How To Become A Better Cook – Learn To Cook Better At Home To Save More Money!

Do you want to cook at home more often, but you know you need to become a better cook first? Does your family cringe as you place their dinner plate on the table? You can become a better cook by just picking up a few new and simple habits!

One of the easiest ways to save money is to cook at home. Making meals at home for your family is almost ALWAYS cheaper than getting a meal in a restaurant. Fast food might be cheaper than cooking the same meal at home (think Taco Bell tacos compared to home made tacos with all of the fixings), but the long term repercussions of that fast food might just make you lose money over the longterm in health issues.

The argument I hear OFTEN regarding why people don’t cook at home is that they just don’t think they are a good cook! Or maybe, they think they are an okay cook, but they can’t cook *insert dish here* better than their favorite restaurant can.

I am here to tell you…if this is you…you are WRONG! You can cook! I am under the firm belief that anyone can cook. Maybe you aren’t a good cook now, but you can become a better cook!

Now, here is my caveat…I love to eat out. I love going to restaurants. I do feel I am a good cook. I actually think I am an above average cook when I have the time and inclination! If your budget allows for eating out, then by no means am I saying you need to stop! You still might benefit from these tips to become a better cook though!

My Tips For Becoming a Better Cook

Season, Season, Season –

When I first met my husband, we would go out to eat and he would sometimes declare something didn’t taste so good. I would take a bite, add some salt & pepper and all of a sudden, he couldn’t get enough! The thing I have noticed about most self proclaimed “bad” cooks is that they do not season their foods. (my husband now seasons when necessary and follows this first rule very well!)

Not only do you need to season your food to taste at the end of the dish, you really should be seasoning at every single stage of the cooking process. This is why my recipes (except for baking…baking is like chemistry, you need to have exact amounts!) typically state “Salt & Pepper to taste”. I wish I could also put “to taste” for all of the spices I use, because truthfully…I only season to taste.

Do you hear that? Just because a recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning, does not mean you only need to use 1  Tablespoon! Taste it after it’s had some time to permeate the dish. Does it still need more? Add some more!

Let’s say you are cooking a soup. First you are sauteing some veggies to go in your soup. Season them with some salt & pepper as they cook. Next you are cooking the chicken for your soup. Who likes bland chicken? Absolutely nobody. Season your chicken! Now you put your broth in with your veggies and chicken. Allow it to simmer to let the flavors blend, then taste it….and see if it needs more seasoning! (it probably does!). Don’t be afraid to season your food.

If you are on a low sodium diet, you can get very creative with Mrs Dash type no salt seasonings or other herbs and spices. Don’t let your food be bland! Season, Season, SEASON!

Use Reputable Sources for Recipes

Pinterest rocks. Blogs rock. However…when I want to make a dish I have never made before, I head over to AllRecipes. Why? Because I can crowd source my recipes!

I want to make risotto? (I have an awesome risotto recipe here, lol) I will head over there and look for the one that is rated the best. Then I will read the reviews (not all of them, mainly just the top few) and see where people made substitutions or what their comments are regarding the recipe. If there seems to be a theme through all of the comments (this asks for too much broth, you need to cook this for longer than the recipe says, etc), I will take that feedback into consideration.

The reason I say don’t rely on Pinterest and blogs (and I am saying this as a blogger who posts recipes!!) if you are not somewhat experienced in the kitchen is because often there is no feedback. Nobody else is proving the trustworthiness of this recipe. Often, you’ll just see “Oh I can’t wait to make this!” or “Oh this looks so good, I am making it tonight!” in the comment section of blog recipes. Nobody comes back to update whether they made the dish and how it turned out.

There are some exceptions to this. Obviously, Pioneer Woman gets a lot of feedback on her recipes. That said, (and I am not accusing anyone of anything), bloggers can delete comments that criticize their recipes.

Unless you are an experienced cook who can use blog recipes and Pinterest as inspiration and adapt along the way if things don’t taste to your liking (remember, you need to be seasoning and tasting all along the way!), then find your recipes through cookbooks and/or websites that allow unfiltered feedback and reviews.

