The Platefull Blog

Poppy Seed Bread

January 18, 2020~ Baking, The Platefull Blog

As I write this, I’ve got two loaves of Poppy Seed Bread in the oven. It’s really cold here today and my favorite things on cold days are baking, making a cozy meal, and hot chocolate by the fire. (Check out my insanely good hot chocolate recipe here).This is my favorite bread recipe and my kids love it too. One of these days I might try to “healthify” it, but its just so delicious and reminds me of when I was a kid. My Mom always served it with Tater Tot Casserole, and I do too! It’s an icy, snowy, cold winter day, so Tater Tot Casserole and Poppy Seed Bread is the perfect comfort meal for tonight. Tater Tot Casserole gives my kids plenty of good nutrients, so I don’t worry about them having a little of this yummy bread along side. It’s all about balance, right?! This recipe makes 2 loaves, so I typically bake both and then freeze the second loaf. Although sometimes they don’t last long enough to do that!

Poppyseed Bread

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

For the bread

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/3 cups extra light olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp poppyseed

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring

For the glaze

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond flavoring

1 Tbsp melted butter

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients for the bread together in a mixer. Grease and flour two bread pans. Divide the bread batter evenly among the two pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes.

When the bread comes out of the oven, mix the ingredients for the glaze with a whisk. Pour half of the glaze over each loaf of bread, while still warm and in the pan. Let cool and turn out the loaves of bread.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad

January 14, 2020~ Salads, The Platefull Blog

I’ve made this salad for years now, but always breaded my own chicken tenders to put on it. One night, I was making the oh-so-complicated dinner of frozen chicken nuggets and Mac and Cheese for my kids, with no plan for the grown up meal other than to raid the fridge, when it dawned on me that I could make an easy buffalo chicken salad using their chicken nuggets! How genius is that?! They don’t like spicy buffalo, but I love it, so we both win. No second “kid-friendly” meal for me here! I felt like it was pretty genius.

I use a very specific brand of chicken nugget for this. I use the Purdue Simply Smart Organic Chicken Nuggets (I get them at Costco). They are so good! They get nice and crispy and are chicken breast meat. I always bake them in the oven and would not recommend microwaving them for a salad like this (yuck). I would definitely not use any sort of animal shaped chicken nugget product type food either. These are real chicken, real breading, and real delicious. (This is not a sponsored post, they are just chicken nuggets our whole family actually really likes). If you haven’t tried them, you need to!

To make this easy buffalo chicken salad, cook the chicken nuggets in the oven according to package directions. While the chicken is cooking, slice tomatoes, avocado, and chop the red onion. On a plate, layer the mixed greens, red onion, tomato, avocado, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, and crushed blue corn tortilla chips. When the chicken is done cooking, add it to a bowl and pour buffalo sauce over the top. Stir to coat the chicken, then place on top of the salad. Drizzle your favorite ranch dressing over the top and that’s it! Couldn’t be any easier and comes together in 15 minutes! The best part is that when your salad is done, so is the food for the kids!

Easy Buffalo Chicken Salads

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Purdue Simply Smart Organic Chicken Nuggets

Frank’s Buffalo Sauce

Mixed Greens

Sliced grape tomatoes

Red onion, chopped

Avocado, sliced

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Blue corn chips, crushed

Ranch dressing

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Instructions

*Use the amount of ingredients that you need for the number of salads you plan to make.

Bake the chicken nuggets according to package directions. When the chicken nuggets are done cooking, place in a bowl and top with a drizzle of Frank’s buffalo sauce. Stir to coat the chicken.

On a plate, layer the mixed greens, tomato, avocado, red onion, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, gorgonzola, and crushed corn chips. Top with the buffalo chicken and ranch.

Coconut Shrimp

January 13, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

Okay, so this recipe takes some work – I’ll admit that. But, the end result is so good that it’s totally worth it! This is a weekend meal in our house, when I have a little more time for cooking. I like to serve this with a store bought orange marmalade for dipping (microwaved for a few seconds to make it sauce consistency) and broiled or grilled asparagus, like my Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Feta. A simple baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli works great too!

