theardentcook

Thai Cucumber Noodle Salad

Don’t let the title of this recipe fool you- there are both cucumber noodles AND regular noodles in this pasta recipe. Phew. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let me describe it to you: crisp cucumber noodles and cooked spaghetti get a bath in a delicious nutty, gingery, garlicky, bright sauce. Sound good? Let’s make it!

Ingredients needed to make Thai Cucumber Noodle Salad

You need a few cucumbers, a half pound of your favorite long noodle variety, and a few other pantry and fridge staples to pull this dish off. Disclaimer: it makes quite a lot of noodle salad! Perfect for a large gathering, prepped lunches for the week, or one very hungry family. Here’s what you’ll need:

Cucumbers
Long, skinny pasta
Raw almonds
Fresh cilantro
Creamy almond butter
Coconut milk, canned
Fresh lime juice
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Soy sauce, or gluten free Tamari
Curry powder
Cayenne pepper

Tools used to make Thai Cucumber Noodle Salad

While you don’t need a lot of equipment to make this dish, you absolutely need a spiralizer if you want to achieve the long cucumber noodles you see in the photo. If you don’t have one, you could always ribbon the cucumbers using a peeler, or just serve them chopped up in the salad (both would be great). Other than that, you’ll need basic equipment, including:

Large pot, for boiling noodles
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Small skillet or pan
Can opener

How to make Thai Cucumber Noodle Salad

This recipe is quite simple, but does require one key prep step to ensure your finished salad is crisp and saucy, NOT watery. That key step? Squeeze as much liquid out of your cucumber noodles as possible before adding them to the overall dish. To do this, begin by spiralizing the cucumbers. Lay the spiralized cucumbers onto a clean dish towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes (the salt will draw out excess water), then gently squeeze them with the dish towel to get all that juice out of there. You’ll be really glad you did, because leaving the cucumbers as-is will make your noodle salad soggy, rather than delish.

Once your cucumbers have been prepped, the rest of the dish comes together in a flash. Boil the noodles until al dente, crush and toast the almonds, and whisk together the sauce. Then, mix everything together, plate on your favorite serving platter, and top with the almonds and some fresh cilantro. It’s so delicious and simple!

Looking for other simple recipes from The Ardent Cook?

Warm Spring Veggie and Wild Rice Salad

Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

Curried Pumpkin Chickpeas with Cucumber Raita

Recipe Ingredients

For the Noodles

2 medium cucumbers, spiralized

8oz spaghetti, or other long noodle of choice

1/2 cup raw almonds, crushed

Fresh cilantro, for serving

For the Dressing

¾ cup creamy almond butter

¾ cup coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime (approx. 3 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 Tbsp minced garlic

Handful cilantro (about 2 Tbsp minced)

2 Tbsp soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)

1 ½ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Recipe Instructions

Make the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook according to package instructions.
Prep the cucumber: Spiralize the cucumber. Lay cucumber onto a clean dish towel and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, allowing the salt the draw out excess liquid, then wrap in the dish towel and squeeze the liquid out gently.
Make the dressing: In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a food processor), combine almond butter, coconut milk, lime juice, minced ginger, minced garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Whisk (or process) until thoroughly combined.
Toast the almonds: Heat a clean, dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the nuts for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown and fragrant.
Assemble the salad: Combine cooked noodles and cucumber noodles with approximately 2/3 of the dressing. Serve topped with the toasted almonds, additional cilantro, and remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!

There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love and use myself. Thank you for your continued support of The Ardent Cook, it does not go unnoticed.

Grilled Hatch Chile and Peach Caprese Salad

Before we dive into this gem of a recipe, please note that this post is sponsored by Flashfood. All opinions are my own.

I can’t believe it’s already late summer as I’m writing this! Pretty soon, we’ll be wearing sweaters and drinking hot cider, but not before I milk the last of the late summer produce for all it’s worth. Tomatoes are at their peak, stone fruit is buzzing with flavor, and it’s Hatch chile season! If you’ve never had a Hatch chile, dont’ fear. They’re sort of like a combination of jalapeños, poblanos, and sweet peppers. Not too hot, but smoky with a slight kick. They TOTALLY make this unique appetizer, I promise.

Granted, Hatch chiles can be hard to find. If you can’t locate them, you can use whatever variety of summer pepper you wish. I’d recommend something with a little heat, but it’s entirely up to you. Luckily for me, I was able to get my hands on a giant bag of Hatch chiles, along with the rest of the ingredients for this dish, using my new favorite app: Flashfood!

I’ve been using Flashfood for the past month in an effort to tighten-up my grocery budget and I couldn’t be happier with it. Flashfood’s mission is to help people save money on their groceries while reducing store-generated food waste, an effort than I can absolutely get behind. Better yet? The app is free and you’ll get your items at a price of over 50% less than what the items normally cost!