Use the Right Equipment

Don’t use a cast iron pan for a recipe that requires non stick. You will just give yourself a headache.

Don’t try to shred cheese using a fork. Make sure you have a cheese grater.

You really don’t have to spend a ton to have a well stocked kitchen. However, investing in good kitchen equipment that withstands repeated cooking, and makes your life easier, is well worth it.

My favorite kitchen items are:

My Instant Pot

My Ninja Foodi

My KitchenAid Stand Mixer

However, you don’t need any of those pricey appliances (although they sure do make my life infinitely easier) to have a well equipped kitchen. Here is all you really need:

This is certainly NOT an exhaustive list. You might find you have no use for a potato masher because you use your stand mixer to make your mashed potatoes/mashed cauliflower (I do). Or you might not need a cast iron skillet because you have no desire to cook with cast iron.

However, having the right equipment can make the difference between you attempting to cook a whole chicken in a pot on the stove or roasting it in a roasting pan in the oven (I’ll give you one guess for which will taste better and actually cook evenly!).

Use Shortcuts

Speaking of roasted chicken! If your budget allows…buy that rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and shred it at home for recipes. Use the carcass for stock and bam…you have made a budget friendly decision that is only a bit more expensive than cooking the roast chicken from scratch at home yourself.

If your budget allows, buy the already cut veggies. The bagged salad. The pre-cooked bacon (although..yuck? I hate that stuff).

Even when you use shortcuts, you can still spend less money and eat more healthfully cooking at home vs going out to a restaurant.

Be Organized and Tidy

This is where I fail y’all. I am just going to admit defeat here! No, I’m not…I will never be defeated by a messy kitchen! I HATE to cook in a messy kitchen, but I also hate to clean the kitchen. What’s a gal to do? (my solution…make the husband and kids do it! Hey, I’m the one cooking, menu planning and grocery shopping!)

Clean the kitchen y’all.

Have you heard of a mise en place?

Mise en place (French pronunciation: ​[mi zɑ̃ ˈplas]) is a French culinary phrase which means “putting in place” or “everything in its place.” It refers to the set up required before cooking, and is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that are expected to be prepared during a shift. – Wikipedia 

This means that you get everything nice and neat and prepared for cooking à la food blogger style. When you have to run to the pantry while the onions are sauteing, you might just get side tracked and they will burn. Ask me how I know this? Trust me, been there, done that a time or two!

When I start off with all of my ingredients in front of me and a clear and defined work space, my cooking experience is much smoother and much nicer. If you pretend hard enough, you can actually convince yourself you are the next Rachael Ray! (grab the garbage bowl and the EVOO!).

These are my tips! I hope they will help you to become a better cook. I know they all make a difference in MY cooking and I think I am a pretty good cook if I do say so myself!

What are some tips you have for becoming a better cook?

Homemade Air-Fried Breakfast Potatoes Recipe

These homemade air-fried breakfast potatoes will be a hit with the whole family. This is an inexpensive breakfast recipe that can be used with your air fryer and/or Ninja Foodi. These air fried breakfast potatoes offer all the homefry hashbrown goodness of their deep-fried relatives with a fraction of the fat and calories! You will want to try these air fried breakfast potatoes today! Eat these for breakfast, or my personal favorite, breakfast for dinner!

Potatoes. I will eat potatoes in ALL the ways.

In fact, I’m not sure there is a way that I don’t enjoy to eat potatoes?

However, this way, the way I am about to tell you all about, might just be my FAVORITE way (well…after my famous mashed potatoes of course).

Breakfast potatoes!

Traditionally, these bite-sized pieces of fried potatoes are saturated in a healthy (?) dose of oil. You pour the oil in the frying pan, heat it up and the goal is for the oil to basically *just about* cover the potatoes while they are in the pan.

Yum.

I still love breakfast potatoes prepared this way. It’s still my favorite.

However, I have now found a way to make *almost* the identical breakfast potato recipe that has been my guilty pleasure basically my whole life in the air fryer!

