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Healthy Brownies

The best Healthy Brownies! Made without flour, refined sugar, butter, or eggs, these rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey brownies can be easily prepared with ingredients found at your local grocery store. Plus, there’s an optional frosting recipe for those who love frosted brownies.

Next time try our popular Applesauce Brownies or Gluten-Free Brownies!

Healthy Brownies

Brownies are hands down one of my favorite desserts — the richer and fudgier, the better! And if I don’t have a plan for a batch of brownies to go (family, friends, neighbors, etc.) they will all get consumed by yours truly. Literally, every single piece, and I wish I were exaggerating but I’m not.

As a result, I’ve worked and worked and worked on a healthy recipe that I absolutely love but has better ingredients, because I shouldn’t eat this entire tray of Peanut Butter Cup Brownies. So now, when I eat these at least I’m getting some health benefits from it. 🙂

What to expect from this recipe

This brownie recipe is one of the recipes I am proudest of — it’s pretty amazing how great the ingredients are for the insanely fudge-y, rich, and delicious flavor and texture these brownies deliver. But I also want to be completely transparent; these brownies aren’t for everyone. Read on to see what I mean.

Texture-wise: So, this is probably contrary to every single brownie law of the universe, but these healthy brownies are best served cold. Cover these tightly and chill them overnight (or about 4-6 hours) and then you’ll know what I’m talking about. They taste like rich, dark chocolate fudge. After being chilled they are very dense and not at all cake-like. When warmed up they do have a lighter and more cakey texture. Healthy Brownies are thick, chewy, and quite rich (especially with the frosting on them).

Flavor-wise: These brownies have a slightly bitter, strong dark chocolate flavor. I use 53% cacao dark chocolate so I don’t find them overly bitter, but they do taste strongly of dark chocolate. If you don’t love dark chocolate, you can use milk chocolate. Beyond the dark chocolate, these also have a lot of Greek yogurt in them. I recommend you use a good, sweet, and non-tangy Greek yogurt (more on this later).

Healthy Brownie Ingredients

Here are the ingredients I use and recommend for the best results in this recipe. None of them are sponsors; they’re just what I use when making this recipe.

Dark chocolate. I use Nestle’s® Dark Chocolate Chips. Read up on the benefits of dark chocolate here. If you’re not a dark chocolate fan, milk or semi-sweet will work in its place.
Greek yogurt. This is in my opinion the most important ingredient in this recipe. It can definitely make or break the final flavor. I have tried so many different Greek yogurts and hands-down, the best yogurt to use is Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt (made by Greek Gods®). Greek yogurt contributes loads of protein to these brownies, among other benefits.
Coconut oil. I have found a good amount of variation in coconut oil brands; mainly there is a stronger coconut flavor in some brands as opposed to others. I personally use LouAna® Coconut Oil and don’t find any recognizable or pronounced coconut flavor in these Healthy Brownies.
Vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda. These ingredients contribute to the flavor and leavening of the brownies.
Coconut sugar. This sugar is a non-refined sugar that has become very mainstream in grocery stores in the last few years. You should be able to find it among other baking sugars or in the health food section of your grocery store. If you don’t want to buy a special sugar for this recipe, brown sugar can be used instead. It’s a 1:1 substitute, but note that brown sugar is refined sugar.
Old-fashioned oats. More on this ingredient in the next paragraph.

Let’s talk oats

If there’s no flour in these flourless healthy brownies, what are we using? Regular old-fashioned oats! (Make sure to use old-fashioned or rolled oats, not quick or steel-cut oats). The oats are blended up before being added to the batter, and they resemble flour and serve the same function; read the “quick tip” below for a breakdown of the process.

QUICK TIP

How to make powdered oats: Add the old-fashioned oats to a food processor or small blender jar. Pulse the oats until they are ground into a powder-like consistency that resembles flour. Stir the oats around to be sure that all the oats have been finely ground and there aren’t any whole oats left. (This will affect the texture and liquid absorption of these flourless brownies.) Make sure to measure the oats once they’ve been blended into a powder and not before.

Healthy Brownies Frosting

The frosting on these is optional. While it is a whole lot healthier than most frosting recipes, it does have refined powdered sugar in it. If you are avoiding refined sugar, you’ll want to leave off the frosting on this recipe.

The frosting contains only four ingredients and uses similar ingredients in the brownie base — more dark chocolate and more Greek yogurt, plus some milk and powdered sugar. I use almond or macadamia nut milk, but any plant-based milk works great here.

The frosting is very thick and ganache-like. It will harden as it sets and firms up on the cold brownies. It can soften and get melty in a warm environment, so I recommend keeping these brownies chilled.

Tips

Use the right ingredients. Take a minute to read through the ingredients section. The ingredients matter a lot on this recipe and you can end up with very delicious or, er… less-than-exciting, brownies, based on the ingredients used.
Line the pan. These brownies are very fudge-y and can be difficult to get out of an unlined pan. Save yourself the trouble by lining the pan with parchment paper and leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Wait until they’re chilled. These brownies are at their best after being chilled overnight. We love them best the next day. But even a few hours in the fridge and they’re delicious.
Use a sharp chef’s knife to make cuts. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut. These brownies are rich and sweet that you’ll want to cut them pretty small.

MoreRecipes

Black Beans (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

by Chelsea Lords

No soaking required for these simple homemade Black Beans! These beans are deeply savory with a hit of spice and so much flavor.

Prepare Black Beans as a delicious side dish and then re-purpose leftovers in a number of ways outlined below; this recipe has so many possibilities. This recipe was tested in both a slow cooker and Instant Pot®.

Black Beans

After sharing these Pinto Beans (and the subsequent recipes using them), I’m totally hooked on preparing beans in the slow cooker and/or pressure cooker. It’s my favorite way to cook for my family this new year. I love preparing the beans as a way of meal prepping at the beginning of the week and then use those beans in meals all week long. While canned beans are convenient, nothing compares to the flavors and textures you’ll get from these from-scratch black beans.

Not only are they economical (the cost of dried beans versus canned can be staggering!) they’re also incredibly simple to make. I’ll share some shortcuts for making Black Beans and I’ll share some of the recipes we’ve used these beans in as a part of my “cook once & enjoy meals all week long” series.

These recipes feature these from-scratch black beans:

One batch of Black Beans makes about the equivalent of three 15-ounce cans of black beans and each of the recipes above uses about 1 can (or slightly less). So if you prepare the beans at the beginning of the week, your family can enjoy them as a side dish that first day and then the rest can be stored and used in those three recipes throughout the week. They freeze well, too, so you can save these beans for later, as well.

With the seasoned beans prepared, the remaining prep during the week on those other three recipes listed above is so much quicker! Additionally, as the beans sit, they only get more flavorful! So those recipes will have so much more flavor than using a can of beans!

QUICK TIP

Love this series? We did a similar series (cook once, enjoy all week!) using these homemade pinto beans in these bean and cheese burritos, pinto bean tacos, and bean tostadas.

Slow Cooker versus Pressure Cooker

I tested Black Beans in both machines, and they end up very similar either way. (Note: When I use the term pressure cooker, that applies to the Instant Pot, which has a pressure cooker setting.)

