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Very Best Avocado Salad

March 26, 2019
I could eat this avocado salad with crunchy cucumbers every day. The salad could not be simpler to make and can be enjoyed all by itself, as a side, as a chunky salsa or spooned on top of larger salads. Jump to the Very Best Avocado Salad Recipe or read on to see our tips for making it.





Very Best Avocado Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 medium Hass avocados, about 2 cups cubed
  • 2 cups (300 grams) cubed cucumber, about 1 large cucumber
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 to 2 limes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed
  • 1 small garlic clove, omit if sensitive to raw garlic, about 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup (25 grams) chopped fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, basil, dill or a combination
  • Hot sauce, optional

DIRECTIONS




Easy Crockpot Carnitas

March 22, 2019

 
  • Author: Pinch of Yum
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 1x

Description

These easy crockpot carnitas are simple enough for anyone to make! Broiling them just before serving gives a browned, crispy crust to the meat. SO good!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 45 lbs. pork shoulder
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce (optional)
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 12 ounces beer (a standard lager works great for this!)
  • 1/2 cup salsa (I like to use a less chunky one)

Super Easy Skinny Veggie Crockpot Lasagna

March 22, 2019



 
  • Author: Pinch of Yum
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 9 1x

Description

This skinny Veggie Crockpot Lasagna is packed with good-for-you veggies and super easy to make. Just put it in the crockpot and you’ve got dinner!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 24-ounce jars or cans of Italian tomato sauce (see notes)
  • 9 thick lasagna noodles with wavy edges (mine were called bronze cut)
  • 24 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese OR cottage cheese
  • 34 cups chopped vegetables of choice (I used kale)
  • 2 cups shredded Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
  • Parmesan cheese for topping
  • fresh parsley for topping

Instructions

  1. Spray the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce to the bottom so the noodles don’t stick.
  2. Break noodles so that they fit and mostly cover the bottom. They will probably be awkward looking – not a big deal. Cover with about one third of the ricotta, veggies, sauce, cheese, and end with noodles. Repeat layers two more times for a total of three complete layers. End with a layer of noodles on top, covered with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit more shredded cheese.
  3. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. Turn the crockpot off completely and let the lasagna sit for at least one hour. This allows all the moisture to get soaked into the lasagna, and if you don’t do this it will probably be more like lasagna soup – still good, but not pretty. Depending on how long you let it sit, you can either scoop pieces out or just cut with a knife like normal lasagna.


Notes

I didn’t use ALL the sauce in both jars – I probably used a total of 36 ounces (about one and a half jars), and it was really saucy.
Yogurt passion fruit cake

Yogurt passion fruit cake

September 03, 2018


I have not posted on this blog in such a long time I wonder if there is still anyone around. Life is hectic and I no longer have time to write each recipe in two different languages, therefore I have focused on my blog written in Portuguese (and even there I have not been able to post regularly).

Cakes are probably my favorite thing to bake and that is why I bring you a cake recipe today,
Quinoa, carrot and mozzarella fritters

Quinoa, carrot and mozzarella fritters

April 19, 2018


It took me a while to get on the quinoa bandwagon (I don’t really know why), but after I did I started making fritters with it quite often: with a salad they become a delicious and light lunch or dinner.

Here I have combined quinoa with other tasty ingredients such as carrots, mozzarella and olives – their saltiness goes really well with the sweetness of the carrots and the mozzarella. However
Brownies with white chocolate and raspberries

Brownies with white chocolate and raspberries

April 16, 2018


I think that whenever inspiration fails me when I want to bake something I bake brownies: I can’t think of any other baked good that is a hit with pretty much everyone I know. Not to mention that I absolutely love brownie batter: when I could still eat dairy I would always leave some batter left in the bowl for my own moment of happiness while the brownies were in the oven. :)

The brownies I
Peanut butter and chocolate chip bars

Peanut butter and chocolate chip bars

April 11, 2018


Lately I have been using peanut butter as a way of increasing my protein intake: I buy the natural type made with roasted peanuts only and add a spoonful to smoothies and such.

That reminded me of these bars I made ages ago, when I bought natural peanut butter for the first time. The jar seemed to last too long and I wanted to make something delicious with it. These bars are easy to put