How Sweet It Is

Currently Crushing On.

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 11:45:49 GMT

Hey hey!

This week on the blog, I shared this super easy lemon brown butter salmon. I also made this quick potsticker soup that is delicious! I also shared these amazing pumpkin muffins that we adore so much.

In exciting news, I revealed the cover for my third cookbook, Everyday Dinners! You can see it and get more details here!

Of course there is a new weekly menu post up, and a new week in the life too!

How was your week?! xo

What I’m loving this week

Craving buffalo fried cauliflower!

Coconut curry shrimp stir fry looks amazing.

This teriyaki salmon bowl sounds delish.

Pull apart king cake! Need this.

Love this herbed potato salad.

Lentil soup looks so comforting.

A perfect chocolate bundt cake!

Spinach quinoa salad with oranges. Ymum.

Want to try this apple cider vinegar lemonade!

Orange tofu bowl! Want to try this.

These chicken enchiladas are calling my name.

Cheesy bread dip! Won’t pass that up.

Love love love pasta e fagioli.

Peach cobbler bread pudding!! Oh my gossssh.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 11:45:20 GMT

I swear I’m not crazy for sharing pumpkin muffins in January!

If you make them, you will see why. They are year-round worthy!

I know, I know! Is it still pumpkin season? I quizzed you in my week in the life post and instagram and the majority of you still wanted to see these pumpkin muffins. I’d say it’s pumpkin season until about march, so we’re good. Some of you said it’s pumpkin season year round! My kids would agree.

These are like my pumpkin dream cake, in small bite-size portions!

Oh my GOSH these muffins. We love them. We have made them so.many.times. They are the kids’ favorite muffins AND – now, this is huge. Eddie, a self-proclaimed pumpkin hater – eats these muffins and adores them. Loves them!

I partially attribute that to my minimal use of spice. I ramble about it all the time – I love pumpkin things, but I don’t necessarily love pumpkin SPICE things. You know? It is a fairly bland flavor on its own, so I do find that I like a bit of spice or savory seasonings. Just not a lot.

I’m warning you here, in case you want to double the spice amount in the recipe below!

This recipe makes about 18 perfectly plump muffins. They are so darn good!

Now this isn’t my first time making pumpkin muffins. I have a chai version here and an almond version here. I also used a simply recipes version and mashed up the three, finding a middle ground with the flour and making sure I could use the entire can of pumpkin so it didn’t go to waste.

And we have these beauties that came out perfectly!

These are the type of muffins that are delicious enough for dessert. I mean, let’s be honest, muffins are really just cake masquerading as muffins for breakfast. I will never say no to that.

Especially if they are a little warm with a dollop of butter.

Oh my gosh. Now I’m starving.

So while I know it’s not technically pumpkin season, I couldn’t help but share so you could make a weekend treat. These are so well loved in our house and a fun thing to make with the kids. They fight over the mixing bowl and all that, but in the end we all get to eat them.

And that’s the real win!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These chocolate chip pumpkin muffins are the fluffiest, most delicious pumpkin muffins around! Super easy to make and foolproof!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings muffins

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (milk or dark - your choice!)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the eggs until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree. Whisk in the oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined - do not overmix! Stir in the chocolate chips.
Fill the muffin tins about ¾ of the way full. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until set in the center. Let cool before serving!

Notes

adapted from simply recipes

Is that the perfect bite or what?!

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Everyday Dinners Cover Reveal!

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:45:39 GMT

It’s here!

I am so excited to show you my third cookbook baby, Everyday Dinners.

And it is officially available for preorder NOW!

Everyday Dinners will officially be released on May 4, 2021. I cannot even wait for you guys to get your hands on a copy.

It would mean the WORLD to me if you would preorder a copy. It is the best way to support authors – preorders are huge, and will determine where the book will be carried (including your favorite indie bookstores!) when it’s released. You can preorder at:

You guys, I could not be more excited about this book. I have poured my heart and soul into 100 recipes here for you ALL ABOUT DINNER in this little book – being made in 30 minutes or less! There is a ton of info on meal prepping too – as well as ways to meal prep for EVERY SINGLE RECIPE in the book.

YES!

This is the weeknight dinner bible.

Here’s a quick photo peek at what you will find in the book…

There is a section on my everyday essentials – think dressings, sauces and all the quick recipes I keep in my fridge to make dinner come together quickly. The meatless section is the book is huge – we are talking over 40 recipes. (!!!!) There are recipes for your everyday favorites including chicken, pork, beef and seafood – and ways to swap ingredients out. There is also a section on side dishes which includes my top side dishes to go with every meal – my all-time favorites. Better than basics!

And of course – a PHOTO FOR EVERY RECIPE!

There are recipes in this book that I’ve been making for YEARS. All of the recipes were developed back in 2018, and it has been SO DIFFICULT to keep these incredible dishes from you!

Here’s how to get a signed book plate!

I’m excited to be offering signed book plates again for this book so you can get your own signed copy! In order to get a signed book plate for your book, you must follow these instructions below.