The beans do end up with slightly more liquid in the pressure cooker, but it’s very easy to get these beans to your ideal liquid-to-bean ratio. Simply drain off as much of the liquid as you’d like. I typically leave all (or most) of the liquid because I like these beans pretty saucy when serving over rice or in a grain bowl. However, if they’re going in burritos or a bake, I do drain them before adding.

Whichever machine you choose to use, it may take a bit of experimenting your first time. All slow cookers and pressure cookers cook slightly differently, but once you’ve figured out the time for your specific machine, you’ll no longer have any guesswork.

Ingredients In Black Beans

Dried Black Beans: Rinse dried beans thoroughly before use.
Veggies: In a rush? Throw all the veggies in a food processor for quicker prep.
Seasonings: Cook in oil for more flavor.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Taste before adding more salt, as adobo sauce can be salty.
Liquid: Use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock for a vegetarian option.

Black Bean Preparation Tips

Rinse and pick through the beans. While a little tedious, be sure to give the beans a quick rinse and look through them for any shriveled beans, debris or rocks that may have snuck into your bag.
It may be tempting to throw everything in the slow cooker and let it go, but sautéing the veggies in the olive oil brings tremendous amounts of flavor. It adds layers of flavor to these beans.
Season to taste. Depending on how salty the chicken stock is, and the actual type of salt you’re using (not all salts season the same!) you’ll want to adjust the amount of salt to personal preference. If the beans taste flat, it’s probably as easy a fix as adding in some more salt! Also, we love Black Beans with some fresh herbs (like parsley, cilantro, or green onions) and fresh lime juice. It’s amazing the life those two ingredients bring to the black beans.
Freeze leftover chipotle peppers. See “quick tip” below.

QUICK TIP

There’s nothing worse than using only one or two peppers (like in this recipe) and not being able to use the rest of the can before it goes bad. Luckily, canned chipotle peppers freeze beautifully! Here’s how to freeze them:

Spread a sheet of parchment paper onto a large pan.
Spoon out peppers with the adobo sauce, 1/2-inch apart, on to the pan. Place the pan in the freezer until peppers and sauce are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
Once frozen, peel the peppers and sauce off the tray.
Add the frozen peppers to a freezer-safe plastic bag, seal while pressing out any air, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To thaw, take as many peppers as needed out of the bag and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until thawed through (or pop individual peppers in the microwave for 10-15 seconds).

Shortcut tips

Preparation shortcuts. These beans are easy to make, and while the chopping can take a bit of time, you can save time by chopping all the veggies in a food processor. Save more time by using store-bought chicken stock; we’re adding loads of flavor without extra work. (By the way, why do we use both chicken stock and water? We tested all different ratios of water to chicken stock and found 1:1 to be the perfect complement to the beans without overpowering the flavor.)
Don’t soak the black beans. We do not need to soak the beans before cooking–now there’s a real shortcut! The amount of liquid in this recipe is ideal to get the beans ultra-tender, without spending hours soaking ahead of time.

Repurposing Black Beans into meals for the week

Beyond the three recipes I linked to above, you can use these from-scratch black beans in so many recipes! Here are some additional ideas:

Add to tacos: These Black Bean Tacos or these Vegetarian Tacos or these Butternut Squash Tacos are three of our favorites!
Black beans and rice: Spoon the beans over steamed rice. (or even better, cilantro-lime rice!) If you’re feeling extra sassy, drizzle on some cilantro-lime sauce (recipe on this Shrimp Tacos post).
Add beans to bulk up a soup or chili. (They’d be amazing in this vegetarian chili or this turkey chili.)
Add them to a taco salad like this Chicken Taco Salad or this Turkey Taco Salad.
In a quinoa dish like these Crockpot Quinoa Tacos or this Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Add to a wrap, quesadilla, or tostada.
Or: Refrigerate or freeze these beans in individual 1.5 cup portions so you can use them instead of canned beans for any recipes calling for black beans (more info on freezing leftovers below).

Freezing leftover Black Beans

Begin by labeling air-tight freezer bags. Let beans cool completely and then scoop 1-1/2 cups of the beans into prepared freezer bags, leaving plenty of space in the bags for expansion. Seal and transfer to the freezer until you need them. Beans keep in the freezer for about 6 months.
Thawing: You can add frozen beans directly to recipes like chili or beans and rice. (They thaw quickly in the pot.) For recipes where you need to start with thawed black beans, pull them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw in the fridge, or for a quicker thaw, add the sealed bag to a large bowl of cool water until thawed through.

More recipes using Black Beans

Black Bean Corn Salad ready in 15 minutes!
Turkey Taco Skillet serve with chips!
Cowboy Caviar so much better than plain ole salsa!
Kale and Couscous Salad a vegetarian treat!
Chicken Fajita Bowls full of Tex-Mex goodness!

Beet Salad

by Chelsea Lords

Here’s our favorite Beet Salad, complete with perfectly caramelized roasted beets, fresh citrus, creamy goat (or feta) cheese, and sweet, candied almonds. Add a drizzle of our favorite tangy citrus-balsamic vinaigrette to perfectly finish everything off!

We love Beet Salad so much that we made a variation of it with pistachios, avocado, and a lemon-orange vinaigrette — check out that Beet and Goat Cheese Salad next!

Beet Salad

Roasted beets are one of my favorite veggies (especially if they’re paired with roasted sweet potatoes) so we add ’em to a salad with a citrusy balsamic dressing and it’s become a new favorite!

The sweetness of the orange pairs perfectly with the tangy balsamic dressed beets, the goat cheese adds a nice creaminess, and the crunchy almonds add the perfect finishing touch.

There are a few components to this salad, but a lot can be prepared ahead of time and then tossed together right before serving– making it a great salad to bring to an event or serve to company. And the beauty of this salad is it can easily serve as a side dish or be converted into a main dish with some added protein — more on this below!

Candied Almonds

The candied almonds add a nice crunch and additional sweetness to Beet Salad. They’re also quick and easy to make– only two ingredients and one skillet — no oven necessary!

Because they are made in a skillet, they do require constant supervision; the candied almonds can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. My biggest tip here is to stir them constantly and watch carefully. As soon as the sugar begins to get sticky and wet, remove the almonds from the burner and continue to stir until the sugar is completely absorbed into the almonds.

If you don’t want to make your own candied almonds, I’d recommend picking up some at the grocery store; these honey-roasted almonds are our favorite. They’re usually found with other salad toppers or in the end caps of the produce section of the grocery store.

And if you’d like to enjoy this Beet Salad with less sugar, add plain toasted almonds instead; see the “quick tip” box below!

Supreming Citrus

If you are unfamiliar with the term supreming citrus it’s a simple technique to remove the membrane from citrus fruit. Not only does it elevate the presentation in this Beet Salad, but it also ensures the citrus is free of rind or pith. Supreming does take a little more time, so it’s not entirely necessary, but if you’re serving this salad for an event or holiday, it does add that extra touch.

To supreme citrus:

Use a very sharp knife (otherwise this can be frustrating!).
Cut off the top and bottom of the fruit and then set the fruit on a cutting board, with the flat edge down.
Working around the fruit, slice the peel and pith off in sections. Follow the shape of the fruit cutting from the top down to the bottom.
Repeat until all the peel and pith have been removed.
Now, thinly slice (and halve the slices for smaller orange bites).
Add the beautiful cut citrus to the Beet Salad!

