Category: Meal Inspiration

Pizza is one of our favorite food groups. It’s a staple item that can be eaten any time of year and is consistently delicious. No matter how you top it, if there’s a crispy crust and melted cheese, we’re in.

Which is why we’re so excited for this month’s recipe blog! We get to share our amazing flatbread pizza recipe that looks like it was created by a gourmet chef but really requires 7 ingredients and is ready in under 20 minutes. Oh yeah! So whether you’re looking for a quick meal or a fun way to spice up the menu at your next rooftop party, our Grilled Summer Flatbread Pizza is the perfect way to turn up the heat this month!

Grilled Summer Flatbread Pizza

Recipe serves 2 as a meal/3-4 as an appetizer

You’ll Need:

2 pieces naan (we used roasted garlic but plain works as well!)

1 ball Burrata cheese

1/2 cup fire roasted corn (you can buy frozen or char corn on the stove or grill)

1 bunch of asparagus

1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced

arugula (for garnish)

Before you start cooking, you want to make sure that all of your ingredients are prepped, so we’ll start by blanching the asparagus! Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the asparagus and cook for 30-60 seconds. After 30-60 seconds, immediately remove from water and transfer to a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave in ice water until you’re ready to use!

Once your asparagus is ready, start your pizza creation by grilling your naan. We used a cast iron grill pan but an outdoor grill is preferable! Grill the naan for two minutes on each side or until grill marks have been formed.

Next spread the burrata evenly on the naan and top with fire roasted corn, blanched asparagus, sliced heirloom cherry tomatoes and arugula. Broil for approximately 3 minutes or until naan begins to brown and the cheese gets bubbly. Or, as an alternative, you can place directly on the grill until the cheese gets bubbly. Once at your desired crispiness, remove from grill and let cool. Serve with your favorite chilled beverage and enjoy!

If you’re like us, summer is all about clean eating (or trying to at least). And we’re always looking for creative ways to make our meals healthy without being bland. Enter cauliflower fried rice!

Not only is this dish half the carbs of regular fried rice, it’s just as delicious! Both filling and healthy, it’s one of our staple recipes in the summer when it seems like there’s even less time in the day to cook a full meal. Ready in 20 minutes, it’s an easy way to satisfy your craving for Asian food without the guilt. Top with shrimp, chicken, tofu or any protein that you prefer, this dish will always be just as tasty! 

Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp

Recipe serves 4

You’ll Need:

1 bag of frozen cauliflower rice

1/2 bag of frozen peas & carrots

1/2 bag of frozen edamame

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 egg

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 package raw shrimp (20-25 pieces)

sesame oil

low sodium soy sauce

sesame seeds

olive oil

First heat a small skillet on medium to low heat and add a dash or 2 of sesame oil and 1/2 a teaspoon of olive oil. Scramble your egg in the skillet and set aside once cooked through.

Use the same small skillet to cook your shrimp (estimating about 5 per person). Add 2-3 dashes of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of olive oil to skillet and again, heat skillet on medium to low heat. Add 1 clove of chopped garlic, cook for 30 seconds and add raw shrimp. Add black pepper and sesame seeds to taste as well as 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until pink and firm to the touch. Once cooked through, set aside.

Next heat a large skillet on medium heat and add 5 dashes of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1/2 chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in 2 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next add frozen peas and carrots, edamame and asparagus (cut into 1/2 inch pieces) and saute for 3-5 minutes. Then add your cauliflower rice to the pan with approximately 1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add black pepper to taste and mix well.

Once all of your ingredients are combined in the large skillet, turn off heat and add your cooked scrambled egg and shrimp. Mix well and garnish with chopped scallions, adding more low sodium soy sauce to your taste!

Pro tip: Pack your leftovers in a mason jar for an easy lunch to take on the go! Plus it’s eco-friendly 🙂

We love finding different recipes to create during the summer when you want something delicious and light but are sick of eating lettuce for every meal (no offense, lettuce). And our Chickpea Panzanella Salad is the perfect way to get the best of both worlds! It’s simple and fresh and the mix of colors in the dish itself creates a beautiful presentation that makes it ideal for a dinner party, outdoor BBQ or date night!

This recipe is so easy to make at home because it requires a limited amount of ingredients and takes only 20 minutes to prepare. It’s flavorful and filling and the toasted bread gives it that extra crunch that we love in a salad. It’s perfect for those summer evenings when you don’t want to be standing over a stove for more than 10 minutes and can be served room temperature or chilled, based on your preference. So kick back and relax as you enjoy this delicious salad and the free time that this easy recipe gives you!