To use, simply download the app here, browse the map to find a location closest to you, choose the items you’d like to purchase, and pick them up in store. Because the Flashfood fridge is located at the exit to the store, it was easy for me to shop for the rest of my groceries, check out, and grab the items I ordered through the app on my way out. All you need to do is confirm your items and receipt with the customer service desk and you’re on your way!

Since downloading the app, Flashfood is always my first stop when planning out my meals for the week. I search through the list of available food items to see what I can save on that week, then plan my recipes accordingly. This helps me feel good about my grocery/food waste footprint, and also helps me eat seasonally!

Flashfood has locations in over 1000 stores in North America and has helped save over 20 million pounds of food from going to waste. It’s such an easy way to save some money and consume groceries responsibly, which feels like a no-brainer!

Now, let me tell you how to make this Grilled Hatch Chile and Peach Caprese Salad!

Ingredients needed to make Grilled Hatch Chile and Peach Caprese Salad

To make this appetizer, you’ll need the following items:

peaches, preferably local to you

tomatoes, any variety (but heirloom are delicious)

hatch chiles

mini mozzarella balls

olive oil

salt

balsamic glaze

fresh basil

Tools used to make Grilled Hatch Chile and Peach Caprese Salad

The best part about summer recipes? They almost always involve the grill (AKA limited clean-up), and this recipe is no different. In addition to a grill or grill pan, you’ll need the following tools:

sharp knife

large cutting board

large bowl

plastic wrap

serving plate

How to make Grilled Hatch Chile and Peach Caprese Salad

You’ll start by preparing all of your ingredients. Wash all produce, slice the peaches into quarters, slice the tomatoes into half moons, and drain the mozzarella balls. Drizzle the Hatch chiles and peaches with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill the peaches for a minute or so each side until they are slightly softened and have visible grill marks, and grill the peppers until the skin is charred and bubbling.

Transfer the peppers to a bowl and immediately cover tightly with plastic wrap to allow them to steam. After 10 minutes of steaming, use the back of a knife to slide the skin off (it should come off easily), slice the peppers in half, and scrape out the seeds. Now it’s time to assemble.

Arrange the grilled peaches, tomato slices, and peppers in a circular pattern on a serving plate. Add the mozzarella balls into the center, then drizzle with balsamic glaze and additional olive oil. Sprinkle once more with salt, and garnish with fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!

Looking to try Flashfood for yourself?

Download the app and give it a try! I hope you love it as much as I do.

Recipe Ingredients

3 medium ripe peaches, quartered

2 slicing tomatoes, such as heirloom, sliced into half moons

3-4 large Hatch chile peppers

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for serving

8oz package mini mozzarella balls, drained

Fresh basil, for serving

Balsamic glaze, drizzled, for serving

Recipe Instructions

Heat grill to medium-high (~500 degrees Fahrenheit). Drizzle quartered peaches and Hatch chiles with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill peaches for a minute each side, or until just softened with visible grill marks. Grill peppers until skin is charred and bubbling up, a few minutes each side.
Immediately transfer peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to let steam. After 10 minutes, remove the peppers from the bowl and use the back side of a knife to slide the skin off. Slice in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Set aside.
Assemble the salad. Arrange the grilled peaches, tomato slices, and prepared peppers in a circular pattern on a serving plate. Add the mozzarella balls to the center, then drizzle with balsamic glaze and additional olive oil. Sprinkle once more with salt, garnish with basil, serve, and enjoy!

Tandoori Chicken with Caramelized Lemon

My dad has this thing about “sheet pan meals.” He can’t stand them. For starters, they’re usually made using too many ingredients, overcrowding the sheet pans so things steam rather than caramelize. They’re also puzzling because it’s not often a piece of broccoli cooks at the same rate as a potato, so you wind up taking your sheet pan meal out of the oven halfway through cooking to remove things that are past done and let other things keep on roasting. It’s exhausting and the opposite of an easy recipe.

Luckily, this meal is a sheet pan meal that cooks everything to perfection without the fuss. Spiced yogurt creates a tender marinade for this tandoori-like chicken (read: not authentic at all, but still tasty) with cauliflower, onions, chickpeas, and, perhaps my favorite part: caramelized lemon.

If you’ve never roasted lemon slices along with the rest of your meal, you haven’t experienced one of the greatest flavors on Earth. The lemons take on a mellow flavor that is still tangy and bright, but not pucker-inducing, that elevate any basic meal into something great. Don’t skip them in this recipe! Let’s walk through the steps so you too can make Tandoor Chicken with Caramelized Lemon at home!

Ingredients needed to make Tandoor Chicken with Caramelized Lemon

I love this recipe because it uses a pretty basic set of pantry staples that you may already have in your kitchen, plus a few fresh items that are easy to get your hands on.

Here’s everything:

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Cauliflower

Olive oil

Plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt (or nondairy alternative)

Fresh lemon juice

Fresh garlic

Fresh ginger

Ground cumin

Ground turmeric

Chili powder

Ground cinnamon

Salt

Fresh cilantro

Canned garbanzo beans

Red onion

Lemon

Cucumber

Tools used to make Tandoor Chicken with Caramelized Lemon

Another reason to love a sheet pan meal that actually works? VERY few dishes. All you need is a good sharp knife, large cutting board, two rimmed sheet trays, a large mixing bowl, and measuring cups and spoons. That’s it!

