Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli is comfort food at it’s best! It’s a classic mac turned into and kid-friendly bowl of soup.
Macaroni and Cheese Soup
Now that the weather is getting colder, we are having soup for dinner quite often. We love this easy mac and cheese soup made with sharp cheddar cheese, broccoli, vegetables and elbow macaroni. The kids love it too, a great way to get kids to get more veggies in their diet. More soup recipes we also love this time of year are Minestrone Soup and Cheeseburger Soup if you want to have some meat in your dish.
Every time I clear out my closet, I get a little more intentional about what clothes I’m choosing to bring in. I’m pretty much always going to be drawn to certain colors, eye-catching patterns, and feel-good fabrics, but for those items to go from a theoretical purchase to earning a hanger in my home, they’ve also got to work well for my lifestyle. And when those items come from a company that shares a lot of the values I hold dear? Well, that definitely gets my attention. I remember talking to Jenn years ago about how great it was that…
Love both my Whole30- and keto-friendly Super Easy Tandoori Chicken and Tandoori Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipes, but don’t want the hassle of cooking two separate dishes? I’ve got a quick and easy weeknight dinner solution for you: Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken!
As the self-proclaimed queen of shortcuts to deliciousness, I love the idea of a sheet pan chicken dinner in which the protein and veggies are seasoned perfectly and they all finish cooking at the same time. But mere ideas without execution mean JACK FROGGIN SQUAT, my friends. Sure—many sheet pan chicken recipes look promising, but they often underdeliver—and you end up with dry and powdery poultry served alongside vegetables that are either mushy or still raw. When you force yourself to choke down that sad supper, you’ll also be swallowing your salty river of tears.
To which I say: NO MORE!
After testing and testing and testing and even more testing, I came up with a perfect sheet pan supper. This Indian-inspired family-friendly recipe calls for minimal effort: just toss the ingredients with a creamy, spice-infused Whole30 marinade and plop the tray in the oven. This Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken is a winner—my kids actually cheer when they smell the comforting spices wafting through the house at dinner time! (Well, they said “YAY!” unironically—that counts as a cheer, right?)
Tips for a terrific Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken dinner
The key to a fantastic and low-stress sheet pan chicken dinner is to use ingredients that can tolerate a roaring hot oven and still have some wiggle-room when it comes to doneness. That’s why this recipe features:
A paleo-friendly, dairy-free tandoori marinade: this creamy, mildly spicy, Indian-inspired sauce coats the chicken and veggies and keeps them from drying out. If you have a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori, use one cup of it in place of making your own marinade!
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: this thrifty poultry cut is readily available and will taste good even if the oven timer went off 5 minutes ago and you completely forget to take your chicken out. And yes, I SAID THIGHS. Back away from those boneless skinless chicken breasts—unless you’re willing to monitor them vigilantly while they’re cooking or you’re okay with sawdust for meat.
Hearty cruciferous vegetables: Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli all work well in this recipe. Just cut them so they’re the same shape and will finish cooking in about 30 minutes. Don’t cut them up too small or your veggie pieces’ll shrivel up and burn before the chicken is finished cooking!
Time to make Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Tandoori marinade*
1 cup full-fat coconut milk or plain coconut milk yogurt
2 tablespoons tandoori spice mix (no salt added)
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half the amount if you are using Morton’s brand or a fine grain salt)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
*If you have a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori, just shake it up and pour out 1 cup of it for the marinade—no need to make it from scratch!
Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken
1 tablespoon avocado oil or fat of choice
1 small cauliflower (2 pounds or less), cut into florets
Heat oven to 450°F or 425°F convection with the rack in the middle.
Whisk together the coconut milk, tandoori spice, salt, and lemon juice in a 2-cup measuring cup. (Got a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori? Just measure out 1 cup of it in place of making your own marinade!)
Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the avocado oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. (You can skip this part and line your pan with parchment paper or foil—your resulting dinner won’t brown as much, but clean-up will be a breeze.)
Place the cauliflower and onions in a large bowl and pour in half of the tandoori marinade. Toss well to coat.
Shake off the excess marinade and arrange the cauliflower and onions on the greased baking sheet.
Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and pour in the remaining marinade. Toss well to coat evenly.
Arrange the thighs in a single layer on the sheet pan with the cauliflower.
Pop the sheet pan dinner in the oven and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, flipping the cauliflower and rotating the tray 180° at the halfway point.
The sheet pan dinner is done when the cauliflower is tender and browned and the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh or 150°F if you ignored what I told you earlier and decided to use chicken breasts).
Garnish with the minced cilantro and serve with lemon wedges. Dig in!
Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Craving other Whole30 Sheet Pan Dinners? Try these Nomster favorites!
This quick and easy Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken is a delicious Indian-inspired Whole30 and keto-friendly meal the whole family will love!
Tandoori Marinade
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (or plain coconut yogurt)
2 tablespoons tandoori spice mix (no salt added)
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1½ teaspoons fine grain salt)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken
1 tablespoon avocado oil (or fat of choice)
1 small cauliflower (2 pounds or less, cut into florets)
1 small red onion (cut into thin wedges)
1½ pounds chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1 lemon (cut into wedges (optional))
Heat oven to 450 F or 425 F convection with the rack in the middle.