QUICK TIP

Don’t want to supreme the citrus? Simply peel and break apart into segments for this salad.

Beet Salad Dressing

This dressing has a very intense, tangy, and mildly sweet flavor. Here are a few tips:

Use good quality, extra virgin olive oil: The better your olive oil, the better the flavor of the dressing will be. Here are a few tips when trying to find good olive oil and a list of chefs’ favorite olive oils. Cobram Estate® Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a current favorite of mine in this dressing.
Squeeze the orange juice yourself: Already prepared (store-bought) orange juice is typically concentrated or has added ingredients that affect the flavor and sweetness of the dressing. Use freshly squeezed juice instead.
Toss some of the roasted beets with the dressing. After the beets have roasted, toss with a little dressing while they’re still hot. This gives the beets a chance to marinate and develop more flavor as they cool down for the salad.
Use kitchen tools to make the dressing preparation easier. Use a microplane (like this one) to zest only the very outside bright orange part of the clementine. Avoid the white pith below the peel. This citrus juicer makes juicing the clementines a breeze!

Converting Beet Salad Into A Main Dish

We love Beet Salad with thinly sliced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken added in.

We’ve also enjoyed it on the side with grilled flank steak (check out this Grilled Flank Steak recipe).

QUICK TIP

Short-cut: Use pre-roasted beets: A lot of stores have already-roasted beets in their produce section; pick the plain variety and simply chop those up for Beet Salad. In a pinch, you can use canned beets; make sure to drain them thoroughly.

How to roast beets

Tip: You may want to wear gloves when working with beets because they can stain your hands and fingernails. Also, I recommend a dark plastic cutting board, since beets will stain wood and lighter boards.

Trim the beets. Cut the tops off the beets and trim the root. (Save the beet greens and use them in one of these recipes!)
Peel the beets. Completely peel the beets with a vegetable peeler.
Cut. The beets should be in 1/2-inch cubes. To get even-sized beet cubes, cut the beets first into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then cut each round into 1/2 thick strips. The strips can then be cut down into 1/2-inch cubes.
Roast. Place the cut beets on a lined sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake another 15 minutes. They may need another 5-10 minutes, depending on the size they were cut, the actual oven temperature, and how spaced out the beets are.

For best results, I recommend roasting the beets on a 15×21-inch sheet pan. The larger pan ensures the beets aren’t overlapping– and will give you perfectly caramelized beets. If the beets are crowded on the pan and overlapping, they will steam instead of roast. If you don’t have an extra-large sheet pan, divide the beets onto 2 smaller sheet pans.

QUICK TIP

I highly recommend roasting beets on parchment paper! They roast more evenly and won’t leave behind a mess on your pan.

STORAGE

Beet Salad doesn’t sit or store well after it’s made. Once assembled, the salad needs to be eaten soon after; otherwise, the dressing wilts the greens and the almonds soften.
To make ahead: Prepare everything, but store ingredients separately in the fridge. Assemble the salad right before eating.

More Salad Recipes

Italian Salad with an herb dressing
Strawberry Salad with a citrus dressing
Moroccan Carrot Salad with a chickpeas
Apple Fennel Salad with a lemon dressing
Mango Salad with a cinnamon-yogurt dressing

Tuna Stack

by Chelsea Lords

These simple Tuna Stacks are an explosion of flavor! We use a 1 cup measuring cup to quickly assemble these stacks which have four easy layers: a simple cucumber mango salad, creamy avocado, lemon-olive oil tuna, and sweet white rice.

Drizzling on some soy sauce and an easy sriracha mayo sauce takes them to the next level. Satisfy your sushi cravings easily from the comfort of your home!

We love the ease of canned tuna; try some of our other popular tuna recipes next: this cheesy one-skillet Tuna Pasta, our classic Tuna Salad, or this potluck favorite: Tuna Macaroni Salad. And if you’re catering to vegetarians, these Vegetarian Sushi Bowls are a great meat-free option.

Tuna Stack

My toddler has a serious obsession with quick hyper-lapse foodie videos. It may be because he watches me make them (and often helps out with them — those adorably fat baby hands you occasionally see are his).

He calls them “yummy videos” and says “yum-mmmmmy” several times throughout each video we watch. It doesn’t matter if the video is for sweet or savory or even a kitchen hack — he loves them all!

One video we watched together was how to make California Sushi Stacks by my incredibly talented friend Gina over at Skinnytaste. After watching that video we both immediately wanted sushi stacks for lunch! But without having several of the ingredients, we whipped up something pretty different borrowing the same concept. Since making our take on those sushi stacks a few month ago, we haven’t been able to quit making them — it’s reached obsession level for sure!

Tuna Stack Tips

Use canned tuna packed in olive oil for the best flavor. My personal favorite is Genova’s® albacore tuna. Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and has a fresher flavor.
Ready and fully ripe mangoes and avocados are game changers for Tuna Stacks. The creamy texture and flavor are far superior if both ingredients are fully ripe. (See Quick Tip below)
I recommend Persian (sometimes labeled as mini cucumbers) or English cucumbers. These cucumbers are nearly seedless and very crisp (instead of watery). They have a sweet, mild flavor and a great crunch; they’re the perfect complement to the other ingredients.
Tame the bite of red onion. If you’re sensitive to the flavor of raw red onion, soak the diced onions in ice cold, salted water for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly before using in these tuna stacks.
For best success in inverting these tuna stacks, lightly grease the measuring cup with nonstick spray before starting. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the measuring cup before inverting the stack. (It’s normal for some of the mango cucumber salad to stick to the measuring cup, just pull it out and sprinkle on top of the tuna stack.)

QUICK TIP

To tell if an avocado is ripe, press gently around (not on) the stem and if it gives, the avocado is ripe (the “give” should feel like pressing the tip of your nose). No part of the avocado should be mushy to touch. (This means it’s overripe) To tell if a mango is ripe, always judge by feel. Squeeze the mango gently; a ripe mango will give slightly (overripe will squish down). Also, here’s a great guide on how to cut a mango!

Shortcut prep tips

Use leftover cold white rice. We have Tuna Stacks so often for lunches that I will make a huge batch of rice at the beginning of the week to use. If you don’t have to cook the rice, these come together very quickly.
- Another very quick alternative is Minute Rice®. It takes 5 minutes to make and, in that time, you can have all the veggies and the tuna prepped. (If you are using Minute Rice, use 1 cup uncooked.)
Prep ahead of time. The cucumber mango salad and Sriracha mayo can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that flavors on both intensify as they sit. (Red onion can become sharper and flavor the other ingredients stronger; Sriracha mayo becomes spicier.)
Use grocery short-cuts. Many grocery stores have prepared (peeled and cut) mango spears, which save on some prep time. Simply dice up those prepared spears to use in these Tuna Stacks.

