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30 Minutes or Less

Garlic and Herb Olive Oil Dip

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bread being dipped into garlic and herb olive oil dip.

A simple olive oil dip with garlic and herbs! It’s loaded with tons of flavor, and comes together in just a few minutes. Make this easy appetizer for your next party or potluck.

overhead image of garlic and herb olive oil dip on a plate.

What You’ll Need to Make Garlic and Herb Olive Oil Dip

Garlic – Duh! Add plenty of fresh minced garlic to your dip. Heck, you can even add more than 3 cloves if you want. More garlic = more better …or at least I think so!

Dried Oregano – Dried oregano is a pantry staple in my opinion. It freshens up any dish, but is dried so you don’t have to worry about it ever going bad. I used 2 teaspoons in this garlic and herb olive oil dip recipe, but feel free to use as much or as little as you’d like. OR, replace the dried oregano with your favorite dried herb or herb blend.

Garlic Powder – Because there can truly never be too much garlic! A touch of garlic powder works to amp up that incredible fresh garlic flavor.

Olive Oil – For an especially delicious olive oil dip, use good quality olive oil like this! I’m a firm believer that high-quality olive oil tastes better. And since we’re not cooking or heating the olive oil in this recipe, you’ll actually be able to taste it. So, skip the cheap stuff for this particular recipe.

Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley is the cherry-on-top of this dip! While optional, I highly recommend you add some. It adds tons of fresh and delicious flavor.

garlic and herb olive oil dip on a plate with bread on the side.

Tips and Tricks

  • Have fun with this recipe! You can jazz up this garlic and herb olive oil dip however you’d like. Replace the dried oregano with dried Italian seasoning, use as much or as little garlic as you’d like, or throw in some fresh grated parmesan cheese for even more flavor!
  • Serve this dip with any kind of bread. I enjoyed mine with classic french bread – but focaccia, or even sourdough would make for a great pairing. Or, if you’re up for a little fun, drizzle this oil on a sandwich!
  • Prep it ahead of time! Making this olive oil dip for your next party? You can prep it up to one week in advance. Then, simply store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve. Doing this actually amps up the flavor, since the garlic and herbs have more time to marinate in the olive oil!

This Garlic and Herb Olive Oil Dip is….

Garlic and Herb Olive Oil Dip
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Garlic and Herb Olive Oil Dip

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

8

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

A simple olive oil dip with garlic and herbs! It’s loaded with tons of flavor, and comes together in just a few minutes. Make this easy appetizer for your next party or potluck.

Ingredients

  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • pinch of red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 cup good quality olive oil

  • bread, for dipping

  • fresh chopped parsley, optional

Directions

  • Add garlic, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper flakes to a medium shallow bowl or plate with high sides.
  • Pour in the olive oil, then stir to combine. Top with an optional sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, and serve with bread for dipping!

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30 Minutes or Less

Jennifer Aniston Salad

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close-up image of jennifer aniston salad in a serving bowl

The viral Jennifer Aniston salad is super easy to make! Loaded with fresh ingredients – cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, and feta – all tossed in simple lemon dressing. It’s not just healthy, but totally delicious too!

overhead image of Jennifer Aniston salad with pistachios and dressing on the side.

Jennifer Aniston recently described her perfect salad as, “bulgur wheat, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and pistachios.” And OMG the internet went CRAZY for it! Recipes similar to the salad the Friends actress described quickly popped up all over TikTok. The Jennifer Aniston salad went viral. So, as a foodie and fellow salad-lover, I had to give it a try for myself.

My version of the salad contains everything Jennifer described – bulgur wheat, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and pistachios – my only addition is a simple lemon, olive oil, salt, and black pepper dressing. Since Jen didn’t offer up a dressing herself, this is what I envisioned a salad like this being tossed in. And let me tell you, it TOTALLY lived up to the hype!

Dressing being poured over the Jennifer Aniston salad.

What You’ll Need to Make the Jennifer Aniston Salad

Bulgur Wheat or Quinoa – In keeping this super authentic to Jen’s recipe, I used bulgur wheat in my salad. However, bulgur wheat can be hard to come by, so I also offer up the option to use quinoa instead. Both are hearty, protein-rich, super nutritious grains. Never had bulgur wheat? It’s most similar to farro or barley, but smaller grain. Bulgur wheat has a nice nutty flavor, and will keep you full without feeling weighed down.

Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas – What’s the difference between garbanzo beans and chickpeas? Literally nothing! They’re two names for the exact same thing. Jennifer Aniston called them “garbanzo beans,” but I call them “chickpeas,” so that’s what we’re sticking with. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, especially in this salad recipe!

Feta Cheese – Greek brined white cheese, made from sheep’s milk. Feta adds the perfect salty bite to this salad! And because it’s made with sheep’s milk, it has a lower lactose content. Meaning, those whoe are lactose intolerant (aka ME!), may have an easier time tolerating feta cheese. I, personally, can enjoy it in small amounts without any issue. However, if you can’t tolerate feta, or simply need a dairy-free option, check out my “make it vegan” section below!

Parsley and Mint – Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs! Fresh parsley and mint are my favorite parts of this salad. They add a super fresh and vibrant component to this recipe. Therefore, don’t leave ’em out!

close-up overhead image of Jennifer Aniston salad.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: Yes, bulgur wheat contains gluten. Therefore, opt for quinoa instead of bulgur wheat to make this Jennifer Aniston salad entirely gluten-free.

Make it Vegan/Dairy-Free: For a vegan/dairy-free salad, either leave out the feta cheese, or replace it with your favorite vegan feta. I love the Violife Vegan Feta, it tastes and crumbles just like the real thing!

Jennifer Aniston Salad
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Jennifer Aniston Salad

4 from 14 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

    The viral Jennifer Aniston salad is super easy to make! Loaded with fresh ingredients – cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, and feta – all tossed in simple lemon dressing. It’s not just healthy, but totally delicious too!

    Ingredients

    • For the bulgur wheat/quinoa:

    • 1 cup bulgur wheat or quinoa, dry

    • 2 cups water or vegetable broth

    • For the salad dressing:

    • 1/2 cup olive oil

    • 1/2 cup lemon juice

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    • For the salad:

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

    • 1 cup English cucumber, chopped

    • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

    • 1/2 red onion, diced

    • 1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped

    • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

    • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

    Directions

    • Add either bulgur wheat or quinoa to a small saucepan, along with water or vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes. Once bulgur wheat or quinoa has absorbed all liquid, remove from heat and let stand covered for an additional 5 minutes. Then, remove lid and fluff with a fork.
    • While the bulgur wheat or quinoa cooks, make the salad dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine.
    • Add cooked bulgur wheat or quinoa to a large bowl, along with the remaining salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss, then either serve immediately or let chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Leaving the salad to chill for a few hours before eating will increase the flavor!
    • Leftover salad will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. No need to store the dressing separately.

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Avocado Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

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    avocado pasta on a plate with a fork

    Vibrantly green and irresistibly creamy avocado pasta, finished off with roasted garlic and tomatoes! Whip up this quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe in under 20 minutes. Perfect when you’re short on time and/or craving something comforting and delicious.

    close-up image of avocado pasta with roasted garlic and tomatoes on a plate

    What You’ll Need To Make Avocado Pasta

    Avocado – LOL, duh! Pick up two perfectly ripe avocados for this plant-based recipe. To know whether your avocados are ripe or not, give them a gentle squeeze. If the skin gives a tiny bit then they’re ready to eat! Though if your avocados feel hard as rocks, leave them out at room temperature for another day or two until ripe. I almost always buy a big bag of avocados while at the store, and use leftovers to make avocado toast in the morning – yum!

    Fresh Herbs – Feel free to use any fresh herbs you’d like, or have on-hand! I used a combo of fresh basil and fresh parsley, which made for a perfectly fresh-tasting sauce. However, a bunch of fresh cilantro would taste equally as delicious.