Whisk together the coconut milk, tandoori spice, salt, and lemon juice in a 2-cup measuring cup. (Got a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori? Just measure out 1 cup of it in place of making your own marinade!)
Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the avocado oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. (You can skip this part and line your pan with parchment paper or foil—your resulting dinner won’t brown as much, but clean-up will be a breeze.)
Place the cauliflower and onions in a large bowl and pour in half of the tandoori marinade. Toss well to coat.
Shake off the excess marinade and arrange the cauliflower and onions on the greased baking sheet.
Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and pour in the remaining marinade. Toss well to coat evenly with the tandoori marinade.
Arrange the thighs in a single layer on the sheet pan with the cauliflower.
Pop the sheet pan dinner in the oven and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, flipping the cauliflower and rotating the tray 180° at the halfway point.
The sheet pan dinner is done when the cauliflower is tender and browned and the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh or 150°F if using chicken breasts).
Sprinkle on the minced cilantro and serve with lemon wedges. Dig in!
If you’re using bottled Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori, just substitute 1 cup of it for the marinade! The Tandoori marinade can solidify in the fridge, just take it out for 30 minutes before you use it to loosen it up!
You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months.
You can experiment with different vegetable combinations. I love using Brussels sprouts and broccoli in this dish!
Moms wear a lot of hats — and working moms often feel like they’re being pulled in a million different directions, each and every day. Sam Schacher — host of Daily Blast Live (DBL), owner (along with her husband) of the candle company Biren & Co., and mom of toddler daughter, Sophie, with one on the way (congrats, Sam!) — gets this and talks openly about it. All of it. Which we love. We’re sharing our conversation with her today — because we can all learn from each other and feel more sane and connected by sharing our struggles and…
Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage is the perfect one-pot fall dish made with cider-marinated chicken, red cabbage and apples.
Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage
This one-pot dish is great for an easy weeknight meal. On a busy school night, I like to keep dinners simple. Since everything bakes in one dish, cleanup won’t take long. Plus, with the cooler temps, this cozy chicken and apple dish is ideal for fall. Some other one-pot chicken dinners you may like are Turmeric Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes and Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime.
Amy Stanton and Catherine Connors always felt that women and their unique feminine behaviors (emotion, intuition, and empathy) should be utilized and celebrated in the business world rather than seen as weak or less than useful. And they’ve spent enough time in the business trenches to truly know what they’re talking about here; Amy is the former COO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, while Catherine is president of Women Rising, a Hollywood studio creating content to empower women and girls. Their book, The Feminine Revolution, takes a look at 21 feminine traits and discusses why they should be encouraged in…
We’ve written about intuitive eating before (see this post and this post and this one, too) and we highly recommend the book on it: Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works. But, what does intuitive eating look like in real life? And how does it compare to a dieting mindset? We’re laying out real-world examples below so that you can really see the difference … Which ones sounds better to you? Team intuitive eating all the way for me! –Jenn
This super moist, banana nut bread recipe is insanely delicious and healthier than most because it uses less butter, oil and sugar than most recipes.
Banana Nut Bread
Banana Nut Bread is one of my favorite quick breads and trust me, this recipe will not disappoint! Make sure your bananas are extra ripe for best results. If you wish you can leave the nuts out to make it nut-free. For variations, try this Blueberry Banana Bread or this Gluten Free Banana Bread recipe. (more…)
Happy Halloween week to all that celebrate, I hope it is filled with lots of treats and no tricks! These French Bread Mummy Pizzas are simple and super cute and these bite size Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooters are perfect for any party!
Why Should Everyone Meal Plan?
Meal planning is a great way to organize your meals for the week ahead. You also save time and money in the supermarket! And of course, planning ahead helps you stick to your goals!
About The Meal Plan
If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.
There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.
Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing! If you wish to get on the email list, you can subscribe here so you never miss a meal plan!
Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2019! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!
THE DETAILS:
Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!
The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.
And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!
*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits,
snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
**Green salad includes 6 cups mixed greens, 2 scallions, ½ cup each: tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and ½ cup light
vinaigrette. Boil an extra 6 ounces spaghetti for lunch leftovers.
# Freeze any leftover you/your family won’t eat
This Stuffed Cabbage Casserole is basically a deconstructed version of stuffed cabbage layered with shredded cabbage, ground beef and brown rice cooked in tomatoes then topped with melted cheese. It’s SO good!
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
I grew up eating stuffed cabbage and always loved when my Mom made it for dinner. This casserole version of the classic is so darn delicious! You may also like this lazy stuffed cabbage bowl!
Ever heard of muscle memory? Or the concept that emotions are stored in your muscles? In this guest post, Sukie Baxter — a posture and movement specialist and the author of Perfect Posture for Life who helps people change their lives by changing the way they move (you might remember this post she did for us here, too!) — breaks down what it is and how to release those painful emotions that may be trapped. Download Sukie’s free guide to easing aches and pains here. Muscle Memory: Why Your Body Stores Painful Emotions and How to Release Them By Sukie…
Tsukune, savory Japanese grilled ground chicken meatballs, can easily be made Whole30-friendly at home. Along the way, I’ve simplified the process even further so you can broil them in the oven any time you’re craving these umami-packed bites!
