We were introduced to these Chocolate Lava Cakes by our good friends this summer, and I couldn’t wait to recreate them here. For as difficult as Chocolate Lava Cakes sounds, it is a very straightforward recipe. Be prepared for a lot of ooing and ahhhing at the finished product without a lot of trouble in the making!

I also love this alternative recipe because it is just a little bit more chocolatey. But for ease and quickness, this Pioneer Woman recipe wins! I posted a delicious Slow Roasted Salmon with Cucumber Yogurt dinner recipe last Valentine’s Day, and this Lava Cake would be the perfect dessert compliment to that meal.

Whatever your plans this weekend, I hope your Wednesday is a good one!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

Baking spray, for spraying custard cups
1 stick butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 oz semisweet chocolate
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Servings: 4
Oven temp: 425

Preheat oven to 425. Spray four custard cups with baking spray. Place on baking sheet.

Melt butter over the stovetop. Add bittersweet chocolate. Melt on low. As it is beginning to melt, add the semisweet chocolate. Whisk until all chocolate and butter is melted. Stir in the sugar until well blended. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks, then add the vanilla. Stir in the flour. Divide the mixture among the custard cups.

Bake until the sides are firm and the centers are soft, about 13 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Invert on individual plates while warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream

Recipe Ree Drummond

Warm, filling, healthy, delicious. All of the things you want and need from a winter soup or stew. This has got to be one of my favorite recipes from The Scramble of ALL TIME!!!

We gobbled it up, and I’ve been living on the leftovers all week. It is a fabulous healthy lunch option when you’re in a pinch. I ought to do more of that– make quick and healthy lunch options before I succumb to another PB&J.

I hope you are all getting along swimmingly this week. We have more skiing on the gamut and the dentist appointment is already out of the way! Cheers to hump day!!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, halved and sliced
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, (about 3 cloves)
1 tsp. ground cumin
2/3 cup pearl or quick-cooking barley
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
15 oz. diced tomatoes, with their liquid, plus 1 can water
1/2 cup brown or green lentils
1/2 tsp. salt
5 – 6 oz. kale, chopped, or use spinach or Swiss chard

Directions

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the onions and carrots. Sauté until the onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin and barley and sauté them for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the broth, tomatoes, water and lentils. Cover and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer it for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.

Stir in the salt and the kale, cover and simmer it for 5 – 8 more minutes until the kale is wilted. Serve it immediately, topped at the table with the cheese, if desired, and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 8 weekly meals which means 8 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts.

PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30 p.m. most nights.

This recipe is the epitome of easy and delicious. I’ve used several different quiche recipes in my cooking history. I love the addition The Scramble makes of the Greek Yogurt in this particular recipe.

Especially for those trying out new diet ideas for themselves and their families this year this recipe is fantastic for breakfast or dinner, either one!

As always, it’s easy to sub in your favorite or on-hand ingredients if you don’t like or have the ones listed. I chose to add in cherry tomatoes instead of red peppers in this case because I wanted to use them before they went south.

What are some of your favorite breakfast dishes that serve as dinner rock stars?

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

6 oz. baby spinach
6 eggs
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt, or use any plain yogurt or sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, or use a combination of dried basil and oregano
1/8 red onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 bell pepper, any color, finely diced (1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, cover and steam the spinach in the microwave for 2 minutes or until it wilts. (Alternatively, wilt the spinach on the stovetop for 5 minutes in a skillet.) Transfer it to a cutting board and chop it coarsely.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and whisk in the yogurt. Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the spinach. Using a small ladle or cup, pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 of the way full.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake it for 20 – 25 minutes or until the eggs are set. (Meanwhile, cook the bacon.) Let them cool for 5 – 10 minutes if time allows, and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 8 weekly meals which means 8 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts.

PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30 p.m. most nights.

My husband requested that I inform all of you, my faithful readership that “THIS is the BEST meal” we have ever eaten. I have to say, I agree!

Thank you The Scramble, thank you Aviva Goldfarb, and thank you to my sister and brother-in-law who introduced us to this indispensable meal planning service!!!

