Marlena's Menu

Chicken Sausage Skillet

2012-02-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

So, I am a late bloomer. Always have been and apparently always will be... I am just now discovering chicken sausage! What?! Not sure how I have missed these for the past couple years, but I am so happy I finally tried them. I bought some without a single clue as to what to do with them. So, here is one recipe I came up with on the spot. So good!

Chicken Sausage Skillet
3 chicken sausage links, cooked and sliced (I used green chili chicken sausage)
2 T. oil
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 c. broccoli, chopped
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Warm up oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato, red pepper, broccoli, spices. Mix well. Cover and let veggies steam for 6-8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add sliced chicken sausage. Cover. Cook long enough for sausage to heat up - takes 2-3 minutes. Serve!

Chicken Fried "Rice"

2012-01-26T11:15:00.001-07:00

We like to serve this along with our Chicken Egg Drop Soup - delicious! This is another quick and easy recipe from Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. With the amazing flavors of this dish, I forget I am eating cauliflower and not rice!

Chicken Fried "Rice"
3 T. sesame oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3/4 lb. chicken, raw or already cooked, cut into small pieces
4 T. tamari sauce
1 garlic clove
1 small head of cauliflower, grated in a food processor
2 eggs, beaten
4 scallions, roughly chopped
Heat a wok or skilled over high heat and add 1 T. of oil. Add onion and saute until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and 1 T. tamari. Saute 2-3 minutes (or longer if raw meat needs more cooking time) then add remaining oil, garlic, and cauliflower. Saute 2-3 more minutes. Add eggs and remaining tamari. Stir constantly as the egg cooks, then add chopped scallions. Cook just a minute or 2 more.

Chicken Egg Drop Soup

2012-01-24T13:00:00.002-07:00

So, if I haven't said it already, everyone NEEDS to get the Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals cookbook!! Everything I have tried is amazing, requires minimal ingredients and only takes 30 minutes! This recipe in one of our faves!! So easy and delicious. We like to add some sriracha hot chili sauce to spice it up (I forgot to take the picture before I added hot sauce, oops).

Chicken Egg Drop Soup
4 c. chicken stock
1/2 lb. chicken tenders, cut into thin strips
1-2 c. chopped fresh or frozen veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc.)
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 green onions, sliced
Bring chicken stock to gentle boil. Add raw chicken and raw/frozen veggies. Simmer rapidly for 5 minutes. Pour eggs into broth in a steady stream, then gently stir the broth while the egg cooks. Remove from heat after a minute or two and garnish with green onions (and hot sauce if you like it spicy!).

Crazy Good Coconut Bars!!

2012-01-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, I stole this idea from Elana's Pantry and changed it up just a bit. Well, all I did was take out some of the sugar from the recipe. :) These bars are so moist and very coconutty! We loved them and will definitely be making them again.

Coconut Bars
3 eggs
1 c. coconut milk
1/3 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. honey
1T. vanilla extract
1/2 c. almond flour
1 T. coconut flour
1 1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 t. sea salt
Mix eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract in food processor. Pulse in almond flour, coconut flour, shredded coconut, and salt. Transfer ingredients to an 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Cool for 1/2 an hour and transfer to fridge. Serve cold.

Why I chose to take a picture of this on a yellow plate is beyond me. I've got a lot to learn when it comes to taking pictures...

Juicy Pork Tenderloin

2012-01-17T08:00:00.003-07:00

We love us some pork in this house (ok, really it's me that loves pork). I know it isn't the best choice of meat, but I like it so I am gonna keep making it! :) This tenderloin was so juicy, even when warmed up in the microwave the next day for leftovers! Delicious!

Juicy Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 T. dried oregano

1 t. sea salt

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1/2 t. pepper

In small bowl, mix minced garlic with oregano and salt to create a paste. Mix in oil, vinegar, and pepper. Brush oil/garlic mix over both pork tenderloins. Cover and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. Allow meat to stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling. Grill pork over direct medium heat, until outsides are evenly seared and the centers are barely pink. Takes about 15-20 minutes, turn every 5 minutes. Remove pork from grill and let rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2012-01-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am usually so good about planning our breakfasts, lunches and dinners during the week, then the weekend comes... I never plan what we are making for dinner on the weekends (not sure why I do that, but I need to stop). The funny thing is, those unplanned dinners are usually our best ones! Like these roasted potatoes. I just chopped up some yams, tossed them with some olive oil and spices and made this wonderful little side dish.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 medium to large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

2 T. olive oil

2 t. rosemary

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 t. pepper

Put potatoes in a gallon-size resealable bag, add olive oil and spices. Close bag and shake until all ingredients are mixed together. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

2012-01-13T10:00:00.001-07:00

I just love stuffed peppers! The spicier, the better. I got the original recipe from "Make It Paleo" and altered it just a bit. I really liked this as a dinner, but I LOVED it even more chopped up with some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

6 poblano peppers, tops and seeds removed. Reserve seeds for seasoning.

