There are affiliate links in this post – see my disclosure policy.

It’s a good day when I make a soup that everyone in my family will eat (not counting my youngest – we aren’t there yet with him). This Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup from the new Skinnytaste One & Done Cookbook (affiliate link) comes together quickly and easily in the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) and has been requested several times by my daughter since we first had it. (If you don’t have a pressure cooker, there are stove-top cooking instructions included in the recipe below as well.)

I wish I could say we are in soup weather season here in Florida – we’re not. But, for me, soup is always in season. Lately I’ve been craving soup more than ever, mostly because it’s easy to heat up for lunch or dinner throughout the week making meals a little easier.

Skinnytaste One & Done Cookbook

This latest Skinnytaste cookbook released at the right time for me – I am trying to get reacquainted with my Instant Pot after not using it for a long time. So there are a few recipes in Gina’s cookbook specifically for the Instant Pot that I want to try like the Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls and Turkey Cheeseburger Soup.

TheSkinnytaste One & Done Cookbook (affiliate link) isn’t just for the Instant Pot. The book’s theme revolves around cooking in one vessel, whether it be a pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer, sheet pan, skillet or Dutch Oven. Genius, right? I love it.

A few recipes from One & Done that I know my family will love are Giant Turkey Meatball Parmesan, Shepherd’s Pie Stew and Weeknight Chicken Souvlaki. My friend Brittany who also has the cookbook recently tried Mom’s Skillet Chicken Pot Pie and loved it – that is on my list too!

Because I love sharing new cookbooks with you, I’m giving away a copy of the new Skinnytaste One & Done cookbook along with a $50 gift Amazon gift card (see below) to put towards purchasing a new cooking vessel like the ones in the cookbook. I recently purchased new sheet pans and it made me happy. Sometimes new kitchen items are just what we need to get cooking.

Some of my favorite cooking tools are:

You can find all these kitchen tools on Amazon (affiliate links below, if purchased through these links I make small earnings that do not cost you more).

Slow Cooker (this one from Crock-Pot with stove-top browning has been a game changer for me)

Sheet Pans

Instant Pot

Toaster Oven

Blender (I’m a big Blendtec fan, I’ve had a refurbished one for 6 years strong)

Nonstick Skillets

Dutch Oven (it’s an investment but so worth it – it’s my favorite pot)

Covered Braiser (another investment, but I love it so much)

Giveaway:

Thank you to Skinnytaste for providing a cookbook for the giveaway. The Amazon gift card is sponsored by Aggie’s Kitchen. Good Luck and thank you for entering below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skinnytaste cookbook recipes I’ve reviewed in the past:

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese from The Skinnytaste Cookbook (affiliate link)

Zoodles with Shrimp and Feta from Skinnytaste Fast and Slow (affiliate link)

What’s in Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup?

All you need to make this tortellini soup is:

• butter
• chopped celery, carrots and onion
• reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 2% milk
• crushed tomatoes
• fresh basil
• bay leaves
• three-cheese fresh tortellini
• Pecorino Romano cheese
• kosher salt and ground pepper
• baby spinach

How do you make Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup in the Instant Pot?

1. Press the saute button on an electric pressure cooker. Add the butter when it has melted, add the celery, carrot and onion. Cook, stirring until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth, milk, tomatoes, basil and bay leaves.
2. Seal and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Quick or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides. Discard the bay leaves and puree the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth (or in a regular blender, in batches).
3. Press the saute button and bring the soup back to a boil. Stir in the tortellini, 1/3 cup of the pecorino, the salt and pepper to taste. Cook according to the pasta package directions, adding the spinach at the last minute. To serve, ladle into 8 bowls and top with pecorino, if desired.

How do you make Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup on the stove-top?

1. To make this in a large pot or Dutch oven, saute over medium-high heat in step 1. Add 1/4 cup water with the broth. Bring to a boil, then cook, covered, on low heat and double the cook time.
2. Add the tortellini at the end, cooking according to package directions.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup

• Author: Gina Homolka, Skinnytaste One & Done
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Soup
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: Italian

Print

Pin

This Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup is hearty, yet light. It’s the perfect soup to dig into on a cool winter night or weekend.

