Pasta with Greens & Beans
I’m trying to eat more greens, more beans, and less meat. This warm, hearty dish is a delicious way to get collard greens on the table.
Red Wine Pinto Beans With Bacon
Dried beans are budget- and pantry-friendly, and we probably all have stashed more of them this year than usual. This dish based on onions, celery, carrots, rosemary, and red wine, amazingly reminds us a lot of our favorite beef stew. Though it does contain bacon, it’s still more plant-foward and planet-friendly, making it a great alternative when you need a bowl of comfort food on a cold evening.
Southern Collard Greens
While trying to learn how to make collard greens I found a vegan recipe from Divas Can Cook. I had every intention of making the recipe vegan, until I realized I didn’t have any smoked salt. After looking for a good substitute (liquid smoke, Bragg’s liquid aminos, etc.) and coming up short, I realized that the best substitute I had was…bacon.
The collard greens were delicious, and someday I plan to make the vegan version, as well.
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad
If you’re looking for a mouth-watering salad filling enough for dinner, but still lettuce-based (so it at least seems healthy), this is it. Romaine lettuce is topped with marinated and grilled sliced chicken thighs, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, red onions, boiled eggs, and honey-dijon vinaigrette.
Pressure Cooker Sous Vide Egg Bites
If you’ve had the Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites, you know they’re delicious, but they’re also expensive. These copycat egg bites are easily made at home with a blender, silicone baby food mold, and pressure cooker.
Lemon Herb Avocado Chicken Salad
A bright lemon juice-based salad dressing, which doubles as a marinade for the chicken, is paired with tangy feta cheese and rich avocados and bacon to make this flavorful Romaine-based salad a weeknight winner.
Leesa’s Pressure Cooker Charro Beans
A pressure cooker makes this classic Tex-Mex dish of pinto beans stewed with bacon, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and onion easy to serve alongside chicken fajitas.
(If you’re looking for a vegetarian recipe cooked on the stovetop, check out this recipe for vegetarian charro beans.)
Day-Before Gravy
I’ve been searching for a gravy recipe I can do ahead of time, since by the time I have the turkey and sides ready to go on the holiday table, I’m usually too frazzled to successfully turn the pan drippings into gravy.
This one uses bacon drippings and tamari as a savory flavor base, and can be made the day before a holiday feast.
Cheesy Egg Wraps
Fill tortillas with scrambled eggs, shredded cheese, and sautéed bell peppers, bacon, and jalapeño. Fold into a burrito and toast in a hot skillet until crispy and golden. These are perfect for breakfast or for a weeknight dinner, and they freeze well.
Cider-Glazed Brussels Sprouts & Bacon
2016 was the year of the Brussels sprout in our house. Towards the end, we were roasting them almost weekly, so when we were asked to bring a green vegetable for Thanksgiving, it was a no-brainer.
This recipe feeds a crowd (we probably could have halved it for a buffet for 10 people) and travels well. Heat bacon-sprinkled baking sheets until sizzling hot, add Brussels sprouts, cut in half and tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast until tender. Drizzle with a glaze of apple cider, brown sugar, and vinegar.