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef in large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, salt, pepper and poblano pepper seeds (as many as you would like - the more seeds the spicier your beef mix). Cook until meat is cooked through and onion has softened. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Grill peppers 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes.

Olive Oil-Tamari Sauce Chicken Wings

2012-01-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

I know chicken wings aren't the best source of protein, but they are so good!!! Hey - at least I don't fry them. ;) I was trying to figure out a new way to season them (besides the buffalo sauce) and I came up with this combination of ingredients. These little chicken wings have never tasted better!

Chicken Wings

10-12 chicken wings

1/3 c. olive oil

1/4 c. wheat -free tamari sauce

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. salt

Mix olive oil, tamari sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Put chicken wings in a large bowl. Pour olive oil mixture over wings. Toss wings with hands to cover in sauce. Place wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes. Broil on high for a few minutes to make them a little crispy. Enjoy!

Coconut Crepes

2012-01-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

I had a crepe recipe on my blog that is really good, but I have been wanting to try them without adding any sugar. Well, the wait is over... I have a tasty new recipe for crepes, now! We put fresh fruit in the middle, wrapped it up and added a little more fresh fruit on top. De.Li.Cious!

Coconut Crepes
4 eggs
4 T. coconut flour, sifted
6 T. coconut milk
4 T. grapeseed or melted coconut oil
4 T. water
2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. sea salt
pinch cinnamon
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add rest of the ingredients, mix well. Pour 1/3 cup of the batter into a medium sized skillet over medium low heat. Tilt the pan around so the batter fills the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Allow crepe to cook all the way through, flip and cook for another few seconds. (Cooking these takes a little bit of practice - we smooshed up 2 or 3 of them before we got the hang of it.) Serve warm with fruit!

Chicken Sandwich

2012-01-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

I'm back!!! :) Been a long time since I have posted a recipe, but I am ready to get back to it. This chicken sandwich has been my latest obsession. I have had this meal almost every day for the past couple weeks. If you cook a package of bacon ahead of time and buy thick sliced chicken breast from the deli, it only takes a few minutes to prepare this delicious meal. Enjoy!

Chicken Sandwich
2 slices of thick sliced deli chicken breast*
1 handful lettuce or spinach
4 slices sandwich size pepperoni (Boar's Head is great!)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2 slices bacon, cooked
Mayo/mustard
Spread mayo and mustard on each slice of chicken. Top one piece of chicken with as much lettuce or spinach as desired (use lots - it's good for you!). Then add pepperoni, bacon, avocado. Top with more lettuce/spinach. Put the other piece of chicken on top to complete your sandwich!
*You can also use leftover chicken breast - just cut it down into 2 pieces to use as the "bread"

P.S. Don't you just love my designer dinner plate? ;) hee hee

(This is my modified version of the original recipe from Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals)

Grilled Jerk Chicken and Pineapple

2011-04-13T21:26:00.000-06:00

My family just made a wonderful trip to Arizona - a little vacation to visit family and enjoy some warm weather. :) While we were there, Dean and I ate this amazing jerk chicken meal at a restaurant. I wanted more, so I did my own version of it the other evening for dinner. It was really good. I was able to combine the spices just right to make this sweet and spicy. And who doesn't love grilled pineapple?! If you haven't tried it you are really missing out!

Jerk Chicken Marinade

1 T. wheat-free Tamari

1 T. olive oil

2 t. allspice

1 t. dried thyme

1 t. chipotle chili powder

1/2 t. of each: cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, pepper

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until combined and a paste forms.

Chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 lime

Place chicken breasts in resealable bag, squeeze lime juice over chicken. Spread marinade over chicken. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before grilling. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Pineapple

1 (20 oz) can sliced pineapple

(fresh pineapple would work, too. I just opted for the cheaper version this time)

Spray/drizzle a little olive oil onto each slice. Grill over medium heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until grill marks show and surface of pineapple looks a bit dryer.

Pork Meatballs

2011-03-31T07:15:00.001-06:00

Who would have thought little balls of meat could be so yummy? :) I love how quick and easy it is to make and eat meatballs. These were so good for dinner, but even better as a tasty little snack.

Pork Meatballs
2 lbs. ground pork
1/2 T. sea salt
1 T. caraway seeds
1 T. black pepper
2 T. dried parsley
1 T. dijon mustard
Mix all ingredients together. Form into meatballs. (Mine are kinda big because I was in a hurry). Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

This is my slightly altered version of the original recipe from The Clothes Make The Girl.

