Last Updated on January 25, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Simple, Satisfying Meals for the New Year

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl

• 2          tablespoons olive oil
• 1          small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1          small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 2          cups cooked sweet potatoes
• 1          can (15 ounces) Bush’s Black Beans, drained
• 1          teaspoon chili powder
• 2          fried eggs
• 1          avocado, sliced
• cotija cheese, crumbled
• lime wedges, for serving

1. In large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are softened, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Add sweet potatoes, black beans and chili powder; stir to combine. Cook until potatoes and beans are warmed through, 4-5 minutes.
3. Divide bean mixture between two bowls. Top each bowl with fried egg, avocado slices and crumbled cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

Greek Dense Bean Salad

• 1/4       cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2          tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1          tablespoon lemon juice
• 1          teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1          garlic clove, minced
• 1          teaspoon dried oregano
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

• 1/2       cup plain yogurt
• 1/4       cucumber, grated, excess water drained
• 2          teaspoons lemon juice
• 2          teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2       teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2          teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

• 1          can (16 ounces) Bush’s Chick Peas, drained and rinsed
• 1          can (15 1/2 ounces) Bush’s Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1          cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2       cup red onion, diced
• 1          cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/2       cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2       cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4       cup fresh parsley, chopped
•             Greek dressing (directions below)
• 1          cup tzatziki sauce (directions below)
• chicken skewers (optional), for serving

1. To make dressing: In food processor or blender, blend olive oil; red wine vinegar; lemon juice; Dijon mustard; garlic; oregano; and salt and pepper, to taste, until well combined. Set aside.
2. To make tzatziki sauce: In bowl, stir yogurt; cucumber; lemon juice; olive oil; garlic; dill; and salt and pepper, to taste, until well combined. Set aside.
3. To make salad: In large bowl, combine chick peas, cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and parsley; toss with dressing.
4. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve with chicken skewers, if desired.
5. Chef’s tip: Store leftover tzatziki sauce separate from salad.

I’ve been legally drinking beer long enough to remember when the default choice at most bars was something cold, fizzy, and forgettable. Like most people, when I turned 21, I drank what was available, what was cheap, and what everyone else was drinking.

Over time, my palate evolved—and my patience for bland, mass-produced beer disappeared.

These days, if I’m reaching for a beer, chances are it’s a wheat beer.

From “Anything Cold” to Actually Tasting Beer

Early on, I learned something important: not all beer is created equal. The big mainstream domestic brands—built for volume, shelf life, and advertising budgets—never really did it for me. They’re engineered to offend no one, which usually means they excite no one either.

Thin body. Muted flavor. A sameness that makes one brand blur into the next.

That doesn’t mean I dislike American beer. Quite the opposite.

Why Craft and Small Breweries Changed Everything

What I do appreciate are medium-sized breweries, small operations, and microbreweries that actually care about flavor, balance, and craftsmanship. Domestic brewers who treat beer like food—not just a commodity—have produced some outstanding work over the years.

The rise of craft beer proved that American brewers could compete with the best in the world when flavor came first.

Discovering Wheat Beers: Flavor Without Heaviness

My appreciation for wheat beers came naturally. Unlike many heavy ales or aggressively hopped styles, wheat beers offer complexity without exhaustion.

A great wheat beer delivers:

• A soft, rounded mouthfeel
• Notes of banana, clove, citrus, or spice
• Natural carbonation that lifts the flavor
• Balance that works whether you sip or socialize

German Hefeweizens, Weissbiers, and Weizenbocks set the standard. Breweries like Weihenstephaner, Paulaner, Franziskaner, and Schneider Weisse showed me just how expressive wheat beer can be without trying to overwhelm the drinker.

Tasting the World, Not Just the Shelf

Over the years, I’ve sampled beers from around the world—Germany, Belgium, the UK, Mexico, Japan, and beyond. Each region brings something different, but the best beers share a common thread: intention.

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Once you’ve tasted beers refined over centuries, it’s hard to get excited about products designed mainly for shelf stability and mass appeal.

Yes, American Wheat Beers Can Be Great Too

To be fair, American craft brewers have done some excellent work with wheat beers. Some stay true to traditional styles, while others experiment carefully with citrus or spice.

The good ones respect the base beer instead of burying it under gimmicks.

Why Wheat Beers Still Top My List

After years of drinking, tasting, and learning, wheat beers remain my go-to for one simple reason: they deliver flavor without fatigue.

They don’t need extreme bitterness. They don’t rely on shock value. They don’t pretend to be something they’re not.

Wheat beers are confident, approachable, and honest—and that’s something I appreciate more with every passing year.

I’ll always respect a well-made beer, no matter where it’s brewed. But if you ask me what I actually enjoy drinking, what I come back to again and again, it’s wheat beers.

Not shouted through a commercial.

