Feel-Good Apple Muffins

These apple muffins are EVERYTHING in my life right now – moist and dense in a good way, perfectly but not overly sweet, and just honestly divine smeared with a little butter and honey.

Oh, one other helpful little thing: they’re wholesome. Real-food healthy ingredients. Feel-good for the body.

Here’s a universal scenario that happens to us food lovers almost every day in the fall.

• I want to bake a cozy treat!
• Wait though, I don’t have a ton of time.
• Wait though, I also don’t want to eat 100 grams of sugar.
• Hmm.

Enter: THESE apple muffins of the 100% comforting and treat-like but also healthy variety. They are made with:

• Oats
• Apples
• Dates
• Maple syrup
• Olive oil
• Eggs

And there you have it. Talk about FEEL-GOOD! I have been eating these on repeat for little “coffee breaks” throughout the day and happily sharing them with my daughter as one of those unicorn “treat” foods that feels both special and also wholesome.

Oh, and the low-on-time part? All you do is blend and pour into a muffin tin. Very unfussy.

Top with flaked unsweetened coconut if you’re really keeping it clean. Top with butterscotch chips if you walk on the wide side.

And even though they don’t *need* it, just the tiniest bit of butter with the quickest drizzle of honey will just take the whole thing to an entirely new fall baking level.

And if you’re now in muffin hog mode, we have a ton of muffins that follow this same cozy-treat-but-also-healthy policy!

• Zucchini muffins
• Pumpkin muffins
• Banana muffins

Enjoy. Like seriously, take a pause, breathe in that warm cinnamony muffin in front of you, and just enjoy this cozy moment.

Feel-Good Apple Muffins

---

• Author: Lindsay
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 10-12 muffins

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

These Apple Muffins are EVERYTHING. Wholesome and nutritious, moist and dense, perfectly but not overly sweet, and honestly divine with a little butter and honey.

---

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 8 medjool dates, pitted (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1–2 apples, grated (about 1 cup total)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of sea salt and/or cinnamon (optional)
• coconut / seeds / nuts / butterscotch chips (optional, for topping)

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender until a chunky batter comes together.
3. Pour batter into a greased or lined muffin tin. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the tops gently spring back when you press into them.
4. Sprinkle warm muffins with sea salt if you’re into that kinda thing. Serve warm or cold ALL DAY LONG. ♡

---

Notes

For a sweeter muffin, add a little more maple syrup.

Bake times and textures will vary by batch, because every apple is different! I use Honeycrisp apples which are very sweet and juicy, and I don’t drain out the liquid or anything before adding them into the batter. Just know that each batch will be a little unique, and watch your bake time, adding minutes as necessary to get them baked to perfection!

The longer you blend them, the more “smooth” and puffy they will be. Less blending = a more textured, dense muffin. I like them both ways!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchofyum

Recipe Card powered by

The post Feel-Good Apple Muffins appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/2WjT8QG

Healing Chicken and Rice Soup

Things I want you to know about healing chicken and rice soup: it is limey, salty, and so fresh. It’s super satisfying thanks to juicy and garlic-ginger-infused chicken thighs and tender jasmine rice, and it can be (read: should be) loaded with fresh herbs and peanuts and more lime juice.

Knock on wood, but when you have a head cold, this will feel like an extremely delicious medical miracle. (*not a doctor, prone to exaggeration.*) I am convinced that it’s healing and happy for the body, and the soul, and people who like a lot of flavor in their life.

It starts with the standard comforts of chicken and rice, but also includes:

• Ginger. So much ginger.
• Garlic and shallots. Just the right amount of potency.
• A turmeric dusting.
• Salty broth.
• A handful of spinach.
• Excessive amounts of lime juice.
• A lil pile of fresh mint and cilantro.
• Peanuts for crunch.

It’s savory but also bright. Warm and cozy, but refreshing. Super extra healthy, but comfort food. Plus, it’s golden and beautiful-looking.

Thanks to all its nutrition and big flavor and healing whole food ingredients, it is a cold-weather (and head-cold) essential. Garlic, ginger, and lime juice? These three can make it all right again. ♡

Healing Chicken and Rice Soup

---

• Author: Lindsay
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Healing Chicken and Rice Soup that is limey, salty, and so fresh! Garlic-ginger-infused brother, shredded chicken thighs, tender jasmine rice, fresh herbs, and peanuts. YUM.

