Homemade copycat hot pockets filled with ooey gooey melted cheese, chicken and broccoli. Easy and freezer-friendly!
Greetings from Berlin!
The post Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pockets appeared first on Damn Delicious.
Hi everyone – Lindsay and Bjork asked that this note be shared with our Pinch of Yum community here on the blog. If you’d like to follow more updates, you can follow Lindsay on her personal Instagram account here. Thanks to all of you who have already sent so many thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement – know that it means so much to Lindsay and Bjork. ♡ – Jenna
I took this quick bump selfie in the doctor’s office yesterday literally 15 minutes before our lives came crashing in on us. I went in for a check-up, thinking I’d be home in an hour, and ended up getting admitted on the spot for having a 4cm dilation on my cervix with my water bag threatening to break through at just 23 weeks.
Bjork and I are here in the high risk neonatal unit and we will stay here with me being on strict bedrest until baby arrives, which is not supposed to be till the end of April, but with these new developments, could happen anytime. We had already chosen this hospital to deliver at, knowing it would be a great place to be in case “anything went wrong” – but you just say that stuff, right? It’s not actually supposed to happen to you. Even though we are in the best possible place for preemies, as of 12am this morning, our tiny guy is still only 23w2d old, and the baseline for viability is 25 weeks.
In other words: if I deliver within the next few days, his chances of surviving at all, much less without major lifetime health complications, are extremely low.
We are aware of the percentages and hard possibilities and grieving them. We are also SO HOPEFUL for our son’s life and boldly and confidently praying for just a little more miracle time in that belly. Every single hour feels like it makes a difference for his survival at this point. A little more lung development, a little more time for his eyes, his skin… all of it has suddenly become so critically tied to the clock. We are asking for prayers and support especially in the next critical 24-48 hours – that everything with my body would stay calm and he’d stay tucked in right here with his mommy. 
just you and me, right here, as long as it takes, BB.
This is not how we want to be experiencing pregnancy and birth and newborn life, and it’s jarring and hard. We’re letting go of what now seems like such a dream for a “normal” pregnancy and a “normal” baby and embracing what’s happening right here in front of us. But forward is the only way. 
So one day, one hour, one minute at a time. We love you baby boy! Hang in there peanut.
The post An Urgent Baby Update appeared first on Pinch of Yum.
Smothered turkey wings. Think biscuits and gravy, but with turkey wings instead of sausage and mashed potatoes instead of biscuits, and you’ll be in the vicinity of how gloriously rich and delicious this dish is.
Do you love turkey? Do you find chicken wings irresistible? Have you ever picked up a package of turkey wings wondering what wonderful goodness you could make with them? That’s me, by the way, and here is what I made with the turkey wings that were calling my name in the store the other day.
Continue reading "Smothered Turkey Wings" »
Prep for the week with these make-ahead sandwiches for those busy mornings! Filling, delicious and microwavable!
It is day 2 here in Copenhagen!
The post Freezer Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches appeared first on Damn Delicious.
Want an easy cocktail for your New Year’s party without playing bartender all night? Punch is the perfect solution.
A good punch mixes together spirits, juice, and spices in a communal bowl. Guests serve themselves, and you can relax and enjoy the night as the glamorous doyenne you know you are.
Continue reading "Holiday Punch" »
No, I mean it. Amazingly. Wholesome.
BANANA BREAD MUFFINS. 5 Ingredients.
It’s not officially 2017 yet, but as soon as Christmas was done, my brain immediately went into the healthy, energized, refresh and reset zone that always comes with a new year. We’ve got a new baby coming, we’ve got some blog changes in the works, and we’ve got a healthy body (or two) (or three!) to get back in business with lots of new, really good, nutritious, I-will-actually-make-it practical food. Gosh, I get so excited about that combination.
Probably good that I have a little blog space to nerd out with that for a hot second.
And speaking of having a hot second.
These muffins embody everything that this week has been asking of me:
You can, in fact, have the best of both worlds right here. Banana Bread Muffins FTW.
When it comes to toppings or add-ins, there is no pressure to use chocolate chips. Admittedly, that sort of cancels out the No Refined Sugar thing. But admittedly, it IS very delicious.
These little muffs have NO major fat source in them, which is super awesome and I was definitely skeptical of whether or not they could actually pull it off and TASTE GOOD, but I really do love them. They sort of remind me of a soft, yummy bran muffin, which a) I love, and b) I love to slather with butter.
Okay, okay, if you’re kind of hesitating about the butter on top, no worries – these are great as-is, pinkie promise. Also, a healthier fat alternative might be found in that jar of coconut oil or the super heavenly nut butter that’s been hiding out in your pantry. 
❤️ It was just a suggestion.
Happy, healthy, wholesome mid-holiday week to all of you lovers!
