A few years ago we were in the habit of ordering takeout from our favorite Asian restaurant a little too often. The food was delicious, but I knew we could make delicious and healthy Asian food in our own kitchen. My husband and I made it our goal to recreate some of our favorite stir fry recipes at home.

Now that we’re creating delicious Asian recipes at home, we’re saving money, and enjoying a healthier version of our favorites. We feel good about these healthy changes, and actually prefer our own recipes at home over the restaurant recipes we used to love.

One of our favorite creations, our Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe, is so simple and yet so damn delicious. It’s made with a flavorful stir fry sauce, lo mein noodles, and a variety of crunchy vegetables. It’s the perfect Vegetable Lo Mein recipe to satisfy your cravings without all the added sodium you’d get from a restaurant.

This easy recipe will be your new family favorite. An easy weeknight meal that is flavorful, without a lot of fuss.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we love it when our readers feel successful in the kitchen. Eating healthy is so important, and we work hard to help our readers achieve all of their healthy eating goals.

In each recipe, we include detailed information, helpful tips and tricks, healthy eating plan point information, as well as nutritional information. If you are more experienced in the kitchen and ready for a more simplified version of this recipe, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe.

Ingredients in Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

• Tofu: We recommend extra firm tofu for this recipe. We’ve found it makes the best crispy tofu which is exactly what we need when we make lo mein.
• Brown Rice Chow Mein Noodles or Ramen Noodles: Lo mein noodles are so important in this veggie lo mein dish. We prefer using ramen noodles or chow mein noodles made out of brown rice. It’s a healthier alternative to traditional lo mein noodles.
• Green Cabbage: Cabbage is a superfood that’s packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you’re looking for a time saver, you could purchase a bag of pre shredded cabbage from the grocery store.
• Carrots: We love carrots in our vegetable lo mein dish. If you’re looking for a shortcut, you can always buy a bag of matchstick carrots from the grocery store. These are already julienned and the perfect size for a stir fry.
• Broccoli Slaw: We use prepackaged broccoli slaw for this recipe. You get the flavors of broccoli without the big florets. If you aren’t able to find broccoli slaw at your grocery store, feel free to sub in other vegetables like bok choy or bell peppers.
• Celery: We love the crunch of celery. It’s the perfect addition to our veggie lo mein.
• Snow Peas: Snow peas are thinner than snap peas. We prefer these in our lo mein, but if you aren’t able to find these in your local grocery store, feel free to sub in snap peas. The crunch of a snap pea sounds delicious.
• Garlic: Our easy vegetable lo mein recipe includes garlic. We prefer using fresh garlic over the prepackaged or dried kind.
• Ginger: We love freshly grated ginger for this recipe.
• Green Onions: The perfect garnish for a stir fry.

Delicious Lo Mein Sauce Ingredients

• Coconut aminos: We prefer to use coconut aminos over regular soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce in this delicious lo mein sauce. We love the flavor of the aminos, and find our dishes much less salty when we use this over soy sauce.
• Fish sauce: The fish sauce is an important ingredient in our vegetable lo mein sauce. You should be able to find fish sauce at your local grocery store in the Asian department, or at your local Asian market.
• Zhong sauce or Sichuan chili sauce or Sambal Oelek Chili Paste: If you haven’t tried Zhong sauce, I highly recommend it! It’s delicious and helps make the perfect stir fry sauce because of the depth of flavor it provides. If you aren’t able to locate Zhong sauce at your local grocery or on Amazon, feel free to track down the Sambal Oelek chili paste.
• Sesame oil: Any delicious stir fry sauce most likely includes sesame oil. We love putting it in our stir fry, and love the complex and nutty flavor it provides for our vegetable lo mein sauce. For this recipe I prefer regular sesame oil, though I do often recommend using toasted/roasted sesame oil in many recipes.
• Vegetable broth: The Vegetable broth helps create the vegetable lo mein sauce. We always buy low sodium broth.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch in a sauce is used to help thicken up all the sauce ingredients.

How to Make Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

1. Drain the tofu and slice into small strips. Air fry or bake at 350º, turning after 5-7 minutes. In the oven, I like to put the tofu on parchment paper while it cooks. Cook until the tofu dries out a bit but not so much that it browns too much. Depending on the size of your air fryer, cook in small batches and set aside as it finishes. 
2. Boil water for your noodles, and cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles with cold water when they’re finished cooking, then set them aside. 
3. Prepare your veggies: Shred the cabbage, peel and julienne the carrots, dice the celery, and trim the edges of the snow peas. Dice the onions and set them aside to use after your meal is finished cooking. 
4. To make the sauce combine all sauce ingredients, including cornstarch, and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
5. When the tofu is finished cooking, spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, ginger, cabbage, carrots, broccoli slaw, celery, and snow peas to the pan.  
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and tofu to the pan. Turn the heat down to low-medium and mix everything together carefully. Cook for 3-5 minutes and allow the noodles and tofu to heat up a little.
7. Add the sauce to the pan and mix well. Cover the meal and turn the heat down to low and allow the food to cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. 
8. Remove from heat and add chopped green onions to the top and serve warm. 

Recipe Tips

• You could use soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce for this recipe, however when we were recipe testing this recipe, we found the result to be much too salty. We recommend swapping out the soy sauce and sticking with coconut aminos.
• If you aren’t able to find ramen noodles or chow mein noodles, feel free to sub in udon noodles, soba noodles, or whole wheat spaghetti noodles. These choices won’t quite be the same, but will do in a pinch. We prefer using the brown rice noodles when possible.
• If you are in a bind, you could use frozen veggies.
• This stir fry is versatile. We love that you can include all the veggies! Feel free to swap in any other lo mein vegetables you have at home such as bell pepper, zucchini, or asparagus.
• I try to always toss my cubed tofu in cornstarch before cooking it. It’s not necessary, but it really helps the tofu not stick together.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

21 Day Fix

This 21 Day Fix Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe is packed full of fresh vegetables. It has a lot of teaspoons, though – I’d reduce the coconut aminos and sesame oil where I could and make sure to drink extra water to flush out the sodium from all of the teaspoon ingredients.

Entire recipe: 1 1/2 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 7 1/2 green containers, 36 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1/2 yellow container, 1 1/4 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Weight Watchers

10 2023 Plan Points – reducing the coconut aminos and sesame oil in this recipe will help you reduce those points.

Looking for more healthy Asian dinner cuisine recipes?

• Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
• Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice
• Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken
• Healthy Drunken Noodles Recipe

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Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

This easy vegetable lo mein recipe will be your new family favorite. An easy weeknight meal that is flavorful, without a lot of fuss.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 495kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Toaster, Oven, or Air Fryer
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

Lo Mein Ingredients

• 14 oz extra firm tofu drained and lightly air fried with no seasoning or sauce
• 12 oz brown rice chow mein noodles or brown rice ramen
• 1.5 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 carrots large, julienne cut
• 1 cup broccoli slaw
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 cup snow peas ends cut off
• 2 tsp fresh garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
• 1 bunch green onions diced

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Zhong sauce or sichuan chili sauce or sambal oelek chili paste
• 3 tbsp light sesame oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Drain the tofu and slice into small strips/cubes. Air fry or bake at 350º, turning after 5-7 minutes. Cook until the tofu dries out a bit but not so much that it browns.  14 oz extra firm tofu
• Boil water for your noodles, and cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles with cold water when they're finished cooking, then set them aside. 12 oz brown rice chow mein noodles
• Shred the cabbage, peel and julienne the carrots, dice the celery, and trim the edges of the snow peas. Dice the onions and set them aside to use after your meal is finished cooking. 
• Combine all sauce ingredients into a medium bowl, including cornstarch, and whisk to combine. Set aside. 1/2 cup coconut aminos 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp Zhong sauce 3 tbsp light sesame oil 1/2 cup vegetable broth 1 tbsp cornstarch
• When the tofu is finished cooking, spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, ginger, cabbage, carrots, broccoli slaw, celery, and snow peas to the pan.  2 tsp fresh garlic 1 tsp fresh ginger 1.5 cups shredded green cabbage 2 carrots 1 cup broccoli slaw 2 celery stalks 1 cup snow peas
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and tofu to the pan. Turn the heat down to low-medium and mix everything together carefully. Cook for 3-5 minutes and allow the noodles and tofu to heat up a little.
• Add the sauce to the pan and mix well. Cover the meal and turn the heat down to low and allow the food to cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and add chopped green onions to the top and serve.  1 bunch green onions

Notes

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 1 1/2 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 7 1/2 green containers, 36 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1/2 yellow container, 1 1/4 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Weight Watchers

10  2023 Plan Points 

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 561mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 5.4g | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Lemon juice and garlic are a flavor combo that just works. When you pressure cook the two together you will create the most delicious sauce to top your golden brown chicken thighs and vegetables with.

If you are looking for a healthy one pot dinner recipe, look no further than this Instant Pot lemon chicken. Everything cooks in one pan for an easy, healthy dinner that you can have on the table in no time.

I love using my trusty pressure cooker to make a quick and easy dish on busy weeknights. Not only is this lemon chicken great for school nights, it’s also a great recipe for meal prep!

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have visitors of all different comfort levels in the kitchen. Whether you’re new to pressure cooking, or just new to cooking in general, we want you to be able to recreate our recipes with ease.

To help our readers have a successful experience cooking, we provide a lot of information in our articles. Below you will find an informative list of ingredients, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, as well as healthy eating plan calculations for a couple popular programs.

