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Crispy Hen Croissant Sandwich – Two Peas & Their Pod

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August 30, 2024

Crispy Hen Croissant Sandwich – Two Peas & Their Pod

Quick Summary

Crispy Chicken Croissant Sandwich- crispy chicken on a Parmesan crusted buttery croissant with fresh Romaine lettuce that is tossed in a creamy lemon dressing. Add creamy avocado slices and a drizzle of hot honey to make the sandwich extra special! Everyone loves this gourmet sandwich.

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You can’t go wrong with a GOOD chicken sandwich. I am talking about a fried chicken sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich, classic chicken salad sandwich, and this Crispy Chicken Croissant Sandwich. All are WINNERS, but every time I make this crispy chicken sandwich, it gets RAVE reviews. Let’s break it down.

The sandwich starts with juicy, crispy chicken that is perfectly golden brown and tender. Place the chicken on a buttery, flaky croissant that has a salty Parmesan crust. Next, top the chicken with Romaine lettuce that has been tossed in a creamy lettuce dressing. Add creamy avocado slices and a drizzle of hot honey to finish the sandwich. The sweet and savory flavors and contrasting textures are PERFECTION.

This sandwich is EPIC! It looks and tastes gourmet, but I promise it’s easy to make. Enjoy for lunch or dinner. You can serve with chips, fruit salad, sweet potato fries, or potato wedges.

I guarantee your family and friends will LOVE this chicken sandwich.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements and instructions.

For the chicken:

Chicken– use boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will need about 1 ½ pounds.
Flour– for coating the chicken.
Garlic powder– add a little garlic powder to the flour to season the chicken.
Eggs– the eggs act as an adhesive, helping the breading stick to the chicken better. It also helps create a golden brown, crispy crust when cooked, adding texture and flavor.
Panko– panko bread crumbs create a crispy coating.
Parmesan cheese– the salty Parmesan adds great flavor to the chicken.

For the creamy lemon dressing:

Greek yogurt– use plain Greek yogurt. Fat-free, 2% or whole milk will work.
Lemon juice– always use fresh lemon juice.
Dijon mustard– sharp and tangy!
Honey– to sweeten the dressing.
Garlic– minced.

For the sandwiches:

Croissants– go to your favorite bakery and pick up freshly baked croissants.
Melted butter– for brushing on the croissants.
Parmesan cheese– to create Parmesan crusted croissants. They are next level! I also mix Parmesan cheese into the lettuce mixture.
Romaine lettuce– chopped!
Avocados– sliced.
Hot honey– for drizzling! Optional, but SO good!

chicken breasts on plates with flour, egg, and panko.

How to Make Crispy Chicken Croissant Sandwiches

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. Cut each breast in half, to create 4 equal size pieces.
In a medium shallow bowl or baking dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl or baking dish, whisk the eggs and set aside.
In a third medium shallow bowl or baking dish, combine the panko and Parmesan cheese.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, coating both sides, shaking off excess. Next, dip the chicken into the eggs, letting any excess drain off. Add the chicken to the panko mixture and press until both sides are well coated. Repeat until all pieces are all breaded.

crispy chicken cooking in cast iron skillet.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place 1 or 2 pieces of chicken into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, on each side, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Add more oil, if necessary.

creamy lemon dressing in bowl ready to be mixed.

To make the lemon dressing, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

toasted croissants cut in half with parmesan cheese on baking sheet.

Preheat the broiler. Use a serrated knife to cut the croissants in half lengthwise. Place the croissants on a large baking sheet.
Brush the insides and top exterior with melted butter. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese evenly on the tops of the croissants.
Broil until slightly toasted and Parmesan cheese is melted. This will only take 1 to 2 minutes, so don’t walk away. Remove from the oven.

romaine lettuce in bowl with creamy lemon dressing and parmesan cheese.

In a medium bowl, combine the lettuce, remaining Parmesan cheese, and dressing. Use tongs to toss until lettuce is well coated.

crispy chicken croissant sandwiches with romaine lettuce in creamy lemon dressing and avocado slices.

To assemble the sandwiches, place the chicken on the bottom halves of the croissants. You may have to cut the chicken to fit the croissant. It’s ok if some chicken hangs out of the sandwich. Drizzle with hot honey, if using.
Top with avocado slices, lettuce mixture, and sandwich with the Parmesan crusted croissant half.
Serve immediately.

crispy chicken croissant sandwich with lettuce, avocado, and Parmesan cheese.

Variations

Instead of using creamy lemon dressing, you can use Caesar dressing and make it a crispy chicken Caesar salad sandwich.
Add pickled red onions or pickles.
Add fresh tomato slices to the sandwich.
Top the chicken with a slice of provolone cheese.
Add a few slices of bacon. Why not?
If you don’t want to use a croissant, you can use ciabatta bread, sourdough, or a brioche bun.

What to Serve on the Side

How to Store

After the sandwiches are assembled, they are best the day they are made.
You can make the chicken advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven.
You can also make the creamy lemon dressing in advance, it will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

crispy chicken croissant sandwiches with romaine lettuce, avocado, Parmesan cheese, and hot honey.

More Sandwich Recipes

Sandwiches

Crispy Chicken Croissant Sandwich

Crispy chicken on a Parmesan crusted croissant with fresh Romaine lettuce that is tossed in a creamy lemon dressing. Add creamy avocado slices and a drizzle of hot honey to make the sandwich extra special! Everyone loves this gourmet sandwich.

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For the creamy lemon dressing:

For the sandwiches:

4 croissants
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
Hot honey, for drizzling, optional

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. Cut each breast in half, to create 4 equal size pieces.
In a medium shallow bowl or baking dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl or baking dish, whisk the eggs and set aside.
In a third medium shallow bowl or baking dish, combine the panko and Parmesan cheese.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, coating both sides, shaking off excess. Next, dip the chicken into the eggs, letting any excess drain off. Add the chicken to the panko mixture and press until both sides are well coated. Repeat until all pieces are all breaded.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place 1 or 2 pieces of chicken into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, on each side, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Add more oil, if necessary.
To make the lemon dressing, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat the broiler. Use a serrated knife to cut the croissants in half lengthwise. Place the croissants on a large baking sheet. Brush the insides and top exterior with melted butter. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese evenly on the tops of the croissants. Broil until slightly toasted and Parmesan cheese is melted. This will only take 1 to 2 minutes, so don’t walk away. Remove from the oven.
In a medium bowl, combine the lettuce, remaining Parmesan cheese, and dressing. Use tongs to toss until lettuce is well coated.
To assemble the sandwiches, place the chicken on the bottom halves of the croissants. You may have to cut the chicken to fit the croissant. It’s ok if some chicken hangs out of the sandwich. Drizzle with hot honey, if using. Top with avocado slices, lettuce mixture, and sandwich with the Parmesan crusted croissant half. Serve immediately.