Preorder your copy of Everyday Dinners. Preorder at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, Apple Books or Google Play.
Forward (or send a screenshot of your order) to everydaydinnersbook@gmail.com
Include your name and full mailing address. The signed book plate will be arriving via snail mail (so you can stick it in your book!) and we will need your full mailing address to send it to you.

The book plates will ship separately from your book and may arrive before your book, so be sure to hold on to it!

Thank you so much for all of your amazing support! This book wouldn’t exist without YOU! xo

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Embarrassingly Easy Potsticker Soup.

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 11:45:17 GMT

This potsticker soup is so easy that I can hardly stand it.

Seriously! We have another meal here that will come together in about 20 minutes. It’s warm, comforting, satisfying and oh-so incredible!

Okay so the other day, I was craving my wonton soup. It was ALL I could think about. I make this butternut squash wonton soup every winter and love it so much. It’s simple, but does require you making the butternut wontons.

I didn’t have wonton wrappers… or squash… and I just didn’t feel like making them anyway.

But!

I did have potstickers. We ALWAYS have potstickers on hand. Always. I love the ones from Trader Joe’s and Costco. Sometimes I’ll do them for dinner or as a weekend snack with a quick dipping sauce. Love ‘em!

So I figured, why not throw those in?

Um, it was SO GOOD. A moment of brilliance – not really, but you know.

I love that the potstickers are a little larger than the wonton pouches I make at home. And the filling has more texture too. Overall, they are more filling.

This is just a win all around!

The soup starts with a sauté of shiitake mushrooms, garlic and ginger. This is the biggest building block of flavor and also makes your entire house smell incredible. Then, the broth is a simple base of chicken or vegetable stock. I add in some soy sauce, a little toasted sesame oil too. Some sliced green onions for more flavor.

That’s it!

You can season this and flavor it to your liking.

And once the broth is ready to go, all you have to do is bring it to a simmer and throw in those potstickers. Soup will be ready in about 3 minutes!

See? Ridiculously easy.

I love to top mine with a sprinkle of furikake seasoning, which I always have on hand for some asian-inspired dishes. A little sprinkle goes a long way and it adds a ton of flavor to this soup too!

What I love most here – aside from the fact that this takes MINUTES to make!! – is that you can really customize this based on your preferences. You could use chicken, pork or vegetable potstickers. Whatever stock you have on a hand. A few extra veggies if you want to clean out the fridge, like maybe shredded carrots or a handful of spinach or something.

I think I might be the most excited that this is now a part of my recipe rotation!

Embarrassingly Easy Potsticker Soup

This super easy potsticker soup uses frozen potstickers and a flavorful broth. Comes together in about 20 minutes and is delicious!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, coconut oil or butter
8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
kosher salt and pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for sprinkling
12 ounces frozen potstickers or dumplings
furikake seasoning, for serving

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium-low heat. Add in the garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Stir and cook until the mushrooms soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour in the stock, water, sesame oil and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer - I suggest tasting the broth here to see if it has enough flavor. If not, add a pinch of salt until you get the desired savory flavor you want!
Once the broth is simmering, add in the potstickers. Cook for 3 minutes (or longer, if the package directions call for it), until the potstickers are cooked through.
Serve immediately with extra scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and furikake seasoning for topping.
Note: these leftovers only last about 24 hours in the fridge - because the potstickers begin to break down. This isn’t a great meal to prep ahead of time for that reason!

Love an easy go-to.

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Tuesday Things.

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:45:40 GMT

1. I find that I’ve resorted to looking forward to mini holidays (valentine’s day! st patricks day!) to get through our gray dreary winter. January 12 and here I am ready for spring!

2. These bean and cheese burritos look so absolutely perfect!

3. For the last two months, every night before bed, we belt out jingle bells while the kids have a dance party. We usually sing it 11 or 12 times. I’m trying to figure out how long we can keep this song going into the new year!

4. Things to stop (and start!) doing in 2021.

5. TV things! I watched This Is Us last week and maybe I’m just desperate for some good TV, but I thought it was pretty good – just wish it would move quicker! I’m also kind of watching The Bachelor (background watching, haha) since it was filmed locally.

6. Speaking of, thoughts on the SATC reboot? I mean, I am the biggest SATC fan of life, I could watch it all day and night. But I just have a hard time believing it will be good! I got everything I needed with the movies so… thoughts?

7. This new year is a beautiful fresh start.

8. Late at night I look at dreamy, wild real estate for places I’d love to live. Where is your go-to spot?

9. This weekend I read the wife upstairs in about a day – it was so good and I was hooked! What are you reading?

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Lemon Brown Butter Salmon.

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 11:45:39 GMT

This lemon brown butter salmon is about to go down as one of your new favorite dinners!

If you’re in search of the easiest, most delicious dinner tonight, this is it. This meal will come together in about 15 minutes!

Okay and the best part? Like, the actual best part? There are only five ingredients. Four ingredients if you don’t count salt and pepper. How great is that!

This is a little on the boring, traditional side for my monday recipe, but this is so delicious that I had to share. It’s such an easy, wonderful staple to make. A great recipe to have in your rotation so you can throw something together fast. And one that everyone really enjoys!

