One of my 2020 resolutions was to use more annual leave. While that has been a huge fail thus far, this trash year has at least forced me to think a little bit more creatively about how to make time off feel like an actual day off instead of a day where I’m just inside my house and thinking about my to do list. A key element of this for me is eating and drinking delicious things I wouldn’t have on a normal day but that can be prepared without an inordinate amount of cooking effort. This is where this post comes in!

Some recent eats that you should make on a staycation:

1. Vegan crunchwrap supremes: This was in my last post from forever ago. Just as amazing as I hoped, and incredibly simple to make. I didn’t follow the recipe for the tofu– I used Goya sofrito sauce from the grocery store and added Goya sazón seasoning, salt, and taco seasoning to taste. The tip about letting the tofu sit and caramelize a bit is key to delicious tofu for this recipe. For the queso, I omitted taco seasoning and added a chipotle pepper. I also used storebought guac and salsa, though I can imagine this would be even more amazing if those were homemade. Very customizable if any of these ingredients aren’t your jam, and there is also a non-vegan version from the same blog.
2. The best easy Italian pasta salad: A new-to-me-in-2019 recipe. You might read this and think, “hmm, just another pasta salad.” Wrong. I want to lick this dressing out of the bowl.
3. Caprese sandwiches: This is “duh” recipe. My combo: sourdough, store-bought sun-dried tomato pesto, portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, arugula, mozzarella, basil, balsamic glaze. I am also a big fan of Caprese salads where you swap the tomato for peach.
4. Ice cream sandwiches: Make cookies such as these chocolate chip cookies (have made them a million times- love them and love the no chilling, though they’re usually not crispy as advertised) and buy some yummy ice cream. Sandwich.
5. Embarrassingly easy sheet pan s’mores: Just do it. We used peanut butter cups.
6. 3-ingredient pina coladas
7. Fresh salsa verde: I’ve wanted to make green salsa for a while as I particularly hate the jarred kind. This was awesome and very fresh. The lettuce made a difference.
8. Watermelon salad: One of my favorite simple sides of all time. Neither my mom nor I can remember where we got this idea from, but I think we started with something like this and then put our own spin on it. We don’t think this needs seasoning or dressing. We just chop up watermelon, mint, onion (I prefer red and or sometimes skip it), and sprinkle on feta.
9. Spa water: Filled my infuser water pitcher with cucumber and mint. Easy but fancy.

Other recipes on my to do list:

1. Cucumber elderflower gimlet
2. Mojito margaritas: Also from my last post.
3. Peanut chipotle salsa
4. Shrimp tacos: These similar recipes (one and two) both look great
5. Easy elote dip
6. Grilled sausage and peppers with garlic aioli: We went simple this weekend and grilled cheeseburgers instead, but I will try this sometime this summer.
7. Restaurant-style salsa: Have made this probably hundreds of times and love it. I suggest draining the tomatoes a little to make the salsa a bit thicker.
8. 4 popsicle recipes in one: peach strawberry yogurt, minty watermelon, blackberry lemon, and orange mango coconut
9. 3 ingredient strawberry banana popsicles
10. 3 ingredient blueberry yogurt swirl popsicles
11. Peanut butter pudding pops

And finally, some other assorted recipe reviews because who knows when I will post again:

1. Caprese chicken with smashed potatoes: I didn’t love the potatoes in this recipe, but the chicken was simple, fresh, and delicious. I buy balsamic glaze from the grocery store instead of making it myself because cooking vinegar on the stove is not my idea of a good time.
2. Instant Pot Hawaiian chicken tacos with jalapeno slaw: This was a really interesting flavor combo and I will definitely make again. Next time, I’m making more chicken. Broiling is also super important.
3. Clean eating Instant Pot summer soup: I love this soup and it has a ton of veggies. I have made it twice and omitted the chicken both times, but it’s still really delicious and filling. I topped this with fresh dill, lemon, and parmesan. I think the dill really took this over the top. So good.
4. Cold brew iced coffee: I’m still playing around with my preferred ratio, but this is a solid starting point.
5. Homemade Gatorade: I loosely used this recipe for inspiration, using the ratios for water and salt but then using 1 lime, 1 orange, half a lemon, and a little under 1 Tbsp maple syrup. This was good after a long sweaty day outside.
6. Red pepper cashew pasta with roasted cauliflower: Not a mind-blowing recipe, but a good choice when you don’t feel like cooking. I really liked this sauce.