---

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 3–4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 6–8 cups chicken broth
• juice of 4 limes (about 1/4 cup, plus more to taste)
• a splash of soy sauce or fish sauce (optional)
• fresh herbs for topping (mint, basil, cilantro)
• peanuts or cashews for topping

---

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and shallots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken thighs. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and turmeric. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes. (Add 1/4 cup water to the pan to create a little steam bath if it’s getting too browned on the bottom.) Flip and repeat until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove spinach and set aside.
4. Add rice to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes so it picks up all the good pan flavors. Add 6 cups broth and bring to a simmer.
5. While the rice is cooking, shred the chicken.
6. When the rice is soft, add chicken and spinach back to the pan. Season with lime juice, soy sauce / fish sauce, and fresh herbs. Add extra broth as needed. YUM.

---

Notes

I like to hold onto the herbs until just before serving, so I kept them separate and arranged a little herb salad atop each bowl of soup. This soup will absorb liquid as it rests (thanks, rice). So your leftovers may need some more water or chicken broth added to soup it all up again.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchofyum

Recipe Card powered by

The post Healing Chicken and Rice Soup appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/2P6Zd1o

Ridiculous Baked Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce

This recipe is sponsored by DeLallo

The gnocchi alone – those pillowy tender dumpling-like bites of potato and cheese – is enough to make you go back for seconds. But toss those little gnocch-lettes (just let me) with a life-changingly easy, 5-ingredient vodka sauce, and broil it up with some fresh Mozzarella cheese, all under a little magic dusting of Parmesan, and you are now in Ridiculous territory.

Ridiculous in a good way. Like, ridiculous in the “Wow, this is so intensely cozy, savory, and creamy and yet I cannot stop eating it” kind of way.

This recipe is like guests on a Tuesday night, meets sweatpants casual, meets Christmas dinner. It’s mega winter-weather cozy with equal sides of fancy and down-to-earth.

AND IT IS SO GOOD.

Here’s the thing: you could 100% make your gnocchi from scratch.

Another idea, though? You could get 75% of the way to “homemade” while also not requiring a lot of hours of advance gnocchi rep.

I’ll be choosing option B for the foreseeable future, thanks to the new DeLallo Gnocchi Kits. They are high-quality, Italian-made, and easy, and they are LIFE.

We always do our dinner club on a busy weeknight (like, no time to prep), and since our dinner club has a large appetite for gnocchi, I am stocking up.

This is the one-way ticket for very low stress gnocchi that is both fast and homemade-ish.

Final word of wisdom here: as wonderful as it is to dive headfirst into a pillowy soft bowl of this vodka-sauced goodness (and trust me, it is wonderful), the richness of the gnocchi and sauce will all be balanced beautifully with some kind of crisp veggie as a side. Personally recommend roasted broccoli, sautéed kale, or a crisp and tangy green salad.

Wow-ee. This is a ridiculously yummy wintertime baked gnocchi treasure.

Baked Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce

---

• Author: Lindsay
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Baked Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce! Seriously cozy, seriously addicting. Pillowy-tender gnocchi tossed with an easy five-ingredient vodka sauce, baked under a layer of mozzarella, parmesan, and basil.

---

Ingredients

Vodka Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, grated, minced, or very thinly sliced
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)

Gnocchi:

• 2 DeLallo Gnocchi Kits
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese balls
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley or basil

---

Instructions

1. Vodka Sauce: Heat butter in a large oven-safe pan over medium low heat. Add garlic; sauté for 5 minutes until soft (don’t brown it). Add tomato paste; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add vodka; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add cream, broth, and salt. Bring to a low simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and tastes delicious. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Gnocchi: Prep the gnocchi according to package directions. Add to the sauce in the pan, and stir gently to combine.
3. Bake: Preheat the oven to the broil setting (500 degrees). Arrange mozzarella balls over the top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake for 5-8 minutes until very browned and slightly crisped on top. Sprinkle with parsley or basil leaves and serve with a crisp green salad because DANG this is creamy, cozy, and ridiculous.

---

Notes

For proper golden-browning, be sure to use GRATED Parmesan cheese, not shredded. Grated looks like a thick powder, like the stuff many of us know in the green can (but I would advise buying better than that if you can). If all you have is shredded Parmesan cheese, a quick run through the food processor will help get the texture where you want it to be.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchofyum

Recipe Card powered by

Thank you to DeLallo for sponsoring this recipe!

