Tag

easy

Browsing
30 Minutes or Less

One-Pan Hunan Chicken

By
close-up overhead image of hunan chicken in a skillet.

Seriously flavorful and delicious restaurant-style hunan chicken! Bites of tender chicken and stir-fried veggies tossed in a savory hunan sauce. Super quick and easy to make, ready in just 15 minutes!

overhead image of hunan chicken in a skillet with sesame seeds and sliced green onion on top.

What is Hunan Chicken?

Hunan Chicken is a healthy, popular Chinese-American dish made with pieces of tender chicken stir fried with veggies and tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. This dish originates from the Hunan province of China and is traditionally hot, spicy and loaded with chilies. In this Hunan Chicken recipe, you can control the spice level by adding as much chili paste as you like.

close-up image of hunan chicken in a skillet.

What You’ll Need To Make Hunan Chicken

Chicken Breasts – This dinner recipe starts with one to two pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breast. To prepare them, start by patting each chicken breast dry with a paper towel, then thinly slice them into bite-sized pieces. Once cut, season them well with salt and black pepper, before coating in corn starch, then stir-frying!

Corn Starch – Coating this hunan chicken in corn starch before cooking will help each piece cook up a whole lot crispier and delicious! However, if you don’t have corn starch, you can certainly use arrowroot starch or tapioca starch instead. And if you’d like to cut down on the amount of corn starch, you can leave it off the chicken pieces, and instead add just a tablespoon of starch to the sauce ingredients. You’ll need at least a tiny bit of starch in this recipe, to help thicken up the sauce.

Soy Sauce – Any kind of soy sauce you’d like will work! If gluten-free, be sure to use tamari instead of soy sauce. Tamari is the gluten-free equivalent to soy sauce. Or, for a healthier option, use 1/3 cup of coconut aminos instead.

Fish Sauce – Most hunan chicken recipes are made with oyster sauce, which is a thick, dark sauce made of soy sauce, oyster extract, and sugar (lots of sugar!). So to make this classic recipe just a bit healthier, I swapped out the oyster sauce for a tablespoons of honey, plus a teaspoon of fish sauce. The honey helps to sweeten things up, and the fish sauce gives this dish its signature briny flavor. I also figured, while neither oyster or fish sauce are super common in most kitchens, fish sauce would be a bit easier to get your hands on!

hunan chicken on a plate over rice.

Tips and Tricks

  • If you have a wok, use it! Wok’s cook quickly, and heat to a higher temperature, which is perfect for this stir-fry recipe. However, if you don’t own a wok (it’s ok, I don’t either), use either a large stainless steel or cast-iron pan instead.
  • Once done, if the sauce isn’t as thick as you’d like it to be, then add in some corn starch. But don’t simply add the corn starch in by itself. Instead, whisk 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until dissolved. Then, pour that corn starch slurry into your sauce and give it 2-3 more minutes to thicken.
  • Serve this hunan chicken however you’d like! I enjoyed mine over cauliflower rice for an extra healthy meal. Though it also tastes delicious over white rice, brown rice, or even quinoa!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo: Turn this into a paleo chicken stir-fry by using tapioca starch instead of corn starch, and coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.

Make it Vegan: Make a hunan tofu by replacing the chicken breasts with a large block of extra-firm tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes! Also, leave out the fish sauce, and replace the honey with maple syrup.

Hunan Chicken
Pin
Print

Hunan Chicken

5 from 3 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Seriously flavorful and delicious restaurant-style hunan chicken! Bites of tender chicken and stir-fried veggies tossed in a savory hunan sauce. Super quick and easy to make, ready in just 15 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

  • salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup corn starch, or tapioca starch

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • 1 cup broccoli florets

  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced

  • 1 zucchini, sliced

  • For the hunan sauce:

  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce, or tamari if gluten-free

  • 1-2 tablespoons chili paste

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional

Directions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper, then toss in a bowl with corn starch until evenly coated.
  • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken 2-3 minutes per side or golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  • Add broccoli, bell pepper, and zucchini to skillet – sauté for 5-6 minutes or until tender, but still crisp.
  • While veggies cook, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Add cooked chicken back into skillet along with the sauce, reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Summer Fruit Crisp

By
Overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

A healthy fruit crisp loaded with fresh summer fruits! The perfect warm-weather dessert, best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Super easy to make with just one bowl, in 30 minutes.

