Welcome to the weekend, friends. I’ve got a vibrant line-up for you, right down to the crunchy turkey taco salad (a family favorite). If you’re in the mood to bake, get a few bananas good and ripe and make that banana bread. It’s a winner!
Easy, No-Kneed Sheet Pan Pizza
Cozy up with this big, crispy sheet pan pizza. Unless you have a packed house, you’ll be lucky and have leftovers. It’s great the next day and freezes well. Just pop frozen pizza in the oven or toaster oven to reheat.
Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Egg and Collards
This tasty soup is full of immune boosting goodness to keep cold season at bay. It’s flavored with garlic, ginger, a little chili, leafy greens, and chicken broth. It’s a healing brew, a one-pot meal, and delicious, too. For a kick of heat, add sriracha, chili crisp, or tuck a little kimchi on the side.
Turkey Taco Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing
A satisfying, crunchy chopped salad tossed with old-school turkey taco meat. Top with crumbled tortilla chips and you’ve got a main dish meal on your hands. Finish with a plate of chilled citrus for dessert.
4-Ingredient Sweet Potato Enchiladas
You can’t get much more simple than this recipe (with the exception of my 3-ingredient black bean soup). With just four ingredients, it’s a snap to make and even your veggie-phobic family members might give it a thumbs up. Serve it with this salad on the side if you want some crunch!
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
These meatballs will work with ground turkey, chicken, beef, pork, or “meatless meat”, such as Beyond Meat. You can also make them with a combination of different types of ground meat depending on what’s in your fridge or freezer. Enjoy over roasted vegetables, pasta, or tucked into rolls for meatball sandwiches (I like to pile sauteed kale and extra Parmesan when I make meatball sandos).
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon and Pecorino
This is a refreshing alternative to roasted Brussels Sprouts. There’s no cooking involved. You just run the Brussels through a food processor and toss with olive oil, lemon, and other goodies. The salad holds up for a couple of days after it’s made and dressed.
Tender Banana Bread with Walnuts or Chocolate Chips
A homey, wholesome loaf of banana bread like this one never lasts long at my house. It’s tender, just sweet enough, and excellent with dark chocolate chips or walnuts (or no adornment at all).
SHOPPING LIST
Easy, No-Kneed Sheet Pan Pizza
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
One 14-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
Thinly sliced salami (optional)
Mushrooms (optional)
Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Egg and Collards
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ large yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2-inch piece fresh ginger
4 ounces ground pork
6 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1 star anise
12 ounces cooked udon noodles
3 large handfuls collard greens
2 to 3 eggs
2 scallions
Turkey Taco Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing
1 pound ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 head Romaine lettuce
¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 English cucumber
5 radishes
½ large avocado
1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Black pepper
Handful tortilla chips
4-Ingredient Sweet Potato Enchiladas
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
8 small 6-inch tortillas
2 cups green enchilada sauce (two 8-ounce pouches or one 15-ounce can)
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
1 link uncooked spicy Italian turkey sausage (1/4 to 1/3 pound)
1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (preferably whole wheat)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh basil
One 28-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
One 14.5-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 large garlic cloves
Big pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 rounded teaspoon sugar
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon and Pecorino
¾ cup sliced almonds
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
¼ cup lemon juice
2 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Tender Banana Bread with Walnuts or Chocolate Chips
4 medium ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts or dark chocolate chips (optional)
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