Serving: 4g, Calories: 675kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 232mg, Sodium: 930mg, Potassium: 1060mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 5237IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 410mg, Iron: 5mg

Keywords chicken, sandwich

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Cilantro Lime Dressing – Cookie and Kate

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August 30, 2024

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Cilantro Lime Dressing – Cookie and Kate

Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe the next time you prepare a Mexican meal. It’s bright, sunny and fresh! This dressing is boldly flavored with fresh lime, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin and Dijon mustard. You can make it creamy or spicy if you wish.

Drizzle this dressing over crisp greens with sliced avocado and toasted pepitas for a perfectly simple side salad. You’ll find a longer list of salad toppings to choose from below.

I improvised this dressing to make a green salad with leftovers from my Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls, and I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with you. It’s almost as versatile as my favorite Lemon Vinaigrette and suits some flavors even better.

This dressing comes together quickly in the food processor and keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. Sometimes having a vibrant sauce on hand makes all the difference!

How to Serve Cilantro Lime Dressing

Drizzle this cilantro lime dressing over greens to serve alongside Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. This fresh dressing comes together quickly and lightens heavy entrées. Serve it with Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas, Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls or Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

This dressing is suitable for any green, from mild lettuces like Bibb lettuce and romaine to hearty greens like kale and arugula.

Here’s a list of salad ingredients that go well with this dressing:

Watch How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing

Flavor Variations

Make it creamy

Add tahini or Greek yogurt. I love the light nuttiness and intrigue that tahini brings. The recipe below includes suggested amounts for each option.

Make it spicy

Add a fresh jalapeño or red pepper flakes. Start small and blend in more to taste.

Skip the cilantro

For the cilantro-averse, yes, you can omit the cilantro! You’ll end up with a lovely lime dressing. It’s especially good with jalapeño for some extra flavor, which will be very similar to the Jalapeño-Lime Dressing in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 53).

Salads Featuring Similar Dressings

These dressings are tailored to each recipe. I hope they offer additional inspiration.

Please let me know how your cilantro lime dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you. You can check out more salad dressings here.

Print

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 ¼ cups 1x
Category: Salad dressing
Method: Blended
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe for your next green salad! It’s the perfect burst of freshness to accompany your Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. You can make the dressing creamy or spicy, if you wish! Recipe yields 1 ¼ cups.

Scale

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup lime juice (from about 4 to 6 limes)
1 cup loosely packed cilantro (mostly leaves, small stems are ok, from about 1 small bunch)
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Scant ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Optional, for spice: 1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and roughly chopped, and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes
Optional, for creamy dressing: 2 tablespoons tahini or ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

Instructions

In a food processor or small blender, combine all of the ingredients. Process until the mixture is completely smooth with tiny flecks of cilantro.
Taste, and adjust as necessary—if the dressing is overwhelmingly tart, add more honey by the teaspoon. If it tastes a little bitter or needs extra oomph, add another pinch or two of salt. For more spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Blend again.
Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey. For a creamy dressing, choose tahini.

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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The Finest Vegan Chili Recipe Ever!

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August 30, 2024

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This is the best vegan chili recipe you will try. Packed with hearty vegetables, beans, and protein, it is the ultimate plant based comfort food meal!

Healthy vegan chili recipe

If I were asked to choose one single favorite comfort food meal out of all the recipes in the world, without hesitation it would be this thick, rich, and flavorful chili.

But don’t just take my word for it.

Back in high school, I entered the recipe into our city’s annual chili cook off, and it took home first prize for best vegetarian option, out of twenty five entries!

Non vegans love the award winning recipe too.

In fact, this is my entire family’s favorite chili recipe, and I am the only one who’s vegan.

Even though I no longer live at home, my parents still make it at least once every few weeks for themselves.

For dessert, try these Vegan Brownies

What makes this the best vegan chili?

Simply put, this recipe just tastes better than any other vegan chili recipes.

Its texture is thick and hearty, never thin and soupy.

And the flavor is perfectly spiced with traditional chili flavors of garlic, cumin, and ground chili powder.

You will find no unusual ingredients like nutritional yeast or vinegar in this classic one pot vegetarian chili.

Ingredients for the recipe

To make homemade vegan chili, add the following ingredients to your grocery list.

You need an onion, carrots, bell peppers, beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, extra firm tofu, chili powder, ground cumin, minced garlic, salt, optional hot sauce and ground black pepper.

I like to add one can each of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Black beans also work well.

Want to use dried beans instead of canned beans? Measure one and a half cups of cooked beans for each can, for a total of four and a half cups of cooked beans.

For a soy free chili without tofu, simply swap out the package of tofu with an extra fifteen ounce can of beans. Or try lentils or textured vegetable protein (TVP).

Orange, yellow, green, or red bell peppers are all great options. I usually include a mix of red and orange peppers.

The recipe is incredibly versatile. You can add a can of corn, green chilis, or even cubed sweet potato or butternut squash. Once you get the base down, have fun changing up the add ins to find your perfect vegan meal.

Leftover beans? Make a Protein Cookie Dough Dip

Three bean chili recipe video

Above, watch the step by step recipe video

How to make vegetarian chili without meat

Step one is to gather all of your ingredients. Drain the cans of beans, and rinse well.

Slice the carrots, and dice the onion and bell peppers.

If making meatless chili with tofu, drain the package. Crumble the tofu, or chop it into squares or bite size pieces.

You may brown the onion first in a little olive oil for extra flavor. However, to save time I usually skip this step and simply add all ingredients to a large pot or slow cooker.

Stir everything together, then bring to a boil over medium heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for forty five minutes or until the carrots are soft.

*If you are cooking in a slow cooker, cover the crock pot and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours or until the carrots are soft.

It is important to continue cooking if the carrots are still crunchy, as this is a sign the chili is not yet at its most flavorful.

Serve hot in bowls or on plates with raised edges. Let any leftover southwest chili stew cool before transferring to meal prep storage containers or glass Pyrex dishes.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or freeze in an airtight container for three or four months, and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave before serving.

Easy vegan chili tips

For better texture and depth of flavor, be sure to continue cooking the recipe until the carrots are soft and diced onions are no longer crunchy.

This chili is quite mild in heat, meaning it is perfect for families and guests.

If you prefer a spicy vegan chili, add a few drops of your favorite Buffalo sauce or hot sauce, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and some diced jalapeños.

The recipe yields a large batch of around eighteen cups total, which is great for weekly meal prep or for feeding a family.

You can easily make a smaller amount if you wish by halving the ingredients.

Serving suggestions

This is one of my go to weekday plant based lunch or dinner recipes, because the dish is so easy to make and tastes delicious no matter how you choose to serve it.

I grew up on big bowls of this vegan chili with a side of creamy polenta or a thick slice of buttery cornbread.

Other great options include fluffy quinoa, brown rice, or crushed toasted tortilla chips. Some people even like to add tater tots on top of their chili.

For game day, holidays, or Super Bowl Sunday, why not set up a vegetarian chili bar with all the fixings?

