Who doesn't love meatballs!!?? This recipe is a lighter, healthier choice but still gives you the perfect meatball, that crust on the outside and tender, juicy meat on the inside. GOOD LORD! 

Servings: 16-18 meatballs

1 lb of ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1/2 tsp of italian seasoning 
1 Tbsp of worcestershire sauce 
1 15oz. jar of marinara sauce*
1 (scant) cup of panko breadcrumbs
​olive oil

Notes:
*My favorite marinara is Rao's Homemade, it's absolutely the best I've had and my go to. 

UPreheat the oven to 400 degrees. Parchment a large baking sheet & drizzle with olive oil. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, salt & pepper, garlic & onion powder, italian seasoning, and worcestershire sauce. 

In a larger bowl, add your ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, and seasoned egg mixture. Use your hands to mix everything together. Be gentle and quick to keep the meat tender! 

Using a TBSP measure, begin forming 2 TBSP size meatballs and place on baking sheet, you will get about 12. Drizzle the top of the meatballs with more olive oil. Place in the oven for about 8 minutes, they should be brown on the bottom side. Flip the meatballs over and bake another 8-10 minutes until golden brown on both sides. 

If serving right away, warm up the marinara in a medium sauce pot then toss with the meatballs. If serving later, cool the meatballs then store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place marinara and meatballs in a medium sauce pot on the oven over medium-low heat. Cover and let heat until simmering and meatballs are warmed through. 

Cashew cream is AMAZING. The uses and variations are endless. It's SO easy to make and a useful nutritional replacement to have on hand. The slightly sweet and buttery cashew nut is packed with energy, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that are essential for long-lasting health.​

I recently used it as a replacement for heavy cream in my lightened up chicken pot pies. It gave them the same creamy, rich taste and texture that cream does PLUS healthy brain boosting fats. I've also used it as a frosting for chocolate cupcakes. The recipe below is a base and from there you can take it SO many places! Try it sweet, savory, or spicy. 

1 cup of raw organic cashews
filtered water

Place cashews in a bowl and pour in enough filtered water to cover them completely. Let soak for 2-3 hours minimum (out on the counter is fine) or up to overnight (in the fridge). 

After soaking, drain water from cashews. Place cashews in a high-speed blender with (new & clean) filtered water. The amount of water will depend on the thickness you want the cream. If you're making something like a frosting start with a few tablespoons of water. If you're making a liquid cream for soup, pasta, etc. then start with 1 cup and add 1-2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Once the cream is smooth, pour into an airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use. This cream will keep around 2 weeks. 

I am all for quick and easy (but still healthy) recipes. These egg rolls are beyond delicious and are absolutely fool proof. The bonus: they only take 5 ingredients!! I use a few little short cuts that skimp on time but NOT on flavor. 

Servings: ~12 egg rolls (depends on how much you fill them)

1 lb of ground turkey
2 tsp of taco seasoning*
2 cans of southwestern vegetable soup*
egg roll wraps
shredded cheese - 3 cheese mexican blend
+1 egg
+ olive oil

 
Notes:
+ Since these are pantry items, I consider them "free" ingredients and they don't count towards the five. :P

* I made my own taco seasoning! Check out recipe below. It also includes salt & pepper so if you use a store bought packet and it doesn't have salt & pepper, be sure to add to seasoning. 

* Using the vegetables from a canned soup, genius shortcut! I used Amy's Organic Southwestern Vegetable soup. It had fire roasted vegetables which are so flavorful! It included corn, beans, green chili, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and spices. Feel free to use any type of vegetables you like in this recipe. 

Homemade Taco Seasoning
1 Tbsp of chili powder
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp of paprika
1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Parchment (or grease) a large baking sheet. 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey & taco seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the turkey as it cooks and mix a few times to incorporate the spices. Let sauté until golden brown and no longer pink.  Meanwhile, beat 1 large egg with a splash of water (this is your egg wash), set aside. 

Once the turkey is done, remove from the heat and add your veggies. If you're using canned soup with veggies, just scoop the veggies out with a spoon, trying not to catch too much liquid. If you decide to use frozen veggies, heat with the turkey for a few minutes to defrost them. 

Drizzle your baking sheet with olive oil (only if you used parchment) so your rolls get crispy. Begin filling your egg roll wraps with turkey/veggie mixture, sprinkle with cheese, and roll them up. The package should have directions! Mine even had pictures, which made life easier. You can google or youtube is necessary. :) 

Before placing the oven, brush the rolls with the egg wash. This will make them golden brown, it's very important! Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy. I flipped mine about 7 minutes in so they could crisp on both sides. 

Serve rolls with your favorite dipping sauce like avocado ranch, salsa, sour cream, or guacamole & enjoy!!