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30 Minutes or Less

Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

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close-up overhead image of bang bang shrimp bowl with cucumber, edamame, pickled red onion, and white rice

For a quick, easy, and delicious dinner – make these perfect bang bang shrimp bowls! Crispy cooked shrimp is tossed in a spicy, tangy bang bang sauce, then spooned over rice and a variety of veggies. Whip together this restaurant-quality meal in under 15 minutes, I promise you won’t regret it!

bang bang shrimp bowl with shrimp, cucumber, edamame, and pickled red onion

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Shrimp – Do yourself a favor and purchase peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe. Then, if the tails haven’t already been removed, go ahead and remove them before cooking the shrimp. If left one, the shrimp tails are a nightmare to remove once covered in bang bang sauce. So, make life a little easier and strip those shrimp before cooking!

Harissa Paste – Harissa is chili paste commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s delightfully spicy and loaded with delicious flavor. You should be able to find harissa paste at your local grocery store in either the spice aisle or ethnic food aisle. Though if you can’t find harissa paste available for purchase, there are a few homemade recipes floating around on the internet, such as this one.

Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos – A touch of soy sauce adds a bit of tang to our bang bang shrimp sauce. It’s the perfect addition to help round out the savory flavors! Though if you’re paleo or currently on Whole30, feel free to use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce in this recipe. It’ll provide that same irresistible briny flavor!

Cooked Rice – Use whatever kind of rice you’d like! White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice… you get the idea. The use of cauliflower rice makes for a great low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 option!

Top Tips

  • Get the avocado oil in your skillet hot before adding in the shrimp. We want a nice, golden brown and crispy crust on our shrimp, and can only achieve this by cooking them in very hot oil. And thanks to the use of high heat, the shrimp will only take a few minutes per side to cook!
  • You can make this bang bang shrimp recipe in the air fryer if you’d like! To do this, simply add your shrimp to an air fryer basket, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, then cook at 400° Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Once shrimp is fully cooked, toss in the bang bang sauce and continue with the recipe as normal.
  • Ditch the bowls and serve this easy seafood dish however you’d like! Poke each shrimp with a toothpick to serve as a delicious appetizer. Or, place in lettuce wraps for super healthy bang bang shrimp tacos!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo/Whole30 – For a paleo or Whole30 meal, be sure to use compliant mayo, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cauliflower rice in place of white or brown rice.

Make it Gluten-Free – The only ingredient in this dish which contains trace amounts of gluten is the soy sauce. Therefore, use tamari in place of the soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free, I promise you won’t be able to taste the difference!

Make it Vegan – Fry up some cubed tofu in a bit of avocado oil (similar to how you would the shrimp) then use a vegan mayo for your sauce. Once the tofu’s crispy, add it to your sauce and serve it over bowls of rice and veggies!

Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls
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Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Main, AppetizersDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

For a quick, easy, and delicious dinner – make these perfect bang bang shrimp bowls! Crispy cooked shrimp is tossed in a spicy, tangy bang bang sauce, then spooned over rice and a variety of veggies. Whip together this restaurant-quality meal in under 15 minutes, I promise you won’t regret it!

Ingredients

  • For the shrimp:

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or any neutral vegetable oil

  • pinch of salt

  • For the bang bang sauce:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or coconut aminos

  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

  • For the bowls:

  • Cooked white or brown rice

  • Scallions, chopped

  • Pickled veggies

  • Sesame seeds

  • Cucumber, thinly sliced

  • Edamame

Directions

  • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt, then place in skillet and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until opaque and slightly crispy.
  • Mix together all bang bang sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked shrimp to bowl and toss to coat in sauce.
  • Place bang bang shrimp over bowls of rice, and finish off with whatever other toppings you’d like.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Fresh and Easy Guacamole Salsa

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close-up image of guacamole salsa with chips on the side

Super fresh and addictive guacamole salsa is the perfect game day, party, or potluck appetizer! Simple, yet delicious ingredients are blended into a smooth and creamy dip. Enjoy this guacamole salsa with crispy tortilla chips, or sliced carrots and celery for a healthy snack!

guacamole salsa in a bowl with chips on the side along with tomatillos and a sliced avocado

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Tomatillos – These little green Mexican tomatoes are sold in most grocery stores. They’re wrapped in a papery green husk, that’s easily peeled away to reveal a beautiful, bright green tomato. To prepare your tomatillos for this dish, simply peel away the husk. Then, give each tomatillo a good rinse before using them in this recipe!