Coconut Shrimp

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, patted dry

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 eggs, beaten

coconut oil, for frying

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Instructions

Pat the shrimp dry (make sure it is very dry so the coating sticks). Place the coconut flour in a bowl, the beaten eggs in second bowl, and the shredded coconut in a third bowl. Line them up in this order: coconut flour, eggs, shredded coconut. Dip the shrimp in the flour, shake off excess, then in the egg, then the shredded coconut. Set on a plate while you finish preparing the rest of the shrimp. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp (what you can fit – you will have to work in batches). Cook until tails start to turn pink, then flip. Cook until cooked through and golden brown. Serve with orange marmalade.

Chile Lime Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa

January 10, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

There are some (okay, a lot) of weeknights where after a full day of work and kids, I want a healthy dinner option, with basically no effort. Enter Chile Lime Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa. You can find the chicken burgers in the freezer section at Trader Joe’s. Simply cook the burgers in a pan and top with the mango salsa (which I buy at Whole Foods, premade). How easy is that?! I like to serve this with asparagus and mushrooms, roasted in the oven and sprinkled with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and feta, if I have time. If not, a simple salad works great too! I should also mention that this meal is a great, simple Whole30 compliant option!

Chile Lime Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 package Chile Lime Chicken Burgers (Trader Joe’s)

1 container pre-made mango salsa (Whole Food’s)

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Instructions

Cook the chicken burgers according to package directions. Top with mango salsa and serve immediately.

Cinnamon Applesauce

January 9, 2020~ Side Dishes, The Platefull Blog

This recipe is so simple, but makes the most incredible applesauce! I’ve always bought the pouches of organic cinnamon applesauce for the boys, but they are so expensive! They go through the stuff like water, so I thought, why not make my own? I use organic ingredients, and it’s so much cheaper than buying all of those pouches! Simply place peeled, sliced apples into a crockpot, top with the remaining ingredients, and let it cook in the crockpot. Mash, whisk, and serve! It’s soooo good warm on a cold day!

Feel free to swap out the sugar for honey, or leave it out all together for a little more tart applesauce. A lot of times, I leave it out altogether in order to reduce our added sugar intake.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

6 medium apples, peeled and sliced (I use half honeycrisp or pink lady and half granny smith)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

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Instructions

Place the apples into a slow cooker. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over then top, then pour the water in. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4 hours. Once the apples are soft, use a whisk to mash them and stir until smooth (or to the consistency that you prefer). Store in the fridge.

Buffalo Chicken Drummies

January 8, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

Any time I’m doing a Whole 30, this recipe is on my go-to list. It’s easy, few ingredients, and it feels like a total cheat meal. Which I know is not the point of Whole 30, but I have to make it as enjoyable as I can or I won’t stick with it. I serve these Buffalo Chicken Drummies with Dump Ranch. This ranch is so insanely good! I could drink the stuff – it’s that good. I have all of the herbs for it in my garden, so you’ll always find a jar of homemade Dump Ranch in my fridge. I put it on everything! It is also Whole 30 compliant, so you don’t have to feel deprived or a bit guilty about this one. Win!

Buffalo Chicken Drummies

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs chicken drummies

1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)

2 Tbsp melted butter (use clarified butter for Whole 30)

1 Tbsp coconut aminos

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

1 Tbsp olive oil

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the melted butter, hot sauce, coconut aminos, garlic, seasoned salt and pepper.

When the chicken is finished cooking, transfer to a heat-safe bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over the top and use tongs to coat the chicken in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Curry Chicken Salad

January 7, 2020~ Main, Salads, The Platefull Blog

This is one of my favorite lunches. I can make a batch on the weekend and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days. I eat it alone with a fork, on a croissant or bread, or in a lettuce wrap. Its Whole 30 compliant, so if I’m doing Whole 30, I go the lettuce wrap route. Any way you eat it, it’s super delicious!

