Blog - Page 62 of 144 - Chelsea's Messy Apron

Curry Lentil Soup

This vibrant Curry Lentil Soup combines an array of veggies, red lentils, a robust seasoning blend, and creamy coconut milk to deliver an unforgettable warming meal.

Love lentils? Us too! Try our original lemon-parsley Lentil Soup, this hearty Lentil Bolognese, or this Lentil Curry next.

Curry Lentil Soup

When my husband and I traveled to Dubai, we took a desert safari tour that ended with a 6-course Arabic meal under the stars, right in the middle of the dessert! It was an unforgettable night, to say the least, and the food was truly exquisite.

One of the favorite dishes of the evening was Curry Lentil Soup. It was warming, perfectly spiced, thick, and hearty.

It was so memorable for me that it was the first recipe I worked to re-create upon returning home. It took a few iterations to work through, but I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

QUICK TIP

Lentils are a highly nutritious food. They are rich in minerals, protein, and fiber while also being low in calories. They are also very satiating — you’ll be amazed just how filling this Curry Lentil Soup is!

Let’s talk veggies

In order for everything to cook in time and ensure the lentils aren’t mushy by the time the veggies are tender, it’s important to cut the veggies very small. It’s also important the veggies are all generally cut into equal sizes so they cook evenly in this Curry Lentil Soup.

Dice the potato into small 1/2-inch chunks
Cut large carrots in half lengthwise first and then thinly slice (just under 1/2-inch thick).
Finely dice the red onion (or throw it in a mini food processor for ease).
Mince the ginger and garlic (or, again, throw in a mini food processor for ease).

QUICK TIP

Because the peel is so delicate on a Yukon gold potato, you don’t need to peel them; just give them a quick wash and scrub to clean. Same with the carrots: wash them thoroughly and don’t bother peeling them.

Let’s chat lentils

You’ll want to use dried red lentils for this soup. While any brand works, I do like Bob’s Red Mill® best (not sponsored). There is no need to soak the lentils before adding to this soup — for this recipe, we just rinse them off, and then they cook perfectly.

Red/orange lentils are more processed, break down quicker (about 15-20 minutes), and thicken the soup quite a bit. This recipe, timing-wise and flavor-wise, relies on red lentils so I don’t recommend using a different type of lentils.

Also note that when over-cooked, red lentils do turn mushy so watch the soup carefully near the end.

Puy lentils (French lentils) take nearly 45-50 minutes to cook through and are ideal in salads. French lentils in this soup would absorb too much liquid and overcook all the veggies, so I don’t recommend them.

Brown/green lentils also take a bit longer to cook through and have a slightly different flavor profile than we’re going for.

QUICK TIP

What About Canned Lentils? While I highly recommend using dried lentils (I think they provide a better end flavor and texture, plus they’re cheaper!), you can use cooked canned lentils if that is all you have on hand. I’d recommend 1 can of cooked lentils (drained and rinsed) added in place of the dried lentils. Simmer until tender, noting that they won’t thicken the soup quite the same.

Curry Lentil Soup Seasonings

The seasoning blend adds an incredible depth of flavor to this soup. Most of the seasonings are fairly standard and straightforward — keep in mind that the higher the quality of the spice used, the better the soup will taste.

The two seasonings that can make a more varied end result are garam masala and curry powder. Both of these seasonings are actually a blend of a lot of spices so they can certainly impact how the soup tastes and its overall spiciness.

For this soup, I use Private Selection® Garam Masala Blend and Great Value® Organic Yellow Curry Powder.

I would say neither of those specific spices is overly spicy, though each does have a fairly robust flavor. With those two seasonings I’d rate this soup as mild, but keep in mind the heat of this soup can greatly vary depending on the specific spices you choose to use (so add slowly, taste, and adjust).

Curry Lentil Soup Toppings

Lemon. If I could suggest only one topping, I’d say that lemon is a must! Lemon adds a wonderful flavor, welcome freshness, and a hit of acidity. We add lemon zest and juice to the soup as it’s finishing and I also serve additional lemon wedges on the side. In our books, the more lemon the tastier the soup gets!
Cilantro. For a citrusy finishing, stir some cilantro into the soup. If you don’t love cilantro, you could also add in some fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley — either works. Fresh herbs are not completely essential, so if you don’t have them, don’t worry.
Toasted coconut flakes. We love the slight crunch and subtle sweetness toasted coconut flakes add. Not to be confused with sweetened shredded coconut, here’s what we’re using to top this Curry Lentil Soup.
Coconut milk. Before adding the coconut milk to the soup, we set aside 1/4 cup (48g) to drizzle on the tops of the soup bowls. Besides looking fancy, it also adds a nice intense coconut flavor to the soup. If you don’t want this finishing flavor, add all the coconut milk to the soup instead of setting any aside.

Curry Lentil Soup Storage

This soup just continues to get more flavorful as it sits and flavors have a chance to meld and intensify.

It will stay fresh for 4-5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Unfortunately, it doesn’t freeze very well; the veggies and lentils get a bit mushy when thawed. If the yield of soup is too much to be eaten within those 4-5 days, I recommend halving the recipe initially.

Reheat the soup gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. You’ll likely need to add in an additional splash of vegetable or chicken stock to slightly thin the soup. It does thicken as it sits and is stored.

Other hearty soup recipes

Chicken Curry Soup with coconut milk
Broccoli Potato Soup with Cheddar cheese
Chicken Pot Pie Soup with puff pastry toppers
Carrot Soup with red curry paste
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup with chickpeas

Air Fryer Dutch Baby

by Chelsea Lords

This Air Fryer Dutch Baby starts with an easy blender batter (throw everything into a blender and let it rip!) that you pour into a cake pan and bake in the air fryer. No cake pan? No worries! We’ve also tested this recipe in a DIY foil pan. Top your Dutch Baby with your favorites — we love fresh berries and a quick vanilla sauce.

See our original Dutch Baby recipe here! And search our archives of air fryer recipes here. Not sure about Air Fryers? Check out our Air Fryer Guide!

Air Fryer Dutch Baby

My family is completely obsessed with breakfast. We have a big breakfast for dinner once a week and usually, a fairly intense breakfast spread on Saturdays and Sundays. The meal has to include toast, bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, and either waffles, pancakes, or a hot Dutch Baby. Honestly, the Dutch Baby is the most frequently requested.

This Dutch Baby recipe took me quite a while to perfect and share here, but it was well worth the effort. It’s certainly one of the most frequently made recipes at my home and so many of you have loved it. The one downfall of the recipe is the time it takes to bake! Between preheating the oven and baking the actual Dutch Baby, it can be close to 45 minutes all in. By that time, we usually have some pretty hangry little boys (and girl) on our hands– ha!

So the other day, I decided to try to whip one up in the air fryer. Although I was cautiously optimistic, the boys were convinced it wouldn’t work. (Thanks, guys!) But honestly, it could not have turned out better. It was every bit as good as our normal Dutch Baby, and maybe even a little better because of the additional crustier edges (which are my personal favorite). The best news though? This Dutch Baby can be ready in about 25 minutes or less, thanks to the air fryer!

Air Fryer Dutch Baby Tips

Blend the batter: Blending the batter will ensure there are no lumps of flour and all the ingredients are well combined, plus, it’s easy! Additionally, having the batter in the blender allows for easier pouring into the cake pan.
When pouring the batter into the pan, swirl the batter in a circle pattern: This helps give the pancake peaks and valleys, which contribute to a better overall texture.
Air fry the pan first: Why add the pan to the air fryer before adding in the batter? This ensures the pancake puffs, and you’ll get those beautiful caramelized edges.
Watch carefully. Air fryers will cook slightly differently from model to model; there will also be variance depending on the pan used (or if you’re using foil to create your own pan). Occasionally check to make sure the Dutch Baby isn’t burning.

Our favorite way to top an Air Fryer Dutch Baby is with fresh berries, a light sprinkle of powdered sugar, and vanilla or buttermilk syrup. Here are some other ideas for topping this fun breakfast:

Fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar
Maple syrup and fresh berries
A scoop of fresh whipped cream and berries (How to make whipped cream tutorial here.)
Sliced bananas and a caramel sauce or dulce de leche
A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and whipped cream
A spoonful of lemon curd and fresh blueberries or blackberries
A drizzle of slightly warmed Nutella®, peanut butter, or almond butter

QUICK TIP

Use a fine-mesh sieve to get a light sprinkle of powdered sugar on the Dutch Baby.