The post Ridiculous Baked Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/31mGWzJ

Spicy Shrimp with Cauliflower Mash and Garlic Kale

This spicy / creamy / green combination is pretty much life goals. 

A pile of creamy cauliflower mash sets the stage and then gets tucked in by those smoky greens before finally getting piled high with a mound of aggressively seasoned, salty, juicy shrimp.

Do you even hear me? Leave work immediately. Pack the kids in the car. Go to the grocery store. Make this your life’s mission.

It is peak cozy, nutritious, and cool-weather wonderful.

Let’s Talk Kale and Bacon Fat

Let’s break this down, because shrimp is straightforward, and cauliflower mash is mostly reasonable, but when I say smoky garlic kale, what I really mean is KALE or KALETTES (!!) sautéed with garlic in a little knoblet of bacon fat.

That adorable thing would be called a kalette: a cross between kale and brussels sprouts. I bought mine at Super Target, so it would appear that we regulars have access to these little wonders without a trip to any special grocery store (but regular kale works, too).

Related – that knob of bacon fat that I mentioned? The one that makes the greens especially delicious? It’s something you should just do, like, regularly.

I keep a little container in my fridge – it’s called the Fat Trapper – for bacon grease! Almost any recipe can benefit from a little depth and smoky-rich flavor. Just swap some butter or oil with a little bacon fat. This is one of my favorite easy little cooking hacks. Every time I do this, people go above and beyond in their food compliments. Because people may not know it, but they do, in fact, love bacon fat.

Onto The Shrimp and Cauliflower Mash

The thing you need to know about these shrimp is that they really, really want you to cover them thoroughly in spices. They don’t have to be SPICY spicy – they could just be very well-seasoned. But they want some kick. They want to wow you.

The other thing you need to know about the shrimp is that while you will be tempted to eat every last one of them straight out of the sizzling hot pan, you MUST exercise enough self control to get them on the plate, tucked between your garlicky greens and your creamy cauliflower mash. It is really the combo of all three of these wonders that makes this a repeat-dinner-winner.

And that cauliflower mash? Easy, creamy, comforting, *mostly* healthy, and so, so good.

I mean, if you happened to give the whole thing a quick lemon squeeze before devouring?

You would not be wrong.

Check out our video for how to make Spicy Shrimp and Cauliflower Mash (1 min):

Spicy Shrimp with Cauliflower Mash and Garlic Kale

---

★★★★★

4.7 from 51 reviews

• Author: Pinch of Yum
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Spicy Shrimp with Cauliflower Mash and Garlic Kale – tender-sweet shrimp and smoky garlic kale over creamy cauliflower mash. The most DELICIOUS fake-fancy weeknight dinner!

---

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower Mash

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 14-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese, like sharp cheddar or havarti
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Kale

• 1 tablespoon bacon fat (or olive oil)
• 3 cups kalettes OR chopped kale
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

For the Shrimp

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb. shrimp (enough for 4 people)
• a few good shakes of garlic salt, chili powder, cayenne, and/or black pepper

---

Instructions

1. Cauliflower Mash: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the cauliflower and garlic. Saute for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the milk and 2 cups broth. Simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the white beans and mash roughly with the back of a large wooden spoon. It will be soupy – that’s okay. Stir in the cornmeal and things will start to thicken a bit. Adjust the consistency by adding in the last cup of broth as needed. Stir in the cheese and season to taste.
2. Kale: Heat the bacon fat in a nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Add the greens and garlic and saute until softened. For the kalettes, I added a little water at the end to sort of steam them to finish them off. Remove kale and wipe out pan with a paper towel.
3. Shrimp: In the same skillet, add the oil over medium heat. Pat the shrimp dry. Add to the pan and sprinkle with seasonings to taste. Cook for just a few minutes and then add a quick splash of water or broth to the pan (about 2 tablespoons) to pull the browned bits and spices into something of a saucy-coating for the shrimp. It’s delicious.
4. Serve: Serve the shrimp and kale over a big pile of cauliflower mash! SO yummy.

---

• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: spicy shrimp recipe, cauliflower mash, healthy shrimp recipe, gluten-free recipe, healthy dinner recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchofyum

Recipe Card powered by

Note: this post contains an affiliate link for the nifty little bacon FAT TRAPPER! Annnd that’s probably my best blog line ever.

One more thing!

This recipe is part of our collection of easy shrimp recipes. Check it out!

The post Spicy Shrimp with Cauliflower Mash and Garlic Kale appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/2iEMPHL