Recipes
Zesty Jalapeño Deviled Eggs
These deviled eggs pack a little heat, a little tang, and a whole lot of creamy goodness. With sour cream instead of mayo and a splash of sweet-and-spicy jalapeño brine, they’re a cool twist on the classic—and dangerously snackable.
Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Pad Thai
Pad Thai has always been one of those meals I order when we get Thai food, but I never felt like I could get the noodles quite right at home. They always seemed too chewy. After a lot of trial and error, I finally landed on a method that gives me tender noodles every time without turning them mushy. This version has everything I want in a bowl of pad Thai, plus crispy mini egg rolls on the side because I love having something crunchy with it.
Trader Joe's Middle Eastern Kebab Bowl
This bowl started as one of those easy Trader Joe's dinners that I threw together with ingredients I already had on hand. The frozen Middle Eastern-style kebabs do most of the heavy lifting, and with some rice, cucumber salad, warm naan, and tzatziki, it turns into a filling meal that feels like it took much more effort than it did.
Crispy Tot Breakfast Street Tacos
I started making these on mornings when I wanted something filling but wasn't in the mood for eggs. They take less than 10 minutes, use ingredients I almost always have on hand, and still feel like a real breakfast instead of grabbing something out of a package.
Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Fettuccine
I made this for lunch one day when I wanted pasta but wasn't in the mood for a heavy cream sauce. The combination of butter, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan creates a light coating that clings to the noodles rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Ranch Chicken Quinoa Bowl
This Ranch Chicken Quinoa Bowl starts with fluffy quinoa cooked in chicken broth, then gets topped with juicy pan-seared chicken, fresh vegetables, parmesan, sunflower seeds, and a drizzle of ranch. It has a nice balance of fresh, creamy, crunchy, and savory flavors in every bite.
Rigatoni alla Vodka with Burrata & Basil
This is my go-to bowl when I want pasta that feels a little special without being fussy. The sauce is silky and tomato-rich with just enough vodka bite to keep it bright, and a spoonful of burrata (or ricotta) melts into the warm rigatoni and turns the whole thing into something you want to eat slowly.
Smoky BBQ Chicken Naan Pizzas
I love making these when I'm craving BBQ chicken pizza but don't feel like dealing with pizza dough. Using naan as the base keeps things easy, and the individual naan rounds make great personal-sized pizzas.
Mediterranean Grain Bowl With Chicken
This Mediterranean Chicken Protein Bowl is a fresh, flavorful, and filling meal that works just as well for a quick lunch as it does for weekly meal prep.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Quinoa Bowl with Yum Yum Sauce
I've been on a bit of a yum yum sauce kick lately, and this bowl has become one of my favorite ways to use it. It combines buttery garlic shrimp, fluffy quinoa cooked in chicken broth, crisp vegetables, and creamy avocado for a lunch or dinner that feels fresh but still filling.
Yum Yum Chicken with Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
I have been finding excuses to put my Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad on everything lately. Tacos, bowls, and now this chicken dish. The warm sliced chicken paired with the cool corn salad and creamy yum yum sauce is one of my favorite combinations for lunch.
Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
I was never an avocado toast person, but recently I've been trying to mix it up and had a bunch of avocados on hand. This version has been my favorite lately because it has layers of flavor and isn't bland like some of the other avocado toasts I've tried. The diced onion adds crunch, the Everything But The Bagel seasoning brings plenty of flavor, and the cilantro freshens everything up.
Cherry Pomegranate Sparkler
The cherry pomegranate juice gives this drink a rich, fruity flavor, while the Lime LaCroix keeps it light, crisp, and bubbly. Served over plenty of ice in a wine glass, it feels a little more elevated than your everyday drink.
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Flatbreads
I have been trying to think of creative ways to use up the ingredients I already have on hand. These flatbreads consist of staples I pretty much always keep stocked: sun-dried tomatoes, feta, chicken, lettuce, hummus, onion, and naan. It's a different way to combine these ingredients outside of a typical salad or bowl. It comes together quickly and is both filling and healthy.
Yum Yum Shrimp Street Tacos
I have been on such a street taco kick lately because they feel easy enough for a quick lunch or dinner, but still feel like you made something good. These tacos started because I already had leftover grilled corn and avocado salad in the fridge and realized it worked ridiculously well over shrimp with yum yum sauce.
Grilled Chicken Mediterranean Salad
I go through phases where all I want for lunch is something fresh and crunchy, especially once the weather starts getting warm. This grilled chicken Mediterranean salad has been one of my favorites lately because it feels filling without being heavy, and it takes almost no effort to throw together during the week.
Calabrian Chili Spicy Pappardelle With Meatballs
This is one of those Trader Joe’s dinners that barely feels like cooking but somehow still tastes like something you ordered at a restaurant. The Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce has a creamy tomato base with a little heat to it, and once it coats the pappardelle it turns into a really solid weeknight pasta situation.
Herb Braised Beef
I have really been into braised beef lately, especially recipes where the meat is the main event instead of getting buried under a heavy sauce. This version cooks low and slow with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and beef broth until it becomes fall-apart tender. The outside gets deeply browned while the inside stays rich and juicy.
Mushroom & Tomato Breakfast Scramble
Scrambled eggs are something I frequently circle back to for breakfast. This version has sautéed mushrooms, jammy cherry tomatoes, melty Swiss cheese, and thick slices of buttery Italian bread on the side. It is a quick and easy weekday meal, and also great for a slower weekend.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini with Chicken Meatballs
The Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper soup works really well as a pasta sauce once it cooks down a bit. The tortellini absorbs some of the liquid as it cooks, so it turns into a creamy roasted red pepper coating instead of being a soup. Add air fried chicken meatballs, ricotta, basil, and spinach and it feels like a full comfort meal with very little effort.