If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, and with pressure cooking, and would like to skip past all of that, please go ahead and scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Thighs recipe.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

• Garlic cloves: For this lemon garlic chicken recipe we use a spice rub that gives the chicken thighs so much flavor. This recipe calls for minced garlic as opposed to garlic powder. Fresh garlic helps to season chicken thighs and the lemon sauce for an absolutely delicious flavor. Garlic powder can be used but you won’t get as much of a fresh garlic taste.
• Paprika: Paprika is rich in antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals. It adds a sweet and peppery taste to the chicken thigh rub. Feel free to use sweet or smoked paprika. Smoked will give you an additional layer of flavor.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is used in Italian seasoning and adds a delicious earthy flavor to the chicken thighs.
• Marjoram: Dried marjoram is another Italian seasoning that is a great addition to this Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe.
• Salt: We use just a little salt to help bring out the flavors in this Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe.
• Pepper: Black pepper adds a subtle layer of heat to our chicken thighs rub.
• Chicken thighs: I love using chicken thighs when I cook in the Instant Pot. If you think you’re not a fan of dark meat, I urge you to try this recipe using boneless skinless chicken thighs. Skinless chicken breasts can become dry and rubbery as the chicken cooks. One of the things I love most about cooking chicken thighs is, even if they are slightly over-cooked, you have moist, tender chicken when the cooking time is complete.
• Lemon juice: Our Instant Pot lemon chicken uses fresh lemon juice from about 3 lemons to create a delicious lemon garlic sauce. Not only does lemon juice add bright and fresh flavors, lemon juice is also high in Vitamin C, which may give your immune system a boost!
• Chicken broth: I use chicken broth or chicken stock for this Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe.
• Potatoes: Use mini or baby potatoes for this Instant pot lemon chicken thighs recipe.
• Baby bella mushrooms: You can’t go wrong with mushrooms. They’re fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie, and cholesterol-free. They’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Asparagus: Asparagus is a tasty vegetable that’s also a great source of vitamins and minerals, especially folate and vitamins A, C and K.
• Cornstarch: We add this at the end of our cooking time to create a cornstarch slurry, which helps to thicken the delicious lemon garlic sauce.

How to Make Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

1. Prep the Pot Start by spraying the bottom of the inner pot to your Instant Pot with a nonstick cooking spray, and then press sauté. You can also use a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil to lightly coat the bottom of your inner pot.
2. Make the Rub In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, paprika, oregano, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Then rub the mixture into the tops of your chicken thighs.
3. Sear the Chicken Take care not to crowd your chicken together, you may need to repeat this process several times so that the chicken thighs can sear properly. Starting with the seasoned side down, place chicken thighs into your pot. Sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Set the seared and golden brown chicken thighs aside and, when you are done searing all of the thighs, add lemon juice and chicken broth to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the Potatoes Next, place the baby potatoes in the bottom of the pot, and then set the seared chicken thighs directly on top of the potatoes. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cooking time for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid.
5. Add the Mushrooms & Asparagus Now it’s time to add the mushrooms and asparagus directly on top of the chicken thighs. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and again turn the steam release valve to sealing. Pressure cook (high) and set the cooking time for 1 minute.
6. Make the Cornstarch Slurry When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove chicken, vegetables, and potatoes to a large platter. On your Instant Pot, select Sauté and add the corn starch to the pot. Whisk together with the chicken broth to make your cornstarch slurry. Once the lemon sauce has thickened you can remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot base.
7. Serve Place the lemon garlic chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into individual bowls or plates, and spoon sauce on top of each serving. Serve immediately or see below for tips on storing for meal prep.

Recipe Tips

• This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is a delicious and healthy recipe for meal prep. To prep, divide equal portions of lemon chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into meal prep containers. You can serve the gravy on the side, or spoon it over the top of each serving before storing.
• Instant Pot Lemon Chicken and vegetables keeps in the fridge for up to 6 days, or it can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave each thawed serving for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• This recipe uses a quick release to release the pressure from the Instant Pot. If you’d like to learn more about quick release vs. natural release you can read this post.

Healthy Eating Plans

This Instant Pot chicken recipe serves 6.

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Entire recipe: 6 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers

Per serving: 1 red container, 1 yellow container, 1 green container

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?

• Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes This Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes is an easy and delicious meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
• How to Cook White Rice in the Instant Pot If you’re new to pressure cooking you will love cooking white rice in the Instant Pot! This post will teach you how to cook rice in the Instant Pot.
• Instant Pot Burrito Bowls with Frozen Chicken This is an easy Instant Pot meal prep recipe that uses frozen chicken breast, plus dried beans and rice for a true one pot meal that the whole family will eat.
• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks These Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Cilantro Lime Seasoning are so delicious. The marinade can be used with any type of chicken: chicken thighs, chicken breasts or chicken legs.
• Chicken Gyro Bowls with Homemade Tzatziki These healthy Chicken Breast Gyro Bowls with Homemade Tzatziki sauce are perfect for meal prep because I can prepare the main ingredients and then just assemble them for a quick recipe tonight.

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Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is an easy dish bursting with fresh flavors from a delicious lemon garlic sauce. Juicy lemon garlic chicken thighs are paired together with nutrient rich vegetables for a healthy and easy dinner that your whole family will enjoy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot lemon chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

5 minutes minutes

Total Time 21 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 401kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 3 lemons juice from
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb mini potatoes any variety
• 1 lb baby bella mushrooms halved
• 1 lb asparagus halved and woody ends removed
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Start by spraying the bottom of the inner pot to your Instant Pot with a nonstick cooking spray, and then press sauté. You can also use a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil to lightly coat the bottom of your inner pot.
• In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, paprika, oregano, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Then rub the mixture into the tops of your chicken thighs. 2 tbsp minced garlic 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp marjoram 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Take care not to crowd your chicken together, you may need to repeat this process several times so that the chicken thighs can sear properly.

  Starting with the seasoned side down, place chicken thighs into your pot. Sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Set the seared and golden brown chicken thighs aside and, when you are done searing all of the thighs, add lemon juice and chicken broth to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. 3 lb chicken thighs 3 lemons 1/4 cup chicken broth
• Next, place the baby potatoes in the bottom of the pot, and then set the seared chicken thighs directly on top of the potatoes. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cooking time for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. 1 1/2 lb mini potatoes
• Now it's time to add the mushrooms and asparagus directly on top of the chicken thighs. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and again turn the steam release valve to sealing. Pressure cook (high) and set the cooking time for 1 minute. 1 lb baby bella mushrooms 1 lb asparagus
• When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove chicken, vegetables, and potatoes to a large platter. On your Instant Pot, select Sauté and add the corn starch to the pot. Whisk together with the chicken broth to make your cornstarch slurry. Once the lemon sauce has thickened you can remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot base. 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Place the lemon garlic chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into individual bowls or plates, and spoon sauce on top of each serving. Serve immediately or see below for tips on storing for meal prep.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is a delicious and healthy recipe for meal prep. To prep, divide equal portions of lemon chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into meal prep containers. You can serve the gravy on the side, or spoon it over the top of each serving before storing.
• Instant Pot Lemon Chicken and vegetables keeps in the fridge for up to 6 days, or it can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave each thawed serving for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• This recipe uses a quick release to release the pressure from the Instant Pot. If you’d like to learn more about quick release vs. natural release you can read this post.

Healthy Eating Plans

This Instant Pot chicken recipe serves 6

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Entire recipe: 6 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers

Per serving: 1 red container, 1 yellow container, 1 green container

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 218mg | Fiber: 5g

The post Instant Pot Lemon Chicken appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Traditional lasagna is filled with delicious cheesy goodness of ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Balanced out with the rich flavors of marinara sauce and noodles, it’s a fan favorite. I find that when I eat traditional lasagna, it sometimes feels too heavy. Our lasagna recipe fits in perfect for those times when you’re craving lasagna, but also wanting something a little lighter.

Here at My Crazy Good Life, I’m always trying to make healthy changes to classic dishes. With our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe, we promise you will love it just as much as traditional lasagna. It’s still filled with the delicious cheesy goodness through cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and mozzarella.

Our secret weapon to a healthier version is spaghetti squash. If you haven’t had a chance to cook with spaghetti squash yet, trust me. Spaghetti squash has a spaghetti noodle like consistency with a slightly sweet flavor. It pairs perfectly in this vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna recipe with the cheese mixture and marinara sauce.

And, I mean – have you ever eaten lasagna out of an actual spaghetti squash? That’s just one less dish to wash. I call that a win.

Where’s the Recipe?

At My Crazy Good Life, we write our recipes to help all of our readers be empowered and successful in the kitchen. We realize that all of our readers have a variety of levels of confidence when cooking.

Each recipe post is full of detailed ingredient information and recipe instructions, tips and tricks, healthy eating plan points, and nutritional information. If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, you might want to skip the detailed instructions and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe.

Ingredients in Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

• Spaghetti Squash: This is the real MVP of the dish. It’s the noodle replacement of the the classic lasagna dish, and we guarantee you won’t miss the noodles in this recipe. When cutting the spaghetti squash in half, you’ll want to be sure to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise. This will give you bigger squash boats to work with. Need more help with this vegetable? Read this article for how to cook, cut, and eat a spaghetti squash.
• Cauliflower: I love adding cauliflower to recipes because it takes on the flavors of the ingredients served with it. The cauliflower also helps the sauce and cheese fillings bulk up a bit.
• Cottage cheese: We prefer using the 2% fat cottage cheese when making our spaghetti squash lasagna.
• Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt offers a lot of extra protein to this recipe. We prefer to use the 2% fat Greek yogurt.
• Garlic: Is it even considered a lasagna if it doesn’t have the delicious flavors of fresh garlic included? I prefer fresh minced garlic for this recipe.
• Basil: If you have fresh basil on hand, that’d be perfect, however you can also use dried basil for this recipe.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is a classic spice of all things comfort. Often times oregano is found in Italian seasoning, however we opted to use oregano alone for our spaghetti squash lasagna boats.
• Parsley: If you have fresh parsley on hand, great. If not, dried parsley will work perfectly for this. We love recipes that don’t require 3-4 fresh herbs every time you make a recipe.
• Pasta sauce: Look for a spaghetti sauce with no added sugar. You’ll only need a little bit for this recipe, but did you know that you can freeze extra pasta sauce in ice cube trays? It’s perfect to have on hand when you only need a little bit of sauce.
• Spinach: Baby leaf spinach is the size you are looking for in our spaghetti squash lasagna recipe. If you only have regular sized spinach, that will work too.
• Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella cheese, melted and slightly browned on top of the spaghetti squash. Does it get any better than that?