I am partial to cashew cream and sliced avocado. You can also top your chili with chives, green onions, cilantro, vegan bacon bits, a slice of lime, or shredded vegan cheddar cheese.

Vegetarian Chili with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Vegan chili health benefits and nutrition

Thanks to the beans and vegetables, this recipe is high in fiber, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and B vitamins.

It can be low fat, gluten free, oil free, cholesterol free, and low calorie, with just 100 calories in a cup.

And the vegan chili is packed with protein, at over 15 grams per serving!

Easy Vegan Chili Recipe (Healthy Plant Based Dinner Idea)

1 large onion
2 bell peppers
2 carrots
3 cans beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, etc.)
30 oz diced tomatoes
28 oz tomato sauce
16 oz extra firm tofu or an additional can of beans
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
optional hot sauce and black pepper as desired
2 tsp minced garlic

If desired, start by browning the onion in a little vegetable or olive oil. Otherwise, just add all ingredients to a large pot and stir. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the carrots are no longer crunchy. Serve hot, or let cool before transferring to meal prep containers. Refrigerate leftovers for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months.View Nutrition Facts

More Vegan Dinner Ideas

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Avocado Salad

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

Healthful Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins – Recipesedge

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August 30, 2024

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Healthful Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins – Recipesedge

This is a cinnamon flavoured Breakfast Muffin filled with wholesome ingredients like apple, carrot, dried fruit and nuts. A variant of the popular Morning Glory muffins, it’s healthy enough for breakfast, but just sweet enough for morning tea!

Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

This is a muffin that just makes the cut into breakfast-land in my books. It’s barely sweet, with only 12 grams of sugar per muffin, less than a quarter of what you find in sugary cereals like Fruit Loops, and there’s a surprising amount of good-for-you fresh carrot and apple in it.

To quote Stephen, my head chef at RecipeTin Meals (my food bank):

“I actually really enjoyed it. It was sweet but not too sweet. I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it because it’s not my kind of thing but yeah, good texture, nice taste and not too heavy.

(By “his kind of thing”, he is referring to wholesomeness masquerading as a muffin. Or, a muffin masquerading as wholesomeness. He’s a burley northern English lad. I don’t know why, but I feel that explains a lot, in reference to these muffins. 😂)

PS This is Stephen. He is one of the funniest people I know. He has been known to have me collapse on the floor laughing!

RecipeTin Meals - Stephen Fixter — RecipeTin Meals Boss Chef Stephen

RecipeTin Meals - Nagi and Stephen — RecipeTin Meals Boss Chef Stephen

Ingredients in Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

Muffin add-ins

This is a good recipe for using leftover bits of dried fruit and nuts. You can literally use anything you want, or even seeds like pepitas and sunflower seeds.

Raisins and walnuts – These are the fruit and nuts I used, but as mentioned above, you can use whatever you want or have. I like raisins over sultanas and currants because they’re bigger and plumper! And I feel like the earthy flavour of walnuts just works in this whole breakfast muffin.
Coconut – For flavour, moisture retention in the crumb, and a touch of sweetness (though note, I use unsweetened not sweetened). I use desiccated coconut which is the really finely shredded coconut. Shredded coconut (the fine strands) will also work but flakes will be too large.
If you don’t like or don’t have coconut, leave it out and add an extra 1 tablespoon of flour into the batter.
Granny Smith apple – This is my choice of apple because I like that it’s tart-sweet. But any colour and variety of apple will work here. Use a medium to large one. We need 1 1/4 cups of shredded flesh, including the juices. Don’t tightly pack the cup to measure (ie don’t press the shredded apple down into the cup with your hand),
Also, I don’t peel. There’s extra nutrients in the skin!
Carrot – This recipe calls for 2 cups shredded carrot. As wth the apple, don’t tightly pack the cup to measure and don’t peel!

muffin batter

Not as many substitutions for the batter because baking is a bit of a science so there’s a reason for the amount and use of ingredients. But there are still some options, which is always nice!

Wholemeal flour – Also known as whole-wheat flour, it has more nutrition in it than plain white flour. Though you can use regular flour if that’s what you’ve got!
Brown sugar – The muffin only calls for 3/4 cup which, across 12 muffins, is only 12 grams per muffin which puts it in “acceptable breakfast” territory in my books! You can reduce down to 1/2 cup but expect the crumb to be a touch less soft than ideal.
Baking soda (aka bicarbonate soda) – This is what makes the muffin rise. You can substitute with 5 1/4 tsp baking powder but the muffin will have a slightly less soft crumb. It’s not a big deal though and wouldn’t stop me from making it!
Cinnamon powder – The main spicing for the batter and also gives the muffin a gorgeous warm brown colour!
Ginger powder – Extra spicing so not essential. Substitute with all spice, pumpkin spice or similar, or just leave it out.
Oil – Any neutral flavoured oil is fine here. I like to use plain olive oil (don’t use extra virgin olive oil, the flavour will dominate). Liquid coconut oil will also work but I’d recommend being careful not to use one with a strong coconut flavour as it will overwhelm the muffin flavour.
Butter and non-liquid coconut oil (ie the type you have to melt) will work but the muffins are a bit less moist inside.
Orange juice – You can substitute with any fruit juice you have, or substitute with milk. It’s not critical, and you can’t taste it. I just needed a little more liquid for the batter and chose orange juice to be on-theme for these breakfast muffins.

Cinnamon breakfast muffins batter (Morning Glory Muffins)

Making Cinnamon breakfast muffins (Morning Glory Muffins)

How to make Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

You might get little bits of carrot and apple all over your kitchen and yourself. But the actual muffin batter part is super duper easy!

The add-ins

Toast the walnuts for 8 minutes in a 190°C/375°F (170°C fan-forced) oven. This will bring out the flavour so you can actually taste walnut when you bite into a piece in the muffin. It’s especially important if your walnuts are a little on the stale side.
Chop – Cool the walnuts on the tray then roughly chop.

Grate the carrots using a standard box grater. I don’t peel the carrots. Free nutrition!
Grate the apple as well. Again, I don’t peel!

Add-ins prepped. Now onto the batter!

The batter

Dry – Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl to combine.
Wet – Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl until combined.

💡 Whisk dry before the wet ingredients. If you do the wet ingredients first, the flour gets stuck to the whisk when you whisk the dry ingredients. It matters – what if it’s all baking soda that gets stuck to the whisk?!

Add wet into dry – Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl.
Add-ins – Then add all the add-ins. The carrot, apple, fruit and nuts.

Mix with a rubber spatula just until you can no longer see flour. The mixture will be fairly thick, thick enough to stay in a mound in in the muffin tin (see step 6 photo).
Fill – Fill the holes in a muffin tin sprayed with oil or lined with muffin cases. Use all the mixture – it will mound above the rim, like pictured, guaranteed muffins with lovely domed tops!