This salmon is easily one of my favorites to make. While I generally prefer to roast salmon because it’s so much easier, this method is so unbelievably delish that you won’t believe it! I hope it makes it into the weekly rotation at your house.

First, I start to brown a little butter. This does require keeping an eye on the butter! You don’t want it to get TOO brown (or burn!) before adding the salmon. But once you become a brown butter connoisseur, this will be like second nature to you!

Once the butter is ever-so-slightly browned, which adds a ridiculous depth of flavor, you place the salmon in the pan and brown it on both sides. It only takes a few minutes to cook through, which is wonderful. The key to getting the salmon perfectly crispy is to make sure you pat it dry with a paper towel before throwing it in the skillet.

This helps SO much.

Next, the salmon is mostly browned and ready to go, so I add the lemon to the pan. I add both juice and slices. I love when the slices get all caramely and golden – and if you use meyer lemons or super thinly sliced lemons, you can even eat those.

Finally, a sprinkle of fresh parsley all over the skillet to top things off and add a little color.

I can’t even stand how easy this is. It’s embarrassingly easy! Also, how absolutely delicious it is. Per the photos, I love to serve this with my parmesan roasted broccoli. If you need a few other ideas, these parmesan pistachio kale chips are perfect and so are my cacio e pepe roasted brussels. Crispy smashed potatoes work too and if you want something even more hearty, serve it with a side of creamed spinach mac and cheese!

This is the perfect building block to have for your weeknight dinner menus!

Lemon Brown Butter Salmon

Brown Butter Lemon Salmon

This lemon brown butter salmon is the easiest weeknight meal that can come together in 15 minutes! Flavorful and super simple!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings to 4 people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh salmon, cut into filets, about 1 inch in thickness
kosher salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Pat the salmon completely dry on both sides. Season all over with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. After 2 to 3 minutes, brown bits should begin to form on the bottom of the pan. You don’t want it to burn, so watch closely! Place the salmon in the pan and cook on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until flakey and opaque. If at any time it appears that the butter is burning or getting to dark, lower the heat!
Slice 1 of the lemons and juice the the other 2. Once the salmon is cooked through, add in the lemon slices and juice. Increase the heat a bit so the mixture comes to a simmer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Top with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Maybe drag a piece of toasted sourdough through that sauce too!

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A Week In The Life, Vol 2.

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:54:02 GMT

Oh this week!

It wasn’t the best as we settled back into the routine.

Got a dusting of snow! Emilia was not impressed.

First recipe fail of the year! Attempting to make heart hot chocolate bombs. HAHAHAHA. They looked like trash. Tasted good though.

My little fruit loving girl!

Some roasted veg for dinner.

The kids had their well checks! I live for Emilia’s outfit.

And on that same note Max got to celebrate his birthday in school! They were closed on his actual birthday.

Fresh sourdough! I didn’t bake it, but my starter is still going strong.

Donuts for the weekend.

Starting a batch of egg salad for the week. My fave.

And finished with pizzas and salads! This greek salad doesn’t look like much but it may have been the best I’ve ever had. Have a great week!

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What To Eat This Week: 1/10/21.

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 11:45:37 GMT

First full week of January coming in delish!

This week is loaded with satisfying, seasoning flavors and I’m excited about it!

What To Eat This Week:

Broccoli lemon carbonara to kick things off for the week! Oooh this is a good one.

For Taco Tuesday, make this slow cooker chicken taco soup! It has cheese quesadilla croutons and is so, so good.

Next, make this pork milanese with lemon arugula. I love this light but filling meal so much. the leftover pork is really good too.

Cheeseburger chopped salad is up next! A classic favorite that we all adore in this house.

Try this hot honey roasted salmon! For a perfectly seasonal side, this lemon butter spaghetti squash is super delicious.

Finally, this mediterranean kale salad with quinoa makes for a great weekend salad – it’s hearty and any leftovers taste great!

For breakfast, I’m making a batch of my salted maple granola! And lunch will be green goddess tuna melts.

What’s on your menu this week?!

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Currently Crushing On.

Sat, 09 Jan 2021 11:45:44 GMT

First crushing on post of 2021 is here!

This week on the blog, I shared this amazing pork milanese with lemon arugula. It’s the perfect weeknight meal! I also shared these chickpeas and dumplings which we LOVE, 20 of the best soup recipes and roasted buffalo wing brussels sprouts. It was a delish week!

I also shared my 32 weeks of menu planning – so 224 different dinner ideas for the new year!

Of course there’s a new weekly menu up, as well as the start of a new week in the life series!

P.S. if you missed my december beauty or lifestyle favorites, you can find them here. Along with what I read in December!

xoxoxo

What I’m loving this week:

This sheet pan honey mustard salmon looks incredible!

Cajun clam chowder!! OMG craving this.

Want to try this creamy homemade oat milk.

Banh mi bowls! Love these.

This sticky toffee pudding – holy cow!

Miso butter roasted onions. Those are unreal.

Loving this white bean sweet potato chili.

Sweet potato soup too!

Dying over this sheet cake with strawberry buttercream.