More tuna recipes

Creamy Tuna Pasta with sweet peas
Avocado Tuna Salad with an avocado-based dressing
Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Salad with a lemon vinaigrette
Sriracha Tuna Salad Wraps with fresh veggies

Magic Cookie Bars

by Chelsea Lords

Magic Cookie Bars start with a thick graham cracker crust and are loaded with milk and white chocolate chips, M&M’s, caramel bits, and oats. Sweetened condensed milk makes the “magic” happen by holding everything together and making these bars ultra gooey, sweet, and tasty!

Try our other variations on Magic Cookie Bars next time — these 7 Layer Bars or these 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars.

Magic Cookie Bars

These Magic Cookie Bars are every sugar lover’s dream — basically a mash-up of a ton of candy with even more sugar enveloping everything in a thick gooey coating.

Fair warning — these bars are ridiculously sweet and rich. If you aren’t a total sugar lover, you may be more drawn to these Chewy Granola Bars. They’re still sweet with chocolate and M&M’s, but more balanced with oats and peanut butter. They’re also naturally sweetened with honey and won’t leave you in a total sugar coma like these magic bars might! Just trying to be transparent!

Graham cracker crust tips

Let the melted butter cool: Once the butter is melted, it needs to return to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the graham cracker crumbs, and that will cause a greasy crust.
Add salt. The salt in the crust helps cut through and balance the sweetness in these bars. While you can decrease the amount, I don’t recommend leaving it out entirely.
Blend crumbs thoroughly. To be sure there aren’t large chunks of graham crackers in the crust (which will affect how nicely you can cut these Magic Cookie Bars), thoroughly blend the graham crackers until they are in fine crumbs. Add any large chunks back into the blender and keep on blending. Depending on the type of blender you have, you may want to blend the crackers in batches.
Measure the crumbs. While it’s easy to just count graham cracker sheets to throw in the blender, there can be a good amount of variation from cracker to cracker and brand to brand. For a fool-proof crust, measure the crumbs to be sure you have the correct amount.
Press down firmly. I like to use the bottom of a one-cup measuring cup to compress the crust and press it into a nice even layer. The tighter and more compact the crust, the better the bars cut.

Magic Cookie Bar Toppings

After the crust, here’s what we add on top and a few notes about the ingredients:

Quick oats. While you can use old-fashioned oats, we do like quick oats best in these bars — they soften better and are less over-powering than old-fashioned. Don’t use steel-cut oats.
Milk chocolate chips. We love milk chocolate’s richness and sweetness, but any type of chocolate works here. If you like dark chocolate best, use dark chocolate. If you want to cut down on sweetness, use semi-sweet chocolate.
White chocolate chips. We love white chocolate in these bars, but if you aren’t a fan, use butterscotch or even peanut butter chips instead.
Caramel bits. These miniature caramel balls are a unique magic cookie bar addition, and we love them! These caramel bits are typically found on the baking aisle among other baking chips or caramels. They can also sometimes be found in the candy aisle with similar caramel candies.
M&M’s®. I don’t recommend large ones– peanut, peanut butter, or some of the special flavors– because they don’t hold in the bars as nicely.
Sweetened condensed milk. This is the “magic” ingredient that holds everything together and makes these bars gooey and sweet. Be sure to get the full-fat variety and avoid sugar-free cans. Be sure evaporated milk and/or dulce de leche don’t accidentally make their way in your cart — these cans all look so similar!

Magic Cookie Bar Tips

Line the pan with parchment paper. These magic cookie bars are nearly impossible to remove without first lining the pan. Don’t line the pan with foil or wax paper for this recipe. Leave an overhang of parchment paper to easily remove the bars and cut into them on a cutting board.
Add your favorites. Feel free to swap out some of the candies/baking chips for the ones you prefer. As long as sizing and overall quantities remain consistent these bars should work great. You could even try swapping graham cracker crumbs for Nilla® Wafers or Teddy Graham® crumbs for a unique crust.
Gently press in the toppings. After all the candies are on piled on top of the sweetened condensed milk, gently press everything into an even layer. This ensures that the toppings will stick into the sweetened condensed milk nicely and the Magic Cookie Bars look nice.

Magic Cookie Bars FAQs

1Do you have to refrigerate Magic Cookie Bars?

Store in the fridge if the temperature is warm where you’re at, or on the counter for cooler temperatures. There is nothing about these bars that requires refrigeration, but if you prefer them to be less gooey and firmer, store them in the fridge.

2What do you use sweetened condensed milk for?

Beyond these amazing Magic Cookie Bars, here are some other recipes to use sweetened condensed milk in:

3How do you cut Magic Cookie Bars?

These bars are gooey and sticky! I recommend waiting for them to cool completely before cutting into them.
If the bars are too soft/gooey to cut into, cover them and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until firm enough to cut into.
Use a sharp chef’s knife and make decisive cuts. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.

4How long do Magic Cookie Bars keep?

These bars are best enjoyed within 3-5 days.

We haven’t personally tried freezing and thawing these bars (there have never been leftovers!), but here’s an article to read for tips on freezing/thawing baked goods.

More Dessert Bars

Cookie Bars with chocolate chips
Carmelitas oatmeal caramel bars
Scotcheroos with a chocolate topping
Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Bars with a brownie base
Apple Crumble Bars with caramel center

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Magic Cookie Bars

5 from 5 votes

- Review this recipe

Magic Cookie Bars start with a thick graham cracker crust and are loaded with milk and white chocolate chips, M&M's, caramel bits, and oats. Sweetened condensed milk makes the "magic" happen by holding everything together and making these bars ultra gooey, sweet, and tasty!

Print Recipe

Magic Cookie Bars

5 from 5 votes

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Magic Cookie Bars

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings 36 bars

Chelsea Lords

Calories 180kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $6.12

Ingredients

▢ 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
▢ 2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (measure when crushed into crumbs; about 20-22 crackers)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt)
▢ 1 can (14 oz.) full-fat sweetened condensed milk Note 1
▢ 1/2 cup quick oats
▢ 2 cups chocolate chips Note 2
▢ 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
▢ 3/4 cup caramel bits Note 3
▢ 1 cup M&M's

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176C). Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy bar removal. Don't line the pan with wax paper or foil. Melt the butter in the microwave and set aside to return to room temperature -- using hot butter makes the crust greasy.
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: Coarsely break up graham crackers and add to a powerful blender (you may need to do this in batches). Pulse/blend until all crackers are fine crumbs. Measure a level 2 and 1/2 cups (288g) of the crumbs and add to a large bowl, along with the salt. Stir in the melted-but-cooled butter and stir to create a thick mixture. Press this mixture into the prepared pan and use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to firmly press the crust into an even layer.
TOPPINGS: Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker crust. Spread it into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Evenly top the condensed milk with quick oats, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, caramel bits, and finally the M&M's. Gently press everything into an even layer.
BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 23-28 minutes. In my oven, the bars are done right at 25 minutes.
LET COOL AND ENJOY: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely-- about 1-2 hours. Speed up the cooling process by putting them in the fridge after they've cooled for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Using the overhang of parchment paper, remove the bars and use a sharp knife to make decisive cuts in the bars. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.
STORAGE: Store any leftover cookie bars in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment or wax paper. Store in the fridge if the temperature is warm where you're at or on the counter for cooler temperatures. (There is nothing about these bars that requires refrigeration, but if you prefer them to be less gooey and more firm, store them in the fridge.) These bars are best enjoyed within 3-5 days.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: We love the richness and sweetness of milk chocolate, but any type of chocolate works here. If you like dark chocolate best, use dark chocolate. If you want to cut down on sweetness, use semi-sweet chocolate.