Caribbean Jerk Steak

2011-03-30T14:32:00.000-06:00

This is a really easy and very tasty recipe to spice up your steak life. :) I got the recipe from Cosmopolitan Primal Girl. We made it for the first time and had some friends over to test it out. They seemed to like it as much as we did. I will warn you, though, it is a bit spicy. I am a huge fan of spicy food and thought it was the perfect amount of spice. The husband of the couple we invited over thought it was so spicy that it may have burned a hole through the plate. Hee hee. The leftovers are perfect for breakfast, over a salad, or even as a snack.

Caribbean Jerk Steak
1 lb. flank steak
1/2 T. of: onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, coriander
1 T. thyme
1 t. of: nutmeg, cinnamon, chipotle chili powder, cayenne pepper
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. olive oil
1 T. tamari sauce
fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients, except steak, in a bowl and mix. Rub onto steak and marinate in a sealed bag in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Bring steak out of fridge for 30 minutes before grilling. Grill on high heat for 2-3 minutes per side (depending on thickness and how rare you want it). Remove from grill and tent foil over the meat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin pieces and serve.

Pork Tenderloin with Bacon-Onion Sauce

2011-03-22T21:17:00.000-06:00

I got to try this meal last week and thought it was so good that I asked for the recipe right away. I made it this week and was just as happy with it! The tenderloin is so juicy and so easy to make. The sauce is a very tasty companion to the loin. This got a thumbs up from everyone in my family. Yay! :)

Pork Tenderloin
2-3 lbs. tenderloin
salt/pepper to taste
Sprinkle salt and pepper on tenderloin. Sear meat 4 minutes per side in large skillet. Bake at 400º for 30-35 minutes.

Bacon-Onion Sauce
6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. diced onion
1 T. minced shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. red wine
1 c. chicken broth
1 T. grass-fed butter
In large skillet, brown bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Use bacon fat to cook onion. Saute for 2 minutes. Add shallots and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add red wine, bring to boil. Add chicken broth and cook until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and bacon. Serve over cut up pork tenderloin.

Spaghetti Squash

2011-03-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone is always talking about how great spaghetti squash is and I just had to give it another try. I tried making it way back when I first started testing out all of the new veggies I now eat. This one did not make the cut back then. One of the coaches at the gym was eating some and it smelled so good, so I made it the next day. I loved it! I made a homemade spaghetti sauce that a friend had shared with me years ago and some ground beef to mix in with the squash. Delicious. :)

Spaghetti Squash Directions

Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard (or roast like pumpkin seeds). Place rind side up in baking dish. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes. (Or keep squash whole, pierce with fork several times. Place whole squash in baking dish. Bake at 375º for 1 hour. ) When squash is tender, remove from oven. Separate strands with fork.

Spaghetti Sauce

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c. olive oil

28 oz. diced tomatoes

1 t. dried basil

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)

Saute garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Add rest of ingredients, heat over medium heat until heated through. Serve and enjoy!

Coffee Garlic Chicken

2011-02-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Roasting a chicken is one of my go-to meals every week. They are super easy to prepare and makes enough leftovers for lunch the next day. I came across this recipe in a 5 Ingredient Cookbook that I checked out from the library. Not sure if this is known, but I LOVE coffee!!! So, when I can flavor something with coffee I know it is going to be delicious. This was so yummy!

Coffee Garlic Chicken

1 whole chicken

1 T. grapeseed oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. dark roast ground coffee

salt/pepper

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Mix oil, garlic, coffee grounds. Rub over chicken. Bake at 350º for 1 hour 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!

Pepper-Sausage Burgers and Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potato Fries

2011-02-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

My husband was out of town when I made this meal, so I invited my good friend over to test out my new recipes. (I like having people over who are willing to try out new recipes! Thanks Tracee!) Both were so very tasty! I just love how easy burgers are to make and this recipe is no exception. My friend, Emily, suggested I try the bacon-wrapped sweet potato fries (The Foodee Project) and I am so glad she did! They were so good and the sauce was the perfect amount of spice to go along with the fries. I used a different pepper than the recipe called for and I am sure it tasted just as delicious the original. I would have to say this dinner was a success (hoping Tracee felt the same).

