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21 Simple, Quick, & Easy Meals
All tagged Avocado
My mom has been making and taking her famous guacamole to football parties and gatherings for years and it’s always the first thing to be devoured. The secret? Dried oregano! Make this 4-ingredient guacamole in under 5 minutes, and your friends and family will exclaim, “This is the Best Ever Guacamole!”
Don’t be intimidated by making fresh spring rolls- it’s as quick and easy, if not easier, than making burritos! Simply fill your softened rice paper with mint, avocado, and a few fresh veggies and roll into spring roll. The Sweet and Sour Peanut Sauce is addictive and makes eating veggies fun and enjoyable 😉
If you’re in search of a healthy, freezer-friendly meal prep recipe that can be enjoyed for on-the-go breakfasts or afternoon snack, then this recipe is for you! Italian Inspired Egg Muffins freeze beautifully, but they also last in the fridge for 5 days. Serve them with toast and fresh avocado, or serve with a salad for a light lunch.
Serves: 6-12 (1-2 egg muffins per serving)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
½ freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 eggs
¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
Pinch of salt and pepper
How (your directions):
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment paper muffin liners.
In each muffin cup, add a tablespoon of chopped fresh spinach and a few pieces of diced tomato.
Sprinkle each muffin cup with Italian seasoning.
Top each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese.
In a large Pyrex measuring cup, whisk eggs, plant milk, salt and pepper.
Distribute egg mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Enjoy hot, room temperature, or even cold!
Why (the science): Herbs are rich in antioxidants, so don’t skip the addition of Italian seasoning. It adds both flavor and nutrition!
Red Lentil Stew is the ultimate cozy comfort food that is incredible for your immune system- between the garlic, ginger, leek, and lemon, Red Lentil Stew has several health boosting vitamins and antimicrobial properties! It also makes a great meal prep recipe, as it stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Inspired by my favorite food blogger’s (Sarah Britton’s) Four Corners Soup, this Red Lentil Stew is something to look forward to after a long day’s work 😊
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 leek, sliced into half-moons and rinsed
Pinch of salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
3 cups veggie broth
½ lemon, sliced into thin rounds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 cups spinach
To serve: slices of avocado or grated parmesan cheese and good olive oil
How (your directions):
Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add coconut oil, sliced leek, and pinch of salt to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add minced garlic, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper, sautéing for 1 minute.
Add crushed tomatoes, lentils, veggie broth, and lemon slices to the leek mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat to low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes until lentils reach desired texture.
Add maple syrup and taste for seasoning. With the heat turned off, stir spinach into stew until wilted.
Serve hot with either sliced avocado, or a grating of parmesan cheese and drizzle of good olive oil.
Why (the science): Lentils are a plant-based protein powerhouse, with 20 grams of protein per 1 cup! That’s equivalent to about 3 oz of chicken breast.
Serves: 1
Prep time: 2 minutes (30 minutes soaking cashews)
Cooking time: 2 minutes
What (your ingredients):
3 tablespoons malt-o-meal
Pinch each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup water
8 cherry tomatoes
½ small avocado or ¼ large avocado, diced
4-6 basil leaves
How (your directions):
Add malt-o-meal, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, mozzarella cheese, and water into bowl.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Add cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, and basil leaves.
Enjoy hot!
Why (the science): Tomatoes are 95% water and are contain potassium, an electrolyte which helps lower blood pressure.
Crunchy, creamy, sweet, spicy- all the perfect notes for a light and refreshing lunch! Spring rolls are easy to make, and I’ve even created a video to show you how!
Serves: 1
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
What (your ingredients):
3-4 rice paper sheets
Handful of red leaf lettuce
4-5 strawberries, sliced thinly
½ avocado, sliced thinly
6-10 mint leaves
2 tablespoons peanut powder or 1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sriracha
2-4 tablespoons water
How (your directions):
Dip one rice paper sheet into warm water for about 5-10 seconds.
Lay rice paper sheet on a flat service. Line a 4-6 strawberry slices onto the top third of the rice paper.
On the bottom third, place a few pieces of lettuce, mint, and avocado.
Roll the bottom edge of the rice paper over the lettuce, mint, and avocado. Fold the left and right sides toward the center. Then roll tightly toward the strawberries. If in doubt, think of rolling the spring roll like you would a burrito.
Continue process to make 3-4 spring rolls.
Make the Lime Peanut Sauce by combine the peanut powder or peanut butter with the lime juice, sriracha, and water. Mix until smooth.
Enjoy immediately!
Why (the science): Red leaf lettuce is considered a calorie-free food, but it provides vitamin A for healthy eyes!
