Official Government Website
Archives: Recipes
Recipes
Banana “Ice Cream”
Move over banana bread! This is our new favorite way to use ripe bananas.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel the bananas and slice into 1-inch chunks. Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet (freezing in a single layer makes the slices easier to work with later). Freeze for 4–6 hours, or overnight.
Remove bananas from freezer, place in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the food processor/blender as you go. If necessary, use a splash or two of milk to help smooth out the mixture. Add just a little milk at a time to avoid a final product that is too runny.
Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight container for at least 2 hours. Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with honey, or top with chopped nuts prior to serving.
Individual Veggie Cups
These veggie cups look festive and prevent multiple people from touching a communal tray of vegetables and dip.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut vegetables into stick shapes slightly taller than the cups or jars you have available. Skewer vegetables that cannot easily be cut into a stick shape (like broccoli or cherry tomatoes) onto toothpicks.
Drop 2 tablespoons of hummus or vegetable dip into the bottom of each cup or jar.
Arrange prepared vegetables on top of dip.
Simple Salad Dressing
Most store-bought dressings are filled with sugar, sodium, and preservatives. Try making your own simple dressing with just a few ingredients you can find in your cupboard.
Ingredients
Directions
Add all ingredients in a jar with tight-fitting lid (like a Mason jar). Secure the lid and shake to combine.
Dressing will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. The olive oil may separate and solidify in the fridge, so you should allow it to come to room temperature 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to eat. Shake before using.
Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Sometimes you just need a cookie! These peanut butter oatmeal cookies are easy to make, contain mostly nutritious ingredients, and are naturally sweetened with honey.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Scoop 12-16 balls of dough with a cookie scoop or tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to make a crisscross pattern in the top of each dough ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges start to brown. Let cool on a wire rack before eating.
Healthier Corned Beef & Cabbage
This corned beef and cabbage slashes the preservatives and much of the sodium found in store-bought corned beef.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Grind pickling spice in a clean spice grinder (or coffee grinder). In a small bowl, mix ground pickling spices, dry mustard, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss cabbage, carrots and potatoes in a large bowl with half the spice mixture and 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
About 10 minutes before the vegetables are done, cut steak in half crosswise (if it’s one long piece) and rub with the remaining spice mixture. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the steak, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain.
Drizzle the roasted vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve with the steak.
Pasta Primavera
This one-pot meal is packed with fiber! Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh basil before serving to brighten the flavors.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions for about 4 minutes. Add frozen vegetables. Cook about 5 minutes more or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir reserved cooking water, tomatoes, oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Simple Vegetable Curry
This simple curry is warm, hearty, and a great way to get a lot of vegetables into one dish.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and ginger, cover and cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
Add curry powder and garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add cauliflower and potatoes and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes, or until they soften.
Add tomatoes, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup water and pinch of salt. Simmer, reduce heat, and cook, covered, 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in peas and remaining cilantro; cook, covered, 2 minutes, or until peas are tender.
Serve over rice or with pita bread on the side.
High-Protein Egg Muffins
These egg muffins make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast. They are packed with protein to help keep you satisfied and energized all morning long!
Ingredients
Directions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Generously coat a 12-well standard muffin tin with cooking spray or olive oil.
Evenly divide the shallot, broccoli, cottage cheese, and cheddar between the muffin wells.
Place the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until the eggs are completely incorporated. Pour into the muffin wells, filling each 1/2 to 3/4 full.
Bake until the muffins are set and lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Run a butter knife around each cup to the loosen the muffins before removing them from the pan.
One-pot Cheesy Pasta Bake
This one-pot mean is perfect for a busy weeknight. Pair it with some steamed broccoli or green beans for a nutritious meal that the entire family will enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat broiler to high. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add onion, sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and oregano; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble.
Add stock, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and pasta; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 to 13 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in spinach.
Sprinkle cheese over pasta mixture. Place pan in oven; broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
Classic Chicken (or Chickpea) Noodle Soup
Substitute chickpeas for chicken to make a plant-based version of this comforting classic.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the vegetables. Warm 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat in the Dutch oven or soup pot until
shimmering. Add the onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the
vegetables just start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Clear a space in the middle of the pan and add the garlic.
Cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then stir the garlic into the vegetables.
Sear the chicken. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, but leave the bone in. (Boneless chicken
thighs are also fine in this recipe, but the bones add richness to the broth.) Move the vegetables to the
edges of the pan and warm the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the middle of the pan. When hot, add the
chicken thighs, fitting them into a single layer. It’s ok if they are snug. Cook without moving until the
underside is golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side until golden.
Add the broth and simmer. Add the bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pour in 1 quart of the broth. Bring
to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes
Shred the chicken. Move the pot off the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon. Use
2 forks to pull the meat apart into shreds (or chop into cubes). Remove and discard any bones.
Cook the pasta. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When boiling, salt the water
generously and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is barely al dente and the drain. (Alternatively, add the
second quart of broth to the soup, bring to a simmer, and cook the pasta in the soup itself.)
Finish the soup. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and bring to a simmer. If the chicken wasn’t
quite finished cooking, continue simmering until it has cooked through. Add the noodles to the soup. If a
thinner broth is desired, add additional chicken broth. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and add salt
and pepper as needed. Remove from heat and serve.
Extra Easy Chicken Option: Substitute 3 cups pre-cooked shredded chicken for the chicken thighs. Reduce
simmering time to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked.
Meat-Free Option: Substitute 1 cup cooked chickpeas for the chicken thighs and vegetable broth for the
chicken broth. Reduce simmering time to about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked.
Cornbread (Gluten Free)
This corn bread is gluten free, but you would never know it! Make it for yourself or for a friend/family member who follows a gluten-free diet.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
Whisk cornmeal, flour blend, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg, milk, butter and
honey in a medium bowl. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just
combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake the cornbread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Pumpkin adds extra fiber and nutrients to this filling chili recipe, but no one will know it’s in there!
Ingredients
Directions
Sauté onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender,
about 5 minutes.
Add turkey into skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned
Stir in the pumpkin, tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
Serve with optional toppings and cornbread
Sauté onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender,
about 5 minutes.
Add turkey into skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned.
Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the pumpkin, tomatoes, chili powder, salt and
pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
Serve with optional toppings and cornbread.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
Warm up with a yummy bowl of soup!
Ingredients
Directions
Stir squash, broth, and onion together in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the
vegetables are very tender, 7 hours on Low or 3½ hours on High.
Turn off heat, stir in coconut milk, and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add optional seasoning and garnishes before serving.
Chocolate Avocado Mousse for Two
Treat your valentine to this decadent-tasting, yet nutritious, dessert!
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the avocado, cocoa powder,
milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a
food processor
Blend on medium until completely
smooth, scraping down the sides of the
food processor often.
Spoon into two small serving dishes.
Chill in the refrigerator until cold, about
an hour.
Finish with optional toppings before
serving.
Healthier Pumpkin Spice Latte
Save money and skip the sugar crash with this healthier, homemade version of the popular seasonal drink.
Ingredients
Directions
In a cup or sauce pan, mix together milk and pumpkin. Cook on medium heat on the
stove top or microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, spices and sweetener, place in a cup and use a frother
to foam the milk. You can also use a blender — just blend for 30 seconds or until foamy.
Pour coffee into a large mug, add the foamy milk mixture on top. Sprinkle with
cinnamon and enjoy!