Cashew granola is perfect for breakfast.

This wild mushroom and crab pasta sounds amazing.

Chicken fried rice! Looks like the best.

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Roasted Buffalo Wing Brussels Sprouts.

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:45:36 GMT

Buffalo brussels sprouts are on the menu this weekend!

Crispy, golden brussels sprouts roasted with buffalo wing sauce, melty blue cheese, pickled onions and maybe a drizzle of ranch.

Can you say HEAVEN!

It’s no secret that I love buffalo wing inspired everything. The slightly hot, tangy wing sauce combined with cheese and ranch seasonings and some green onions and all that jazz – I LOVE IT. One of my favorite flavor combos for sure. I will gladly trash up my vegetables with some wing sauce!

P.S. my fave may be this buffalo cauliflower flatbread from The Pretty Dish. It can’t be beat!

My love for brussels also knows no bounds. They are one of my favorite vegetables – which is crazy – but also, my hate-to-love for vegetables has literally been documented on this blog from day on. Remember the first time I made brussels sprouts and fell in love? That was over a decade ago!

I’ve never looked back. I’m so glad they became somewhat trendy at a point because I’m not sure if I would have had the guts to try them otherwise.

If you know someone like that, start with this recipe!

Now, this recipe is inspired by one from a favorite local restaurant – one we ALWAYS went to for lunch before the shut downs happened. We’d always get these brussels as a starter (and this hummus platter!) and they were just so.darn.good.

Once our restaurants closed and started offering takeout only, this item went off the pickup menu! I was so bummed because it’s DELISH. I actually made a version of it last year at this time and never ended up sharing it. However, I love to make it for us all the time.

It’s a great side dish, but I really like to make it as an appetizer or a snack. Like it would be perfect as a game day snack or something special for the super bowl. I mean let’s just go ahead and buffalo wing all the things!

But for real, I would gladly make a large pan of this and eat it as my meal. Adore.

Buffalo Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Buffalo Wing Brussels Sprouts

These buffalo brussels sprouts are crispy bits of goodness! Buffalo wing sauce, blue cheese, scallions, cilantro and chives make these delish!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings to 4 people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

1 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
⅓ cup buffalo wing sauce
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped chives
quick pickled onions, for topping
ranch dressing, for drizzling

Instructions

Place the brussels on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. If your brussels are smaller, you may need to roast for less time! I like to make sure mine get a few golden crispy bits for texture.
Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of wing sauce. Cover with half of the crumbled cheese. Place the pan back in the oven for 5 minutes, so the sauce and cheese warms up.
Remove the pan and drizzle with more wing sauce. Top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle on the chopped cilantro, chives and green onions. Top with pickled onions, drizzle with ranch if you’d like and serve!

Melty cheese on the baking sheet is all mine!

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20 of My Favorite Soup Recipes For Winter!

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 11:45:40 GMT

Soup season is the best season, so I’m sharing 20 of my best soup recipes today for you!

While I enjoy soup all year round, right now it’s reeeeeally soup season. Right?!

It’s cold and snowy and we all need some comfort. Even if it’s not snowy where you live, I’d say that January is prime soup season, so here we are. I don’t discriminate against any type of soup – give me a chili, a broth-based soup, a creamy soup, a soup with pasta, a hearty meat-filled one, classic chicken noodle or plain and creamy bisque. Seriously, I love ’em all.

I try to include a soup recipe each week in my weekly menu in the chillier months, but wanted to list a bunch here in case you want to go on a soup-making binge. I love to make a big batch and freeze some (it’s one thing that I don’t mind freezing at all!) and it’s such a perfect recipe to prep for lunches or a busy week ahead. Cannot be beat!

I also have a few more soup recipes up my sleeve this season, so stay tuned…

20 of My Best Soup Recipes

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Fire Roasted Minestrone with Kale Pesto

Braised Short Rib Beef Stew

Sweet Potato Chowder

Chipotle Tomato Soup with Smoked Cheddar Pull Apart Bread

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Weeknight Maple Turkey Chili

Easy Lemon Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken and Dumplings

Smoked Gruyere Butternut Soup with Crispy Chickpeas

Curried Tomato Tortellini Soup

Irish Stout Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings

Creamy Buffalo Cauliflower Soup

Chicken Noodle Egg Drop Soup

Pesto Mini Meatball Soup

Game Day Beer Chili

Spicy Sausage, Kale and Whole Wheat Orecchiette Soup

White Chicken Quinoa Chili

Chicken Taco Soup with Cheese Quesadilla Croutons

White Bean Tortellini Soup with Havarti Toasts

The post 20 of My Favorite Soup Recipes For Winter! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Chickpeas and Dumplings.

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 11:45:06 GMT

I could not be more excited about these chickpeas and dumplings!

This is literally a hug in a bowl. I promise it will be your new favorite thing!

If you’ve been around for a while, then you know that one of my favorite recipes EVER is my chicken and dumplings. They are the ultimate comfort food – creamy, comforting, cozy – basically the perfect meal when you’re in need of some comfort. Or when it’s a chilly day.

It’s also a recipe that so many people love!