How to make Tandoor Chicken with Caramelized Lemon

This recipe is simple to pull together. To start, prepare the chicken and cauliflower by patting the chicken dry and cutting the cauliflower into small florets. Next, you’ll mix the marinade in a very large mixing bowl. I recommend a very large bowl so that you can make the marinade, add the chicken and cauliflower directly to it, and cut down on dishes.

Once the chicken/cauliflower have been coated in the marinade, transfer them evenly between the two sheet trays and layer on the sliced onions, lemons, and rinsed chickpeas. Bake everything until the cauliflower is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

To serve, garnish with more chopped cilantro and sliced cucumber. This meal can be enjoyed on its own, served with a side salad, or heartied-up with some rice or naan bread. No matter which way, it’s always delicious!

Looking for more easy recipes?

Try these from The Ardent Cook!

Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joes

Honey Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Bowls

Recipe Ingredients

2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets

¼ cup olive oil

¾ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

5 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch knob ginger, grated

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp cilantro, minced, plus more for serving

1 14.5oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and dried

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

Sliced cucumber, for serving

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, salt, and cilantro. Mix well. Add the chicken thighs and cauliflower florets and coat in the yogurt mixture.
Spread chicken and cauliflower out onto two rimmed sheet trays, then scatter the garbanzo beans, red onions, and sliced lemons over the two trays.
Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and beginning to brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve with additional cilantro and sliced cucumbers, if desired. This is a wonderful low-carb, stand-alone meal, or can be served alongside rice or flatbread. Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Planning 101 (Hint: it’s really not that complicated!)

I’ve been on a blog post hiatus for quite some time now, between figuring out my new career path, working on home renovations, and making up for a year’s worth of missed-out-on social plans. I’m thrilled to finally have a second to catch my breath and sit down to write this post.

I get asked CONSTANTLY how I meal plan for the week. It can be incredibly overwhelming and I used to spend hours doing it, but not anymore. My good friend (and soon to be roommate in literally 5 days) introduced me to her method a while ago and I’ve never looked back- it’s that foolproof.

The outline is simple. Plan for Monday-Friday of meals, with leftovers being eaten the next day for lunch. We keep breakfast simple at my house with smoothies every weekday and some kind of egg situation on the weekends, but you could also build that in to your plan if you so choose. As far as the content of the meals, the method is to choose plant-forward recipes daily, alternating between meat-based and vegetarian recipes, as well as keeping in mind carb sources day-to-day. For example, if Monday night’s dinner was chicken, rice, and vegetables, that means you’re eating rice (a high-starch carb) and chicken (a meat-based protein) for lunch Tuesday, so the subsequent dinner should be vegetarian and include little-to-no high-starch carbs. Then, Wednesday’s lunch becomes vegetarian/low-starch carb, followed by a heartier meat and carb dinner the following night. Does this cycle make sense? You can interchange these components however you wish, just keeping in mind the overall cycle.

The purpose for reducing high-starch carbs is NOT because we’re following any specific fad diet or counting macros, etc. It’s partly to make sure that the bulk of our nutrients are coming from whole plants, and it (indirectly) helps with weight management; the more veggie sources on my plate, the less room there is for calorie-dense high-starch carbs, and therefore the less calories in the overall meal. Again, just to reiterate, I’m NOT concerned with calories at all, but it’s a nice added benefit to this way of eating. The main takeaway: the purpose of this style of meal planning is to focus on the quality, not the quantity, of food on my plate daily. Hope that’s helpful! For more info on this, I highly recommend Dr. Mark Hyman for all things regenerative, plant-forward eating and functional-medicine-based nutrition. He’s got a great podcast, as well as a plethora of books on the topic.

There’s one caveat, and that is that my boyfriend, Jeff, prefers a more meat-heavy diet overall. I don’t have an opinion either way, so usually we have 1 (max 2) vegetarian meals per week, and the majority do contain a sustainably-sourced meat or seafood from our Butcher Box subscription. We do try to stick to the high-starch carb alternating, mentioned above, as much as possible though!

Now that you’ve read my word vomit and completely opinion-based view on nutrition as a whole (I’m not a doctor!), are you ready to see a sample meal plan? Let’s go!

Doing the Research

I always start my meal planning by visiting my favorite chef and food blogger’s pages to see what new recipes they’ve come out with in the last week. It’s a great way to try new foods, incorporate veggies you’ve never cooked before, and support creators! I love Pinch of Yum, The Modern Proper, Half Baked Harvest, Molly Baz, Carolina Gelen, and What’s Gaby Cooking, to name a few. I also like to incorporate my own recipes into the week, especially if I’m developing a new recipe and need to test it.