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna in Instant Pot

1. Place the trivet inside the inner pot and add 2 cups of water.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. It’s ok if they’re not completely flat – lean them up against the sides if you have to.
3. Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to Sealing.
4. Press Pressure Cook (high) and cook for 7 minutes.
5. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl.
6. When the squash is done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally and then remove the squash and cauliflower from the pot.
7. Move the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients. Place your spaghetti squash on a baking sheet.
8. Preheat the broiler in your oven on high so you can brown the lasagna boats.
9. Using a fork, hollow out the spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
10. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
11. Spoon one half of the squash mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella.
12. Place the boats on the baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Don’t walk away from the oven while you have food broiling, as it cooks super quick and you can easily burn it.
13. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• If the spaghetti squash boats (halves) don’t sit flat in the Instant Pot, you may slightly angle them against the sides of the pot.
• A natural release in an Instant Pot simply means to let the sealing valve remain as is and allow the pressure to naturally release. This usually takes about 10 minutes. If your pressure isn’t released by then, you can manually release it.
• The cook time for the squash can differ slightly, depending on the size and age of the squash, so adjust as needed. (A large spaghetti squash will take longer to cook in the Instant Pot). If the squash doesn’t easily scrape out of the shells, place the shells back in the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 3 more minutes with another natural release.)
• Our recipe is for a vegetarian lasagna. If you prefer your spaghetti squash boats with meat, simply cook and add ground turkey or ground beef to the cheese mixture. Please note that all healthy eating plan points will need to be recalculated, and we haven’t tested this version of the recipe.
• If you like a little kick in your lasagna, feel free to add some red pepper flakes.
• Are you meal prepping? Store this recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Microwave each thawed serving for 1½ to 2 minutes.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

2B Mindset

This recipe is a perfect lunch or dinner recipe.

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Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe is lighter than traditional lasagna. Greek yogurt gives this meal prep recipe a creamy texture and extra protein.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Lasagna, spaghetti squash

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Natural Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 269kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• 1 Instant Pot 6 qt
• 1 Instant Pot Trivet
• 1 Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 spaghetti squash small
• 1 ½ cups cauliflower chopped
• ¼ cup cottage cheese 2%
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 2%
• 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ cup pasta sauce no sugar added
• ½ cup baby leaf spinach
• ¼ cup mozzarella shredded

Instructions

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Add water below trivet in Instant Pot. Place spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. 2 cups water, 1 spaghetti squash
• Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. 1 ½ cups cauliflower
• Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 7 minutes.
• While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth and creamy. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl. ¼ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried parsley
• When the cook time for the squash is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Transfer the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients.
• Preheat your oven broiler on high.
• Using a fork, hollow out each spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
• Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
• Spoon one half of the mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. ¼ cup pasta sauce, ½ cup baby leaf spinach, ¼ cup mozzarella
• Place the boats on a baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

• Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

• 1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 952mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1561IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Spaghetti Squash Lasagna appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Our Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites are the perfect dish to enjoy on game day, but also healthy enough to make anytime a craving hits. Our buffalo chicken bites are made with simple ingredients, yet full of delicious buffalo sauce flavor that make this the perfect appetizer!  

Classic buffalo wings are deep fried, tossed in butter, then tossed in buffalo sauce. Even Instant Pot buffalo chicken wings are typically not the best choice for your healthy eating plan.

Chicken wings are made up almost entirely of fat, and while butter is fine in moderation, the sheer amount used in most wing recipes is not. This healthy chicken recipe hits all your favorite buffalo sauce flavors, and is more filling because you’re getting the meat, not just skin.

While this recipe is written for the Instant Pot, you can cook it in any electric pressure cooker! It takes about 15 minutes. These spicy, buttery, Buffalo Chicken Boneless Wings are a healthy homemade version alternative to traditional buffalo wings. 

Boneless buffalo chicken bites go great with a side of celery sticks, carrot sticks, turnip fries, and homemade ranch dressing dipping sauce.

Our bite-sized pieces are the perfect protein to share with family and friends. It’s an easy appetizer, and I guarantee your friends will be asking for this recipe. 

Where’s the Recipe?

My readers come from all levels of experience in the kitchen and I receive a lot of questions about recipes. To better serve everyone, I’m committed to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.

If you’d like to skip over buffalo chicken ingredient information, the recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy to print Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites recipe card!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

• Chicken breast: Chicken breasts are a healthy low carb protein source. Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great for this recipe. If you prefer dark meat you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this buffalo chicken recipe.
• Cayenne pepper: Cayenne blends nicely with the hot sauce to create the perfect spicy flavor for your buffalo sauce. If you need to tame the spice level a bit, feel free to omit or decrease the amount of cayenne pepper. 
• Butter: I use butter in this buffalo chicken recipe, because traditional fried chicken bites have that delicious buttery flavor. If you prefer, you can use another type of fat like avocado oil or olive oil to cook your chicken in.
• Black pepper: Good seasoned chicken needs black pepper.
• Franks Hot Sauce: There are a lot of different buffalo sauces available, but I prefer the original Frank’s red hot sauce. Traditional buffalo sauce has a ton of extra ingredients in it that make it less healthy. The Frank’s red hot sauce is just salt, peppers, and vinegar. This is all you need and you will still get all the buffalo flavor. You won’t miss the extra stuff, I promise!
• (Optional) Ranch Seasoning: If you need to make some dip, our ranch seasoning is the best! Scroll down to find the recipe for our ranch dip in the recipe tips below.

How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

Time needed: 16 minutes

1. Slice & Sauté: First you will want to slice your chicken breasts into bite size pieces or strips, and then turn your pot to Sauté. Next melt your butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, place the chicken, seasonings, and 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce (reserve an extra 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce to add at the end) into your pot with the melted butter. Finally, place chicken in a single layer. Make sure to avoid overlapping of the chicken pieces.  
2. Pressure Cook: Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
3. Quick Release: Once the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and then remove the lid. The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer reads the internal temperature of the buffalo bites to 165 degrees F. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce on top and then eat now, or skip ahead to Step 4 for my preferred method.
4. Optional Broil: Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet and drizzle it with the remaining ¼ cup of buffalo sauce. Then broil for 2-3 minutes until the buffalo sauce is thickened and the chicken bites are golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then serve with carrots, celery, or your favorite sides like ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe goes perfectly with our ranch dip. If you need to make some dip, this ranch seasoning is the best! Take a small container of plain Greek yogurt, and add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp parsley, and 1/2 tsp dill. Stir to combine.
• If you’re making this recipe with frozen chicken breasts, increase the cook time to 16 minutes and cut into bite-sized pieces after it’s cooked. 
• If you’re short on time you can skip broiling and just toss the cooked chicken with the remaining buffalo sauce, but broiling is the best way to get that golden brown crispy exterior.
• Our Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites are most delicious when they are fresh. However, you may save any remaining chicken leftovers for meal prep by storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat simply warm the buffalo chicken bites in an air fryer basket on low, or in the oven at a low temperature. 

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

See this post for our WW Buffalo Chicken Bites.

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. 

Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon. 

2B Mindset Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner. 

Trim Healthy Mama Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

These buffalo chicken bites are a THM-S recipe with no changes.

Love all things buffalo chicken? Try these other healthy buffalo sauce recipes:

• 21 Day Fix Buffalo Chicken Dip Shredded buffalo chicken dip is a classic appetizer that is always a hit at parties and gatherings. However, traditional buffalo chicken dip can be high in calories and fat. This healthy buffalo dip uses shredded chicken breasts, plus cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, instead of cream cheese, to lighten things up without sacrificing flavor.
• Frozen Cauliflower In Air Fryer I’m always looking for a good recipe using buffalo sauce. These Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are so easy to make and are the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish.
• Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Buffalo sauce recipes are usually a big hit in our house, so I was excited to try out this great recipe for my family. It’s a healthy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with shredded chicken, and is a great way to get in some extra protein and veggies!
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups These Buffalo Chicken Breasts Roll Ups are a delicious quick dinner recipe! Mixing cottage cheese with buffalo sauce and ranch spices gives these roll ups a spicy and creamy center that’s a satisfying main course cuisine.
• Buffalo Pasta with Shredded Chicken This easy buffalo chicken pasta recipe is a family favorite in my house, and is a great addition to your weekly meal rotation. This pasta dish is made with shredded chicken breasts and is topped with a protein packed spicy buffalo sauce. It’s one of my favorite Instant Pot recipes.
• Buffalo Cauliflower Dip I add chicken breasts to this shredded chicken buffalo cauliflower dip to really get in some extra protein. It’s a healthy, game day appetizer that you can cook in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove top.

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Buffalo Chicken Bites

These spicy, buttery, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Boneless Wings are the perfect healthy recipe. They cook right in the Instant Pot, so they’re fast and cleanup is easy.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Buffalo Chicken Bites

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes minutes

Total Time 16 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 222kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breast defrosted, cut into strips (I’ve also used frozen chicken breasts, please see below)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce not buffalo sauce
• 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce save for after chicken has been cooked

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Slice your chicken into bite-size strips. 2 lbs chicken breast
• Set your Instant Pot to sauté and melt your butter. Once melted, add your chicken and seasoning. Then, stir in ½ cup of Franks Hot Sauce and stir well. 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
• Close and lock the lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the pot. You can drizzle the remaining hot sauce on it and eat it now, or broil on a baking sheet. 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
• Optional: Using tongs, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush the chicken with the additional 1/4 cup hot sauce. Brown the chicken and thicken the sauce by placing under the broiler for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and repeat on the other side. Let the chicken cool 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans:  

• 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon. 
• 2B Mindset: Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner. 
• Trim Healthy Mama: This is a THM-S recipe with no changes.
• Weight Watchers: See this post for the WW version.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Buffalo Chicken Bites appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe is an easy and absolutely delicious weeknight meal. It’s one of my favorite gluten free recipes and it can be cooked in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or right on the stove top!

I love making this Healthy Cauliflower Rice for my family because it is an easy way to get all the veggies into your diet. My family loves it because they love fried rice, and this healthier version tastes just as good as typical fried rice.

Chicken cauliflower rice is a low carb, keto, healthy meal, and is so easy to adapt to your preferences!

Where’s the recipe?

We have readers of all different cooking abilities that visit My Crazy Good Life. Whether you are new in the kitchen or have been cooking your whole life, we want our recipes to be easy for you to follow.

Because of that, we write our posts with a lot of information. Below you will find ingredient info, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to skip past all of that, you can simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will find the easy to print Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe card.

Ingredients in Cauliflower Fried Rice

• Olive oil: I use olive oil in this fried rice recipe but coconut or avocado oil would work well too.
• Garlic: fresh minced garlic is so delicious in this cauliflower fried rice.
• Onion: choose your favorite variety! I usually use red or yellow onion in this healthy fried rice.
• Chicken thighs: cooked chicken is a great source of protein. I used chicken thighs in this fried rice recipe, but you can use chicken breast, or even omit the chicken entirely and add cubed tofu if you’d like.
• Bell peppers: bell peppers are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and are especially high in vitamin C. Choose you favorite color variety of bells, they’re all healthy food.
• Zucchini: zucchini is a mild fruit (yes, fruit) that may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease.
• Cauliflower: for this cauliflower fried rice I use fresh cauliflower and cut it into florets. You can use frozen cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice, but I would cook it separately and then add it at the end.
• Coconut aminos: coconut aminos are a great choice for replacing soy sauce if you have gluten, soy, sugar, or other food allergies found in soy sauce. If you can’t find coconut aminos you can use low sodium soy sauce, or tamari (which is another awesome soy sauce alternative) in this fried rice recipe.
• Lime juice: I love using lime juice in this recipe. It adds a fresh and bright taste that you’ll love!
• Eggs: not only do eggs add great taste and help hold fried rice together, they are also considered a complete source of high quality protein because they contain all nine essential amino acids.
• Green onions (optional): chopped green onions add a nice flavor and pop of color to your fried rice.