---

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (9 ounce) package three-cheese fresh tortellini
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups (about 2 1/2 ounces) baby spinach

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Press the saute button on an electric pressure cooker. Add the butter when it has melted, add the celery, carrot and onion. Cook, stirring until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth, milk, tomatoes, basil and bay leaves.
2. Seal and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Quick or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides. Discard the bay leaves and puree the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth (or in a regular blender, in batches).
3. Press the saute button and bring the soup back to a boil. Stir in the tortellini, 1/3 cup of the pecorino, the salt and pepper to taste. Cook according to the pasta package directions, adding the spinach at the last minute. To serve, ladle into 8 bowls and top with pecorino, if desired.

---

Notes

To make this in a large pot or Dutch oven, saute over medium-high heat in step 1. Add 1/4 cup water with the broth. Bring to a boil, then cook, covered, on low heat and double the cook time. Add the tortellini at the end, cooking according to package directions.

---

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
• Calories: 222
• Fat: 7g
• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Carbohydrates: 29g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 11g

The post Skinnytaste Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup + Giveaway appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

For the last couple of months, I’ve been doing a great job of not only planning out dinners each week, but also going through my beloved cookbook collection to try out new recipes. I have quite a few favorite go-to cookbooks, two of them from my friend Mary of Barefeet In The Kitchen blog. Her style of cooking is my style of cooking – simple and perfect for our busy family.

I shared with you Mary’s Cheesy Southwest Beef & Potato Skillet from her first cookbook a couple of years ago and let me tell you, this dish is requested OFTEN in my house. My kids love it and have nicknamed it “cheeseburger on a plate”, I’m thinking the beef, cheese and potatoes have something to do with that. I’ll take it.

Mary’s most recent cookbook The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook is just as awesome as her first one. She writes her recipes so well, with clear and easy instructions that her young sons can follow and cook from. I love how she involves her family in the kitchen (if you follow her on Instagram you can catch glimpses of her sweet family).

This Asian Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is the first I tried from her new cookbook and it’s one I know I’ll be making again. Seriously, so simple and comes together in under 30 minutes – my family loved it. I cooked it for dinner but it would be absolutely perfect if you are looking for something to meal prep for lunches throughout your week.

How do you make healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry?

1. Heat large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and let it warm for a few seconds. Add the onion strips and let them cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Push the garlic and onion to the outside of the pan.
2. Pour the remaining oil in the center of the skillet. Add the chicken. Spread across the skillet and sprinkle with cornstarch. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes, until browned, and then use a sturdy metal spatula to lift and flip each piece of chicken. Cook for 1 minute.
3. While the chicken is cooking, stir together the soy sauce, honey and chili paste. Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine.
4. Add the broccoli on top of the other ingredients and cover with lid. Cook for 2 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and barely softened. Remove the lid and stir, scraping up any bits of sauce or meat from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer 1 minute to thicken the sauce, stirring frequently. Serve on its own or over rice, if desired.

All you need for this healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry is a skillet and a few ingredients – you can’t beat that!

I also cooked up her Slow Cooker Green Chile Pulled Pork last week which was great for quick quesadillas or rice bowls. There are so many recipes I have marked to try including her Slow Cooker Nutty Coconut Granola and Taco Rice (all pictured in collage below).

In addition to sharing Mary’s healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry recipe, we are giving away a copy of her newest cookbook, The Weekday Lunches & Breakfast Cookbook, as well as a bonus copy of her first cookbook, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. These are two cookbooks I feel will be a wonderful addition to anyone’s kitchen – especially busy families like mine and hers. These cookbooks are true gems! See directly below to enter giveaway. Recipe follows.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 3 reviews

Asian Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

• Author: Mary Younkin | The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4-5 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Skillet
• Cuisine: Asian

Print

Pin

Quick, easy and healthy! This Asian Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry from The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook is a great addition to your weekday lunch or dinner rotation.