💡An ice cream scoop with a lever is a fast way to fill muffin tins evenly and neatly.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins are a deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool for at least another 5 minutes before grabbing one! Don’t skip the cooling time. The muffins are quite fragile when piping hot so are susceptible to breaking when you lift it out of the muffin tin. The resting time also allows the middle to finish cooking (it will taste a little under-cooked if you eat it straight away, something impatient people like me will have experienced first hand).

You can eat these plain – they are full of flavour and the crumb is so soft and tender, it’s great even at room temperature.

But I highly encourage experiencing these at least once with a smear of lightly salted butter. Softened. Don’t try to spread rock hard butter on this soft muffin, you’ll smush the crumb!

Bake them this weekend to tuck into lunch boxes next week, for after school snacking, book club, and breakfast on the run. Fitting for so many purposes! And a great shelf life of 5 days. Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Whole Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Breakfast, Snack

Western

Servings12

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. Wholesome but don’t taste like cardboard, I love them! A variant of the popular Morning Glory muffins, they’re just sweet enough to be a morning tea treat yet healthy enough to be considered breakfast with only 12 grams of sugar per muffin. Soft moist crumb inside, they stay fresh for 5 days and freeze perfectly!

Ingredients

Add ins (Note 1 for alternatives):

Instructions

Abbreviated recipe:

Toast walnuts 190°C/375°F (170°C fan) 8 minutes. Cool, roughly chop. Whisk dry, whisk wet in separate bowl. Add wet into dry with add-ins, mix, fill oil-sprayed muffin tin. Bake 25 minutes.

Full recipe:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan-forced).
Toast walnuts – Put the walnuts on a tray and toast for 8 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the tray then roughly chop into 5mm / 0.2″ pieces.
Spray a 12 hole standard muffin tin with oil, or line with muffin cases.
Batter – Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients until combined in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients and all the add-ins into the Dry Ingredients bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon just until you can no longer see flour, then stop mixing (over-mixed batter = tough muffs!).
Divide the mixture between the holes – they will mound above the rim! (See photos in post) A lever ice cream scoop is super useful here.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then transfer onto a cooling rack and cool for at least another 5 minutes before grabbing on. Slathering with softened salted butter is encouraged!

Recipe Notes:

1. Add-in alternatives:

Nuts and fruit – use what you want! Almonds, macadamias, cashews, pecans, sultanas, apricots, mango, apple, or dried fruit mix. Chop large piece fruits.
Apple – Red apple is also fine, it’s just a little sweeter. Keep skin on for free nutrition.
Coconut – Can be omitted, add an extra 1 tablespoon flour.
Carrot – Recommend sticking with carrot for the vegetable so the batter and flavour isn’t altered too much. eg zucchini too watery, parsnip weird flavour, pumpkin and sweet potato too mushy.

2. Baking soda – Can substitute with 5 1/4 tsp baking powder but muffin is a touch less soft inside. Not a big difference.
3. Ginger is an extra so not essential. Substitute with all spice, pumpkin spice or similar, or just leave it out.
4. Oil – Any neutral flavoured oil is fine here. Butter and non-liquid coconut oil (ie the type you have to melt) will work but the muffins are a bit less moist inside, and coconut oil will make them taste more coconut-y unless you use a virgin one (same with liquid coconut oils).
5. Orange juice isn’t critical, the batter just needed a touch of extra liquid and I chose this to be on-theme. Just any fruit juice you have, or substitute with milk.
Storage – 5 days in the fridge or in a cool pantry, but always eat at room temperature or slightly warmed!
Source – Adapted from Helen Goh’s Morning Glory Breakfast Loaf as published in Good Food Australia.
Nutrition per muffin.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 358cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 41g (14%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 21g (32%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 41mg (14%)Sodium: 296mg (13%)Potassium: 326mg (9%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 16g (18%)Vitamin A: 3644IU (73%)Vitamin C: 5mg (6%)Calcium: 47mg (5%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Keywords: Breakfast Muffins, morning glory muffins

Life of Dozer

Home video from Bayview dog beach! Living life to the max in his Golden Years. ❤️

Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake Recipe

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This Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake has all the flavors of fall. Inspired by my sesame chocolate chip cookies, this moist and light pumpkin cake is filled with the flavor of toasted sesame oil, crunchy sesame seeds and gooey dark chocolate chunks. It requires one-bowl and it’s easy to prep in 15 minutes. Enjoy a slice with a mug of Homemade Hot Chocolate for a ultimate cozy fall treat!

Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake on a plate with a slice missing.

This pumpkin cake is a snacking cake. It’s quick to make without any layers or frosting, because it’s just that good to enjoy on its own. Just like this Pumpkin Coffee Cake, Tahini Banana Bread, or Swedish Chocolate Cake. But if you have a little bit more time on your hands this Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is always DIVINE!

Side view of Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake on a plate.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Pumpkin puree – 100% pure pumpkin puree gives the perfect amount of fall/ pumpkin flavor to this cake combined with pumpkin pie spice mix.
Oil – I used a mixture of a neutral-tasting vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil. Using oil in cake ensures that it stays perfectly moist. Toasted sesame oil in particular gives the cake a lovely but subtle nuttiness that pairs so well with the flavor of pumpkin and of course sesame seeds.
Sesame seeds – A mix of black and white sesame seeds are mixed into the cake batter itself and sprinkled on top for extra crunch and nuttiness.
Dark chocolate – Optional! I enjoy the little pieces of chocolate throughout the cake but feel free to leave it out.

For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!

How To Make Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Make the cake batter – In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, sesame oil, eggs, pumpkin spice and sugar. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined, try not to over mix. Lastly, fold in chocolate, if using.
Pour batter into a prepared baking pan, smooth it out in an even layer then sprinkle over more sesame seeds and chocolate chunks.
Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool then serve.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t over mix the batter, stir until you can’t see any more speckles of flour then stop. Over mixing can knock out the air in the cake causing it to be dense and tough.
If the top is browning too quickly and the center is still wet and gooey, tent the top with a piece of aluminum foil, this will help protect to the top of the cake but also gives the middle more time to bake fully.
Uses for leftover pumpkin puree – This recipe uses about half of a standard can of pumpkin puree leaving you with roughly 1 cup remaining. Use your leftovers to make Pumpkin Pancakes, Crispy Pumpkin Waffles, or these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake on a plate with cups of coffee cups arrange around.

Recipe FAQs

Why is my pumpkin cake too moist?

You might have added too much pumpkin puree to the cake batter. Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture to the cake and can sometimes make it too wet. On the other hand, you may not have baked your cake for long enough. Depending on the size of your baking pan you might need to bake the cake for a few extra minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin pie filling?

Nope! Canned pumpkin puree is 100% blended pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is pumpkin puree mixed with sugar and pumpkin pie spices. It’s perfect for making a pie but not much else, they can’t be used interchangeably.