We made it through another week! Like everyone, I had my ups and downs but fortunately I had some awesome food to help me get through:

1. Vegetarian chili: This was my second attempt at a vegetarian chili. It’s hard to find a recipe for vegetarian chili that sounds appealing. I don’t love the idea of including sweet potato or pumpkin and those are common substitutes. The first attempt was okay, though Mike didn’t like it very much. We both liked this one better. The consistency is definitely more chili-like, though a little too puree-esque and I feel like the carrots are a little more noticeable than I’d like them to be. I did not add water because I like a thicker chili. I would make again but also wouldn’t be opposed to trying something new.
2. Corn bread. I totally deviated from this recipe and it still turned out tasty and moist, so I have full faith the actual recipe is just as good if not better. Ways in which I failed and/or purposefully deviated: 1) corn meal was super expired (but still looked okay), 2) used vegan butter because I wanted to use it up, 3) forgot to bring egg to room temperature, 5) only had 1/2 c of buttermilk so used regular almond milk for the other 1/2 c, 6) whisked things together in a totally wrong order.
3. Crockpot parmesan chicken with orzo. I’ve made this many times but often forget about it or decide not to make it if I don’t already have a dry white wine open since it only uses a small amount. I used a sweet wine that I didn’t love drinking since that’s what I had open, and I put the full quantities listed in the recipe into the marinade instead of saving some for later. I put a little broth in the Crockpot to prevent burning. No negative impact from the wine swap, but overall this was a little more bland than I remember it being.
4. Chipotle tahini bowls. When I first learned I would be teleworking full-time for the duration my first instinct was to be excited I didn’t have to meal prep my salads for the week anymore. I bought some Lean Cuisine-type meals and immediately regretted it. I hate those things. They are bland and never fill me up. This is easy, tasty, and so much better for you than a frozen lunch. My topping combo was spring mix, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, avocado, feta, and the dressing from the recipe.
5. Soft pretzels! I finally bit the bullet and and tried both baking with yeast and using the dough hook on my KitchenAid for the first time. This recipe was easy to follow and the results were excellent. Kneading the dough was a PAIN (I think my dough was still too sticky and/or my surface wasn’t floured enough) and I really hated rolling the dough into the pretzel shape. Next time, I would make pretzel bites instead. Also, I oversalted. 😩 However, this was a fun quarantine activity so I’d recommend trying it.

Until next week…

In case you haven’t noticed, I get bored of eating the same things rather quickly. While I don’t really have a regular meal rotation, I do have some favorites. Here are some of the meals I made the most year, with some hacks for faster prep on weeknights. I’m also including some new favorite recipes I made this year that I anticipate will top my 2020 list.

BREAKFAST

1. Coconut turmeric overnight oats. The best oats I have EVER had. I prep them for the week on Sundays and they hold up well for 4-5 days.
2. Blueberry oatmeal breakfast bars.
3. Favorite pumpkin muffins. If you’re looking for a fluffy muffin, this is not it. If you’re looking for a tasty muffin that is relatively healthy and good for breakfasts on the go, this is an option I find myself circling back to in the fall and winter.

CHICKEN

1. Chicken tzatziki bowl. I use this recipe for the chicken marinade and riff on the rest. I do not use skewers and cut the chicken smaller for faster stovetop cooking.
2. Slow cooker buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes. I honestly don’t even like buffalo chicken that much (/unpopular opinion) but this is SO good. You can roast the sweet potatoes separately if you prefer or cook them in the microwave.
3. Easy homemade burrito bowls. Infinitely adaptable; you can shortcut almost any element and still get solid results. For example, I often do chicken in the crockpot with a jar of salsa instead. Goes from good to amazing if you serve it with this restaurant-style salsa.
4. Best anytime baked chicken meatballs. I love these so much. Could not be easier and no sauteeing required. If I have time I like to make my own simple marinara using the sauce recipe from here as a base.
5. Easy shredded harissa chicken. I like serving this with rice, cucumber, olives, hummus, tzatziki, and sometimes the red pepper sauce mentioned below.
6. Instant Pot coconut tandoori chicken. A new recipe that will probably replace other similar Indian-inspired dishes I’ve made previously, as it is both easier and more flavorful (winner).

