MUSINGS & RECIPES
HEALTHIER PUMPKIN BREAD
Pumpkin season is in full swing, and this healthy pumpkin recipe is about to become your new fall obsession. It’s so flavorful and moist, you’d never guess it’s a lighter, nutrient-dense twist on the classic. Made with oat flour, olive oil, maple syrup, and non-fat Greek yogurt, it’s completely free of refined carbs and packed with fiber, healthy fats, and protein. The perfect cozy fall bake that’s good and good for you.
RADICCHIO, ENDIVE, AND SQUASH SALAD WITH PICKLED ONION AND BALSAMIC REDUCTION
While this salad is obviously perfect for fall, it’s so good you’re going to want to eat it all year. The symphony of flavors is perfection — the bitter radicchio, sweet squash, syrupy balsamic, and sharp pickled onions work so beautifully together. And speaking of beautiful, this dish is a total show-stopper.
WHITE BEAN AND SPINACH SOUP
It’s officially soup season, and if you’re looking for a cozy, nutrient-packed meal that supports your wellness goals — this White Bean and Spinach Soup is for you! It’s both comforting and nourishing and loaded with plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants, making it a perfect choice for anyone — whether you’re a vegetarian or not.
With creamy cannellini beans, fresh baby spinach, and aromatic vegetables, this one-pot soup requires minimal prep and is done in less than 30 minutes — making it ideal for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Every bowl delivers the perfect blend of flavor, texture, and nutrition—helping you stay full, energized, and satisfied.
EVERYTHING BUT THE BAGEL SALMON
If you like smoked salmon on an everything bagel, then this recipe is for you! It’s got all the flavors of your favorite brunch, but turned into the perfect protein for a weeknight meal. It’s so easy to make, high in protein, and leftovers work great in salads, wraps, or sandwiches too! And while we’ve got specific measurements here, feel free to use as much or as little as you like. If you make it for kids, then you may want to substitute olive oil for the mustard.
PICKLED RED ONION
Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. It also doesn’t have to require complicated recipes or hard work. Pickled onions are a perfect example of a simple ingredient that elevates a dish without any real effort. It works perfectly in a salad, on tacos, or as a way to breathe new life into a kitchen sink bowl of leftovers.
BEEF & VEGGIE STIR FRY
At 4Q Method, we’re all about taking the easy way out and ordering in — even Chinese food. But sometimes it’s nice to be able to replicate the flavors of restaurant cuisine at home. That’s why we love this Beef & Veggie Stir Fry — it’s all the flavors of Chinese takeout, but with a slightly lighter feel and is so simple to make. The best part is, just like Chinese leftovers, this tastes amazing the next day right out of the fridge!
LEGUME PASTA PRIMAVERA
At 4Q Method, we love a really good al denté bowl of pasta at an Italian restaurant…or even better, in Italy. But for a quick non-indulgent, healthy weeknight dinner full of fiber and protein, this really hits the spot.
While this recipe calls for artichokes and spinach, feel free to load it up with any vegetables you have on hand. Roasted or sautéed vegetables work perfectly as well, but canned artichokes and spinach just take less time, which is what makes this dish so simple to prepare. And not only do the vegetables add delicious flavor and texture, they also make this a perfectly balanced 4Q meal all in one bowl.
MAYO-FREE SALMON SALAD
This salmon salad is truly next level.
It’s a rendition of our beloved Mayo-Free Tuna Salad — full of flavor, zero mayo, so light and so delicious. Because salmon naturally has more fat than dry tuna, we’ve reduced the amount of oil and because dill goes so perfectly with salmon, we’ve added that in for some extra flavor. And while this recipe calls for fresh baked salmon, canned salmon should work just fine.
Paired with a salad, crudité, crackers, or a sandwich, this recipe is sure to be a favorite for everyone who tastes it!
ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD
Cucumbers can be kind of tasteless. Not with this recipe! This Asian cucumber salad is bursting with flavor, and the best part it, it’s super simple and easy to make.
SOY HONEY GINGER SALMON
Most of the teriyaki salmon or Asian glazed salmon recipes out there are full of sugar or honey, turning an otherwise healthy dish into a source of unnecessary added sugar.
This recipe still gives you a perfect hint of sweetness to balance out the umami flavors without going overboard. And because we’ve drastically cut down on the honey, you can feel great about adding this dish to your regular recipe repertoire week after week.
UMAMI GREEN BEANS
At 4Q Method, we believe eating to lose weight shouldn’t be boring, but green beans can be a boring vegetable. So, we’ve given them a makeover with this recipe to amp up the flavor without amping up the calories. (I know - we don’t really use that word here, but it’s true!)
These green beans are bursting with umami from the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Even if you’re not a fan of green beans, you will be after you try this — trust us!
SPAGHETTI SQUASH “PIZZA” CASSEROLE
While most other spaghetti squash casseroles are low in carbs, they are often loaded with cheese, which significantly drives up the fat. Our secret ingredient gives this dish the same creamy, cheesy consistency as ricotta, but with less than half the fat and more than double the protein! This recipe strikes the perfect balance of protein, fat, and vegetables, making it a perfect meal in and of itself!
PECAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE
Fried chicken tenders may be delicious, but these Pecan Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders are next level! The bonus is that they have zero refined starch, are baked (not fried!) and are full of protein, healthy fat, and even some fiber. And while they are totally kid-friendly, they’d be a crowd pleaser at any adult dinner party!
PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS
What would autumn be without a pumpkin-flavored breakfast? Enter, the 4Q Pumpkin Overnight Oats. Just as delicious, nutritious, and satisfying as our regular overnight oats, but with a twist to give it all the cozy fall vibes.
TATZIKI
Most store-bought or restaurant tatziki recipes will call for full-fat Greek yogurt, and while we are not at all fat-phobic, at 4Q Method we believe that if a swap can be made low-fat and taste just as good, better to save your fat intake for something more worthwhile — like the creamy feta and olives in your Greek salad. So we created this version that is so full of flavor and texture, you won’t even notice the difference!
BREAKFAST TACOS
Breakfast tacos are a delicious way to start the day, but they can often be overloaded with fats and starch, leaving you weighed down and lethargic. Our 4Q version has got the perfect balance of protein, fat, and starch to keep energized and fueled all morning long!
BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS
Braised chicken is such an underrated comfort food, and this dish is the perfect way to incorporate it into your winter dinner repertoire when you’re looking for something cozy to make. And while you’re more likely to make this during the colder months, it is still light enough to make in the spring and summer if you’re craving some tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken.