Salads

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

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With only 5 simple ingredients, you can have this tangy, sweet honey dijon salad dressing ready to go! I love homemade salad dressings. They are just so easy to make and you can adjust them…

Asian Slaw

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This light, flavorful Asian slaw is a delicious, healthy side dish that is perfect for the spring and summer months. Serve it with some grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and watermelon and you have…

Strawberry Avocado Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Prepare to be transported to a warm summer day as you enjoy our Strawberry Avocado Salad. Tangy feta cheese, toasted sliced almonds, sweet strawberries, fresh pineapple, and creamy avocado pair well with the sweet and tangy balsamic dressing.
spinach salad on table

Strawberry Fields Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Perfect for an Easter holiday table or weeknight meal, this colorful spring-inspired salad packs a flavor punch with every bite! Spinach, strawberries, bacon, feta, red onion, and more are topped with a mild, lemony, sweet dressing that's sure to please all ages.

Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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This delicious fall-inspired Autumn Chopped Salad will quickly become your go-to holiday salad. It's great for large group gatherings or compliments a weeknight meal at home. This post is sponsored…

Chopped Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad

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Looking for a salad recipe that is great for a large group? Our Chopped Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad has proven to be a crowd pleaser. My friend Carolyn served up this Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad…

Cilantro Chicken Chopped Salad

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This Cilantro Chicken Chopped Salad is fresh, vibrant, and makes a great lunch. I'm on a mission. A mission to collect an arsenal of awesome salads. And today, you are meeting one of them. In full…
Fiesta Chopped Salad

Fiesta Chopped Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

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This fresh, delicious, and super healthy Fiesta Chopped Salad (or is it salsa?) works as a light lunch, side dish, appetizer, or snack anytime. Make this on the weekend and eat on it throughout the week.…

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

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The sweet and vibrant flavor of this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette homemade salad dressing will bring life and flavor to any salad.  As much as I love cooking from scratch, I still feel a little…

33 Homemade Salad Dressings

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Confession: I'm a half-hearted gardener. I want the fruits of a great home vegetable garden but don't want to put in the work. I simply want to plant the seeds, walk away, and have a thriving garden in…

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Salad

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My family won't go for Brussel Sprouts. I've tried multiple times but they simply turn their noses up at the idea of them before they even try them. Husband included. Since I'm the only one who will…
Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing

Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing

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This colorful Cranberry Spinach Salad and Creamy Citrus Dressing came from my mom and was a delightful hit at our family's Christmas celebration. The dressing is just about perfect in my estimation--citrusy,…
Protein Lunch Bowl

Protein Lunch Bowl (Gluten-Free)

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Looking for a quick and healthy lunch option? As moms, our lunch doesn't have to consist of leftover sandwich triangles from our kids' plates and a rogue baby carrot or two we find left in the vegetable…
garden greek salad

Garden Greek Salad Recipe

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It's not often I get addicted to a salad and can't stop eating it. But, I did with this Garden Greek Salad. (Oh, and this one, too.) Who doesn't want to be addicted to veggies?!? The simplicity…
Wilted Lettuce Salad

Simply Good Wilted Lettuce Salad

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Although this is the simplest salad ever, I feel it is my duty to pass along the recipe that left us longing for more. A friend from church sent my husband home with two bags of fresh garden lettuce…
Cobb Salad

My Favorite Cobb Salad

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I received this Cobb Salad as a fresh meal for our Freezer Club this week. It is colorful, complex in flavor and texture, and a crowd-pleaser. Hope you enjoy this easy and healthy recipe! In…
Garden Fresh Tabbouleh Salad is a great way to use up veggies and eat on a delicious bowl of healthy goodness all week long!

Garden Fresh Tabbouleh Salad

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A friend and I have lately been lamenting/joking about how having kids has stolen some of our IQ. I wouldn't have it any other way, of course. But with all the antioxidants in this Tabbouleh Salad I…

Vegetables

A great little trick that will help you grill flawless corn on the cob. In fact, we will grill corn no other way after using this method. While you could easily boil corn on the cob, grilling corn brings out a different, richer flavor and adds that yummy char to the outside of the corn.

How to Grill Corn on the Cob

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This is one of my best tricks to grilling corn on the cob. It keeps the corn moist but also adds a nice light char if done right. Use this method on how to cook corn on the grill at your next BBQ! I…
steak fries dipped in ketchup

Oven Baked Steak Fries

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This steak fries recipe turns out perfectly crispy and seasoned, thanks to a few tricks including a secret ingredient. Plus, this oven baked method is healthier and less messy than frying!

