Feel Good Foodie

This Christmas tree pull-apart bread is so much fun to make and serve and everyone goes crazy for them during the holidays! So easy to make and so good! Recipe linked in bio!

Full of so much flavor, this easy vegan banana baked oatmeal is great for a healthy make-ahead breakfast. Recipe linked in bio!

#ad For a fun appetizer idea this holiday season, try wrapping feta cheese in phyllo and then dipping them in an egg wash followed by ground @CA Walnuts. #sponsored The walnuts have a mildly nutty aroma, a sweet taste, and a creamy, buttery texture that really takes this appetizer to the next level. When you’re entertaining for the holidays, keep a bag or jar of walnuts in your fridge to add to appetizers, snacks and side dishes. They are super versatile, have great nutritional value and make a dish feel extra special. After all, Tis the seasoning for California Walnuts! ✨ INGREDIENTS 1 block (8-ounces) feta cheese, cut into 8 planks 8 phyllo dough sheets, thawed 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash) For the Honey-Harissa Dip: 3 tbsp honey 2 tsp harissa INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough. Place one piece of feta near one edge of the sheet, then fold the phyllo over the feta, tucking in the sides like a small package. Repeat with the remaining feta planks and phyllo sheets. 3. Beat the egg in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Place the chopped walnuts on a plate. 4. Dip each phyllo-wrapped feta plank into the egg wash, coating all sides. Then dip the plank into the crushed walnuts, pressing gently to help the walnuts stick to the surface. 5. Place the walnut-coated phyllo-wrapped feta on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden and crispy. 6. While the feta is baking, mix together the honey and harissa in a small bowl to make the dip. 7. Remove the feta from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve the phyllo-wrapped feta with the honey-harissa dip on the side.

I was inspired by the smashed cucumber salad to make a smashed pickle salad. And because pickles are already salty, you can skip the whole resting period and eat the salad immediately. It’s tangy, sweet, salty and all kinds of good! Recipe linked in bio!

Have you tried #softcereal? You just need 1 banana and 1 cup of oats. I’m using my @oathoats peanut butter and jelly flavor and just cooking it until it’s caramelized and toasted. I’m running a buy 2 get 2 free sale on Oath today so it’s a great time to try it or stock up. Sale link in my bio. 💜🙌 INGREDIENTS 1 banana 1 cup @oathoats 1 teaspoon coconut oil INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a small bowl mash one banana. Add the oats and combine well with the mashed banana. 2. Heat a small nonstick skillet with coconut oil and transfer the banana oats mixture to the heated pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until that oats are caramelized and crisp, about 10 minutes. 3. Serve warm with fresh fruit, nuts or nut butter and milk of choice.

#ad If you want an appetizer to impress, try this cheese stuffed focaccia filled with Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese #cabotpartner. It’s naturally aged, so it’s naturally lactose free, but full of so much flavor that I nut only stuff the focaccia with it but also sprinkle it all over the top. It transforms my focaccia recipe for the holidays in something even more delicious and decadent! #sogood! #cabotcreamery #stuffedfocaccia #focacciarecipe INGREDIENTS 3½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ cups warm water 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon instant yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) block Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, 3 tablespoons of the oil, yeast and salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir all of the ingredients together until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 2. Using your hands, gently shape and knead the dough together until it forms a neat ball. (You don’t need to really knead, you’re just bringing the dough together.) Cover the bowl with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl aside at room temperature until the dough has risen to double its volume, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. 3. Coat a 9 × 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and, using your fingers, spread it over the surface of the pan until it reaches each edge. Cover the dough once again and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes longer. 4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. 5. Sprinkle half the shredded cheese on top of the dough and folder over in half. Using your fingers, gently press dimples all over the surface of the dough and sprinkle the remaining half of cheese on top of the dough. 6. Bake the focaccia until it’s golden brown and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Slice into 12 squares and serve with the labneh (if using).

#ad If you love mac and cheese, make it ultra cheesy and crispy with this sheet pan version #cabotpartner. Instead of adding all the cheese at once, I fold 1 bag of @Cabot Creamery Cooperative Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese into the pasta and sauce, and then sprinkle another bag of the Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese on top with panko breadcrumbs. Why settle for only one type of cheese when there are so many Cabot award winning cheddar cheeses to use? #sogood! #cabotcreamery #sheetpanmacandcheese #crispymacandcheese INGREDIENTS 1 pound elbow macaroni or pasta of choice 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour 4 cups milk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese ½ cup panko breadcrumbs INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside. 2. Heat the same pot used for the pasta over medium-high heat. Melt butter, then add the flour. Whisk together until they are combined and golden to make a roux, about 2 minutes. 3. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 4. Slowly add milk, whisking as you pour. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper. Bring the milk mixture to a low boil, then reduce to low and simmer, continuing to whisk until the sauce has thickened about 5 minutes. 5. Add the cooked pasta and toss to fully coat. Remove from heat and stir in the Vermont Sharp cheddar cheese. 6. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle the Seriously Sharp cheese on top followed by the panko breadcrumbs. 7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crispy on the edges.