Pepper-Sausage Burgers
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound Italian Sausage
10 1" pieces bottled roasted red sweet peppers
salt/pepper
Mix beef and sausage in bowl. Shape into 10 patties. Place peppers onto 5 of the patties. Top each patty with another of the remaining 5 patties. Press edges gently to seal. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until desired doneness. Enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potato Fries with Serrano-Lime Dip
2 sweet potatoes, cut into thick matchsticks
1 package bacon, not thick cut
1/2 c. olive oil mayo
2 serrano peppers (I used canned peppers)
1 lime, juiced
Preheat oven to 425º. Soak sweet potato matchsticks in a bowl of cold water for up to 6 hours. This removes a lot of the starch from the potato. Drain water from the potatoes and pat dry. Slice each piece of bacon in half, lengthwise. Wrap 1 strip of bacon around 1 matchstick sweet potato. Lay on a baking sheet. Repeat until all bacon is gone. If you have leftover sweet potatoes, toss them on the same pan, too. Bake fries for about 25 minutes on one side. Use tongs to flip fries over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until bacon is browned.

For the dip
In food processor, pulse up serranos and lime juice into the mayo until peppers are all chopped up and mix is smooth.

Serve hot with dip.

Chocolate-covered Bacon

2011-02-18T08:30:00.009-07:00

I have been wanting to try chocolate-covered bacon for some time now. I was invited to a Super Bowl party and needed to bring a sweet treat. I figured this was my perfect opportunity. My daughter ended up getting sick, so we weren't able to go. :( The bright side of that situation was that my husband and I got to eat all of the bacon ourselves (and no, we didn't eat it all in one night :)). It was sooo good!

Chocolate-covered Bacon
1 package bacon, sliced in half
1/2 bag of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 400º. Cover baking sheet with foil. Lay bacon down on foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool on paper towel - gives it time to get crispy. Warm chocolate chips in small bowl in microwave for about 2 minutes or until melted. Spoon chocolate onto bacon. Place chocolate-covered bacon on parchment paper. Allow to cool in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Apple sandwiches

2011-02-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

One night while I was at the gym, Dean decided to make an apple a little more exciting for the girls. He cored it, sliced it and called it an "apple donut." The girls loved that it was called a donut! I decided to make it even more of a treat for me and Dean. Very filling and very satisfying. Yum!

Apple sandwiches
1 apple, cored and sliced
Almond butter
Sunbutter
Shredded, unsweetened coconut
Raisins

Spread desired amount of either the almond or sunbutter on the apple slices. Add raisins and coconut. Top with another apple slice or eat it open-faced. Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken

2011-01-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

Looking for a really quick, tasty recipe? Look no further. :) Ha! I sound like an infomercial. This is about a 15 minute dinner - prep and cook time. I just chose spices I had and I really liked the combination. This is great recipe to fix on a busy day or when you just don't feel like being in the kitchen all night.

Spicy Chicken
2 large chicken breasts, cut in half
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. chipotle chili powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. paprika
2 t. lime juice
Combine garlic powder, chili powder, salt, paprika in small bowl. Rub mixture on chicken breasts. Heat small amount of olive oil (just enough to coat pan) in large skillet over medium-medium high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Drizzle lime juice over chicken. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Herbed Pork Tenderloin

2011-01-22T07:00:00.002-07:00

Another quick, easy recipe. I was had this recipe all planned out to make one evening, but had totally forgotten to get some fresh ingredients I needed. I used dried herbs I had in my pantry instead and came out with an amazing pork tenderloin.

Herbed Pork Tenderloin
1 boneless pork tenderloin
1/2 T. dried rosemary
1/2 T. Herbes de Provence
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. olive oil, divided
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

In small bowl, combine rosemary, Herbes, garlic, 1 t. olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub tenderloin with herb mixture. In large pan, over medium-high heat, brown roast in a remaining olive oil. Place tenderloin in greased baking dish. Cover and bake at 350º for 1 1/2-2 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Pineapple Chicken Fajitas

2011-01-19T22:36:00.000-07:00

I have been on a mission to find easy, quick recipes. I have been spending so much time in the kitchen cooking some amazing recipes, but some of them just take too long. When I came across a recipe in a Taste of Home magazine I knew I could change it up just a bit and it would be the quick recipe I needed. It was so fast, easy and delicious!

Pineapple Chicken Fajitas
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 T. olive oil
1 each green, red, yellow peppers, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 T. fajita seasoning mix
1/4 c water
1 T. honey
1 t. garlic powder
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c pineapple chunks (or more if you really like pineapple)

In large skillet, cook chicken in oil for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onion; cook and stir for an additional 5 minutes. In small bowl, combine fajita seasoning, water, honey, garlic powder, parsley, salt. Stir into skillet. Add pineapple. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Done! Enjoy with some lettuce wraps or over cauliflower rice.

Tomato Baked Chicken

2011-01-09T10:15:00.002-07:00

I love when I come across recipes that are easy and require less than 7 ingredients! I have this old stack of food magazines in my kitchen cabinet and decided to go searching for a new recipe for dinner. I really enjoy coming across something I know we will like and getting to change it to make it healthier for my family. This was one of those; it came from a little Kraft recipe book. My husband took the leftovers for lunch the next day and asked that I make this meal again really soon - it was a success!

