Looking for a new use for your Mason jars? Give these canning staples a second life as innovative meal containers. Whether you are prepping for a picnic or want to add a rustic twist to your tabletop, Mason jars make the perfect addition to your entertaining routine. Here are four recipes that show how to incorporate Mason jars when creating savory salads and decadent desserts.

Mason Jar Greek Salad

Nothing cools you down on a hot summer day like a cold and crunchy salad. This super-simple Greek salad on-the-go is perfect for busy days or lazy picnics. By Delicious Obsessions

Ingredients:

For the Greek Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup Sprouts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Sprouts Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Dried Basil
• 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Dried Parsley
• 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. Ground black pepper

For the Greek Salad:

• 1 Romaine heart, roughly chopped
• 1 sm. English cucumber, cut into small cubes
• 1 pint Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 sm. Red onion, very thinly sliced
• 6–8 oz. Sprouts Marinated Artichoke Hearts (sliced in half if they are large pieces)
• 6–8 oz. Black or Kalamata olives, sliced in half
• 6–8 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled (omit if dairy-free)
• Leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, sliced turkey, canned salmon, etc. (optional)

Instructions:

1. Decide if you are going to eat the salad the same day, or if you are making these ahead of time (over 24 hours). If you are eating the same day as you prepare it, you can place the dressing in the bottom of your Mason jar before you add your ingredients. If you are not going to eat it until the next day, I would recommend keeping your dressing separate to keep the veggies from getting too soggy.
2. Wash and chop (or slice) your romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, artichokes and olives. If you’re using meat, you’ll want to chop or slice that up at this time too.
3. In a clean quart-size Mason jar, add 2 tablespoons (more or less if desired) of dressing in the bottom (if you’re eating on the same day) and then layer your veggies. I like to layer in the following order to help keep the crisper veggies on the bottom and softer lettuce on the top: cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olives, artichokes, feta and lettuce. If using meat, put the meat on the very bottom.
4. Cover with a lid and store in your fridge until ready to eat. Shake the jar to disperse the dressing and serve.

Tips:

1. Keep salads loosely packed. That way when you shake the dressing around, it will actually disperse all over the veggies and not just sit on the top or bottom.
2. Leave the dressing out of the jar, these will keep for up to four days in the fridge.

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Chicken Caprese Mason Jar Salad

Take this delicious caprese salad with you anywhere this summer by storing it in a Mason jar! Sweet red and yellow cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh mozzarella and baby spinach go great with shredded chicken for an extra protein kick. By Zen & Spice

Ingredients: Makes 3 jars

For the Creamy Avocado Dressing:

• 1 large Ripe avocado
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup Plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. Sprout’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• 1 cup Red cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ sm. Red onion, diced
• 8 oz. Fresh mozzarella balls
• 2 cups Cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 3 cups Baby spinach

Instructions:

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a food processor—blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
2. Set out 3 clean pint-size jars. Divide the dressing evenly into bottom of the three containers.
3. Next, add the red and yellow cherry tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella, shredded chicken and baby spinach. Seal tightly with lids.

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Mocha Pot de Crème in a Mason Jar

These easy pots de crème use Sprouts cold brew coffee concentrate to give them an extra punch of coffee flavor. By Eat The Love

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz. Chopped dark chocolate
• 6 lg. Egg yolks
• 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 7 Tbsp. Cold brew coffee, divided
• 2 3/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

For the Finish:

• 3/4 cup Heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. Granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 oz. Dark chocolate

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Place six 8-ounce Mason jars in a large deep baking or roasting pan. Bring a kettle or a pot of water to a boil, then set aside.
2. Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, cooking in 30-second intervals, stirring between each cycle, until melted and smooth.
3. Place the egg yolks, sugar, salt and 3 tablespoons of cold brew coffee in a large heatproof bowl and stir with a whisk until a paste forms.
4. Place the cream, cold brew and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to high and, stirring occasionally, bring the liquid to a near boil. Once the bubbles start to form on the side of the pan, remove from heat. Do not let it boil.
5. Drizzle a tiny bit of the hot liquid into the egg paste, stirring while you do it. You don’t want to pour too much or you’ll scramble the eggs. Just pour a little, stir to incorporate and then pour a little more. Repeat until all the liquid is added. Once all the hot liquid is added, add the chocolate and stir until incorporated.
6. Divide the mocha custard into 6 Mason jars in the roasting pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, until it reaches halfway up the jars. Place in the oven and cook for 35 minutes or until the center of one of the jars wiggles just slightly. It will firm up as it cools.
7. Let the jars cool in the pan for 20 minutes then move the jars to the refrigerator and let cool and set for 4 hours or overnight. Before serving, make whipped cream by placing the cream, sugar and vanilla in a metal bowl and whip by hand (or with a mixer) until soft peaks form. Divide the whipped cream over the mocha pot de crème. Take a vegetable peeler and shave some chocolate over each pot de crème. Serve immediately.