I have a Ninja Foodi, so my directions will be focused on the Ninja Foodi, however, you can make these breakfast potatoes with any air fryer!

I hope you give these air fried breakfast potatoes a shot. I bet they will be a family favorite for you as well.

Here are a few other breakfast recipes you might enjoy as well!

Homemade Air-Fried Breakfast Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • Potatoes (I usually do 4-5 for my family) peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • a bit of oil (I usually use olive, vegetable will do just fine though)
  • desired seasonings (I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika)
  • 1/2 an onion diced

Directions: 

  1. The very first thing I typically do is pressure cook my potatoes for one minute. You do NOT need to pressure cook your potatoes. You can boil them for a bit or before you peel them, you can “bake” them just enough so they are slightly soft. This cuts down on air frying time so that your potatoes are basically just air frying to get crispy.
  2. Next, I add my diced onions and season my potatoes pretty heavily and drizzle a bit of oil on them so the seasoning “sticks”. You will need to do this to taste. I measure seasonings on breakfast potatoes with love 😉
  3. Once the potatoes are softened (either via pressure cooking/microwaving/boiling) and seasoned, I air fry these babies at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (your air fryer might do this faster or it might take more time, just keep an eye on it), tossing every once in a while.
  4. Voila! Enjoy! Perfectly crispy and tasty air-fried breakfast potatoes that taste just as good as the good old deep fried version!

Ninja Foodi Specific Directions: 

  1. Pour 1 cup of water into the big ninja foodi pot.
  2. Add your potatoes and onions into the air fryer insert and season heavily. Toss seasoned potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil.
  3. Close your Ninja Foodi and set to pressure for 1 minute
  4. Quick-release your ninja foodi when the 1 minute of pressure is up.
  5. Remove the air fryer basket and pour out the water.
  6. Air fry the potatoes for 20 minutes on 400, tossing a few times throughout.
  7. Enjoy!

Here are some of my other Ninja Foodi favorite recipes!

Pressure Cooker Creamy Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole

This Pressure Cooker Creamy Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole is easy enough to make as a weeknight side dish, but flavorful enough to serve on any special occasion. This Pressure Cooker Creamy Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole whips up quickly and uses arborio rice. This results in an amazingly creamy texture that nobody will believe you were able to achieve by simply sealing your pressure cooker and walking away! Make this in your Instant Pot or your Ninja Foodi!

Have you ever had a windfall of broccoli?

Recently, I was out grocery shopping when I noticed 2 huge (32 oz) bags of VERY nice looking cut brocolli on sale with 50% off stickers on them!

I quickly grabbed the bags of broccoli thinking I would do a batch of freezer cooking soon. Well, life has gotten in the way and I simply have not had time to set aside to have a freezer cooking day.

Therefore, we have been having steamed broccoli as a side for every dinner for a week (I make steamed broccoli in my instant pot. I just put my broccoli in this in my instant pot, add a cup of water and then cook under pressure for 1 minute…super easy!) and quite honestly, I was sick of it. My kids were sick of it. My husband would never say he was sick of it, but I’m sure he was!

I hunted through my pantry and found a small amount of arborio rice that I needed to use up. I decided to give this recipe a shot with my own small tweaks.

It was a total win!

If you like broccoli and cheese casserole, you will love this creamy pressure cooker version of this popular side dish!

Pressure Cooker Creamy Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole

Ingredients: 

  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 16 oz cooked broccoli
  • 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: 

  1. In your pressure cooker (I did mine in my Ninja Foodi), saute your butter and onions together until the onions are soft and translucent.
  2. Add salt & pepper and your minced garlic and stir for approximately 1 more minute to heat through.
  3. Next, add the rice and saute the rice with the onions/butter (the rice will soak up the butter pretty quickly!) for about 1-2 minutes until you feel like the rice has scraped up any brown bits from the bottom of your pressure cooker (this helps you avoid the “BURN” warning that we sometimes get in pressure cookers!).
  4. Add the chicken broth and stir.
  5. Cover and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  6. Allow pressure to naturally release for about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Then release the pressure and stir in your cheese and your broccoli. Salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Looking for other side dishes? Check out these!

