The hardest part of this recipe is gathering the nuts, but it’s Fall now, so make like a squirrel and gather! I find the easiest (and cheapest) place to get nuts is my favorite Trader Joe’s. As a plus, they also carry the unsweetened coconut chips and dried blueberries called for, making it a one-stop shop.

Blueberry Nut Granola

Recipe by SergioCourse: Breakfast/SnackCuisine: American/KetoDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut chips

• 1 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds

• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

• 1/2 to 1/4 cup monk fruit (can substitute honey or agave)

• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

• 1/3 cup dried blueberries or 1/2 cup fresh

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325. Adjust rack to middle rack and rack above.
• On two large, light colored sheet pans covered with parchment paper, mix together all ingredients except the dried blueberries. If using fresh blueberries, they can be added at this time.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes and rotating trays top to bottom and front to back.
• Watch very carefully, especially the first time. Ovens vary in heat, intensity and circulation, which can affect timing.
• Turn oven off, crack the door open, using an item to keep it open and inch or two. Once cool, remove trays from oven and remove the granola. Transfer to airtight container (I use big Mason jars)

Notes

• If kept for any period of time, keep granola in fridge or freezer.
• If using monk fruit as sweetener, don’t use aluminum foil or it will stick.

This granola is perfect as is, but can also be served with milk of your choice and fresh berries, such as strawberries, raspberries or more blueberries. It is also great on yogurt and ice cream.

Up Next: Tailgating 101

I used Trader Joe’s Shrimp Goyza and for this dish and steamed them. I also used Trader Joe’s frozen edamame and, to make it even easier to whip together, I used Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinagrette. Pea tendrils and chopped cilantro would be welcome additions to this yummy salad.

This recipe serves 4, so I cut it down accordingly since my husband isn’t a big salad eater. I also added some chopped cabbage to it, for more crunch, as well as some black sesame seeds and chopped Thai Basil. The Trader Joe’s Shrimp Gyoza are 180 calories for three. I put five on my salad.

Peanutty Dumpling Salad

Recipe by Real Simple MagazineCourse: Garden, Healthy, RecipeCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

14

minutes

Ingredients

• 14 oz. frozen dumplings

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

• 2 tsp granulated sugar, divided

• 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

• 3 scallions

• 1 5-oz package mixed salad greens

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick slices

• 1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed

• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

• Toasted sesame seeds for serving (optional)

Directions

• Cook dumpling according to package directions, preferably pan-frying.
• Whisk oil, soy sauce, vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour half into a separate small bowl. Add peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons cold water, and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar to first bowl of oil mixture, stirring to combine.
• Chop scallions, reserving 1/4 cup of green part for serving. Place salad greens, carrots, edamame and remaining scallions in a large bowl. Add oil mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter or plates.
• Top salad with dumplings, chopped peanuts and sesame seeds; garnish with reserved scallion greens. Serve with peanut butter mixture for drizzling.

Notes

• If you use Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette, skip step 2 and just drizzle over assembled salad.

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I gave this recipe to my sister Elise with the note that “my search for the perfect Chicken Noodle Soup had ended”. She has made it, probably more times than I, for herself, sick children and friends. Giving someone a container of homemade soup is an act of love.

While Chicken Noodle Soup is great when you’re sick, it’s also wonderful to eat on a chilly, or rainy, Fall night for dinner. Add a loaf of hot bread with butter and, nirvana! This is a pretty easy recipe- the hardest part is chopping the veggies. You could use a food processor to expedite this step. I sometimes add corn kernels to this recipe, for a little crunch.

Two notes on this soup: Make sure you cook the potatoes until tender (no one likes a hard potato) and it’s best to cook the egg noodles separately and add to the soup before warming up to serve. Otherwise, the noodles suck up the broth and can become mushy.

Also, I didn’t have poultry seasoning, so I made my own (sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg) with an All Recipes recipe. These are spices I don’t use very often, so I’d rather make use of them before they lose their freshness.

Let me know what you think about my Holy Grail of Chicken Noodle Soups.

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Recipe by Cooking LIght Course: SoupsCuisine: Comfort FoodDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

202

kcal

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 cup diced carrots

• 1 cup sliced celery

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  

• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 4 cups diced peeled baking potato

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups diced leftover chicken

• 4 ounces (2 cups) uncooked whole egg noodles

• Fresh Thyme (optional)

• 1 cup evaporated milk

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic; saute 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle flour, oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning over vegetables and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, potato and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered 25 minutes or until potato is tender.
• Add roasted chicken, milk and noodles and cook 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.
• Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Add corn kernels for crunch, if desired.
• If you don’t have fresh thyme, you may substitute another herb, like parsley.

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I liked it so much, I’ve made it two times since, but I did add my own spin to it. I created a base of Romaine lettuce (since it doesn’t seem like salad to me without lettuce) and also added some sweet cherry tomatoes and a couple Kalamata black olives. You could also add pepperoncini or sliced red bell pepper, if desired. It is a visually pretty salad with fresh flavors from the herbs, lemon juice and mixture of ingredients. It would make a perfect salad to take for a bagged lunch or on a flight.

I got the shelled pistachio nuts from Whole Foods. While Whole Foods is known for its high prices (one tour guide I had said it’s called Whole Foods because you’ll use your whole paycheck), I find the bulk area actually gives you a good bang for your buck. I got this recipe from Katie Couric’s daily newsletter, The Wake Up Call, but it supposedly originated from the New York Post. Enjoy!

The Jennifer Aniston Salad

Recipe by Jennifer AnistonCourse: SaladCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

8

minutes

This salad will be “there for you” if you want it.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups cooked bulgur wheat

• 2-3 chopped small cucumbers or about 1/2 cup

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup chopped mint

• 1/3 cup chopped red onion

• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

• salt and pepper

Directions

• Toss all the ingredients together until they’re mixed to your liking and dig in.

Notes

• Prep time doesn’t include cooking the bulgur wheat.
• Squeeze lemon at room temp for the most juice.

Up Next: #bestdayever (on ‘Bout Time) and Father’s Day dinner.