More Fall Recipes

If you tried this Sesame Pumpkin Chocolate Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 8-inch round baking pan (or you could use a 8×4-inch loaf pan. Alternatively you can also use a 9×5-inch loaf pan (but your loaf will be a bit more stout).
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, neutral oil, sesame oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and sugar. You want it to be well combined so mix it with a whisk or spatula for a good minute or so. Next, add the flour, sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, kosher salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix once more until mostly combined. Lastly, add most of the chocolate (reserving a few pieces for the topping) and mix until no more speckles of flour appear; being sure NOT to over-mix the batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with a small handful of black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds, along with a few chunks of chocolate.
Place in the oven to bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t over mix the batter, stir until you can’t see any more speckles of flour then stop. Over mixing can knock out the air in the cake causing it to be dense and tough.
If the top is browning too quickly and the center is still wet and gooey, tent the top with a piece of aluminum foil, this will help protect to the top of the cake but also gives the middle more time to bake fully.
Uses for leftover pumpkin puree – This recipe uses about half of a standard can of pumpkin puree leaving you with roughly 1 cup remaining. Use your leftovers to make Pumpkin Pancakes, Crispy Pumpkin Waffles, or these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Bitter Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes.

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Bitter Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes.

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Easiest Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes. These crispy potatoes are so flavorful and delicious. The secret…cooking the potatoes in beer until they are fork tender. Then quickly smashing them down and roasting them up with salted butter. As the potatoes bake away, the edges of the potatoes get crispy, while the middle of the potato turns buttery. Serve the buttery, crispy potatoes up with my homemade sour cream and onion dip with fresh herbs, lemon, and sea salt. I highly suggest doubling the recipe – one batch is just never enough.

Bitter Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes.

Why is it that potatoes are SO DELICIOUS? Like, have you ever met a potato dish you didn’t love? Coming from the Midwest, I may love potatoes more than the rest. Growing up, homemade oven fries were one of my favorite things my dad would make. He’d roast them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe a few other spices too. But he did them simply, and they were always so delicious.

Of course, we had roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, and, oh my gosh, Dad’s very famous cheesy, crispy potato skins, which he served with sour cream for dipping.

I drew my inspiration from Dad’s oven fries and potato skins and then took encouragement from my younger brother, Red, who loves a bag of sour cream and onion chips like no other.

This recipe just works. Salty, crispy potatoes are topped with a smear of homemade sour cream and onion dip and loaded with fresh herbs. It’s a combination of Dad’s fries, Dad’s crispy skins with sour cream, and my brother’s obsession with sour cream and onion chips.

These potatoes are the most delicious!

Let’s Get Into The Details

Step 1: cook the potatoes

This is the easiest process. Place Yukon gold potatoes in a roasting pan with a lid. Pour over one bottle of beer and then a couple of cups of water. This time of year, I love to use a pumpkin beer, but you should cook with a beer you enjoy. If you do not drink beer, use an equal amount of apple cider or just use water.

Cover, then bake for 45 minutes to an hour. The key is to get the potatoes really soft—they should be easily smashable.

There is no need to peel or chop these potatoes. Just give them a good rinse, cover, and bake away. Baking the potatoes in the beer keeps them from drying out. It also cooks them really well and gets them ready for smashing, adding a rich flavor similar to something that’s been slow-cooked for a long time.

Step 2: make the dip

While the potatoes roast make a simple onion dip. All we’re doing is mixing sour cream with plain Greek yogurt, dried onion flakes, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. It’s not fancy, but so yummy!

Step 3: smash the potatoes

Pull the potatoes out of the baking dish and place them onto a baking sheet. Smash them down with a potato masher, a fork, or the back of a spatula. Add pats of butter on and around the potatoes.

Roast the smashed potatoes until they are very crispy. The butter naturally browns around each potato. It’s the yummiest!

Step 4: serve

To serve, I take the dip and spread it out onto a serving plate or a low serving bowl. Then, take the hot, crispy potatoes and spoon them + the brown butter over the dip.

Top with handfuls of fresh chopped scallions, basil, and cilantro. Then add a little bit of lemon juice, sea salt, and fresh black pepper.

These potatoes really are so good. The crispy chip-like edges and soft centers are DELICIOUS! The dip adds such yumminess, like a sour cream and onion chip, but honestly, so much better.

Make these as an appetizer for fall games or serve as a side situation for cozy fall dinners.

Looking for other potato dishes? Here are my favorites:

Crispy Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Stacks

Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans

Baked Sweet Potato Parmesan Tater Tots

Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon Maple Butter

Lastly, if you make these Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 136 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Arrange the potatoes in a casserole dish with a lid. Pour over the beer and 2 cups water. Cover and bake for 40 minutes, until very soft.3. Crank the heat on the oven to 425° F. Remove the potatoes and place them on a baking sheet. Using the back of a fork or a potato masher, smash each potato. Arrange slices of butter on top of the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until the potatoes are crispy, 20 minutes.4. Meanwhile, make the dip. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, yogurt, onion flakes, garlic powder, and salt. Spread the dip onto a serving plate. 5. Grab the potatoes and spoon the potatoes and brown butter over the dip on the serving plate. Top with scallions, basil, cilantro, and lemon. Season with sea salt.

Berry Pie – Recipesedge

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A good berry pie is one of those baking skills to conquer first. I love this berry pie for its simplicity, but there are some details to fixate on to make it extra special.

Why I love This Pie:

A great berry pie is classic, and there are two components to get right: the crust, and the filling. The filling for this pie is sweet enough to accent the flavors in good fruit, but not so sweet the fruit is overpowered. I’m encouraging you to make your own homemade pie crust here. It’s a complete game changer, and absolutely doable! A structured, golden, all-butter crust is the ideal contrast to a jammy, unstructured fruit pie filling like this one. I sprinkle the top pie crust with big grains of sugar just before baking to add a layer of crunch and sweetness. A detail that really takes the whole thing over the top.

What Kind of Berries are Best for Berry Pie?

You have latitude when it comes to choosing berries for berry pie. Use whatever great tasting berries you have on hand. It’s okay if they’re not “perfect” as long as the flavor is good. My rare (but absolute favorite) berry pie version is made entirely with wild huckleberries. Raspberries plus huckleberries is a winning combo. And the pie pictured here is a blend of (roughly) equal parts blueberries and blackberries. The formula is to use 2 pounds of berries total. Pick through the berries to remove any stems or molded berries.

Can I Use Frozen Berries?

Yes, you can use fruit that has been frozen in pies. Thaw to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

Berry Pie: Pro-tips

Here are a few pro-tips for this pie.

Glass pie dish: Number one tip, but don’t let this hold you back from baking a pie today. If you love pie, eventually you’re going to want to score a glass pie dish. It allows you to see the base of your pie take on color as it is baking. It’s a helpful confidence builder as you’re dialing in your pie baking skills.
Work with confidence: People are often intimidate by pie baking. I’m here to tell you that even when it is bad it is good. Just keep moving forward when you’re making a pie. Don’t give up. If you’re fighting the crust, take a minute, put it back in the refrigerator to cool, regroup, then try again.
Fully Bake Your Pie: An underbaked pie will cause a number of problems including a doughy, unstructured crust, and undeveloped filling. If using a glass baking dish, look for the pie bottom to get golden brown and toasted color. The top should be similar. You can see that I love a deeply golden and rustic crust, and can sometimes push it a bit too far, but you get the idea! Go super toasty and golden, pale flour is no good here.

