This week’s recipes lean into the last few weeks of summer - a grilled balsamic chicken topped with a cherry tomato caprese salad, a strawberry-studded shortcake cookie that will change your shortcake world forever, and a churro snack cake that doubles as a treat or breakfast. I hope you love them as much as we do.
P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.
Here’s the thing. Around 3pm, especially certain times of the month, I do not want a rice cake. I want a treat. And this is what I’ve been reaching for lately — it satisfies my sweet tooth completely, mine and my kids’, but it’s a little more balanced.
This is not a protein bake. It’s not a “healthy dessert that tastes healthy.” It’s a light, airy, cinnamon-forward snack cake with a crackly churro-sugar top, and it happens to be made with almond flour, oat flour, and a little cottage cheese for good measure. You’d never know.
My fifteen-year-old and my picky ten-year-old both love it as much as I do. What other proof do you need? 😂
Makes 9–12 squares | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 28–32 min | Total: about 45 min
Ingredients
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• ¼ cup blended cottage cheese or Greek yogurt (or your favorite DF yogurt)
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
• 1 cup almond flour
• ¾ cup oat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp kosher salt
Churro Topping:
• 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment.
If using cottage cheese, blend until completely smooth (no curds) — or leave it slightly chunky if you don’t mind the little specks. If using yogurt, no need to blend, just dump it in.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined and slightly lighter in color.
Whisk in the avocado oil, cottage cheese or yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until fully combined and smooth. (batter will be thick).
Rest the batter 5 minutes so the almond and oat flours can hydrate.
Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Mix the churro topping and sprinkle evenly over the top.
Bake 28–32 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake this — it will dry out on you. When in doubt, pull it early. Underdone beats dry every time.
Cool completely, then slice and enjoy. Yum.
The batter is pretty thick — that’s how it’s supposed to be, don’t worry if it doesn’t pour like a typical cake batter
I’ve made this with both brown sugar and coconut sugar — both good, use whatever you’ve got
I like it a little more with cottage cheese than yogurt, but both work
Sometimes I don’t even blend the cottage cheese smooth — totally fine, you’ll just get little white specks throughout, which doesn’t bother me or my kids
Dairy-free: sub your favorite DF yogurt for the cottage cheese
Want a loaf instead? Bake in a lined 8×4 loaf pan, 40–45 minutes
Parchment Paper - for easy release and clean up.
Inverted Spatula - great for spreading this thick batter.
My favorite Spatulas - Silicone, heat safe, feel good in your hand - I use these daily.
One of the best summer dinners you’ll make all season. It looks a lot fancier than it really is, and it’s surprisingly simple to pull together.
Serves 4-6 | About 45 minutes (plus marinating time)
This is one of those summer dinners that looks impressive but is actually incredibly simple. One easy balsamic dressing pulls everything together — I use it to marinate the chicken, dress the arugula salad, and drizzle over the finished dish.
Topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, it’s the kind of meal that tastes like summer. Serve it with grilled garlic bread and a peppery arugula salad, and you’ve got a fresh, colorful dinner that’s perfect for warm evenings and peak tomato season.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
1½–2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
For the Dressing/Marinade
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon raspberry or strawberry jam
1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
For the Caprese Salad
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, drained
¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
a drizzle of the balsamic dressing/marinade, for serving
For the Grilled Garlic Bread
1 ciabatta loaf, sliced in half lengthwise
Olive oil or avocado oil spray
1 garlic clove, peeled
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
In a jar or bowl, whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, jam, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified.
Reserve about ½ cup of the balsamic dressing for serving. Pour the remaining dressing over the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until lightly charred and the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5–7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken rests, make the caprese salad. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
Prepare the grilled garlic bread. Lightly spray the cut sides of the ciabatta with olive oil and grill until lightly charred on both sides. While the bread is still warm, rub the cut side of a garlic clove all over the surface. The garlic will melt right into the hot bread. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and slice for serving.
Spoon the caprese salad over the grilled chicken. Drizzle with the reserved balsamic dressing and a little balsamic glaze, if desired.
For a complete meal, toss a few handfuls of arugula with the reserved balsamic dressing and serve alongside the chicken with the grilled garlic bread.
The balsamic dressing can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just give it a good shake before using.
Fresh basil makes all the difference here—don’t skip it. Actually, a little fresh basil in the dressing/marinade is delicioius as well.
If your tomatoes are especially sweet and ripe, a little extra flaky sea salt right before serving is delicious. 🤍
Instant Read Thermometer - My most-recommended kitchen tool. Pull the chicken at 165°F and you’ll never have to wonder if it’s done.
Oil Sprayer - Perfect for evenly coating the bread before it hits the grill.
My Favorite Tongs - I reach for these everyday.
Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing.
Grater for Parmesan - I really do think freshly grated parm is so much better.
These have been a family favorite for decades—and they’re my dad’s all-time favorite dessert. Strawberry Shortcake turned into a cookie that we like even more than the original.
Makes 20-24 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 24-25 minutes
Every time I make them, I bake a double batch and quietly hide a few away in a secret container just for him... otherwise they’re gone in no time. He reheats them in the air fryer and is so happy about it.
The funny thing? This is a Martha Stewart recipe that somehow only has 3 out of 5 stars. We don’t get it Martha! Around here, it’s a solid 10 out of 5.
I only make two small changes:
A splash of extra heavy cream for a more tender dough
An extra generous sprinkle of sugar on top for the most delicious caramelized crust
Ingredients
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and diced (about 2 cups)
Shortcut: Halve the strawberries and pulse 6–8 times in a food processor. Don’t overdo it—a little uneven texture is perfect.
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
⅔–1 cup heavy cream
Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the dough.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender (or your fingertips) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in ⅔ cup heavy cream. Add a little more as needed until the dough just comes together. Gently fold in the strawberry mixture.
Don’t overmix. The dough should look streaky and rustic. If it turns completely pink, you’ve gone too far and the cookies won’t be quite as tender.
Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the tops with sugar.
Bake for 24–25 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. If baking in batches, keep the remaining dough refrigerated between rounds.
Let cool slightly and serve warm.
These are at their absolute best warm. Reheat in a 325°F air fryer or oven for 3–5 minutes and they’ll taste freshly baked all over again.
Trust me—these are magic. ✨
The biggest secret is not overmixing. The dough should look messy, streaky and imperfect—not uniformly pink.
I always add a little extra cream if the dough seems dry. The exact amount can vary depending on your strawberries.
Be generous with the sugar on top. Those crunchy, caramelized edges are one of the best parts.
My dad swears these are best reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes the next day.
If you’re making them for a crowd, go ahead and double the recipe. I’ve never regretted having extra.
Medium Cookie Scoop - my favorite size for these.
XL Sheet Pan - I LOVE this thing. More cookies per batch, which means cookies in your mouth faster.
Parchment Paper - I use 2 sheets for the XL Sheet Pan
Pastry Blender - my favorite way to integrate butter into the shortcake dough.
Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world.
xo,
Chelsea
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