I love that this is a mix of soup and stew. It’s so creamy and hearty and wonderful. Truly, it can’t be beat!

This recipe here is basically my chicken and dumplings recipe, scaled down a bit. With chickpeas swapped for the chicken. The chickpeas definitely add an interesting element to the soup. I LOVE THEM. They have a bit more texture than the shredded chicken, of course. But if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, or just a non-chicken option, this is it!

Honestly, I’ve made the chicken and dumplings before without the chicken, when I just didn’t want it! But it just wasn’t hearty enough. I’ve made chicken and mushroom dumplings too, but the mushrooms aren’t the texture I was going for. You know?! This could become a bit of a clean-out-the-fridge meal if you’d like. Today, I stuck to the classics.

So enter… the chickpeas!

Yes, the chickpeas add a bit of texture, but they also make the dish more satisfying and filling. It’s the perfect winter meal. It comes together in a little over 30 minutes, tastes like heaven and is the coziest, comforting dish that I can imagine.

Of course, I don’t miss the chicken at all. Emilia ate the bowl like she couldn’t wait for another! Eddie doesn’t need to know about the lack of chicken here… ha!

Make this goodness today!

Chickpeas and Dumplings

This chickpeas and dumplings recipe is a perfect vegetarian solution to creamy chicken and dumplings! Just as delicious, made with chickpeas!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley, for topping

herbed dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 large egg lightly beaten
½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in the onion, carrots, celery and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the rosemary and thyme. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
While the veggies soften, make the dumplings. Whisk together the 1 cup of flour, baking powder, salt and poultry seasoning in a large bowl. Combine the milk and the eggs, then stir into the flour until just mixed. Set aside for a few minutes.
Stir the 3 tablespoons of flour into the pan, coating the vegetables to create a roux. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn. Slowly stream in 3 cups of the chicken stock, stirring while doing so. Cook for another 5 minutes, letting the mixture come to a low boil - it should thicken a bit.
Stir in the chickpeas. Stir in the cream. You want the mixture to be lightly bubbling over medium heat. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Take the dumpling batter and drop spoonfuls of it into the soup. Cook for 7 minutes, then flip the dumplings and cook them for 7 minutes more. If the mixture comes to a full boil, decrease the heat while simmering the dumplings.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

I’d like to nap on that little puffy dumpling cloud!

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Tuesday Things.

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:45:12 GMT

1. The hacks to make 2021 the best year yet. These are so good!

2. Citrus season is the best season. Been craving grapefruit like crazy.

3. Dying over this snickerdoodle cake!

4. Remember years ago when I forced myself into loving coffee? Well, I’m kind of trying to do the same thing with tea! I’ve notoriously thought that tea tastes like dirty water, but I think I’m making it happen. This is very intersting.

5. 5 changes to make this year happier than last. May not take much with last year being 2020, but still…

6. Where is the first place you’ll travel to when it’s safe to do so?!

7. TV things! I finished Bridgeton and mostly liked it, though I thought parts were ridiculous at times. I’m basically just rewatching Schitt’s Creek at night or reading because there.is.nothing.on.

8. On working less – this is so interesting!

9. Christmas decor is still up in this house! Can’t say no to the lights. Verrrry excited to do a little valentine’s decorating though.

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Pork Milanese with Lemon Parmesan Arugula.

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 11:45:08 GMT

Welcome to my new favorite dinner for 2021… pork milanese!

I mean, technically it’s the only dinner I’ve shared in 2021 so far, but I promise, it will be a new favorite.

I’m about to show you the best way to make pork chops! This crispy pork milanese is the juiciest pork I have ever eaten – and we’ve all been freaking out over it!

My mom was the queen of pork chops when I was growing up. She made them once a week or every other – they were my favorite meal she made on weeknights. They were so tender and fall-apart delicious. It’s been tricky to try and master them! While this recipe isn’t anything like the one she made when I was growing up, it’s definitely delish and a great way to make wonderful pork chops for a weeknight meal.

I mean, we all get bored of chicken every now and then, right?!

Now yes, I DO have a similar recipe that I use for chicken – my crispy parmesan chicken and arugula is easily one of the most made meals here on the site. It’s so easy, so delicious, so filling and light at the same time. I love making it when we may have had a bigger lunch or we’re just not starving for dinner. Everyone is always surprised at how flavorful it is. Love it.

The key to make this pork absolutely wonderful is to not overcook it. Not at all! I do it all in the skillet – not in the oven – and I highly, highly suggest you use a meat thermometer so you know when it is done! I find that it usually takes 3 to 4 minutes of pan-frying on both sides – and that’s all it needs.

The outsides are crispy and wonderfully crunchy.

The insides are juicy and flavorful and tender.

It’s such a good meal!

Much like the crispy parmesan chicken recipe I mentioned above, I like to serve this with some lemon arugula topped with parmesan. It’s such a simple salad but one that is refreshing, crisp and has a bit of a peppery bite from the arugula. It complements the pork so well too.

Of course my favorite part is that it comes together in about 30 minutes!

It ridiculously flavorful and such a great meal to add to the new year rotation!