Jalapeño – A whole jalapeño may seem like a lot, but trust me, it yields very little spice in this guacamole salsa! One jalapeño is perfect for a mild salsa, while two is ideal for a medium salsa, and three for a full-blown spicy salsa. So pick your poison and add as many jalapeños as you’d like!

Avocados – Select three medium to large avocados for this recipe. The key to any avocado is making sure it’s ripe, but not overly ripe, before eating. The best way to tell whether an avocado is ripe is by giving it a gentle squeeze. If the skin feels firm, but gives just a little bit, then the avocado is perfect! Though if it’s hard (feels like you’re squeezing a rock), then it’s not yet ripe – store at room temperature for another day or two before it’s ready.

Cilantro – A large handful of cilantro gives this guacamole salsa its delicious, fresh flavor! Cilantro also has a number of great health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, is a proven antibacterial, and has even been studied to reduce the risk of heart disease. You’ll want to wash your cilantro well under cold water before using in this, or any recipe. Once clean, gently pat it dry with a dish towel before slicing and removing the stems. Then, toss the cilantro leaves into a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.

Top Tips

  • Boil the tomatillos and jalapeño until they’re soft and are easily pierced with a fork. Not boiling enough will make them tough to blend, and boiling too much will cook off some of their delicious flavor. Therefore, just about 10 minutes in boiling water is all they’ll need.
  • After you’ve blended your guacamole salsa, give it a taste! At this point, you can adjust the flavors in this recipe based on your preferences. Sometimes an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon juice is all your dip needs!
  • Serve this easy app any way you’d like! I love enjoying mine with a big ole’ bowl of grain-free tortilla chips for a healthy, yet delicious snack. Though for an even healthier option, serve your salsa with some fresh cut veggies such as carrots, celery, and/or bell peppers!

How To Store It

To keep this guacamole salsa looking bright green and fresh, follow the storage steps below:

  1. Place in an airtight container, but do not secure the lid just yet.
  2. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and place it over the container, gently pressing down until it comes in contact with the top of the salsa. Ensure that all of the exposed salsa is in contact with and covered by the plastic wrap.
  3. Then, secure lid on top of the container before storing it in the fridge for up to three days!

When ready to serve, simply remove the lid and plastic wrap, then give everything a gentle stir before enjoying.

Fresh and Easy Guacamole Salsa
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Fresh and Easy Guacamole Salsa

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: AppetizersCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Super fresh and addictive guacamole salsa is the perfect game day, party, or potluck appetizer! Simple, yet delicious ingredients are blended into a smooth and creamy dip. Enjoy this guacamole salsa with crispy tortilla chips, or sliced carrots and celery for a healthy snack!

Ingredients

  • 10 tomatillos, husked and washed

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and deveined

  • 3 avocados, peeled and pitted

  • 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil tomatillos and jalapeño until soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Strain tomatillos and jalapeño from water, then add to a high-speed blender or food processor with remaining ingredients.
  • Blend until smooth, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Skillet Salmon Recipe

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sun dried tomato salmon recipe in a skillet with while wine and fresh parsley on the side

Perfectly seared salmon in a creamy sun dried tomato sauce, ready in under 30 minutes! This simple weeknight meal requires just one skillet and comes together in a flash. The perfect recipe when you’re craving seared salmon, with lots of delicious flavor!

creamy sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe in a skillet with fresh parsley and lemon slices on top

Main Ingredients

Salmon Fillets – I used and recommend Atlantic salmon for this recipe. Atlantic salmon is buttery, flaky, and totally delicious. It’s pretty common, and shouldn’t be hard to find at your local grocery store or seafood counter. Sockeye is another very common type salmon, and will work in this recipe, but won’t cook up nearly as tender as Atlantic salmon. Sockeye salmon is quite lean, with a meatier consistency and a stronger fish flavor. Though feel free to use your favorite type of salmon in this dish!

Sun Dried Tomato Oil – Sun dried tomato oil is simply the oil found in a jar of sun dried tomatoes. Some sun dried tomatoes are sold dry and in bags, but for this recipe, you’ll want to get the jarred kind! That luscious oil the tomatoes are packed in is loaded with incredible flavor. However, if you can’t find sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, you can simply replace the sun dried tomato oil with a more mild olive or avocado oil.