Try my cranberry brie bites made with flaky puff pastry, creamy brie, cranberry sauce and crunchy pecan – quick to make and so irresistible! Recipe linked in bio!

#ad If you have extra mashed potatoes after holiday dinners turn them into pancakes with @AthenosFeta cheese. #AthenosPartner It’s a way to repurpose leftovers and give them a new whole flavor! Feta is an easy swap for other cheeses you might use in traditional holiday recipes as a way to add a modern twist with a pop of flavor. It gets melty in the potato pancakes and adds a little tang and creaminess that just makes it #sogood! #AthenosFeta #MashedPotatoPancakes #FoodNeedsFeta INGREDIENTS 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes 1 large egg ½ cup Athenos crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed 2 tablespoons green onions, plus for more serving Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil Greek yogurt, for serving INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, egg, feta cheese, flour, green onions and salt and pepper to taste. 2. Scoop about ⅓ cup of the mixture. Then roll it into a ball and flatten it out with the palm of your hands. The mixture will make about 6-8 pancakes. 3. Preheat a large skillet with the olive oil and cook the pancakes in two batches. 4. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the pancakes are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and pepper while they’re hot. 5. Serve with greek yogurt or sour cream and green onions, if desired.

#ad #AD @Milk Means More The viral #turkishpasta reminds of the nostalgic “macarona bi laban” which is Arabic for spaghetti with yogurt sauce. I love the combination of warm pasta with garlicky yogurt mixed together but I was also excited to try the additional components of this recipe with the paprika meat sauce, the butter sauce and the fresh tomatoes and parsley added before serving. #MilkMeansMore + #dairytakesyouhome. Follow Milk Means More for recipes, inspo, and the facts behind dairy. Recipe IB: @anna..paull

Last month I tried the viral onion boil from TikTok and I was hesitant about sharing it because it’s not something I would normally share on my website, but 3 week later, I’m still thinking about it and may possibly make it again lol. So it’s worth sharing. INGREDIENTS 1 onion 2 tablespoon butter, melted ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon thyme INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. 2. Cut the stem and top of an onion, peel the onion, then carve a small hole inside (about 3 onion layers deep) and remove the inner onion pieces. Save for another recipe. Place the hollowed onion on the prepared baking sheet. 3. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder and thyme. Stir to combine. 4. Pour the butter mixture on top of the onion and cover the onion to ensure the steam stays inside the aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour or until the onion is soft and caramelized.

#ad If you have leftover mashed potatoes, turn them into a cheesy appetizer for the holidays by adding @Roth Cheese Havarti and rolling them in breadcrumbs. #RothPartner They get crisp on the outside and ultra cheesy on the inside, making for a delicious dish everyone will reach for. With so many cheeses to choose from, I always #ReachForRoth when I’m grocery shopping because I know Roth Cheese, which is made in Wisconsin with milk from local farms, will always taste so good, and will always make me look so good when entertaining friends and family. Find Roth Havarti and other Roth cheeses in the deli section at a grocery store near you. #RothCheese INGREDIENTS 1 (8-ounce) block Roth Creamy Havarti cheese 3 cups mashed potatoes, chilled ½ cup flour 1 large egg 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs Avocado oil spray INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut the Havarti cheese into 48 cubes. Reserve half of the cubes for a cheese board and set the other half aside. 2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. In a separate bowl, add the panko bread crumbs. 3. Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mashed potatoes, stuff cheese inside, then roll the balls and dip them in the flour. Set aside. 4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 5. Use a fork to place each ball in the whisked egg, and then carefully remove the ball from the whisked egg making sure to drain any excess egg. Dip in the bowl of bread crumbs and turn until fully coated in the breadcrumbs. 6. Grease a mini muffin tin with avocado oil spray. Place each mashed potato ball into a muffin cup to hold its shape while baking. 7. Bake the mashed potato balls for 15 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp on the outside. Use a spoon to push in any melted cheese that oozes out. 8. Let the mashed potato balls cool for a few minutes, then serve warm with a dip, if desired.

This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna feeds your craving for lasagna without the pasta - it's a low carb, gluten-free and weeknight friendly recipe that even your kids will like. Try it with my secret ingredient (dark chocolate!) for richer and deeper flavor! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe!

If you don’t want to spend $25 to taste the viral Dubai Chocolate Bar, try my easy homemade version with perfect amounts that comes out delicious and so fun for gifting to friends during the holidays! Recipe linked in bio!

Make a hummus wreath for any holiday event you have coming up! You can use store bought hummus to make it quick or try my authentic Lebanese hummus! INGREDIENTS 2 (15-ounce) can chickpeas ⅓ cup lemon juice 4 tablespoons tahini 4 small garlic cloves 1 ½ teaspoons salt 4-6 ice cubes For the wreath Chopped fresh parsley Cherry tomatoes Crumbled feta, halved Red pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place the chickpeas lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and ice cubes in a food processor and blend until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. 2. Spread the hummus into the shape of a ring on a round plate. Add chopped parsley on top, followed by cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and red pepper cut out into a bow shape. 3. Serve cool or at room temperature with pita chips.