Pork Milanese with Lemon Arugula

Crispy Pork Milanese with Lemon Arugula

This is the best pork milanese - so tender, juicy and crispy crunchy! Serve it over lemon arugula with parmesan cheese for a lovely meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

4 boneless pork loin chops
kosher salt and pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

lemon arugula

6 to 8 cups arugula greens
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 to 2 lemons, juiced
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese

Instructions

Use a meat tenderizer to pound the pork chops until they are about ½ inch thick. You want them all even in thickness. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper.
Lightly beat the eggs in one bowl. In another bowl. Combined the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the pork chops (you may need to do this in batches) and cook on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy and the internet temperature is 145 degrees F. Remove the pork and let it rest a few minutes before slicing.
Slice and serve over the lemon arugula!

lemon arugula

Place the arugula in a bowl and toss it well with salt and pepper. Squeeze on the juice of 1 lemon and drizzle on 1 tablespoons of olive oil and toss well. You can add more lemon juice/oil if you wish – go by your preference!
Add in the shaved parmesan and toss well. Serve immediately with the crispy pork.

Ahh look at that crispy, crunchy topping!

The post Pork Milanese with Lemon Parmesan Arugula. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

A Week In The Life, Vol 1.

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:04:29 GMT

Annnd we’re back at the start of a new year!

I am so excited to share this weekly post again! Never would I have ever expected what was to come of 2020. Now I looked back on those first three months of the year when life was “normal” and it’s crazy to see. I always love seeing what we did throughout the year, and seeing how much the kids grew (sob!). Hoping to keep it up again all this year!

Max got a spirograph for Christmas! It’s definitely a learning curve for him but he loves it.

He was obsessed with making muffins this week. He chose pumpkin! Oh my gosh, these might be the best pumpkin muffins I have EVER! made. Want to share the recipe but pumpkin season is basically over. Do I want until next year?!

I mean we had to add chocolate chips…

Had a few warmer days so had to break out the new chalk from santa.

I mean how fun is pizza chalk?!

Took a quick run to target and was happy to see some Valentine’s Day stuff out!

Lacy brought the kids treats when we exchanged gifts with baby Cooper!

We sat in front of grandma’s tree for a bit.

On NYE I made this insane hot lobster dip. Dying to share this recipe too!!

Also made some sheet pan nachos, which has kind of become our NYE go-to.

And pork on New Year’s Day. Bring us all the good luck possible!

Pretty amazing when your older brother helps you build your Frozen legos!

Lots of fun playing with Christmas gifts all week.

And hot chocolate breaks!

We got the best pizza this weekend to finish things off.

I’m super sad the holidays are over but also ready to get into the swing of things. Why does it always go so fast?! Even still, I’m happy to get a move on this week and get back into our routine!

The post A Week In The Life, Vol 1. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

What To Eat This Week: 1/3/21.

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 11:45:08 GMT

It’s a new year! Boy am I so glad to see 2021.

This week’s menu is top notch. Nourishing, delicious, simple!

What To Eat This Week:

Kick things off on Monday with this kung pao cauliflower. I love serving it with jasmine rice. You can make extra sauce if you really love it too!

Tomato soup with grilled cheese sticks can’t be beat. It’s the ultimate comfort food. This tomato soup is DIVINE. You can make the grilled cheese with your favorite cheese too!

Cheesy chicken baked avocados are next on the list. We LOVE these. They are so warm and wonderful.

I’m going with my fall kale honeycrisp salad one more time this year! I just can’t let it go.

Next, this cashew shrimp and mango stir fry is easy and so good. It’s filling and leftovers for lunch are amazing too.

Sausage kale skillet gnocchi comes together SO fast. And everyone loves it! I like to use smoked turkey sausage, but feel free to use your favorite precooked sausage here too.

For lunches, I want to make some of my favorite egg salad. I may make a batch of this cauliflower farro salad too. And breakfast will be these layered immunity boosting smoothies or my pistachio coconut oatmeal!

What’s on your menu this week?!

The post What To Eat This Week: 1/3/21. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

32 Weeks of Menu Plans! That’s 224 Different Dinner Ideas For 2021!

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 11:45:36 GMT

Happy New Year!! Today we’re talking dinner meal plans. 32 weeks of them to be exact!

This is one of my most favorite posts to share every year. Each year it’s similar but I add in/swap at least 40 to 50 of healthier meals that I really loved over the previous year and then remove the ones I wasn’t as drawn to making. I reference this post approximately ten million times over the the course of the year, especially when I’m really struggling for dinner ideas! Coming up with dinner meal plans is tricky, even for me.

I’ve mentioned often that in our perfect weeks, planning and shopping for three full meals works best for us. This way, we don’t get sick of our “plan,” we always end up with leftovers (but not too many leftovers), it allows for a night or two of eating out on the fly, whether it’s both of us or one of us for work, and usually will allow one night of breakfast for dinner, which we adore. This has changed a bit with the pandemic – we’ve cooked at home SO MUCH MORe. Some weeks I do five or six meals. Some weeks I only do two and we have leftovers and take out! You have to find what works for you.