Close-up overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

What You’ll Need to Make Summer Fruit Crisp

Summer Fruit – I used fresh blueberries, strawberries, and peaches in my summer fruit crisp, but any fruit will work! Feel free to use whatever you have on-hand, or whatever’s on sale at the grocery store that week. The only thing to note is, whichever fruit you use, make sure it totals to about 5-6 cups for this recipe.

Maple Syrup – This healthy dessert recipe is sweetened with maple syrup! It’s refined sugar-free and honestly so healthy you could get away with eating it for breakfast.

Rolled Oats – Any type of rolled oats will do – old-fashioned, quick cook, etc. The only type of oats you’ll want to avoid for your fruit crisp topping are whole oats, steel-cut, or Irish oats.

Almond Flour – The almond flour keeps this recipe gluten-free! However, if you don’t have almond flour, or want to make this nut-free, you can replace the almond flour with all purpose flour.

Butter or Coconut Oil – Use whichever you prefer in your crisp! I typically just use whichever I have on-hand. Coconut oil is obviously the healthier option, but butter adds a bit more flavor, which I love.

Overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Keep this recipe simple! You’ll only need one bowl, which is used to first mix together the filling, then the crisp. There’s no need to dirty any extra dishes for this healthy dessert recipe.
  • This summer fruit crisp is best served warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top. Though feel free to serve it however you’d like. On its own is delicious, or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream – yum!
  • Store leftover fruit crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If enjoying leftovers, I recommend reheating in the microwave for just about 30 seconds before eating.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: Use either non-dairy butter, or take the coconut oil option in the crisp.

Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free dessert, replace the almond flour with 1/2 cup of all purpose flour.

Healthy Summer Fruit Crisp
Pin
Print

Healthy Summer Fruit Crisp

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

A healthy fruit crisp loaded with fresh summer fruits! The perfect warm-weather dessert, best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Super easy to make with just one bowl, in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

  • For the filling:

  • 2 cups blueberries

  • 2 cups sliced strawberries, or raspberries

  • 2-3 peaches, pitted and sliced

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For the crisp:

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • pinch of salt

  • 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, solid

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Mix together all filling ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer to a 9-inch baking dish.
  • Mix together all crisp ingredients in a large bowl (you can use the same bowl you used to make the filling), then evenly sprinkle crisp over top of the filling.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fruit is soft, then let cool slightly before serving.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

How to Cut a Watermelon (3 ways!)

By
Showing a watermelon cut 3 ways.

Three quick and easy ways to cut a watermelon! Cubes, triangles, or sticks – serve up that big, juicy watermelon whichever way you’d like. I even included a few tips on how to pick a perfectly ripe watermelon!

Watermelon cut into sticks with bowls on the side.

How to Tell if a Watermelon is Ripe

  • Weight – A ripe watermelon will be pretty heavy. This is simply because it’s loaded with delicious, sweet juices! So if you pick up two even-sized watermelons and one feels heavier than the other, definitely go with the heavier one.
  • Color – Look for a watermelon with a big ole’ yellow spot! That yellow spot is where the watermelon laid on the ground while it grew. A large yellow spot is a good indicator that the watermelon had plenty of time to ripen on the vine.
  • Sound – Pick up the watermelon and give it a gentle, yet firm slap. Listen for a hollow sound – if the watermelon sounds hollow, then that means it’s bursting with tons of juice! However, if it sounds dull, or feels at all mushy, then pass on that watermelon.

How to Cut a Watermelon – 3 ways!

Watermelon cut into cubes in a bowl with fresh mint.
Close-up image of watermelon cut into cubes.

Cubes

  1. Using a sharp knife, slice about 1-inch off each end of the watermelon, then stand the watermelon up on one cut end.
  2. Slice off watermelon rind, sliding your knife from top to bottom, following the shape of the watermelon. Continue to work your way around the watermelon until rind is fully removed.
  3. With the watermelon still standing upright, make 1-inch lengthwise slices down the watermelon.
  4. Set half of those slices aside, then take the other half and lay them flat on your cutting board. Make 1-inch lengthwise cuts through this stack of slices, then rotate the stack 90° and make 1-inch cuts perpendicular to the other cuts you just created.
  5. Transfer that cut and cubed watermelon to a bowl, then repeat with the other half until all is cut.

OR freeze your cubed watermelon and use it to make my 3-ingredient WATERMELON MARGARITAS!

Watermelon cut into triangles on a serving platter with fresh mint and lemon.
close-up image of watermelon cut into slices.