Berry Pie: Variations

My goal here is to deliver the kind of berry pie recipe that becomes a staple in your baking repertoire – delicious, reliable, and thick with bubbling berry juices. You’ll find the base recipe down below, but here are a few little tweaks I’ve noted in my notebooks over the years.

Rye Crust: Use this all-butter flaky pie crust, but swap in 25% dark rye flour. You’ll end up with a gorgeous, rustic crust that works brilliantly in combination with berries.
Lemon Zest Crust: Grate the zest of a lemon or two into your flour and butter as you’re making your pie crust. I don’t always have time for these little touches when making a pie, but love a little wink of lemon to level up just about any pie crust.
Rose Geranium Sugar: A bit of a wildcard suggestion here, but I happen to have a vigorous rose geranium plant on my patio, and it pairs incredibly well with berries. The night before making your pie filling use your hands to work a few fragrant rose geranium leaves into the sugar. Kind of smash and smear it, seal it in a jar overnight, and remove the leaves before making the filling with the scented sugar the next day.
Herb & Spice Rye Berry Pie: A version of pie I had on the site for a long time (before this update!) used the rye crust suggested above, and 2 sprigs of thyme leaves plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in the filling.

To Make a Lattice Pie Crust

You don’t have to make a latticed top for this pie, but you can if you like. Here’s how:
Step one: Roll the pie dough top crust out into a 12 x 12 shape and cut into 1-inch thick strips (pictured above). Go for more of a square shape if possible.

Step two: Arrange 6-7 strips horizontally on a piece of parchment paper. Then, starting in the middle, working quickly with a single strip, make your strips look like this. (above) Under two, over two, under two, at 45 degree angle.

Step three: Grab another single strip and do the opposite next door. So – over two, under two, over two. Keep going working outward, alternating. When you’ve used all your strips transfer the crust to the refrigerator for 5 minutes or so to set a bit. You’ll be able to slide it off the parchment paper into place on the pie. Trim just beyond the edge of the pie dish, crimp or seal, and proceed with the recipe.

Cashew Butter Recipe – Cookie and Kate

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August 30, 2024

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Cashew Butter Recipe – Cookie and Kate

Have you experienced cashew butter? It is sublime and somehow much more delicious than a handful of toasted cashews. A spoonful of homemade cashew butter tastes like a treat. It’s nearly as enticing as cookie dough, as far as I’m concerned—sometimes, I add a few chocolate chips to achieve the full cookie dough effect.

This homemade cashew butter recipe is easy to make in a food processor. The trick is to lightly toast your cashews before blending for the best flavor and texture. Even then, cashew butter has a more neutral flavor than most other nut butter. It’s quite versatile.

Homemade cashew butter contains no additives like sunflower oil; it’s made simply with cashews and a dash of salt to enhance the flavor. Since it is so fresh, it offers better flavor than store-bought options.

Store-bought cashew butter can be quite expensive—I often balk at the nearly twenty-dollar jars at Whole Foods. Making it at home can cost half as much. We could get into a philosophical debate about time versus money, or make cashew butter in the same length of time. Let’s make some already.

Cashew Butter Tips

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are some notes and tips before you get started.

Toast your nuts before blending. Warm nuts blend more readily than room-temperature nuts. When I tried making cashew butter with plain raw cashews in my Vitamix, I had trouble blending them and resorted to adding olive oil to make it work. Furthermore, cashew butter made with freshly toasted nuts tastes extra special.

You’re in charge of how “toasty” your cashew butter tastes. My recipe suggests baking them for 10 minutes, which brings out the cashews’ best flavor without tasting overtly roasted. If you would like a greater depth of flavor, you could leave your nuts in for a few extra minutes. Stir them at the 10-minute mark, then keep a close eye one them to ensure that the nuts around the edges don’t burn.

Use a food processor rather than a blender. I love my fancy Vitamix, but I’m on Team Food Processor for nut butter (here’s mine). The food processor takes a few minutes longer but doesn’t require my involvement.

Watch How to Make Cashew Butter

How to Serve Cashew Butter

I love a spoonful of cashew butter from time to time. Here are some more ways to enjoy it:

Spread cashew butter over toast and add berries (fresh berries, defrosted frozen, or chia berry jam). You could make a lovely appetizer with crostini, plus fresh raspberries and a light drizzle of honey.
Add a dab to quick breads, like banana bread or muffins.
Try cashew butter on pancakes. Possibly better than maple syrup.
For extra protein, blend cashew butter into smoothies, overnight oats, oatmeal, or yogurt.
For a treat, spread it across a graham cracker and add a few chocolate chips!

More Nut Butters to Try

Please let me know how your cashew butter turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.

Print

Cashew Butter

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes (including 10 minute cooling time)
Yield: 1 ¾ cups 1x
Category: Spread
Method: Food processor
Cuisine: N/A
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

Make creamy cashew butter at home! It’s easy in your food processor and much more affordable than store-bought. Recipe yields 1 ¾ cups.

Scale

Ingredients

16 ounces (just over 3 cups) unroasted shelled cashews
¼ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the cashews across a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
Let the cashews cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes.
Transfer the cashews to a food processor. Add the salt. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. You’ll think it’ll never blend, but be patient! The cashews will go from flour-like clumps to a ball against the side of the food processor, and finally, the mixture will turn lusciously creamy. If the mixture gets hot along the way or your machine seems tired, stop and let it cool for a few minutes.
Let the cashew butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a mason jar and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Notes

Change it up: You can create a mixed nut butter by substituting raw almonds, walnuts or pecans for some of the cashews. Toast them all together on the pan.

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes

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This recipe for Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes is hearty, warming, and deeply satisfying. These stuffed tomatoes can easily be served over a bed of pasta or rice—super budget-friendly and extremely filling! Every time you cut into one of the tomatoes, it’s like you’re making the sauce for whatever you’ve paired them with. This recipe is absolutely delicious and a great way to use up those summer tomatoes!

Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish.

What Are Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes?

Stuffed tomatoes are such an underrated dish. You can stuff them with almost anything you have on hand—grains, beans, meats, veggies, cheese! In this recipe, I take inspiration from Tuscan cuisine and stuff the tomatoes with a hearty mixture of cannellini beans, four types of diced vegetables, breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, tomato sauce, and shredded cheese. Each tomato is then baked until it’s tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. They’re like mini casseroles in tomato form!