How to cook cauliflower rice in the Instant Pot

1. Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the sauté button to heat the oil.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in the Instant Pot for about 1 minute until they start to soften.
3. Add the chicken and let brown for 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the chicken has browned dump in the peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, coconut aminos, and lime juice.
5. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” button for 1 minute. Release the pressure by doing a quick release.
6. Open the lid. Use a fork and break apart the cauliflower into small pieces to make your riced cauliflower rice. If there is a lot of liquid from the cauliflower and zucchini drain some of the liquid. You’ll want to keep about 2 tbsp of liquid for added flavor.
7. Mix in the optional cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side and turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode.
8. In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the beaten eggs into the empty side of the Instant Pot to make your scrambled eggs. You can spray your pot with coconut or olive oil first if you need to.
9. Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower rice.
10. Serve cauliflower fried rice immediately and top with optional green onions, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How to cook cauliflower fried rice in the slow cooker

1. Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker except the cheese and eggs.
2. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked and the cauliflower is tender.
3. Remove the lid and, using a fork, break the cauliflower into pieces to make your cauliflower rice.
4. Mix in the cheese and allow it to melt.
5. In a skillet, cook the scrambled eggs and then mix them with the cauliflower rice in the slow cooker.
6. Serve cauliflower fried rice immediately and top with optional green onions.

Make this cauliflower fried rice on the stove top

1. Heat the oil in high heat in a large skillet.
2. In your hot pan, sauté the garlic and onions for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften.
3. Add the chicken, zucchini, and bell peppers. Let them sauté for 1-2 minutes.
4. Turn the stove to medium heat. Add the cauliflower, lime juice, and aminos to the skillet.
5. Cover the skillet and allow the cauliflower to cook for 10 minutes or until it is tender and broken easily with a fork.
6. Use a fork to break up the cauliflower to make your cauliflower rice.
7. Mix in the cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side.
8. In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the whisked eggs into the empty side of the skillet to cook.
9. Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried rice. Serve fried rice immediately and top with optional chopped green onions.

Recipe tips

• Cutting a head of raw cauliflower can be intimidating. If you’d like some pointers on how to get your cauliflower ready to make cauliflower fried rice, you can find tips here.
• I love making this cauliflower fried rice for meal prep. Just cook as directed above and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
• I don’t recommend freezing this because you will end up with mushy fried rice. If you are cooking for one and really feel like you won’t be able to use this up before it would go bad, I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half.
• If you choose to cut the recipe in half, just take half the amount of ingredients and cook as described for your chosen method. It’s not necessary to alter the cooking times, everything will come out just fine.
• One of the reasons I love this cauliflower fried rice is because it is so versatile! Sub fresh broccoli for the zucchini, or add in frozen peas. Craving the nutty aroma of toasted sesame oil? Splash a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil to your cauliflower fried rice when it’s done cooking. If you like a little heat, sprinkle on some red pepper flakes at the end.
• Don’t forget to adjust your containers or points if you make any changes to this cauliflower fried rice recipe.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice

Entire recipe: 8 green containers, 5 red containers, Optional 1 blue container if you add cheese.

Per serving: (makes 4 servings) 2 green containers, 1 1/4 red container, Negligible (optional) blue per serving

Weight Watchers

Each serving of this cauliflower fried rice is 4 2023 Plan Points | 4 Blue Plan Points | 5 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points when using skinless chicken thighs.

This cauliflower rice is a better option than regular fried rice. It’s a low point recipe for lunch, dinner, and for meal prepping. I didn’t factor in any of the optional ingredients so be sure you add those in if you are adding cheese.

If you are looking for ways to reduce the points you can always make this with boneless skinless chicken breasts, which will remove most of the points. Personally I use the thighs because it makes this cauliflower rice more flavorful.

Trim Healthy Mama

This would be a crossover recipe on THM and you would need to make the following substitutions:

• Coconut Aminos: use “Liquid Aminos” instead
• Olive oil: use MCT or coconut oil
• Use chicken breasts instead of thighs to bring down the fat content in the cauliflower rice. If it’s under 5 grams you can count this as an E!

Looking for more healthy Asian recipes like this fried rice?

• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice These Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice are a healthy and delicious meal that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. This recipe is vegan and gluten free, and it is packed with protein and nutrients. 
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken Serve this healthy Orange Chicken with brown rice or cauliflower rice for a healthy complete meal. This Orange chicken has a sweet and savory sauce that you will love!
• Chicken Lo Mein This Healthy Chicken Lo Mein stir fry is an easy and healthy recipe to make in your Instant Pot or on the stove top.
• Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta I love making Chinese food at home, and this healthy Bang Bang Shrimp pasta is one of my favorite shrimp recipes to make.
• Healthy Drunken Noodles This Healthy Drunken Noodles recipe is an easy stir fry noodle dish that your entire family will love. It comes together fast and works great for a weeknight meal.

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Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice

This Cauliflower Fried Recipe is an easy and delicious weeknight meal! Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice is low carb and keto, healthy and so easy to adapt for your preferences!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword 21 Day Fix, cauliflower rice, healthy, Recipes, Weight Watchers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 362kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Crockpot
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 1 lb. chicken thighs chopped
• 1 cups bell pepper diced
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini diced
• 5 cups cauliflower cut into florets
• 3 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 eggs

Optional ingredients: Salt, Pepper, and Cheese

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the sauté button to heat the oil.1 tsp olive oil
• Saute the garlic and onions in the Instant Pot for about 1 minute until they start to soften. 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion
• Add the chicken and let brown for 2-3 minutes.1 lb. chicken thighs
• Once the chicken has browned dump in the bell peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, coconut aminos, and lime juice. 1 cups bell pepper, 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 5 cups cauliflower, 3 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tbsp lime juice
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” button for 1 minute. Release the pressure by doing a quick release.
• Open the lid. Use a fork to break apart the cauliflower into small pieces to make your “rice”. If there is a lot of liquid from the cauliflower and zucchini drain some of the liquid. You’ll want to keep about 2 tbsp of liquid for added flavor.
• Mix in the optional cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side and turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode.
• In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the eggs into the empty side of the Instant Pot to cook.You can spray your pot with coconut or olive oil first if you need to. 2 eggs
• Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried “rice.” Serve or pack for meal prep.

Stove Top:

• Heat the oil in high heat in a skillet. 1 tsp olive oil
• Sauté the garlic and onions for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion
• Add the chicken, zucchini, and bell peppers. Let them sauté for 1-2 minutes. 1 lb. chicken thighs , 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 1 cups bell pepper
• Turn the stove to medium heat. Add the cauliflower, lime juice, and coconut aminos to the skillet. Cover the skillet and allow the cauliflower to cook for 10-15 minutes or until it is tender and broken easily with a fork. 5 cups cauliflower, 1 tbsp lime juice, 3 tbsp coconut aminos
• Use a fork to break up the cauliflower to form your “rice”.
• Mix in the cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side.
• In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the eggs into the empty side of the skillet to cook. 2 eggs
• Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried “rice.” Serve or pack for meal prep.

Slow Cooker:

• Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker except the cheese and eggs. 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion, 1 lb. chicken thighs , 1 cups bell pepper, 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 5 cups cauliflower
• Cover with the lid and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked and the cauliflower is tender.
• Remove the lid and break the cauliflower into pieces with a fork.
• Mix in the cheese and allow it to melt.
• In a skillet scramble the eggs then mix them into with the fried rice in the slow cooker. 2 eggs
• Serve or pack for meal prep.

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix: Entire recipe: 8G 5R Optional 1B | Per serving: (4 servings) 2G 1 1/4 R Negligible (optional) blue per serving | 

Weight Watchers: 4 2023 Plan Points | 4 Blue Plan Points | 5 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1467IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

With just the right amount of sweet, spicy, and creamy, this Instant Pot Chinese food recipe will be a hit with the whole family. Plus, this great recipe uses a lower calorie Greek yogurt instead of mayo, cream cheese, or heavy cream, so you can keep the dish creamy while making it healthier.

My family requests that I make my Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta often, as it is one of their favorite pasta recipes. I especially love this shrimp pasta dish for busy weeknights because it’s quick and easy to make, whether you cook it in the Instant Pot, on the stove, or in a slow cooker.

Where’s the Recipe?

Readers with all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen visit My Crazy Good Life for healthy and delicious recipes. To make sure you get great results, whether you just started cooking or have made this recipe before, I like to provide a ton of helpful information in my recipes.

However, if you’d like to skip over different variations for making this dish, as well as recipe tips and healthy eating plan information, please just scroll to the bottom of the post where you’ll find an easy-to-print version of this healthier Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe!

Ingredients in Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

• Dry whole wheat spaghetti noodles: Whole wheat noodles are packed with 3x the fiber and also contain protein, iron, and zinc. You can use angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti if you like. Just note that angel hair pasta doesn’t boil as long as cooked spaghetti noodles.
• Raw FROZEN jumbo, peeled and deveined shrimp: You’ll want to make sure you use raw frozen shrimp because using raw unfrozen or pre-cooked shrimp will affect your cooking times. Definitely make sure to use deveined and peeled shrimp, too. Do not let the frozen shrimp thaw before cooking.
• Minced garlic: Use fresh minced garlic if you can, as it will give a great punch of flavor to this dish. If you’re out of fresh minced garlic, though, garlic powder will do in a pinch.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil will add a fresh, tropical flavor to this creamy pasta dish. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can swap it for olive oil (but remember that this will change the nutritional counts).
• Honey: A little honey adds just a touch of sweetness to this delicious dish!
• Fresno Pepper: A Fresno pepper is a lot like a jalapeño, but is slightly spicier with smokey undertones. It can add wonderfully complex flavor to a dish. If you prefer, though, a jalapeño will work well in this dish, too! If you don’t want your pasta too spicy or don’t have any peppers on hand, chili powder or red pepper flakes will do, but they will slightly change the flavor of the meal.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice will perfectly complement the coconut oil in adding a tropical zing to your pasta.
• Black Pepper: Fresh ground black pepper contrasts so well with the sweetness of the honey.
• Rice vinegar: Look for unsweetened or unflavored rice vinegar to add a bit of tang to this dish.
• Plain 2% Greek yogurt: Instead of using mayo or cream cheese, this healthy version of Bang Bang Shrimp pasta substitutes plain Greek yogurt. Be sure to purchase the 2%.
• Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce: Sriracha sauce is easy to get at most grocery stores, but other hot sauces such as Thai sweet chili sauce will work well, too.
• Green onion: I like using green onions to bring a bit of color and crunch to this pasta dish.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in the Instant Pot

When calculating your total cooking time, don’t forget to allow a few minutes for your pressure cooker to come to pressure!

1. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up.
2. Next, add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles.
4. Toss in the frozen shrimp, salt, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles.
5. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
6. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes.
7. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
8. Slowly mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. If you like your pasta less creamy, use less yogurt.
9. Serve while still hot.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in a Slow Cooker

1. In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions.
2. Add the lid to the slow cooker.
3. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
5. Serve.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta on the Stove Top

1. Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot according to the directions on the box. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse in cool water.
2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil (or olive oil) on medium-high heat.
3. Sauté the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, salt and pepper to the skillet.
4. Mix it up and allow the spices to coat the shrimp, and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted.
5. Remove the lid. Mix the honey, rice vinegar, and Sriracha or other hot sauce in a small mixing bowl, and then add to the shrimp.
6. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
7. Turn off the heat. Add the hot pasta noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
8. Garnish and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• This delicious recipe has shrimp. We love to eat shrimp, however cooking shrimp can be a little tricky the first time, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it. You’ll be looking for the shrimp to turn pink and a little bit white instead of gray and translucent or “clear.” Uncooked shrimp is usually gray and translucent, so if you are still seeing that color they are not cooked enough. If your shrimp are bright white, you may have overcooked them.
• The internal temperature of shrimp when fully cooked is 120º, as measured by a meat thermometer. You’re looking for the shrimp to form a C shape when they’re finished cooking. If you see an O shape, they’re overcooked.
• The Fresno peppers make this a spicy dish! You can use peppers with less spice or omit the peppers entirely if you’d rather not have spice in this dish, and it won’t affect the cooking time or quality of the dish.
• If, on the other hand, you’d rather this pasta be a bit spicier, I’d recommend using a spicer pepper like serrano instead of Fresno peppers, and adding a teaspoon or two more of red pepper flakes for some serious spice. Do note that using red pepper flakes will modify the overall flavors of the original sauce ingredients.
• This pasta can be made gluten free by using brown rice noodles or zucchini noodles. Both have a much shorter cook time, as do zucchini noodles, so keep that in mind while you’re making this recipe. The sauce recipe will stay the same as it is gluten free already.
• This dish is not dairy free because of the Greek yogurt. You can substitute plain greek yogurt with a dairy free yogurt if you have one that you like, or add an extra bit of olive oil for a dairy free Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta that isn’t dry.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix & 21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 6 yellow containers | 4 red containers | 1/2 green containers | 1 tsp | 12 sweetener teaspoons

Per serving: 1 yellow container | Just over 1/2 red container | negligible green container | negligible teaspoon | 2 sweetener teaspoons

2B Mindset

This makes a great lunch, you’ll need to add some extra veggies to make sure you hit your percentages for those.

Weight Watchers

9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

More Healthy Recipes

• Spring Roll Salad
• Healthy Drunken Noodles
• Healthy Orange Chicken Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
• Instant Pot Tofu Pad Thai

Print

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

This Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta will satisfy your restaurant cravings without all of the calories you might find in Chinese takeout.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 3 tsp garlic minced
• 1/4 cup Fresno peppers diced
• 13 oz whole wheat pasta spaghetti noodles, dry
• 4 cups water
• 1 lb shrimp jumbo, raw and FROZEN, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp vinegar rice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up. 1 tsp coconut oil
• Next add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers
• Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles. 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water
• Toss in the frozen shrimp, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime
• Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
• Mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. Serve while still hot. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp sriracha , 1/2 cup green onions

Stove top:

• Cook the spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse in cool water. 13 oz whole wheat pasta
• In a skillet heat to coconut oil on medium high heat. Saute the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, and pepper to the skillet. Mix it up and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 1 lb shrimp, 1 lime, 1/4 tsp pepper
• Remove the lid. Mix in the honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and opaque. 1/4 cup honey, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Turn off the heat. Add the noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Garnish and serve warm. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Slow cooker:

• In the slow cooker insert combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water, 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Add the lid to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Serve. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Video

Notes

Serves 6

21 Day Fix counts for the entire recipe: 6 yellow containers, 4 red containers, 1 tsp, 12 sweetener teaspoons, 1/2G  green container.

Per serving: 1 yellow container, Just over 1/2 red container, negligible teaspoon, 2 sweetener teaspoons, negligible green container.

Weight Watchers: 9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg

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The post Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Stuffed pepper soup is an easy meal to get on the table–just a few healthy ingredients in the slow cooker or pressure cooker and it pretty much makes itself. This is a great recipe for meal prep and is one that your entire family will love it!

This soup is one of the oldest recipes on My Crazy Good Life, and like all good things it needed a small update. I’ve changed some ingredients around and I love this recipe even more now. You can still find the original recipe below, but the new printable recipe will reflect the new and improved version. 

Where’s the recipe?

We want to make sure that everyone can easily make this recipe–whether this is the first time you’ve cooked in the kitchen or you’ve been doing it for years.

This recipe can be cooked in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker, in the Crock Pot, or right on the stove. In this post you will find detailed instructions in all three cooking methods, as well as ingredient information, recipe tips, healthy eating plan calculations, and similar recipes for you to try down the road.

If you are comfortable in the kitchen and just need the basic recipe, scroll right down to the bottom of this post where you will find the easy to print recipe for this Delicious and Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup!

Ingredients in Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

The ingredients in this recipe are simple and nutritious. Using them for a soup instead of making stuffed peppers is an easy way to get healthy food into your daily diet.

• Ground meat: I prefer to use turkey because it is lower in saturated fat than ground beef of the same fat percentage. Any ground meat, like ground beef or even ground chicken will work for this stuffed bell pepper soup.
• Broth or water: I suggest using beef broth if you’re using ground beef and chicken broth if you’re using poultry. You can use vegetable broth or water if you don’t have the others on hand.
• Diced tomatoes: I always buy low sodium canned tomatoes.
• Tomato sauce: Also low sodium, when available.
• Brown rice: use dry and uncooked rice, not instant rice.
• Bell peppers: I typically buy red bell pepper and green bell peppers when I make stuffed pepper soup, but you can choose your favorite variety of bell pepper for this recipe. No matter the color, all bell peppers are packed with vitamins and minerals.
• Onions: Any type of onion works great for this stuffed pepper soup.
• Salt & pepper: salt and black pepper to taste.
• Garlic: fresh minced garlic cloves are preferred, but you can use garlic powder if that’s all you have.
• Oregano: dried oregano is a key ingredients in Italian seasoning, and tastes wonderful in this stuffed pepper soup.

How to make Stuffed Peppers Soup in the Instant Pot

1. First, dice your bell peppers and onions and then set them aside.
2. Next, spray your pot with nonstick cooking spray and press the sauté button. (You can use olive oil if you don’t have cooking spray.)
3. Then add the ground meat to the pot and stir it occasionally until it is no longer pink. Drain the liquid, if necessary (this is probably necessary only if you use ground beef). Read this if you’re using frozen ground turkey.
4. Now add your other ingredients to the Pressure Cooker: broth or water, tomatoes (including the juice), tomato sauce, the uncooked rice, diced bell peppers and onions, black pepper, garlic, oregano, and salt.
5. Close the lid and turn your valve to from Venting to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
6. When the soup is finished cooking, immediately release the pressure quickly by moving the valve to “vent.” This is called a Quick Release and will make the steam come out of the pot fast, so keep your hands clear.
7. If by chance your rice isn’t cooked through, you have two options:
   1. Press the Sauté button and allow soup to cook for 5 more minutes, then turn the pot off and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
   2. Place the lid back on the pot, set the valve to Sealing again, and set the time for 2 minutes. The soup will continue cooking as it comes back to pressure. Quick pressure release when cook time is finished.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to make Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup in the Crock Pot

This is a really easy slow cooker stuffed pepper soup recipe…in just a few steps you’ll have a delicious and family friendly meal ready and on the table. Our entire family loves stuffed pepper soup!

1. First, dice your bell peppers and onions and then set them aside.
2. Now brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the cooked ground turkey, broth or water, tomatoes (including the juice), can tomato sauce, chopped bell peppers and onions, black pepper, garlic, oregano, and salt to the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Your rice should be added 1 hour before end of cooking. With this method of cooking, you can also cook rice separately in a rice cooker. Just stir cooked rice to the soup right at the end of your cooking time – I prefer to add cooked rice when I make stuffed pepper soup in the slow cooker. 
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to make Stuffed Peppers Soup on the Stovetop

1. First, dice your bell peppers and onions and then set them aside.
2. Next, add ground beef or turkey to a large pot or dutch oven and sauté over medium high heat until the meat is no longer pink.
3. Then add the broth or water, tomatoes (including the juice), tomato sauce, chopped bell peppers and onions, rice, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-high, then cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Test the peppers and rice to make sure they are cooked enough for you before removing the soup from the stove top.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Tips

• If you choose to use white rice in this stuffed peppers soup recipe instead of brown, you can reduce the pressure cooker cook time to 4 minutes.
• If you are using long grain rice, like jasmine rice, you might have to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
• Test your cooked rice to make sure it is done before eating. If the rice is old or stale, it will not cook as fast and might need some more time.
• If you would like a bit of spice in this recipe, try adding a diced jalapeño or red pepper flakes.
• This recipe is easy to freeze and reheats well in the microwave. It is one of my favorite meal prep recipes! Store the cooked and cooled stuffed pepper soup in an airtight container until you’re ready to eat. This hearty soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for 2 months. If you freeze this, thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat in the microwave for a quick meal.
• If you’re looking for a low carb version of this soup, you can substitute cauliflower rice (just warm it separately and add it to the soup right before eating) or you can leave out the rice completely.
• This stuffed pepper soup is not only easy to make, but it’s super versatile! Add your favorite vegetables and herbs, like diced carrots, chopped fresh parsley or even fresh cilantro. You can also top it with shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese.