The post Amazingly Wholesome 5 Ingredient Banana Bread Muffins appeared first on Pinch of Yum.
I’m extremely grateful for all of you who allow me to do what I love every single day! When I started this little food blog back in 2008, I never dreamed it would become a full time career, and that I would have not one, but two New York Times Best Selling Cookbooks! I still look back some days and I’m amazed at where this little hobby has taken me. None of it would be possible without all the Skinnytaste fans trying and sharing my recipes – A HUGE THANK YOU!!!
And now as the year comes to an end, I love looking back through the recipes I posted this past year to see which ones made it to the top 25. Here are the TOP 25 Most Popular Recipes from 2016 as well as links to my most popular posts from previous years. If you are new here, this is always a great place to start!
Top 25 Most Popular Recipes 2015
Top 25 Most Popular Recipes 2014
Top 25 Most Popular Recipes 2013
Top 25 Skinny Recipes 2012
Top 20 Skinnytaste Recipes 2011
Top 20 Skinnytaste Recipes 2010
Top Recipes Posted in 2016
2. Salisbury Steak Meatballs (Instant Pot, Stove Top, Slow Cooker)
3. Beef, Tomato and Acini Di Pepe Soup (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Stove)
4. Asian Lettuce Wrap Chicken Chopped Salad
6. Rosemary Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon
7. One Skillet Chicken with Bacon and Green Beans
8. Pickle Brined Baked Chicken Tenders
10. Shawarma Spiced Grilled Chicken with Garlic Yogurt
11. Five Ingredient Chocolate Cheesecake Cups
12. Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
13. Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu
14. Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Bowls
17. Grilled Steak Lettuce Tacos
18. Honey Teriyaki Drumsticks (Instant Pot and Skillet)
19. Skillet Chicken in Tomato Chipotle Sauce
20. Noodle-less Butternut Sausage Lasagna
21. Sheetpan Italian Chicken and Veggie Dinner
22. Turkey Meatball Stroganoff (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Stove Top)
23. Giant Turkey Meatball Parmesan
24. Shrimp Summer Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Sauce
25. Navy Bean, Bacon and Spinach Soup (Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Stove Top)
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we have to abandon salads! We just have to rethink how we make them.
Dark greens, roasted vegetables, and citrus fruits of all colors and stripes are the real players in January and February. They make salads that are both hearty and flavorful.
Enter sweet, roasted broccoli. What it lacks in beauty it overcompensates for in flavor. This simple salad, served warm, makes a perfect post-holiday meal.
Continue reading "Roasted Broccoli Salad with Feta, Barley, and Pomegranate" »
A skinny version of everyone’s favorite comfort food. It’s quick, easy, healthy and nutritious! Win-win all around!
Greetings from København!
The post Four Cheese Garlic Spaghetti Squash appeared first on Damn Delicious.
A warm bowl of chili is such a comforting meal on cold nights. Beef chili usually takes at least an hour and a half to simmer on the stove, but you can cut that time down by half when you use a pressure cooker!
Electric pressure cookers are having a renaissance these days. The newest models are programmable smart appliances that are very safe and very easy to use. They’re completely different than traditional stovetop models many of us grew up with.
Find out just how great pressure cooking can be with this super-quick chili recipe!
Continue reading "Pressure Cooker Ground Beef Chili" »
A Simply Recipes reader recently informed me that Swedish coffee bread is a Christmas tradition in Sweden, along with Swedish meatballs and other goodies served on Christmas Eve.
According to Sara Sabo, “it is a lot of work but the Swedish tomte that lives under the floorboards helps, and you better do your part or the Jul goat will butt you. This is the day all distant relatives and many friends decide they want to be Swedish.”
Continue reading "Swedish Coffee Bread (Tea Ring)" »
Fun fact: The White Russian isn’t Russian at all, but rather an American invention!
The cocktail first appeared in The Savoy Cocktail Book, by Harry Craddock back in 1930, and it consisted of gin, vodka, and crème de cacao. At the time, vodka was an almost exclusively Russian export, hence the name.
Easy to make, the cocktail quickly became a popular. Over time, it evolved into the present day drink of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream – or in our case, coconut!
Continue reading "Coconut White Russian (Vegan)" »
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 56). I have decided to try something a little different with our last meal plan of the year… this week all the recipes are WHOLE30 compliant. I’ve been getting tons of requests and since I have so many recipes that fit a WHOLE30 diet, which you can see here I thought I would try this for a week and see how it goes. I may do this once a month, or if you have requests for anything in particular such as a vegetarian week, gluten-free, etc let me know! For all you Weight Watchers, don’t worry I’m still eating cheese and grains and will continue to share a variety of recipes as I always do!