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No-Bake Mason Jar Piña Colada Cheesecake

Turn a favorite summer cocktail into a refreshing dessert. Layers of vanilla crumbles, creamy cheesecake batter, sweet pineapple sauce and toasted coconut blend combine to create an island-worthy treat. By Sweet Life Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 14-oz. bag Sprouts Organic Vanilla Wafers
• ½ cup Unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 2 8-oz. pkgs. Sprouts Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 14-oz. can Sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 3 cup Pineapple, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp. Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Water
• 1 tbs. Coconut rum
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• Garnish: toasted coconut

Instructions:

1. Place half of the vanilla wafers into a food processor; finely grind or place them in zip-top bag and finely crush with a rolling pin.
2. Mix vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and sugar until well combined.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of six 8-ounce Mason jars and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.
5. Add condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
6. Evenly divide cheesecake batter between the 6 Mason jars. Return to the fridge to chill for 4–6 hours or overnight.
7. In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple, sugar, rum and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
8. Spoon topping over chilled cheesecakes. Garnish with toasted coconut and seal with lid.
9. Place in a cooler, serve chilled.

 

At Sprouts, we love trying different types of food. That’s why we were thrilled to have Jake Smollett “The Home Chef’” over to one of our Los Angeles locations to prepare a meal for shoppers featuring his signature California and New Orleans-Creole style. Jake made his favorite loaded Turkey Burger Sliders and BlaVaMato Salad. Wondering what a BlaVaMato Salad is? Well, it’s pretty simple… it gets its name from its ingredients: black beans, avocado and cherry tomatoes. Check out these recipes:

Loaded Turkey Burgers Sliders

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Ground turkey
• 1 sm. Onion, chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 Baby bella mushrooms, chopped
• 1 Jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 4 slices Thick-cut bacon
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp. Sea salt
• ¼ tsp. Paprika
• ¼ cup Smoked Gouda
• Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese for topping
• 12 Slider buns

Sriracha Mayo

• ¼ cup Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. Sriracha

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey and set aside.
2. In a large frying pan, fry up your bacon until it’s cooked thoroughly and slightly crispy. While the bacon is doing its thing, start chopping up the onions, garlic, mushrooms and jalapeño into small, diced pieces. Once the bacon is done, set it aside and let it drain on paper towel.
3. Discard a little over half of the bacon grease and use the rest to sauté the veggies in. Once the onions, garlic, mushrooms and jalapeño are sautéed, chop the bacon in small pieces and add to the mixing bowl of ground turkey with the sautéed veggies, and stir into the raw ground turkey meat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika and grated smoked Gouda. Stir thoroughly.
4. Begin forming the meat into small patties. The patties should be just about 3 inches in diameter to fit on the mini buns. Once you’ve made the patties prepare the Sriracha mayo by adding 2 tablespoons of Sriracha to 1/4 cup mayo and mix together. Set aside.
5. In a large pan on medium-high heat, cook the burgers. You can definitely grill these bad boys up as well. Once the burgers are almost done, toast the Kaiser rolls in the pan. Place the Sriracha mayo on each side of the buns. Place a slice of smoked Gouda on top with fresh-grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese. Don’t be afraid to add more bacon on top too! So good!

BlaVaMato Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pint Assorted cherry tomatoes
• 1 can Black beans (no salt added)
• 1 Avocado, cubed
• 1 Tbsp. Red onion, chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped

Dressing Recipe

• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Avocado oil
• 1 Lime
• 1 tsp. Country Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. Salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the salad ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing.
3. Drizzle dressing over the salad, toss lightly.
4. Serve and enjoy!