Healthy Eating Plans

I love this stuffed peppers soup when I’m watching my weight because it is filling and contains a good mix of healthy slow burning carbs and vegetables. It’s compatible with many diet plans!

If you end up making any changes to the recipe, like adding shredded cheese or sour cream, be sure to recalculate your points, containers, or nutrition calories to reflect the additions you’ve made.

21 Day Fix Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

If you’re on the 21 Day Fix, make this recipe with ground turkey. Your serving size will be about 2 cups (1/4 recipe) and will count as 1 Red container, 1 1/4 Green container, and 1 yellow container per serving.

Trim Healthy Mama

For THM, use ground extra lean turkey and drain the fat after browning. This is a THM-E recipe.

Weight Watchers

Looking for the Weight Watchers Stuffed Pepper Soup? You can find the WW version right here, including all the point calculations.

Looking for the “old” recipe?

As I mentioned above, the original recipe has been improved! If you are a fan of the previous recipe, you can find it right here–you will just be switching the seasonings. Instead of using the black pepper, garlic, oregano, and salt above you’ll use these measurements:

• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Looking for more soup recipes?

• Healthy Cream of Chicken Soup This healthy Cream of Chicken Soup can be made both dairy free and gluten free. I love using this creamy soup recipe as a canned cream of chicken substitute for the condensed soup you’d normally buy in grocery stores.
• Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup Whether you’re looking for a comforting soup to eat on cold nights or something healthy for a casserole base, this delicious creamy mushroom soup recipe will hit the spot.
• Vegan Minestrone Soup Recipe This easy Vegan Minestrone Soup recipe is packed full of fresh veggies, cooked pasta, and savory vegetable broth. It’s a great winter soup that you can eat year round!
• Butternut Squash Soup Recipe This Dairy free butternut squash soup recipe is a creamy soup made with simple ingredients. It can be easily made on the stove top for a quick weeknight dinner and, the best part is, it tastes even better the next day – making it perfect for meal prep!
• Rotisserie Chicken Soup Recipe Making this rotisserie chicken soup with salsa is quick and easy. It’s the perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love. This is my favorite soup to make on cold winter days.
• Healthy Gazpacho Soup Recipe This Gazpacho Soup is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. Traditionally served as a cold soup, Gazpacho has a tomato base and focuses on the fresh flavor of ripe vegetables and a variety of spices

Print

Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

This healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup recipe is an easy weeknight meal! Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper soup with rice is a kid-friendly dinner that you can make in the Crockpot or right on the stove.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Stuffed Pepper Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Saute time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 371kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Sealing Rings
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey you can use beef or chicken if you'd like
• 1 medium onion chopped (any type will do!)
• 3 medium bell peppers chopped (I've added up to four peppers, and it's yummy!)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes including the liquid
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry brown rice short grain
• 2 cups chicken broth or water

Seasonings:

• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

Pressure Cooker:

• Sauté the ground turkey until no longer pink. Drain liquid, if necessary. 1 lb ground turkey
• Add all of the other ingredients to the pressure cooker. Close the lid and seal your vent. 1 medium onion, 3 medium bell peppers, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes , 15 oz can tomato sauce, 1/2 cup dry brown rice, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp oregano, ¼ tsp pepper, ⅛ tsp salt
• Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
• Quick pressure release. If you'd like to let the pressure release naturally for a few minutes, it'll be fine sitting there.

Crockpot:

• Brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium heat. 1 lb ground turkey
• Add the ground turkey, broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped peppers and onion, black pepper, garlic, oregano, and salt to the Crock Pot. 2 cups chicken broth, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 15 oz can tomato sauce, 3 medium bell peppers, 1 medium onion, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp oregano, ⅛ tsp salt
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• Add your uncooked rice about 1 hour before cook time is finished. You can also cook rice separately and add it right before serving. 1/2 cup dry brown rice

Stovetop:

• Sauté the ground turkey in a large pot until no longer pink. 1 lb ground turkey
• Add broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped peppers and onions, rice, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-high, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. 2 cups chicken broth, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes , 15 oz can tomato sauce, 3 medium bell peppers, 1/2 cup dry brown rice, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp oregano, ⅛ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
• Test the peppers to make sure they’re cooked enough for you before removing the soup from the stovetop.

Video

Notes

The previous recipe was the same except for the seasonings–if you prefer that recipe, omit the spices in the above recipe and add these instead: 

• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

21 Day Fix Stuffed Pepper Soup: If you’re on the 21 Day Fix, make this recipe with ground turkey. Your serving size will be about 2 cups (1/4 recipe) and will count as 1 Red container, 1 1/4 Green container, and 1 yellow container per serving.

Trim Healthy Mama: For THM, use ground extra lean turkey and drain the fat after browning. This is a THM-E recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 1234mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 4162IU | Vitamin C: 163mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I love ordering authentic kung pao chicken when we get Chinese takeout. The sweet and tangy sauce is my favorite, but it’s not the healthiest. That’s why I was determined to create a healthy kung pao chicken recipe that I could enjoy at home.

This filling recipe is satisfying and packed with nutritious vegetables and protein-rich chicken breasts. You are going to love this healthy kung pao chicken recipe!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all levels of comfort in the kitchen. Whether you’re just starting out or are a pro, we want you to feel confident when you make our recipes.

To best serve all of our readers, we write our posts with lots of information. In the article below, you’ll find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips and tricks, as well as healthy eating plan calculations.

If you’d like to skip past all of that, go ahead and scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for Healthy Kung Pao Chicken.

Ingredients in Healthy Kung Pao Chicken

• Brown rice: I use brown rice because it is less processed than white rice. It also has a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus I just like the taste. You can use your favorite type of rice for this recipe, just note that the healthy eating plan calculations, nutrition facts, and cooking instructions will be different. Some other great rice options would be basmati or jasmine rice, fried rice, even cauliflower rice would be delicious.
• Coconut aminos: this is one of my favorite soy sauce alternatives. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can use low sodium soy sauce or gluten free tamari. Regular soy sauce works too, it just contains a lot more sodium.
• Honey: I love using honey as a sugar replacement. While honey and sugar are both carbohydrates composed primarily of glucose and fructose, honey offers trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. It can also help alleviate allergies.
• Ginger: fresh ginger is what I use to make this kung pao chicken taste authentic.
• Peanut butter: using peanut butter helps to give the kung pao sauce that sweet and savory flavor.
• Rice vinegar: use plain rice vinegar to make the kung pao sauce. If you can’t get ahold of rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar.
• Sesame oil: sesame oil comes from sesame seeds, giving it a nutty, distinct flavor that goes hand in hand with Chinese cuisine.
• Garlic: fresh minced garlic adds much more flavor than garlic powder.
• Sriracha sauce: sriracha sauce is so delicious and is what makes this a sweet and spicy sauce. If you’re looking for even more heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes or dried chili peppers.
• Chicken: for this recipe I use boneless skinless chicken breasts because it provides more protein than chicken thighs. One boneless skinless chicken breast contains 54 grams of protein, whereas boneless skinless chicken thighs have just 13.5 grams.
• Corn starch: this is needed to help thicken the kung pao sauce
• Bell peppers: for this recipe I use one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper. You can choose your favorite variety.
• Broccoli: I love adding broccoli to stir fry recipes. Broccoli is high in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium.
• Cilantro: I use fresh cilantro as a garnish to top this homemade kung pao chicken recipe. It adds a fresh flavor and bright pop of color to the finished dish.
• Green onions: I love topping stir fry dishes with green onions.
• Peanuts: Adding unsalted roasted peanuts as a crunchy garnish adds a great texture to this healthy kung pao chicken.

How to Make Healthy Kung Pao Chicken in the Instant Pot

1. First start by cooking your rice. To do that, spray the inner pot with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse and drain your rice, and then add it to your pot.
2. Next, add water to the pot, then close and lock the lid and turn the steam release to handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 20 minutes. (If you have a Keep Warm button, turning it off after cooking will help prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.)
3. When the cook time is complete, allow the rice to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
4. Remove the cooked brown rice and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, ginger root, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce to make your kung pao sauce. Whisk to combine.
6. Rinse the inner pot then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add diced chicken and sauce to the pot, then stir to coat the chicken pieces in the sauce.
7. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 10 minutes. When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
8. Select Sauté and use a spoon to move the bite sized pieces of cooked chicken to one side of the pot. Add the cornstarch to the opposite side and use a whisk or fork to mix the cornstarch into the sauce. (Do not combine the chicken with the sauce.)
9. Once the sauce thickens and begins to bubble, cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring, then turn off the pot and mix the chicken with the sauce. Add the diced bell peppers and broccoli.
10. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 0 (zero) minutes. When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
11. Mix the vegetables in with the chicken and transfer chicken mixture on top of the cooked brown rice. Serve kung pao chicken garnished with cilantro, green onions and roasted peanuts.

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken on the Stove Top

1. Cook the rice as directed on the packaging, and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, ginger root, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce to make your kung pao sauce. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Add your chopped vegetables to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they have softened but are not mushy. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside.
5. Next, give your pan another spray of non-stick cooking spray and then add your diced chicken. Cook the chicken pieces over medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, add the kung pao sauce to the pan of chicken pieces. Stir to make sure all of the chicken is coated, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the cornstarch and let simmer for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add the cooked brown rice to a bowl and top it with the cooked vegetables, chicken and kung pao sauce. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, and peanuts.

Recipe Tips

• This easy kung pao chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep. Transfer chicken kung pao into individual serving size meal prep containers and store in the fridge for up to 6 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• One of the things I love about this kung pao chicken recipe is that it is so easily customizable. If you prefer to swap out the listed vegetables for others like green beans or bok choy, the recipe will be equally delicious. You can also add extras like yellow onion, red pepper flakes, sichuan peppercorns or black pepper.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

This Healthy Kung Pao Chicken serves 6 people about 1 1/2 cup servings.