Meal planning is a great way to get organized before heading to the supermarket to get ready for the week! My breakfast is usually something quick like eggs with fruit or a smoothie. Some favorite Whole30 Breakfast ideas, Open Faced Omelet with Avocado and Pico De Gallo, Sweet Potato Chicken Hash, Asparagus, Potato, Pancetta Hash, Turkey Sausage Patties, just to name a few. We’re a family of four, so if a recipe serves more, it’s either packed up for everyone’s lunch or eaten the next day as leftovers. If you would like to see some of the previous week’s dinner plans, click here
Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 56)
Monday: Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Winter Squash
Tuesday: Turkey Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats
Wednesday: Italian Pulled Pork Ragu over spaghetti squash
Thursday: Rosemary Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: NYE party, bringing Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad and Guacamole
Sunday: No Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
The best and cheesiest pull apart bread ever! An easy addition to any menu or occasion. Except everyone will be fighting for a piece!
I’m not entirely sure which day I’m most excited for.
The post Cheesy Pizza Bread appeared first on Damn Delicious.
Prime rib claims center stage during holiday season for a very good reason. It is the king of beef cuts.
It’s called a standing rib roast because to cook it, you position the roast majestically on its rib bones in the roasting pan.
Beautifully marbled with fat, this roast is rich, juicy, and tender—a feast for the eyes and the belly.
Continue reading "Prime Rib" »
This easy, hearty, one-pot meal, loaded with chickpeas and vegetables in every bite is so flavorful with and perfect for a cold winter night. I made this in my Dutch oven but also included directions for the slow cooker and Instant Pot.
Are you prepping cauliflower by cutting out the core first and then breaking the head into florets? (No shame in this, it’s how I did it for 40 years until my friend Chef Kathi Riley set me straight.)
There’s an easier way.
Continue reading "How to Cut and Core Cauliflower" »
I had to laugh at our last holiday meal when my sister proclaimed, “these are the best mashed potatoes ever!” only to be informed that she was eating mashed cauliflower.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes have been around for a while, and if you have yet to get on the bandwagon, I encourage you to try them!
Cauliflower makes an excellent low carb substitute for starchy potatoes. Though we like mashed cauliflower so much that we usually serve both—cauliflower and mashed potatoes—at our holiday meals.
Continue reading "Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” with Browned Butter" »
Send all the balloons!
And all the help!
This little nugget is a BOY!
Can you believe it? We’re so over the moon.
If all you wanted was the gender announcement, thank you for being here! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! You’re welcome to come back when I get normal with my emotions again which is probably never.
On the other hand, if you wanted to get into the detailed and emotional and borderline too deep perspective on all this (not that I know anything about that), then the rest of this post is for people like us. Carry on.
Alright.
I know in my head that it was just a 50/50 chance and everything, but you guys, in my heart, I was just so sure it was a girl in there.
The weird thing is that I say “I was so sure” and I literally don’t even know what it means.
Excuse me, I was so sure it was a girl? Exactly HOW was I so sure? Because I did the ring over the stomach trick and got side-to-side movement? Because I was craving orange juice? Because we had a girl’s name picked out? I had zero reasons to be sure, other than maybe a little bit of wishing and hoping and vague gut-level superstitious feeling.
It’s all good and probably, on some level, normal to have a feeling like that. But then this happens: you got so locked into your hopes and dreams and visions of the future that suddenly you are 100% certain that there could only ever be a girl baby coming into your life, and anything else feels like a little bit of a straying from the plan.
So when we saw that little boy (repeat: BOY) moving around on the 20 week ultrasound, there was first that pure awe and joy and completely breathtaking adoration of his little squirming baby body (seriously, it’s all so incredible, this alien-like miracle process), and then there was the hold-up-oh-my-gosh-it’s-a-BOY moment.
The first thing I said to Bjork when we left the ultrasound room was a smiling but slightly panicked: wait tho I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH A BOY.
At first, I felt sad. I felt like I was saying goodbye to the dream of the girl.
I know, I know. It was not a right or wrong feeling – it just WAS.
And I just had to sit with it for a minute.
As I processed through my feelings of not having a girl – saving that totally perfect baby girl’s name away for another little sweetie at some other time, and re-imagining my dream of dolls and dress up clothes all over my house with new dreams of trucks and cars and Legos – I realized that my feelings about having a boy actually had very little to do with our completely perfect baby who just happened to be a boy.
My feelings were about me.
And for the most part, they were not actually sad feelings.
They were FEARS. Fancy meeting you here, old friend.
As I talked this through with Bjork, I realized that at the root of my discomfort with having a boy was a fear that I wouldn’t know how to be a mom to a boy.
I mean, I still don’t know if I will know how to be a mom to a boy. I grew up as the oldest of three girls and that kind of girl life just makes sense to me. When I think about the boy life, my brain goes empty. Like… what do boys like to do? What do boys talk about and play with? And then come the insecurities: will I get excited about playing cars and trucks with him, or running around and playing baseball with him in the yard? Will I be able to relate to him as an adult?
