Andrea Kirkland
Andrea Kirkland

Andrea Kirkland, M.S., RD

Andrea Kirkland, MS, RD, is a nationally recognized culinary registered dietitian with over 20 years' experience as a cookbook editor, recipe developer, and food writer and has developed over 1000-plus recipes. Andrea's passionate about sharing her knowledge on home cooking and meal planning and is on a mission to prove that when it comes to food the words healthy and delicious can co-exist.
This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Charring the veggies in a cast-iron skillet adds depth of flavor. Don't worry if you don't have one, because you can use any oven-safe skillet instead.
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This take on cheesy chicken enchiladas skips the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Instead, we scatter tortilla strips throughout the filling and bake it, so you'll still get the same flavors and textures, but in record time. This recipe was adapted from our popular Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole to serve two instead of six.
Tossing all the ingredients into a slow cooker makes this Italian-inspired beef stew virtually a hands-off meal. The long simmer time is the secret to the beef's fork-tender texture and rich-tasting tomato-based gravy.
Citrus Kale Salad
Rating: Unrated
New!
Massaging the kale is well worth the effort because the process quickly softens the leaves for a tender bite. We've used green curly kale here, but red kale would also give this salad a lovely appearance. For an extra burst of citrus flavor, garnish each serving with additional lemon zest.
Fall Vegetable & Sausage Stew
Rating: Unrated
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Hot Italian sausage complements the sweet potatoes and greens, providing just the right amount of heat in this comforting soup. Simmering with rosemary sprigs infuses the soup with aromatic flavor without the extra work required to mince the leaves before cooking them.
Ginger-Cranberry Compote
Rating: Unrated
New!
A small portion of this sweet and spicy compote adds a tangy note to any holiday meal. We suggest serving it atop or alongside our Rosemary Salmon (see Associated Recipe). It's also delicious spooned over turkey or roasted pork tenderloin. Serve it at room temperature or chilled.
Smoky Bacon & Lentil Soup
Rating: Unrated
1
Smoked paprika enhances the flavor of the bacon and plays off the earthiness of the lentils beautifully. Pureeing some of the hot lentil mixture gives this soup a silky texture. We've used a combination of three different types of lentils, but you could easily just use one type; pay attention to cooking times and cook just until tender. Serve this with a side salad or a small slice of crusty bread.
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A rustic chicken dinner doesn't get much easier than this. You can make the entire meal in one skillet, which makes cleanup a breeze. We've used a combination of parsnips and carrots to give this dish a variety of colors and flavors, but you could replace the parsnips with additional carrots if you'd like.
This version of the holiday staple uses a little bourbon to boost the flavor of the sweet potatoes, but you can also use orange juice. Baking the potatoes in their skins allows their natural sugars to caramelize for enhanced sweetness.
Smoky Bacon & Lentil Soup
Rating: Unrated
1
Smoked paprika enhances the flavor of the bacon and plays off the earthiness of the lentils beautifully. Pureeing some of the hot lentil mixture gives this soup a silky texture. We've used a combination of three different types of lentils, but you could easily just use one type; pay attention to cooking times and cook just until tender. Serve this with a side salad or a small slice of crusty bread.
A rustic chicken dinner doesn't get much easier than this. You can make the entire meal in one skillet, which makes cleanup a breeze. We've used a combination of parsnips and carrots to give this dish a variety of colors and flavors, but you could replace the parsnips with additional carrots if you'd like.
This version of the holiday staple uses a little bourbon to boost the flavor of the sweet potatoes, but you can also use orange juice. Baking the potatoes in their skins allows their natural sugars to caramelize for enhanced sweetness.
Farro & Mushroom Stuffing
Rating: Unrated
New!
Sliced mushrooms and colorful aromatic veggies give this skillet version of stuffing a cozy, rustic appearance. Farro adds a delicious chewy texture and nutty flavor. An extra-large skillet, if you have one, helps space out the veggies as they brown, but a large (12-inch) skillet or pot works just fine too.
Green Beans Amandine
Rating: Unrated
New!
A rich browned butter and white wine sauce updates this holiday mainstay. Haricots verts are French-style green beans that are slender and delicate. You can usually find bags of them in the produce section. The packaged beans are often trimmed, which saves time. You can sub traditional green beans; steam those about 2 minutes longer in Step 1.
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Salmon is so easy to prepare yet sophisticated and elegant, which makes it a perfect main dish to serve for a special dinner. Ask your fishmonger for the thickest piece of salmon available.
Cauliflower's round shape can be cut into slabs or florets for the grill. Here, it's grilled both ways after being rubbed with a blend of spicy seasonings and basted with a fresh cilantro-lime vinaigrette.
Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille
Rating: Unrated
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This ratatouille dish is perfect for your bounty from the garden or farmers' market. To keep the veggies from burning, watch them carefully while grilling. If necessary, move any that are cooking too quickly to a cooler spot on the grill.
This colorful gratin dish livens up any holiday plate. Creamy melted Gruyère is comforting, while a blend of cumin, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper lends a warm, spicy note.
An old-school classic gets a boost of nutrition and flavor from garlicky spinach and tomatoes in this healthy mac and cheese recipe.
A rub made of herbs, lemon zest, and garlic infuses every bite of this juicy bird. It's accompanied by a rich homemade gravy made from pan drippings and a touch of cream.
Salmon and walnuts are both great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Pair this easy salmon recipe with a simple salad and a side of roasted potatoes or quinoa.
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A blend of dried spices gives the crispy panko coating on these oven-fried chicken thighs plenty of flavor, and marinating the chicken in buttermilk makes it moist and juicy. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can roast the chicken in a baking dish in Step 5. Serve with your favorite vegetables (bake them alongside the chicken to make it easy) for a healthy comfort food dinner that requires just 20 minutes of active prep time.
Skillet Chicken Potpie
Rating: Unrated
8
A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best.
Old-Fashioned Meatloaf
Rating: Unrated
1
Mushrooms, garlic and oats sneak some extra nutrients into this hearty and easy meatloaf. Serve with sweet potatoes and your favorite green vegetables for a super-satisfying comfort food dinner.
Chimichurri is a robust, herby sauce from Argentina that's typically partnered with grilled beef--here we're serving it with grilled flank or hanger steak, two lean and flavorful cuts of beef that are great for grilling, for an easy dinner recipe that takes just 30 minutes to prep. The sauce is equally delicious over grilled fish, pork or chicken.
Toasted walnuts and roasted pork tenderloin make this elegant salad worthy of company, yet it's easy enough to prepare on a weeknight!
This hearty salad comes together with little effort, since the squash and chicken can roast together on the same sheet pan. Prep the dressing and the salad greens while the chicken is roasting.
Don't toss those stems! Rainbow chard is sold in bunches with a mix of yellow, pink, and pale green stems that add a pop of color, a bit of crunch, and an extra dose of fiber.