Entire recipe: 12 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Per serving: 2 red containers, 1 yellow container, 1 green container, 1 teaspoon

Weight Watchers Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Per 1 1/2 cup serving this Healthy Kung Pao Chicken is:

14 2023 Plan Points | 14 Blue Plan Points | 17 Green Plan Points | 9 Purple Plan Points

More recipes similar to this Kung Pao Chicken

• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice These Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice are a healthy and delicious meal that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. This recipe is dairy free and gluten-free, and it is packed with protein and nutrients. 
• Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken in a Bowl This Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken in a bowl is full of flavor and healthy ingredients that are both filling and nutritious. This chicken dish is a favorite in my house.
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken These Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls are a delicious and quick dinner that your entire family will love. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in a sweet and savory sauce, and then combined with broccoli and quinoa for a complete meal that’s high in protein and packed full of flavor and nutrients.
• Spring Roll Salad Recipe This Spring Roll Salad recipe uses fresh veggies, fresh herbs, and a delicious peanut dressing. The recipe, as written, does not include any meat but it is a versatile dish that can be customized to your preferences. Add chicken breast to it, or create a shrimp spring roll salad if you’d like.
• Healthy Drunken Noodles This Healthy Drunken Noodles recipe is an easy stir fry noodle dish that your entire family will love. It comes together fast and works great for a weeknight meal.

Print

Healthy Kung Pao Chicken

This filling recipe is satisfying and packed with nutritious vegetables and protein-rich chicken breasts. You are going to love this healthy kung pao chicken recipe!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword chicken breast, healthy chicken, healthy chinese food, kung pao chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 636kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tbsp ginger root freshly grated
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 3 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 red bell pepper medium
• 1 green bell pepper medium
• 4 cups broccoli chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, to garnish
• 1/4 cup green onions chopped, to garnish
• 1/2 cup peanuts roasted & unsalted, to garnish

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• First start by cooking your rice. To do that, spray the inner pot with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse and drain your rice, and then add it to your pot. 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• Next, add water to the pot, then close and lock the lid and turn the steam release to handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 20 minutes. (If you have a Keep Warm button, turning it off after cooking will help prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.) 1 1/2 cups water
• When the cook time is complete, allow the rice to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
• Remove the cooked brown rice and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, ginger root, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce to make your kung pao sauce. Whisk to combine. 2/3 cup coconut aminos 1/4 cup honey 1 tbsp ginger root 2 tbsp peanut butter 1/4 tsp rice vinegar 1/2 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp garlic 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
• Rinse the inner pot then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add diced chicken and sauce to the pot, then stir to coat the chicken pieces in the sauce. 3 lb chicken breast
• Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 10 minutes. When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
• Select Sauté and use a spoon to move the bite sized pieces of cooked chicken to one side of the pot. Add the cornstarch to the opposite side and use a whisk or fork to mix the cornstarch into the sauce. (Do not combine the chicken with the sauce.) 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Once the sauce thickens and begins to bubble, cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring, then turn off the pot and mix the chicken with the sauce. Add the diced bell peppers and broccoli. 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 4 cups broccoli
• Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 0 (zero) minutes. When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
• Mix the vegetables in with the chicken and transfer chicken mixture on top of the cooked brown rice. Serve kung pao chicken garnished with cilantro, green onions and roasted peanuts. 1/4 cup cilantro 1/4 cup green onions 1/2 cup peanuts

Stove Top Instructions

• Cook the rice as directed on the packaging, and set aside. 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, ginger root, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce to make your kung pao sauce. Whisk to combine and set aside. 2/3 cup coconut aminos 1/4 cup honey 1 tbsp ginger root 2 tbsp peanut butter 1/4 tsp rice vinegar 1/2 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp garlic 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Add your chopped vegetables to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they have softened but are not mushy. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside. 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 4 cups broccoli
• Next, give your pan another spray of non-stick cooking spray and then add your diced chicken. Cook the chicken pieces over medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF. 3 lb chicken breast
• Once the chicken is cooked, add the kung pao sauce to the pan of chicken pieces. Stir to make sure all of the chicken is coated, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the cornstarch and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Add the cooked brown rice to a bowl and top it with the cooked vegetables, chicken and kung pao sauce. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, and peanuts. 1/4 cup cilantro 1/4 cup green onions 1/2 cup peanuts

Notes

Recipe Tips

• This easy kung pao chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep. Transfer chicken kung pao into individual serving size meal prep containers and store in the fridge for up to 6 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• One of the things I love about this kung pao chicken recipe is that it is so easily customizable. If you prefer to swap out the listed vegetables for others like green beans or bok choy, the recipe will be equally delicious. You can also add extras like yellow onion, red pepper flakes, sichuan peppercorns or black pepper.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

This healthy kung pao chicken serves 6 people about 1 1/2 cup servings.

Entire recipe: 12 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Per serving: 2 red containers, 1 yellow container, 1 green container, 1 teaspoon

Weight Watchers Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Per 1 1/2 cup serving this healthy kung pao chicken is:

14 Blue Plan Points | 17 Green Plan Points | 9 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 636kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 62.6g | Fat: 14.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 15.7g | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Healthy Kung Pao Chicken appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

These flavors come together to form a residual heat full of mouthwatering flavors from all of the healthy and flavorful ingredients.  

This Instant Pot Jambalaya with Quinoa is packed full of bold Cajun flavors and healthy lean protein. If your family is anything like mine, this will become one of your favorite recipes in no time.

This is a great dinner for a busy weeknight and is also perfect for meal prep. It freezes and reheats really well. If you haven’t joined club Instant Pot yet, I also have slow cooker Jambalaya directions here. 

Where’s the recipe?

My readers have varying levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen. To better serve everyone, I include a lot of information in my posts to ensure everyone is successful.

There are cooking tips, diet information, and other helpful information below. If you prefer to skip this, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find the easy to print Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe. 

Ingredients in this easy Jambalaya recipe

• Olive Oil: I prefer the Extra Virgin variety of any oil. This means it is a minimally processed oil and closest to its natural state.  
• Chicken: Chicken breast is one of the most commonly consumed high protein foods in the United States, and for good reason. In addition to its high protein content, it’s also a great source of minerals and B vitamins.
• Onion: To save time I love to grab pre-chopped onions from the freezer section.  
• Celery: Did you know celery was a member of the carrot family? The plant and its seeds provide an abundant source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 
• Garlic: You can also use pre-minced garlic to save time. If you prefer to buy the bulb use a hand grater to cut your chopping time. 
• Chicken Sausage: For this Cajun recipe I prefer an andouille chicken sausage instead of the traditional andouille sausage. I really love the simple ingredients in the Open Nature brand. 
• Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are a staple in every pantry, opt for the low-sodium variety. Using diced tomatoes provides a more authentic flavor than using tomato paste. 
• Thyme: A relative of oregano, thyme has a gentle flavor that blends well with almost everything.  
• Oregano: Oregano is used worldwide. It’s popular in Italian, Mexican, and Mediterranean cooking. Oregano is a versatile herb spawning from the mint family.  
• Basil: Basil adds a bright finish to this recipe. I love to use dried while cooking, and stir in some fresh when I add my shrimp. 
• Red pepper flakes: If you prefer more spice you can add even more red pepper. I love the heat it brings. 
• Tabasco sauce: Any hot sauce will do, add more if you like it hot.  
• Shrimp: If you can’t find raw, peeled, tail off shrimp in your freezer section head over to your grocer’s butcher counter.  Often times they will have them there.  
• Precooked Quinoa: I love using quinoa in place of white rice or brown rice because it is considered a complete protein source, which means that it provides all nine essential amino acids. It’s also a good source of antioxidants and minerals. I typically use white quinoa, but you can choose your favorite variety. If you’re a jambalaya purist cooked regular rice works perfectly.
• Green onion: Green onions are completely optional in this recipe, but give a nice bite at the end that I really enjoy.  

How to make Instant Pot Jambalaya with Quinoa in the Instant Pot

1. Heat your Instant Pot: Turn your pot to the sauté function and add olive oil to the inner pot.
2. Sauté your chicken: Once your olive oil is hot, add the chicken, onions, celery, and garlic to the bottom of the pot.  Cook 3-5 minutes until fragrant, and vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add your sausage: Next, add your chicken sausage, diced tomatoes, and thyme, oregano, basil, red pepper, and tabasco sauce.  Stir everything together. 
4. Pressure Cook: Close and lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high pressure) and set the cooking time for 5 minutes.
5. Quick Release: After the cook time is complete, quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
6. Add shrimp: Stir in the shrimp, then close the lid for two minutes to allow the shrimp to cook. Do not turn the Instant Pot back on, just let the steam in the pot do the cooking. Shrimp cooks very fast. It’s fully cooked when the flesh turns opaque with orange/pink tones. If they are still translucent, close the lid for another minute or until completely cooked. 
7. Serve: Serve warm over cooked quinoa. Add some fresh basil and top with chopped green onions, and additional Tabasco as desired. 

Recipe Tips

• Buy frozen chopped onions to save time.
• A small hand grater works great to mince cloves of garlic. 
• We’re using precooked quinoa because the cook time for quinoa and the rest of the ingredients aren’t the same.
• If you’d rather use your favorite Cajun or Creole Seasoning in this recipe, replace all spices with 4 teaspoons of it. If you prefer more heat with your sausage jambalaya, feel free to add a *small* amount of cayenne pepper. A little cayenne goes a long way. 
• If you have bell peppers on hand, feel free to chop them and add them to the recipe. A green bell pepper would be perfect for this recipe. Just be sure to recalculate your healthy eating plans. 
• Bay leaves can be added to this recipe, just remember to remove them from the pot before serving!
• If you are gluten free, be sure that your chicken sausage and quinoa are labeled as such.
• This recipe uses no chicken broth, chicken stock, or water, the liquid in the diced tomatoes is enough for the pressure cooker.

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers Points

Per 2 ¼ cup serving

7 2023 Points | 7 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points 

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Jambalaya with Quinoa

Entire recipe: 12 Red Containers, 6 Yellow Containers, 6 Green Containers, and 6 Teaspoons.  

Per serving (2 ¼ cup): 2 Red Containers, 1 Yellow Container, 1 Green Container, and 1 teaspoon. 

Chicken sausage isn’t found on the food list, so either leave it out and add extra chicken breast instead or, if you choose to use it, I’d watch what you eat that day (be super strict!) and flush with lots of water after.

2B Mindset

This would be a great 2B lunch with additional vegetables as a side. 

