Healthy Recipes for Cast-Iron Skillets

Apple Puffed Oven Pancake

Apple pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves or ginger. If you don't have any on hand, you can substitute cinnamon and a dash of cloves in the recipe.

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Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.

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Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole

In this healthy casserole recipe--sometimes called tamale pie--the cornbread gets crusty at the edges, thanks to a cast-iron skillet. For the best texture, use yellow cornmeal with a medium grind. Serve with lime wedges for a little extra tang.

Spinach & Cheese Breakfast Skillet

Eating a big healthy breakfast' like this 700-calorie hash-and-egg recipe' may help lower your levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger, and reduce snack cravings later in the day. Plus, research shows eating the bulk of your daily calories earlier in the day could help you lose weight. If you're looking for a lighter breakfast, this recipe can serve two.

Skillet Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Fresh strawberries and rhubarb meld together under a crisp oat crumble in this gluten-free dessert recipe made in just one skillet. If you're not gluten-sensitive, regular rolled oats will work too. Top with a dollop of whipped cream for an extra-special treat.

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Steak with Glazed Carrots & Turnips

This cast-iron steak recipe has what it takes to transform beef and vegetables from basic to brilliant--a pop of rosemary on the steak, an intense sear in a hot skillet and a sweet-and-sour glaze on the vegetables. Serve with sautéed spinach and a glass of red wine.

Moroccan Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper Couscous

Thin cuts of beef, such as skirt steak or sirloin steak, cook very quickly when seared in a hot skillet--just right for a busy weeknight. We love how the spicy Moroccan flavors on the steak complement the sweet, roasted pepper-studded couscous. Serve with: Arugula salad and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It's especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.

Crispy Potatoes with Green Beans & Eggs

This is a one-skillet meal, reminiscent of diner fare at roadside restaurants across the U.S. It can be made with either leftover or raw potatoes. Even while making dinner in a hurry, don't rush this dish: you want to cook the potato cubes until they are crispy outside but still creamy inside.

Wok-Seared Chicken & Vegetables (Kadhai murghi)

This colorful stir-fry combines green bell pepper, orange carrots and red onion along with spice-coated chicken for a delicious result. The cooking happens quickly, so it's a good idea to measure out and prepare all the ingredients in the recipe before you fire up the wok. Enjoy the smoky aromas that emanate from the pan and the combination of spices that titillate the taste buds.

Socca

Socca (pronounced SO-kah) is a thin chickpea crêpe popular in Italian and French towns along the Ligurian Sea (it's called farinata in Italy). Though it's typically cooked in a woodburning oven in a copper pan, this easy recipe gets you close to the same results in your home kitchen. You can eat it unadorned or use it as a sort of pizza crust and garnish it with your favorite toppings.

Cauliflower & Kale Frittata

Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner.

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Chicken & Asparagus Skillet Pasta with Pesto

Fresh lemon juice, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and zippy pesto tie together the flavors in this quick and easy skillet meal. The 30-minute dinner is so versatile—you can use any quick-cooking protein or vegetable you have on hand and still have a delicious meal on busy weeknights.

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale

You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.

Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.

Summer Skillet Vegetable & Egg Scramble

Don't toss out those almost-past-their-prime vegetables and fresh herbs. Toss them into this skillet egg scramble for a quick vegetarian meal. Nearly any vegetable will work in this easy skillet recipe, so choose your favorites or use what you have on hand.

Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food—no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store.

Skillet Chicken Potpie

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.

Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries

Bump up the vitamin A and fiber when you swap tortilla chips for sweet potatoes in this healthy recipe. Serve as an appetizer at your next party or turn it into dinner by adding chicken, tofu, shrimp or more beans for protein.

Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza with Sausage & Kale

A piping-hot cast-iron skillet turns pizza dough into a puffy, crisp-bottomed crust (similar to focaccia). If you have children, let them help make this easy pizza recipe: While you cook the sausage, have the kids tear up the kale—no knife required!

Strip Steaks with Smoky Cilantro Sauce & Roasted Vegetables

In this healthy dinner recipe, a cast-iron pan does double duty by searing the steaks and roasting the vegetables. Not a fan of cilantro? The sauce is great with parsley instead.