Here’s what you’ll need to make this stuffed tomato recipe:

Tomatoes: I use large “slicing” tomatoes (the kind you might use for a sandwich). You can also use smaller, on-the-vine tomatoes if you’re cooking for more than 4 people or want them as a side dish.
Cannellini Beans: Adds protein and fiber, making this recipe even more filling and nutritious.
Vegetables: Carrots, yellow onion, and celery cook down to be soft, sweet, and succulent. I also add some diced zucchini for extra texture and flavor.
Herbs: A sprig of rosemary and a dried Italian seasoning blend help give these tomatoes a Tuscan twist. Half a teaspoon of dried rosemary will also work if you don’t have fresh.
Seasonings: A little salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes help to enhance the other flavors.
Olive Oil: Softens the veggies as they cook and helps the tomatoes to brown in the oven.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The tanginess helps balance out the tomatoes’ sweetness and tenderizes the vegetables as they cook. It really helps the flavorful herbs pop!
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic infuses the filling with flavor.
Bread Crumbs: These help to absorb the extra moisture from the vegetables and create a nice, hearty texture. You can use any type of breadcrumbs you prefer.
Tomato Sauce: Use your favorite canned tomato sauce, or make your own from scratch!
Italian Cheese Blend: Makes the filling creamy and savory. I used the shredded Italian cheese blend from my local Kroger, but any type of cheese you enjoy and have on hand will work. Dairy-free? No problem. This recipe is great without the cheese, too.

What Type Of Tomato is Best for Stuffing?

You want large, firm, and ripe ”slicing” tomatoes for this recipe. Beefsteak and large heirloom tomatoes are also great options because they’re big and easy to stuff. Roma tomatoes could also work, but the oval shape makes stuffing a bit more challenging. For serving a crowd, I use smaller vine-ripened tomatoes so the filling goes further. Whichever variety you choose, make sure your tomatoes are firm and not mushy!

Dairy-free? Leave out the cheese. Trust me, the white beans add to the dense texture and creaminess of the filling, so they’re great no matter what your dietary restrictions are.
You can make the filling up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to stuff and bake your tomatoes. Cook the stuffed tomatoes for a couple of minutes longer to heat the filling through.
This recipe isn’t just for tomatoes! You can use the same filling to stuff large mushrooms or bell peppers (stuffed bell peppers are delicious!)

Storage Instructions

Leftover Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until heated through. I wouldn’t freeze this recipe as the tomatoes may become too watery after thawing. However, the filling freezes well.

A tuscan white bean stuffed tomato with pasta.

Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes

This Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes recipe is hearty, warming, and deeply satisfying. It’s also budget-friendly and easy to make!

Author: Jess – Budget Bytes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

4 large “slicing” tomatoes* ($4.54)
1 can cannellini beans ($0.86)
1 carrot, peeled ($0.10)
½ yellow onion ($0.47)
2 sticks celery ($0.10)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.38)
1 zucchini, diced small ($0.93)
1 sprig rosemary** ($0.19)
½ Tbsp dried Italian herb blend ($0.29)
1½ tsp salt ($0.01)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar ($0.03)
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.12)
½ tsp red pepper flakes ($0.06)
3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.15)
8oz can tomato sauce ($0.74)
¼ cup bread crumbs ($0.16)
½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend*** ($0.58)

Hollow out 4 large tomatoes, keeping the tops and transferring the juicy seeds and inside flesh to a medium mixing bowl. Reserve everything!
Dice the carrot, yellow onion, and celery sticks into small pieces to make mirepoix (which is a combination of diced veggies used to flavor a recipe).
Pour 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil into a saucepan with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and the diced carrots, onions, and celery.
Once cooked down, about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened and glossy, add the insides from the tomatoes, diced zucchini, rosemary, garlic, and apple cider vinegar and simmer of on medium heat uncovered until a chunky filling forms and some of the juices cook down, about 10 min.
Add bread crumbs, white cannellini beans and tomato sauce. Stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes.
Turn off heat and fold in shredded Italian cheese blend. Set aside.
Place hollowed out tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. Fill each hollowed out tomato with the cheesy white bean filling and put their tomato “lids” on. Fill in around each tomato with any extra filling. Brush remaining olive oil on top of all 4 tomatoes and cover the entire baking dish lightly with tinfoil. Bake for 15 min at 375°F.
Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Broil on high for the last 3 minutes to get some color on top of the tomatoes, if needed.
Serve each tomato over pasta or rice.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

*If you want to stretch this recipe further for more than 4 people, you can buy slightly smaller tomatoes on the vine and follow these same instructions, serving the smaller stuffed tomatoes with more pasta or rice to keep your guests happy and full! In my experience, you can find tomatoes for much cheaper (and more flavorful!) when they are in season.
**Dried rosemary also works well.
*** I chose the shredded Italian cheese blend at my local Kroger, but provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, and even cheddar cheese work well in this recipe—use whatever you have on hand!

Serving: 1stuffed tomatoCalories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 7gFat: 12gSodium: 1245mgFiber: 4g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

A tuscan white bean stuffed tomato on a plate.

how to make Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes – step by step photos

A knife cutting the top off a tomato on a chopping board next to hollowed out tomatoes and a bowl containing scooped out tomato seeds.

Hollow out 4 large tomatoes, keeping the tops and transferring the juicy seeds and inside flesh to a medium mixing bowl. Reserve everything!

Diced onions, carrots, and celery in a saucepan with salt and pepper.

Dice 1 peeled carrot, ½ a yellow onion, and 2 celery sticks into small pieces to make mirepoix (which is a combination of diced veggies used to flavor a recipe). Pour 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil into a saucepan with 1½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ Tsp Italian herbs, and the diced carrots, onions, and celery.

Filling for tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a saucepan.

Once cooked down, about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened and glossy, add the insides from the tomatoes, 1 diced zucchini, 1 sprig of rosemary, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar and simmer of on medium heat uncovered until a chunky filling forms and some of the juices cook down, about 10 min.

Add ¼ cups of bread crumbs, 1 can of white cannellini beans, and an 8-oz can of tomato sauce. Stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes.

Filling for tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a saucepan topped with shredded cheese.

Turn off heat and fold in ½ a cup of shredded Italian cheese blend. Set aside.

A spoon adding the tuscan white bean filling to hollowed out tomatoes in a baking dish.

Place hollowed out tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. Fill each hollowed out tomato with the cheesy white bean filling and put their tomato “lids” on.

Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish being brushed with oil.

Fill in around each tomato with any extra filling. Brush remaining ½ Tbsp of olive oil on top of all 4 tomatoes and cover the entire baking dish lightly with tinfoil. Bake for 15 min at 375°F.

Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Broil your baked stuffed tomatoes on high for the last 3 minutes to get some color on top of the tomatoes, if needed. Serve each tomato over pasta or rice.

A knife and fork cutting into a tuscan white bean stuffed tomato on a plate with pasta.

You NEED to try these protein-packed Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes the next time you’re craving something warm, hearty, and delicious!

Really feel-good Lunch Concepts – Recipesedge

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August 30, 2024

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Really feel-good Lunch Concepts – Recipesedge

Coming up with inspired lunch ideas takes some effort. One of the things I’ve been trying to be better about is lunches on-the-go. Often times, let’s be honest, it’s re-marketing leftovers. Too often, if we’re not going to be home for the day, we just wing it. And I’m nearly always sorry we didn’t make the effort to pack a good lunch. This is especially true if we’re on some sort of trip, towing the Airstream. Because on those days parking dictates where you’re lunching. And just thinking about it is making me cringe. So yeah, we’re trying to do better over here and I thought I’d share some recent wins.