Mediterranean Egg, Veggie & Cheese Scramble Recipe

This low carb and keto friendly Mediterranean Egg, Veggie & Cheese Scramble Recipe is a great flexible breakfast but also filling enough that you can eat it anytime of the day for lunch or dinner too!

This recipe is super simple.

It seems silly to actually write out a recipe for it to be honest. However, it’s a food combo that I don’t think I would have thought of myself had I not had something similar at Cafe Express one time. I have to say, my version is much better though.

If you like feta cheese, you will LOVE this combo of eggs, veggies and optional sliced deli turkey breast!

This scramble also has the added bonus of being low carb!

Without further ado…

Mediterranean Egg, Veggie & Cheese Scramble Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs, scrambled (not cooked yet)
  • veggies (I like to use a handful of spinach and a few cut up tomatoes. If I have chopped onion on hand, I’ll also throw some of that in)
  • feta cheese
  • olive oil or non stick spray
  • salt & pepper
  • optional: deli turkey breast

Directions:

  1. Heat up a pan on the stove and use either the cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil to coat the bottom.
  2. Add whatever veggies you have and cook until they are just wilted/to your liking (they won’t cook much more after you add the eggs)
  3. If you are using the deli turkey breast, go ahead and add it and stir until it is just warm
  4. Add salt & pepper to your bowl of scrambled eggs and then pour the uncooked eggs into your scramble
  5. Cook the egg/veggie scramble under low heat until cooked through
  6. Sprinkle the eggs with feta and serve!

This makes enough for 2 people or if you are SUPER hungry this can definitely be a filling meal for one!

You can adapt this with any veggies  you want. In fact, you can change the flavor profile by subbing bell peppers and using cheddar and chorizo to make more of a mexican egg scramble.

This is a great way to get in some healthy protein and fats without having too many carbs.

Let me know if you give it a try and if you do anything to change it up!

Ninja Foodi Recipes – A Quick Glance at My Favorite Ninja Foodi Recipes!

Ninja Foodi Recipes

Looking for great Ninja Foodi Recipes? Here is your one stop shop! Learn how to make everything from Roast Chicken to frozen fast food french fries in your Ninja Foodi! This is an ongoing compilation of air fryer recipes, pressure cooker recipes, and basically everything you can make in your Ninja Foodi to simplify your LIFE!

I received a Ninja Foodi for Christmas. Actually, I received a different air fryer, but when I read the online reviews (coupled with a facebook post I read the night before I received it, regarding the unit catching on fire while UNPLUGGED) I was hesitant to keep this particular model in my house.

I had been wanting a Ninja Foodi since the very first video I saw of it over the summer. That price point though…ouch!

Thankfully, with the funds from the returned air fryer AND some Christmas money, I was able to procure my very own Ninja Foodi!

So far, we have made a long list of items:

  1. Bacon – Air Fry
  2. Roast Chicken – Pressure Cooker & Air Fry
  3. Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – Air Fry
  4. Super Pretzels – Air Fry
  5. Bacon & Eggs – Air Fry and Saute
  6. Burgers and Hot Dogs – Air Fry
  7. French Fries – Air Fry
  8. Brussels Sprouts – Air Fry
  9. Dino Chicken Nuggets – Air Fry

I already have an Instant Pot, so honestly I was more interested in the Ninja Foodi for the air frying feature and because I would need more fingers and toes to count how many times I have wished I had a second pressure cooker!

So far, it has not disappointed me!

I wanted to create a post to share some of the tried/true Ninja Foodi recipes that I have been able to use the Ninja Foodi for.

I did not want to do separate posts for all the recipes (because it seems silly to write an entire post about how to cook frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer), but still wanted a one stop shop for anyone specifically looking for Ninja Foodi Recipes, even if they are as simple as how long to air fry a pound of frozen french fries.

(However, as I do post Ninja Foodi recipes you will find them here)

I will expand on this list as I learn more about my Foodi and post more recipes to my website! If you have a Foodi, be sure to bookmark this post for future Ninja Foodi Recipes. I will also try to share any updates to my FFF Facebook group!

