Cold Buster Green Smoothie (How to Fight a Cold)

This cold buster green smoothie recipe is packed with fresh fruits and vegetables to boost your immune system, hydrate your body and send those winter colds packing!

Green smoothies were all the rage a while ago and still are, but I never really thought they were that big of a deal. And then I realized that with all of those vitamins packed into a smoothie we would actually be giving ourselves the proper nutrition that we are recommended in getting. So, we started keeping a full supply of spinach and fruits and sure enough, not only did we start feeling better but we weren’t getting sick.

I hate winter. I know, lots of people love it and cannot wait to get outside and enjoy all that the snow has to offer, but I hate it. Strong word? I seriously dislike it I guess. I am learning to really enjoy skiing, but I still freeze to death and cannot last very long out there. But the major reason I don’t like winter is because we all get sick and pass it around over and over again all winter long. I freeze all winter which I’m sure keeps me sick.

You don’t have to pass a cold around all winter. Last year we cracked down and learned how to fight a cold and this cold buster green smoothie was a huge help! Keep scrolling to the end to see other products we love to help us survive winter colds.

What Makes a Green Smoothie?

The definition of a “green smoothie” can be quite ambiguous but the basics of a green smoothie are:

Leafy Greens + Liquid + Fruit

Then, of course, you can add other ingredient to add protein and more nutrients. Keep scrolling below to see suggestions for the best types of leafy greens, liquids and fruits. We also want to highlight what makes this recipe specifically a cold buster green smoothie.

Ingredients in a Cold Buster Green Smoothie

This smoothie is unique in that we chose specific items to kick the cold right where it hurts:

• Spinach: adds great fiber, vitamins and nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K as well as iron, folate and potassium
• Orange Juice: isn’t just about the vitamin C it’s also about staying hydrated
• Orange with Peel: really slam dunk the vitamin C and the peel contains 4 times more fiber than the fruit itself, it has anti-inflammatory properties and may even help reduce harmful LDL’s
• Baby Carrots: great for killing germs in the mouth and helping with digestion
• Banana: gives the body natural energy which is something you are lacking when sick, and it helps the smoothie be extra creamy
• Frozen Pineapple: adds flavor and helps thicken the smoothie when it’s frozen
• Apple: adds flavor and natural sweetness
• Ice: helps thicken the smoothie without adding sugar or extra calories
• Optional: add a scoop of protein so our b

Mexican Street Corn Soup

A delicious twist on our classic Elote (Mexican Street Corn) recipe, this soup is full of flavor and a quick and easy soup for dinner. A creamy broth packed with sweet corn, roasted chicken and a subtle hint of spices for flavor, this chicken and corn soup is sure to win over friends and family!

I don’t remember the first time I enjoyed Elote, but I want to say it was in Rexburg, Idaho at a little farmer’s market. I never went to school during the summer so I never enjoyed all the yummy food that comes from summer fruits and veggies there. It took my parents moving from Vancouver, Washington to Idaho for me to finally enjoy this tasty recipe that’s a staple in Mexico.

Now that I’ve had it, I cannot get enough. From the classic Elote recipe, to Mexican Street Corn Salad, and even a fun Elote Mexican Street Corn Pasta salad the possibilities are endless. Oh and let’s not forget our slow cooker Mexican street corn dip! Y’all know I love a good dip!!

What is Elote?

Well, first let’s address the question, how do you pronounce elote? It is super easy! You start the word just as if you were starting the word “eloquent” except drop the “quent” and replace it with “tay”. Elo-tay. Now you’ve got it!

Elote, often called Mexican street corn, is grilled corn on the cob smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and fresh lime.

Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn Soup

We are going to take all those classic elote flavors and add a few ingredients to it to make a fantastic corn soup! We add a few more vegetables for more depth of flavor and chicken to make it a little more hearty. Here is what you will need:

• Butter: used for sautéing all the veggies
• Vegetables: Yellow Onion, Celery, Garlic, Pasilla Pepper and Corn
• Seasonings: Chili Powder, Kosher Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper
• Soup Base: Chicken Broth, Heavy Cream, Mexican Crema
• Chicken Breasts: you can grab a rotisserie or if you want to cook your own, try our sticky Mexican chicken recipe
• Cotija Cheese: found in the refrigerated section with the other cheeses or sometimes in the section of Mexican specialty foods

NOTE: If you want to keep it vegetarian, skip the chicken and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below.

Air Fryer BBQ Salmon [+Video]

Impress your friends and family with this easy and flavorful BBQ salmon recipe in the air fryer. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious and healthy dish that everyone will love.

When you cook salmon fillets in the air fryer, the edges getting all crispy and delicious while center stays flaky and moist. It’s so fabulous! It only takes 3 quick (less than 15 minutes!) and easy steps to make this no hassle salmon recipe!

Ingredients for Air Fryer BBQ Salmon

You will only need 5 ingredients to make these air fryer salmon fillets and there is practically no measuring needed! This is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight when you still want to eat something healthy. Here is what you will need:

• Salmon Fillets
• BBQ Rub or Honey Hog BBQ Rub
• Butter
• BBQ Sauce
• Honey

The details for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make BBQ Salmon in the Air Fryer

1. Prep: Preheat the air fryer and rub the fillets with the BBQ rub and butter (or olive oil).
2. Cook: Place the salmon filets in the air fryer skin side down and cook for 7-9 minutes. Time may vary based on the size of the fillets and the size of your air fryer.
3. Serve: Brush some barbecue sauce and honey on top and serve!

These instructions can also be found in the recipe card down below. The recipe can also be saved or printed from there.

