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30 Minutes or Less

Thai Fried Rice with Chicken

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thai fried rice in a bowl.

A wholesome and delicious Thai chicken fried rice, ready in under 20 minutes! This healthy one-pan dinner is bursting with flavor. Fresh, savory, hearty, and oh-so satisfying – who doesn’t love a good fried rice?!

Thai fried rice in a pan with fresh thai basil on top

What You’ll Need To Make This Thai Fried Rice

Chicken – Either chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, or tofu will taste amazing in this Thai-inspired recipe. Or, you can easily omit the protein altogether. I chose chicken since it’s a crowd-favorite. But for other proteins, simply slice them into small strips or cubes, then season and cook them just as you would the chicken. For shrimp, beef, and pork adjust the cook time until they’re cooked through. Then, for tofu, simply cook until golden brown and crispy.

Cooked White Rice – The key here is cooked and cooled rice. Leftover rice works especially well since it’s dryer, meaning it’ll cook up even crispier. However, if you don’t have leftover rice, simply make a batch of rice and then leave it to cool, uncovered, for as long as possible before using it in this stir-fry. The less moisture present in your cooked rice, the better. And while white rice tastes the best in this recipe, feel free to use brown rice instead.

Oyster Sauce – What is oyster sauce, you ask?? It’s a thick brown sauce comprised of oyster juices, sugar, and salt. It’s sweet, with a hint of savory, and doesn’t at all taste like oysters in my opinion. Oyster sauce works to balance out the intensely savory flavors of this Thai fried rice.

Thai fried rice in a serving bowl with a fork and a spoon

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo/Grain-Free: For a paleo meal, use cauliflower rice in place of the cooked white rice in this recipe. Also, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos and the oyster sauce with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.

Make it Gluten-Free: Most of this dish is already gluten-free, though to guarantee it’s gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with tamari. Tamari is the gluten-free equivalent to soy sauce and tastes exactly the same!

Make it Vegan: For a vegan Thai fried rice, replace the chicken with cubed extra-firm tofu, and leave out the eggs. Also, replace the oyster sauce with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

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Thai Fried Rice with Chicken

A wholesome and delicious Thai chicken fried rice, ready in under 20 minutes! This healthy one-pan dinner is loaded with flavor. Fresh, savory, hearty, and oh-so satisfying – who doesn’t love a good fried rice?!
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 cups cooked white rice, see Notes

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, use tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, see Notes
  • 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce or chili paste

Instructions

  • Season sliced chicken with salt and pepper on all sides.
  • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  • Add ginger, garlic, white part of green onion, and carrots to the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, tossing frequently, until carrots are tender.
  • Push veggies to one side of the skillet and pour whisked eggs into the other side. Gently scramble eggs until fully cooked, then combine with the veggies.
  • Add rice to skillet and mix together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then pour sauce into skillet as well.
  • Cook for about 2 minutes or until everything is coated in sauce, then stir in green part of green onions and cooked chicken, serve warm.

Notes

  • Rice: You can use brown rice, white rice, or even cauliflower rice in this recipe.
  • Oyster Sauce: If you can’t find oyster sauce, you can use hoisin sauce or brown sugar in its place.

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Quick and Easy Kale Caesar Salad

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    dressing being poured over kale caesar salad

    This kale caesar salad is bursting with fresh flavor! It’s hearty and super satisfying, but won’t leave you feeling weighed down. Fuel up on this healthy and delicious restaurant-quality salad for lunch or dinner!

    caesar dressing being poured over a kale caesar salad

    What You’ll Need

    Kale – Duh! It wouldn’t be a kale caesar salad without it. There’s a pretty large variety of kale out there, and really any kind will work in this recipe. I used curly kale, but dino kale tastes just as good. To prepare your kale for this dish, start by removing the thickest part of the stem located at the base of each leaf. Once that’s gone, lay all kale leaves down on a cutting board horizontally and run your knife through them. Keep your cuts about 1 to 2-inches apart, anything bigger may become difficult to chew!

    Romaine – Crunchy romaine adds the perfect, fresh bite to this healthy salad recipe! Since romaine is made up of mostly water, it’s softer and easier to chew than fibrous kale. I experimented with both a romaine and non-romaine version of this recipe, and adding in romaine is definitely the way to go! However, if you don’t have any romaine lettuce on-hand, feel free to make this salad without it.

