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21 Simple, Quick, & Easy Meals
All tagged Cheese
Parmesan Pasta Salad with Fresh Tomatoes is one of the EASIEST recipes- simply boil pasta, slice fresh cherry tomatoes, and toss with salty parmesan and high-quality olive oil. It’s great warm, room temperature, or cold, which makes it perfect for weekly meal prep. Enjoy as a super quick dinner after a busy day, or store in glass containers for a week of grab-and-go lunches.
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!
Who doesn’t want to make a recipe in under 30 minutes that can last all week in the fridge, and be enjoyed at any meal, be that breakfast or dinner! This Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Fresh Mint and Creamy Goat Cheese is rich in antioxidants, as well as protein to keep you full and satisfied. Make once, enjoy all week! The perfect simple meal prep recipe 😊
Serves: 6
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3 tablespoons orange juice (juice from 1 blood orange)
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 lb. strawberries
20 fresh mint leaves
2 oz. goat cheese
Walnuts to serve
How (your directions):
Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a large sauté pan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, create an easy vinaigrette by adding orange juice, olive oil, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk and set aside.
Slice strawberries and chiffonade the mint. Add to bowl with the vinaigrette.
When the quinoa has cooked for 15 minutes, turn off the heat, but leave the quinoa in the covered pan for 5 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then add to the bowl. Stir to combine.
Place in refrigerator for a few minutes to cool. Once cooled, crumble the goat cheese into the quinoa salad.
Serve room temperature or cold, and top with walnuts.
Enjoy for lunch or dinner (or even breakfast!) throughout the week.
Why (the science): Mint and other herbs are high in antioxidants, which helps reduce inflammation and boost your immune system, which helps you feel better in general!
I love tea sandwiches- small, bite-size, dainty and perfect for tea…As a play on an old favorite (cucumber tea sandwiches), I love the idea of creating full size Zucchini Tea Sandwiches! It couldn’t be easier or quicker to cut zucchini into thin ribbons, layer them on toasty bread with cream cheese, and drizzle them with really good olive oil. These are great for a very quick lunch, but would be beautiful to serve to a crowd on a wooden cutting board 😊
Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
What (your ingredients):
2 pieces whole wheat oat bread (or your favorite bread)
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 small zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil, to serve
How (your directions):
Toast bread to desired doneness. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into long, thin ribbons.
Once bread is toasted, spread one tablespoon of cream cheese (regular or vegan) onto each slice.
Layer the zucchini ribbons lengthwise across each slice. Trim off crust (and eat!), then serve Zucchini Tea Sandwiches on a wooden cutting board.
Season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Enjoy!
Why (the science): Zucchini is rich in flavonoids, which means it can help slow down aging processes by neutralizing the damaging effects of free radicals.
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.
Yummy, comforting appetizers can be made healthy and plant-based with just a few tweaks. Jalapeño poppers are often breaded then deep fried, but these skip the breading and are roasted! Removing the seeds and with pith remove some of the heat, and roasting the peppers make them soft and smoky. Replace the cream cheese and cheddar cheese with vegan alternatives, and you have a nutritious appetizer ready in a flash! These Vegan Jalapeño Poppers are simply awesome 😊
Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
What (your ingredients):
5 jalapeño peppers
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used So Delicious vegan cheddar)
1/3 cup cream cheese (Kite Hill makes an awesome vegan almond cream cheese)
Pinch of salt and pepper
How (your directions):
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Slice jalapeño peppers in half, then remove the seeds and white pith (very spicy).
Place pepper halves onto a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine shredded cheddar, cream cheese, salt, and pepper.
Using a spoon, spread about 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture into each pepper halve until all cheese mixture has been used.
Roast peppers for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly, and then serve!
Why (the science): Jalapeño peppers are rich in capsaicin, which is responsible for that fiery heat. Capsaicin is a nature pain-reliever!
Full disclosure: I’m always intimidated to make salads, because I worry that they won’t be near as good as what I can order from a nice restaurant. But THIS is the recipe that changes everything! Easy? Check! Café-quality? Check! Elegant but fast to throw together? Check! Kale and Quinoa Salad with Fig and Walnuts will be your go-to “I’ll bring the salad” dish to show off to all your friends 😊
Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
What (your ingredients):
1 bunch kale, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons walnut pieces
2 dried figs, cut into small pieces
1 oz. goat cheese
1/3 cup quinoa, cooked
How (your directions):
Place kale pieces into a large bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Massage the kale for 2-3 minutes. Tip: Massaging kale allows it to become more tender and slightly sweeter!
Transfer salad to a plate, then top with walnuts, figs, crumbled goat cheese, and quinoa.
Enjoy immediately or the next day!
Why (the science): Quinoa is a complete protein, making it a great replacement for brown rice and other starches!
I grew up eating stuffed peppers made with love by my mom, and it was the first dish I cooked when I moved into my very first apartment after college! I've since updated the classic with a healthy twist, which has surpassed the original! When your mom makes the lightened version and exclaims, "I'll never go back to making the old version again," then you've successfully developed a mouth-watering and time-saving dinner that anyone can make :) Serves 4