BEEF, TURKEY, PORK

1. Greek turkey and rice skillet. I prefer to cook the rice separately (in water or broth) while browning the meat so I can skip the boiling/simmering step and save some time. Mix together when rice is done.
2. Banh mi bowls with lemongrass meatballs. I don’t even bother to form meatballs; instead, I break up the meat in the pan after mixing in the other ingredients. I also find that the carrots taste sufficiently pickled after 30 minutes or so if you’re in a rush. Basil, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo are my fave toppings.
3. Taco stuffed zucchini boats. You could easily spiralize the zucchini separately to save time and just serve the meat on top.
4. Turkey stuffed peppers. I love the filling in these. So flavorful.
5. Turkey meatloaf. Is this going to blow your mind? Probably not, but it’s a decent meatloaf. I don’t bother to saute the onions first, and sometimes I make my own seasoned breadcrumbs if all I have is plain with a mixture of oregano, herbs, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder.
6. Signature spicy, smoky, sweet chili. I make a few adjustments to this because I prefer a thicker chili that is more spicy than sweet, including decreasing the tomato sauce to about 8 ounces, increasing the cayenne, and reducing the brown sugar. I also sometimes swap out the beef for pork and the baked beans for other kinds of beans.

SAUCES (for pasta, pizza, salads, veggies, snacking, and everything in between)

1. 5-minute magic green sauce.
2. 5-minute sunshine sauce. I love that this uses only pantry staples (I don’t add the fresh herbs).
3. Roasted red pepper sauce.
4. Restaurant-style salsa. Mentioned in the burrito bowls above, this is SO. GOOD. I drain the tomatoes slightly to make it a little thicker. I especially love it with eggs.

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN

1. Glowing spiced lentil soup. One of the only recipes I may have burned myself out on after making it approximately 398434 times. Spice mixture is 👌
2. Crispy baked tofu. I could eat these like chips. It’s a versatile protein that I add to salads, soups, and curries.
3. Actually crispy baked chickpeas. Ditto #2 above. Add to a romaine mix (or whatever lettuce isn’t currently going to kill you) with some roasted veggies and a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing, and you have my work lunch for 95% of the days I spend in the office.
4. Cozy autumn wild rice soup. This was a new recipe this fall and I could not be more obsessed with it. Have made it 3 times in about 6 weeks which is a lot for me.
5. Roasted portobello tacos.
6. Vegan sheet pan fajitas with chipotle queso. A new recipe I will keep making.
7. Sheet pan BBQ tofu.
8. Spicy sweet potato and green rice burrito bowls. This is a bit complex for a weeknight so I probably won’t be making this all the time, but this might be my favorite new meal of the year so it will definitely be made again in 2020!
9. Veggie lasagna zucchini boats.
10. Quinoa tabbouleh. A light and refreshing lunch option.

I did it! I rounded out my 52 new recipes in 2019 with a bunch of desserts, which seems pretty on brand for this time of year. I’m going to wrap up this entire series with a summary of my favorites/meal staples because I love reading those kinds of things, so maybe someone else will too. My 2019 Christmas cookie post will also be up soon. Here are my reviews on the final 13. I’ve also started cooking on Instagram occasionally, so follow me there.