Chickpea Panzanella Salad

Recipe serves 4-6

You’ll Need:

1 ciabatta loaf (or any kind of crusty bread)

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes

1 can chickpeas (rinsed) 

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

3 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (we suggest doing a little extra for garnish)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt 

pepper

First preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While it’s preheating, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Once cut, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), garlic powder and onion powder. Place the bread cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes or until toasted and golden.

Next combine cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, feta, red onion and basil in a large bowl, adding the bread cubes in once they’re toasted. In a separate smaller bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt (to taste) and stir with a whisk. Once mixed, pour your dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

Pro Tip: Serve with grilled chicken, grilled shrimp or grilled salmon for the perfect meal on a summer evening!

It’s almost Memorial Day Weekend and we can’t wait to get out in the sun and enjoy the “official” beginning of summer! Although Memorial Day usually entails a lot of grilling (hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, etc), these items can get repetitive and for a lot of New Yorkers, Memorial Day often means being stuck in the city without access to a key part of the MDW meal creation: the grill! So we decided to change it up this year and kick off summer in a different way: with our un-stuffed egg roll!

It’s all of the ingredients that you love in an egg roll, without the roll! Not only is it a much healthier option (we see you working on that summer bod), it’s something that you can prepare in any apartment in under 30 minutes, giving you more time to enjoy that beautiful summer weather. Check out this simple and delicious recipe below and join us in celebrating MDW differently this year!

Un-stuffed Egg Roll 

Recipe serves 4

You’ll Need:

6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 cup shredded napa or green cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1 large zucchini (cut into 1 inch thick sticks)

1 lb ground turkey

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3 bulbs of scallions, chopped

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

olive oil

black pepper

First whisk garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and hoisin sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Next you’ll add olive oil to a large skillet and heat on medium-high. Once hot, add in the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Then you’ll in the ground turkey and black pepper (to your taste) and cook until browned and cooked through.

Once the turkey is cooked through, stir in your carrots, zucchini, cabbage and 1/2 of the chopped scallions. Stir fry for about 2 minutes. Next drizzle your soy sauce/garlic/ginger mixture into the skillet and continue to stir fry for another 3-4 minutes or until all of your vegetables are crisp-tender. Once crisp-tender, plate and serve! If desired, sprinkle your leftover chopped scallions on top for an eye-catching presentation!

Pro tip: Spice up this “un-stuffed egg roll” with some delicious homemade hot mustard. All you need is ground mustard and water! Add 1/4 of the dry ground mustard to a bowl and 1/4 cup of water to a bowl and whisk. If you want it to be a little thicker, add more mustard and if you want it to be more watery, add more water. Drizzle on top of your dish or serve on the side for dipping! Either way you’ll be making this recipe again and again.

Spring is here and we couldn’t be happier to (finally) be going green! We were so inspired by the change of seasons that we decided to create a light and healthy pasta dish with Banza Chickpea Pasta that’s perfect room temp for an afternoon picnic or heated up for an evening dinner! Not only does the Banza pasta have more protein, more fiber and less carbs than regular pasta, it tastes just as good without the guilt!

This dish is an easy way to indulge after a long day of work and incorporates the spring veggies that we’ve been missing. Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes from prep to plate and there’s nothing we love more than a quick and simple yet delicious meal! Happy spring-ing 🙂

Our “Spring-ing into the Season” Pasta

Recipe serves 3-4

You’ll Need:

1 box Banza Chickpea Pasta

3 bulbs spring onion, chopped

3/4 cup peas

1/2 bunch asparagus, chopped

1/2 cup arugula

1 cup creme fraiche

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 package crimini OR baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons chives, chopped

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

salt

pepper

First you’ll bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the asparagus by cooking it for 1 minute then removing it from the boiling water and adding it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Using the same pot of boiling water, cook the Banza Chickpea Pasta (according to the cooking instructions on the box) and once cooked, set aside. Save about 1 and 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid from the pot to mix in later.

Next you’ll heat the olive oil in a large pot or skillet. Once warm, add in the chopped spring onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Next add in garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding in salt and pepper. It should be about a teaspoon of both salt and pepper but add a little at a time to combine with the onions, mushrooms and garlic.

