One-Pan Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Kale Skillet

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a cast iron skillet full of golden chunks of chicken mixed with bacon crumbles, kale and sweet potatoes

A one-skillet dinner that’s healthy, easy AND flavorful?! That’s right, this cheesy chicken, sweet potato and kale skillet meal is nutritious and delicious, just the way a busy weeknight meal should be!

Easily one of my go-to meals lately, my savory chicken and sweet potato recipe is packed with kale, veggies and protein.

There’s a lot of talk about perimenopause lately, so I wanted to create a dish that is not only perfect for busy families, but also something to help support those feeling like they might be entering perimenopause in their 30s and 40s. Heck, it’s a great recipe for menopause too! I love how healthy and balanced this meal is!

Perimenopause Recipe

Why it works: Kale offers iron and magnesium, and sweet potatoes provide complex carbs to support hormone balance. Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 25 min Bonus: One-pan cleanup!

Ingredients for Healthy Chicken and Sweet Potato Skillet

  • Chicken Breasts: Main protein; provides heartiness, structure, and a mild flavor that carries the spices.
  • Salt and Pepper: Core seasonings; salt enhances natural flavors, while pepper adds gentle heat and balance.
  • Smoked Paprika: Adds smoky depth and warmth without spiciness, complementing the bacon and sweet potatoes.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: Brings a touch of heat to brighten the dish and balance the sweetness of the potato.
  • Bacon: Adds savory richness, smokiness, and a crisp texture that contrasts with tender chicken and vegetables.
  • Olive Oil: Used for sautéing; carries flavors, prevents sticking, and adds a subtle fruitiness.
  • Garlic: Infuses the skillet with aromatic depth, boosting the savory base of the dish.
  • Sweet Potato: Adds natural sweetness, creaminess, and substance, balancing the spice and savory flavors.
  • Chicken Broth: Keeps the skillet moist, helps cook the sweet potatoes, and builds a flavorful base.
  • Kale: Provides a slightly bitter, earthy contrast, plus color, texture, and nutrients.
  • Lemon: Adds brightness and acidity at the end, cutting through richness and making flavors pop.
  • Parmesan: Adds a salty, nutty finish that melts into the skillet for extra umami and richness.

How to Make Chicken Kale Skillet

  1. Prep the Chicken: Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with all the seasonings.
  2. Cook the Bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Remove to a plate.

Healthy Cottage Cheese Egg Bake – High Protein Breakfast Casserole

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a serving of fluffy egg casserole with basil and tomatoes on a white plate

This healthy cottage cheese egg bake is a high protein breakfast recipe from both eggs and cottage cheese! Our fluffy and flavorful breakfast casserole is so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients (eggs, cottage cheese, tomatoes, basil cheese, and roasted red bell pepper) in less than 50 minutes!

I eat eggs multiple times a week in many different forms. While I’m not opposed to making scrambled eggs or a fried egg on a daily basis, I love prepping a batch of spinach, sausage and egg casserole or a cheesy monterey jack souffle  (one of our most popular breakfast casserole recipes) to have on hand during the week.

My favorite egg casserole with cottage cheese is the perfect meal prep recipe for the weekend! I love making a healthy breakfast casserole on the weekend that I can enjoy throughout the week. It’s such a great way to have easy breakfasts on hand for those busy weekday mornings and lunches when I need something quick, easy and good for me.

Cottage Cheese is a Great Source of Protein!

Um, cottage cheese is totally having a moment right now and I am here for it! I have vivid memories of my parents eating a bowl of peaches or pears with cottage cheese and now I see why.

It’s loaded with proteinI’ve been experimenting with ways to add more protein to meals, and cottage cheese is a major winner. Using low-fat cottage cheese is a great way to increase protein without feeling too full. Try my 7 Minute Savory Oatmeal, VIRAL High-Protein Cottage Cheese Beef & Sweet Potato Bowl, or these fluffy cottage cheese pancakes!

Diet for Perimenopause

Being in my 40’s I’m fully aware of all the women dealing with Perimenopause. Because of this, I ensure my protein intake is well over 100 grams a day.

Higher protein helps me with my goals of building muscle and strength as it’s important to maintain muscle as we age. Cottage cheese is also a high calcium food which is fantastic for bone health. Just one serving of this dish is 17 grams of protein!

Healthy Chocolate Swirl Berry Yogurt Bark

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a pan of healthy chocolate swirled berry frozen yogurt bark

Get ready to wow your taste buds with this Healthy Chocolate Swirl Berry Yogurt Bark! Quick, easy, and only 5 minutes to prep, it’s the ultimate after-school snack that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.

Creamy Greek yogurt, sweet berries, and decadent chocolate swirls come together for a treat that feels indulgent but is totally wholesome. Perfect for kids, grown-ups, or anyone who loves a little sweet crunch without the guilt!

Some days it feels like the snack struggle is real! How many times can you eat an apple, string cheese, or almonds before your taste buds revolt? I’m so over the same-old, same-old. That’s why I’m beyond excited to share this fun healthy snack idea with you: Healthy Chocolate Swirl Berry Yogurt Bark! It’s officially my new favorite treat, and our kids can’t get enough either. It’s the perfect after school snack!

Ingredients For Yogurt Bark

This Chocolate Berry Yogurt Bark is healthy and packed with flavor. Let’s break down the ingredients that make it so irresistible…

  • Chocolate Chips: Melted and swirled throughout the bark for rich chocolate flavor. We used semi-sweet, but milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate would all be good.
  • Greek Yogurt: Vanilla Greek yogurt creates a creamy, lightly sweet base.
  • Fresh Berries or Fresh Fruit: We used blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, but see below for more ideas!