Note 2: It’s easy to pick evaporated milk or a similar product by mistake, but only sweetened condensed milk works in this recipe. Be sure to get the full-fat variety and avoid sugar-free cans. I personally use and love Eagle Brand® (not sponsored).

Note 3: Caramel bits are typically found on the baking aisle among other baking chips or caramels. They can also sometimes be found in the candy aisle with similar caramel candies. You can replace these with 1/2 cup additional white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.

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.

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Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

by Chelsea Lords

These Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes start with caramelized, tender sweet potatoes, and seasoned ground turkey, and then are loaded up with your favorite taco toppings.

Be sure to try some of our other favorite stuffed sweet potato recipes: these Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes, these Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, or a Mexican Street Corn-inspired Loaded Sweet Potato.

Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Amid all the delicious holiday baking and recipe development, it’s nice to have a nutritious meal that feels like pure comfort food. Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes fit the bill. They’re satiating and hearty while still being healthful and fresh.

I took my favorite method for baking sweet potatoes, loaded it up with the filling from my family’s favorite Turkey Tacos, and drizzled copious amounts of the best chili-lime sauce on top.

The secret to the best baked sweet potatoes

Baking whole sweet potatoes can take well over an hour and the result can often be a little lackluster. So, instead, we roast sweet potato halves. This takes about half the time in the oven and results in deliciously caramelized and sweet fleshy interiors. Once you try it this way, I’m convinced you’ll never want to bake sweet potatoes any other way! Here’s a quick break-down:

Wash and cut. Thoroughly scrub the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Dry the potatoes and then cut them in half lengthwise.
Add oil and seasoning. Drizzle oil over the potatoes and rub the oil into both sides. Add salt and pepper to both sides of the potatoes and then again, rub into all sides.
Bake. Arrange the potatoes face down and put them in the oven to bake until tender!

QUICK TIP

When baking sweet potatoes, be sure to line the tray with parchment paper or a Silpat® liner. This keeps the flesh side of the potatoes (facing down on the tray) from burning or browning too much. Make sure to use a large enough tray (or 2 trays) so that the potatoes aren’t too close to each other and the hot air can circulate freely.

A few sweet potato baking tips

Use similar-sized sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes come in all different shapes and sizes so it’s important to try and get ones that are similar sized. This allows for all the potatoes to finish cooking at about the same time.
Oil and season your sweet potatoes. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to your sweet potatoes before baking; this allows the sweet potatoes to really manifest their full flavor. It also helps with the caramelization and all-around tasty flavor.
Place sweet potatoes flesh-side down. While it might seem odd to place the sweet potato with its flesh side down the whole time, it is actually key to the flavor. It allows the potatoes to caramelize as they bake.
Adjust cook time. It’s important to note that depending on the size of your sweet potatoes, and the calibration of your oven, your sweet potatoes might need additional or less cooking time. I like checking them every once in a while, by taking a fork, flipping over one of the potatoes a bit to see how tender they are, and continuing from there.

Process shots: sauté the onion and garlic; add seasonings and continue to sauté. Add in ground turkey and brown; add tomato sauce and simmer.

Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potato Filling Tips

Keep the ground turkey cold and avoid overcooking. Keep the turkey in the fridge right up until it goes in the skillet. Don’t set it out or let it come to room temperature. Because of the low fat content, ground turkey isn’t too forgiving when it’s overcooked; it will become dry, crumbly, and lose flavor. Check out more ground turkey cooking tips here.
I recommend ground turkey that is sold in a carton, rather than in a chub. Chub-style ground turkey is the kind that comes in the plastic tube. It tends to be quite watery and less flavorful. If you aren’t a fan of ground turkey, try lean ground beef or ground chicken instead!
Use quick-prep options. For the fastest possible prep time, use frozen diced onions, pre-minced garlic, and a packet of taco seasoning in place of the seasoning mix indicated in the recipe. Keep toppings to a minimum and enjoy this meal in a flash!

Photo of the sauce ingredients, before and after mixing.

Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Toppings

Once the potatoes are baked and the taco filling mixture is complete, it’s all about the toppings. Add as many or as few as you’d like. I’d definitely recommend the chili lime (included in this recipe) sauce to finish things off!

Grated sharp (or extra-sharp) Cheddar cheese
Store-bought or homemade salsa (This salsa recipe takes 10 minutes to whip together and is our favorite!)
Drained and rinsed black beans (These can be tossed into the taco meat filling to increase the amount of protein and fiber in this dish — they’ll also help stretch the meat further.)
Chopped cherry tomatoes
Fresh cilantro
A squeeze of fresh lime
A large scoop of sour cream (we use fat-free to keep these on the light side)
Sliced avocado or scoop of guacamole
Chili-lime sauce (This sauce uses a few of the same seasonings in the taco filling mixture, plus mayo, and some fresh lime juice and zest.)

More nutritious dinners

Turkey Bolognese with spaghetti
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup with chickpeas
Harvest Bowl with butternut squash
Sweet Potato Couscous with fresh basil pesto
Turkey Meatloaf with lots of “hidden” veggies

Tuna-White Bean Salad

by Chelsea Lords

We’re totally hooked on this Tuna-White Bean Salad with sun-dried herby tomatoes, fresh Italian parsley, creamy white beans, tangy red onions, olive-oil-packed tuna, and a zippy vinaigrette!

This Tuna-White Bean Salad is an incredibly quick meal to make and is loaded with protein! Serve it over toasted sourdough bread or eat it in lettuce wraps for a great low-carb meal.

Extra white beans? Try this phenomenal vegetarian white bean soup, white bean salsa, or white bean and sausage soup!

Tuna-White Bean Salad

If you’re looking for a low-carb and high-protein explosion of flavor, this is just the recipe to make. It whips together quickly, is zippy and tangy, and loaded with nutritious ingredients. I love a good creamy tuna salad a ridiculous amount, but when I’m in the mood for something lighter, this totally fits the bill.

As I’ve shared before, tuna is a long-time lunch staple at my home. When there’s “nothing in the fridge,” there are always trusty cans of tuna in the pantry to rely on. And we’re further relying on pantry staples of white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and most of the dressing ingredients.

This salad is the perfect easy and light lunch option for when you’re focusing on quick, low-carb options.

Ingredients In Tuna-White Bean Salad

Tuna: I prefer tuna packed in olive oil but tuna packed in water works just fine. Be sure to thoroughly drain it before using.
Veggies: Make sure to get flat leaf Italian parsley opposed to curly for this recipe.
Dressing: The dressing makes this salad flavorful and creamy, adjust the mayo depending on how creamy you like it.

Tuna-White Bean Salad tips

Use canned tuna packed in olive oil for the best flavor. My personal favorite is Genova’s® albacore tuna. Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and has a fresher flavor.
Toast the bread or bagel. If you serve this in a sandwich or on a bagel, try toasting the bread first. This tuna salad will make un-toasted bread soggy in a hurry!
Make sure to get flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this recipe. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish.
I like to get the sun-dried julienne-cut tomatoes with herbs. The herbs in the tomatoes add lots of flavor (so we don’t need additional ingredients) and the julienne-cut tomatoes save chopping time.