Special Tools

Air fryer. I use, love, and recommend this air fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so timing may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model when making this Dutch Baby.
Cake pans. I found the perfect pan for baking the Dutch Baby is a 6-inch cake pan (affiliate link). The Dutch Baby bakes up beautifully in the pan and the pan fits into the air fryer insert nicely. The batter makes enough to fill three 6-inch cake pans. You can either use multiple pans or transfer the Dutch Baby onto a plate and re-use the pan. If you prefer, you can DIY your own foil pan. See next bullet point.
Foil. I’ve tested this recipe in a DIY Foil pan and it worked well. There is definitely more variance on overall timing, depending on how your foil pan ends up, as far as width/height goes. Place two sheets of foil together and aim to create a 6-7-inch wide, round “pan” that is about 2-inches tall. Generously grease with cooking spray and watch bake time closely. The Dutch Babies in the foil pans took on average 1-3 minutes longer in my air fryer.
Cooking spray. To ensure the Dutch Baby doesn’t stick too much to the bottom of the pan or foil, be sure to generously grease it before adding in the butter to melt.

More Air Fryer Recipes to Love:

Southwest Egg Rolls with a cilantro-lime dipping sauce
Bean and Cheese Burritos with an option to cook in the air fryer
Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies over quinoa
Vegetarian Gyros with air fryer chickpeas
Air Fryer Pizookie deep-dish chocolate chip cookie

Vegetarian Gyros

by Chelsea Lords

You won’t miss the meat in these Vegetarian Gyros–they’re loaded with robustly-seasoned and perfectly roasted chickpeas, a medley of veggies, and our favorite Tzatziki sauce. This easy, weeknight meal can be ready in about 30 minutes or less if you’ve got an air fryer! (Air Fryer and Oven Instructions included.)

Pair these gyros with a good tasty, veggie-filled salad like this Greek Salad or this Mediterranean Pasta Salad.

Vegetarian Gyros

The other day, my husband and I were chatting about the place we want to visit next when travel restrictions lessen a bit and we both agreed Greece is the top spot on our bucket list. While my husband is more interested in history and architecture, I’ll admit the food is my biggest driving factor.

I love Greek food — the flavors, the freshness, the vibrancy, and don’t even get me started on feta cheese — yum!

While I’ve shared some Greek-inspired Gyros over the years (these Chicken Gyros are a family favorite), I decided it was time to share a vegetarian version that uses chickpeas as the base. I wasn’t totally sure how these would go over with the family, since they love chicken gyros so much, but everyone was obsessed with this recipe! Bonus — they’re actually a whole lot quicker to make than meat-filled gyros, which is nice for a quick weeknight dinner.

Let’s Chat Chickpeas

The base of these vegetarian gyros are chickpeas– also called garbanzo beans — they’re one and the same. While it may seem like these gyros might not be as filling without the meat, chickpeas are actually a great source of plant-based protein, making them very satiating.

For these Vegetarian Gyros, we tested the process of roasting the chickpeas both in the oven and air fryer. While they turn out similarly, the air frier chickpeas were the favorite and, honestly, I loved how quick it was. They roast quicker and you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat. Below is a quick rundown of both methods for cooking chickpeas. If you do have an air fryer, you’ve got to try chickpeas in it! (By the way, here’s the exact Air Fryer I use and love).

To make the chickpeas in the oven: Toss chickpeas, olive oil, and seasonings on a greased tray until well coated; spread the chickpeas out in an even layer on the tray. Roast for 18-22 minutes. (We like them best at 20 minutes.) Roast until they’re crisp, but not hard.

To make the chickpeas in an air fryer: Heat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Toss chickpeas, olive oil, and seasonings in a bowl until well coated. Add all the chickpeas to the air fryer basket and cook for 11-14 minutes (We like them best at 12 minutes) or until crisp, but not hard. Shake the air basket at the halfway point to ensure even frying.

Vegetarian Gyro Tips

Thoroughly dry the chickpeas before roasting. Spices won’t adhere well to wet chickpeas, and they’ll end up steaming more than roasting.
Make sure the chickpeas have plenty of room to roast. If the chickpeas are crowded on a sheet pan, they won’t get that nice browning and crisp exterior.
Warm or char the pita bread. Warm pita not only folds nicer (and doesn’t rip in half), it also tastes better. See the “quick tip” box below for how I char the pitas.
Serve buffet-style. This recipe makes a great meal to serve to a group — simply set out all the toppings and let people assemble their vegetarian gyros exactly how they’d like.

QUICK TIP

To char pita bread: Spray both sides of the pita bread with olive oil cooking spray and “grill” the bread on the stovetop over the open flame (medium-low heat) until slightly charred, flipping with tongs as needed, about 10-15 seconds per side. Those of you with electric ranges can warm it (covered with a damp paper towel) in the microwave. It won’t char the bread, but it will keep it much more pliable.

Tzatziki Sauce

I like making this Tzatziki Sauce in advance because it becomes more flavorful as it sits in the fridge. It sure makes dinner assembly for these Vegetarian Gyros that much quicker later on.

A few tips for this sauce:

Make sure to use good full-fat, plain Greek yogurt. Use full-fat yogurt to avoid watery or bland tzatziki. (We love Greek God’s® plain Greek yogurt best!)
Squeeze liquid out of the cucumber. Cucumber has a very high water content and will water down the sauce or make it bland. Wring out excess liquid a few times with paper towels or cheesecloth before adding to the mix. (See “quick tip” below.)

Vegetarian Gyro Toppings

Beyond the chickpeas and Tzatziki sauce, which we’ve already discussed, you’ll want to add more toppings into the pita bread to bulk it up as well as add texture and flavor. Here are our favorite additions:

Lettuce. We like using green leaf lettuce or butter leaf lettuce best.
English or Persian cucumbers. Persian cucumbers are sometimes labeled as mini/salad cucumbers; see “quick tip” box below”
Thinly sliced red onions. If you’re sensitive to the flavor of raw red onion, soak the diced onions in salted ice water for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly before adding on these vegetarian gyros
Halved cherry tomatoes.
Feta cheese. Feta adds such a nice flavor and texture but also acts as a great seasoning since it’s fairly salty. If you don’t add feta cheese, you may want to top each gyro with a pinch of salt.
Fresh lemon. Lemon pulls all the flavors together and adds a zip of freshness and tang.

QUICK TIP

We use English/Persian cucumbers for the Tzatziki sauce and for topping these Vegetarian Gyros. Regular cucumbers don’t work as well because they lack flavor and are too watery.

STORAGE

Once assembled these vegetarian gyros should be enjoyed immediately and don’t store well. However, you can store the individual components in an air tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days and assemble fresh whenever you’re ready to enjoy again.

More Vegetarian Meals

Vegetarian Sushi Bowls with Sriracha-mayo sauce
Vegetarian Tikka Masala with chickpeas!
Sweet potato & black bean Vegetarian Tacos
Caprese Quinoa Salad with a balsamic vinaigrette
General Tso Chickpeas with lots of veggies

Chewy Granola Bars

by Chelsea Lords

These simple (no baking required) Chewy Granola Bars are made with oats, cashews, honey, peanut butter, miniature M&M’s, and chocolate chips.

This recipe copycats store-bought Chewy® granola bars, but they’re so much more flavorful and loaded with great, filling ingredients.

For date-sweetened granola bars, check out this granola bars recipe. For a chocolate-loaded version, try these chocolate granola bars next!

Chewy Granola Bars

I’ve shared before about my family’s affinity for homemade granola bars; I can’t make them frequently enough to ever build up a stockpile. My kiddos practically inhale the entire batch of bars the day they’re made!

The other day, my oldest son had a Chewy granola bar with miniature M&M’s at school and he informed me I’d been holding out on him by not adding M&M’s to the bars I make for them.

So while I do have a few different granola bar recipes on the site, I decided to make a very basic recipe like you’d find in the granola bar aisle of the grocery store, but, of course, make it a lot tastier. And I’m glad to report the boys gave these two thumbs up and freely admitted they were better than the store-bought ones (and better than all my other granola bar recipes because of the M&M’s inclusion ha!).