Tomato Baked Chicken

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes drained

1/4 c. balsamic vinaigrette

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/4 c. almond flour

Place onions in greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with chicken. Combine tomatoes, dressing, garlic powder; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with almond flour. Bake at 425º for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

We served ours over sliced, cooked zucchini "noodles"

Fish "Tacos"

2011-01-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have had some great fish tacos living in southern Arizona! I was having a craving for some, but needed to make them gluten-free. I came across a recipe in a magazine and made a quick mental note of ingredients and recreated it when I got home. It seems like a lot of ingredients as I look back, but it was super easy to prepare. I even had the salsa and sauce prepared earlier in the day, so all I had to do was cook the fish. These were so refreshing and very tasty!

Fish Tacos
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. halibut fillets

Sauce:
2 medium avocados
1/2 c. olive oil mayo
1 T. lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. dill weed
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. oregano
dash cayenne pepper

Salsa:
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 T. fresh cilantro, minced
1 t. lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
dash salt

In large resealable bag, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic. Add fish, seal bag, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For sauce and salsa, peel and cube avocados. In small bowl mash about 1/4 c. avocado. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Place remaining cubed avocados in small bowl, stir in remaining salsa ingredients. Refrigerate sauce and salsa until ready to serve.

Drain and discard marinade. Broil halibut for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Place fish in center of piece of lettuce, top with sauce, then salsa. Enjoy!

Pepperoncini Chicken

2010-12-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

I love bites of food wrapped in bacon - don't you? I brought these to a get-together at the gym and they were a hit! They were easy to make and only require a few ingredients. I found the recipe for these yummy bites at Eat This.

Pepperoncini Chicken
2 large chicken breasts
1 jar pepperoncinis
1 package bacon
sea salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Marinate chicken with salt and pepper and enough oil to coat. Slice open a pepperoncini and put a piece of chicken inside. Wrap 1/2 piece bacon around chicken and secure with toothpick. Over medium heat, grill poppers until chicken is cooked through and bacon is crisp. (About 8-10 minutes per side) Enjoy!

Spicy Burgers

2010-12-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Burgers are our go-to meals when we haven't really planned out anything for dinner or just when we want something easy to cook up. I came across this recipe from Just.like.mom.never.made. Changed it up slightly for my taste and enjoyed a fantastic dinner. We love spicy food in our house and these were perfect!

Spicy Burgers
2 cans (4 oz.) diced green chili
1 pound ground bison
3/4 c. finely chopped cilantro
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. chipotle chili powder
1 t. sea salt
Mix all ingredients in bowl. Form into burgers. Grill. Easy!

Cranberry Squash

2010-12-16T10:00:00.002-07:00

All of the pumpkin and squash in the fall is so fun to play with - when it comes to cooking. :) My friends, Tracee, recommended I try this recipe from Elana's Pantry. She told me her husband says the squash are like pieces of candy. So, of course, I had to try it. And it was soooo delicious!

Cranberry Squash

1 large butternut squash, peeled, cut into cubes

1/2 c. dried cranberries

3 vanilla beans

1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

10 slivers lemon peel

1 c. apple juice

1/2 t. sea salt

Toss ingredients together in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake covered for 1 hour at 350º. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown. Serve.

Coffee-Honey Pork Chops

2010-12-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

With this wonderful "winter" weather we have been having in Colorado we decided to do some grilling. I found a recipe from a Taste of Home magazine that I changed up just a bit for dinner one evening. These pork chops are so VERY tasty! Great way to use up any leftover coffee from your pot in the morning. :)

Coffee-Honey Pork Chops
1 c. strong brewed coffee
3 T. honey
3 t. dried thyme
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 t. ground ginger
4 bone-in pork chops

In large bowl, combine first 9 ingredients. Pour 1/2 c. marinade into large resealable bag; add chops. Seal bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade until ready to cook.
Glaze: Place remaining marinade in small saucepan. Bring to boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting grill. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chops, covered, over medium heat.
Spoon glaze over pork chops. Enjoy!

Green Chili Chicken and "Rice" Soup

2010-11-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

A friend that is recently entered the world of Paleo (and still going strong after 30 days strict!) suggested this recipe to me. She found it on Everyday Paleo and I changed it a bit to add the "rice" - which ended up being a wonderful idea. This soup has the perfect spice and the chicken and "rice" make it so filling! Great for these cold days we have been having here in Colorado.