Bacon – Air Fry

First up is bacon! My first time making bacon in the air fryer, I cut the bacon in half before putting the slices on the included rack. The next time, I did not, trusting that the bacon would shrink up before it burnt on the bottom. It was a success!

I air fried the bacon on the included wire rack for 12 minutes. This resulted in very crispy bacon. I will play with less time and update!

Roast Chicken – Pressure Cooker & Air Fry

I made this according to the Foodi directions in the book included with your Foodi. My chicken was a bit bigger though and was not fully cooked unfortunately. Next time I will cook pressure cook 5 minutes per pound as I have seen suggested elsewhere and then air fry until crispy. I will update with my results!

Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – Air Fry

370 for 7 minutes. Check these often and if the cheese starts leaking out, you are ready! I flipped these 1/2 way. They were beautiful and tasty! I did these in the air fry basket.

Super Pretzels – Air Fry

350 for 5 minutes. I did not flip these. I otherwise made these according to package directions. Keep an eye on them! They crisp up quickly and beautifully. I did these in the air fry basket.

Bacon & Eggs – Air Fry and Saute

Bacon made as noted above. Then removed and placed on a paper towel. Poured out all but a teaspoon of bacon grease and scrambled up 4 eggs on med/hi saute mode! So tasty and only messed up one pot!

Burgers and Hot Dogs – Air Fry

Burgers were not done enough to our liking…so I will update when I make these to our liking.

Hot dogs however…oh my gosh! 6 minutes at 390 degrees in the air fryer basket.

French Fries – Air Fry

Basically the reason people get air fryers, amiright? These were amazing! We bought the Fast Food Ore Ida French Fries. They were super tasty!

We just followed the time/temperature setting in the included Ninja Foodi cookbook and these were perfect.

Brussels Sprouts – Air Fry

I have this on here as a place holder. These did not turn out great. Some parts way too crispy, some parts way too hard. Not a fan. Will keep trying though as brussels sprouts are basically my fave cooked veggie!

Dino Chicken Nuggets – Air Fry

This was actually the very first thing I made in my Foodi since I had not yet gone grocery shopping. My dino chicken nuggets were likely even a bit freezer burnt since they had been in my deep freezer for so long.

They were great though!

400 degrees for 9 minutes and they were perfectly crispy and tasty. Made in the air fryer basket.

In addition, any of my Instant Pot recipes can be adapted for the Ninja Foodi by using the same exact instructions!

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes – Low Carb & Keto Friendly – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes

This low carb and keto friendly Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Box recipe is guaranteed to keep you on track for lunches all week long! Tasty enough to eat daily without getting bored, but simple enough to throw together on Sunday evening without too much fuss! Can be made in the instant pot, slow cooker or ninja foodi.

One of the hardest meals to eat low carb in my opinion, is lunch.

Why is lunch so hard to eat low carb?

Honestly, because when I don’t eat low carb, lunch typically consists of whatever I can grab quickly and scarf down in the shortest possible amount of time while I juggle working from home, volunteering at my kids school and just trying to juggle all the day to day demands of motherhood.

(Find more of my low carb recipes by clicking here)

For the most part, if I am not intentional about lunch when I am focused on my low carb lifestyle, I wind up either just skipping it or grazing my way from noon until dinner time.

Mostly on cheese. 😉

(Psst, this recipe would also be a GREAT low carb lunch option!) 

I find, I personally do best on a low carb diet when I make sure I am well fed all day long. This includes lunch time!

These Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep lunch boxes make lunch a no brainer.

Bonus points that my husband LOVES them and thinks I am basically the best wife that has ever walked the earth when I make these for him.

It is SO simple and quick and honestly it’s these Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes are the easiest meal prep I have ever done.

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes

Here is what you need (or rather, here is what I used…you can adapt this to fit your kitchen appliances, dietary needs, etc):

Containers – This recipe makes enough for 8 lunches total. Which is perfect because my husband gets lunch at work on Fridays and I typically have at least one day a week where I need to eat on the run or I am eating lunch out of the house for a meeting, social event, etc.