Ingredients In Chewy Granola Bars

Creamy Peanut Butter: Be sure to use creamy peanut butter to make sure you get that smooth consistency.
Honey: You can also use maple syrup in place of the honey for a different flavor.
Coconut Oil: Measure the coconut oil while it’s solid.
Old-fashioned Oats: Makes sure it’s old-fashioned oats, using quick or steel-cut oats will give this a different texture.
Shredded Coconut: Totally optional but toasting the coconut before adding can add so much flavor.
Roasted and Salted Cashews: Adjust salt if using salted cashews or peanut butter.
Mini Chocolate Chips and Miniature M&M’s: Can be substituted with chopped chocolate or other mix-ins like dried fruits or nuts.

Chewy Granola Bar Tips

Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. These bars are nearly impossible to get out nicely in an unlined pan. Aluminum foil will also work in a pinch, but parchment paper is the top choice.
Adjust the salt. If you use salted nuts in the recipe, you may want to decrease the amount of added salt. Additionally, if the peanut butter used is salted, or you are sensitive to salt, you may also want to reduce the amount.
Be sure to use old-fashioned oats. Quick oats and steel-cut oats will both create the wrong texture and won’t work properly in these bars — it will end up more like granola than a granola bar.
Use M&M Minis baking bits as opposed to buying the small tubes of miniature M&M’s. The baking bits are cheaper and easier to find. They can usually be found with other baking chips in the baking aisle of the grocery store.

QUICK TIP

For extra flavor (without extra effort) use roasted and salted cashews in these bars. If you only have raw cashews, you can quickly toast them in the oven. (Toast the oats while you’re at it!) Add the oats and cashews to a lined sheet pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F, stirring once halfway in between. The cashews and oats should smell fragrant, but not burned.

How to keep granola bars from falling apart

Make sure there is enough of the syrup mixture. Make sure to measure the honey and peanut butter to the top of the measuring cup and scoop every bit of it into the pot. Additionally, measure the coconut oil in its solid (not melted) state. Don’t reduce the amount of honey, peanut butter, or coconut oil. Every bit of the syrup is needed to ensure the bars stay together.
Coarsely chop the cashews. If the pieces of cashew are too large, they will cause these chewy granola bars to fall apart easier; plus, whole cashews can be overwhelming in a bite.
Compress the mixture firmly into the pan. Press the granola mixture firmly into the pan; use the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup to get leverage in pressing the mixture down.
Chill the finished bars. While hot or even warm, the bars will crumble into granola instead of a bar. Make sure the bars are allowed adequate time to set up and harden to ensure they’ll be completely firm. Additionally, Chewy Granola Bars continue to firm up as the oats absorb the syrup mixture.
Cut the bars with a large, sharp knife. These bars are more prone to falling apart if a dull knife is being shimmied into the bars.

Chewy Granola Bar Variation Ideas

Nuts: Pretty much any coarsely chopped nuts will work in these Chewy Granola Bars. You can use a single variety of nuts or a combination of several different types of nuts (as long as quantities remain consistent — 3/4 cup total of nuts in these bars).
- If you aren’t a fan of cashews, try one of these other ideas: pistachios, almonds (whole or slivered), walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or hazelnuts
Chocolate chips: For healthier bars, dark chocolate chips can be used instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips listed in the recipe.
Peanut butter candy: Try some Reeses’ Pieces® or maybe even some Heath® bits to substitute for the M&M’s.
M&M’s: For healthier bars, the M&M’s can be left out, no other changes necessary!
For thinner bars, use a 9×9-inch baking pan, and for thicker bars use an 8×8-inch pan.
Use a different nut butter: Swap out the peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, or another nut butter. Depending on the type used, you may need slightly more of it (almond butter tends to be slightly drier than peanut butter). You’ll know you need more if the mixture is crumbling and not coming together nicely. Add additional nut butter slowly; use 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
Swap the sweetener: Switch maple syrup for agave nectar or honey.
Switch out the oil: While I don’t recommend any other oil besides coconut oil (which hardens again when chilled– unlike other oils), you could use unsalted butter instead of oil.

QUICK TIP

For gluten-free Chewy Granola Bars: While the ingredients in these bars are naturally gluten-free, make sure to check all your ingredient labels to verify they weren’t processed in a facility with gluten.

Chewy Granola Bar storage

Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and then keep the wrapped bars in a larger container or resealable plastic bag in the fridge — perfect for on-the-go snacks! We do prefer these bars straight out of the fridge.

Chewy Granola Bars will stay fresh for up to a week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

To freeze: Space the bars on a lined plate or tray in the freezer. Once they’re firm (about 1-2 hours), individually wrap each bar and transfer to a larger airtight bag or freezer container. They’ll last up to 6 months in the freezer.

To thaw: Simply pull one out and let it stand for about 30 minutes. You could also pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

More nutritious snacks

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars with dried blueberries
Oatmeal Energy Balls with dark chocolate and coconut
Peanut Butter Protein Shake with frozen banana
Peanut Butter Granola with chocolate
Overnight Oats with four different recipes!

QUICK TIP

Take your time pressing the granola bar mixture into the pan; the harder and firmer you press down, the better they’ll hold together.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

by Chelsea Lords

This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is loaded with good-for-you ingredients. Don’t worry, though– we’re not skimping on flavor! This pudding is deeply chocolatey, perfectly sweet, and ultra-creamy. We blend it up to give it a luxuriously smooth texture while the chia seeds are still able to thicken it nicely.

Try our vanilla version (non-blended) Chia Seed Pudding next!

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds are pretty incredible — not only for their health properties but also how they’re able to gel and thicken other foods. They are the perfect addition to creating a creamy and rich chocolate pudding without using any eggs or cornstarch.

So if you’d love to reap the benefits of chia seeds, but can’t quite get on board with their tapioca-like consistency, Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is just the recipe for you. It’s ultra-smooth and thick, deeply chocolate-y, and loaded with good-for-you ingredients.

Below I break down all the ingredients in this chocolate chia pudding.

Ingredients

Macadamia nut milk. While any plant-based milk works here, our personal favorite is macadamia nut milk. Unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk are also great here.
Chia seeds. These seeds are what load lots of nutrition into this pudding and ensure it gets nice and thick. You can find chia seeds in the health food sections, bulk food sections, the baking or spice aisle, or bulk food bins in your grocery store.
Dutch-process cocoa powder. For flavor purposes, it’s very important to get a Dutched cocoa powder. It has a much richer and more robust flavor than plain cocoa powder. Hershey’s sells a “Special Dark” cocoa powder which is a Dutch-process cocoa powder that is readily available at most grocery stores.
Pure maple syrup. Not to be confused with pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener and it adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this chocolate pudding. While honey is usually an acceptable substitute, we found the flavor to be a little overwhelming when testing, so I’d recommend sticking to maple syrup.
Salt and vanilla. These two ingredients intensify and balance the flavors in this pudding.

Topping Ideas

This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is great on its own, but if you’d like to jazz it up or serve it for a dessert, here are a few topping suggestions:

Add some fresh fruit: Think strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or bananas.
Top with a handful of coarsely chopped nuts such as dry roasted and lightly salted sliced almonds, pecans, or cashews.
Drizzle on some nut butter: Almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, etc. make a nutty-chocolate chia pudding!
Add whipped cream: Either coconut whipped cream or regular whipped cream (how to make whipped cream tutorial) add a rich finishing touch.
Add chocolate shavings: Use a large chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler to drop chocolate curls directly onto the pudding.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Tips

Blend until smooth: With a high-powered blender, this goes quickly, but with a less powerful blender, you may need to blend the mixture a few times to ensure all of the mixture is nice and smooth.
Allow ample time for the pudding to set. Once the mixture has been transferred from a blender to a storage container, it needs a few hours for the chia seeds to “work their magic” and thicken everything into a rich pudding.
Make ahead of time. We like enjoying these Chocolate Chia Seed Puddings for breakfast. We’ve found they do best being made the night before and stored in the fridge overnight. This ensures a nice, thick pudding with slightly intensified flavors. And come on, chocolate always makes breakfast better!

STORAGE

Store your Chocolate Chia Pudding in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Add toppings right before serving for optimal freshness and texture.