Green Chili Chicken and "Rice" Soup
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
2 c. shredded cauliflower
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced
4- 4 oz. cans diced green chili
6 c. chicken broth
2 T. bacon grease
2 t. ground cumin
1 T. dried oregano
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Avocado, diced
In large soup pan, saute onion, garlic, jalapeno in bacon grease until onions are tender. Add canned green chili, cauliflower, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper. Stir together and add chicken broth. Bring to boil, turn down to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro and avocado.

Pumpkin Pie

2010-11-10T08:30:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving is coming! I decided to try making up my own recipe and realized I need more practice in the baked goods department. :) It turned out, though. Yay! I was able to make it gluten-free and dairy-free and it tasted delicious. I created the filling, but got the recipe for the crust from a cookbook.

So, with the crust I was more focused on making it gluten-free than making it "Paleo" - so feel free to try out a different crust if you like. I recently was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity (which is just like having Celiac Disease) and was recommended this cookbook from "The G Free Diet" by Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Pumpkin Pie Crust
(from "Recipes for IBS" cookbook)
1/2 c. gluten-free oat flour
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/4 t. sea salt
1/4 c. grapeseed oil
2 T. ice water
Heat oven to 400º. Lightly flour 9" pie pan. In medium bowl, mix oat flour, rice flour, salt. Fold in oil, using fingers to mix. Add water, 1 T. at a time using as little as necessary to hold the dough together without it becoming sticky. Press dough into prepared pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes and then add pie filling and continue to bake at 370º for 45 minutes-1 hour.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 c. pumpkin puree
3 T. honey
2 eggs
1/2 c. almond milk
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. allspice
1/2 t. sea salt
Combine all ingredients. Put into prepared pie crust and bake at 370º for 45 minutes-1 hour or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. (You will notice several "knife inserts" into my pie - it took longer than I was expecting so I kept checking it. Oops :))

Meat n Potatoes

2010-11-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting for a whole month! I took a month off of trying new recipes to just make ones we know and like. :) Now I am back to it! I took a tour of my fridge and found some veggies that I needed to use up, paired them up with some meatballs and sausage and created a tasty casserole. You will notice some dark purple chunks - those are purple potatoes! They came in our veggie box - I had never had them before, yum!

Meat n Potatoes
3 small heads chopped broccoli
3 small purple potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound Polish sausage, halved and cut into chunks
1/2 pound ground bison
1 1/2 cups beef broth
garlic powder and lemon pepper to taste

In large bowl combine veggies. Sprinkle with desired amount of garlic powder and lemon pepper. Grease 9x13 pan and place veggies inside. Next add sausage chunks. Shape bison into little meatballs. Add to pan. Pour broth over casserole. Sprinkle a little more garlic powder and lemon pepper to make sure meat is seasoned. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 1 hour.

Pine Nut Chicken

2010-09-27T18:30:00.001-06:00

I have taken over the "man book" (Weber's Big Book of Grilling). Usually Dean is the only one who flips through and decides which recipe to make. I was in need of a new recipe and decided to go to Dean's "man book." And, as usual, was happy with the outcome!

Pine Nut Chicken
Marinade:
1/4 c. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 T. olive oil
1 T. finely chopped fresh italian parsley
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. grated orange zest
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1/2 t. sea salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Sauce:
1 T. honey
1/3 c. toasted pine nuts

In medium bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.
Place chicken breasts in large resealable bag and pour marinade into bag. Press out any air in bag and seal tightly. Turn bag to distribute marinade, refrigerate for about an hour, turning once.
Remove chicken breasts from bag, reserve marinade. Grill over direct medium heat until firm and juices run clear. About 8-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce. In small pan combine reserved marinade, honey, pine nuts. Bring to boil and boil for 1 full minute. Spoon sauce over grilled chicken. Serve!

Bacon-wrapped Pork Chops

2010-09-23T11:00:00.001-06:00

My friend Laura told me about this recipe at the gym and it has been on my mind ever since. Just from the ingredients I knew it would be delicious. And - it was. As Laura said "what's better than pork wrapped in pork?" :)

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops
4 thick pork chops
8 slices bacon
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Herbes de Provence (The Spice Hunter) to taste
sea salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle herbes, salt, pepper on each pork chop. Place one sprig of rosemary on each chop. Wrap each pork chop with 2 slices of bacon. Place in greased baking dish. Bake at 400º for 40 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes. Flip pork chops, broil for an additional 2 minutes or until bacon is browned. Serve.

