Simple Snacks
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Best Easy and Addictive Chili Cheese Tacos
This high-protein, fiber-rich recipe is quick to prepare using canned organic chili and sharp cheddar cheese on freshly toasted corn tortillas, finished with chopped pickled jalapeños for added crunch, heat, and vitamin C.
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Simply the Best 5-Layer Bean Dip
It’s incredibly easy—no cooking required. Because it’s so simple, use only top-quality ingredients, and trust me, people will taste the difference. Whether you bring this appetizer to a party or potluck, it always steals the show. Nothing else compares when this is around. Everyone is drawn to it and happily devours it until it’s all gone! The dip comes in many versions and became a favorite party food in the 1970s and 1980s, thanks to easy…
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Quick Lox and Bagel Dish
This dish was first widely enjoyed in New York, among Jewish Americans. It features lox, a bagel, cream cheese, red onion, capers, and fresh dill. Its creamy yet refreshing flavor is perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or everyday snack. Lox originated in Scandinavia, where fishermen in Sweden perfected the art of preserving salmon in saltwater brine in the 19th century. Bagels are even older, allegedly first spotted on the Silk Road in China before being…
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A Better Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad)
Gilly has put a delicious spin on the classic Greek lettuce salad by adding Kalamata olives and finishing it with a red wine vinegar dressing. This salad has finely chopped romaine lettuce, fresh dill, creamy feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and a red wine vinegar dressing. Although the recipe is simple, the salad is bright, flavorful, and crunchy.
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The Most Amazing, Crispy Onion Rings
This recipe is simple and delicious. The onion rings come out very crunchy and light. I love love love onion rings, but I do not love the thick breading on most onion rings. I’m constantly sliding the onion out and only eating a tiny bite of the coating just to get the crunch. Finally, after many years, I thought, ‘how hard can it be to make them myself?’ The answer is – not hard. The first time I…
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Classic and Sensational Caesar Salad
This Caesar is one of those “simple” recipes I’ve been trying to get perfect for years. I finally did. Now I make it a lot. I worked hard to reverse engineer it from both the famous Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood and the original Mexican Caesar recipe.
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The Secret to the Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich
My secret to the perfect grilled cheese is to use freshly sliced sourdough with organic mayonnaise, spread on one side of each slice. Six to eight pieces of good sharp cheddar cheese. Cook in a cast-iron skillet and use a cast-iron cooking weight. Toast each side until it’s nice and crispy (if the cheese isn’t quite melted – put it on a plate and cook in the microwave for five seconds). Serve immediately with a side…
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Best Vibrant and Tasty Tacos
During my childhood, my mother often prepared these buffet-style tacos. They feature a delightful blend of flavors and a unique sauce. These tacos consist of corn tortillas cooked at home, ground beef, lettuce, tomato, red onion, shredded cheese, and tomato sauce. They are easy to make, and you probably have all the ingredients in your fridge. Indulge in this taco dish – not only is it simple, but it’s also a healthy, low-calorie option.
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Rich and Healthy Avocado Bagel
Smashed avocado on a toasted ‘everything’ bagel is incredibly satisfying. You can enhance the flavor by adding red onion, tomato, and a squeeze of lime juice. This dish is rich in healthy fats, fiber, antioxidants, and beta-carotene, which can support heart health and help lower cholesterol. It’s simple to make and incredibly delicious.
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Great Riff On The Famous La Scala Salad
This flavor-enhancing recipe is a riff on the famous Beverly Hills restaurant La Scala Chopped Salad by adding red onion, pepperoncini, and pecorino-romano cheese. Restaurateur Jean Leon invented the salad and served it at his Beverly Hills restaurant, La Scala, beginning in the 1950s. Today, many celebrities still visit the restaurant to enjoy the Italian-inspired salad with salami, mozzarella, chickpeas, and a mustard-based dressing.
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Easy and Addictive Baked Brussels Sprouts
I make this recipe often – the way many people make popcorn, but Brussels sprouts are much healthier and yummier, in my opinion. I like to make it simple, with olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan. You can also fancy it up with drizzled aged balsamic vinegar (bacon or prosciutto, crumbled cheese). Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable in the cabbage family and are very high in vitamin C, and have anti-inflammatory properties. It is…
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Refreshing and Spectacular Caprese Salad
A true classic for a reason, the Caprese salad is over 100 years old—the origin story for the Caprese salad dates back to post-World War I Italy. Like many Italian dishes, the Caprese salad is also famous because it is effortless to prepare. I recommend using only high-quality ingredients for this dish. Because the dish is so simple, the flavor of the ingredients is where it’s at! Heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella or burrata cheese. *Shown…
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Quick, Crispy Quesadilla With Guacamole
Literally meaning “little cheesy thing,” quesadillas originated in northern and central Mexico in the 16th century. I make mine with fresh-made flour tortillas, Monterey jack cheese, and pickled jalapeños. Light and delicious quick and simple – quesadilla with guacamole. Perfect for a healthy lunch or easy snack. Pairs great with an ice-cold Coca-Cola or a frosty beer.