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

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Do you have a green bean hater? I dare you to try this bacon-wrapped green bean recipe. I dare you. I took the dare and I now have a transformed husband who looks forward to his green beans. Not…

How Long to Boil Baby Potatoes (+ Delicious Recipe)

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Looking for an incredibly simple side dish for a weeknight meal or a special occasion? Boiled baby (or small) potatoes take very little time to cook and only a few ingredients to look stunning and please…

How to Cook Corn on the Cob in the Microwave

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Thank you to my mother-in-law for this quick trick on how to cook corn on the cob in the microwave! Did you know that cooking corn on the cob doesn't require dirtying up a pot, heating up the kitchen,…

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes are an easy side dish sure to please even the pickiest eater. They are easy to customize and will make you feel like a pro in the kitchen (even though they require very little…

Oven Roasted Asparagus

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Learn how you can easily roast asparagus in the oven and enjoy a crisp, bright, tender stalk in all its glory. With a few simple ingredients and 8 quick minutes in the oven, you can be serving up one…

How to Grill Asparagus

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The flavor of this simple, grilled asparagus recipe will amaze you. The crispy, slightly charred ends are a perfect contrast to the tender fresh asparagus stalks. In 5-7 minutes, you can serve up one…
twice-baked potatoes

Ultimate Bacon and Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes

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These make ahead Ultimate Bacon and Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes are the quintessential side dish for almost any holiday meal. They are a bit healthier than other twice-baked potatoes yet just as rich-tasting.  This…

The BEST Way to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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When I say this is the best way to make roasted Brussels sprouts, I mean it. Use this method for future Brussels sprout success in your oven. This super simple way to cook Brussels sprouts…

Roasted Vegetable Hash

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This twist on roasted vegetables will have you coming back for more... and more... and more.... I'm obsessed. Truly obsessed. And apparently you are, too. When I shared on Instagram about making this…

Mini Broccoli Cheddar Bites

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Here's a yummy way to eat your veggies. Mini Broccoli Cheddar Bites were inspired from a recipe in the lovely cookbook called Scratch. They remind me of mini quiches--perfectly cooked broccoli meets…
Freezer Friendly Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes. This surprising freezer meal can make a great healthy dinner or even a side dish for a large group. Made with real food ingredients too!

Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes {Freezer Meal}

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We're so excited to be able to share one of the healthiest, most delicious, and freezable recipes in our cookbook, From Freezer to Table, today--Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes! Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes…

Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Made in the Instant Pot!)

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Not all mashed potatoes are created equally. Growing up, my parents would always mashed potatoes that were chunky and with the skin mixed in. (This provided more nutrition. Thanks, Dad). While I am not…

Garlicky Green Beans

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I grew up thinking that canned green beans were better than fresh. To be honest, I still have a hard time with fresh green beans unless they are seasoned up or cooked in a delicious way. (Probably…
A foil pack makes for easy cooking and clean up and perfectly grilled or baked Roasted Root Vegetables!

Roasted Root Vegetables in a Foil Pack

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Want to pretend you're camping one night, without all the bugs and hassle? A super fun recipe from our cookbook, From Freezer to Table (release date: Sept 12, 2017), is a one-pot chicken meal wonder…

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Salad

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My family won't go for Brussel Sprouts. I've tried multiple times but they simply turn their noses up at the idea of them before they even try them. Husband included. Since I'm the only one who will…

Crispy Parmesan Potato Wedges

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Here's an easy-peasy side dish idea that almost everyone will love. These Crispy Parmesan Potato Wedges are not only easy to make but a super filling and an inexpensive side dish. I love that they…

Sweet and Savory Roasted Carrots

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Little fun factoid of the day: In the book, Salt Sugar Fat, I learned that the man responsible for popularizing baby carrots was a top executive for Coca-Cola. After years of using his genius marketing…
All-Natural Basic Cheese Sauce

Homemade Basic Cheese Sauce (with NO Velveeta!)

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This all-natural basic cheese sauce transforms vegetables, leaving my family always asking for more! It also works as a delicious sauce over pasta, meat, or rice. Best of all, NO VELVEETA! Wow.…
These may be healthier than mashed potatoes, but these Cheesy Mashed Sweet Potatoes will have your family coming back for more! #realfood #freezermeal #delicious

Cream Cheesy Mashed Sweet Potatoes {Freezer Meal}

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It's no secret that I like to sneak more nutrition into kid-friendly meals wherever I can. My kids aren't the worst vegetable eaters in the world, but they certainly aren't the best. And, hey, my husband…
Corn and Blueberry Salad

Corn and Blueberry Salad

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Guest post by Sarah from The Pajama Chef. You guys are going to love her and her recipe! She's so sweet and has a real talent for really good food. Hey everyone! I'm so glad that Rachel and Polly asked…