    Garlic – Plenty of garlic is necessary for this avocado pasta recipe! We pretty much use an entire garlic bulb between the roasted garlic and tomatoes, and the avocado sauce. When roasted, garlic releases intense flavor which is straight up heavenly. I could eat roasted garlic all by itself, it’s that good! Together with the tomatoes, olive oil, and a little bit of salt and pepper – the roasted garlic in this recipe is to-die-for.

    overhead image of avocado pasta on two plate

    Tips and Tricks

    • Use any pasta shape you’d like! I used bow-ties since they’re what I had, but shape truly makes no difference here. I can imagine this avocado pasta tastes just as delicious with spaghetti, penne, fusilli, elbows, etc.
    • Remember to reserve half a cup of pasta water! This pasta water will be added back into the pasta, after you’ve strained it, and added the avocado sauce in. The starches from the reserved water help your sauce latch onto the pasta.
    • Typically served hot, this pasta can also be served cold as an avocado pasta salad. For a cold pasta dish, cook up everything the same. Then, cover and leave to chill for about an hour before serving.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Gluten-Free: This pasta is easily made gluten-free with the use of your favorite gluten-free pasta. Now my personal favorite gluten-free pasta is Jovial’s Brown Rice pasta, and is actually exactly what I used in the photos here!

    Make it Paleo/Grain-Free: For a paleo pasta, simply use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash in place of the pasta in this dinner recipe.

    Avocado Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

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

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    15

    minutes
    Total time

    20

    minutes

    Vibrantly green and irresistibly creamy avocado pasta, finished off with roasted garlic and tomatoes! Whip up this quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe in under 20 minutes. Perfect when you’re short on time and/or craving something comforting and delicious.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound pasta, uncooked

    • For the roasted garlic and tomatoes:

    • 1 pint grape tomatoes

    • 6-8 garlic cloves, sliced

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    • For the avocado sauce:

    • 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pits removed

    • 1/2 cup fresh basil, parsley, and/or cilantro

    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    • 2 garlic cloves

    • 1 lemon, juiced

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    Directions

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Make the roasted garlic and tomatoes by placing tomatoes and sliced garlic on a baking sheet, then drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until soft and very fragrant.
    • While garlic and tomatoes roast, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
    • While pasta cooks, add all avocado sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Once pasta is cooked, strain then add back into pot along with avocado sauce and reserved pasta water. Toss pasta in sauce before adding in roasted garlic and tomatoes, serve immediately.

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    Appetizers

    The Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

    By
    close-up overhead image of lemon pepper chicken wings on a plate

    Incredibly zesty lemon pepper chicken wings are super quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home! Bake ’em in the oven or air fryer, then finish off with a simple 4-ingredient lemon pepper sauce. These wings are irresistibly crispy and loaded with delicious flavor!

    lemon pepper chicken wings in a bowl with beer and lemon slices on the side

    What You’ll Need

    Chicken Wings – Pick up 3 pounds of either drums, flats, or a combination of both for this chicken wing recipe. I typically reach for the “party pack” of wings at the grocery store, but honestly anything you can find/prefer will work. Once you unwrap your chicken wings, make sure you pat each wing dry with a paper towel before cooking. Getting the wings as dry as possible will ensure they bake up super crispy in the oven (or air fryer!).

    Lemon Pepper Seasoning – You can either purchase a jar of lemon pepper seasoning, or simply make it yourself! I couldn’t find any pre-made seasoning near me, so I quickly threw together a homemade batch of my own. To do this, I cooked lemon peels in the oven at 170° Fahrenheit for 1 hour until super dried out. Then, I added the peels to a blender along with some whole black peppercorns and a pinch of salt. There are plenty of lemon pepper seasoning recipes out their on the internet, so do a little research and follow one that’s easiest for you! Or, of course, just buy lemon pepper seasoning from the store if you’d like.

    Top Tips

    • Don’t crowd your baking sheet/rack with chicken wings before baking. Place each wing at least an inch apart to ensure that all sides crisp up evenly!
    • Switch up this lemon pepper chicken wings recipe however you’d like! For a little more spice, add in an extra pinch of freshly cracked black pepper. For extra tang, finish off with an extra squeeze of lemon juice. And for a bit more sweetness, use an additional teaspoon or two of honey!
    • Avoid using frozen chicken wings! If your wings are frozen, thaw them completely in the fridge before baking.

    Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

    • Make it Dairy-Free: Sub the melted butter in this recipe for non-dairy butter to have a completely dairy-free and delicious appetizer!
    • Make it Paleo: For paleo lemon pepper chicken wings, simply use ghee instead of butter and make your own seasoning by drying out lemon peels in the oven and grinding them with black peppercorns and salt.