These are the containers we use and we love them!


Instant Pot or other pressure cooker (I have also done this in my Ninja Foodi!) – you could also do this in your slow cooker, but it won’t be as quick!

KitchenAid Stand Mixer – I love mine and use it multiple times a week. I don’t really bake anymore and I still use it constantly. Mostly to shred meat like you will be doing in this recipe!

Ingredients: 

  • Chicken Breast – I use one package of thin sliced chicken breast from my grocery store
  • Cream Cheese – (1) 8 oz block – cut into cubes for easier melting
  • Ranch Dressing packet
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • 2 packages of frozen veggies
  • butter (I do one “pat” per container)
  • Garlic Salt with Parsley (love this stuff!)

Directions: 

  1. You are going to combine your chicken, chicken broth and ranch dressing in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker and press the chicken button. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
  2. Remove the chicken (leave the broth, you might need it though so don’t throw it away) and shred the chicken while still hot in your KitchenAid stand mixer with your paddle attachment (or with two forks).
  3. Incorporate your cream cheese at this point. This is easy in the KitchenAid stand mixer. I just throw the cream cheese in with the chicken as it shreds. You might need to add some of the cooking liquid to get the mixture more creamy. I usually end up adding about half of the broth into the shredded chicken mixture.
  4. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix well.
  5. Next, switch gears and cook your veggies. I use the frozen veggies you can steam in the bag. I’m all about convenience! Remember, these will be reheated, so maybe cook them until they are about 75% to your liking?

Time to assemble! 

  1. Split the veggies among the 8 containers. Add one pat of butter and seasoning.
  2. Split the chicken mixture among the 8 containers. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top.
  3. Store in fridge and we usually reheat for about 1 minute 30 seconds to 1 minute 15 (you might need to stir halfway through).

Enjoy!

Ingredients
  • Chicken Breast – I use one package of thin sliced chicken breast from my grocery store
  • Cream Cheese – (1) 8 oz block
  • Ranch Dressing packet
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • 2 packages of frozen veggies
  • butter (I do one “pat” per container)
  • Garlic Salt with Parsley (love this stuff!)
Instructions
  1. You are going to combine your chicken, chicken broth and ranch dressing in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker and press the chicken button. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
  2. Remove the chicken (leave the broth, you might need it though so don’t throw it away) and shred the chicken while still hot in your KitchenAid stand mixer with your paddle attachment (or with two forks).
  3. Incorporate your cream cheese at this point. This is easy in the KitchenAid stand mixer. I just throw the cream cheese in with the chicken as it shreds. You might need to add some of the cooking liquid to get the mixture more creamy. I usually end up adding about half of the broth into the shredded chicken mixture.
  4. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix well.
  5. Next, switch gears and cook your veggies. I use the frozen veggies you can steam in the bag. I’m all about convenience! Remember, these will be reheated, so maybe cook them until they are about 75% to your liking?
  6. Time to assemble!
  7. Split the veggies among the 8 containers. Add one pat of butter and seasoning.
  8. Split the chicken mixture among the 8 containers. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top.
  9. Store in fridge and we usually reheat for about 1 minute 30 seconds to 1 minute 15 (you might need to stir halfway through).
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Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Low Carb/Keto – Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi Friendly Recipe

Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe

This Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe is keto and low carb friendly. You can make this Salsa Chicken Bowl recipe using your instant pot, your slow cooker or your Ninja Foodi! This comes together quickly and is a great dinner or lunch option!

Do you love getting a big burrito from Chipotle, Freebirds or (here in Texas) Bullritos?

Oh my gosh, it is one of my FAVORITE things to eat! So filling, so many flavors.

Burritos make this Texas girl’s heart happy.

(FYI, if you like Salsa Chicken, you might check out these Ridiculously Easy Chicken Tacos!) 

However, have you ever calculated the nutritional info on those bad boys?

Well, if you want to continue eating them…I recommend you do NOT.

