By the time dinner rolls around at the end of the long day, the last thing I want to do is think hard about my recipe or fuss for an extended period of time in the kitchen. That is why I love this meal. It's a quick, one pot meal, that comes together faster than you can say "whats for dinner". Its full of deep asian flavors, and will shock you with how easy it is to make. 

Ingredients: 

3 chicken breasts

1 1/2 cup yoshida's sauce

1 pkg instant asian soba noodles

1 bunch fresh asparagus

1 pkg baby portabello mushrooms

Salt and Pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions: 

Marinade your chicken for 6 hours in 1 cup yoshidas sauce. Chop into bite sized peices. In large wok, heat your oil and add your chicken. Cook until golden brown. Chop and add your mushrooms and asparagus, cook until asparagus is aldente. Add your noodles and 1/2 cup yoshidas sauce. Stir and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve when noodles have plumped. 

A quick, easy, weeknight meal full of delicious protein and good for your veggies, with just a little bit of carbs to keep everyone happy. Hope you enjoy!

By now, if you are a long term Lavender Apple blog reader, you know that all of Peggy's recipes are fantastic. By far, my all time ultimate favorite recipe that she has graced my belly with, has to be her Hungarian Goulash. Hungarian goulash is not a stew, but its in a similar vein, only better. It has a nice thick consistency, and a filling savory flavor that you won't soon forget. You will go back for seconds, and thirds, and not be sorry. If you ever feed friends or family this recipe, be prepared to share it, because they will always ask for it. Make this today, like now, seriously. 

Ingredients: 

2 pounds round steak, cubed

2 Tbs oil

2 onions, diced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon paprika 

1 tsp vinegar

Dollop of sour cream 

1 pkg egg noodles

Directions: 

In a LARGE cast iron pot, warm your oil in a hot pan. Season your steak with salt and pepper. Sear your steak cubes on all sides. Two pounds of steak is quite a lot, so if you need to do it in batches, that is best. You don't want to crowd your meat because it will steam instead of sear and make the meat tough. So a good brown sear on all sides is important, even if you have to do it in batches. Once your steak is seared, set it aside. Add some oil into your pan again and reduce the heat to medium, add your onions and salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, then add back in your meat, tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, water, paprika, & vinegar. Simmer for 2 hours until meat is fall apart tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then temper and add a dollop of sour cream. Boil your noodles as directed and serve the goulash over the top of them. 

It may not look or sound fancy, but this is a dish you will want to eat every night of the week. I am craving this just thinking about it. Enjoy!

Growing up I always loved Ramen Noodles. Now that I have unfortunatley become an adult and am more aware of what I put into my body, I don't ever let myself buy Ramen Noodles. But I recently stumbled upon a way to make them at home, in a much healthier way! I call this rainbow ramen because of all the beautiful colors. Not only is the beautiful and delicious, its a very affordable meal as well. 

Ingredients: 

2 large chicken breasts, cut into strips

6 ounces soba noodles 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 head purple cabbage, diced into strips

1 onion, diced

1 brocoli crown

3 carrots, shredded 

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce 

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions: 

Heat your oil in a pan, add your chicken strips and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add your vegetables to your pot and cook until soft and heated through. Meanwhile boil a pot of water and add your noodles to the pot. Boil for 3 minutes or so according to the package instructions. Remove your noodles and add them to the vegetables along with the chicken. Add the sesame oil and stir to prevent sticking. Mix together your ketchup, sugar, hot sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and worcestershire sauce. Once combined add it to your noodles and stir until everything is heated through and coated. Serve immediately. 

This is such a fun throw back dish updated for a more sophisticated palate and more nutrient rich without sacrificing any flavor. Let me know what you think! 

This is a delicious recipe for a low fat good for you salmon casserole. Its like a traditional tuna casserole, only everything is swapped out for its healthier counterpart. Instead of butter? Olive oil. Instead of cream? Broth. Instead of tuna? Salmon. You get the idea. For all the healthy swaps in this recipe, you would assume it would taste "healthy", but this casserole is rich and satisfying. Its packed full of nutrients too, so you can really feel good about making it for your family. 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces egg noodle pasta

1/2 large onion

1 cup fresh green beans (trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces) 

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons flour 

2 cans (4 cups) chicken broth

1 can (15 ounces) salmon 

1 tablespoon butter

4 springs fresh dill, chopped

1/2 cup panic bread crumbs

Serves 6-8

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Boil your pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. 2 minutes before your pasta is finished, throw your green beans in with the pasta. Drain and set aside. 

While the pasta cooks, dice your onion. In a LARGE sauce pan warm your olive oil. Sauté the onion in the oil. Salt and pepper the onion. Cook until tender and translucent. Add your flour to the onion and stir so that all of the onion is well coated. Slowly add your chicken stock to the onions, while stirring constantly. Bring it to a boil then simmer so it can thicken. This can take up to ten minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Add your salmon and dill to the sauce. Mix with the cooked pasta and taste. Add salt or pepper as needed. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. 

Melt your butter and mix that with the bread crumbs (the butter allows your casserole to get golden brown in the oven). Sprinkle the bread crumbs over your pasta. 

Place in 425 degree oven for 17-18 minutes until golden brown on top. 

This is a savory good for you weeknight meal made of mostly pantry items. We hope you enjoy it!