I always want to make sure our meals are super balanced, always including a vegetable, consistent and most of all – planned ahead of time. This is KEY and even I fall out of practice sometimes. But when our dinners our planned, we just generally eat BETTER.

I’d love to hear some of your favorite meals below, along with your meal planning tips and how you plan your weeks! xo

32 Weeks of Dinner Meal Plans

I’ve shared that I’m pregnant, I can share that it’s the reason I was able to hit my goal! When I was pregnant with Emilia, reading was one of the only things I could do to distract myself from the nausea. Same went for this time too. I also have had major pregnancy insomnia, so I’ve read a ton at night. There have been many nights where I’ve been awake from 12-5 or 3-7, so I just read! Almost a blessing in disguise because I don’t know if I would have hit my 2020 reading goal during these busy months.

While I’m keeping my reviews here on the blog, remember that you can follow the goodreads account with what I’m reading, so you can see what I read in real time.

You can also join the book club! We have the instagram and secret facebook group here.

You can find my reading lists here and previous What I Read posts here. I’d love to hear below what you read this month!

What I Read in December 2020

Christmas At The Island Hotel – 3 stars

I downloaded this on a whim when I was dying for more Christmas books. The story follows a family who is getting their new hotel ready for the holiday season. I LOVED the setting here – on an island between Scotland and Norway. Wish I could be there right now! I did like a lot of the characters at the hotel but ultimately I just couldn’t get into this one. It was a pretty quick read for me but I never felt HOOKED, you know? I wasn’t very invested in this story which was a bummer.

Leave The World Behind – 4 stars

Oh my gosh, I don’t even know how to explain this book. Given my hope to read only holidayish happy things this month, I REALLY wanted to read this one – but perhaps it could have waited until January or February. I think this book is considered a psychological thriller, but it also deals with racism and how people act and respond during a tragedy. The story follows a family who rents a vacation home, but shortly after “something” happens. The frustrating thing is that we are never told WHAT happens – is it some sort of terrorism or chemical warfare or something? Very weird things start happening (honestly it was freaky) and what made me crazy is that we get NO solution at the end! However, the book is still good and the writing is amazing. Def recommend, maybe just not at the holidays, haha.

This Close To Okay – 4.5 stars

Ooooh I loved this one! FYI this is an early release that I got through Book of the Month – it doesn’t come out until February. The story follows two strangers who meet under… interesting (!) and possibly devastating circumstances. There are some truths held back and a twist and this is just such a great story. The book jacket mentions the magic of human connection and I have no other words to describe it – that is the perfect description. Loved the ending of this so much. Definitely grab it when it comes out!

Jingle Wars – 2.5 stars

Oh man I wish I had better things to say about this, I hate giving a not-so-favoroable review. This story was cute – it was just a little too harlequin romance-ish for me. I love a romance novel but lean more towards women’s fiction over true gritty romance. For instance, the word “boning” is used more than once and I just couldn’t get past a lot of the language. Haha that makes me feel so old but I don’t know how else to describe it. I do love a steamy novel (hello, Idea of You!) but I just couldn’t do it with this one, it was a bit too raunchy.

This Time Next Year – 4 stars

Really enjoyed this one!! It was super cute. The story follows two people who were born at the same time and continue to run into each other with many coincidences. I really loved this story AND I loved the characters! It kind of had a bit of One Day In December vibe, but I may have even liked it more than that. I loved the storylines of both main characters and it was such a cute, feel good read that I needed in December.

Faking Under The Mistletoe – 4 stars

See how into Christmas reads I am? This was another super cute one. I have a hard time giving anything 5 stars because I hold Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street series in such high regard. But this was adorable! It follows Olivia who is obsessed with Christmas (so naturally I was obsessed with her) and gets entangled with her boss. I loved the story, it was super Christmasy and another light, feel-good read.

WHAT DID YOU READ THIS MONTH?

The post What I Read in December 2020. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

2020.

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 11:45:02 GMT

Ugh 2020.

Not the year we expected at all. Sometimes I still can’t believe or comprehend it. I’m not sad to see it end, but…

The silver lining of all of this was getting to spend so many moments with these little love nuggets of mine. It sounds so cliche but life really slowed down for us, obviously. While much of the time I felt like I was accomplishing nothing, I know that in years to come I will look back on these days we spent at home and really appreciate the time together. Heck, I already do.

I can’t thank you enough for spending time in this space everyday! I’ve tried really hard to keep this space as authentic and personal as I can for you. I never want it to be a robotically written SEO food website where the author disappears, and it means the world to me that you stop by everyday, make my recipes and chat with me! I hope it will be that way for years to come and that we see many brighter days in 2021.

xoxoxo

P.S. most of these photos are taken from my week in the life posts – where I chronicled our days/weeks for the entire year! I plan on starting again this sunday as it was such a fun project and I love looking back.

The post 2020. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

75 Lunch Ideas for 2021.

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 11:45:23 GMT

Today I’m sharing 75 of my favorite 2021 lunch ideas! Just in time for the new year.

Whether you are still working from home or heading into the office, these are lunch ideas that you can make and prep ahead of time. Woohoo!