White Wine – Any dry white wine will work in this salmon recipe! I used an extra dry Pinot Grigio and had perfect results. Though any white wine with either “dry” and/or “crisp” in the description will taste great. My favorite part of cooking with wine, is getting to pair a glass of it with my finished dish – yum!

Unsweetened Creamer – I used my dairy-free coffee creamer to make the sauce extra thick and velvety smooth. Though any cream/creamer will work here, just as long as it’s unflavored and unsweetened. If you’re not dairy-free, feel free to use heavy cream or whole milk instead.

Top Tips

  • Serve up this simple one-pan salmon recipe any way you’d like! I enjoyed mine over some brown rice and OMG it was delicious. I even used the ready-to-eat microwaveable brown rice to make this easy dinner recipe even easier to make!
  • If you have a cast-iron skillet, use it! Cast-iron does an incredible job at circulating heat and will create an irresistible golden crust on your salmon fillets. Though if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, my recommendations are (in order) a stainless steel, ceramic, or non-stick skillet instead.
  • Love the idea of a creamy sun dried tomato sauce, but don’t love salmon? Simply turn this salmon recipe into a one-pan chicken recipe! To do this, replace the salmon fillets with four thinly sliced chicken breasts. Cook them just as you would the salmon, only increasing the cook time to ensure the chicken is completely cooked through.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy Free – Either use my dairy-free coffee creamer like I did, or 1/2 a cup of full-fat coconut milk in place of the creamer!

Make it Non-Alcoholic – For a wine-free version, simply sub the white wine for 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth, plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. The broth will add flavor, while the lemon juice brightens things up!

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Skillet Salmon Recipe
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Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Skillet Salmon Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Perfectly seared salmon in a creamy sun dried tomato sauce, ready in under 30 minutes! This simple weeknight meal requires just one skillet and comes together in a flash. The perfect recipe when you’re craving seared salmon, with lots of delicious flavor!

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons sun dried tomato oil, see Notes

  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced

  • 1 shallot, chopped

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened creamer I used my homemade non-dairy coffee creamer

  • 2 cups baby spinach

  • fresh parsley or basil, for serving

Directions

  • Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel then evenly season with salt and pepper.
    • sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe step 1
  • Heat sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, place salmon fillets in skillet with the skin-side facing up. Cook salmon for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Remove salmon from skillet and set aside.
    • sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe step 2
  • Reduce heat to medium and add shallots, cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in sun dried tomatoes and garlic, cook for another 2-3 minutes.
    • sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe step 3
  • Pour in white wine and simmer for 3 minutes or until the liquid has slightly reduce. Pour in creamer and baby spinach, cook until spinach has wilted.
    • sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe step 4
  • Nestle salmon fillets back into skillet, spoon sauce over each fillet and simmer until warm – about 2 minutes.
    • sun dried tomato skillet salmon recipe step 5

Notes

  • Sun Dried Tomato Oil: Sun dried tomato oil is simply the oil from a jar of sun dried tomatoes. If your sun dried tomatoes didn’t come packed in oil, use olive oil or avocado oil instead.

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30 Minutes or Less

Green Blender Juice (How to Make Juice Without a Juicer)

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green blender juice being poured into a glass, garnished with a lemon slice

The quickest and easiest way to make your own green juice in a blender – no juicer necessary! A refreshing blend of green veggies, a touch of ginger, and a hint of green apple make this homemade juice not only palatable, but actually delicious. No fancy equipment or juicer is needed for this simple and super healthy recipe!

green blender juice being poured into a glass, garnished with a lemon slice

What You’ll Need For This Recipe

Blender – I used my for this green juice recipe. It’s certainly an investment, but my gosh is it powerful! The is a total work horse and if you ask me, worth EVERY penny. I even purchased mine “reconditioned,” which is just a fancy way of saying “used,” and it’s so far lasted me four years and three moves! However, if you don’t have a Vitamix and don’t feel like investing in one at the moment (I get it), you can simply use whatever blender you have. And if your blender isn’t large enough to fit all the fruit and veggies at once, simply split the recipe up into two batches.

Nut Milk Bag or Fine Mesh Strainer – I purchased my very inexpensive nut milk strainer bag off Amazon 5+ years ago. If you don’t own a nut milk bag, you have two options. You can either buy one, which happens to be my recommended option, since it’s also an important tool in my dairy-free coffee creamer recipe! Or, you can use a fine mesh metal strainer instead. Though beware, a metal strainer won’t catch nearly as much pulp as a nut milk bag will, resulting in a grainier green juice.