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About Jake Smollett

Jake stars in the Food Network show Smollett Eats. The series follows Jake and his five siblings Jocqui, Jojo, Jussie, Jazz and Jurnee as they use their culinary skills to navigate exciting cooking and entertaining challenges. From organizing the menu for their niece’s second birthday party to throwing a midnight BBQ with friends, the siblings meet each task with joy, laughter and a little playful competition. Smollett’s interest in cooking began at an early age as he watched his mother make health-conscious yet delectable recipes. While growing up his mother refused to let the family eat fast food due to their lack of fresh ingredients and wholesome options. Jake became mom’s number one sous chef. At age 15 he transformed his passion of the culinary arts into a successful business by teaming up with his sister Jurnee to create “Mommy’s Baked Goods” where the two of them produced and distributed their all-natural pies, candies and cookies in local Southern California grocery stores. In 2008, the siblings both landed jobs on new television series’ and made the tough decision to dissolve the business due to lack of manpower. While continuing to act, Jake never stopped honing his culinary craft. The initial taste of success from “Mommy’s Baked Goods” prompted him to combine his talent as an entertainer with his love for cuisine. Smollett prefers to think of himself as “The Home Chef,” focusing on elevating home cooked meals. His natural appreciation in the art of combining spices, natural herbs, and gourmet ingredients contributes to his own signature technique of Creole-infused fare, blending his California style with his family’s New Orleans roots. More recently, Jake produced several cooking shows for regional television. Smollett also started his own blog to share an array of his recently crafted creations and staple entrees. JakeSmollett.com produces new recipes weekly, which include photos and step-by-step instructions on how to recreate his eclectic plates.” Jake wants to give his readers an ever-evolving tool, reiterating his belief that anyone can experience luxury cooking in the comfort of their own home.    

You’ve been doing really well at sticking to your healthy meals but the day of the big game is looming ahead and, let’s face it—the big game celebration isn’t complete without tasty foods. Well, we’ve got some great news! You don’t have to break your healthy streak on game day. Here are some of our favorite healthy eats, perfect to pair together for your game day get-togethers:

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Bites

You’re going to love these slightly spicy roasted cauliflower bites paired with a cool cilantro Greek yogurt dipping sauce. This is one tasty snack that you can feel good after eating. Who needs the post-game guilt?

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Big Game Cheese Dip

Yep, you read that right—now you can have your cheese dip and eat it, too! This cheese dip is loaded with flavor but not in calories. With a salivating combination of green chiles, corn, red onion and cheddar cheese, your friends and family will be hooked! Just grab your favorite tortilla chips, baby carrots or cucumbers and dip away. Check out our Farm-Fresh Eats video to see how easy it is to make.

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Creamy Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms are like little bites of heaven. Better yet, they’re as easy to make as adding ingredients to a blender, stuffing the mushrooms and baking for 20 minutes—done! These will definitely be a touch-down at your game day celebration.

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Pineapple Soy Glazed Ribs

A perfect combination of sweet, salty and savory. These pineapple soy glazed ribs might be messy but they are so delicious, you won’t even mind! Make sure you make a big batch because they will be going, going gone!

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Grilled Buffalo Cheeseburgers

Who says burgers aren’t healthy? These lean, savory bison burgers are high in protein and rich in flavor. Be sure to top off your patty with an extra serving of fresh veggies.

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Chili con Carne

There’s nothing better than warming up with a nice bowl of chili—especially while watching the big game. This spicy chili is chock-full of beans and veggies. Serve with fluffy tortillas or warm cornbread.  

Dips are an essential at any game day gathering. They’re easy to transport, easy to make and even easier to eat. Think outside the potato chip and pair these dips with other fan favorites like our Veggie Corn Dogs, Spring Rolls or Corn Dippers. You’ll score the extra point and become the next MVP! Whether you want something spicy, creamy or oh-so-cheesy, we’ve got you covered:

Avocado Wasabi Dip

• 2 Avocados, chopped
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 2 tsp. Wasabi paste
• 1 tsp. Soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until desired creaminess. Scoop into serving bowl and serve with Sprouts Spring Rolls.

Creamy Sriracha Dip

• 1/2 cup Light mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
• 1 Lime, juiced

Stir all ingredients together and serve with Sprouts Veggie Corn Dogs or Sweet Potato Chips.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• 1 cup Artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 cup Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup Plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Add all ingredients to an oven or microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes or bake at 350°F until cheese has melted, about 8 minutes. Serve with Sprouts Corn Dippers.  

What better way to say “I love you” than making something sweet for your sweetie? Sprouts partnered with four bloggers to create dessert recipes for two.

Chocolate Pots de Crème for Two

Recipe By: Glorious Treats This ultra-rich chocolate treat is perfect to share with someone you love!