Fish Sticks

2010-09-20T10:16:00.000-06:00

Sometimes my girls surprise me with what food they like and dislike. Lately they have been loving fish sticks (the frozen gluten-free fish sticks). So, I decided to make my own for the girls. They both looked at them and told me they didn't like them - getting used to this reaction to food I place in front of them. After I told them I wasn't going to make them anything else for dinner, they decided to try them. And guess what? They loved them. :)

Fish Sticks
1 lb. tilapia
1/4 c. olive oil mayo
2 T. lemon juice
1 c. almond flour
sea salt and pepper to taste
Cut fish into "sticks." Sprinkle desired amount of salt and pepper onto each stick. Mix mayo and lemon juice and place into small bowl. Place almond flour into another small bowl. Dip sticks into mayo mixture then cover with almond flour. Place sticks on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450º for 10-12 minutes. Broil for an additional 1 minute until golden brown. Serve!

Egg Muffins

2010-09-19T20:16:00.001-06:00

Dean started a new position at work and has to travel to Denver everyday. So, I thought I should be a good wife and prepare some breakfast for him. He has to leave the house before 5 am most days and doesn't have time (without sacrificing sleep) to make himself a good breakfast to start his day right. I made these little egg muffins on Sunday evening and he had breakfast all week. I tried a fresh one and thought they tasted pretty yummy. I asked him at the end of the week how he felt about them and he loved them just as much on Saturday as he did on Monday morning. Success! :)

Egg Muffins
12 eggs
6 sausage links, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 head broccoli, chopped into little pieces
1 small onion, chopped into little pieces
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Whisk eggs. Add broccoli, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper. Whisk until all ingredients are blended. Scoop mixture into greased muffin pan using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Drop 3-4 sausage pieces into each egg muffin. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Makes about 18 muffins.

Zesty Pork Chops

2010-09-02T14:35:00.000-06:00

So, these are my favorite way to have pork chops. The flavors complement each other so well and leave me feeling fully satisfied! I made the sauce to go with them for dinner and forgot to bring it out when we were eating and they were fantastic without it. Then remembered to have it the next day for lunch and it was so delicious. I even had to ask Dean to leave me the last one so I could have it for lunch the next day. I have a few recipes that I rotate through more often and this will be added to that list for sure. I came across this recipe in a... you guessed it - a magazine. Definitely changed it up to make it gluten-free, though.

Zesty Pork Chops
4 boneless pork chops
1 c. almond flour
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. sea salt
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. olive oil mayo
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4. t. paprika

Preheat oven to 400º. Combine almond flour, oregano, salt, lemon zest in shallow dish/bowl. Set 1 T. of the lemon juice aside for sauce. Place rest of lemon juice in shallow dish/bowl. Dip pork chops into lemon juice, then place chop in almond flour mixture and coat both sides with breading. Heat oil in oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Saute pork chops on one side until brown and crispy - about 5-6 minutes. Flip chops and place whole skillet, uncovered, in oven. Roast 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and loosely cover with foil, let meat rest 5 minutes. Stir together mayo, garlic, paprika, lemon juice in small bowl. Serve with pork chops. Enjoy!

Broccoli Salad

2010-08-20T19:34:00.000-06:00

I learned about this salad from one of the trainers at the gym, Brad. He so kindly shared his recipe with me and I added exact measurements to it. :) If anyone struggles with raw broccoli then this is the salad for you! I loved it! This one is great to take to parties and BBQ's. Yum!!

Broccoli Salad
3 crowns broccoli
1 pkg. bacon, cooked, cut into bits
3/4 c. sunflower seeds
3/4 c. raisins
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil mayo
Add broccoli to food processor and shred with shredding blade. Put shredded broccoli, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, raisins, balsamic vinegar, mayo in large bowl and mix well. Serve or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Pork and Worms?

2010-08-16T17:20:00.000-06:00

I have been noticing that my food tastes really good, but sometimes doesn't look so appealing. :) This is one of those... When I was looking back at the pictures I took of this dish I thought there were worms crawling over my pork. Well, all I can say is they were some yummy worms! :)

Pork with Orange Sauce
4 large carrots, cut into 1" chunks
1 whole pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
1 large navel orange
1 t. olive oil
1 small red onion
In 9" glass pie plate, combine carrots with 1/3 c. water. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave 6-7 minutes or until tender. Cut pork into 1 1/4 " thick slices. Press each slice to flatten slightly. Season both sides with sea salt and pepper. From orange, zest 1/2 t. peel and squeeze 1/2 c. juice. Heat large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add oil, then pork in a single layer. Sprinkle onion around pork. Cook 4 minutes or until pork browns. Turn pork over and stir onion. Cook an additional 4 minutes or until pork is barely pink in center. Transfer pork to plate, leave onion in skillet. Add orange peel, orange juice to skillet, cook 1 minute. Stir occasionally. Serve pork over carrots, then top with onions.