You might get more nutritional bang for your buck by simply omitting the tortilla, but you still have the 2 + cups of rice to deal with.

You might say, just get a salad?

The thing is, if I wanted a salad…I would have gone some place to get a salad. I want a burrito darnit!

This Salsa Chicken bowl combines all of my favorite parts of a restaurant quality burrito bowl with a fraction of the carbs!

It comes together SO quickly too!

Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

  • Steamable cauliflower rice in a bag
  • 3 limes
  • Cilantro
  • Butter (1 Tablespoon)
  • Chicken breast
  • Jar of salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar

Directions:

  1. First off, you need to make the chicken. Just throw your chicken breasts (I used 5 thin sliced chicken breasts) into your slow cooker (4-6 hours on low), Instant Pot (just press the chicken button) or Ninja Foodi (15 minutes) with the jar of salsa (you can reserve a bit of salsa if you want some to top your burrito bowl!).
  2. Meanwhile, go ahead and steam your cauli rice per the directions on the bag.
  3. Melt the butter and then add your cauli rice to a saucepan
  4. Next, add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Top with cilantro (this is by taste!) and put your lid on, keep warm on low until your chicken is finished.
  6. Shred chicken in your kitchen aid (or with 2 forks)
  7. Open cauli rice pot and stir
  8. Add cauli rice to your bowl, then top with chicken.
  9. Now top with guacamole, sour cream and cheddar   

Voila! Enjoy!

You can also use the carnitas recipe from this post in lieu of chicken and it tastes amazing as well!

Salsa Chicken Low Carb/Keto Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice – Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi Friendly Recipe
Ingredients
  • Steamable cauliflower rice
  • 3 limes
  • Cilantro
  • Chicken breast
  • Jar of salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar
Instructions
  1. First off, you need to make the chicken. Just throw your chicken breasts (I used 5 thin sliced chicken breasts) into your slow cooker (4-6 hours on low), Instant Pot (just press the chicken button) or Ninja Foodi (15 minutes) with the jar of salsa (you can reserve a bit of salsa if you want some to top your burrito bowl!).
  2. Meanwhile, go ahead and steam your cauli rice per the directions on the bag.
  3. Melt the butter and then add your cauli rice to a saucepan
  4. Next, add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Top with cilantro (this is by taste!) and put your lid on, keep warm on low until your chicken is finished.
  6. Shred chicken in your kitchen aid (or with 2 forks)
  7. Open cauli rice pot and stir
  8. Add cauli rice to your bowl, then top with chicken.
  9. Now top with guacamole, sour cream and cheddar   
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Sausage and Peppers Recipe – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Stove Top/Slow Cooker Friendly!

A simple and tasty sausage and peppers recipe that can be scaled up or down to feed a crowd or just a few. Very versatile and comes together quickly and easily! This recipe for sausage and peppers can be made on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or in the Ninja Foodi.

My family likes to switch things up for Christmas. Some years we’ll do a more traditional Christmas dinner. Some years Mexican food and some years (maybe my favorite years?) we’ll do Italian food!

This year, I wasn’t sure what to make. My favorite items were already spoken for (lasagna and spaghetti!) and I knew that whatever I made had to be able to travel well, sit out possibly for a bit (when we say we eat at 6…that usually means 7), and feed a large crowd (my family Christmas usually has well over 25 people).

I love Sausage and Peppers and it scales very well for a crowd! It’s also incredibly flexible and easy to make. You can easily half this recipe for sausage and peppers if you are just cooking for your immediate family. You can also opt for spicy italian sausage, opt for turkey sausage, and you could also make this entire recipe in your instant pot or Ninja Foodi if you want!

Because I was making sausage and peppers for such a large crowd, it was easier for me to do the sauteing of veggies and sausage in a large pan on the stove, but when I make this just for my small family, I do the whole sausage and peppers recipe in the instant pot using the saute and then the slow cook feature.


Be sure to taste this and play with the seasoning! Add more Italian seasoning, more salt & pepper, some red pepper flakes if your family likes things spicy, etc. Let me know how you adapt this sausage and peppers recipe!