Triangles

  1. Lay the watermelon on its side and use a sharp knife to cut down the middle, creating two halves.
  2. Place one half with the flesh-side facing down, then create 1-inch cuts lengthwise down the watermelon.
  3. Take one slice, and lay it flat on your cutting board. Make two diagonal cuts (in opposite directions) through each slice, creating three watermelon triangles from each slice.
  4. Continue this same process with remaining slices.
Watermelon cut into stick with lemon on the side.
Watermelon cut into sticks with bowls on the side.

Sticks

  1. Lay the watermelon on its side and use a sharp knife to cut down the middle, creating two halves.
  2. Place one half with the flesh-side facing down, then create 1-inch cuts lengthwise down the watermelon.
  3. Rotate your watermelon 90° on the cutting board, then make 1-inch cuts perpendicular to the other cuts you just created.
  4. Repeat this process for the other watermelon half, then serve.
Watermelon cut three different ways on a serving platter.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use a very sharp knife to cut your watermelon! A dull knife makes it much harder, and more dangerous. Dull knives are more prone to slipping and sliding when trying to cut (because they’re not sharp enough to cut through the watermelon) and a slip of your knife could result in an injury.
  • Beware of watermelon juice! A perfectly ripe watermelon, while delicious, will release a ton of juice. Therefore, cut watermelon is best served in a bowl, rather than on a plate, to help contain all that liquid.
  • These cutting techniques will work on any kind of watermelon! Seedless, mini, or even those watermelons with the orange/yellow flesh can all be cut the same way.

Interested in More Helpful How-Tos? Click HERE.

How to Cut a Watermelon (3 ways!)
Pin
Print

How to Cut a Watermelon (3 ways!)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SnacksDifficulty: Easy

Three quick and easy ways to cut a watermelon! Cubes, triangles, or sticks – serve up that big, juicy watermelon whichever way you’d like. I even included a few tips on how to pick a perfectly ripe watermelon!

Ingredients

  • 1 watermelon

Directions

  • Cubes
  • Using a sharp knife, slice about 1-inch off each end of the watermelon, then stand watermelon up on one cut end.
  • Slice off watermelon rind, sliding your knife from top to bottom, following the shape of the watermelon. Continue to work your way around the watermelon until rind is fully removed.
  • With the watermelon still standing upright, make 1-inch lengthwise slices down the watermelon.
  • Set half of those slices aside, then take the other half and lay them flat on your cutting board. Make 1-inch lengthwise cuts through this stack of slices, then rotate the stack 90° and make 1-inch cuts perpendicular to the other cuts you just created.
  • Transfer that cut and cubed watermelon to a bowl, then repeat with the other half until all is cut.
  • Triangles
  • Lay the watermelon on its side and use a sharp knife to cut down the middle, creating two halves.
  • Place one half with the flesh-side facing down, then create 1-inch cuts lengthwise down the watermelon.
  • Take one slice, and lay it flat on your cutting board. Make two diagonal cuts (in opposite directions) through each slice, creating three watermelon triangles from each slice.
  • Continue this same process with remaining slices.
  • Sticks
  • Lay the watermelon on its side and use a sharp knife to cut down the middle, creating two halves.
  • Place one half with the flesh-side facing down, then create 1-inch cuts lengthwise down the watermelon.
  • Rotate your watermelon 90° on the cutting board, then make 1-inch cuts perpendicular to the other cuts you just created.
  • Repeat this process for the other watermelon half, then serve.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

La Scala Chopped Salad aka “The Kardashian Salad”

By
close-up overhead image of la scala chopped salad

The La Scala chopped salad is widely known as a Kardashian favorite – and it’ll quickly become your favorite, too! Super quick and easy to make, with only a handful of simple ingredients. Make this famous Los Angeles salad at home in just 5 minutes.

overhead image of la scala chopped salad in a bowl with parmesan cheese on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make the La Scala Chopped Salad

Lettuce – Any crunchy lettuce will work! La Scala uses iceberg lettuce, but I prefer romaine (it has more flavor, in my opinion). Whatever lettuce you use, chop it into small pieces – just like La Scala does!

Chickpeas – Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then add to your salad. Chickpeas offer a nice bit of protein to this easy lunch recipe. However, if you don’t have chickpeas, feel free to use any white bean you’d like. Navy beans or cannelloni beans would also taste great!

Italian Salami – Chopped Italian salami adds so much flavor to La Scala’s chopped salad. I recommend using deli salami, and slicing it into strips. Or, you can buy a whole salami, then fully slice it yourself! For a vegetarian/meatless salad, simply leave the salami out.

Mozzarella Cheese – Fresh shredded mozzarella is best, but pre-shredded works as well!

dressing being poured over la scala chopped salad.

