Quick & Easy Healthy Family Dinners & Sides, Part 2

When I recently met Tara of Tara Allen Health at a local open house for a motherhood programming center,  we instantly clicked. She has been kind enough to share a bunch of healthy family-friendly dinners and sides that are quick and easy to make. These are perfect for everyone. They take at most four steps and 30 minutes to prepare! So you can make these even if you are short on time (they take 30-minutes at most!) or do not consider yourself a master in the kitchen.

This is part 2 of a mini series. Bon appetit!

Pressure Cooker Cashew Chicken

11 ingredients · 25 minutes · 2 servings

 Ingredients

2 tsps Avocado Oil (divided)

2 tbsps Coconut Aminos

1 tbsp Sugar Free Ketchup

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 1/2 tbsps Orange Juice

1 Garlic (clove, minced)

8 ozs Chicken Breast (skinless, boneless, cubed)

2 tsps Arrowroot Powder (divided)

2 tsps Water

1/2 cup Cashews

1 stalk Green Onion (optional, sliced)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, add half the avocado oil, coconut aminos, ketchup, rice vinegar, orange

juice and garlic. Whisk to combine.

2. Toss the cubed chicken breast with half the arrowroot powder. Turn on the pressure

cooker to sauté mode. Add the remaining avocado oil and the chicken then sear for 1 to

2 minutes. Press cancel and then pour the sauce on top. Set to “sealing” then press

manual/pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Once finished,

manually release the pressure.

3. While the chicken is cooking, whisk the remaining arrowroot powder and water in a small

bowl. Remove the lid carefully on the pressure cooker and whisk to combine the

arrowroot/water mixture. Add the cashews and stir.

4. Divide onto plates and garnish with green onion (optional). Enjoy!

Eggs in a Butternut Squash Nest

5 ingredients · 15 minutes · 1 serving

 Ingredients

3/4 cup Butternut Squash (spiralized into

noodles)

1 tsp Coconut Oil

2 Egg

Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

2 tbsps Microgreens (optional)

 Directions

1. Form the spiralized squash noodles into nests, making a small well in the center for the

egg.

2. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Use a spatula to transfer the

squash nests to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes.

3. Crack eggs into cups and transfer them into the wells of the squash nests. Cook for

about 3 to 4 minutes or until the whites have set and it is cooked to your liking. Cover the

pan with a lid to speed up the cooking time.

4. Transfer the egg nests onto a plate and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Garnish with microgreens (optional) and enjoy!

Classic Tacos

9 ingredients · 25 minutes · 4 servings

 Ingredients

8 Corn Tortilla

1 tbsp Avocado Oil

1 lb Extra Lean Ground Beef

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 head Green Lettuce (small, finely chopped)

2 Tomato (medium, diced)

 Directions

1. Prepare tortillas according to instructions on the package.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the avocado oil and the beef, stirring to break

it up as it cooks. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cumin to the pan. Once

the beef is cooked through, remove from heat.

3. Add the ground beef, lettuce and tomatoes to the center of each tortilla. Fold in half and

enjoy immediately.

One Pan Roasted Edamame & Broccoli Salad

7 ingredients · 30 minutes · 4 servings

 Ingredients

5 cups Broccoli (chopped into florets)

1 cup Frozen Edamame (shelled)

1 cup Walnuts

1/4 cup Avocado Oil (divided)

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp Almond Butter

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF (232ºC) and line baking sheet with foil.

2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the broccoli florets, edamame, walnuts, half the avocado oil,

and season with salt. Transfer to baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake for 25

minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small jar, combine the remaining avocado oil, almond butter and apple

cider vinegar. Shake well. Add more water to thin if necessary.

4. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over top of the salad and serve.

Penne with Bursted Cherry Tomato Sauce

7 ingredients · 30 minutes · 2 servings

 Ingredients

4 ozs Chickpea Pasta (dry)

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cups Cherry Tomatoes

2 Garlic (cloves, minced)

Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

1 cup Basil Leaves (chopped)

1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast

 Directions

1. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Run under cold water once

cooked to prevent from over cooking.

2. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, salt

and pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until all the tomatoes have burst, about 15 to 20

minutes.

3. Toss pasta with the chopped basil and divide onto plates. Top each serving with the

tomato sauce and nutritional yeast. Enjoy!