Cooking Potatoes in the Crock Pot

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Guess what. Well you probably already know what I'm going to tell you considering you had to scroll over my picture of potatoes cooking in the crock pot. But in case you are moving a little slow today,…

Crowd Pleaser Green Beans

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For some reason I have always preferred canned green beans versus fresh. Maybe it's just what I grew up on, but I have never been able to LOVE fresh green beans. However, when I saw the Pioneer…
Basic Roasted Vegetables Recipe

Basic Roasted Vegetables Recipe

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Build Roast it, and they will come eat. I've found this mantra to be so true over the years--from Brussel Sprouts to Asparagus to Purple Potatoes and Carrots to Broccoli. My young kids will try just…

Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe

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Friends, take me seriously when I tell you that cooking broccoli this way will convert your family into broccoli eaters. Want proof? My husband who has turned his nose up at broccoli his entire life…
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Honey Balsamic Reduction

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Honey Balsamic Reduction

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By Jessica Ellingsworth, Contributing Writer Mention the words 'brussels sprouts' and the responses can be polarizing. I hear anything from, "ohmygoodness, LOVE them!" to "Um, I am not a fan of those…
Roasted Potatoes and Carrots Recipe

Roasted Purple Potatoes and Carrots

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Have you ever had purple potatoes? My son picked them out at Natural Grocer a few weeks ago (that's one of my keys to getting the kids to try new foods) and they were delightful. The bluish-purple…
easy sweet potato recipe

Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

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We get a little crazy with the sweet potato recipes around Thriving Home. Rachel has found amazing ways to sneak them into banana bread, biscuits, pancakes, and even french toast. If you poke…

Zucchini Succotash

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Ever notice how vegetables like zucchini are either feast or famine? This month the zucchini feast is on.  Check out my mom's garden where I inherit much of the fruit of her vines.  I did not,…
Roasted Lemon-Garlic Chicken and Veggies

Roasted Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Veggies {Freezer Meal}

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Talk about simple, delicious, and yet another great way to use up veggies in your fridge or garden. This was a well-rounded, light-tasting dinner that required little work on my part. In fact, I just…

Miscellaneous

hash brown casserole on table

Easy Hash Brown Casserole (Gluten Free)

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Our make-ahead Easy Hash Brown Casserole makes this traditional holiday side dish a little bit healthier by making it from scratch and leaving out the canned cream of soup. It comes together quickly but is creamy and comforting as always!

Garlic Bread (Done RIGHT!)

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It feels a bit silly to be sharing a post about how to make garlic bread. I mean, isn't it kind of a no-brainer? Well, maybe. BUT, we want to help you take your garlic bread game to the next level. This…
100% real food ingredients! These 5-ingredient Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits are absolutely delicious!

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits {Freezer Meal}

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There's nothin' like a homemade biscuit straight from the oven. Are you with me? On holidays, I pull out the Crisco and white flour and make my mother-in-law's killer recipe. And my husband and kids…
Sour Cream and Cheese Biscuits-4

Cheddar and Sour Cream Biscuits

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Cheddar and sour cream biscuits. Need I say more? OK, I will. They were great and a super easy side dish. If I would have had green onions on hand I would have tossed a few in there as well but they…

Cheesy Pesto Bread

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My husband gets excited about any meal if it includes his beloved pesto cheese bread. Lets be honest, so do I. It is SO good. It doesn't rank too highly in the healthy department since it is made with…

Incredibly Easy Crock Pot Cinnamon Apples {Freezer Meal}

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I came home with a bag of peeled and chopped up apples from Apple Butter Weekend and was trying to figure out what to do with them. After poking around on a few recipes I figured I could cook them…
crock pot cran-apple sauce recipe

Crock Pot Cran-Apple Sauce Recipe

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Hi everyone! I'm Sarah and I blog at The Pajama Chef. I am so excited to be guest posting today at Thriving Home. When Rachel contacted me to ask if I would share my Crock Pot Cran-Apple Sauce, I was…

Jane's Grilled Peaches Recipe

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This grilled peach recipe is an explosion of flavors. It's a perfect side dish for your next cookout! Grilled peaches are also a great recipe for large groups. Ever had grilled peaches? I hadn't until…

DIY Corn Muffin Mix

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Photo credit: Steve Johnson I like me a good corn muffin.  Don't you?  But not all corn muffins are created equal. When you buy a boxed mix at the store, for instance, you're getting trans…
Sweet Potato Quick Biscuits

Sweet Potato Quick Biscuits {Freezer Meal}

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As you might know, I love finding ways to sneak more vegetables into food for my kids.  One of our favorite and fast side dishes is Sweet Potato Quick Biscuits. The sweet potato adds moisture and a…