Recipes — The Renata Collective

Simplified Kung Pao Chicken

This is a simplified recipe for Kung Pao Chicken. This recipe is ready in 30 minutes! To make it even EASIER and QUICKER, you could use leftover cooked plain chicken, rotisserie chicken or the cooked chicken pieces in the deli section of your grocery store. So yes, no excuses now not to make this delicious recipe! You are very welcome!

My original Kung Pao Chicken recipe is delicious and has more spicy ingredients. This simplified version has les ingredients and a touch of spicy - you can up the heat by adding diced jalapenos or siracha.

Tacos with TVP

Hello Taco Tuesday! Or whatever day of the week you have tacos! Tacos are an easy and fun meal to make and easily customizable for every taste and topping combination preference. I put all the various toppings out and my family each build their own taco delights!

Now, what is TVP you must be asking! IYKYK. If not, read the recipe to learn about this healthy and delicious Taco filling!

Five Minute Green Onion Flatbreads

These are so easy to make and so so good! This is an old recipe from when I wanted to recreate the scallion pancakes served at many Chinese restaurants. I just love those and didn’t want to have to wait until another visit to a restaurant to enjoy these delicious flatbreads/pancakes.

Salad Greens with Tarragon Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette dressing really is the star of this salad with the tarragon adding a wonderful subtle flavour. The dressing can be made ahead and kept in your fridge for a couple of weeks. I drizzle it over burgers, sandwiches, oven roasted veggies – it’s such a versatile vinaigrette to have on hand! For the salad, I add all kinds of yummy ingredients to make it a meal. Use your imagination and your tastes to craft your perfect healthy salad!

Super Easy Baked Chicken

I’m all about easy recipes in the summer time. Here is another super easy recipe, similar to my ‘alternative wing’ recipe and adds great flavour to baked chicken. It’s quick to make and have for dinner hot or to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a cold lunch or to cut up to add onto a crisp salad. It’s a great picnic take-along! If you want to keep your kitchen cool, pop these on the BBQ to cook!

Summer Salsa Salad

This fun, sassy salsa salad, that doubles as an appetizer when served with tortilla chips, is a tasty summer treat. It’s cool, crisp, filled with wonderful fresh healthy veggies for a nutrition-packed dish that’s delicious and tangy. The roasted corn adds a fabulous depth of flavour! You’ll be making and enjoying this south of the border salad all summer long!

Microwave Poached Egg

A poached egg is a quick and nutritious breakfast and it can be part of a fancy presentation dish or simply on its own. Whichever way you serve it, the poached egg takes center stage.

Easy and Delicious Grape Tomato Pasta

I love this pasta dish – so simple and healthy, so delicious and so quick to make. The main ingredients are grape tomatoes – either from a homegrown garden bounty or store bought in the pint containers, so you can make this year-round - olive oil, garlic, Italian herbs, pasta, parmesan cheese, or vegan parm, seasoned salt and pepper – most of these ingredients are likely already in your fridge and pantry.

Baked Ravioli Lasagna

Another back pocket recipe for a simple Baked Ravioli Lasagna – fresh ravioli (store-bought cheese and spinach is what I use), a simmered tomato sauce with ground meat of your choice or crumbled tempeh (which I use often for this dish to make it vegetarian), versatile as you can add additional veggies to it to up the nutrition, layer with some cheese and bake for 45 minutes – and you have a delicious, hearty, crowd pleasing, budget-friendly fabulous dinner!

Mongolian Beef Noodle

Mongolian Beef Noodle – so many recipes on the interweb to choose from! This is my version – easy and straightforward. Feel free to use ground turkey or chicken and to add other veggies in to the mix, other than the peas and grated carrot – grated zucchini and finely grated cabbage are both lovely, diced mushrooms are great too and chopped broccoli soaks up the sauce for a burst of flavour. And make your own hoisin sauce – it’s SO worth it!

Budget Friendly, Dinner, Egg Free, Healthy eating, Lunch, Light SupperRenata RichardsonJune 17, 2022Comment

Caesar Baked Chicken

One of the easiest chicken recipes from The Renata Collective, this Caesar Baked Chicken dish is made with 3 main ingredients and takes 5 minutes to put together. Super simple and super delicious! The creamy Caesar dressing makes the chicken very tender and very flavourful.

Budget Friendly, Dinner, Light Supper, LunchRenata RichardsonJune 8, 2022Caesar Baked Chicken, chickenComment

Homemade Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

Homemade Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing - a few ingredients, 2 minutes and you have a delicious and healthy dressing to top your romaine, or to use in many other ways – dollop on a sandwich, a bit on a hard-boiled egg is so yummy, top a burger (may I suggest my Best Black Bean and Quinoa Burger) or use as a sauce when cooking meat. Plus, there’s no excuse to not include a salad with your meal when you have a dressing ready to go in the fridge! Boost your nutrition everywhere you can!

Black Bean Veggie Soup

My Black Bean Veggie Soup is super simple and quick to make, budget friendly, with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry/fridge or are easy to buy at your local grocery store, it has a bit of heat to it which I love, reminds me of chili and packs so much good nutrition into a bowl of deliciousness.

Pasta Alla Norcina (Pasta with Sausage, Ricotta and Parmesan)

Simple in ingredients, yes, quick and easy to make, yes, deep and rich in flavour, oh yes!This pasta recipe is in homage to and my version of the original Pasta Alla Norcina recipes (of which there are many), combining pasta and simple pork sausage in a savory creamy sauce. SO SO SO good!

Simple Minestra (Soup)

Another recipe in the ‘back pocket’ category, this quick-to-make hearty soup is delicious and nutritious and perfect for a nice lunch, when you want something to warm you up and something healthy to fill you up. So versatile, it’s a great way to use up those veggies lingering in the fridge that have seen fresher days yet aren’t at the point of no return that you have to discard them in the green bin. Make up a potful soon and enjoy!