Sometimes all you need is to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of pasta, wearing an old sweatshirt that can handle a little tomato-sauce splatter. After all, it's comfort food with a heavy emphasis on the comfort - all carbs and sauce and warm, full feelings. But what if you could get that same satisfaction with the added benefit of a little protein boost with just one easy swap? All you have to do is reach for a box of edamame pasta.
Don't over-process the mixture in your blender. 15-20 pulses does the job, resulting in a smooth batter. Yes, you need to use parchment paper. Spread the batter across your sheet pan gently, to a uniform thickness. Too thin, it is more likely to crack. Bake until the wrap is very golden on the bottom, this is right around 30 minutes in my oven. This is the color you're after, or even a bit darker!
Pasta with sauce is, and always will be, one of my most beloved comfort meals. It's also one of the simplest, speediest, and most satisfying combos in my cooking repertoire, serving as a reliable staple at the end of my busiest days. Because I've been trying to reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in my diet, I've experimented with homemade sauces that are relatively low-effort yet made with entirely whole ingredients.
This house-brand product offers four salmon filets stuffed with a rich, savory mixture of imitation crab meat, shrimp, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cooked rice, cheddar cheese, and bell peppers, all seasoned with black pepper, dill, and paprika. To get it ready, simply slide the foil tray into the oven and bake it for around 20 minutes. You can optionally brush the tops of the filets with butter before baking, creating a richer taste and better browning.
In a blender or food processor, blend the cottage cheese until it's smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine the smoothed cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and cream cheese. Mix until it's well-combined, then set it aside. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries, jalapenos, red onion and cilantro until it's all finely chopped. If you want a chunky dip, leave them roughly chopped. To the yogurt mixture, add the honey, lime zest and lime juice, and mix to combine.
As a registered dietitian who helps busy parents lose weight - and as a mom of three myself - I know the struggle of trying to make just one dinner that works for everyone at the table. In many cases, kids want something fun and familiar, while parents aim for somewhat nutritious meals that support their weight-loss goals. Fortunately, you don't have to cook a bunch of separate dinners or settle for "kid food." I've put together ideas for eight family-friendly meals that allow for simple swaps and add-ons to make them lighter, more nutrient-dense, and better for balancing blood sugar.
We're not talking about those fancy, sugar-loaded protein shakes you might see at the gym, but ultrafiltered milk, a type of fortified cow's milk with a higher level of protein. It's usually found right next to the regular milk you might be used to, most commonly under the Fairlife and Lactaid brands, but instead of having 8 grams of protein per cup, it packs a whopping 13 grams per cup.
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