1. Pumpkin dream cake (4/5): I enjoyed this but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I were an icing person (#TeamCake), as both the quantity and sweetness of the icing were just a little too much for me. The icing also stuck to the lid of the pan I baked this in which was highly annoying (that one can be chalked up to user error).
2. Stuffed pepper soup (3/5): Meh. This was fine but I much prefer just making stuffed peppers. Don’t think I’ll be repeating this one.
3. Korean BBQ chickpea bowls (4/5): This was a delicious light dinner that was easy to prep. However, I should have gone with my instincts on this one, which were “this sauce is way too thin, I don’t know how this will fare in the oven.” Next time I’ll probably just roast the chickpeas and brussels sprouts with a little bit of oil and salt and add the sauce at the end.
4. Vegan sheet pan fajitas with chipotle queso (4.5/5): It’s taken me a long time to venture into the cashew cream/queso/sauce world because I’ve always been convinced it couldn’t possibly be good. I was wrong! It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten neon orange queso, but I couldn’t believe how much this reminded me of it. 👌👌 The whole recipe is so easy to prep.
5. Crockpot spicy vegetarian tortilla soup with quinoa (4/5): I made this in the InstantPot and sautéed all the peppers/onion/garlic in a drizzle of olive oil first. I also chopped the peppers in a food processor to get them more finely diced. This was very easy and tasty. Often “spicy” recipes don’t have much of a kick to them but this one definitely did– warning if you don’t like spicy food! Tip: cut corn tortillas into strips with a pizza roller, spray with oil, and bake for approximately 10 mins at 350 degrees. Top soup with these plus avocado, cheese, sour cream, etc.
6. Cinnamon nut mug swirl cake (4/5): Sometimes I’m in the mood for something sweet that isn’t chocolately and this satisfied that craving. As with all mug cakes, the texture isn’t going to be perfect, but this was pretty solid.
7. Orange glazed cranberry bread (5/5): Yum! I appreciate that I did not have to chop cranberries as they roll all over my counter but could instead fold them into the batter whole. This was definitely my breakfast every day the week of Thanksgiving 💁‍♀️
8. Cranberry crumble pie bars (5/5): Very similar flavor profile to the bread in #7 above and the icing is the same, but overall the orange flavor is a little less detectable than it is in the bread. I overworked the dough a little bit so it was very sticky and I had to add more flour to form it in the pan, but otherwise this was very easy and delicious. Might be a new holiday staple for me.
9. Vegan ginger cookies (3.5/5): This recipe also has a GF option. After the stickiness of the pie bars (see #8), I highly appreciated how easy the dough was to handle.
10. InstantPot coconut tandoori chicken (4/5): Really liked this a lot! Could not be simpler to put together. The only thing that took more than a second was measuring the spices, of which there are many (so many tbsps of things!). The final dish has a little bit of heat and a lot of flavor. Because the thighs are fairly small and there isn’t a ton of liquid in the pot, this came to pressure and cooked very quickly. It was so fast dinner was accidentally ready at 4:30pm 😆 I added some frozen peas (no need to thaw) and spinach at the end to add some veggies and served over jasmine rice. There are also freezer meal directions for this recipe to make assembly even easier.
11. Golden coconut lentil soup (4/5): This is a super easy, cheap, vegan meal. I made it on a day that I ate a bunch of Chick-fil-a for lunch and it was a nice reset to my diet. 🤣However, it is also a very light meal, so having some sort of salad or bread on the side is a good idea, which lead me to make #12 below.
12. 3-ingredient coconut oil biscuits (3.5/5): I like to think I am a pretty good cook but this recipe was a solid reminder that you do usually have to pay at least a little bit of attention when making something new! I distractedly added the milk before cutting in the coconut oil and also took some other shortcuts (e.g., did not use a biscuit cutter). So unsurprisingly, these didn’t rise much and didn’t have a flaky biscuit texture, but the taste was good and they are vegan which makes them good for a crowd. I’ll probably try these again the right way.
13. Better for you Instant Pot chicken and spinach ramen (3/5): Not gonna lie, the smell of this was pretty unappealing after cooking, but fortunately it tasted better. This was fine but I honestly probably would have preferred a ramen seasoning packet.
14. And one more I forgot about from earlier in the year: easy vegan burrito bowls (4/5). I was pleasantly surprised by the texture of the cauliflower walnut “meat.” Yum!