Fresh Vegetables – Any and all fresh vegetables are welcome to this green blender juice party! The specific ones we use are cucumber, celery, kale, fresh ginger, lemon, and some green apple for a hint of sweetness. I highly recommend purchasing organic produce for this recipe, since there’s no cooking involved to kill off any gnarly chemicals. Also, since everything’s being blended together – simply give the vegetables a couple quick chops, nothing too precise.

Top Tips

  • Store the fresh fruits and vegetables in the fridge before making your juice. This’ll ensure it blends up extra cold and refreshing! Warm green juice is OK, but definitely not nearly as enjoyable as cold green juice.

  • Get innovative with the pulp from your green blender juice! Add it to smoothies, popsicles, or I’ve even seen people use it in baked goods. It’s always a goal of mine to be as low-waste as possible in the kitchen, so if all else fails, I’ll simply add my leftover pulp to the compost pile.

  • Any fresh, homemade juice is best enjoyed immediately after making! This is when the most vitamins and minerals are available, leading to more nutrients to fuel your body and leave you feeling amazing. However, you can store any leftover green juice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Other Tasty Additions

Feel free to add or substitute your favorite fruits or veggies, such as:

  • Carrots
  • Beets
  • Oranges
  • Pineapple
  • Lime Juice
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Pears
  • Turmeric
Green Blender Juice (How to Make Juice Without a Juicer)
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Green Blender Juice (How to Make Juice Without a Juicer)

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

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Total time

10

minutes

The quickest and easiest way to make your own green juice in a blender – no juicer necessary! A refreshing blend of green veggies, a touch of ginger, and a hint of green apple make this homemade juice not only palatable, but actually delicious. No fancy equipment or juicer is needed for this simple and super healthy recipe!

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber, chopped

  • 1 bunch celery, chopped

  • 2 green apples, chopped

  • 1 bunch kale, chopped

  • 1-inch piece ginger, peeled

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 1 cup water

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
  • Place a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour juice through bag or strainer. Squeeze out as much juice as possible and discard pulp.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • No need to remove any seeds or stems from your fresh fruits and vegetables! Simply run a knife through everything, making it just small enough to blend.

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30 Minutes or Less

Baked Oats

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Baked Oats Recipe

This popular Baked Oats recipe is a healthy, easy-to-make breakfast option that requires only a couple of key ingredients. Have it plain or mix it up with chocolate chips, peanut butter or protein powder – there are so many versatile ways to make this baked oats recipe to your liking!

Baked Oats Recipe

I guess we should thank TikTok for this popular baked oats recipe! I never would have thought to blend oats and turn it into a type of oatmeal breakfast cake ’til now. These bake nicely in ramekins (which is what I use) or a muffin pan for individual servings, but you can bake it in a larger batch in a casserole dish if you want to serve to the whole fam!

Main Ingredients & Substitutions For Baked Oats

  • Rolled Oats – This is the main ingredient needed for this recipe, but you can use quick oats or oat flour instead. 

  • Mashed Banana – This adds flavor, sweetness and moisture to the recipe. 

  • Egg – Or you can make it vegan by using a flax egg!

  • Honey or Maple Syrup – Adds an extra touch of sweetness to the baked oats.

  • Baking Powder – This helps the baked oats rise while baking.

  • Pinch of Salt

Optional Add Ins

  • Chocolate Chips

  • Cocoa Powder

  • Peanut Butter

  • Protein Powder

  • Vanilla Extract
Baked Oats
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Baked Oats

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

This popular Baked Oats recipe is a healthy, easy-to-make breakfast option that requires only a couple of key ingredients. Have it plain or mix it up with chocolate chips, peanut butter or protein powder – there are so many versatile ways to make this baked oats recipe to your liking!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

  • 1 Banana (mashed)

  • 1 Egg

  • 1 Tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • 1 Pinch of Salt

  • Optional Add-Ins:

  • 2 Tablespoons Chocolate Chips

  • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder

  • 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter

  • 1 Tablespoon Protein Powder

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease an oven-safe ramekin.
  • Place all ingredients (except chocolate chips, if using) in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour batter into prepared ramekin and bake for 20-25 minutes, let cool for about 10 minutes before eating.

Notes

  • To Store: Keep well in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge.
  • To Freeze: You can freeze the baked oats before or after baking and it will keep for up to 3 months.

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