---

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons light flavored oil or refined coconut oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon chili paste
• 3 cups bite-size broccoli florets
• Cooked rice for serving (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and let it warm for a few seconds. Add the onion strips and let them cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Push the garlic and onion to the outside of the pan.
2. Pour the remaining oil in the center of the skillet. Add the chicken. Spread across the skillet and sprinkle with cornstarch. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes, until browned, and then use a sturdy metal spatula to lift and flip each piece of chicken. Cook for 1 minute.
3. While the chicken is cooking, stir together the soy sauce, honey and chili paste. Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine.
4. Add the broccoli on top of the other ingredients and cover with lid. Cook for 2 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and barely softened. Remove the lid and stir, scraping up any bits of sauce or meat from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer 1 minute to thicken the sauce, stirring frequently. Serve on its own or over rice, if desired.

---

Notes

Great for meal prep: Store this in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. This can be stored in one large container or portioned into individual servings for storage and reheating.

Note: Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs in this recipe (I used chicken breast because it’s what I had in freezer). However, breasts will cook faster, so take care not to overcook.

Looking for more skillet meals that are great for make-ahead lunches or dinners? Check these out:

Skillet Italian Sausage and Peppers

Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken with Artichokes, Mushrooms and Asparagus

Southwest Chicken Skillet

Sweet Potato Skillet Tex Mex Style

The post Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Click here to Pin this Recipe!

I am desperately trying to change up the easy weeknight dinner game these last few weeks. I’m looking through cookbooks and magazines for ideas and something new to try. My friend Robyn of the popular blog Add A Pinch just released her new cookbook and it couldn’t have arrived at my doorstep at a better time.

Robyn is one of those friends I’ve known since my very early days of blogging, yet have never met in person. I think we have to change that this year Robyn!!! Her cookbook, the Add A Pinch Cookbook is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve seen, filled with gorgeous photos of recipes that have a Southern flair using fresh, seasonal ingredients. I’m all about those fresh seasonal ingredients, as you know.

(more…)

The post Easy Pepper Steak from Add A Pinch Cookbook appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Friends, what you are looking at has been my lunch/dinner for 3 days last week. I think it’s safe to say that I’m completely hooked on these Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms and the best part? They literally take like 15 minutes to make.

This recipe for Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms was created by Katie of Mom to Mom Nutrition and can be found in the Healthy Family Classics cookbook from my dear friends Produce For Kids. The cookbook is filled with healthy, simple recipes that you’ll enjoy making for and with your family. Not only is it a great cookbook to have in your collection, but you can feel good knowing that 100% of the proceeds from this cookbook go towards helping end child hunger in our nation through Feeding America‘s children’s programs. Produce for Kids is generously providing 3 copies of the cookbook for me to give away today to 3 lucky readers – see below the recipe for details.
(more…)

The post Low Carb Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Summer food truly does make me happy. Living in Florida, I do feel lucky that our summer food season is already among us with beautiful and colorful fruits and veggies already popping up in the grocery stores and produce markets. I am always more inspired by warm weather produce, mostly because when it comes to cooking, I admittedly tend to have a lazier approach and enjoy fresh, simplistic recipes that are fruit and veggie heavy – think salads, smoothies & anything that can be cooked on the grill.

I’m excited to be partnering up with Produce For Kids today to help promote their new summer e-cookbook, Simply Summer: 20 Fresh Cookout Recipes – this e-cookbook is now available so be sure to get your free copy! Today’s Peach Pie Smoothie recipe is from Simply Summer and it showcases one of my favorite summer fruits – peaches!

(more…)

The post Peach Pie Smoothie {Plus Free Simply Summer e-Cookbook} appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

To say that I am obsessed with Greek food would be a total understatement. At least twice a month, if we are getting take out it is usually from one of our local family-owned Greek restaurants. I am in love with the flavors of the Mediterranean (if you can’t tell by the recipes I post), and Greek cuisine is high up on the list of food I love.