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Simple Homemade Bacon and Egg Muffin With Cheese
Taking a page from McDonald’s playbook, this simple yet satisfying breakfast should excite and satiate adults and children alike. Substitute sausage, croissant, or scrambled egg if you prefer.
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Rich and Savory Vegetarian Nachos
Nachos are packed with protein, carbs, and vegetables. They are crispy, savory, and easy to prepare. Nachos are made with crunchy tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers, and can also include ground beef or chicken if you like. You can add a variety of toppings such as tomatoes, onions, sour cream, and salsa. The history of nachos can be traced back to 1940 in Piedras Negras, a town on the Mexican border. Ignacio…
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Ultimate Burrito Supreme: Chicken, Cheese, Bean, Guacamole, Sour Cream
Super delicious and easy to make, this hearty snack can rival any restaurant’s burrito! Feel free to add to or swap out the chicken with your favorite protein, such as shrimp, steak, sausage, bacon, or eggs, to suit your taste.
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Best Epic Salad With Gorgonzola, Avocado, Tomato and Walnuts
This salad hits all my favorite palate points and is satisfying, packed with vitamins, and rich in protein. I combined all the textures and flavors I love most in a salad to create this Epic Salad. I crave it all the time. A fantastic addition – if you have leftover steak, chicken, or are in the mood to cook some bacon, add them to this Epic Salad.
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Energy Boosting Tuna Salad With Kidney Beans and Dijon Vinaigrette
I first ate this wonderful salad at a small French café on Larchmont, a quaint, tree-lined street near Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. This salad is refreshingly light yet hearty. Perfect for those on a diet or after a workout. It is an excellent meal to fuel muscle growth because it’s packed with lean protein. I swear, when I eat this salad, it boosts my mood, and I feel like Popeye after he eats his spinach!…
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Epic and Amazing BLTC
Easy to make, filling, delicious, and packed with protein and fresh flavors. This sandwich might be the most satisfying bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese sandwich you will ever eat. Try adding a fried egg or avocado to make it even more epic! John Montagu, the Fourth Earl Of Sandwich, invented the eponymous food in 1762. A notorious gambler, he would not leave the gaming table to eat. He asked for meat and a couple of pieces…
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Crispy and Amazing Baked Potato Wedges With 3 Aioli Sauces
These crispy wedges are a perfect side dish for almost any meal, always mouth-watering and delicious, made yummier still with organic catsup or one of my three aioli sauces: Roasted garlic aioli, sriracha aioli, or avocado aioli. These recipes for Aioli include vegan ingredient choices.
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Best Easy Garbanzo Bean Salad
I love this simple, low-calorie, high-protein Mediterranean salad. It is very healthy and vegan. Packed with bright, crisp vegetables like garbanzo beans, cucumber, tomato, red onion, garlic, spices, and parsley, all in an oil and vinegar dressing. It’s undeniably amazing because of its delicious simplicity. I reverse-engineered the recipe from a Mediterranean food stand at my local Farmers Market. I made it multiple times until I got it just right.
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Best Authentic Guacamole Recipe
I prepare my guacamole the traditional Mexican way, using avocados, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, jalapeños, cilantro, and red onions. Serve this guacamole chilled with organic tortilla chips. You can also use this recipe to make a variety of dishes. Spread it on toast or a quesadilla, fill a warm pita pocket with cheese, top homemade nachos, add it to a juicy burger, and more. All of these other dishes are available on this website in the…
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Epic and Amazing Turkey, Avocado, Bacon, Cheese Sandwich
This delicious, hearty sandwich is made with sprouted whole-grain bread or sourdough, baked turkey, crispy bacon, Swiss or Jack cheese, creamy avocado, fresh lettuce, red onion, red tomato, zesty Dijon mustard, and organic mayo. It’s an excellent choice that’s packed with protein and fiber, making it a nutritious and satisfying meal. I grew up in La Jolla, California. There was a liquor store by the beach called Dick’s Liquor. The deli sold a sandwich similar to…
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Simple and Delicious Garlic Toast
This is a simple and delicious side dish that adds tons of flavor and a satisfying crunch to almost any meal.
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Epic and Crave-Worthy Tuna Sandwich
Delicious and crave-worthy, this Epic Tuna Sandwich is simple and satisfying.
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Easy Berries, Flaxseed With Nuts and Organic Yogurt Bowl
Mixed fresh berries, flaxseed granola with almonds, raisins, and organic vanilla yogurt. An easy and delicious way to jump-start your day with all kinds of nutrients, textures, and flavors! Great for camping.