Sausage and Peppers Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 packs sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 onions sliced
  • 1 each red, green, yellow and orange bell pepper sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 jar marinara

Directions: 

  1. Cook sausage links whole until browned on all sides (won’t be cooked through)
  2. Remove from pan
  3. Put butter and olive oil on pan and then sauté veggies and garlic with seasoning until veggies are just softened.
  4. Add jar of marinara to slow cooker or instant pot
  5. Pour cooked veggies in with marinara.
  6. Slice partially cooked sausage up and then pan fry just to get both sides brown (might have to do this in batches)
  7. Add sausage to slow cooker/instant pot and cook on low until you need to serve!
Sausage and Peppers Recipe – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Stove Top/Slow Cooker Friendly!
Ingredients
  • 2 packs sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 onions sliced
  • 1 each red, green, yellow and orange bell pepper sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 jar marinara
Instructions
  1. Cook sausage links whole until browned on all sides (won’t be cooked through)
  2. Remove from pan
  3. Put butter and olive oil on pan and then sauté veggies and garlic with seasoning until veggies are just softened.
  4. Add jar of marinara to slow cooker or instant pot
  5. Pour cooked veggies in with marinara.
  6. Slice partially cooked sausage up and then pan fry just to get both sides brown (might have to do this in batches)
  7. Add sausage to slow cooker/instant pot and cook on low until you need to serve!
3.5.3251

 

Keto Friendly Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes

Make sure you give these super easy low carb keto cheesecakes a try! These mini cheesecake fat bombs will be the best thing you have eaten all day. Plus, they won’t kick you out of ketosis! You can make these mini cheesecakes in cupcake liners so you’ll have less mess and  you don’t need a springform pan!

(Not following a low carb/keto diet? Check out the other dessert recipes I have posted!)

If you have been doing low carb for any length of time, you know how hard it can be to conquer the standard American diet sweet tooth! Old habits die hard and many low carbers choose to avoid anything sweet completely to avoid getting “triggered”.

I am not that kind of low carber 😉

I love my sweets! Most sweets can be easily adapted to be low carb/keto friendly. Cheesecake is one of the EASIEST desserts to adapt for your low carb lifestyle. In most cases, it just involves subbing a low carb/keto approved sweetener! My favorite is Pyure.

What is funny to me about these mini cheesecakes is that typically I am NOT a fan of cheesecake crust. I will eat all of the cheesecake filling and leave the crust typically. However, with these mini cheesecakes…I actually ENJOY the crust! Imagine that?

I hope you’ll make these and report back what you think!

Keto Friendly Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup pyure
  • 1 pinch salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
  2. Melt your butter in the microwave. Stir the almond flour/meal until your mixture looks crumbly.
  3. Place 8 cupcake liners in your cupcake tin
  4. Put about 1 teaspoon of the almond/butter mixture in each cup and press it down.
  5. Bake 5 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, mix your cream cheese until fluffy (I use my KitchenAid stand mixer).
  7. Then add the vanilla, lemon, egg, pyure and salt. Beat until smooth.
  8. After you have removed your cupcake tin from the oven, pour equal amounts of cheesecake mixture into each cupcake liner.
  9. Bake 15 minutes.
  10. Place cheesecakes into fridge to set. Preferably overnight.
  11. Enjoy!!
Keto Friendly Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup pyure
  • 1 pinch salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
  2. Melt your butter in the microwave. Stir the almond flour/meal until your mixture looks crumbly.
  3. Place 8 cupcake liners in your cupcake tin
  4. Put about 1 teaspoon of the almond/butter mixture in each cup and press it down.
  5. Bake 5 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, mix your cream cheese until fluffy (I use my KitchenAid stand mixer).
  7. Then add the vanilla, lemon, egg, pyure and salt. Beat until smooth.
  8. After you have removed your cupcake tin from the oven, pour equal amounts of cheesecake mixture into each cupcake liner.
  9. Bake 15 minutes.
  10. Place cheesecakes into fridge to set. Preferably overnight.
  11. Enjoy!!
3.5.3251
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