3 Easy Recipes For People Who Don’t Cook

Hi hi hello.

I couldn’t be more excited that Tieghan from Half Baked Harvest is on the blog today. In fact, we did a blog swap! On her site I’m sharing 3 of my favorite business tips: branding, time-batching, & working ON your business not IN your business, so be sure to check it out after you see Tieghan’s amazing recipes.

Specifically, she is sharing recipes for the people who ‘don’t cook.’ These are all EASY. QUICK. SIMPLE, & delicious. Tieghan is sharing her perfect coconut macaroons, creamy mac & cheese & the yummiest Brussels sprout recipe EVER ). 

Let’s get right to it, because I need to go make the macaroons again ASAP.

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Hey TSC readers! Tieghan Gerard here, creator of Half Baked Harvest. I’m so excited to be on the blog today sharing some super simple recipes that literally anyone can make. When I asked Lauryn what her favorite foods are, she was very specific: chocolate dipped coconut macaroons, Brussels sprout salad, & mac cheese ( with a heavy squeeze of lemon ).

The perfect balance of sweet, cheesy, & healthy. I took her suggestions & created three easy recipes with some healthy swaps…while keeping things delicious, of course!

With a new baby at home, these are the perfect recipes for Lauryn & Michael…or maybe for Michael to make Lauryn? So with that, let’s talk recipe details.

First up, Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprout Salad. This recipe is for the cheese lover who wants to love Brussels sprouts – but doesn’t. Cacio e pepe translates from Italian to English as “cheese & pepper” & traditionally is served as a pasta.

You’ve probably had it, it’s delicious. To create a lighter dish, I swapped the pasta for shredded Brussels sprouts & tossed them with just a little grated cheese, raw cultured butter, pepper, so much lemon, & toasted nuts for a nice little crunch. Save yourself time by buying shredded Brussels sprouts from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods & this salad will come together in minutes. It’s a great side, or you can serve it as a main alongside a fried egg, grilled chicken, or crispy chickpeas.

Want to make this vegan? Use additional olive oil in place of the cultured butter & swap out the parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast. It’s just as delicious.

Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprout Salad

SERVES: 6 | PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 5 minutes | TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

♡ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

♡ 1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper

♡ crushed red pepper flakes

♡ 1 (12-ounce) bag shredded Brussels sprouts *You can carefully shave your own Brussels sprouts using a mandoline, but I find it is a major time-saver to buy them already prepped

♡ 2 tablespoons salted cultured butter or Ghee

♡ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

♡ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

♡ zest of 1-2 lemons

♡ 1⁄3 cup toasted hazelnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the olive oil, pepper, & red pepper flakes together until toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the Brussels sprouts & cook, without stirring, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the butter, season with the salt, & cook until the Brussels sprouts just begin to char, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat & add the Parmesan, lemon zest, & hazelnuts.

3. Serve warm, topped with more fresh Parmesan.

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Next up, moving along to something a little more comforting, & one of Lauryn’s favorite foods…mac & cheese. Who doesn’t love mac & cheese? It’s the one food that no one can complain about. But here’s the deal? The way mac & cheese is traditionally made is way too complicated. And no one has time for complicated recipes.

My recipe uses just one-pot, & the ingredients & methods are simple. My trick is to first boil the pasta in just enough water to start the cooking process. Then add a splash of milk ( it can be dairy free ) & a handful of extra sharp cheddar cheese. There’s no boiling & draining the pasta…absolutely nothing fancy.

What’s really great about this recipe is just how adaptable it is. You can create so many different variations. If you love spicy, try adding in a jalapeño. Want to up your vegetables? Stir in fresh spinach + a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin puree. The pumpkin will make the mac & cheese even creamier. Or roast up a head of cauliflower & toss that in. Delicious!

For pasta, you can use whatever cut you love most. I usually order mine through Thrive Market. Brown Rice, chickpea pasta, lentil pasta, & regular pasta all work great.

Tip: Once you’ve added everything in, you can decide whether you’re happy with the consistency. If you need to thin the sauce out a bit, simply add in a little more liquid.

Easiest Ever Stove-Top Mac and Cheese with Lemony Arugula

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

♡ 1 box ( 1 pound ) short-cut pasta

♡ ½ cup canned coconut milk or your favorite creamy, unsweetened milk

♡ 2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

♡ 1 tablespoon salted cultured butter or Ghee

♡ ¾ teaspoon garlic powder

♡ Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

♡ ground cayenne pepper

♡ 4 cups fresh arugula

♡ 1-2 lemons

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring 3½ cups of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta & cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Stir in the milk & cook until the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes more.

2. Remove the pan from the heat & stir in the cheese, butter, & garlic powder. Season with salt, pepper, & cayenne – to your taste.

3. In a bowl, toss the arugula with the zest of 1 lemon plus the juice of 1-2 lemons. Season with salt. Sprinkle the arugula over each bowl of mac & cheese. Enjoy!

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Our last recipe today is coconut macaroons…but dipped in chocolate & made so much healthier. I’m telling you, these are a game changer, SO GOOD, SO SIMPLE. Trust me, if you need to satisfy a chocolate fix, make these. They’re extra coconutty, perfectly sweet, & heavy on the chocolate.

Organic manuka honey & ground cinnamon keep these macaroons full of added health benefits. A dark chocolate covering over each macaroon makes them antioxidant rich. Nothing not to love here!

Tip: Add a little flaky sea salt to each macaroon. I love a little salty-sweet dessert.

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes + cooling | Makes: about 24 macaroons

Ingredients:

♡ 2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut

♡ 1 large egg white

♡ ¼ cup organic coconut oil, melted

♡ ¼ cup organic manuka honey

♡ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

♡ ½ teaspoon organic ground cinnamon

♡ ½ teaspoon kosher salt

♡ 8 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded coconut, egg white, coconut oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, & salt until combined. Roll the mix into rounded tablespoon size balls & place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden & toasted. Remove from the oven & let cool.

3. Cover/dip each ball in dark chocolate, place each chocolate dipped macaroon onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer the macaroons to the fridge to allow the chocolate to set up. Macaroons will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Alright, and that’s it from me!

Hope you all have fun re-creating these recipes in your kitchens!

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Hope you guys love these recipes! Can’t wait to make the macaroons. Be sure to follow Tieghan on Instagram @halfbakedharvest & check out her new cookbook too!

x, lauryn

+ check out the only pan you’ll ever need in your kitchen.

++ scope my fiber-filled peaches & cream oatmeal.

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