More make-ahead breakfast recipes

Brownie Batter Overnight Oats with almond butter
Chocolate Granola with chocolate chips and nuts
Homemade Granola Bars with almonds
Peach Overnight Oats with caramelized peaches and streusel topping
Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars with chocolate chips

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

5 from 3 votes

- Review this recipe

This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is loaded with good-for-you ingredients, but don't worry-- we're not skimping on flavor! This pudding is deeply chocolatey, perfectly sweet, and ultra-creamy. Instead of eating this pudding as is, we blend it up to give it a luxuriously smooth texture while the chia seeds are still able to thicken it nicely.

Print Recipe

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

5 from 3 votes

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack, Vegetarian

Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword chocolate chia seed pudding

Prep Time 10

Chilling Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings 2 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 213kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $3.82

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup plant-based milk Note 1
▢ 1/4 cup chia seeds
▢ 2 tablespoons special dark cocoa powder Note 2
▢ 2 tablespoons maple syrup Note 3
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional

▢ Any desired toppings such as fresh fruit, coconut whipped cream, and dark chocolate shavings.

US - Metric

Instructions

COMBINE: Add all the ingredients (except for optional toppings) to a small blender jar. Blend until completely smooth (you may need to run the blender 2+ times). Once completely smooth, use a spatula to scrape all of the mixture into airtight containers or jars.
REFRIGERATE: Refrigerate the pudding for at least 2 hours (best after 8 hours) or the night before. Pudding will stay good for 5-7 days in the fridge.
ENJOY: Enjoy as is or add some toppings such as fresh fruit, coconut whipped cream, and dark chocolate shavings.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: While any plant-based milk works here, our personal favorite is macadamia nut milk. Unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk are also great choices.

Note 2: For flavor purposes, it’s very important to get a dutch process (Dutched) cocoa powder, which has a much richer and more robust flavor than plain cocoa powder. Hershey’s sells a “Special Dark” cocoa powder which is a Dutch-process cocoa powder readily available at most grocery stores.

Note 3: Not to be confused with pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener that adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the chocolate chia pudding. While honey is usually an acceptable substitute, we found the flavor to be a little overwhelming when testing, so I'd recommend sticking to maple syrup. Taste and add more for a sweeter dessert!

Nutrition Facts

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Air Fryer Pizookie

by Chelsea Lords

This Air Fryer Pizookie can be ready in a fraction of the time that an oven-baked Pizookie is ready — plus, with this recipe, there are no special pans required (just some foil)! This Pizookie has a crisp crust with an ultra-gooey interior and pools of melty chocolate. Top your deep dish cookie with your favorites — vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce.

This recipe is for a chocolate-chip Pizookie, but in this post, I’ll share how to easily customize flavors to try a different type of cookie or several different types of cookies at once.

Love making desserts in the air fryer? Us too! Try our Air Fryer Donuts next! Not sure about Air Fryers? Check out our Air Fryer Guide!

Air Fryer Pizookie

As much as my family loves cookies (it’s a lot!), there is something so fun about having a big cookie pie, loaded with vanilla ice cream, for all of us to share around the table.

Deep dish Pizookies are a favorite dessert in my home (we’re obsessed with this S’mores Pizookie), and now it’s even more readily available with an air fryer! Between waiting for the oven to preheat and then baking a Pizookie it takes nearly twice as long as an air fryer will take.

Recipe expectations

The texture of this deep dish Air Fryer Pizookie is slightly different. The edges, bottom, and top of the cookie are more crispy while the interior is very soft, chewy, and slightly more underbaked. If you don’t enjoy a gooey, slightly under-baked cookie, this recipe probably won’t be your favorite. (Try these DoubleTree® Cookies for a crispier cookie.)

It’s also best to eat this Pizookie right out of the air fryer. Leftovers don’t store very well — the slightly under-baked interior tends to make the rest of the cookie mushy as it sits. So plan to bake and eat this in one sitting for best results.

QUICK TIP

Pizookie is a hybrid word combining pizza and cookie. It’s perfect for those days when you need a pizza-sized cookie! Pizookie is actually a registered trademark with BJ’s Restaurants and Brewhouses, but is also featured in many other restaurants. Typically, pizookies are made in a cast-iron skillet, but this recipe using an air fryer cuts the cooking time down considerably!

Air Fryer Pizookie Tools Needed

Air fryer. I use, love, and recommend this Air Fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so timing may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model when making this Pizookie.
Aluminum foil. Instead of having to find a unique pan to insert into the air fryer insert, we’ve tested this recipe by using foil and it works perfectly! Stack two sheets of aluminum foil on top of each other and form them to fit the base of your air fryer insert, aiming to make it 2-3 inches tall. Generously grease with cooking spray and then, when ready to bake the Pizookie, press the cookie-filled foil “pan” into the heated air fryer (carefully to avoid burning yourself).
Cooking spray. To ensure this Air Fryer Pizookie doesn’t stick too much to the bottom of the foil, be sure to generously grease the foil before adding in the dough.

One dough, many possibilities.

One of the fun things about an Air Fryer Pizookie is the potential for different flavors in one cookie. With sets of tastebuds in the family, we’ll usually do four different flavors of cookies all in one Pizookie. Even if everyone enjoys the same type of cookie, it’s fun to have a variety of flavors all in one dessert. Here’s what we do:

Make the cookie dough. Whip together the dough, but don’t add in the chocolate chips.
Separate the dough into four equal parts (just eyeballing it). Add one dough portion (at a time) to a separate smaller bowl and add in a handful of unique mix-ins (ideas below). Mix together that part of the dough and then press it into one quarter of the tin foil pan.
Repeat. Using the remaining 3 sections of dough, add unique mix-ins, and then press into the remaining quadrants of the foil pan.
Bake as indicated in the recipe card and enjoy!

Recipe mix-in ideas

As far as how much to add in, aim for 1/3 cup of add-ins per portion of dough.

White chocolate macadamia nut: Add in equal parts coarsely chopped (dry roasted and lightly salted) macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.
Funfetti: Add in white chocolate chips (or milk chocolate) and 2-3 tablespoons jimmies-style sprinkles.
Cookies and Cream: Add in a few coarsely chopped Oreo® cookies and some white or milk chocolate chips.
Dark chocolate pistachio: Add in equal parts of coarsely chopped (dry roasted and lightly salted) pistachios and dark chocolate chips. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on the cookie as it comes out of the air fryer.
Peanut butter: Add in equal parts of peanut butter baking chips, peanut butter M&M’s, and miniature Reese’s® cups.
White chocolate cranberry: Add in equal parts of dried cranberries (or dried tart cherries) and white chocolate chips.
Triple chocolate: Add in equal parts of milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips.
Other add-in ideas: Try pecans, walnuts, coarsely chopped candy bars (like KitKats, Snickers, etc.), Rolos, caramel bits.

QUICK TIP

Another way to change up your Air Fryer Pizookie is to add different flavors of ice cream on top. If making a peanut butter candy-filled Pizookie, consider adding a peanut butter flavored ice cream on top. Try a salted caramel ice cream over the Triple Chocolate Pizookie or add cookies and cream ice cream to the Cookies and Cream pizookie.

Air Fryer Pizookie tips

Air fry the insert first: We heat the air fryer insert for 10 minutes before adding our dough. This ensures a well-heated air fryer that will cook the bottom of the Pizookie at the same rate the top is cooked. We tested without heating the air fryer insert and the bottom ended up very doughy.
Watch carefully. Air fryers will cook slightly differently from model to model, and there will also be variance depending on the size of your particular air fryer insert. Occasionally check to make sure the cookie isn’t burning. Air fryers cook a lot faster than an oven, so it can go from perfect to burnt in as little as a minute.

More cookie recipes

Our favorite soft and chewy Snickerdoodles
Chocolate-Chip Cookie Bars
Soft Sugar Cookies with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles
Avalanche Cookies peanut butter no-bake cookies
Cornmeal Cookies with white chocolate chips

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Air Fryer Pizookie

4.50 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

This Air Fryer Pizookie can be ready in a fraction of the time that an oven-baked Pizookie is ready -- plus, with this recipe, there are no special pans required (just some foil)! This Pizookie has a crisp crust with an ultra-gooey interior and pools of melty chocolate. Top your deep dish cookie with your favorites -- vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce.