Then you’ll add in the creme fraiche, 1 cup of the cooking liquid that you set aside earlier and the lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and mix well. Add in the cooked pasta and the other 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Cook for 2-3 minutes making sure that all of the pasta is coated. Add more cooking liquid as needed. Finally, add your peas, asparagus, lemon juice and salt and pepper (to your taste) and mix well. Plate pasta and garnish with arugula, toasted pine nuts and chives. 

Pro tip: Serve your pasta with grilled chicken or steak as your protein! There’s nothing better on a warm spring night than a light and tasty meal!

St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching and although you may not be finding any pots of gold at the end of a rainbow this weekend, you will definitely be finding some delicious home-cooked Irish fare! Bangers and mash (aka sausage and mashed potatoes) is a traditional Irish dish that’s a staple on any menu you’ll find to go along with your St. Patrick’s day festivities (and it’s a good way to soak up a few pints of Guinness!). It’s a delicious and filling meal that you can prep and serve in under an hour and almost all of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen.

We thought that bangers and mash would be the perfect recipe to (sham)rock your weekend celebrations. However, instead of the traditional bangers that are made of pork, lamb or beef, we tried to keep things a little healthier by using Bilinski’s Chicken Sausage, which are all-natural and antibiotic-free. Try out our recipe below and let us know what you think! We hope that it keeps your Irish eyes smiling through every bite 🙂

Bangers and Mash

Recipe serve 3-5

You’ll Need:

Mashed Potatoes

2 large potatoes

2-3 tablespoons salted butter

1/2 cup of 2% milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped scallion

Onion Gravy

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 & 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 & 1/4 cup water

1 cup canned beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper

salt

Chicken Sausage

1 package of cooked chicken sausage (we used Spinach with Spring Greens)

olive oil

First start with your mashed potatoes! Peel and cut your potatoes into 2 inch chunks and boil on low heat until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes). Once tender, drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl. Add in butter, milk (preferably warmed), salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and fresh chopped scallions. Mash ingredients together until your potatoes are at your desired consistency and set aside.

Next make your gravy. In a medium-sized skillet add vegetable oil and butter before adding your onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft and slightly browned (approximately 15 minutes). Add in flour and cook for 1 minute. Next stir in water, broth, Worcestershire sauce and pepper and simmer over low heat. Whisk until gravy is slightly thickened (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and additional Worcestershire sauce if desired.

Finally, prep your chicken sausage! Since it’s already cooked, your chicken sausage only needs to be browned before serving. Simply add olive oil to a pan over medium heat and cook until brown. Once ready, serve over a bed of mashed potatoes and top with gravy! Pro tip: save some chopped scallions from your mashed potatoes to use as a garnish on top!

If you haven’t heard of shakshuka before, we’re about to introduce you to your new favorite food! Although it’s traditionally seen as a breakfast food, shakshuka is a dish that you can eat for any meal because it’s so flavorful and filling. A combination of eggs, tomatoes and spices, this recipe is delicious and something that you can customize to your personal taste- add some meat for extra protein or make it spicy with some hot sauce! Plus it’s really easy to make if you’re not too comfortable in the kitchen.

Whether you’re looking for a quick meal on a cold night or hosting a brunch at home with friends, shakshuka is a great way to mix it up and keep your cooking from getting boring. Continue reading for the ingredient breakdown and instructions to create this unique dish!

Shakshuka with Feta Cheese

Recipe serves 4-6

You’ll Need:

3-6 large eggs (depending on your preference)

1 can (28 oz) whole plum tomatoes 

5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat (make sure that the skillet you use is oven safe!). Add in sliced onions and cook until very soft, about 15-20 minutes. Add in garlic and then stir in your spices (cumin, paprika, cayenne). Cook for about 1 minute or until your spices are all mixed in. Next pour in your tomatoes and break into smaller pieces once they’re in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and then simmer on low heat until the tomatoes thicken. This should take about 10 minutes. Next stir in your crumbled feta. Finally, gently crack 3-6 eggs (based on your preference) into the skillet over the tomatoes. We used 3 eggs for our recipe but you can do up to 6. Again, season with salt and pepper and then transfer into the oven.

Bake in the oven for about 7-10 minutes until the eggs are just set. Depending on the consistency you prefer for your eggs, baking for 7 minutes will make them runny and baking for 10 will make them firmer. Sprinkle on chopped parsley for garnish and enjoy!

Pro tip: Serve shakshuka with your favorite bread for dipping. Toast in the oven for a few minutes before serving for an extra crunch! 😋