. keep refrigerated.

spicy shrimp stew

variably spicy to your taste. serves 4 with rice or cauliflower rice. adapted from the NY Times’ Shrimp Creole.

• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined - I like medium or large

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce, no salt added

• 1-2 tsp hot sauce (optional)

• 1 tsp granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp each: thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder

• 1 tsp each: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil

• 2 bay leaves

• sliced scallions for serving

in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. add the flour and whisk constantly to form a smooth roux, about 5 minutes.

increase the heat to medium. add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about another 5 minutes. add the garlic and cook for another minute.

add 1/3 cup water, tomato sauce, hot sauce if using, sugar, all spices, and bay leaves. cover and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pot. add the shrimp and simmer until opaque, about 5 minutes. take off the heat, cover, and leave standing for 5 minutes.

serve with scallions and rice. watch out for the bay leaves.

lemon artichoke chicken and rice

artichokes are one of those things that you either love or hate. weird, but I love them. serves 4.

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 12 ounces artichoke hearts (jar or can), drained and quartered if they aren’t already

• 1 cup white rice

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 oz. feta cheese crumbles

Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté for two minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper, and sauté for an additional minute. The chicken will not be cooked through and that’s ok.

Add the artichokes, rice, broth, water, and lemon juice to the skillet. Stir to combine and then cover. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let it rest for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir and garnish with feta cheese.

sausage and rice skillet

love this recipe for meal prep - easily doubled if you have a large Dutch oven. serves 4.

• 14 ounces precooked sausage (I like cheddar or Andouille)

• 1 tbs canola oil or other neutral cooking oil

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp each oregano, thyme

• 1/4 tsp each garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper

• 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes

• 1 cup. long grain white rice

• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• sliced scallions and shredded cheddar cheese to serve

slice the sausages into 1/4” thick pieces. add the sausages and oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat until browned. don’t worry if you have little brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

add the onion ad bell pepper and sauté for an additional minute. add the spices and mix well. add the tomatoes (don’t drain), rice, and chicken broth. scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.

cover the skillet, bring the heat to medium-high, and allow to boil. once boiled, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. after the 20 minutes, remove from heat and rest an additional 5 minutes with the lid on.

mix well and top with scallions and cheddar to serve.

broccoli cheddar soup

a wintertime staple. add shredded cooked chicken for some extra protein. makes 6 generous servings.

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 cups broccoli, chopped small

• 3 carrots, chopped into semicircles or matchsticks

• 6 tbsp butter or equivalent

• 6 tbs AP flour

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 3 cups milk (dairy or unsweetened/unflavored nondairy) or half and half, or some combination

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Add the butter and onion to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent. Add the flour and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Using a whisk, add the vegetable broth and combine well. Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir until the broth reaches a gravy-like consistency.

Turn the heat back down to medium and add the milk and spices. Simmer again. Add the broccoli and carrots, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Turn heat down to medium-low and stir in the cheese.