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Pizookie

4.50 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Air Fryer Pizookie

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings 6 -8 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 808kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

▢ 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
▢ 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
▢ 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 and 1/2 cups white all-purpose flour (See Note 1)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
▢ 1 and 1/4 cups milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate chips (we like milk best)

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Use 2 sheets of foil to form a pan the size of your air fryer insert. Fold up the edges to be about 2 to 3-inches high. Generously grease this foil "pan" with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool back down to room temperature-- we don't want hot butter, or it will make the Pizookie greasy!
WET INGREDIENTS: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Take your time until the butter and sugar fully integrate together. (It will seem like they won't, but keep whisking! It takes about 1-2 minutes.) Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. At this point, heat the air fryer (while empty) for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. We need it very hot before adding in the dough.
DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Add in the chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
BAKE: Once you've got a smooth dough, add it to the prepared tin foil "pan". Press the dough firmly into one even layer. Remove the hot air fryer insert and carefully press your tin foil Pizookie into one even layer at the bottom of the air fryer insert. Place back in the air fryer and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. (We do 10 minutes in my particular air fryer.) (See Note 1.)
ENJOY: Remove and use tongs to pull the foil insert from the air fryer onto a large plate. Top with ice cream in the center, right out of the air fryer. Enjoy immediately -- it is supposed to be pretty gooey and slightly under-baked in the center. Because of this, the Pizookie doesn't store very well so best to be enjoyed as soon as you make it!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Air fryers will cook slightly differently from model to model and there will also be variance depending on the size of your particular air fryer insert. Occasionally check to make sure the cookie isn’t burning. Keep in mind air fryers cook a lot faster than an oven, so it can go from perfect to burnt in as little as a minute.

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Korean Beef Tacos

by Chelsea Lords

Korean Beef Tacos are a complete explosion of flavor! The tasty, marinated beef is loaded into charred tortillas and topped with a quick and crunchy veggie slaw and a delicious Sriracha-lime sauce.

Korean Beef Tacos

These tacos have been a while in the making. We found a fun hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant months ago that had near perfect ratings on Yelp. And after trying their beef tacos, my husband begged me to re-create them. It took a few tries to get them just right, but my husband will tell you he likes this even better — score! Honestly, the beef alone is good enough for a meal!

The marinade is super simple but results in some seriously flavor-packed beef. If you don’t want to go to all the effort of making tacos, whip up some rice and top it with this beef (maybe a little Sriracha mayo too?).

Below I’ll break down the different components of these Korean beef tacos and give a little more detail for each component — the tortillas, beef with marinade, slaw, and sauce! It sounds like a lot, so I’ll also suggest some ways to simplify.

Ingredients In Korean Beef Tacos

Tortillas: I prefer street-sized flour tortillas, quickly charred or warmed for the best flavor and texture, either by charring directly over gas flames or warming in a nonstick skillet.
Beef and marinade: If flank steak isn’t available, alternatives such as flat iron steak, hanger steak, or skirt steak can be used.
Slaw: You can adjust spice levels according to preference.
Optional Sauce: The sauce has only five ingredients. I recommend adding the Sriracha gradually, to personal taste and spice preference.

QUICK TIP

Sometimes a grocery store will label a flank steak under a different name such as a London Broil, Flank Steak Fillet, and/or Jiffy Steak. When in doubt, ask the person at the meat counter. If you can’t find a flank steak you can use flat iron steak, hanger steak, or skirt steak with this recipe.

Korean Beef Taco Notes

Spiciness. Overall, I’d say this recipe is fairly mild, but it certainly has some heat. To reduce the heat almost entirely, remove the Sriracha from the slaw and reduce the amount in the sauce. To add more heat, add an extra drizzle of Sriracha or Gochujang Sauce to the tacos.
Make sure the skillet is hot before you add the marinated beef. High heat sears the surface of the meat, resulting in a juicier beef with an amazing char. (Char/color on the beef = flavor).
Don’t overcrowd the skillet with beef –this lowers the temperature of the skillet and keeps the beef from charring nicely. Give the meat plenty of space to cook!

Simplify these Korean Beef Tacos

Serve over rice: Skip the tortillas and slaw. Add the marinated and cooked beef and some sauce on top with some avocado or (raw) matchstick carrots
Replace the slaw: Use regular shredded cabbage (red or green) instead of the full-blown slaw recipe included.
Simplify the sauce: Make a super-simple Sriracha mayo — just mayo (1/4 cup) and Sriracha (2-3 teaspoons)! Or just drizzle plain Sriracha over everything (or use gochujang sauce).

More delicious taco recipes

Ground Beef Naan Tacos with a simple herb sauce
Chicken Tinga Tacos with quick pickled red onions
Asian Chicken Tacos with a mango slaw
Pinto Bean Tacos with avocado and fresh corn
Baked Chicken Tacos with a cilantro-lime sauce

Banana Cupcakes (Cream Cheese Frosting)

by Chelsea Lords

Banana Cupcakes: These moist and sweet cupcakes have a touch of cinnamon and are topped with creamy vanilla-cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They’re irresistibly delicious!

We love using overripe bananas in baking! Be sure to try our Cinnamon Banana Bread, Banana Chocolate Chip Cake, or Banana Bread with Greek Yogurt the next time you find yourself with leftover overripe bananas.

Banana Cupcakes

Bananas are one of the most common things I buy at the grocery store because my whole family loves them. They make such an easy snack so I’m always offering them to my kids. We are usually pretty good about eating most of the bananas before they go bad, but every couple of weeks I end up buying more than we finish and I’m left with a bunch of overripe bananas. If I’m being honest, I think we try to always leave a few bananas to over-ripen so we can make something delicious. (Like these Chocolate Banana Muffins, these Banana Pancakes, or these Banana Crumb Muffins).

But the last few months, our project has been to use all those overripe bananas to perfect a recipe for banana cupcakes. My toddler is cupcake obsessed – he could eat cupcakes for every single meal if I let him! He also enjoys making them almost as much as he loves eating them!

Ingredients

Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder: These make the cupcake mix. Flour holds it together, and baking soda and powder make it rise.
Spices: Use fresh spices for stronger flavor. You can also add more or less depending on how much spice you like.
Butter, Brown & White Sugar: Mix room-temperature butter and sugars well to get light cupcakes.
Bananas: We’re using 2 bananas to get 3/4 cup, depending on the size of your bananas you made need more or less. The riper the banana, the tastier and moister the cupcake.
Eggs, Vanilla: Use eggs at room temperature to mix better.
Buttermilk: Makes the cupcakes soft and slightly tangy. No buttermilk? Mix milk with vinegar as a backup.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Use all at room temperature to make frosting easy to spread.

QUICK TIP

The frosting recipe that comes with this one makes a lot, enough to really pipe a tall pile of frosting on each cupcake, just like in the pictures. If you want less frosting, just make half the amount of the frosting recipe.

How To Make Banana Cupcakes

So let’s break down these incredible Banana Cupcakes, starting with a few tips on how to make them!

Prep: Warm cold eggs quickly by placing them in warm water for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven and get your muffin tins ready.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a bowl. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling it off to make sure your cupcakes aren’t too dense or wet.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Cream the softened butter with sugars briefly to avoid excess air, then blend in mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Switch between adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mix, stirring just until blended to keep the cupcakes light.
Bake: Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake in the preheated oven. They’re done when they’re light golden, the toothpick test passes, and they have smooth, rounded tops.

How To Speed Up The Ripening Process For Bananas

Want to make these cupcakes but your bananas aren’t super ripe yet? No problem; it’s easy to do this!

Take some bananas and put them on a baking sheet without peeling them. Bake them for 7-8 minutes in an oven that’s been heated to 350 degrees F. The bananas are done when their skins are completely black (you might need to turn them over to get them all black). Let the bananas cool down, and then they’re ready to be mashed for Banana Cupcakes.

Tips For Success

Use Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the more flavor and moisture they’ll add to your cupcakes.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure ingredients like eggs, butter, and cream cheese are at room temperature to mix more evenly and to get a smoother batter.
Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined to avoid dense cupcakes
Mash Bananas Well: Mash bananas until smooth so they mix well in the batter, making the cupcakes taste and feel better.

