Quick Side: 5-Ingredient Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

We eat A LOT of broccoli. Of course it’s good for you and versatile and delicious, but I also know my kiddo will eat it almost any way it’s prepared, so it’s reliable. But because we eat so much, I don’t want to always eat the same old broccoli. This easy 5-ingredient side dish packs the healthy and the flavor into a single sheet pan, and it will pair well with basically any dinner. Here you go.

WHAT YOU NEED
* 1 1/2-2lbs broccoli, broken down into florets
* 1pt grape or cherry tomatoes
* 2-3T olive oil
* garlic salt
* lemon pepper

WHAT TO DO
Preheat the oven to 400F.

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and toss well to coat. Pour the broccoli and tomatoes onto a baking sheet in a single layer.

Pop the baking sheet into the preheated oven and roast for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of your meal. Transfer to a serving dish when you’re ready to eat and serve immediately while still hot.

Toaster Oven Parmesan Toasts

These are so simple it’s almost a joke. The benefit-to-effort ratio is heavily off balance here. They are so good. And with 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to the whole shebang, how can you go wrong?? I served these alongside this also-absurdly-easy — and luscious — garlic and mushroom soup and they were PERFECT. Here you go.

WHAT YOU NEED
* 1 loaf French or Italian bread, sliced thin on a diagonal
* olive oil
* freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* pinch of salt
* optional: dried or fresh parsley

WHAT TO DO
Place your sliced bread on the tray of your toaster oven in a single layer. Brush each slice with olive oil, and then grate the Parmesan over the oiled bread. Sprinkle with just a pinch of salt and set for two cycles on the toaster function at a medium toasting level. You want golden and crispy, not browned and hard! That’s it! Sprinkle with some parsley if you like (or don’t!). Voila!

Scallop Tacos with Smashed Avocado Salad

How fancy does that title sound?? Would you believe this is a 15-minute dinner? Maybe 20? SERIOUSLY. And so easy. And holy moly my best Taco Tuesday yet! (Not to pat myself on the back or anything… oops!)

Scallops are a special treat, but since they’re also a fan favorite in this house, I decided we were due. And you are too! Scallops sound and look and feel like a fancy-schmancy meal, but they’re so simple and you just have to try these tacos. Here you go.

WHAT YOU NEED
* 1lb bay scallops (the little ones)
* 2T olive oil, divided
* 1/2t freshly ground black pepper
* 1t Kosher salt, divided
* 1C frozen sweet corn kernels
* 4 green onions, chopped
* 1 ripe avocado
* crumbled feta cheese
* fresh cilantro, chopped
* fresh lime
* corn tortillas
* 1 whole, ripe avocado

WHAT TO DO
Place the scallops in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the black pepper, and 1/2 a teaspoon of Kosher salt. Carefully mix until the scallops are well-coated.

In a saute pan over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the corn and green onions, and 1/2 a teaspoon of Kosher salt until the corn and inions become slightly charred. Remove from heat.

Cut the avocado in half and use your hands to squeeze/smash the flesh into a bowl. Add the charred corn and green onions. Add some crumbled salty feta (as much as it looks like your salad needs). Squeeze some fresh lime over the bowl, and mix well.

Heat a nonstick pan over high heat. Add the scallops and cook about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, getting a good sear on ’em. Remove from heat.

Spread the avocado salad onto a warm tortilla, add 3 or 4 scallops on top, sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime. BOOM!

2 Ingredients: Sweet Potato Mash

I have always been a big time sweet potato fan. And I don’t understand how anyone could not be. Sweet potatoes are sweet (duh), beautiful, and delicious but still lovely and savory. And they’re so good for you! Among their many heath benefits, they’re packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, B6, B1, and B2, as well as potassium, dietary fiber, and more. And while there is no shortage of indulgent recipes featuring sweet potatoes, there’s really no need to add much to them. They’re full of flavor on their own. This simple 2-ingredient recipe proves that. Roast and barely season these babies and you have a perfect side or a base layer on your plate to top with fish or sliced steak or almost anything! Here you go.

WHAT YOU NEED
* 2 large sweet potatoes
* garlic salt

WHAT TO DO

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Place the sweet potatoes as-is on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how big your sweet potatoes are, until they’re cooked through and tender.

Allow the sweet potatoes to cool on the pan just long enough to be able to handle them, 2-3 minutes should be enough.

Slice each in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl or other serving dish. The skin she slide easily off. Mash the sweet potatoes in the bowl and season lightly, to taste, with garlic salt.

Serve immediately and enjoy!