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. Heavy cream
• 6 Tbsp. Milk
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Sugar
• 2 oz. Sprouts Colombian Dark Chocolate (65% cocoa), chopped
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Sprouts Vanilla Extract
• 2 Egg yolks

Instructions:

1. Choose 2 small jars or ramekins for the dessert. The dishes need to be oven safe and need to be able to hold 3/4 of a cup of liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 300°F and place a baking dish (such as a loaf pan) in the oven with enough hot water to mostly come up the sides of whatever sized dish you’ll be serving the dessert in.
3. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream, milk and sugar until the mixture is hot (but not boiling) and the sugar has dissolved.
4. Turn off heat under the pan and add chopped chocolate to the hot milk mixture. Allow chocolate to sit in the hot milk undisturbed about a minute, then stir to combine and until fully melted. Add salt and vanilla.
5. In a small bowl, add egg yolks and whisk (or stir with a fork). Add a tablespoon of the hot chocolate mixture to the egg and stir well. Continue adding a tablespoon or so at a time until you’ve added at least 5–6 tablespoons and the egg mixture is warm. Add entire egg mixture to the saucepan and turn the stove back on to medium-low.
6. Heat, while slowly whisking and cook for 2–3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened to almost the consistency of pudding. Immediately remove from heat and pour into your two jars or ramekins.
7. Retrieve the pan of hot water from the oven, place jars in the center and return to the oven to bake for 20–25 minutes.
8. Remove desserts from the oven when the edges of the dessert are set, but the center is still quite soft (the center should jiggle a bit, but not appear fully liquid).
9. Cool desserts on a cooling rack for 15 minutes or more, and then move to the refrigerator to chill and firm up, at least 2–3 hours.
10. Serve well chilled. Desserts may be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover dishes in the refrigerator if chilling overnight.

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Mixed Berry Galettes with Chocolate Crust

Recipe By: Eat the Love This recipe makes two individual galettes to serve for a couple. If you want, you can double the recipe and make four for a small dinner party. Be sure to chill the crust dough an hour before you roll it out, or make the crust the day before and let it chill overnight in the fridge. It makes rolling out the dough much easier to work with.

Ingredients:

Crust Dough

• 3/4 cup Sprouts All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Sprouts Organic Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup Sprouts Unsalted Butter, cold
• 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening
• 5–6 Tbsp. Ice-cold water

Filling

• 1/2 cup Blueberries
• 1/2 cup Blackberries
• 1/2 cup Strawberries, green stems removed, berries sliced in half
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Granulated Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Sprouts All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Sprouts Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp. Lemon zest (about half a lemon)

To Assemble and Finish

• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Organic Cocoa Powder
• 1 large Egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp. Cold water
• 1 Tbsp. Sprouts Granulated Sugar

Instructions:

1. Make the crust by placing the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, smash the butter into the dry ingredients until they are reduced to small flat pieces the size of peas. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of water over the mixture and toss with a fork until a dough forms. Sprinkle an additional tablespoon of water and toss and massage with hand if needed. Divide into two small balls and then flatten into a disk about 4-inches wide. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour or overnight.
2. Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon mat or piece of parchment paper.
3. Place all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl and toss together with a large spatula.
4. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of the cocoa powder over a clean surface and place one of the dough crust disks on the cocoa powder. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder over the disk and then roll the disk out to about a rough 8-inch wide circle. Move the crust to the lined baking sheet and repeat with the second disk of dough.
5. Once both crusts are prepared, spoon half the berry filling in the middle of one of the crusts, leaving about 1–1 1/2 inches of crust around edge. Repeat with the second crust and the remaining filling.
6. Fold the crust over onto the berry filling all the way around. Repeat with the second galette. Beat the egg yolk with the water then brush over the top of the crust edge. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of sugar over one of the galettes and the remaining sugar over the other galette.
7. Bake in the oven 40–45 minutes or until the berry filling is bubbling hot, the sugar on the galette crust has started to caramelize a bit and the edges of the galettes look dry. Let cool and serve warm, by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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Healthy-ish Skillet Cookie

Recipe By: Brewing Happiness This healthy-ish skillet cookie for two is the perfect quick, easy and delicious date night dessert!

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• ½ cup Sprouts Whole-Wheat Flour
• ¼ cup Coconut sugar
• ½ tsp. Baking soda
• 1 pinch Salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. Vegan buttery spread, melted but not hot
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Almond Butter
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Honey
• ½ tsp. Sprouts Vanilla Extract
• 1 Sprouts Cage-Free Egg
• 2 oz. Sprouts Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), chopped into chunks
• Sprouts Coconut Oil, for greasing skillet

Toppings:

• Sea salt flakes
• Sprouts Vanilla Ice Cream
• Fresh cherries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add dry ingredients to a medium or large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
3. Add all wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
4. Gently fold dark chocolate chunks into the cookie batter.
5. Grease an 8 inch skillet with coconut oil, pour in the batter and bake for 14–16 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before topping with sea salt, vanilla ice cream and fresh cherries.
7. EAT UP!