VARIATIONS

Fun Banana Cupcake Flavor Variations

Frosting: Instead of the cream cheese frosting, you can add a peanut butter frosting or a brown sugar buttercream to these cupcakes.
Mix Ins: If you like nuts with your banana treats, you could mix in some chopped walnuts. Or, you could add some mini chocolate chips. If you decide to add nuts or mini chocolate chips, use about 3/4 cup for this mix!
Make them mini: Use a mini muffin tin with paper liners and bake for 10-15 minutes. Check doneness at 10 minutes with a toothpick; if it comes out clean or with few crumbs, they’re ready. If wet, bake longer.
Topping cupcakes: I love to add banana chips on the top. Buy them at the store with dried fruits or in the bulk section. Other options include adding ground cinnamon, cinnamon sugar, fresh banana slices, crushed toasted nuts, or candied pecans on top.

STORAGE

How To Store Banana Cupcakes

Storing: Keep leftover cupcakes in a sealed container in the fridge with a paper towel to prevent excess moisture. Best enjoyed within 3-4 days, with flavors peaking on the second day.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes by first placing them on a tray for 45 minutes, then storing in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.

More Delicious Desserts

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with a “secret” ingredient that makes these the best!
Magic Cookie Bars sweetened condensed milk gooey bars
Carmelitas with a chocolate caramel center
Mini Cheesecakes with a raspberry sauce topping
Strawberry Scones with a simple glaze topping

Mango Salad

by Chelsea Lords

This vibrant, fresh, and lively Mango Salad is loaded with fresh fruit, cinnamon almonds, and dressed with a cinnamon-yogurt dressing. Be prepared for a salad addiction!

Mango Salad

My husband is obsessed with Zupas’ Mango Berry Salad, but he’ll tell you there is never enough fruit on it! So, of course, I re-created my own version and loaded up the fruit– just for him. 🙂

One of the best things about making your own meals is that you can customize them exactly how you want and in our case, that means adding more fruit and doubling up on those cinnamon almonds!

While this salad is similar to the salad at Zupa’s, I wouldn’t say it’s a total replica. The dressing is quite a bit different, and we’re 100% obsessed with it. While cinnamon is not a common ingredient in too many dressings, it works so well in this yogurt-based dressing and beautifully complements the fruits, lettuce, and almonds.

Cinnamon-Yogurt Dressing

So let’s chat about this dressing. It’s unique, sweet, and completely crave-able! It’s also very easy to make with only four ingredients (not including salt and pepper). With so few ingredients, each one really matters, so let’s discuss those below:

Mango yogurt. I tested this dressing with so many different yogurts! While any sweet yogurt (one that you enjoy eating plain) will work, test taster’s favorites were Chobani’s® Mango Greek Yogurt.
Ground cinnamon. Admittedly a weird dressing ingredient, but we’re obsessed! The cinnamon just works with all the fruit and emphasizes the cinnamon-roasted almonds’ flavor in the salad.
Honey. This dressing is on the sweet side, so feel free to scale down the honey (or add a bit more if using a less sweet yogurt).
Mandarin oranges. The juice from mandarins/clementines is tart and sweet — the perfect balancing component to this dressing. We felt like regular orange juice wasn’t as flavorful in this dressing.
Salt and pepper. A pinch of each helps to accentuate all the great flavors going on in this Mango Salad.

Mango Salad Toppings

We kept the salad toppings simple (see variation options for this Mango Salad in the following paragraph). Below are the four toppings in this salad and a few notes on how to pick the best fruit for this salad.

Mango. We love honey mangoes (also known as Ataulfo or yellow mangoes) best in this salad, but regular mangoes work great as well. (Honey Mangoes are sweeter and creamier than regular mangoes.) To tell if the mangoes are ripe, gently squeeze the fruit. If it’s ripe, it will give slightly. Wait to make this salad until the mango is at peak ripeness for the best flavor and texture. Here’s a quick and helpful visual guide on how to cut a mango.
Blueberries. Look for berries that are firm, dry, and plump. Size isn’t an indicator of maturity, but the color is. Blueberries should be deep purple-blue or even blueish black.
Strawberries. Look for bright red, plump berries–strawberries don’t continue to ripen after being picked (what you see is what you get!).
Cinnamon-roasted almonds. Either make your own or pick up a bag at the grocery store! When shopping for candied almonds, they’re typically found with other candied nuts, trail mixes, chips, and popcorn, not in the baking aisle where you’ll find plain nuts.

Variation Ideas

Add a diced avocado for some creaminess and good-for-you fats.
Sprinkle in some cheese. Goat or feta cheese make nice complements to the fruits in this salad.
Change up the dressing. If you’re unsure of the cinnamon-yogurt dressing, try a poppy seed dressing instead; we love the dressing on this Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad.
Swap fruit. Change berries to your personal preference, such as blackberries or red raspberries instead of strawberries and blueberries. Feel free to add in more fruit; we’ve added a kiwi to this salad too and loved that!
Adjust quantities. This salad has a high ratio of fruit to lettuce– which is exactly how we love it. Feel free to scale up or down the amount of fruit you add if you’d like the lettuce to be more central.

STORAGE

Once dressed, this Mango Salad needs to be eaten and enjoyed promptly. The dressing makes the lettuce wilt and berries soften. I’d recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day. Store the dressing and salad components separately.

More salad recipes

Chipotle Chicken Salad with a chipotle vinaigrette
Spinach Salad with an apple-Dijon vinaigrette
Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with quick candied almonds
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with a lemon-balsamic vinaigrette
Quinoa Fruit Salad with a citrus vinaigrette

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Mango Salad

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

This vibrant, fresh, and lively Mango Salad is loaded with fresh fruit, cinnamon almonds, and dressed with a cinnamon-yogurt dressing. Be prepared for a salad addiction!

Print Recipe

Mango Salad

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

This vibrant, fresh, and lively Mango Salad is loaded with fresh fruit, cinnamon almonds, and dressed with a cinnamon-yogurt dressing. Be prepared for a salad addiction!

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegetarian

Keyword Mango Salad

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings 4 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 357kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $8.91

Ingredients

▢ 8 cups (5 oz.) spring mix lettuce blend or your favorite salad greens
▢ 1 cup blueberries
▢ 1 cup peeled and diced honey mango (~2 mangoes)
▢ 1 cup thinly sliced or chopped strawberries
▢ 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cinnamon-roasted almonds

Dressing

▢ 1/4 cup mango yogurt (we love Chobani's mango yogurt)
▢ 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
▢ 2 Mandarin oranges (1/2 teaspoon zest; 2 tablespoons (28g) juice)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

US - Metric

Instructions

DRESSING: Stir the mango yogurt well; measure out 1/4 cup and add to a small blender jar. Add in the honey, zest and juice of the mandarins, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pepper (I add 1/8 teaspoon each). Blend until smooth and then transfer to a jar and store in the fridge until ready to use.
SALAD PREP: Add lettuce to a large bowl. Top with blueberries, strawberries, and mango. Add in the almonds. Drizzle the dressing (See Note 1) over the salad. You may not want all of the dressing on the salad, so add to personal preference. Toss and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Once dressed, Mango Salad needs to be eaten and enjoyed promptly. The dressing makes the lettuce wilt and berries soften. I’d recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day. Store the dressing and salad components separately.

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Butter Chicken Meatballs

by Chelsea Lords

I’m channeling a favorite curry recipe — Butter Chicken— into these irresistible Butter Chicken Meatballs. Tender and flavorful chicken meatballs are tossed in a rich and creamy curry sauce.

We love these meatballs served over basmati rice with lots of fresh cilantro and naan. If you’ve got a few minutes, the cucumber raita from these Ground Beef Naan Tacos makes a refreshing and delicious topping as well.

Butter Chicken Meatballs

Butter Chicken is one of my family’s favorite meals and when I found myself with some ground chicken intended for these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs but was missing some staple ingredients, I decided to create Butter Chicken Meatballs instead.

These meatballs are bursting with flavor! They’re tender and juicy with crisp exteriors, bathed in the most luxuriously creamy and intensely flavored curry sauce.

Butter Chicken Meatballs do require a bit of work, so while I don’t necessarily recommend them as a weeknight meal, these meatballs are a dish dressed to impress! If you have company coming, or when you’ve got some extra time on hand and are feeling ambitious in the kitchen, this is the dish to consider. Truthfully, though, we love them so much I make sure to carve out some extra time some days, anyway.

Double-Purpose Spice Blend

Many Indian dishes call for one group of seasonings for the chicken and different ones for the curry. I’ve combined the two processes, so you only have to make one spice blend. Half goes in the meatball mixture and the rest goes in the sauce.