Watch How to Make Airfryer Salmon

Do You Season Both Sides?

Only the flesh side of the salmon fillet needs to be seasoned since we cook the salmon with the skin on but we won’t eat the skin. And don’t hold back on the seasoning! I love my salmon with lots of flavor!

Do You Remove Salmon Skin Before Cooking?

I always cook salmon with the skin on. It’s almost like a little protective barrier in the air fryer to keep the salmon from getting dried out. Once it is cooked, it is super easy to remove the skin and serve it.

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Browned Butter Pork and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This isn’t your traditional lasagna, but oh good heavens, the flavors of pork, butternut squash, browned butter, sage, and cheese is pure comfort! Browned butter pork and butternut squash lasagna is about to be your new favorite lasagna recipe!

You won’t find tomatoes, ricotta cheese or tomato sauce in this lasagna, but it is bringing all the feelings of warm winter comfort food to our family! The flavors are the most amazing combination! I mean it’s got pork, one of my all time favorite meats, browned butter-pure heaven, carbs-who doesn’t love carbs, and melty, gooey, delicious cheese. BOO-YAH!

I love comfort food more than anything else. Sure smoked pulled pork is stinking delicious, and Hawaiian Pulled Pork is absolutely mouth watering, but make me choose between one of those recipes and a comfort food like Browned Butter Butternut and Pork Lasagna and hands down the lasagna wins.

Creating Butternut Squash Lasagna

As soon as I got the email from the National Pork Board to create a few recipes for them I knew I’d say yes to working with them, but then they wanted comfort recipes?! Heck yeah I’m on board with that. And this lasagna was born. And we loved it. And now you will too.

I was looking through the recipe section on the Pork Be Inspired site and man, everything looks so juicy and delicious! I’ve found many a wonderful recipe there, but I was actually trying to make sure that there wasn’t a recipe like this one, which there isn’t. Butternut squash actually smells comforting. It’s so warm, nutty, and creamy. I just knew that a combination of my favorite fall/winter flavor with pork was totally the way to go. Oh, and there’s a secret in the puree, Ginger Snap cookies. Trust me, it’s exactly what the puree needs.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Lasagna

I’m going to divide this recipe into 3 different parts – the butternut squash, the browned butter sauce (béchamel sauce) and the lasagna layers.

For the Squash

• Butternut Squash: peeled and chopped, ready for roasting
• Olive Oil: helps roast and caramelize the squash
• Salt & Black Pepper: adds flavor
• Sage: you’ll want fresh sage and we will use it to add flavor to the butternut squash puree
• Ginger Snap Cookies: an unexcepted ingredient but the flavor it adds it crucial

For the Browned Butter Sauce

• Butter: browned for added flavor and creates the base for the béchamel
• Garlic: adds flavor and can be increased or decreased to your liking
• Flour: combined with the butter is creates the creamy base for the béchamel
• Low Fat Milk: helps thin out the sauce
• Half and Half: adds creaminess and richness
• Nutmeg: adds flavor and warmth
• Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor

For the Lasag

20 Minute Tomato and Basil Angel Hair Pasta Recipe [+ Video]

This 20 minute cherry tomato and basil angel hair pasta recipe comes together in a jiffy, and will satisfy the whole family, even the kids!

Every time the holidays are over and new year rolls around, I’m immediately drawn to a simpler way of cooking – lighter, healthier meals, fresh ingredients, less ingredients, and just an all around relaxed attitude. I don’t like anything too fussy or involved, and this 20 Minute Cherry Tomato and Basil Angel Hair pasta is the perfect example of what you might find on our dinner table this month.

Cooking Class in Italy

I’ve made a variation of this sauce for years – ever since I studied abroad in Italy. On the back end of my trip, my family came over, and my Mom and I took a cooking class for four days on the Amalfi coast in a little town called Positano. We learned the basics of Italian cooking – how to make the best margarita pizza with only the freshest ingredients, how to make pasta dough with our bare hands, and how to make a killer tomato sauce using only cherry tomatoes, olive oil and garlic.

I can still remember closing my eyes while I ate, and wondering if I’d ever taste something as delicious as that sauce back at home – or if I’d even come close to being able replicate it myself.

Less Than 30 Minute Dinner Recipe

Since then, I’ve made a bazillion different variations, all equally as delicious as they were in Italy. I’ve used it as a topping on fish or grilled chicken, slathered it on garlic-rubbed crostinis and tossed it with scrambled eggs, but I think today’s version may be my favorite adaptation yet. Not only because it’s simple and delicious, but because the cooking time from start to finish is less than 30 minutes – pure gold in my book.

Ingredients for Tomato Basil Angel Hair Pasta

You will only need 8 simple ingredients to make this easy angel hair pasta recipe! A whole meal with just 8 ingredients in less than a half hour…you can’t get much better than that! Here is what you will need:

• Angel Hair Pasta: it cooks up quickly and soaks up the flavor of the tomatoes and garlic
• Olive Oil: used to sauté the tomatoes and garlic, extra virgin olive oil is preferred for best flavor
• Garlic: adds bold delicious flavor
• Cherry Tomatoes: or grape tomatoes
• Fresh Basil: adds bright fresh flavor, if you don’t have fresh basil, use 2 teaspoons of dried basil
• Salt: adds flavor
• Granulated Parmesan: adds depth of flavor
• Lemon: a pop of citrus rounds out the dish perfectly

All the measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Cherry Tomato and Basil Angel Hair Pasta

You will want to start by cooking the angel hair pasta. Get a large pot of salted water going on the stove top until the water is boiling. Add the p