Next, I search the websites of the aforementioned bloggers and chefs and enter keywords based on what I’m looking for that week. This is a great way to find recipes based on what you ALREADY have in your fridge, like that lone head of cabbage you impulse bought at the farmer’s market and need to use up. Once I’ve found 1-2 vegetarian recipes and 2-3 meat-based recipes, I arrange them into the weekly schedule based on the cycle I discussed above.

Making the Meal Plan

Want a pro tip? Write down your meal plan either in a note on your phone or a spreadsheet on your computer, then copy and paste the recipe links (or note the page number from a cookbook) directly into the document. That way, when you’re ready to make dinner, you aren’t scrambling trying to find the recipe you intended to make. Here’s what that might look like:

Monday: The Modern Proper Lemongrass Chicken Thighs, Brown Rice, Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad, Steamed Broccoli (meat-based, high-starch carb source from rice)

Tuesday: Cast-iron steaks with crispy roasted asparagus and simple green salad (meat-based, no high-starch carb source)

Wednesday: Pinch of Yum Chipotle Tahini Bowls (vegetarian, high-starch carb sources from quinoa and sweet potato)

Thursday: The Ardent Cook Honeydew and Feta Summer Salad with Grilled Pork Tenderloin (meat-based, no high-starch carb source)

Friday: The Ardent Cook Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joe’s with simple green salad (meat-based, high-starch carb source from the buns)

The above meal plan contains a huge array of vegetables, sustainably-sourced meat-based proteins, a variety of high-starch complex carbs, and an array of flavor profiles so you never feel bored and genuinely look forward to dinner and lunch leftovers each day. I’d also like to point out that YES, as a food blogger, I am constantly making other food blogger’s recipes! Support creators, people.

To Conclude

In conclusion, a simple formula, 20 minutes spent looking up yummy recipes on the internet and in cookbooks, and a little copying and pasting of recipe links gets you a delicious and FOOLPROOF plan for your weekly meals. Once I’ve written everything out, I’ll make a list based on what I need for each recipe. It makes my grocery shopping so much more streamlined because I’m never guessing as to whether or not I’ll use an ingredient. This method limits spending, reduces food waste, contributes to my health and the health of my partner, and makes me feel accomplished knowing that I’m feeding myself and Jeff a delicious and nutrient-dense meal every night. I hope this helps you take control of your own meal planning, discover new recipes, and lower your stress when it comes to figuring out what’s for dinner each night!

Warm Spring Veggie and Wild Rice Salad

This salad is so good!!!!!! I can’t use enough exclamation marks to convey how delish it is. Picture your favorite spring veggies (which can totally be subbed out based on what you have at home), loads of fresh herbs, warm and fluffy wild rice, and an easy homemade lemon vinaigrette drizzled over top. It doesn’t get much better than that, in my opinion.

This dish is hearty enough to be a vegetarian main for lunch or dinner, or serve it with a protein of your choice, such as grilled chicken or broiled salmon. It’s great for meal prep, too! If meal prepping, I like to pack it with an extra wedge of lemon to give it a bright pop just before eating. Let’s make it!

Ingredients needed to make Warm Spring Veggie and Wild Rice Salad

You’ll need a few cups of cooked wild rice and a boat load of veggies to make this salad. I’ve listed the ones I used for this recipe (also the ones I believe taste the best), but don’t be afraid to substitute, omit, or embellish as desired. No veggie is a bad veggie in this salad. Here’s what you’ll need:

Wild rice blend
Radishes
Carrots
Cucumber
Shelled english peas
Scallions
Fresh dill
Fresh parsley
Fresh mint
Fresh lemon juice
Olive oil
Honey
Salt
Black pepper

That’s really it! It sounds like a lot of ingredients, but the nice part is that most of them are found in the same area of the grocery store. So, you won’t have to do a lot of searching while shopping.

Tools used to make Warm Spring Veggie and Wild Rice Salad

I love this dish because it uses so few tools to pull together. I love batch cooking a grain on Sunday to use throughout the week ahead, so you could easily do that here! My favorite method for cooking wild rice* is as follows: combine 1 cup wild rice blend with 2 cups water or broth in the bowl of your Instant Pot, then cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure and you’ll have perfectly fluffy (and hands-off) wild rice! Then, to make this a “warm” salad, I simply heat the rice over the stove or in the microwave before adding the other ingredients. You could do that, or just make your rice right before preparing the dish. Either option works.

If you cook your wild rice ahead of time, then your equipment list is literally this short:

Cutting board
Very sharp knife
Mandoline (optional)
Large mixing bowl
Wet measuring cup

If you cook your wild rice just before making this dish, you’ll need to add either an Instant Pot or a pot with a lid to your equipment list, as well as a dry measuring cup. Pretty simple stuff!

How to make Warm Spring Veggie and Wild Rice Salad

You’ll begin by cooking your rice, either in the Instant Pot or over the stove according to package directions. If using the Instant Pot, see above for my favorite method for cooking it*.