One of the best things about these Butter Chicken Meatballs is that the ingredients are very easily accessible. No need to go to a specialty store or order anything online; you should be able to find everything at your local grocery store!

Process shots: sauté onion in butter until golden; add sugar and sauté; add seasonings and tomato paste; sauté until fragrant.

Butter Chicken Meatball Tips

Don’t overwork the meat mixture. Stop mixing as soon as all the ingredients are incorporated into the ground chicken.
Keep the ground chicken cold. The colder the ground chicken, the easier these meatballs are to roll and shape.
Roll small, even-sized meatballs. In order for Butter Chicken Meatballs to cook through in time and evenly, be sure they’re all roughly the same size. This recipe makes about 32-34 meatballs that are all 1 tablespoon in size.

QUICK TIP

Invest in a meat thermometer — you’ll be amazed how handy it is! The meatballs need to be cooked to 160 degrees F (carryover heat takes them to 165 degrees F). Since cooking time will vary due to several factors, I always recommend using a digital meat thermometer to remove any guesswork on your end. Undercooked chicken meatballs aren’t safe to consume and overcooked meatballs will be dry and flavorless.

Faster Butter Chicken Meatball preparation

Meatballs are one of my favorite meals and since I make them so often, I’ve found that preparing the meatballs in stages saves time. Here’s what I mean by that:

Start by scooping out even amounts of the meatball mixture. Use a lightly greased 1-tablespoon measuring spoon with nonstick cooking spray; press the measuring spoon into the meatball mixture and against the side of the bowl to get an evenly packed amount.
Using your index finger, scoop the mixture out of the measuring spoon on to a prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining meat.
Now, roll all the sectioned meat into even-sized, round meatballs.
Finally, roll all the meatballs into the flour.

QUICK TIP

It may not seem like it saves a lot of time, but it’s loads quicker than individually measuring out, shaping, and rolling one meatball at a time. If the meat mixture gets too sticky, chill it in the fridge or lightly spritz your hands with cooking spray.

What to serve with Butter Chicken Meatballs

Below are the three accompaniments we like with Butter Chicken Meatballs and I provide details to explain.

We love Butter Chicken Meatballs served over basmati rice (or plain cooked white rice). I have a foolproof way to prepare nice and fluffy basmati rice every single time! See below.
Serve naan on the side to scoop up the meatballs and sauce. We love toasting the naan; more on this follows.
A very common accompaniment to Indian dishes is an easy cucumber and yogurt salad called raita. I’m sharing my raita recipe and it adds such a nice lightness and freshness to the rich curry.

Cooking basmati rice

Here’s how I cook the basmati rice:

Measure the rice and rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
Place the rinsed rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5-10 minutes.
While the rice soaks, fill a large pot with water and set to boil.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
Cook, without reducing the heat, for 5 minutes (taste and ensure the rice is tender; add another minute if not) and then drain and fluff with a fork.

Toasting naan

If serving naan alongside these Butter Chicken Meatballs, I recommend charring it before serving. To do this, spray both sides of the naan with olive oil cooking spray and “grill” the bread on the stovetop over the open flame until slightly charred. Alternatively, warm the bread (covered with a damp paper towel) in the microwave.

We like Stonefire® naan best, but if you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can also make your own naan!

Homemade Raita

1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt (we love Greek Gods®)
1/2 cup finely chopped English (or Persian) cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chopped fresh green onions
1/4 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, ground coriander, fine sea salt

Add all the sauce ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Stir until combined and then refrigerate.

Spice Levels

Butter Chicken is typically a much milder curry when compared to other Indian curries, so it’s very family friendly. My kids inhale my regular Butter Chicken and these Butter Chicken Meatballs are no different! You can certainly add more spice to this dish, but as written, it is mild with a tiny kick.

To eliminate any kick at all, leave out the cayenne pepper. To increase the amount of heat, increase the amount of cayenne pepper to 1/4 teaspoon.

More delicious curries

Chicken Curry Soup with lots of veggies
Coconut Curry Chicken reader favorite recipe!
Chicken Tikka Masala with marinated grilled chicken
Yellow Chicken Curry with potatoes
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup with chickpeas

Green Curry Noodle Soup

by Chelsea Lords

Green Curry Noodle Soup is the perfect cold-weather comfort food! Tender noodles in a luscious curry-spiced coconut milk broth with chicken and veggies — what’s not to love?!

Green Curry Noodle Soup Recipe

Where I’m at, a bit of a cold spell has hit and we’ve been covered in a thick blanket of snow for the last few days. Which only means one thing — a hearty and comforting bowl of soup is in order!

While this Chicken Curry Soup was the first thing to come to mind, I also had a craving for some noodles and this tasty Vegetarian Thai Green Curry. So in an attempt to mash up all the cravings, we ended up with this very green, Green Curry Noodle Soup! It checks off all the boxes and is seriously comforting in the cold weather! Plus the whole family went nuts about it and it doesn’t take too long to whip together — win-win!

What Is Green Curry Sauce Made Of?

Green curry paste will differ a bit from brand to brand but typically you’ll find fresh green chiles, garlic, wild ginger, shallot, lemongrass, salt, Kaffir lime, sugar, galangal, spices (coriander seeds, cumin, cardamom, turmeric), pepper in the ingredient list.

The green curry paste in this recipe is the main flavor of this soup. Over the past few years, red and green curry pastes have become more mainstream and easier to find in regular grocery stores.

Where to find: You’ll likely find it in the international section of your grocery store. You’ll also find it in Asian grocery stores or online.
What brand to use: We’ve tested this soup with both Maesri® and Thai Kitchen®.

Is Green Curry Spicy?

Green curry paste can be fairly spicy or completely mild– depending on the brand.

The intensity of the curry paste will vary from brand to brand. You’ll want to use enough to ensure bold flavors without too much heat, but keep in mind coconut milk sweetness offsets the heat a lot.

QUICK TIP

Add green curry paste slowly and to taste in this Green Curry Noodle Soup. You can always add more at the end for bolder flavors or more spice!

What Goes Well With Green Curry?

Noodles, chicken, and frozen edamame are our favorite pairings with this Thai Green Curry Soup! More on each below:

Noodles

We love lo mein noodles (also found in the international section of your grocery store) best.
We have also tried ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets) and enjoyed those.
In a pinch even thin spaghetti will work — pretty much any thin long noodles you have on hand is a good bet.
Green curry rice noodle soup: We also tested rice noodles and enjoyed them, but the kids weren’t as enthusiastic.

QUICK TIP

Whatever noodles you opt to add to this Green Curry Noodle Soup, make sure you’re boiling about 4 ounces — we’ve found this to be the perfect amount for the broth and chicken quantity.

Chicken

Buying a pre-cooked and seasoned chicken is a total time saver on its own, but to save even more time on the chicken, you can purchase rotisserie chicken meat already pulled from the bones and shredded or diced — many grocery stores sell this conveniently prepared chicken! Or make this grilled chicken and save some leftovers for this recipe.

To make Vegetarian Green Curry Noodle Soup, leave out the chicken or replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Edamame

Frozen shelled edamame: Edamame is sold fresh or frozen in the store, but I typically use the frozen shelled soybeans since it’s hard for me to find fresh in my area. Don’t worry about thawing or boiling beforehand– they cook perfectly from frozen in the broth.

Coconut Milk Notes

Coconut milk is an integral part of this soup. It’s sweet and nicely balances the spice from the curry paste. It’s also thick and creamy, which makes the soup taste rich and indulgent.
Look for shelf-stable, not refrigerated, cans of coconut milk. You’ll find canned coconut milk on the international aisle, with Latin or Asian products. We used Imperial Kitchen® when testing this recipe.
Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and thickness. Lite coconut milk won’t offset the spice of the curry paste or offer the rich, full flavor that regular coconut milk will.
Stay away from cream of coconut, which is far too sweet. Coconut cream is too thick (and overpoweringly coconut flavored) for this soup.

VARIATIONS

Green Curry Noodle Soup Variations

Fish sauce is a common finishing ingredient in a Thai green curry chicken soup — it adds that final seasoning and umami flavor. Feel free to replace the soy sauce with fish sauce.
To make this Green curry Noodle Soup vegan, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and leave out the chicken.
If you can’t find shelled edamame, try frozen peas instead!