Pause for a moment to say I absolutely recognize that I am making vast generalizations about gender. Of COURSE boys can and do play with dolls and kitchens and have tea parties. And of COURSE girls (my younger self included!) can and do like toy cars and playing baseball. And of COURSE every child is going to be their own unique self with their own unique interests anyway, no matter if they are a boy or girl.
But knowing that and believing it through and through still didn’t negate the feelings and fears that I had about my own abilities as I first imagined myself as a mom to a boy.
Thankfully, time is pretty great with stuff like this, right?
And so are those first baby kicks that I’m starting to feel, and the opportunity – yes, opportunity! – I have to wear maternity leggings, and the deliciously adorable baby lumberjack flannel and suspenders outfits that we picked out at the mall like the dorky first-time parents that we are.
He’s real, and he’s a boy, and thanks to the magic of time and re-framing and thoughtful conversations, I actually kind of like the idea of this new normal. Would I still love to have a daughter someday? of course, yes. But in the meantime, I am kicking my fears (and shame about the fears) out to the curb. No time for that if we’re gonna be Wholehearted around here.
Where I’ve landed in these last few weeks feels honest and real and grateful:
I thought this baby was going to be a girl.
AND.
We love our healthy, happy little boy so much that it takes my breath away sometimes.
AND.
We want him to be exactly who he is, which is a precious soul of unsurpassable worth.
Those three things can all co-exist.
He’s already asking us to grow as parents by re-imagining our ideas about the future, even if it’s a simple question of boy vs. girl. And even though it’s such a small thing, my answer, even with an admittedly large collection of fears and insecurities about being a “boy mom”, is YES a thousand times, yes, yes, yes.
We love you and we like you, Baby Boy. ♡ Thanks for teaching us how to be better at life.
I said it in the last pregnancy post I wrote, but it’s worth saying again:
To you mamas who have been there – I’m so glad we can share our experiences. and thank you for creating a space that is non-judgemental and welcoming of all.
To you mamas who are still trying to get pregnant or recovering from loss – we see you, we love you, we’re cheering for you and your babies. ♡
To you readers who are in a completely different life space altogether but still show up to be friends on the internet – umm, you’re the best. XO
I will be back to the blog after Christmas! In the meantime, I hope you have too many cookies, a little nap by the fire, and a classically great holiday weekend.
The post We’re Having A… appeared first on Pinch of Yum.
Children who are having trouble falling to sleep are often prescribed a glass of warm milk to help them nod off. Their parents, having spent the night cajoling, ordering and begging their children to go to bed, may need something a bit stronger.
Enter this chamomile hot toddy. It’s a drink of whiskey, honey, and lemon mixed with chamomile tea to help you doze off in no time.
Continue reading "Chamomile-Honey Hot Toddy" »
A festive cocktail for any occasion that’s sure to impress! Unbelievably easy, fruity and refreshing! Can be made non-alcoholic as well.
Can you believe it?
The post Champagne Punch appeared first on Damn Delicious.
Calling all dog lovers for a cute holiday baking project involving HOMEMADE DOG TREATS and BACON PB GLAZE! lols, life is awesome.
Oh, hi there!
I’ve been doing some holiday baking this week for my friends, annnd by baking I mean homemade dog treats, and by friends I mean my dog.
That counts, right?
I am 100% not the type of person who makes food for their dog, except for that right now, this exact very minute, I am that person. !!! I do not even know myself anymore. Making my own dog treats? Honestly. File under Things You Said You’d Never Do That Now Bring You a Weird Amount of Great Joy.
Something about the holidays and the music and the snow and cuddly Sage in a French blue striped turtleneck sweater just got to me, and in a moment of Christmas miraculousness, I became that person that I always rolled my eyes at. A little pumpkin, a little peanut butter, and a little whole wheat flour later, and we were in dog treat business.
Thankfully, Sage doesn’t have any special allergies or dietary needs, so there’s really no reason for me to make her homemade dog treats other than the fact that I love her something fierce and needed a break from cookies for a minute. But conveniently, this homemade dog treats recipe makes a TON and we know lots of other neighbor-ly dogs who can and will appreciate a little gift bag of soft-baked, peanut butter and bacon glazed homemade dog treats.
That drizzle, though. I mean, daaaaang.
Dog treats got me like 
Finally, yes. The big moment.
Merry Christmas, dog friends of the internet! Sage wishes you lots of warmth and snuggles.
Also: please do yourself a favor and check out these adorable dog treat cookie cutters on Amazon. I die.
All ingredients are considered safe for dogs, but as with humans, it’s always a good idea to make sure there are no doggie allergies or sensitivities to any of the ingredients. ♡
The post Homemade Dog Treats appeared first on Pinch of Yum.