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These Pink Pancakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day brunch or Christmas morning! I mean, look at that color 😊 And they couldn’t be easier to make, since they’re made in a blender. Serve them with butter and maple syrup, and perhaps a dusting of cocoa powder for something sweet and elegant. Or try my savory version with slices of avocado, wedges of blood orange or grapefruit, and a drizzle of tahini. You could even pack the savory ones for lunch and eat them at room temperature…yum!
Serves: 2 (2 plate-size pancakes or 9 silver-dollars)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plant milk
1 cup roughly cubed beet (raw, not cooked)
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Coconut oil for cooking
Savory toppings: avocado slices, blood orange or grapefruit sections, drizzle of tahini, freshly ground pepper
Sweet toppings: butter, maple syrup, a dusting of cocoa powder
How (your directions):
In a high-speed blender, add oats, plant milk, cubed beet, baking powder, and salt. Blend until smooth.
In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Pour pancake mix into whatever size you prefer.
Once the sides are cooked and the tops are bubbling, flip the pancakes.
Allow to cook on the second side for 3 more minutes.
Serve immediately with your favorite sweet or savory toppings!
Why (the science): Beets contain the pigment betalain, which is considered a potent antioxidant which fights inflammation and oxidative stress.
Breakfast for dinner is one of life’s simplest pleasures, am I right? This Breakfast Butternut Squash Bowl is full of protein and fiber to keep you full. But more importantly, it’s packed with anti-inflammatory foods to combat disease caused by stress. Now that’s a delicious bowl of food!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 butternut squash,
5 eggs
1 ½ cups rice, cooked (rice pictured is yellow because cooked with turmeric!)
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 avocado
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
How (your directions):
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Using a sharp knife, create slits in butternut squash before roasting.
Place butternut squash onto a lined baking sheet, then roast in oven for 60 minutes.
Remove squash from oven and allow to cool while for 5 minutes. Slice butternut squash in half, and remove seeds and strings from center.
Scramble eggs over medium-low heat until soft curds form.
Then assemble your bowls!
Spoon rice, black beans, and squash into each bowl. Top with scrambled eggs and a few slices of avocado.
Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
Why (the science): Known as the “3 Sisters” of Mesoamerican agriculture, rice, beans, and squash are staple everyday foods of Nicoya, Costa Rica- a Blue Zone with one of the longest living and healthiest communities in the world!
Spring rolls are the perfect grab-and-go lunch for a busy work or school day. You can assemble them the night before, place them in an airtight container with a separate container for the dipping sauce, and take them with you the next day- no heating required! While spring rolls can be $7-9 from a grocery store counter, you can make these for nickels and pennies 😊
Serving Size: 6 Spring Rolls (Serves 2-3)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
What (your ingredients):
45 grams Instant Vermicelli Rice noodles
6 sheets Rice Paper
1 cup of our favorite sliced veggies! Carrots, Radish, Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Cabbage, etc.
1 Avocado, thinly sliced
Mint or Basil leaves
2 tablespoons peanut butter (I use Justin’s Honey Peanut Butter for added sweetness. Hint: Add one teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to dipping sauce if using a plain peanut butter)
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 teaspoon soy sauce
How (your directions):
Spring Rolls:
Soak rice noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside on paper towel.
Fill a large bowl with warm water.
When ready to assemble, soak one rice paper sheet in warm water for 20 seconds until pliable then lay flat on work surface.
Fill with favorite sliced veggies, a few rice noodles, 2-3 thin slices of avocado, and 2-3 mint or basil leaves.
Roll spring roll like a burrito, then repeat with remaining 5 rice sheets.
Dipping Sauce:
Combine 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 teaspoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 2-3 tablespoons of water.
Whisk until smooth. Thin with extra water if desired.
Why (the science): Spring rolls with the spicy peanut dipping sauce create a balanced meal of fiber-rich and water-rich vegetables, carbohydrates from the rice noodles and rice paper, and healthy fats from avocado and peanut butter. Not to mention, they are incredibly refreshing on a warm Spring day!
Meal prep and eating healthfully could not be easier than a Balanced Bowl, because all components last successfully in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. This means that all you have to do is assemble your lunch the night before or assemble all of the week’s lunches at once so they are ready to take with you! (Just be sure to add the avocado new each day to ensure its freshness).
I regret not getting on the cauliflower rice bandwagon sooner, because it really is so easy and so delicious! The great thing about cauliflower rice is that it acts as a base for any flavor profiles you want to add. My cauliflower rice dish is a play on a burrito bowl, using lots of smoky cumin with refreshing lime zest and juice. Top it with avocado slices, salsa, and sriracha hummus, or perhaps grilled chicken or fish! Serves 2 generously
Flaky, seasoned whitefish, sweet and juicy mangoes, cool and refreshing cucumbers and a crunchy slaw elevate tacos to something fresh and light! Not to mention, they’re ready in 15 minutes Serves 2 generously
