I’m far from an expert chef, but this week I feel like I’ve had some success in my smart cooking adventures.

1. For dessert, I’ve tried this recipe for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I followed the recipe and cooking time and temp using the bake setting in the Ninja Woodfire Grill. Baking them in the air fryer basket lined with parchment paper worked perfectly as I made six at a time! I love keeping the dough in the fridge and freezer, so I can whip up a batch whenever we crave a delicious sweet treat. They turned out amazing! This is definitely going to be my go-to cookie recipe for quite some time. Plus, we recently joined Costco, and my boyfriend was super enthusiastic about buying a huge bag of oats, even though I intended for him to get those instant packets from Quaker. So, get ready for lots of oat recipes coming your way soon!

2. Chicken Nuggets – my very own top-secret recipe. Grab some Costco chicken thighs and chop them into chunks because apparently, we love playing “guess the chicken piece.” Toss those beauties in flour and your favorite seasonings like a chef who just lost their recipe book. Give them a spritz of avocado oil (because why not treat them like royalty?) and air fry them in the Ninja Woodfire for a glorious 12-15 minutes at 400°F. Pro tip: for chicken nuggets that truly rock your taste buds, let them soak in pickle juice for a few hours first. Nothing says gourmet like pickled chicken!
3. Speaking of Costco…we now have a year’s worth of Basmati rice. Yes, that’s right—if there’s a rice shortage, it’s definitely our fault! I found this instant pot Basmati recipe from My Heart Beets that I followed to the letter, despite it feeling more complicated than my love life. I wash the rice like I’m preparing it for a spa day, soak it, and toast it with ghee and seasonings—because plain rice is so last season. Sure, it’s more effort than I’m usually willing to invest in rice, but when I’ve got enough for leftovers, I become a culinary genius! Honestly, this dish comes shockingly close to what I’d get at an Indian restaurant. I can totally see this as an excellent base for pilafs. If only I had a matching chef hat!

4. Ninja Creami Nice Cream – my personal recipe! Just mash up a couple of bananas, toss in a handful of strawberries, and mix in some almond butter with a splash or two of almond milk. Pop it into a Ninja Creami container and let it freeze overnight. When you’re ready to dig in, take it out of the freezer about 15 minutes before you spin it. Add a splash of almond milk creamer and spin it on the light ice cream setting. Scoop it into a bowl and don’t forget the sprinkles!

So that’s what my week in Smart Cooking looks like! I don’t even touch the stove or oven at home (my boyfriend’s not having it….) It’s all about cooking out on the patio with cool gadgets like the Instant Pot and Ninja cookers. At least the Creami has a spot on the kitchen counter. Stay tuned for more updates on keeping the indoor air fresh and whipping up meals with electric smart cookers!