QUICK TIP

Prep in advance. You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate for up to five days. It’s likely the dressing will solidify (clump) as it sits in the fridge– that’s what olive oil does at cold temperatures. Simply let the dressing stand at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then shake to re-combine.

Variation ideas

Add a drizzle of olive oil. If serving Tuna-White Bean Salad on toast or a bagel, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top of everything.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. To add a little heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes on top of the salad.
Replace the sun-dried tomatoes with roasted red peppers. If you’d prefer peppers instead of tomatoes, they work great in this salad too.

More tuna recipes

Avocado Tuna Salad with a light creamy dressing
Tuna Stack with a creamy avocado layer and fresh mango
Tuna Pasta cheesy pasta made in one skillet
Sriracha Tuna Salad Wraps with crisp veggies
Tuna Macaroni Salad with the best creamy dressing

Baked Chicken Tacos

by Chelsea Lords

Baked Chicken Tacos offer a burst of flavors with well-seasoned meat, cheese-filled crispy corn tortillas, and a creamy cilantro-lime sauce, all baked to perfection and served with various toppings.

Why We LOVE These Baked Chicken Tacos

Versatile: Use seasoned chicken in tacos, salads, wraps, or bowls.
Healthy: Ground chicken and veggies make it a nutritious choice.
Flavorful: Olive oil, garlic, onions, and tomato sauce enhance taste.
Convenient: Offers time-saving shortcuts and make-ahead options.
Adaptable: Customizable toppings and suitable for various diets.

Ingredients

Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic: Olive oil is used for sautéing, while onion and garlic provide a flavorful base.
Spices: A taco seasoning blend that adds depth and warmth to the chicken.
Ground Chicken: Serves as the main protein, offering a lighter filling.
Tomato Sauce: Adds moisture and sweetness to the meat.
Cheese: Gives a creamy, savory flavor when melted.
Corn Tortilla Shells: Offer a crunchy base for the fillings of baked chicken tacos.
Cilantro-Lime Sauce: A zesty, creamy sauce that enhances the tacos.
Toppings (Avocado, Tomatoes, etc.): Provide freshness, texture, and personalization.

How To Make Baked Chicken Tacos

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cook onions in olive oil, add garlic, then stir in spices.
Brown ground chicken, mix in tomato sauce.
Bake tortilla shells for 5 minutes.
Fill shells with chicken, top with cheese.
Bake again until cheese melts.
Top with avocado, tomatoes, cilantro-lime sauce, and serve.

QUICK TIP

Cooked taco meat freezes well when stored in a labeled freezer bag. Freeze spread out and flat so it’ll thaw quickly. This will make a speedy dinner choice!

Baked Chicken Taco Toppings

Avocado: Use sliced or mashed with seasonings for guacamole.
Cherry Tomatoes: Chop for topping or substitute with pico de gallo.
Cilantro-Lime Sauce: Adds a cool, fresh flavor.
Cilantro: Optional, chop for additional flavor.
Lime: Squeeze for acidity and freshness.
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: For a lighter, flavorful topping.
Pickled Red Onions: Try this quick pickled red onion recipe used on these Chicken Tinga Tacos.
Green Onions: Alternative to cilantro for freshness.
Jalapeno: Thin slices for heat.
Cotija Cheese: Sprinkle for a salty finish.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

Caprese Quinoa Salad

by Chelsea Lords

Caprese Quinoa Salad starts with a seasoned quinoa base, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, pearled mozzarella, and fresh basil. A simple balsamic dressing ties everything together!

Caprese Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad has it all! Fresh cherry tomatoes, caramelized onion, savory cooked quinoa, creamy avocados, mild and slightly tangy mozzarella cheese, and sweet basil. Not to mention, we’ve also got a balsamic vinaigrette that brings everything together and packs a punch of delicious tangy flavor.

When you’re craving summer in the dead of winter, this Caprese Quinoa Salad is just the thing to make!

Quinoa Tips

Make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter. Pour the uncooked quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water thoroughly for 30 seconds to a minute.
You can improve the flavor of quinoa by seasoning it generously. A little bit of salt goes a long way so don’t forget to add it in. (Be sure to taste the Caprese Quinoa Salad before serving to see if it does need an additional pinch or two of salt.)
Allow time for the quinoa to steam. Once the liquid is absorbed, don’t rush to cool the quinoa; instead, let it stand (covered) for at least 10 minutes. Letting the quinoa stand allows the quinoa to fully “pop” and ensures it doesn’t end up watery or mushy.
If the quinoa has cooked through, but there is still liquid in the pot, make sure to drain off that liquid to avoid soft or mushy quinoa.
Let the cooked quinoa cool completely before adding the other ingredients. (See “quick tip” below.)

QUICK TIP

To speed up the process for quinoa cooling: Spread the cooked and fluffed quinoa on a sheet pan in one even layer. Place the sheet pan in the fridge (or freezer) for 10-15 minutes or until cooled to room temperature. My favorite way to make a quinoa salad is with leftover cooled quinoa (the process is so much quicker). So next time you’re prepping food for the week or preparing a dish with quinoa in it, cook up extra quinoa and use it straight from the fridge in this Caprese Quinoa Salad.

Other Caprese Quinoa Salad Toppings

Cherry tomatoes. While any tomatoes will work, we love the sweetness and juiciness of cherry tomatoes. I like using a medley pack of cherry tomatoes (in hues of orange, red, and yellow) to add a nice vibrant color to the salad.
Fresh avocado. The avocado lends an amazing creamy texture to this salad. Wait for perfectly ripe avocados, as they make a huge difference in this salad. Here’s how to tell when an avocado is ripe.
Fresh basil. The basil adds a classic Caprese flavor and sweetness to this salad. I like to stack the basil leaves in a pile and then roll them up tightly (like a cigar). Thinly slice the cigar of basil to get a perfect chiffonade.
Mini mozzarella pearls. The mozzarella pearls are fun, but not entirely necessary. Larger mozzarella balls can be used instead– just cut them into quarters first. Alternatively, block mozzarella will work too. I recommend cutting block mozzarella into small 1/2-inch cubes.
Dressing. The dressing is simple, mild, and adds the perfect finishing touch to this salad. Just combine all the ingredients into a mason jar and shake to combine. The dressing can be made in advance but be sure to shake it up again before drizzling over the Caprese Quinoa Salad.

Adding Protein to This salad

While it may seem this vegetarian salad is missing protein, it’s actually loaded with it. One cup of cooked quinoa has 24 grams of protein. Mozzarella cheese is also a great source of protein with around 8 grams of protein per ounce.

That said, this Caprese Quinoa Salad lends well to additional protein being added; I’d recommend leftover shredded rotisserie chicken — a lemon-herb flavored rotisserie chicken if you can find it! A side of grilled chicken is also a great option.

Caprese Quinoa Salad Storage

Once dressed, this salad doesn’t store well. The dressing makes the lettuce and other ingredients mushy. I recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day.

Store dressing and salad separately. You’ll also want to store the avocado separately as well since it tends to brown.