While I’m all about having a fried egg for lunch or topping my avocado toast with a fried egg or grilling and roasting some vegetables for lunch, when you work out of the home I know that just isn’t feasible. These are all dishes that you can make or prep ahead of time and ones that will taste great come lunch time.

That’s the biggest thing for me. No matter how fantastic the salad was that I would make for lunch when I sat behind a desk, whether it had croutons or last night’s chicken on top, it still tasted like a sad desk lunch and I just wanted something more delicious. Now I AM sharing a bunch of my favorite substantial salads below, but there are a ton of other lunch ideas here that range from soups to bowls to full blown meals! Eddie requires an actual MEAL, so there are some of those below too.

75 LUNCH IDEAS FOR 2021

CLASSICS

These recipes are some of my most-lunched recipes on the blog. They are my favorites, the ones I eat frequently or that you guys tell me you’re loving.

The Best Ever Egg Salad

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Summer Chicken Salad

Tomato and Avocado Bagelwiches

Green Goddess Tuna Melts

Nicoise Bagel Sandwiches

Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas (pack the chickpeas separately, along with some hummus and tomatoes!)

Loaded Hummus Havarti Veggie Sandwiches

Thai Turkey Burgers (these are amazing made ahead of time and served on salads or in wraps!)

Asian Turkey Burgers (same as above!)

Tuscan Tuna Melts

Goat Cheese Tartines with Egg Vinaigrette

Southwest Chicken Salad Slider Melts

Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados. (Be sure to peel and stuff the avocado right before eating.)

Shaved Egg Avocado Toast. (If you don’t want to actually shave an egg at work, just slice it!)

Smoked Salmon Bagels

Breakfast Quinoa (this is so satisfying that I don’t mind having it for lunch)

Marinated White Beans with Toast (this is equally good with some whole grain crackers!)

Lemon Almond Roast Chicken Salad

Greek Chicken Lettuce Wrap

SALADS & BOWLS

Most of these salads can be prepped the night before, and if they don’t have a protein, add one of your choice if desired. A few of them, like the greek salads and chickpea salad, get more delicious as they sit.

Cilantro Lime Tortellini Salad

Warm Winter Farro Salad

Roasted Salmon Salad with Hot Ginger Dressing

Grilled Chicken Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Honey Mustard Chicken Chopped Salad

Roasted Cauliflower Farro Salad

Summer Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese

Rosemary Chicken, Bacon Avocado Salad

Mediterranean Kale Salad with Chicken

Cheeseburger Chopped Salad

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

Slow Roasted Tomato Farro Salad

My Favorite Greek Salad

Crispy Chickpea Chopped Salad

Chickpea Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad

Winter Crunch Salad

Honeycrisp Quinoa Kale Salad

Nacho Quinoa Taco Salad

Black Pepper Balsamic Strawberry Pasta Salad

Goat Cheese and Arugula Pasta Salad

BBQ Quinoa Salad

Baja Grain Bowls

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls

Thai Chicken Quinoa Bowl

BLT Chopped Salad

Greek Orzo Salad in a Jar

The Best Simple Chickpea Salad

Ramen Noodle Crunch Salad

SOUPS

All of these soups are delicious if you make them a day or so ahead of time. For the soups with pasta, you can always cook it separately and add it the morning of or right before eating so it doesn’t soak up too much liquid. I like preparing a soup for lunches, and freezing half of it. That way lunch will already be prepared in a few weeks/months or you can even have it for dinner at some point.

Easy Maple Turkey Chili

Fire Roasted Minestrone with Kale Pesto

Chicken Taco Soup

Lemon Chicken Soup

30 Minute Asian Chicken Soup

Game Day Chili

White Chicken Quinoa Chili

Mini Chicken Meatball Soup

Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili

Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

Chickpea Pasta Soup

Spicy Sausage, Kale & Whole Wheat Pasta Soup

MEALS

Of course, I use the term “meals” loosely here, because everyone’s idea of a meal is subjective! These meals have a little more substance. They feel more like actual MEALS than lunches, if that makes sense. They are served hot, they aren’t a cold bowl of salad. And if you’re anything like Eddie, that is what he loves – lunch that tastes and satisfies like dinner. These are some of my favorites that can be made a day or two ahead of time! If you prefer leftovers for lunch, these are for you.

Bruschetta Quinoa Zucchini Boats

Cashew Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry

20 Minute Basil Chickpea Curry

One Pot Salsa Chicken Quinoa

Korean Chicken with Coconut Rice

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Grilled Vegetable Orzo

Chicken Feta Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles

Broccoli Bacon Pasta

Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash

Pasta with Chickpeas, Spinach and Garlic

15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles

Farfalle with Arugula, Pine Nuts and Marinated Feta

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

One Pan Sesame Chicken

Sesame Chicken and Green Bean Skillet

Slow Cooker Mini Turkey Meatballs

Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers

Korean Beef Bowls

Thai Drunken Zucchini Noodles with Honey Chicken

I’d love to hear more of your favorite lunches! Whether they are something you meal prep, or an easy idea that you throw together everyday. Share ’em below!

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