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Veggie Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin Sauce

A perfect, no-cook dish for hot days

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Colorful veggies wrapped in lettuce, positioned vertically around a dish of hoisin sauce.

Unsplash.

Prep Time
30 mins
Number of Servings
10 lettuce wraps
Ingredients

Hoisin Sauce

  • 14 cup reduced-sodium tamari
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 12 tsp hot sauce
  • 12 tsp ground ginger
  • 12 cup creamy almond butter
  • 2 Tbsp chopped almonds for garnish

Lettuce Wraps

  • 1 to 2 heads Romaine lettuce
  • 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced into strips
  • 12 red cabbage, sliced into strips
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into strips
  • 2 small zucchini, sliced into strips
  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
     
Directions
  1. Make hoisin sauce. In a high-speed blender or using a hand-held whisk, combine hoisin ingredients together except chopped almonds. Transfer sauce to a serving bowl. Garnish with almonds. Set aside.
  2. Make lettuce wraps. Remove leaves from Romaine head, keeping leaves long in length. Place 1 lettuce leaf down on a clean, flat surface. You may want to layer a second leaf on top for reinforcement. Place a few slices of bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and avocado in center of leaf.
  3. Roll leaf up around vegetables. Repeat with remaining lettuce leaves and vegetables.
  4. Serve with hoisin sauce for drizzling or dipping.
Nutrition Info

2 wraps: 421 Calories, 13 g protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 35 g Carbohydrates, 12 g Total sugars (5 g Added sugars), 15 g Fiber, 29 g Total fat (3 g sat), 622 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin A, B2 (riboflavin), B6, C, E, K, Folate, ★★★★ Phosphorus, ★★★ Vitamin B3 (niacin), Magnesium, Potassium, ★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Calcium, Iron, Zinc

Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Carrot Cake Muffins

Great for healthy grab-and-go snacking

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Prep Time
35 minutes
Number of Servings
12 muffins
Ingredients
  • 1 c sorghum flour
  • 12 c tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
  • 13 c quinoa flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 12 tsp baking soda
  • 1 12 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 12 tsp salt
  • 34 c nondairy milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 13 c runny honey*
  • 14 c unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 12 c shredded carrots
  • 1 c raisins
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan, or line cups with paper liners, and set aside.
  2. Mix together sorghum flour, tapioca starch, quinoa flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, honey, applesauce, and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in carrots and raisins.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.
  5. Fill muffin cups with batter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Leave muffins in pan for 10 minutes and then carefully remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

*If the honey is too thick and not pourable, gently heat it in a saucepan until it’s more liquid.

Nutrition Info

1 muffin: 169 Calories, 3 g Protein, 38 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 1 g Total fat, 204 mg Sodium, ★★ Phosphorus,  Vitamin A, Calcium

Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Strawberry Shortcakes

Summer's sweetest classic

By Marie Frank
Prep Time
1 hour, 45 minutes
Number of Servings
8
Recipe Source

From More Than Sweet by Marie Frank (Hardie Grant Publishing, 2026)

Ingredients

Shortcakes

  • 2 14 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 12 tsp baking powder
  • 34 tsp salt
  • 14 tsp ground cardamom
  • 12 c cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 12 c plus 3 Tbsp cold heavy cream
  • Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Macerated Strawberries with Pomegranate Molasses & Black Pepper

  • 2 c fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses*
  • 14 tsp salt, plus more as needed
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Whipped Cream

  • 2 c heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Make shortcakes: preheat oven to 425°. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl, and whisk together with granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Add butter and rub it into flour mixture until texture is similar to coarse breadcrumbs (you can use a pastry cutter or food processor for this step). Add the 12 cup cold cream and quickly stir to form a soft dough.
  3. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and briefly—for 20 to 30 seconds—knead dough until it just comes together. Roll out dough until it is about 1 inch thick. Use a 2 12-inch cookie cutter to cut out 8 biscuits.
  4. Place biscuits 3 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush tops of biscuits with the 3 tablespoons cream and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake biscuits for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and well risen.
  5. Remove pan from oven and leave biscuits to cool on pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just slightly warm.
  6. Macerate strawberries: gently crush one-quarter of strawberries with sugar and pomegranate molasses in a medium bowl. Fold in remaining strawberries. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Leave to macerate for 30 minutes. 
  7. Make whipped cream: combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed until cream just begins to thicken. Increase speed to medium and whisk until it reaches soft-peak stage.
  8. Slice each shortcake in half and place bottom halves on serving plates. Place a spoonful of macerated strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream on each. Place top half of shortcakes on top. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info

572 Calories, 6 g Protein, 121 mg Cholesterol, 47 g Carbohydrates, 15 g Total sugars (13 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 41 g Total fat (25 g sat), 428 mg Sodium, 4 Vitamin A, 2 Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, Folate, 1 Vitamin B3 (niacin), Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus

Contributor

Marie Frank

Marie Frank is a recipe developer and pastry chef based outside of Copenhagen. She is the author of the Substack newsletter, More than Sweet. 

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Guacamole

By Kristyn Merkley
Prep Time
15 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Recipe Source
Ingredients
  • 5 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice, plus more for topping
  • 12 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 tsp ground cumin
  • 14 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 12 onion, chopped (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, combine avocado and lime juice.
  2. Add salt, cumin, and cayenne. Mash avocado mixture using a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
  3. Fold in tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic.
  4. Add additional lime juice over top to help keep guacamole from browning.
  5. Serve with tortilla chips.
Nutrition Info
280 Calories, 4 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 17 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 12 g Fiber, 25 g Total fat (4 g sat), 171 mg Sodium, ★★★ Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, Folate, ★★ Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc
Contributor

Kristyn Merkley

Kristyn Merkley has been helping her family and others prepare simple and delicious meals since 2010 through her website.