More quinoa salad recipes

Thai Quinoa Salad with a peanut dressing
Southwest Quinoa Salad with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette
Citrus Quinoa Salad with avocado and pistachios
Quinoa Black Bean Salad with a cilantro vinaigrette
Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with a lemon vinaigrette

Greek Chicken Wrap

by Chelsea Lords

Greek Chicken Wrap: Load warm pitas with rotisserie chicken, veggies, and tzatziki-inspired dressing for a delicious meal.

Greek Chicken Wrap

There is no shortage of love for chicken salad on this website. I’ve reimagined it in countless ways, like these Pesto Chicken Salad sandwiches, this Curry Chicken Salad, or these Pineapple Chicken Salad sandwiches to name a few.

A Greek-inspired version was definitely in order. And today, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The dressing is inspired by tzatziki sauce, the chicken salad is loaded with traditional Greek salad veggies, and everything is loaded into pita bread. And, if that’s not enough, we’re finishing things off with a hearty dose of feta and a good drizzle of lemon juice!

There are four components to these wraps — the pita bread, the actual chicken salad, the dressing, and the wrap toppings; I’ll discuss each of these components below.

Pita Bread

To help make the pita bread more pliable and not tear as we fold it, warm it up. I like to slightly char the pita bread– it adds such a nice flavor and contrasting texture to the cool chicken and veggies.

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.

Greek Chicken Wrap Filling

The secret to making these Greek Chicken Wraps is using rotisserie chicken! If you can find a lemon-herb seasoned rotisserie chicken, even better — that rotisserie chicken adds such a nice complementary flavor. Here are a few of my short-cut ideas:

For the fastest possible prep time, I recommend buying rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded. I’ve seen pre-shredded rotisserie chicken meat at Costco®, Smith’s® (Kroger), Trader Joe’s®, and Walmart®. Grocers recognize a valuable service when they see it!
Use flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this salad. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish.
I like to get the sun-dried julienne-cut tomatoes with herbs. The herbs in the tomatoes add lots of flavor (so we don’t need additional ingredients) and the julienne-cut tomatoes save chopping time.
A lot of stores sell pre-diced red onion in the produce section. If you’re in a hurry, that can save a bit of time.

Tzatziki-Inspired Dressing

The dressing on these Greek Chicken Wraps is inspired by Greek Tzatziki sauce with grated cucumber and a little bit of Greek yogurt. I tested this dressing a few times (once with all Greek yogurt) and it was a bit overpowering. So, although there isn’t a lot of Greek yogurt in the dressing, we found it to be the perfect amount to infuse the dressing with a nice tzatziki-like flavor without being too strong.

A few quick dressing tips:

Make sure to use good full-fat, plain Greek yogurt. We love Greek God’s® plain Greek yogurt in the sauce.
Use a flavorful mayo. The mayonnaise offsets the tang of the Greek yogurt and adds a nice creaminess. We love Hellman’s/Best Foods® in these Greek Chicken Wraps.
Squeeze liquid out of the cucumber. Cucumber has a very high moisture level and will water down the dressing, making it less flavorful. Before adding the grated cucumber to the dressing, wring out excess liquid a few times with paper towels or cheesecloth.
When zesting the lemon, avoid the white pith of the lemon — this is very bitter. Using a microplane (like this one), zest only the very outside yellow part of the lemon. Use a citrus reamer or this citrus juicer to have fresh lemon juice in a hurry!
Save some prep time by using a garlic press or pre-minced garlic. Even garlic powder can be used in the dressing in a pinch!
Regular cucumbers don’t work as well. They don’t have enough flavor and are too watery. Use an English cucumber or Persian cucumbers. (Persian cucumbers are sometimes labeled as mini/salad cucumbers.)

Greek Chicken Wrap Toppings

Greek Chicken Wraps reach new heights with these delicious toppings:

Thinly sliced or smashed avocado. I like to jazz the smashed avocado up just a bit by adding a quick squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper, plus just a touch of garlic powder.
Lettuce. I like green leaf lettuce; using packaged, pre-washed salad greens makes this addition even easier.
Thinly sliced cherry tomatoes. Any tomatoes work, but we love cherry tomatoes best.
Feta cheese. This adds the perfect finishing salty seasoning and a good savory flavor to the Greek chicken wraps.
A drizzle of lemon juice. If you love lemon, finish things off with a squeeze of fresh lemon before folding the pita and enjoying it.

Some other topping ideas: thinly sliced kalamata olives, additional fresh parsley or fresh dill, thinly sliced red onions

QUICK TIP

A ripe avocado adds immense creaminess to these Greek Chicken Wraps. To make sure an avocado is ripe, press gently around the stem and if it gives, the avocado is ripe. (The “give” should feel like pressing the tip of your nose.)

More rotisserie chicken recipes

Chicken Melts on French bread with melted Cheddar cheese
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with crispy taco shells
Quinoa Pilaf with an herb infusion sauce
Asian Chicken Tacos with a lime Sriracha sauce
Chicken Shawarma Wraps with a cucumber, tomato, and red onion topping

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

by Chelsea Lords

Mediterranean Pasta Salad overflows with delicious ingredients, including miniature farfalle pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, artichokes, and feta cheese. A tangy oregano-lemon vinaigrette finishes it off. Add some leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken to turn this salad into a meal or enjoy as is for a great side dish or potluck favorite.

Try some of our other pasta salads next; this Greek Pasta Salad, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, and Autumn Crunch Pasta Salad are all reader favorites on this site!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Several weeks ago, on a girl’s Bunco night, we enjoyed a delicious pasta salad! Ever since then, I have not been able to stop thinking about it! So many of my favorite ingredients – sundried tomatoes, pasta, Kalamata olives, parsley, and arugula…

And since I can’t get it out of my mind, I had to create my own take on that recipe! I’ve added a few more of my favorite ingredients: avocado (I’m thinking you aren’t surprised with this one!), cucumbers, rotisserie chicken, and feta cheese. I couldn’t quite remember the dressing my friend used on her salad but it tasted light and fresh, so I’ve used a favorite from here on the blog (the lemon vinaigrette from this sweet potato quinoa salad) and tweaked it ever-so-slightly to pair perfectly with this salad.

Picking a favorite pasta salad I’ve shared on this site feels akin to picking a favorite child, but I do have to say this one ranks pretty high up there. 🙂

Mediterranean Pasta Salad tips

Use pasta that has a lot of ridges: Using pasta that has a lot of texture allows for the dressing to coat it better and get into all the nooks and crannies. This leaves you with a more flavorful pasta salad. Our personal favorite to use in this recipe is miniature farfalle pasta.
Salt the pasta water. Since this pasta is eaten cold, the flavors tend to get muted. Make sure the pasta is well-salted as it cooks since salting is the only chance you have to season the actual pasta. Don’t be afraid to add more salt to the finished Mediterranean Pasta Salad if it needs it. Read about how to properly salt your pasta water here. As a general rule of thumb, I add 1 teaspoon of salt to every 4 cups of water.
Assemble this salad right before eating. This is not a pasta salad that sits well with the dressing. The dressing wilts the spinach/arugula mix quickly, giving it an unpleasant texture. If making it in advance, store the salad separately from the dressing and combine the two right before eating. Only dress meal-sized portions.