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Red Velvet Truffle Cake

Recipe By: Cake ‘n Knife Luscious three-layer red velvet cake with a chocolate truffle frosting is the ultimate date-night indulgence!

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake

• 2 1/4 cups Sprouts All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 tsp. Sprouts Baking Soda
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Organic Cocoa Powder
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1/3 cup Sprouts Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups Sprouts Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup Vegetable oil
• 3 large Sprouts Cage-Free Eggs, separated
• 3/4 Tbsp. Sprouts Vanilla
• Red food coloring
• 3/4 cup Buttermilk

Chocolate Truffle Frosting:

• 2 3/4 cup Confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup Sprouts Organic Cocoa Powder
• 3 oz. Dark chocolate, melted
• 7 Tbsp. Sprouts Unsalted Butter, softened
• 6 Tbsp. Heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. Sprouts Vanilla
• Garnish: homemade chocolate truffles

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter for the cake in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add sugar and beat until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add in oil and beat for another 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat until combined.
4. Add in food coloring, starting with 1 teaspoon until combined. Continue to add food coloring until the batter reaches a deep red color. I used 2–3 teaspoons to achieve this color.
5. Mix on low and alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk in 3 parts. Mix until each addition is just incorporated.
6. Whisk egg whites in a separate small bowl until thick and foamy. Fold into cake batter.
7. Divide cake batter into three 4-inch round cake pans, filling them approximately 2/3 of the way full.
8. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Cool the cakes completely.
9. When ready to frost, cut the tops off the cakes to make them flat. Set aside.
10. To create the frosting, beat butter for frosting with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Mix on low and alternate adding the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder with the heavy cream in 2 parts. Mix until each addition is just incorporated. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
11. Layer the cakes with the frosting and frost the outside of the layered cake. Top with homemade truffles in a ring around the top and the base.

 

Does this sound familiar? You spent too long at the office, you and the family are hungry, and now your plan to prepare a nutritious meal is out the window! At Sprouts, we want to help you eat healthy, even when your plans change and you’re crunched for time. Whether following a dairy-free lifestyle or just looking to change things up, we’ve put together healthy, time-saving dinner recipes and tips for a low-stress evening:

Healthy Tips for Feeding a Busy Family

• Plug in the crockpot! Meals can be prepped in the morning and ready in the evening. Plus, you are greeted with the scent of a homemade meal when you walk through the door!
• Plan meals and build your grocery list for the week ahead of time.
• Involve the kids. Everyone loves to play an important role, especially in something like a shared meal!

Quick and Healthy Recipes

5-Ingredient White Chicken Chili (Serves 3)

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Chicken broth
• 4 cups Cooked shredded chicken (or see slow cooker method below, which uses uncooked chicken breasts)
• 2 15-oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained
• 2 cups Salsa verde
• 2 tsp. Ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Add chicken broth, two uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, beans, salsa and cumin to a slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork.
3. Shred the chicken.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Source: gimmesomeoven.com

Bruschetta Chicken (Serves 3–4)

Ingredients:

• 3–4 Chicken breasts
• 4–5 sm. Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 sm. Red onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. Olive oil
• 1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. Sea salt
• 1 handful Basil, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Bake chicken for 35–40 minutes.
3. Combine chopped tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and basil in a bowl. Spoon over top of chicken once it is cooked and ready.
4. Enjoy!

Source: domesticsuperhero.com

Tropical Lentil Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. can Lentils, drained
• 1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 Mango, peeled and diced
• 1 cup Cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup Mint, finely chopped
• Avocado to garnish

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. Orange juice
• ½ Lime, juiced
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

Combine salad first. Pour dressing over salad. Enjoy! Source: milkfreemom.com

Easy Burrito Bowls (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Uncooked rice
• 1 cup Salsa, homemade or store-bought
• 3 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 15.25-oz. can Whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 15-oz. can Black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 Avocado, diced
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan of 1 1/2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions.
2. Let cool and stir in salsa. Set aside.
3. To assemble the bowls, divide rice mixture into serving bowls. Top with lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro.

Source: damndelcious.com