Green Curry Noodle Soup Tips

Take time to sauté the curry paste and ground coriander. Instead of immediately dumping everything else into the pot, we want to take time to sauté the ingredients thoroughly, which creates a more heightened flavor dimension.
Finishing the soup. After the soup has simmered, it’s time to really bring the flavors alive! This is where some taste testing and experimentation come on your part. Add in extra fresh lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, salt, etc. all to personal preference. The amounts of these ingredients will vary based on the curry paste and coconut milk you used and your personal taste preferences. Salt is hugely important in helping to bring out and enhance existing flavors.

STORAGE

Green Curry Noodle Soup Storage

One of my favorite things about curry recipes is how well they store! Leftovers only get more and more flavorful as they sit.

That said, separate the broth from the noodles and chicken for storage. If you won’t be eating all of the soup on the same day, package up the noodles and chicken in one container with the broth in a separate one. To enjoy leftovers, heat the broth and pour over the chicken and noodles to warm those through.

More Comforting Soup Recipes

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup with chickpeas
Vegetable Noodle Soup with orzo noodles
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with loads of veggies
Chickpea Soup with red lentils
Creamy White Bean and Sausage Soup with baby spinach

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

by Chelsea Lords

Step aside Peanut Butter & Chocolate Muddy Buddies; these Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies are insanely tasty! This rich, chocolate-y, and cookie-crumb-covered snack mix tastes just like one of America’s favorite cookies — Oreos!

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

This Puppy Chow recipe is such a beloved snack recipe on this site! The most common question I’m asked is “What can I use instead of peanut butter or how can they be made nut-free?” I totally get it! My brother is severely allergic to peanuts, so we certainly couldn’t enjoy these treats growing up. (Don’t worry, I made up for any missed batches my freshman year of college, ha!)

So I finally have a solution: Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies! These may even trump the peanut butter version; we can’t get enough of this snack mix at my home! It’s ridiculously sweet, super crunchy, and totally reminiscent of Oreo® cookies.

Chocolate Notes

Use high-quality chocolate chips for a better melt and a richer flavor. My favorites are Ghirardelli® or Guittard® (not sponsored).
Microwave the chocolate chips in sturdy, microwave–safe (glass) bowls, rather than plastic or melamine. Melt the chocolate slowly — if it’s overheated, it may turn cloudy and sticky. Going slowly and gradually is the best way to prevent ruined chocolate!
Control the sweetness. These Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies are very sweet and rich. If you’d prefer a less-sweet mix, use semi-sweet or dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate and leave off the chocolate chip and mini Oreo toppings.
Work quickly. White chocolate sets very quickly, so when adding the toppings to these muddy buddies, sprinkle them on quickly and press them gently into the mix so they harden and set to the white chocolate.

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies Tips

Use a high-powered blender or food processor to crush the Oreos. You can also add the Oreos to a large plastic bag (or two; sometimes the cookies rip through plastic bags as they’re crushed), seal the bag without air in it, and then crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet until fine crumbs are formed.
While you can certainly use a piping bag and small tip to pipe the melted chocolate onto the mix, you don’t need any special tools. I transfer the melted white chocolate to a small sandwich-sized plastic bag. (See “quick tip” below.)
Line the sheet pan with parchment paper, a Silpat® liner, or even foil before transferring the Muddy Buddies from bowl to tray. If the tray is unlined, it will be nearly impossible to get this snack mix out nicely!

QUICK TIP

Grab a sandwich-sized plastic bag and place in a tall cup. Fold the top of the bag over the edges of the cup and spoon in the melted white chocolate. Once filled, pull the bag out of the cup, squeeze excess air out, and seal the bag. Press the melted chocolate into the lowest corner of the bag and snip off a small corner from the bag. Squeeze to drizzle the chocolate out and over the muddy buddies.

Process shots-- images of the chocolate being added to the Chex cereal and mixed together; white chocolate being melted.

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies Toppings

The mini Oreos and chocolate chips you see garnishing these Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies are tasty and fun, but completely optional.

If adding either addition, work quickly to press the toppings into the white chocolate before it sets.
If you don’t like the idea of large chocolate chips, but want the additional chocolate topping, use miniature chocolate chips instead.
The miniature Oreos further enhance the cookies and cream flavor, but if you’d prefer these to be even smaller, give them a quick coarse chop before topping the mix.

STORAGE

Store in an airtight container or gallon size bag in a cool, dry place; best enjoyed within 2-3 days, but can last up to a week.
For freezing, use a freezer-safe container or bag, remove extra air, and freeze for up to 2 months.

More Delicious Treats

Oreo Balls covered in chocolate
Tiger Butter Fudge only four ingredients
Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Mix with mini Reese’s cups
Avalanche Cookies no baking required!
Oreo Ice Cream Cake only five ingredients

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

Step aside peanut butter & chocolate Muddy Buddies; these Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies are insanely tasty! This rich, chocolate-y, and cookie-crumb-covered snack mix tastes just like one of America's favorite cookies -- Oreos!

Print Recipe

Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

Prep Time 30

Setting Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings 10 -12 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 816kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $6.21

Ingredients

▢ 6 cups Rice Chex cereal
▢ 16 regular Oreos cookies (185g)
▢ 2 cups milk chocolate chips (or use semi-sweet for a less sweet mix)
▢ 3 teaspoons coconut oil (or vegetable/canola oil works), divided
▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips

Optional Toppings

▢ 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (mini or regular-sized)
▢ 1/2 cup mini Oreo cookies

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Line a very large (15x21-inch) sheet pan (or 2 smaller sheet pans) with parchment paper or foil. Set aside. Measure out the Rice Chex cereal and add to a very large bowl.
CRUSH OREOS: Add the 16 Oreos to a high-powered blender or food processor (don't remove the cream filling-- just add in the whole cookies). Blend or pulse until they are all in crumbs. Measure out 1 level cup of crumbs (135g) and set aside the rest of the crumbs for later.
MELTED CHOCOLATE AND OREOS: Add milk chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons coconut oil to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 20 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add the 1 cup of crushed Oreos to the completely melted chocolate and stir until combined. Pour chocolate and Oreo mix in the bowl with the cereal. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of chocolate into the cereal. Gently stir the cereal until well coated in the chocolate and Oreo mix. Once well coated, transfer the cereal to the prepared pan(s) in one even layer.
MELT WHITE CHOCOLATE: Add the white chocolate chips and remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 20 seconds, until white chocolate is melted and smooth. Line a cup with a resealable plastic bag and pour the melted chocolate into the bag. Seal the bag with no air in it and cut off the tip of the bag. Pipe the white chocolate generously over the chocolate-coated cereal until you've used all the white chocolate.
TOPPINGS: Working quickly (white chocolate hardens fast!) sprinkle on the optional chocolate chips and mini Oreo cookies. Sprinkle the reserved remaining cookie crumbs over the mix. Let the mix harden at room temperature until set, about 1 hour (speed this up by refrigerating the tray for 20 minutes). Break the snack mix apart and enjoy! This mix is best enjoyed within 2 days.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information includes the optional mini Oreos and chocolate chips.

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Curry Lentil Soup

QUICK TIP

Let’s talk veggies

QUICK TIP

Let’s chat lentils

QUICK TIP

Curry Lentil Soup Seasonings

Curry Lentil Soup Toppings

Curry Lentil Soup Storage

Other hearty soup recipes

Curry Lentil Soup

Curry Lentil Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Air Fryer Dutch Baby

Air Fryer Dutch Baby Tips

Topping the Dutch Baby

QUICK TIP

Special Tools

More Air Fryer Recipes to Love:

Air Fryer Dutch Baby

Air Fryer Dutch Baby

Equipment

Ingredients

Blender Batter

Vanilla Syrup (Optional)

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Vegetarian Gyros

Let’s Chat Chickpeas

Vegetarian Gyro Tips

QUICK TIP

Tzatziki Sauce

Vegetarian Gyro Toppings

QUICK TIP

STORAGE

More Vegetarian Meals

Vegetarian Gyros

Vegetarian Gyros

Ingredients

Chickpeas

Sauce

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients In Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bar Tips

QUICK TIP

How to keep granola bars from falling apart

Chewy Granola Bar Variation Ideas

QUICK TIP

Chewy Granola Bar storage

More nutritious snacks

QUICK TIP

Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients

Topping Ideas

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Tips

STORAGE

More make-ahead breakfast recipes

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients

Optional