    How to Cook Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

    1. Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl along with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat wings in oil and seasoning.
    2. Transfer chicken wings to air fryer tray or basket in an even layer (work in batches if necessary), cook at 360° Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, flip the wings over then cook for another 12 minutes.
    3. Once all wings are cooked and crispy, toss in your homemade lemon pepper sauce and enjoy!
    The Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
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    The Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

    5 from 2 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: AppetizersDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    40

    minutes
    Total time

    50

    minutes

    Incredibly zesty lemon pepper chicken wings are super quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home! Bake ’em in the oven or air fryer, then finish off with a simple 4-ingredient lemon pepper sauce. These wings are irresistibly crispy and loaded with delicious flavor!

    Ingredients

    • For the wings:

    • 3 pounds chicken wings

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

    • For the lemon pepper sauce:

    • 1/4 cup melted butter, I used non-dairy

    • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning

    • 1 tablespoon honey

    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

    • chopped parsley, for serving

    • lemons, sliced

    Directions

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil, and top with a wire baking rack.
    • Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl along with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat wings in oil and seasoning.
      • lemon pepper chicken wings step 1
    • Transfer wings to an even layer on the prepared baking sheet with baking rack and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
      • lemon pepper chicken wings step 2
    • Mix together all lemon pepper sauce ingredients in a large bowl, then once wings are cooked toss them in the sauce until evenly coated.
      • lemon pepper chicken wings step 3

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    Dinner

    Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce

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    Instant Pot Bolognese

    This delicious Instant Pot Bolognese sauce is made with red wine and served over penne, spaghetti or your favorite pasta. It takes less than an hour to make this sauce in a pressure cooker, so it’s great for meal prepping.

    Instant Pot Bolognese

    This Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce is one of my most favorite recipes that I love to serve with penne or other type of pasta. Thanks to the pressure cooker, the cooking time is cut in half and tastes absolutely delicious. Also, this is a super great recipe for meal prepping. You can easily double the recipe and freeze. So, when you don’t feel like cooking, you can easily defrost it, cook up some pasta, and voila! You have your dinner or lunch for the week.

    Main Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Bolognese

    • Ground Beef – Swap with ground turkey for an even leaner dish, or ground tofu.

    • Pancetta – seasoned Italian salt-cured meat made from pork belly. It really brings a lot of flavor to this sauce, so I highly recommend, but totally optional!

    • Celery/Carrot –  I recommend including the carrots & celery, but feel free to swap with peppers or other veggies. Or, remove the veggies altogether.

    • (Dry) Red Wine – You can use white wine instead, which will alter the flavor. You can also skip the alcohol and just use water.

    • Pasta – Choose whatever pasta you’d like to serve. I used penne, but you could try tagliatelle noodles.

    • Jar-Crushed Tomatoes

    • Spices – Oregano, salt, black pepper, fresh parsley
    Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
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    Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce

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

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    30

    minutes
    Calories

    300

    kcal
    Total time

    40

    minutes

    This delicious Instant Pot Bolognese sauce is made with red wine and served over penne, spaghetti or your favorite pasta. It takes less than an hour to make this sauce in a pressure cooker, so it’s great for meal prepping.

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

    • 1 Onion (chopped)

    • 1 Celery Stalk (chopped)

    • 1 Carrot (chopped)

    • 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)

    • 1 LB Ground Beef

    • 4 Ounces Diced Pancetta

    • 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

    • 1 Teaspoon Salt

    • 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

    • 1 28-Ounce Jar Crushed Tomatoes

    • 1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine

    • 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)

    Directions

    • Set Instant Pot to sauté setting, add in olive oil. Once hot, sauté onion, celery, and carrots until soft, about 4 minutes.
    • Add in garlic, ground beef, pancetta, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is no longer pink. 
    • Pour in crushed tomatoes and red wine. Stir to combine before securing lid and setting Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 20 minutes.
    • Quick release steam, remove lid, and set back to the sauté setting for 3-5 minutes or until liquid has reduced slightly. Add parsley, then taste and adjust any seasoning as desired.

    Notes

    • To store: You’ll want to store the pasta and sauce separately. Once cool, transfer the Bolognese to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
    • To freeze: Freeze this Bolognese for up to 3 months in a freezer-friendly container or freezer bag.

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