Today I am sharing with you a recipe from a beautiful cookbook I received recently, It’s All Greek to Me by Debbie Matenopoulos. When I opened up this book I could tell right away how authentic it was, and I was excited to read through it (am I the only one who likes to read cookbooks before they cook from them?).

When I looked through this book, it wasn’t just the beautiful and traditional recipes that caught my eye, it was also all of the gorgeous photos capturing the Greek culture that reminds me so much of my own Italian heritage – full of love, food and living life well. The underlying focus of this cookbook is not only delicious Greek recipes, but including and enjoying whole, natural ingredients as those in the Mediterranean part of our world do effortlessly as part of their lifestyle.

I love it. (and I love this Greek Village Salad too…the first of many recipes I want to try from this book.)

(more…)

The post Greek Village Salad Recipe – Classic Greek Salad – Horiatiki appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

January is over and most of us are back into our regular (post/non-holiday) routines. It always takes me a few weeks to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, but when I do it feels oh so good. My personal goals this month have been simple and straight-forward – move more, eat less and cook more at home.

Cooking at home comes naturally to me (obviously), but that doesn’t mean I don’t get bored. We all get into cooking ruts from time to time, but the worst time to get into a cooking rut is when you are trying to lose a few pounds and eat right. That’s where today’s giveaway comes in. I’m so excited to share with you these 4 healthy cookbooks that I’ve received recently. The authors and publishers of these books have generously given me a copy to review and a copy (of each) to share with one lucky reader as well! Yep, that’s right, someone is going to win 4 new cookbooks!

(If you are a cookbook lover and collector like me then I am hoping you are excited too 🙂 )

(more…)

The post Healthy Cookbook Review and Giveaway appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I am so excited to share a new cookbook I recently received to review with you today. America’s Test Kitchen has been working hard at revamping and rebuilding one of its classic landmark family cookbooks – The America’s Test Kitchen New Family Cookbook.  It includes more than 1,100 recipes and features new color photographs for several of those new recipes. This book is a beast, I’ve been going through page after page of tips and recipes from every category you can imagine. What I love the most is that along most recipes there is a paragraph explaining why the recipes works, along with variations, tips, even some step by step photos. The recipes are creative, yet very do-able, so this book is perfect for a seasoned cook but would be a wonderful first cookbook for anyone just starting to cook.

I am a huge fan of any cookbook that America’s Test Kitchen puts out. You may remember my review and recipe from their Six-Ingredient Solution last year. I also featured and included their Healthy Family Cookbook in my healthy cookbook giveaway a couple of years ago.

These chickpea patties caught my eye as soon as I saw them in the book. I actually had all of the ingredients on hand in my fridge and pantry so it was one of those recipes I just had to make immediately. Such a great vegetarian recipe! The recipe includes the spice garam masala which is one that I am always trying to find recipes using. They also used Greek yogurt in the actual patty filling which made it extra moist and rich – genius!

My little recipe tester and I enjoyed these Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce for lunch for a couple of days. They reheated well and the cucumber-yogurt sauce is so versatile and would be a great sauce to serve with any Greek style chicken or fish recipes too.

(more…)

The post Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce {America’s Test Kitchen New Family Cookbook Giveaway} appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I am so excited to share today’s recipe for Spaghetti Squash (aka “Squashta”) with Turkey Bolognese with you. Not only is it one that includes spaghetti squash (my low carb / low calorie answer to my beloved pasta cravings), but it’s a recipe from The Skinnytaste Cookbook written by Gina Homolka. Gina has been writing the Skinnytaste blog for as long as I can remember looking up recipes online (I actually remember when it was called by another name way back in the day). Her blog, as well as her new cookbook, is filled with flavorful healthy recipes, easy enough to make any day of the week for your family. What I love most about Gina’s recipes is that they are filled with wholesome real ingredients, lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains – definitely my kind of food…and the way healthy eating should be.

I have a pretty good feeling most of you probably already know who Skinnytaste is. 🙂

The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavoravailable for pre-order on Amazon or enter for a chance to win a copy – see giveaway details at the end of this post.

Let’s talk about spaghetti squash, have you tried it? Do you like it? I love it. I started eating spaghetti squash not long after I had my daughter several years ago, around the time I started to really pay attention to how I was eating, cutting back on carbs and calories and really focusing on losing weight. I have mostly made it “Italian style” like in this Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Vegetable Ragu or served with Turkey Spinach Meatballs. I’ve even gotten a little creative and kicked it up in this Thai Curry Spaghetti Squash recipe – so good. I think learning how to cook spaghetti squash is usually the first hurdle to get past, but once you get the hang of how to cook it the ideas are endless.

If you are wondering if spaghetti squash tastes like pasta, let me assure you that it does not. It most definitely tastes like a squash. It has a very mild flavor and light stringy texture so to me adding a hearty sauce to it like this turkey bolognese sauce along with a little Parmesan cheese really satisfies any craving for pasta when I don’t want to actually have pasta. Like I said, I love it.

This little guy loved it too. (He’s at such a fun age to introduce new foods.)

When I received The Skinnytaste Cookbook in the mail last week I knew right away I was going to make this recipe, especially since I had just picked up a spaghetti squash from the grocery store the day before. But I’ll be honest with you, it was hard to settle on one recipe because there are plenty of recipes that I can not wait to try.

Corny Banana Blueberry Pancakes, Chicken Marsala on the Lighter Side, Bangin’ Good Shrimp and Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls are just a few recipes that I can’t wait to make for my family.

This recipe for Skinnytaste Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese is a keeper, that’s for sure, and one I will be making again.

(more…)

The post Skinnytaste Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese {Cookbook Giveaway} appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

If there is one meal my kids get excited about, it’s kebabs. I’m not sure what it is about kebabs, but when I say that’s what we are having for dinner I always get a big “HURRAY!” from everyone. It makes me wonder why I don’t make them more often.

This simple and flavorful kebab recipe comes from the newest cookbook from the people at America’s Test Kitchen. It’s named 6 Ingredient Solution and when I was asked if I wanted to check out a copy for review, I couldn’t resist after reading it’s name. 6 ingredients?? Right before the busy school year is about to start? Yes, please. Talk about perfect timing.

As with all of their other cookbooks, America’s Test Kitchen 6 Ingredient Solution is chock full of recipes and tips that are tried and true. I always learn something new from the side notes that are included with each recipe – sometimes it’s a favorite ingredient that they prefer to use, most of the time it’s a technique with an unfamiliar (or familiar!) ingredient.

This Aloha Kebabs with Sesame Rice recipe is a busy weeknight dinner’s dream come true. The ingredient list is what drew me in, I always have cooked chicken sausage in the freezer and they defrost super quick (for someone who always forgets to defrost, that is a good thing). The rest of the straight-forward ingredients can be easily found already in your pantry (hoisin, sesame oil, rice) or picked up at the grocery store (peppers and pineapple). Cooking up the kebabs under the broiler with minimal effort on my part – as opposed to grilling them – was also something that intrigued me. This dinner literally came together in just about 30 minutes (give or take – with prep), and I can see it being even faster if you take a few minutes to put the kebabs together earlier in the day before dinnertime.

I even got my daughter involved with dinner prep, which is something I admit I don’t often do. Brushing on the hoisin sauce was a perfect job for her!

A few (several, actually) recipes from the cookbook I think my family will love:

Chicken Pizzaiola with Pasta

Polenta Casserole with Sausage and Peppers

Roasted Tomato and Corn Tostadas

Meatloaf Florentine

Egg, Ham and Hashbrown Pie

Mushroom-Miso Soup with Shrimp and Udon

Roasted Cod Fillets with Crispy Potatoes and Lemon

Dinner is served – enjoy!

(more…)

The post Aloha Kebabs with Sesame Rice appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.