What should I put in a pasta salad?

We load this Mediterranean Pasta Salad with lots of veggies, feta cheese, and rotisserie chicken. If you aren’t a fan of some of the ingredients, leave them out and simply increase the quantities of the other salad additions. Make this salad exactly how you’ll love it, keeping the quantities of additions roughly equal. This salad has some chopped rotisserie chicken in it, but you can easily leave it out to make the salad vegetarian– no changes necessary.

Below are a few notes on some of the ingredients in this salad:

Sun-dried tomatoes with herbs: These are my current favorite sun-dried tomatoes. They’re sliced (julienne cut) and packed with herbs and olive oil, and don’t require any additional prep. I recommend avoiding the sun-dried tomatoes in a packet; look instead for the olive oil-packed tomatoes for this recipe.
Use good quality jarred artichokes and olives. The jarred artichokes and olives can be meh or really great depending on the brands you buy. I highly recommend DeLallo’s® (not sponsored, I just love their products) oil-packed artichokes for this salad.
Lettuce. I like adding a spinach-arugula blend but feel free to add just baby spinach (coarsely chopped) if that’s what you prefer.
Ripe avocado. A ripe avocado adds a great creaminess and flavor to this salad. You can tell if an avocado is ripe when it yields to gentle pressure (think: touching the tip of your nose).
Make sure to get flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this recipe. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish.

Pasta Salad FAQs

1Can I make pasta salad for a crowd?

Most pasta salads easily double or triple. They scale really well either to increase or decrease the quantities. Simple divide or multiply the ingredients by the number of people you want to feed with this salad.

2Do you rinse the pasta for pasta salad?

Rinsing the drained noodles in cold water helps bring the pasta down to room temperature quickly (so the salad can be eaten cold, not hot) and ensures the noodles don’t stick together.

Rinsing does wash off some of the starch, and starch is what helps sauces cling to the pasta.

If an individual recipe calls for rinsing, it’s a good idea to rinse.

3How do you keep pasta salad moist?

Because pasta is made of starch, it absorbs liquids and can become dry. To combat this, I usually add quite a lot of dressing to pasta salads. Instead of adding it all at once, add most of it when you mix the dish, and then gradually add more as needed to re-moisten the salad.

STORAGE

Storage Tips

Keep the salad, avocado, feta cheese, and dressing in different containers in the fridge for 3-4 days before serving. Mix them together only when you’re ready to eat. Once combined this salad doesn’t store great as the spinach will start to wilt and the avocado will brown.

More Mediterranean Favorites

Mediterranean Wrap with sun-dried tomatoes
Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Orzo pasta
Chicken Gyros with a quick tzatziki sauce
Greek Ground Turkey with lemon parsley rice
Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes with a creamy lemon sauce

Asian Ground Turkey

by Chelsea Lords

Asian Ground Turkey bowls burst with flavor and texture. Packed with “hidden” veggies and fresh herbs, these protein-packed, kid-friendly bowls are ready in 30 minutes or less!

Asian Ground Turkey Bowls

These Asian Ground Turkey bowls are one of my kids’ favorite meals and they’re one of my favorites to make when I’m short on time. They come together quickly, and I’m always thrilled to “sneak” in some extra veggies in kiddos’ diets.

With a few prep short-cuts, you can have these turkey bowls on the table in 30 minutes or less! I’ll share about those short-cuts below as well as break down the components of this recipe.

Rice

We love serving this Asian Ground Turkey over cooked basmati rice. I like to start with the rice so it can be ready right around the time the meat is ready. While you can prepare rice however you’d like, this is my favorite “short-cut” method for preparing basmati rice:

Measure the rice and place it in a bowl.
Cover it with cold water to soak for about 5-10 minutes.
Rinse in a fine-mesh sieve.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a 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 test to make sure it is tender, if not add an additional minute) and then drain and fluff with a fork.

For a lower-carb option, use cauliflower rice as the base for these Asian Ground Turkey Bowls.

Asian Ground Turkey

The ground turkey comes together quickly once the sauce is prepared. (See more on the sauce in the section below.)

Here are a few short-cut suggestions:

Get pre-diced red onion from the produce section of your store.
Use jarred minced garlic or a garlic press.
Replace the minced ginger with ginger paste.
Instead of cutting carrots into matchsticks, buy packaged matchstick carrots.
And in a pinch (or if you really don’t want to chop!) leave out the diced red bell pepper.

Want to bulk the Asian ground turkey up with even more veggies? You could add an additional 1/2 cup veggies. I’d recommend diced water chestnuts and/or sliced mushrooms.

Asian Ground Turkey Bowls Stir-Fry Sauce

After the veggies have sautéed and the meat is mostly cooked, we add in this quick sauce — just whisk everything together in a bowl and pour it right into the skillet.

Here are the ingredients used in the sauce, as well as some notes on why we add each ingredient and possible substitutions.

Cornstarch: Use just a little for thickening. We start by whisking cornstarch and water until smooth before adding in the other sauce ingredients. This ensures the cornstarch doesn’t end up in clumps.
Soy sauce: To ensure this dish doesn’t end up overly salty be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce.
Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce gives an amazing depth of flavor. (don’t worry– it doesn’t make the dish taste like oysters.) Oyster sauce is the “secret” to this sauce. See the “quick tip” below for more information on this ingredient.
Chicken stock: I prefer the heartier flavor of stock, but broth also works here. Use low sodium if you’re concerned about the salt content.
Rice vinegar and lime juice: Both of these ingredients add a hit of acid and a nice contrasting flavor.
Honey: Use just a little to balance flavors and complement the savory aspects of this sauce.
Sesame oil: This adds a great authentic flavor. (Toasted sesame oil is my favorite!)
White pepper: This spice is typically milder than black pepper, with a less-complex flavor. You’ll find it among other spices/seasonings in the grocery store.
Beef bouillon powder: This is the “secret” to a deeply savory and flavorful Asian Ground Turkey!

QUICK TIP

What is oyster sauce? Oyster sauce is a rich sauce with a syrup-like consistency that is frequently used in Asian cuisine. It is made from oyster extract, but it does not taste like fish (despite the name, oyster sauce has more of a sweet and salty taste.) Oyster sauce is typically found in the Asian section of the international food aisle and can also be found online. My personal favorite oyster sauce is Lee Kum Kee® (not sponsored). This is an instance where quality matters; lower quality sauces may have more of a fishy taste.

Sriracha-Mayo Topping

This Sriracha-Mayo sauce is completely optional, but it adds a nice hit of spice, broadens the dimension of flavor, and delicious creaminess to these Asian Ground Turkey bowls. And it’s only four ingredients — the zest and juice of two limes, Sriracha® sauce, mayonnaise, and a tiny bit of sugar to balance it all out.

We love Hellman’s/Best Foods® mayo best in the Sriracha Sauce (not sponsored). I recommend adding the Sriracha gradually, to personal taste and spice preference. If you’re not familiar with Sriracha, it’s potently hot! If the sauce ends up too hot, add more lime juice to offset it. Not hot enough? Add more Sriracha, slowly.

Drizzle the sauce over the bowls or serve on the side.

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