With just chocolate, creamy Greek yogurt, and fresh berries, you’ve got a snack that’s as pretty as it is delicious!

Other Mix-Ins & Toppings

This yogurt bark is easy to customize, so feel free to get creative with mix-ins and toppings.

Try adding sliced bananas, fresh strawberries, mango, or cherries for more fruit flavor. 

Granola, chopped nuts, cookies, sprinkles, or coconut flakes add great crunch, while chia seeds, pepitas, or hemp hearts bring a little extra nutrition.

You can also swap the chocolate swirl for white chocolate, drizzle with honey or pure maple syrup, or sprinkle on crushed pretzels for a sweet-salty twist. Mix and match to make it your own.

How to Make Yogurt Bark

Making this yogurt bark is easier than you think! A few simple steps and you’ll have a colorful, chocolatey treat ready to chill.

  • Melt: Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round, until smooth. Let cool slightly so it doesn’t melt the yogurt.
  • Spread: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat mat or wax paper and evenly spread the Greek yogurt into a smooth layer.
  • Top: Sprinkle the fresh berries evenly over the yogurt.
  • Swirl: Dot the melted chocolate over the bark, then use a toothpick to gently swirl it through the yogurt.
  • Freeze: Place the&n

Crispy Thin Grilled Pesto Chicken (2 Ingredients)

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Crispy Thin Grilled Pesto Chicken (2 Ingredients)

a photo taken over the top of two grilled chicken breasts coated in basil sitting on a cutting board with lemon wedges sitting next to them

Imagine thin chicken cutlets marinated in homemade pesto sizzling over the grill until the edges turn audibly crispy. Grilled pesto chicken is just two pantry-friendly ingredients, yet every bite tastes like you spent the whole afternoon fussing—perfect for busy summer nights!

Take all the stress out of dinner with this easy grilled pesto chicken recipe! It can be prepped in the morning or even the day before and takes less than 10 minutes to cook!

This is one of my favorite go-to meals for a busy weeknight running the kids from soccer and golf and church activities and all the things.

Why I love Pesto!

In college I was asked out on a date and the other couple we ate with made us dinner. It was my first date with this guy, first time hanging out with a married couple and my first time having pesto. In fact, I’d never even heard of pesto!!

Ever since that date I’ve been making different dishes with pesto like our caprese sandwich or 15 Minute Pesto Pasta, but I’ll tell you what, this crispy healthy grilled chicken with pesto is my absolute favorite.

My favorite part about pesto chicken? The cheese in the pesto makes this deliciously crispy, crunch crust on the chicken, oh man it’s good!

How to Make Grilled Pesto Chicken

This recipe is so easy you only need:

Chicken and Pesto!

Let’s jump right into how to make it:

  1. Prep the Chicken: Cover the chicken with pesto on all sides and marinate for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight.
    • NOTE: I absolutely LOVE our homemade basil pesto recipe, but if you want to save time, you can totally grab a jar at the grocery store. The Kirkland Brand of Pesto at Costco is actually pretty dang good.
  2. Grill the Chicken: Make sure you oil the grates before grilling as that cheese will want to stick!
    • PRO TIP: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. You’re looking for 165 degrees F for the internal temperature. It really won’t take too long with the chicken being so thin.

If you don’t have a grill, you can cook this chicken in a skillet on the stovetop or bake it in the oven (350℉ in a baking dish for 15-20 minutes).

Carrian’s Notes

Meal Prep Tips

I use our homemade pesto and marinate the chicken up to 1 day ahead of time. I

Southern Tomato Pie [+Video]

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Southern Tomato Pie [+Video]

a slice of southern tomato pie on a blue china plate

This Southern Tomato Pie is what you make when dinner feels impossible but you still want something special—something that says “home.” Juicy summer tomatoes, 3 kinds of cheese, and fresh basil all tucked into a homemade flaky crust that tastes like comfort on a plate.

Watch How to Make This Southern Tomato Pie Recipe

If there was one recipe that totally caught me by surprise it would be this one! Even kids love, love, love this tomato pie! Think margherita pizza meets pie and that’s what you get here! All the flavors of homemade pizza but in the form of a savory pie. I find that it’s best made with farm fresh tomatoes as they pack in so much more flavor and remind me of the rows and rows of beautiful, shiny red globes of tomatoes planted along the perimeter of Mom and Dad’s garden. It’s fresh and tasty with a flaky crust, what more could you want?!

Southern Tomato Pie Ingredients

This easy tomato pie recipe features a homemade crust and a cheesy tomato filling. Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

For the Crust

  • Flour: Just regular all-purpose flour is all you need.
  • Sugar: Helps balance out the flavor of the crust.
  • Salt: Adds flavor to the crust.
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter so that the crust doesn’t become too salty. Butter gives the crust its rich flavor and flaky texture.
  • Ice Water: Helps bind all the ingredients together while keeping the butter and shortening cold so the crust is extra flaky.

For the Filling

  • Fresh Tomatoes: Vine ripe tomatoes are my favorite for this recipe. Roma tomatoes also work great!
  • Cheeses: Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Cheddar
  • Herbs and Spices: Salt, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Black Pepper and Fresh Basil Leaves (store-bought or fresh from the garden)
  • Mayonnaise: Duke’s is our preferred brand but you can use any mayo you want!

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

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