I’ve mentioned it before, and want to say again here that you can tweak this meal to YOUR OWN healthiness level as you prep. For example, the next time I make this recipe I am going to use half of the breading, and simple add more herbs to the tops of my roll-ups.

Maybe you need to go gluten free and choose brown rice or quinoa. Maybe you dislike dijon mustard or mustard in general. You could easily sub another dressing or flavor. Maybe you don’t eat pork and opt for chicken.

The Scramble helps you to honor all of these personal mealtime mantras, commitments, and needs. Plus, no matter what you do, if you follow the grocery list, and get your buns in gear you will come out the other side with a delicious home-cooked dinner for  your family.

Hooray!!

So here you have, THE BEST MEAL my husband has ever eaten. I’d love to hear how you like it!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (use wheat/gluten-free if needed), or mix plain bread crumbs with 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning and a little salt and pepper
1 – 1 1/2 lb. pork, turkey or chicken cutlets (thinly sliced meat)
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend, or use a mixture of oregano, thyme, dried basil and dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or use Swiss, Jarlsburg, or your favorite cheese
4 – 8 toothpicks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a wide microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and the oil and heat it in the microwave until the butter is melted. Put the bread crumbs on a small shallow plate.

Lay the cutlets on a cutting board. Put the mustard in a small bowl, and using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, spread the mustard evenly on the top side of each piece of meat. Sprinkle the herbs, salt and pepper evenly over the mustard, and sprinkle about 1 Tbsp. cheese on top of each cutlet. Roll up each cutlet and secure it with 1 or 2 toothpicks.

Dip each roll into the butter-oil mixture, then into the bread crumbs to coat it. Set the rolls on a baking sheet or dish, drizzle them with any remaining butter and oil, and spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray (use butter flavor, if you have it). Bake them for about 30 minutes until they are cooked through and lightly browned on the outsides. (Meanwhile, prepare the buckwheat and the kale, if you are serving them.) Serve it immediately.

*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 8 weekly meals which means 8 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts.

PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30-7:00 p.m. most nights.

Sometimes it’s fun to have some time between when I prepare these recipes, and when I post them. Sometimes it can be dangerous, i.e. it makes me VERY, VERY hungry!!!

This pasta was warm and filling. As always, The Scramble* sails in with a healthy option even in the pasta realm. One of the reasons I love subscribing to The Scramble is that every meal has Nutrition Facts already calculated and posted on the recipe. I also love that Aviva offers a host of healthy options and alternatives in every meal for me to choose.

For example, this meal boasts 13g of Protein, but only 1g, that’s right 1g of Sugar. WIN! You can also choose to substitute whole grain or whole wheat pasta if you want to up the healthy quotient for your meal. The Scramble also recommends using low-fat or non-fat options if you choose.

So again, you can use reduced-fat mayonnaise like the recipe calls for, or also sub in low-fat ricotta cheese (I used the mayo because I had it on hand). For this and so many more reasons, we LOVE The Scramble.

You can subscribe HERE. Have a beautiful Wednesday, and a delicious family dinner!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

8 oz. penne noodles (use wheat, whole grain/gluten-free if needed)
14 oz. artichoke hearts, drained
6 oz. marinated artichokes, with their liquid
2 tsp. chopped or minced garlic, (about 4 cloves)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise, or use ricotta cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs or panko (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)

Directions

Cook the noodles according to the package directions until they are al dente and drain them.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a large (2-quart) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a food processor or blender, coarsely blend the artichoke hearts, marinated artichokes with their liquid, garlic, cheese (reserving 1 Tbsp.), mayonnaise and pine nuts.

 

In a large bowl, mix the pasta with the artichoke mixture. Transfer it to the casserole dish and smooth the top.

 

In a small bowl, mix together the reserved Parmesan cheese and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle this topping on the casserole.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the top is browned. (While the casserole is baking, prepare the salad, if you are serving it.) Serve it hot, or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 8 weekly meals which means 8 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts.

PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30-7:00 p.m. most nights.