    Croutons – This kale caesar salad is allllll about a good crunch. We stop at literally nothing to add as much crunch to it as possible. Personally, I don’t think any caesar salad is complete without at least a few croutons – they’re arguably the best part! You can use store-bought croutons, but I included a note below this recipe on how to make your own homemade croutons. It’s actually super quick, easy, and that much more delicious.

    Anchovy Filets – Guys, I don’t wanna hear it! Anchovies have such a bed rep, but they actually work wonders in many recipes. Also, if you think you “hate” anchovies, but enjoy caesar salads on a regular basis, then think again! Most caesar dressings contain some form of anchovies, or at least all the really good ones do. And don’t worry, 3-4 anchovy filets won’t make our dressing taste at all fishy. They simply add a delicious, briny touch that’s truly unmatched! Therefore, don’t make this recipe without them.

    kale caesar salad being lifted out of a serving bowl

    Add Protein

    Turn this easy salad recipe into a complete meal by topping it with cooked chicken, shrimp, salmon, or some crispy chickpeas!

    What Makes This Kale Caesar Salad So Healthy?

    Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet! I mean, it’s a literal superfood, so it’s full of:

    • Vitamin A – strengthens immune system.
    • Vitamin K – necessary to prevent blood clotting.
    • Folate – great for brain development.
    • Potassium – aids nerve and muscle function.
    • Vitamin C – prevents chronic diseases.
    • Calcium – builds strong bones.
    • Zinc – strengthens immune system and metabolism.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free croutons instead!

    Make it Dairy-Free: Either omit the parmesan cheese, or use nutritional yeast or your favorite non-dairy parmesan cheese in its place.

    Vegan Option: Make this a vegan kale caesar salad by replacing the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast, the mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise, and the anchovy filets with a teaspoon of capers.

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    Kale Caesar Salad

    This kale caesar salad is bursting with fresh flavor! It’s hearty and super satisfying, but won’t leave you feeling weighed down. Fuel up on this healthy and delicious restaurant-quality salad for lunch or dinner!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    For the salad:

    • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
    • 4 cups romaine, chopped
    • 1 cup croutons, see Notes for homemade croutons
    • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shreds, optional

    For the dressing:

    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 3-4 anchovy filets
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
    • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.
    • Add all dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and combined.
    • Drizzle dressing over salad, toss to coat, then serve.

    Notes

  • Homemade Croutons: Slice thick, crusty bread (such as French bread) into 1-inch cubes. Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Bake croutons at 350° Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    3-Ingredient Healthy Vegan Caramel Sauce

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    3 ingredient vegan caramel sauce in a small jar with a spoon

    This homemade vegan caramel sauce is perfectly sweet and super easy to make! It comes together in one saucepan, with just 3 ingredients, and in under 5 minutes. This vegan caramel is delicious drizzled over ice cream, apples, cake, or cookies! Try it over my no-churn vegan vanilla ice cream recipe, or even on top of my healthy apple crisp. YUM!

    3 ingredient vegan caramel sauce being poured over a green apple.

    What You’ll Need

    Coconut Cream – Coconut cream is the thick, white cream found at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk. It’s important to note that coconut cream can only be obtained by a can of full-fat coconut milk, not low-fat or boxed coconut milk. Native Organics also sells a great canned coconut cream, which is what I used in this recipe. Also, remember to only use the coconut cream and not any of the liquid found at the bottom of the can. To do this, open your can of full-fat coconut milk or cream, then scrape and remove the cream from the top. Fill a one-cup measurer with this coconut cream, then save the liquid for use in smoothies later on!

    Maple Syrup – This natural sweetener is the only sweetener in this vegan dessert recipe! Our vegan caramel is so much healthier than your standard caramel because it contains only natural ingredients, and has a lot less sugar. However, healthier doesn’t mean any less delicious. Maple syrup gives this sauce an irresistibly rich flavor.

    Peanut Butter – Peanut butter is the finishing touch to this recipe, adding the perfect texture and flavor. Though if you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can use almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, or sunflower seed butter in its place!

    vegan caramel sauce being whisked in a saucepan

    This Vegan Caramel Is….

    • Healthy
    • Plant-Based
    • Gluten-Free
    • Refined Sugar-Free
    • Paleo
    • & Delicious!

    Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Nut-Free: Replace the peanut butter in this recipe with 1/4 cup of sunflower seed butter!

    Make it Paleo: Use almond butter instead of peanut butter for a delicious paleo caramel recipe.

    3 ingredient vegan caramel sauce in a small jar with a spoon
    5 from 1 vote

    3-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce

    This homemade vegan caramel sauce is perfectly sweet and super easy to make! It comes together in one saucepan, with just 3 ingredients, and in under 5 minutes. This vegan caramel is delicious drizzled over ice cream, apples, cake, or cookies!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup coconut cream, see Notes
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter

    Instructions

    • Add coconut cream and maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until bubbling, then reduce to low heat and continue stirring for 3 minutes.
    • Remove pan from heat and stir in almond or peanut butter. Let cool, it’ll continue to thicken as it cools.

    Notes

  • Coconut Cream: Coconut cream is the thick, white creamy part at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk. You can only obtain coconut cream from either a can of full-fat coconut milk, or a can of coconut cream.
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    30 Minutes or Less

    4-Ingredient Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

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    overhead image of three instant pot shredded chicken tacos on a table with fresh cilantro and limes on the side

    In need of a quick and easy dinner recipe, ready in under 30 minutes? Look no further than these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! They’re loaded with delicious flavor, and ready to be topped with whatever your heart desires. Salsa, shredded lettuce, cheese, avocado, guacamole – the possibilities are endless!

    two instant pot shredded chicken tacos on a plate with fresh cilantro on the side

    What You’ll Need

    Instant Pot – I was definitely very late to the Instant Pot game. I only just purchased my Instant Pot about 6 months ago, but man do I already LOVE it. I have an 8 quart Instant Pot, and it’s truly the perfect size for either big batch meals or a quick dinner for two. Two pounds of chicken takes only 12 minutes to fully cook in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. I set my pot to the “Meat” setting to cook, but depending on your pot, your same setting may be labeled as “Poultry” instead. Once the 12 minutes is up, press the steam release button on the lid of your Instant Pot to manually release the pressure before removing the lid. Then, remove the chicken from the pot, shred it, before placing it back into the pot to absorb that delicious sauce!

    Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this shredded chicken recipe. They’re perfectly lean, and a blank canvas for the seasonings in this dish.

    Taco Seasoning – One packet of taco seasoning contains all the flavor we need for this recipe! I love the Siete Mild Taco Seasoning, but really any brand will work. I especially enjoy using pre-packaged taco seasoning since it has all the spices we’d want in this taco recipe. This single ingredient makes our entire meal so much quicker and easier to make!

    Top Tips

    • Reserve any leftover sauce in the Instant Pot and spoon it over your tacos! All of the flavor in this dish comes from the sauce our chicken is cooked in. Therefore, use every last bit of it – trust me, it’s delicious!
    • Serve this taco-seasoned Instant Pot shredded chicken over rice or a salad instead. I love turning this flavorful Mexican-inspired chicken into a taco salad or burrito bowl for a new, and exciting meal. This is also a great way to use up any leftover chicken!
    instant pot shredded chicken on a plate with limes and cilantro on the side

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Gluten-Free: Ensure the taco seasoning you’re using is gluten-free, since some contain all purpose flour! Also, serve these Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos over corn tortillas, or Siete Grain-Free Tortillas for a completely gluten-free meal.

    Make it Vegan: For Instant Pot vegan tacos, replace the chicken with one cup of dried lentils! Cook your lentils with the taco seasoning, vegetable broth, and fire roasted tomatoes at high pressure for 15 minutes. The lentils will soak up so much delicious flavor!

    Make it Paleo/Whole30: Use a paleo-compliant taco seasoning such as Siete Taco Seasoning, then serve your shredded chicken over lettuce wraps to turn this into a super healthy, low-carb lunch or dinner.