Further Reading & Reference

• Weihenstephan Brewery – Official site of the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery and a benchmark for German wheat beer.
• Schneider Weisse – Renowned Bavarian brewery specializing in traditional and strong wheat beer styles.
• Paulaner Brewery – One of Munich’s historic breweries, best known in the U.S. for its Hefe-Weißbier.
• Franziskaner Weissbier – Classic German wheat beer brand with a strong yeast-forward profile.
• Erdinger Weissbräu – One of the world’s largest wheat beer breweries, known for consistency and global distribution.
• CraftBeer.com: Hefeweizen Style Guide – Educational overview of wheat beer styles, ingredients, and flavor profiles.
• BJCP Beer Style Guidelines – Industry-standard reference for beer styles, including German wheat beers.
• German Foods: German Beer Traditions – Overview of Germany’s brewing heritage and traditional beer styles.

Also Good to Know Information

American Craft Wheat Beers (Style-Respecting Examples)

• Allagash White (Maine) – A benchmark American wheat beer inspired by Belgian tradition, known for balance and restraint.
• Bell’s Oberon Ale (Michigan) – A widely respected American wheat ale that helped popularize the style domestically.
• Firestone Walker 805 Blanco – A modern American wheat beer with a lighter profile and regional influence.
• Odell American Wheat – A clean, straightforward American wheat beer emphasizing drinkability.

Academic & Historical Wheat Beer Sources

• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Wheat Beer – Historical overview of wheat beer origins, evolution, and regional styles.
• German Foods: German Beer Traditions – Context on Germany’s brewing laws and wheat beer heritage.
• BJCP Style Guidelines – Industry-standard definitions for wheat beer styles used by brewers and judges.
• Journal of the Institute of Brewing – Academic research on brewing science, including wheat malt and fermentation behavior.

Why Wheat Beer Yeast Matters

• Craft Beer & Brewing: Wheat Beer Yeast – Explains how yeast produces banana and clove flavors in wheat beers.
• White Labs: What Makes Hefeweizen Yeast Unique – Scientific breakdown of yeast strains and ester formation.
• Brülosophy: Fermentation & Hefeweizen Flavor – Experimental analysis of how fermentation affects wheat beer character.

Shopping & Availability Resources (U.S.-Friendly)

• Total Wine: Wheat Beer Selection – Broad national retailer with reliable availability of German and American wheat beers.
• BeerMenus – Useful for finding wheat beers on tap or in stores near you.
• Untappd: Top-Rated Wheat Beers – Community-driven ratings and availability insights.

For more stories exploring food, drink, and culture, visit the Food & Drink section at STM Daily News.

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Last Updated on January 23, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Grilled Chicken teriyaki rice (Adobe Sock)

When you need a fast, flavorful meal without the fuss, a teriyaki chicken bowl is one of the easiest dishes you can throw together. Using Foster Farms precooked chicken breast strips, store-bought teriyaki sauce, and ready-to-heat rice, you can have dinner on the table in about ten minutes — no chopping, marinating, or complicated prep required.

A Weeknight Staple

This recipe is ideal for busy weeknights, work-from-home lunches, or those moments when you want something warm and satisfying without relying on takeout. With precooked chicken, most of the work is already done for you. All you’re really doing is heating, mixing, and assembling.

“A complete teriyaki bowl in ten minutes — no takeout required.”

Ingredients

1–2 cups cooked rice (microwaveable rice packets work great) 1 cup Foster Farms precooked chicken breast strips ¼–½ cup teriyaki sauce, depending on how saucy you like it 1 cup of vegetables (fresh, steamed, or frozen) Optional toppings: sesame seeds, green onion, pineapple chunks, spicy mayo, red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prep the Base

Start with your rice. If you’re using microwave rice, it heats up in about 60–90 seconds. Leftover rice works just as well — just warm it in a bowl before assembling the dish.

2. Heat the Chicken

Foster Farms precooked chicken strips make this step incredibly simple. Just heat them in a skillet for a couple of minutes or microwave them for under a minute. Add a few tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and stir to coat the chicken evenly.

3. Add the Vegetables

This bowl works with almost any vegetable you enjoy. Frozen stir-fry mixes are quick and convenient, while steamed broccoli or carrots add color and crunch. Toss the veggies into the pan with the chicken so they absorb the teriyaki flavor.

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4. Build Your Bowl

Add your rice to a serving bowl and top it with the teriyaki chicken and vegetables. If you want a richer flavor, drizzle on a little extra teriyaki sauce.

5. Customize With Toppings

Finish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or a drizzle of spicy mayo. Pineapple adds a sweet touch that pairs perfectly with teriyaki, giving your bowl a subtle Hawaiian twist.

👉 Download the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe PDF

Why This Recipe Works

What makes this meal so appealing is its flexibility. Use whatever rice you have on hand, swap in your favorite veggies, and adjust the sauce level to your own taste. It’s fast, affordable, and customizable — ideal for anyone looking to simplify their cooking without sacrificing flavor.

Do you have your own fast weeknight recipes or kitchen shortcuts? Share them with us in the comments or tag @STM Daily News on social media. We love spotlighting great ideas from our readers!

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