Her avid following has come to appreciate her tried-and-true approach to helping everyone become successful in the kitchen.

Lil' Luna's So Easy & So Yummy was created with one goal in mind: to share all of the helpful resources that she relies on--and her love of cooking--with as many people as possible. She lives in Arizona with her husband and six kids.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Prep Time
45 minutes, plus 1 hour chill time
Number of Servings
Makes 24 cookies (serves 24)
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 13 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 12 tsp baking powder
  • 12 tsp baking soda
  • 12 tsp salt
  • 12 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 13 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 34 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 14 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candy canes
Directions
  1. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together room-temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
  3. With speed on low, add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix.
  4. Gently fold in chocolate chips and chopped candy canes. Place dough in fridge for 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Using a 1-ounce scoop (equal to 2 tablespoons), scoop out 6 balls of dough onto each lined baking sheet. Place balls approximately 3 inches apart. If there’s any exposed candy cane, push back into dough.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set in their centers, rotating pans halfway through cooking time. Remove cookies from oven and transfer to cooling racks.
  8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to make remainder of cookies with the dough.
Nutrition Info
281 Calories, 2 g Protein, 25 mg Cholesterol, 56 g Carbohydrates, 44 g Total sugars (35 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 6 g Total fat (4 g sat), 93 mg Sodium Vitamin A, Phosphorus
Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Easy Pita Pizza

By The Taste for Life Community
Small homemade pizza on a wooden plate
Prep Time
15 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 1
Recipe Source
Cynthia Harriman, Oldways and the Whole Grains Council
Ingredients
  • 1 whole-grain pita, 7-inch-round, uncut
  • 12 cup pizza or pasta sauce
  • 18 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
  • Assorted veggies, chopped (peppers, onions, mushrooms)
  • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place pita on baking sheet or pizza stone.
  2. Cover pita with sauce and top with cheese.
  3. Sprinkle on as many chopped veggies as you can fit.
  4. Drizzle optional olive oil on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
Nutrition Info
457 Calories, 26 g Protein, 56 g Carbohydrates, 9 g Fiber, 16 g Total fat (6 g sat, 6 g mono, 3 g poly), 758 mg Sodium, Vitamin B3 (niacin), Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Phosphorus, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6, C, Pantothenic acid, Magnesium, Zinc,  Vitamin A, B12, Biotin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Contributor

The Taste for Life Community

The TasteForLife Community is comprised of a colorful collection of culinary aficionados, all of whom have a desire to create and prepare recipes with a focus on natural and healthy ingredients.

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Antipasto Skewers

Fun, low-carb, high-protein options

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Number of Servings
35 to 40 skewers
Ingredients

Dressing

  • 12 cup red wine vinegar
  • 23 cup olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • Salt and pepper

Skewer Suggestions

  • Cheese
    • mozzarella
    • havarti
    • cheddar
    • Monterey jack
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Olives
    • black
    • stuffed green
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Rye bread
  • Roasted red peppers
  • Fresh basil
  • Grilled veggies
    • peppers
    • squash
    • tomatoes
  • Tortellini
Directions
  1. Clean and chop all skewer ingredients into bite size pieces.
  2. Carefully string ingredients on skewers.
  3. Drizzle dressing over skewers and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Mango Salsa

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Prep Time
20 minutes, plus 20 minutes sit time
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups peeled, pitted, and cubed ripe mango
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 14 cup chopped red onion
  • 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 14 cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine mango, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and red onion.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, honey, and cilantro. Pour over mango mixture and toss together.
  3. Let salsa sit in the fridge for 20 minutes so flavors can meld.
  4. Serve over grilled, sautéed, or poached chicken or fish.
Nutrition Info
50 Calories, 1 g Protein, 12 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (1 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 196 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate
Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Butternut Squash and Red Onion Mini Pizzas

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Prep Time
40 minutes
Number of Servings
Makes 4 6-inch pizzas (serves 4)
Ingredients
  • 1 12 cups cubed butternut squash (12-inch pieces)
  • 1 small red onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional for dough
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb refrigerated pizza dough, room temperature
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 12-inch cubes, or 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 18 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Toss squash cubes and onion slices with the 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, or until slightly softened.
  3. Roll dough out according to package instructions and shape into 4 (6-inch) crusts.
  4. Place crusts onto 2 greased baking sheets. Brush each crust with a small amount of the oil. Divide vegetable mixture between crusts. Top each crust with equal amounts of mozzarella cubes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until crusts are golden brown.
  5. Garnish each pizza with equal amounts of crushed red pepper and thyme.
Nutrition Info
584 Calories, 23 g Protein, 67 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 5 g Fiber, 25 g Total fat (11 g sat), 1,101 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Folate, Phosphorus, ★★★★ Vitamin A, Calcium, ★★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), ★★ Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Magnesium
Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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Chocolate-Honey-Almond Fondue

By The Taste for Life Test Kitchen
Prep Time
15 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 13 cup half-and-half
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 12 tsp vanilla extract
  • 14 tsp almond extract
Directions
  1. Bring honey and half-and-half to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until honey is dissolved.
  2. Add chopped chocolate to mixture. Whisk until chocolate is melted.
  3. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. Pour fondue into a fondue pot or 4 small bowls. Serve with skewers for dipping.
Nutrition Info
Fondue only: 213 Calories, 2 g Protein, 32 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 11 g Total fat (6 g sat), 12 mg Sodium, Magnesium, Phosphorus
Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.

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