    No ratings yet

    4-Ingredient Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

    In need of a quick and easy dinner recipe, ready in under 30 minutes? Look no further than these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! They’re loaded with delicious flavor, and ready to be topped with whatever your heart desires. Salsa, shredded lettuce, cheese, avocado, guacamole – the possibilities are endless!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 17 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    For the Instant Pot shredded chicken:

    • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning
    • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
    • 1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

    For the tacos:

    • corn or flour tortillas
    • salsa
    • avocado
    • cilantro
    • slice jalapeño
    • limes

    Instructions

    • Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot, then pour in broth. Sprinkle with the taco seasoning, then add in diced tomatoes.
      IP-Shredded-Chicken-Tacos-Step-1
    • Set to Poultry/Meat for 12 minutes, then manually release steam before removing lid.
      IP-Shredded-Chicken-Tacos-Step-2
    • Remove chicken breasts from Instant Pot and shred with two forks. Place shredded chicken back into Instant Pot and stir to mix in with the sauce.
    • Fill tortillas with shredded chicken and any toppings you’d like.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal
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    30 Minutes or Less

    Perfect Almond Flour Pancakes

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    stacked almond flour pancakes with blueberries, butter, and powdered sugar on top

    These almond flour pancakes are extra fluffy, delicious, and super easy to make! One bowl, a handful of ingredients, and 15 minutes is all you need to throw this simple gluten-free breakfast together. These almond flour pancakes are also the perfect blank canvas to any toppings you’d like (I went with blueberries – yum!).

    stacked almond flour pancakes with blueberries, butter, and powdered sugar on top

    What You’ll Need

    Almond Flour – The star of our show – almond flour! It’s naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo friendly. Almond flour is actually the only flour you’ll need for this healthy breakfast recipe. The most common misconception when it comes to almond flour is that it can be used as a 1:1 substitution for regular all purpose flour. However, that’s definitely not the case! Almond flour is much more dense and creates a heavier bake than regular flour. Though in this recipe we lighten the pancakes up with two whole eggs and a touch of milk.

    Eggs – Eggs are crucial to keeping these almond flour pancakes held together! They are our binding agent, and without them the pancakes would simply fall apart. I highly recommend using large or extra large eggs for this recipe, though really any size will work.

    Coconut Oil or Butter – Whether you’re using a non-stick pan or not, a touch or butter or oil is very useful to prevent sticking. For a non-stick pan, you may be able to get away with using less oil or butter than the recipe calls for. But for either a stainless steel or cast-iron pan, you’ll need the full tablespoon. And if you ever begin to notice sticking throughout the cooking process, then go ahead and add a bit more butter or oil to your pan!

    How to Make Almond Flour Pancakes

    Making homemade almond flour pancakes is super easy! Start by adding the almond flour and baking powder to a large bowl. Whisk those dry ingredients together before adding in the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Once your pancake batter is completely combined, then you can add in any fillings/toppings you’d like – fresh blueberries and chocolate chips are my personal favorite!

    Now that your batter is all prepped, heat a tablespoon of either butter, coconut oil, or any other neutral-tasting oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet. The batter will disperse out and form that signature circular pancake shape.

    Cook each pancake in the skillet for about 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom is nicely golden brown. Then, use a spatula to carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side. Repeat this cooking process with your remaining better then serve your almond flour pancakes! I recommend finishing them off with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

    Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Vegan – Make this a vegan almond flour pancake recipe by substituting the two eggs for one flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flax meal + 3 tablespoons water) and one mashed banana. The flax egg and banana will work together to bind your pancakes and prevent them from falling apart. Also, use your favorite vegan milk in place of the regular milk this recipe calls for.

    Make it Dairy-Free – To make this a dairy-free breakfast, simply use almond milk or your favorite non-dairy milk in place of the regular milk in this recipe. Also, be sure to use coconut oil for cooking, instead of butter.

    almond flour pancakes with blueberries on a marble board
    No ratings yet

    Perfect Almond Flour Pancakes

    These almond flour pancakes are extra fluffy, delicious, and super easy to make! One bowl, a handful of ingredients, and 15 minutes is all you need to throw this simple gluten-free breakfast together. These almond flour pancakes are also the perfect blank canvas to any toppings you’d like (I went with blueberries – yum!).
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup almond flour, see Notes
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/4 cup milk, I used non-dairy milk
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter

    Instructions

    • Whisk together the almond flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
    • Add in eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, whisk to combine.
    • Melt coconut oil or butter in a large skillet over medium low-medium heat and spoon ¼ cup batter into skillet.
    • Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes per side or until edges are slightly golden brown. Repeat until no more batter remains.

    Notes

  • Almond Flour: Be sure to use blanched almond flour, not almond meal in this recipe.

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal
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