More healthy high-protein Instant Pot recipes

• Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Bowls
• Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
• High Protein Egg Drop Soup
• Instant Pot Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Instant Pot Chicken Gyro Bowls

Print

Instant Pot Jambalaya with Quinoa

This Instant Pot Jambalaya is packed full of bold flavors and healthy protein! If your family is anything like mine it will be come a fast favorite.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 21 day fix jambalaya, instant pot jambalaya

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 559kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless, cubed
• 1 ½ cups onion chopped
• 1 ½ cups celery chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 lb chicken sausage sliced
• 30 oz diced tomatoes low sodium, 2 15 oz cans
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 tsp tabasco sauce or preferred hot sauce
• 1 lb shrimp raw, peeled, deveined, tail off
• 3 cups quinoa cooked
• 1 green onion diced

Instructions

• Turn your Instant Pot on to Sauté and add olive oil. 2 tbsp olive oil
• Once olive oil is hot, add chicken, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook 3-5 minutes until fragrant and vegetables begin to soften. 1 lb chicken breast 1 ½ cups onion 1 ½ cups celery 4 cloves garlic
• Add your chicken sausage, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, basil, red pepper, and hot sauce. Stir everything together. 1 lb chicken sausage 30 oz diced tomatoes 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp basil 1 tsp crushed red peppers 1 tsp tabasco sauce
• Close and lock the lid and turn valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual and set the time for 5 minutes.
• After cooking is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
• Stir in shrimp, then close the lid for two minutes to allow shrimp to cook. Do not turn the pressure cooker back on, just let the steam in the pot do the cooking. Shrimp cooks very fast, and you can tell it's cooked when the color turns from translucent to opaque with orange/pink tones. 1 lb shrimp
• If your shrimp don't look done after two minutes, close the pot and allow another minute or two.
• Serve warm over cooked quinoa. Top with chopped green onions, and additional Tabasco if desired. 3 cups quinoa 1 green onion

Notes

Recipe Tips

• Buy frozen chopped onions to save time.
• A small hand grater works wonderfully to mince cloves of garlic. 
• Add salt and black pepper to your tastes before pressure cooking.

Weight Watchers

Per 2 ¼ cup serving

7 2023 Points | 7 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points 

21 Day Fix- Per serving (2 ¼ cup): 2 Red Containers, 1 Yellow Container, 1 Green Container, and 1 teaspoon. 

2B Mindset- This would be a great 2B lunch with additional vegetables as a side. 

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 292mg | Sodium: 1475mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 743IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 6mg

The post Instant Pot Jambalaya with Quinoa appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad is a delicious low carb chicken salad recipe and perfect for my dill pickle lovers. A similar and healthy Chick-Fil-A chicken salad alternative, you can enjoy the salty and creamy recipe as a dip, as a healthy chicken salad sandwich, or as a salad topping.

Where’s the Recipe?

My readers come from all levels of experience in the kitchen, and I receive a ton of questions about my recipes from new cooks.

To better serve all of my readers, I add a lot of helpful information in all of my posts. This includes: recipe tips, detailed cooking instructions, and diet information. Some of these may be useful to you and others may be some that you already know. 

If you’d like to skip over all of the extra information, please scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy to print recipe for this dill pickle version of the classic chicken salad recipe.

Ingredients in this Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

• Chicken breast: chicken breast is low in calories, high in protein, and is rich in an array of important nutrients. I typically make my chicken for this recipe in the Instant Pot, but you can also use leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. You’ll want to read this post about homemade rotisserie chicken vs store bought, but using rotisserie chicken allows you to skip cooking the chicken and just make the sauce and chop the pickles.
• Vinegar: white vinegar is what I use and adds a nice tart flavor to chicken salad recipes.
• Chopped dill pickles: I like to use 1/2 pickles and 1/2 cucumbers to cut the sodium down. I mix them together and allow them to sit in the pickle jar for a bit while I make the rest of the recipe. The dill pickle juice makes the cucumbers taste more like pickles.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is loaded with probiotics, and can promote gut health.  It is a wonderful replacement for mayonnaise or miracle whip in healthy recipes.
• Cottage cheese: Blended cottage cheese is taking over the healthy eating world. It’s a great substitute to clean up recipes, and the best part is that cottage cheese is high in protein, packed with nutrients, and low in calories. My method of blending cottage cheese and greek yogurt together gives you a creamy base but makes it so you truly cannot tell that you are eating either ingredient. 
• Parsley: using fresh parsley is a delicious way to brighten up this easy chicken salad recipe.
• Dill: I love using fresh dill for this recipe. 
• Chives: chives or green onions add tons of flavor to this recipe.
• Garlic: I love to use fresh garlic cloves, but garlic powder will work too.
• Black pepper

Instant Pot Directions

1. Add the chicken and vinegar to the Instant Pot insert.
2. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook the chicken on high pressure using the manual or pressure cook setting for 10-12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
3. In a food processor or blender, mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth. 
4. Remove the lid from the food processor or blender then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
5. Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
6. Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles (with cucumbers if you’ve chosen to use them) into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip.

How to make Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad on the Stove Top

1. Add the chicken and vinegar to a sauce pan.
2. Cover the sauce pan with a lid and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. In a food processor or blender, mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth.
4. Remove the lid from the food processor or blender then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
5. Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
6. Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip.

How to make Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad in the Crock Pot

1. Add the chicken and vinegar to your slow cooker.
2. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook the chicken on high heat for 2-3 hour, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. In a food processor or blend mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth.
4. Remove the lid from the food processor or blender then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
5. Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
6. Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip.

Recipe Tips

• This very tasty pickle chicken salad recipe can be eaten in so many ways. It’s delicious as a dip, stuffed into mini bell peppers, topped on a salad, or made into lettuce wraps or sandwiches. 
• If you have a small food processor or blender, don’t make yourself crazy by trying to fit the entire recipe in it. Mix it in small batches and transfer to a mixing bowl to get it all blended and chopped up.
• If you don’t have a food processor or blender to cut this recipe up, no worries! You can shred the chicken and mix the sauce in. It’ll be longer strands of chicken, but absolutely edible in any form (as a dip, etc) and still delicious.
• This is a great recipe for meal prep and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

For the entire recipe: 6 red containers, 1 green container. Per serving: 1 red container, 1/6 green container.  

Pickle fans rejoice! Pickles were added to the Ultimate Portion Fix in 2019. I know a lot of you love pickles and were bummed that they weren’t on the approved food list before.

I do (personally) caution you against using your green container for pickles. There is a huge difference between fresh cucumbers and cucumbers that have been brined in salt and vinegar and often sugar. As pickles are considered a green container on the 21 Day Fix now, I will still not use them more than once every few weeks at the most. Not sure what the Beachbody team is thinking about adding pickles to the list as a green, but they must have a good reason.

For this recipe, I like to use half dill pickles and half cucumbers. They sit together in a bowl together while I’m preparing the rest of the recipe. The taste is not compromised at all this way. It cuts the sodium of the pickles in half, too!

Weight Watchers

One serving of this recipe (about 3/4 cup) is 0 2023 Points, 1 Blue Plan Point, 2 Green Plan Points, and 1 Purple Plan Point when you use fat free Greek yogurt and lowfat cottage cheese.

Pickles are very high in sodium and though they are 0 points on Weight Watchers, they can easily stall your weight loss or even cause weight gain while you’re trying to lose weight.

I calculated the points for this recipe online using the calculator provided on the Weight Watchers website.

Trim Healthy Mama

This is a THM-S recipe – if using full fat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, dill pickles (not bread and butter type), and make sure that sugar hasn’t been added to the pickles. You’d be surprised where you find sugar!

More Healthy Dip Recipes

• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip I have to admit that this one is my favorite. I always have some made in the freezer, and I love having it for lunch and an easy snack.
• Healthy Crack Chicken Recipe Again, a super versatile recipe that can be made multiple ways. It can also be cooked in the Instant Pot, on the stove, or in a Crock Pot.
• Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip This dip (actually, all of the ones in this list) uses cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to get the creaminess without the calories. This is another favorite!
• This easy and Healthy Elote Dip Recipe is a crowd pleasing side dish. If you love the flavors of Mexican Street Corn, you’ve got to give this Mexican Corn Dip recipe a try!
• Spicy Mexican Corn Dip I’d say that this hot Corn Dip is good, or easy, or popular–but seriously, it’s amazing. And it’s gotten a healthy makeover!

Print

Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

This healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad is a delicious low carb chicken salad recipe. A similar and healthy Chick-Fil-A chicken salad alternative, you can enjoy the salty and creamy recipe as a dip, on a sandwich, or as a salad topping.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Dill pickle chicken salad, healthy snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 135kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breast about 2 breasts
• 1/3 cup vinegar I use white
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt I prefer 2%
• 3/4 cup cottage cheese
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1/2 tbsp fresh dill chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 cup dill pickles chopped, please see note in post about using 1/2 pickles and 1/2 cucumbers

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions:

• Add the chicken and vinegar to the Instant Pot insert. 1 pound chicken breast, 1/3 cup vinegar
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook the chicken on high pressure using the manual or pressure cook setting for 10-12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
• In a food processor or blender, mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth. 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp black pepper
• Remove the lid from the food processor or blender, then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
• Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
• Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip. 1 tbsp fresh chives, 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 cup dill pickles

Stove Top Directions:

• Add the chicken and vinegar to a sauce pan. 1 pound chicken breast, 1/3 cup vinegar
• Cover the sauce pan with a lid and cook the chicken on medium high temperature for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a food processor or blender, mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth. 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp black pepper
• Remove the lid from the food processor or blender, then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
• Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
• Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip. 1 tbsp fresh chives, 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 cup dill pickles

Slow Cooker Directions:

• Add the chicken and vinegar to your slow cooker. 1 pound chicken breast, 1/3 cup vinegar
• Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook the chicken on high heat for 2-3 hour, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a food processor or blender, mix together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic, and pepper until smooth. 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp black pepper
• Remove the lid from the food processor or blender then add the chicken to the food processor. You may need to break the chicken breasts in half so that they fit.
• Use the food processor or blender to shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce. It will only take about 5-15 seconds to shred the chicken.
• Take off the lid and remove the blade. Fold the chives, dill, parsley, and dill pickles into the dip. Garnish and serve with sliced veggies to dip. 1 tbsp fresh chives, 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 cup dill pickles

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix container counts for the entire recipe: 6 red containers, 1 green container. Per serving: 1 red container, 1/6 green container.

Weight Watchers: One serving of this recipe (about 3/4 cup) is 0 2023 Points, 1 Blue Plan Point, 2 Green Plan Points, and 1 Purple Plan Point when you use fat free Greek yogurt and fat free cottage cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.