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 rotisserie chicken, chopped into chunks

1 cup avocado mayo (I like Primal Kitchen)

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 Tbsp yellow curry powder

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

3/4 cup dry roasted sliced almonds

1/2 cup sliced grapes

Sliced green onion, for serving

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Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the mayo, apple cider vinegar, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Add in the chicken, celery, grapes, and almonds and fold together to cover with the curry mayo mixture. For serving, top with sliced green onion.

Snack Lunch

January 6, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

I don’t really remember how we started calling this Snack Lunch, but no matter what time of day I serve this, we still call it Snack Lunch. This is my favorite meal because there’s no actual cooking involved, it can be on the table in 5 minutes, and my kids love it! Once a week on summer nights, I would set this out on the picnic table and let my kids graze as they played. I loved the relaxed mealtime and my kids ate more veggies than they ever do when I serve them! Now that its cold out, I will lay out a picnic blanket inside, or just put this out on the table. I’m always surprised at the amount of veggies they choose for themselves when I don’t say a word. Ha! You could put anything you like on your Snack Lunch platter. Here’s what I put on mine:

Tomatoes
Cucumber
Carrots
Bell Pepper
Ham, Turkey, or Salami
Cheese slices
Hummus
3 Seed Beet Crackers (Trader Joes – these are seriously so good!)

Put it all on a plate and let everyone graze!

Snack Lunch

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Grape or Cherry Tomatoes

Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell Pepper

Baby Carrots

Cucumber

Salami, Turkey, or Ham

Trader Joe’s Beet Crackers

Hummus

Cheese Slices

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Tater Tot Casserole

January 5, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

This one is another recipe my Mom made when we were growing up. It’s a true comfort meal and of course, kid friendly. She always served it with Poppyseed Bread, and so do I! I make mine with homemade condensed soups so that I can control the ingredients, but feel free to use canned for convenience. I honestly think that the homemade soups taste better, but they do take a little extra work. This is a great recipe to have the kids help you with. They can pour the ingredients into the casserole dish and place the tater tots on top. I use Sprout’s brand Tater Tots, as they don’t have extra added sugar. It’s crazy to me how many brands of frozen potatoes add sugar. Why?! Anyway, this is a great Winter meal. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does! For this recipe, you will need Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup and Cream of Celery Soup. My Mom’s original recipe also called for a can of Veg-Alls, but I sub frozen organic veggies. Feel free to use the can of Veg-Alls if you prefer.

Start by browning the ground beef with the onion. Drain and transfer to a casserole dish. If you want a thicker casserole, you can use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan (which is my preference actually, but in these photos I used a 9×13, because that’s what I had clean…it works fine too). Add the soups, milk, and veggies. Stir well.

Top with frozen Tater Tots and bake at 350 for 1 hour, until bubbly.

Tater Tot Casserole

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 lb ground beef

1 Tbsp onion, minced

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cheddar cheese soup

3/4 cup milk

1 cup frozen green beans

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Tater Tots

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Instructions

Brown the ground beef and onion; drain. In a 9×13 baking dish, add the ground beef mixture and remaining ingredients, except for the tater tots. Stir well to combine, then layer the tater tots on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, until bubbly.

If using homemade condensed soups, use 1 1/4 cups of condensed soup in place of 1 can of store bought soup.

The Med Bowl

January 4, 2020~ Main, The Platefull Blog

Every time I travel to Raleigh for work, I hit up a local restaurant that has the best grain bowls. My favorite is The Med Bowl. Since I can’t get it at home, but have majorly been craving it since my last trip, I decided to recreate it! I’m so thrilled with how it turned out – it’s exactly like the real thing! This bowl makes the perfect flavorful, healthy lunch and has been on repeat at my house for the past few weeks!

Make the pickled cabbage in advance and store in the fridge for up to a week.

The Med Bowl

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup green or black lentils, prepared according to package directions

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup arugula

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup pickled red cabbage

3–4 Falafel, prepared according to package instructions

1/2 to 1 Tbsp Harissa

2 Tbsp Green Goddess Dressing

Crushed Pita chips – optional

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Instructions

Layer the lentils in the bottom of a bowl. Top with remaining ingredients.

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