Tips and Tricks

  • To meal prep this salad, simply make the salad and divide it between four containers. Then, whisk together the dressing and store separately. When ready to eat, pour dressing over your salad and enjoy!
  • This La Scala chopped salad is gluten-free! However, if you want a little extra crunch, a small handful of croutons makes a delicious addition to this salad.
  • This “Kardashian” salad recipe is also great for a crowd! Toss together in a big bowl, then bring it to your next potluck or dinner party. Everyone will go crazy for this hearty and oh-so satisfying side dish!
la scala chopped salad in a bowl with a fork.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For a completely plant-based La Scala salad, simply leave out the salami and swap the cheeses for your favorite vegan cheeses. I love Myoko’s Cashew Milk Mozzarella and Violife’s Vegan Parmesan Cheese!

Make it Dairy-Free: Similar to the vegan options, either swap out the cheeses for your favorite non-dairy cheeses, or leave them out of this salad recipe altogether.

La Scala Chopped Salad aka "The Kardashian Salad"
Pin
Print

La Scala Chopped Salad aka “The Kardashian Salad”

3 from 26 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

10

minutes

The La Scala chopped salad is widely known as a Kardashian favorite – and it’ll quickly become your favorite, too! Super quick and easy to make, with only a handful of simple ingredients. Make this famous Los Angeles salad at home in just 5 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 head lettuce, finely chopped (iceberg, romaine, etc.)

  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

  • 1/2 pound Italian salami, chopped

  • 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

  • For the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss.
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Drizzle dressing over salad right before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

One-Pot Mexican Soup

By
overhead image of Mexican soup with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and tortillas on top.

This hearty Mexican soup is full of fresh, delicious flavor! The perfect quick and easy dinner recipe to throw together on a busy weeknight. Requires only a handful of simple ingredients, cooked in one pot, in just 30 minutes!

overhead image of Mexican soup with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and tortillas on top.

What You’ll Need to Make Mexican Soup

Chicken – This recipe calls for chicken breasts, but really any cut of chicken will work. My one recommendation when it comes to buying your chicken, is to make sure it’s boneless and skinless. This’ll make the cooking and dicing process much easier! Also, for a vegan/vegetarian Mexican soup, check out the “Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs” section below.

Chicken Broth – I used chicken bone broth in my Mexican soup for an extra boost of nutrients. However, any chicken broth, or even chicken bouillon dissolved in water will do the trick. And if you don’t have chicken broth, feel free to use vegetable broth instead.

Taco Seasoning – Two tablespoons of taco seasoning load this soup up with TONS of delicious flavor! This addition makes this recipe even easier to throw together. Though if you don’t have taco seasoning, feel free to use a combo of your favorite Mexican spices. I love smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.

Jalapeño – While optional, I love throwing in a diced jalapeño for extra flavor and spice! However, for a mild soup, try just half a jalapeño. Or, feel free to leave it out altogether.

mexican chicken soup in a bowl with a spoon.

Tips and Tricks

  • I highly recommend doubling this recipe! Leftover Mexican soup tastes just as good, and is easy to reheat and enjoy all week long. Heck, you can even freeze it for up to three months!
  • For a heartier meal, add rice! I love adding in a cup or two of cooked rice to my soup. And to keep things super easy, I typically opt for a pre-cooked microwaveable rice.
  • You can also make this Mexican soup in the Instant Pot! To do that, use the sauté function to cook up with veggies. Then, add the remaining ingredients, seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken, dice it up, then add it back into your soup – that’s it!
close-up overhead image of Mexican soup with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and tortillas on top.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: For a vegan or vegetarian Mexican soup, replace the chicken with two cans of your favorite beans – I love either black beans or navy beans! Also, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Make it Gluten-Free: While mostly gluten-free, make sure the taco seasoning you use is 100% gluten-free as well!

One-Pot Mexican Soup
Pin
Print

One-Pot Mexican Soup

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

5

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

This hearty Mexican soup is full of fresh, delicious flavor! The perfect quick and easy dinner recipe to throw together on a busy weeknight. Requires only a handful of simple ingredients, cooked in one pot, in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 celery stalk, chopped

  • 1 carrot, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 quart chicken broth

  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

  • 1-2 pounds chicken breast

  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

  • salt, to taste

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, Add in the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and jalapeño. Cooked 4-5 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
  • Add in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, chicken, taco seasoning, and salt.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pot, dice into ½-inch pieces, then transfer back into pot. Stir to combine then serve warm with fresh cilantro, lime juice, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By