Many moons ago, I fell in love with tsukune at a casual yakitori restaurant after stuffing my face with a myriad of smoky grilled chicken skewers. Our family sampled the whole menu, but the one dish we kept ordering from the kitchen was tsukune—we couldn’t get enough of the juicy meatballs glazed with a thin layer of tare sauce, a tangy and sweet soy sauce-based dipping sauce.
After I discovered my gluten intolerance, the joy was sucked out of dining at yakitori joints because none of the grilled chicken skewers could be dunked in the tasty tare sauce. Cue sad trombone.
Use ground chicken thighs, not super lean breast meat. NO ONE WANTS DRY BALLS IN THEIR MOUTH. (I buy ground chicken thighs at Whole Foods or at a Japanese grocery store. Also, a good butcher can help you grind chicken thighs! You can also cube up boneless, skinless chicken thighs and freeze them for 30 minutes before pulsing them in a food processor.)
You can store the meatball mixture in the fridge for up to a day in advance before cooking them.
Mixing finely grated dried shiitake mushroom (I use this microplane) into the batter is a game-changer! I learned this tip from my chef sister (the co-creator of my Magic Mushroom Powder) and believe me: she knows umami.
Fry up a tiny patty of the tsukune mixture to taste for seasoning. This small step will be worth it if you want delicious meatballs.
Baste the meatballs three times with All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce during the cooking process to ensure the meatballs are well-coated with a sheen of this fantastic sauce.
Don’t bother putting the meatballs on skewers—it’s a pain to do so, and you’ll end up taking the meatballs off the skewers to eat them anyway!
I store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I always freeze cooked meatballs and thaw them before I reheat them in the oven or air fryer.
Find all of my home kitchen gear here on this page.
Method:
Combine the ground chicken, salt, sesame oil, scallions, and shallot in a large bowl.
Use a microplane to grate the dried shiitake onto the meatball mixture.
Knead the mixture very thoroughly with your hands. The final texture should be sticky and tacky.
Fry up a tiny patty and taste it for seasoning. Adjust with additional salt if needed.
Cover the bowl and chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for at least an hour and up to a day. Chilling the mixture will make it easier to roll out your meatballs, but if you don’t have time, just make them right away.
When you’re ready to cook the meatballs, turn on the broiler and arrange the oven rack so that it’s 6 inches from the heating element.
While the oven heats up, brush a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with avocado oil. Scoop out 24 meatballs with a #40 disher (~1½ tablespoons)…
…and roll them into uniform size balls with your hands.
Arrange the chicken meatballs evenly on the greased baking sheet.
Broil the meatballs for 2 minutes, and then brush them with All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce. Rotate the tray 180 degrees.
Repeat the above step twice more so that the meatballs are cooked for a grand total of 8 minutes and the meatballs are basted with the sauce three times.
The meatballs are finished cooking when the tops are browned and cooked through. Make sure they don’t burn or get overcooked.
Top with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately!
These Whole30-friendly Tsukune, a savory Japanese grilled ground chicken meatball, can easily be baked at home in the oven!
1½ pounds ground chicken thighs
1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use only ¾ teaspoon salt if using a fine grain salt)
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 scallions (minced)
1 medium shallot (minced)
1 dried shiitake mushroom
1 tablespoon avocado oil (or high temperature cooking fat of choice)
⅓ cup All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Combine the ground chicken, salt, sesame oil, scallions, and shallot in a large bowl. Use a microplane to grate the dried shiitake onto the meatball mixture.
Knead the mixture very thoroughly with your hands. The final texture should be sticky and tacky.
Fry up a tiny patty and taste it for seasoning. Adjust with additional salt if needed.
Cover the bowl and chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for at least an hour and up to a day. Chilling the mixture will make it easier to roll out your meatballs, but if you don’t have time, just make them right away.
When you’re ready to cook the meatballs, turn on the broiler and arrange the oven rack so that it’s 6 inches from the heating element. While the oven heats up, brush a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with avocado oil.
Scoop out 24 meatballs with a #40 disher (~1½ tablespoons) and roll them into uniform size balls with your hands. Arrange the chicken meatballs evenly on the greased baking sheet.
Broil the meatballs for 2 minutes, and then brush them with All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce. Rotate the tray 180 degrees.
Repeat the above step twice more so that the meatballs are cooked for a grand total of 8 minutes and the meatballs are basted with the sauce three times.
The meatballs are finished cooking when the tops are browned and cooked through. Make sure they don’t burn or get overcooked. (The final internal temperature should be 165°F.)
Top with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately!
Depending on how hot your broiler is, the meatballs may take longer or shorter to cook. Just keep an eye on them and stab them with a meat thermometer to double check that they are done.
You can cook the meatballs in an air fryer at 400°F following the directions in step 7 onward.