Lunch Ideas #1

These lunch boxes (above) came together pretty quickly. Nearly everything was a leftover, or component of a previous meal. To pull it together I peeled and chile-dusted the hard boiled eggs, sliced the avocado and sliced the mandarin.

1. Spicy Sesame Coleslaw: You’ve seen it before, you’ll see it again. Lol. It’s my favorite coleslaw, and I’ll basically tuck in anywhere. Feathery green and red cabbages along with carrots, apples, and scallions tossed with a spicy, creamy sesame dressing.

2. Pickled Cauliflower: The pop of color you need in your lunch. This quick pickled cauliflower delivers a good amount of tang and crunch in the midst of less structured components. I make mine with chiles, mustard seeds and slivered onion, but you can play around.

3. Chile-dusted Hard-boiled Egg: Here’s how to make these. Combine equal parts chile powder and MDH chana masala powder in a small bowl. I like to use this Kashmiri chillie powder, but use what you have (and like). Hard boil eggs, peel them, rinse, dab each egg a bit on a clean towel to take off excess water, then roll them around in the spice mixture until completely covered. Slice and serve, or pack into lunch.

4. Turmeric-Scallion Tofu Spread: This is actually leftover wonton filling from my last round of wonton soup. But it’s also great as a lettuce wrap filling, cracker and sandwich spread, and on its own. Here, I nestle it into a stack of 2-3 little gem leaves. Get the recipe – it’s the first part of the recipe on this page, minus the wrappers.

5. Red-spiced Edamame: I’ll write this up as its own recipe soon, it’s a homemade spice blend made by crushing Kashmiri chillies, smoked paprika, brown sugar, sesame, dried onion flakes, salt, and a kiss of cardamom together. Sprinkle generously. There are a lot of other spice blend ideas in the Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest PDF that members get. Just about any of those are great here. Experiment!

6. Pepita & Curry Leaf Tadka: I’ve definitely over-stripped my young curry tree making this lately. Toast a cup of pepitas and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir in 50-ish fresh curry leaves. Continue to stir and when the leaves begin to crisp up add 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds. Keep stirring and when the seeds have toasted a bit and stopped popping, add 1/2 teaspoon chile powder. Pour this over your pepitas, toss well, and salt to taste. good on everything, Including the soba in the next lunch.

Also: purple rice, sliced avocado, mandarin wedge, nutritional yeast kale chips

Lunch Ideas #2

The one component of the lunch boxes (above) that wasn’t made ahead of time, was the soba noodles. I boiled them, and ran them under cold water just before packing up.

6+. Soba with Pepita & Curry Leaf Tadka: The same pepitas as above (lunch ideas #1), this time tangled with cold soba.

7. Vegan Tamagoyaki: This is a vegan version of tamagoyaki, the much-loved Japanese rolled omelette. I like to make chickpea-tofu version, and this one is lined with nori and seasoned with scallions and herbs. They’re fantastic lunchbox heroes because you can make and roll them ahead of time. They’ll keep for a few day so you can slice and go.

8. Blistered Artichoke Hearts: Leftovers from dinner the previous night. I cooked these from frozen. So easy, so good. I wrote a long post about how to cook artichokes – both fresh and frozen. So, if you love artichokes, but think they’re too much work, read this. Same goes if you think the frozen ones are going to be bad. They aren’t and they’re great in scenarios like this one, quick pastas, casseroles, etc.

9. Fava Beans Tossed with Citrus Olive Oil: These are fava beans that have been shelled, boiled for a flash, shelled again, and then splashed with a bit of lemon olive oil, and tossed with a pinch of salt. From previous dinner. I do the same with edamame, but favas are in season and I they’re worth all the shelling and peeling drama.

10. Kale Chips: Some extra crushed kale chips tossed with the remaining pepitas. My method for epic kale chips is this: buy curly kale, make sure it’s dry if you recently washed it. Toss the kale with olive oil and scrunch it all up with your hands, be sure it’s all coated. Toss with a lot of nutritional yeast, get a good coating going. Season with salt and bake at until the chips at the edges start browning. Toss well. Continue to bake until crispy but still mostly green. Or have a look at this kale chip recipe.

Also: blood orange wedges for dessert.

A Couple Pro-tips

There’s actually just one main tip, but I’ll add more as I think of them. Line your bentos with parchment paper for easy clean-up (pictured below). This isn’t as important with stainless steel containers, they clean up quite quickly. Bentos, often made of cedar, are a bit more fragile and take more care if you want them to last for many years. Also, clean up as soon as you get home. The reset is key to looking forward to your next special box lunch.

More Lunch Ideas: Salads!

Salads are another favorite lunch idea. For the best experience, keep the dressing on the side and toss just before eating. Also, pro-tip, leave a good amount of room or headspace in your salad vehicle, so tossing is contained and less messy. For to-go or desk salads, I love bringing the components for a Nicoise salad or Nicoise-ish salad. The lettuces and other ingredients can stand up to transportation and you get a great mix of protein, greens, and veggies all in one lunch. See photo below.

Favorite Lunchbox Containers

Bentos: I have (and love) my small collection of bento boxes. They’re beautifully crafted and fit the perfect amount of food. They often come with small dividers to create separation between food, but you can also use lettuce, or other small containers to divide things up.

Tiffins (or dhabbas): These containers have long been used in India to enable healthful, homemade meals outside the home. I have a circular, triple-stack stainless steel version I love for a number of reasons including durability, compactness, and security. The tiers nestle tightly making spills and accidents unlikely. I have my eye on a rectangular version as well.

Both bentos and tiffins have a tradition of enabling meals made with care and love. And continuing this tradition is something I try to channel when I’m packing a lunch for myself or someone I care about.

I don’t mind mixing different types of lunch containers. And sometimes I’ll make an individual lunch for each person, each in its own container. But, other times I think it’s fine to load up a few family-style containers and do it that way. I think that works great for components that can be more communal, like edamame, or a bunch of dumplings, a stack of paratha, vegan sushi or quesadillas, quinoa patties, etc.

Hot Lunch!

Use a thermos to bring hot miso soup or tea or rasam or whatever else you can think of. This is always the icing on the cake and unfailingly makes me happy (or happier!) When I really have things lined up, I’ll bring green tea, miso soup, or soba tea and a durable glass or two wrapped in cloth. Simply rewrap when you’re finished.

I hope this provides a bit of inspiration! It’s really wonderful to take a bit of time to sit down to a thoughtfully prepared, healthful homemade lunch and I’m never sorry about making the extra effort (in the long run). Even if it can make a morning a bit more demanding than usual, I know when I do it, I’ll eat better, feel better, and get excited about sitting down to lunch. Enjoy! -h