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I’m not that great with breakfast. I mean, I do love to eat a healthy, delicious breakfast but I often find myself too busy (or just too lazy) to start cooking in the morning.

With this Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole, it will be easier than ever to slap together a healthy and very tasty breakfast for your family. And this is the sort of breakfast that you could easily have for lunch or dinner, too.

When I do put together something for breakfast, I prefer not to have to have too many eyes going on the stove at the same time or things that I have to make in quick succession if I can help it. Something like this is just right for me. Just put everything in there and let the Crock-Pot do its thing. (Sure, there is a touch of layering involved, but it’s nothing too elaborate or complicated.)

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Apple of My Eye.

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Quick tip: Spice things up by adding chopped jalapenos to the recipe!

Hey, I am a meat eater. But I also love my veggies, and I like having a good go-to option that will satisfy me and my vegan or vegetarian friends (I have a few). This Ratatouille, Julia Child’s twist on a French culinary classic, fits the bill for a quiet home meal or a bustling event. It looks beautiful, tastes great, and cooks in record time!

Many masters of the kitchen have since followed in her footsteps, but Julia Child continues to inspire masters and aspiring amateurs alike. I loved how she honored age-old traditions while making gourmet, Cordon Bleu cooking readily accessible to the masses (as beautifully illustrated in the movie Julie & Julia). And she wasn’t afraid of admitting a mistake or popularizing a variation of a classic recipe when she thought that it would be better for most people, much to the chagrin of the culinary elite in her time.

I love the versatility of her version of ratatouille. It makes for a great meal by itself over a bed of rice or couscous, but it is also great as part of a multi-course vegetarian meal and pairs well with many popular meat dishes. Once the prep is finished, it takes only about 45 minutes worry-free minutes to bake. It doesn’t hurt, either, that it looks so beautiful once you pull it out of the oven.

Recipe adapted by 12 Tomatoes

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Quick tip: If you’re not worried about using dairy, sprinkle some delicious Parmesan cheese on top of the ratatouille!

No need to get too complicated with stir fry. This Chicken Bok Choy stir fry dish has gourmet flavor without all of the hassle. It’s a light, healthy recipe that you can prepare and cook in under half an hour, and it is great if you want some good Asian flavor without all of the really hot spices.

I have thrown together some really complicated stir-fry dishes in the past. Tons of prep, a couple of hours in the kitchen… the results were delicious, but sometimes, you just don’t have time for that. And though I love to pack the heat into some of my culinary delights, I know that isn’t for everyone. If your family (or guests) want something a little exotic-tasting for dinner but aren’t too keen on the super-spicy stuff, and you would rather not spend all day in the kitchen this go-’round, you really ought to give this chicken stir fry a try.

Recipe courtesy of Recipe.com

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of red papper flakes to your liking.

Even if you are fortunate enough to grow up around a talented cook, you may fall prey to some limiting food myths. Here are two that Mother passed on to me: (1) Good Chinese food is really too complicated and impractical to make at home. (2) It is extremely difficult, if not nearly impossible, to make a dish that is really good AND really healthy. This recipe goes a long way to dispel these notions.

Just to be clear: I don’t plan on giving up all of those less-than-healthy things. I will always love my bacon, and I still believe that butter makes plenty of things a whole lot better. But I do believe in maintaining a balanced diet and mixing in healthier options when possible, and I do like variety. The fried rice dish here allows me to take down all of those proverbial birds with one stone. It offers a healthy sampling of the better carbs and is low in fat–much better than the usual Chinese takeout–and offers me a bit of departure from the everyday food options for home cooking without breaking the bank.

Recipe adapted by 12 Tomatoes

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Quick Tip: Adjust the amount of ginger powder to your liking!