While the rice cooks, prepare the vegetables. Slice, dice, chop, mince, etc. and add it all to a bowl. To make the lemon vinaigrette, combine the juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, salt, and black pepper and whisk until emulsified.

When the rice is done, add ~2 cups cooked rice to the bowl with the prepared veggies and herbs. Add the dressing and toss thoroughly, seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or chilled!

Looking for other salad ideas?

Try these recipes from The Ardent Cook!

Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar

Harissa Chicken Chopped Salad

Warm Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup dry wild rice blend

2 cups water or broth

3-5 small radishes, very thinly sliced or cut on mandoline

1 medium carrot, very thinly sliced or cut on mandoline

1 medium English cucumber, quartered then sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup shelled English peas, blanched

1 cup mixed herbs, minced (I used parsley, dill, and mint- but anything works!)

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tbsp honey

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Make the wild rice. Combine wild rice and water or broth in a pot and cook according to package instructions. If using Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, allow natural pressure release, then fluff with a fork.
Prepare the vegetables. Slice radishes, carrot, cucumber, and scallions. Mince the herbs. Blanch the peas by boiling them in water until they just start to float (about 2 minutes), then drain and immediately rinse with very cold water. Add all the veggies to a large mixing bowl.
Make the lemon vinaigrette. Combine juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk until emulsified.
Once the rice is done, add ~2 cups cooked wild rice to the mixing bowl with the prepared veggies and herbs. Pour the lemon vinaigrette all over and mix very thoroughly.
Season again with salt and pepper, and enjoy warm or serve chilled later.

Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I absolutely love pork, but it’s gotten a bad rap over the last few years as regenerative and sustainable meat production has grown in popularity and large-scale pork producers continue utilizing worst-practice methods of raising animals. Luckily, I’ve been able to source some delicious cuts of pork from local farms, natural markets in my area, and meat delivery services such as Butcher Box.

If you feel lost, I’d encourage you to do a quick web search of local meat purveyors in your area! Many local farmers have begun selling their products to stores in their area, so you may not have to travel far to get your hands on delicious, local, regeneratively-raised pork, perfect for making these Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloins!

A quick glaze of fresh orange juice, honey, mustard, and loads of herbs is the perfect accompaniment to oven roasted pork. I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much as I do!

Ingredients needed to make Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

To make this delicious pork, you’ll need the following ingredients:

For the Pork

Pork tenderloins
Avocado oil
Salt
Fresh thyme
Ground ginger
Fresh garlic
Black pepper

For the Orange Glaze

Navel oranges
Honey
Dijon mustard
Water
Tapioca or cornstarch
Crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Salt
Black pepper

Tools used to make Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This pork recipe is easy to make and requires just a few kitchen basics. You’ll need the following items:

9×13 inch baking dish, or large rimmed sheet pan
Small saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Sharp chef’s knife
Cutting board
Instant read meat thermometer
Basting brush (optional, for brushing on glaze)

That’s it! In case you’re missing one of these items, I’ve linked to a few of the products I have in my own kitchen that never fail me.

How to make Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I love this pork dish because you can sort of “set it and forget it,” as with most things you cook in the oven. It’s no-fuss and the glaze is delicious. You’ll start by combining a few ingredients to make a basic rub for the pork. Slather that on, add to your baking dish, and bake the pork until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the pork roasts, you’ll make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients except the orange zest into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the glaze bubbles. Turn the heat down and allow the glaze to bubble for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Remove the herb bundle and stir in the orange zest.

When the pork reaches temperature, pull it out and brush (or spoon) a layer of glaze over the pork. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, but watch it carefully- it can burn easily!

Let the pork rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing, and enjoy!

Looking for other easy main courses?

Try these recipes from The Ardent Cook!

Pork Chile Verde

Harissa Chicken Thighs

Mediterranean Grilled Strip Steak

Recipe Ingredients

For the Pork

2 pork tenderloins, each about 1.25lbs (usually two come in a pack)

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 tsp salt

6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

½ tsp ground ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Black pepper

For the Glaze

Juice of 4 navel oranges, approximately 1 cup

Zest of 1 navel orange

¼ cup honey

2 tbsp dijon mustard

¼ cup water

1 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

3 thyme sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

Salt, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the salt, fresh thyme leaves, ground ginger, minced garlic, and black pepper. Rub the pork tenderloins with the avocado oil, then evenly coat in the spice blend. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, pausing after about 15 minutes to add a layer of glaze (see below*)
Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine all glaze ingredients except for the orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then lower the heat and let simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
At about 15 minutes* into the pork cooking time, remove from the oven and brush with the glaze. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. To finish, brush with one more coat of glaze and place pork under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until slightly caramelized.
Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with additional glaze and enjoy!

Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joe’s

Man is this recipe good. I almost cringed writing the title because I really hate the idea of “hidden veggie” anything, but I felt like the world needed to know just how versatile and nutrient-packed these SJ’s are. Whether you’re cooking for picky kiddos or just trying to add a bit more vegetables into your dinner, I’ve got you covered with this one-pan wonder of a meal.

Ingredients needed to make Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joe’s

This recipe makes a large amount of SJ filling. It calls for two pounds of ground beef, plus a large portion of food-processed veggies that leaves you with enough for 6-8 servings. I created this recipe on the larger side on purpose, firstly because Jeff eats the equivalent of two adult portions in one sitting and secondly because this recipe works wonderfully for meal prep. The leftovers keep for a solid 5 days in the fridge and it’s incredibly versatile. I serve it over buns, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, scooped up with chips, or even eaten with a spoon as-is. If you don’t need this much sloppy joe action in your life, just half the recipe! Here’s what you’ll need:

Grass-fed ground beef
Zucchini
Red bell pepper
Mushrooms, any variety
Yellow onion
Garlic
Canned crushed tomatoes
Canned tomato paste
Maple syrup
Apple cider vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Hamburger buns, for serving

You may be wondering, can you:

use ground chicken or turkey, instead? Yes! Since ground poultry is leaner than ground beef, I would add two Tbsp cooking oil per pound of meat
substitute other veggies in your kitchen for the ones listed in this recipe? Yes! I have made these using cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, different varieties of mushrooms, hot peppers instead of bell peppers for extra heat, and fresh tomatoes instead of canned. Use what you have and what you like, just keep the amounts the same.
omit the sweetener? Yes, but I would be aware that traditional sloppy joe’s are on the sweeter side. Omitting the sweetener will leave you with more of a chunky Italian meat sauce rather than a sweet sloppy joe flavor. You can, on the other hand, sub out the maple syrup for whatever you’ve got on hand- honey, agave nectar, or other forms of sweetener.
use beef that isn’t grass-fed? Absolutely! Grass-fed is my preference for a multitude of reasons, but regular beef is just fine.

Tools used to make Hidden-Veggie Sloppy Joes

I love this meal for easy, weeknight-friendly meal prep. It comes together in one large skillet or pot, making for easy clean up. You’ll need just five pieces of equipment for this recipe, which are as follows:

Large, deep skillet or soup pot (something with higher walls)
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Food processor
Measuring cups and spoons

How to make Hidden-Veggie Sloppy Joes

As mentioned above, this recipe can happen rather quickly, making it perfect for weeknights. It’s also very kid friendly, if that’s something you’re looking for in the kitchen. I don’t yet have kids, but I can imagine the joy on their faces while helping food process all the veggies in this recipe. Every kid loves to push the button, ya know?

You’ll start by processing all the vegetables in the food processor. You may need to work in batches, because an over-crowded food processor can lead to some veggies being pureed and some being too large. We’re looking for everything to be a nice, uniform mince that is similar in size to pieces of cooked ground beef. Once everything is processed, set it aside.

Brown the ground beef in your large skillet or pot. While the beef cooks, you can measure out the remaining ingredients.

Once the beef has browned, add the minced veggies and let everything cook together for 10-15 minutes, until all the water from the veggies has cooked out. Then, add the remaining ingredients to create the sauce. At this point, the sauce can be done after just 10 minutes. However, if you want even more developed flavor, you can let it go over very low for a few hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. If I’m making this on a lazy Sunday, I’ll often opt for the longer route, but both options taste delicious!

Serve the sloppy joe’s over whatever your heart desires. Traditionally, they’re served on hamburger buns. I’ve also been known to eat it over rice or cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, or even as-is with a spoon. Jeff loves to dip tortilla chips into the filling, like a sweeter version of chili on chips. Go for it!

Looking for other veggie-packed recipes?

Try these ideas from The Ardent Cook!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cauliflower Risotto with Chicken Meatballs

Chicken and Dumplings

Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Bowls

Recipe Ingredients

2lbs grass-fed ground beef

1 large zucchini, minced

2 medium carrots, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

4oz baby bella mushrooms, minced

½ yellow onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

28oz can crushed tomatoes

6oz can tomato paste

¼ cup maple syrup

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Hamburger buns, for serving (optional)

Recipe Instructions

Process or very finely mince the zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Set aside.
In a very large skillet, brown the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper,
Add the minced veggies and stir everything together thoroughly. Season again with salt and pepper. Let the mixture cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until most of the water from the vegetables has cooked out.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Let the mixture come to a boil, then simmer an additional 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
Adjust salt and pepper as needed, and serve over hamburger buns for a traditional sloppy joe. Alternatively, serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or mashed potatoes for a fun twist. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cauliflower Risotto with Chicken Meatballs

Another great transitional recipe for those weird days between winter and spring, this creamy risotto-style dish is loaded with vegetables. It’s still warm and comforting, but the overall light feeling of the dish gives a nod towards warmer days ahead. I absolutely love it and I hope you do too!

Ingredients needed to make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cauliflower Risotto with Chicken Meatballs

The ingredients are straightforward and veggie-heavy. A few notes on substitutions- I prefer using ground chicken in this recipe, but you could use turkey as well. If using frozen cauliflower rice, it may take longer to rid the pan of liquid before adding the goat cheese, as described below. I find fresh riced cauliflower in the refrigerated produce section in most grocery stores, and generally prefer it to frozen riced cauliflower! Here’s the list of everything you’ll need:

For the meatballs:

Olive oil
Ground chicken
Fresh garlic
Roasted red peppers, jarred
Fresh or dried oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

For the risotto:

Grass-fed butter or ghee
Olive oil
Riced cauliflower
Shallot or yellow onion
Roasted red peppers, jarred
Tuscan kale
Chicken broth
Goat cheese
Whole milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk
Flour or tapioca starch, if gluten-free
Fresh lemon juice
Crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

Tools used to make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cauliflower Risotto with Chicken Meatballs

This is a wonderful meal to make on a weeknight because it’s made using just one large skillet! I prefer using a deeper skillet to make sure there’s enough room in the pan for everything, but you could also use a large Dutch oven if you prefer. Here’s a complete list of equipment for your convenience:

Large, deep skillet (at least 12 inches) or large Dutch oven
Large mixing bowl
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Tongs
Stirring utensil, such as a wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
#40 (1 1/2 Tbsp) cookie scoop, optional

How to make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cauliflower Risotto with Chicken Meatballs

As always before beginning a recipe, make sure to read the entire recipe through. Part of stress-free cooking is taking time to do this simple step, as well as chopping and measuring everything that needs to be chopped and measured before you even turn on a burner. If you do those two tasks, I guarantee you’ll feel better tackling whatever recipe you land on, not just including ones I’ve written.

You’ll start by mixing the meatballs and forming them into balls. I like to use a cookie scoop to ensure all of my meatballs are the same size, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have one. You can eyeball them, keeping in mind the recommended size for these meatballs is about 1 1/2 tablespoons per ball.

Once formed, cook the meatballs over medium heat. You’ll need to work in at least two, if not three, batches to ensure your meatballs get a nice browning and don’t just steam from a crowded pan. When a recipe says work in batches, it’s for a reason more than just slowing you down!

After all of the meatballs have cooked, set them aside. In the same skillet you cooked the meatballs, lower the heat slightly and add the butter and olive oil. Stir in the riced cauliflower and scrape up any meatball bits from the bottom of the pan, which are going to add a ton of flavor to this risotto!

After the cauliflower has cooked for 1-2 minutes, add the garlic, onion, roasted red peppers, and chicken broth, then cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower has become tender.

At this point, you’ll remove the lid and check for liquid in the skillet. You can also add the kale at this point. We want to let as much of the liquid evaporate as possible before adding the cheese and milk, which is what gives this dish that “risotto” feeling. To do this, simply continue cooking the cauliflower, uncovered, over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Note: If using frozen riced cauliflower, there may be more liquid. Plan to increase the time needed to reduce the liquid.

Next, we’ll make a “slurry” of flour and milk. This is just a fancy way of saying we whisk flour into milk before adding to a hot pan. It helps the dish thicken and leaves us with a creamy “risotto” as the final product. If you’re dairy free, you can swap any unsweetened dairy milk you like. To make the dish gluten-free, as I often do, swap flour for tapioca starch or a gluten-free flour blend. Both options work! Once the slurry is made, add it to the cauliflower along with the goat cheese. Stir everything up until the goat cheese has melted and incorporated, and the whole dish is creamy.

Finally, you’ll stir in the lemon juice and crushed red pepper, then season again with salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs back into the skillet and serve hot!

Looking for other one-pan/one-pot recipes from The Ardent Cook?

Chicken and Dumplings

Wild Mushroom Farro with Parmesan and Microgreens

Potato, Leek, and Corn Chowder

Chicken with Nectarines and Crispy Prosciutto

Recipe Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 tbsp olive oil

1lb ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium roasted red pepper, finely diced, from a jar of roasted red bell peppers

½ tsp dried oregano

A few shakes crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

For the “risotto”

Two tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee

1 tbsp olive oil

Two 12-14oz bags fresh or frozen riced cauliflower

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium shallot or small yellow onion, diced

One 10-12oz jar roasted red peppers (minus the one used in the meatballs), drained and chopped

1 small bunch tuscan kale, stems removed and leaves very thinly sliced

½ cup chicken broth

6oz goat cheese

¾ cup whole milk or dairy free milk of choice

2 tsp flour, GF flour blend, or tapioca starch

Juice of ½ lemon

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Combine all ingredients for the meatballs and mix well using your hands or a fork. Form into 1 1/2 tbsp-sized balls. Recipe makes about 15 meatballs, for reference.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs, flipping often to brown them on all sides, until cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. When all meatballs are cooked, set aside.
Make the risotto. Lower the heat slightly and add the butter and olive oil. Add the riced cauliflower and scrape up any bits of meatballs from the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the garlic, onion, chopped roasted red peppers, and chicken broth. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
Remove the lid and check for liquid in the pan. Continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until all of the liquid from the cauliflower has evaporated.
While the liquid evaporates, vigorously whisk the flour into the milk to form a slurry. Once all the liquid has evaporated, stir in the goat cheese and the milk slurry and continue stirring until thickened.
Stir in the lemon juice and crushed red pepper flakes. Season once more with salt and pepper to taste, add the meatballs back into the skillet to warm, then enjoy!

Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar

Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar is officially my segue into spring flavors. I love cold months so much, but one of the reasons I live where I do is for the distinct four seasons. If winter hadn’t already outstayed its welcome, it really made its place known with another unexpected, and pretty large, snow dump earlier this week. My car got stuck and I ended up staying late at work because I was literally trapped. Needless to say, I’ve had enough of winter.

Enter this celery salad and I was met with a little bit of joy in the otherwise cold and dreary days. It’s crisp, easy to pull together, and really adds an unexpected element to those heartier winter meals. I really love the balance in this salad!

This recipe was inspired by a favorite chef of mine, Joshua McFadden. His book, Six Seasons, is truly one of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve ever read. Trust me- my collection is overflowing. In that cookbook, he has a recipe for a similar celery salad with dates, parmesan cheese, and various other delightful ingredients. This is basically a riff on that famous recipe. I took out the nuts that are present in his recipe and made the addition of za’atar in my recipe. I love nuts, but I found that we’ve been consuming a lot of them since adopting a gluten-free lifestyle. Whether its almond milk, almond flour, other nut flour blends, etc., it was just a lot of nuts. The za’atar is punchy and bright enough to stand up to the lemon in this dish, plus I just love the taste of it.

Nuts or not, this salad excels in every aspect. Read on for the how-to.

Ingredients needed to make Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar

To make this celery salad, you really need to get yourself some celery. I implore you to skip the pre-cut celery hearts at your store and instead grab a full-blown head of celery, with the leaves attached. Those little celery leaves are so delicious chopped up and added into this salad, plus it’s just one other way you can reduce your food waste in the kitchen. Save the leaves!

Here’s everything you’ll need:

Celery
Romaine lettuce
Golden raisins
Lemon
Olive oil
Za’atar spice blend
Sharp cheese, such as parmesan, aged provolone, pecorino romano
Salt
Black pepper

Tools used to make Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar

This salad requires super minimal equipment. You’ll need a large cutting board, sharp knife, large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, a whisk or fork, and measuring cups and spoons. Pretty simple!

How to make Celery Salad with Golden Raisins, Lemon, and Za’atar

To begin, combine the thinly sliced celery and leaves, torn romaine, and golden raisins in your large mixing bowl. I like to cut the celery on the bias to make it look pretty for serving, but you can cut it any way your heart pleases. I also like the rustic look of the torn romaine leaves, but you could roughly chop them if you must.

In the smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, za’atar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, stream the olive oil into the lemon juice mixture and keep whisking until a vinaigrette forms. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, toss, and season once more with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving plate.

At the end, I’ll sometimes garnish with more golden raisins. Sometimes they sink to the bottom of the salad, and I like a few to be resting on top so folks know whats in the salad they’re about to eat. Finally, you’ll top it all with your shaved sharp cheese of choice. SO delicious!

Looking for other quick and fresh salads?

Try these recipes from The Ardent Cook

Harissa Chicken Chopped Salad

Harvest Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese, and Golden Raisins

Broccoli Salad with Quick Homemade Ranch

Charred Corn Salad with Cumin Lime Vinaigrette

Recipe Ingredients

8-10 stalks celery, stalks thinly sliced, leaves roughly chopped

6 romaine leaves, torn

¼ cup golden raisins

Juice of 1 lemon

Scant ¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp za’atar

2 oz sharp cheese, such as parmesan or aged provolone, shaved

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Combine celery and leaves, torn romaine, and golden raisins in a large mixing bowl.
In a smaller mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, za’atar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, stream the olive oil into the lemon mixture and continue whisking until a vinaigrette forms.
Toss the salad with the vinaigrette, season once more with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving bowl or plate.
Top with the shaved cheese and additional golden raisins if desired. Enjoy!

A Year of The Ardent Cook: Favorite Recipe Roundup

I woke up this morning to a complete shock: an annual charge had been pulled from my bank account for my domain name, which means that I’ve officially had this blog for an entire year! While the unexpected withdrawal hurt a little, I’m floored at how quickly a year has passed and how far this project of mine has come. Since The Ardent Cook’s inception, I’ve developed and shared over 100 recipes, gained hundreds of followers, failed while testing numerous recipes, and succeeded in creating a community for myself that I’m proud of. I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support of you as readers and followers, and I’m incredibly humbled by it all. Thank you for being here for the past year! I’m looking forward to many more together here at The Ardent Cook.

To celebrate, I’ve rounded up a list of my top 10 most favorite recipes from the past year. I hope this serves you well in your cooking endeavors, whether they be sharpening your skills in the kitchen, feeding a crowd, or serving a comforting dinner to your loved ones. Enjoy!

#10 Whipped Feta Dip