(Another modified recipe taken from Light & Delish magazine)

Dean's "Bobs"

2010-08-15T20:06:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen... Presenting an original Dean recipe!!! :) Dean is master of the grill and making dinners out of anything we have in the fridge. He can always find something to make for dinner - where I am definitely more picky. :) He delighted us with his "Bobs" this weekend and they were so tasty.

Dean's "Bobs"
Shoulder Roast, cut into bite-size pieces
2 bell peppers, quartered (yellow and green)
1 zucchini, cut into 1" chunks
1 yellow squash, cut into 1 " chunks
1 red onion, cut into large chunks
1 yam, cut into large chunks
olive oil
lemon pepper

Marinate steak:
Add steak chunks to resealable bag. Add enough wheat-free soy sauce (Tamari), worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning to lightly cover steak. Marinate overnight. Discard marinade when ready to grill meat.

"Bobs"
Mix all chopped veggies in large bowl. Add enough olive oil to coat veggies. Mix in desired amount of lemon pepper. Now add meat and veggies to skewers in any order. Grill over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, flip, then grill another 6 minutes. Enjoy!!

Lemon Herb Chicken

2010-07-28T18:34:00.001-06:00

"I don't like this chicken. It's nasty!" This is a direct quote from my sweet little 3-year-old. Kids say the funniest things. :) This is what she told me when I placed her plate in front of her and by the end of the meal she had changed her mind. "Mama, I love this chicken!" Now, that's more like it. This is another winning recipe from my Light & Delish magazine.

Lemon Herb Chicken
3 lbs. cut up chicken
2 lemons
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c. fresh oregano, chopped
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450º. From lemons, grate 1 T. peel and squeeze 3 T. juice. In large bowl combine lemon peel, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, olive oil, 1 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper. Add chicken, toss to coat. Place chicken in foil-lined jelly roll pan. Bake chicken at 450º, without turning, for 35 minutes or until juice run clear. Enjoy!

Cherry Treats

2010-07-27T15:00:00.001-06:00

When we go to the movies we like to have snacks. So, we like to sneak in our own little healthy treats and then we can enjoy a movie and a tasty snack. This is one we tried and loved.

Cherry Treats
20 fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
2 T. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. shredded coconut
3 T. almond butter
In bowl, mix all ingredients together. Shape mixture into balls and place onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350º for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Place cherry balls in fridge until cooled before serving.

Chicken with Avocado Sauce

2010-07-26T19:51:00.000-06:00

I am beginning to think all we eat is chicken. Since the last posts have been chicken recipes. :) I promise we eat a good variety of meat. This recipe is so easy! And is such a great combination of flavors.

Chicken with Avocado Sauce

3 c. sweet potatoes/yams chopped into big pieces

2 T. olive oil, divided

salt/pepper

2 chicken breasts

1 avocado

1 T. fresh basil

1 T. lemon juice

Place chopped potato, 1 T. olive oil, salt and pepper in oven-proof dish. Bake 60 minutes on 350º or until cooked. Heat other T. of oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through. Cut chicken into small pieces. In food processor, place avocado, basil, lemon juice. Pulse until smooth paste has formed. Layer chicken, then potatoes, then avocado sauce - serve.

Chicken with Orange Ginger Glaze

2010-07-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

Another magazine (Cooking Light) find! This recipe is awesome! It does have honey, which I do allow in moderation. Oh, and if you notice in the picture the almonds are actually black. Oops - yep I burnt them. I totally forgot they were on the stove toasting until my observant husband asked about them. They still got eaten and tasted just fine. :)

Chicken with Orange Ginger Glaze

2 chicken breasts, but in half lengthwise

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/8 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 t. olive oil

1 navel orange

3 T. honey

1 t. grated peeled fresh ginger

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. While chicken cooks, grate rind and squeeze juice from orange to measure 1 t. rind and 1/4 c. orange juice. Add orange rind, juice, honey, and ginger to chicken, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 7 minutes or until chicken is done and orange mixture is syrupy.

Roasted Broccoli

3 broccoli crowns

cooking spray

1 T. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

3 T. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 475º. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Place broccoli in single layer on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Combine olive oil and garlic. Drizzle oil mixture over broccoli, toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 475º for 14 minutes. While broccoli roasts, toast almonds, stirring constantly, in small skillet over medium heat 2 minutes. Sprinkle roasted broccoli with toasted almonds.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

2010-07-19T14:32:00.000-06:00

Boy, was I overdue for a blog post or what? :) Thanks goes out to Tracee for the gentle reminder to keep up on it. I have recently been enjoying many magazine recipes. I have been looking at magazines in grocery stores, book stores, doctor's offices, etc. for new recipes. And I have found some goooood ones! Here is the first of many more to come. :) I have been wanting to give jicama another try (haven't tried it since last summer) and loved it in this recipe. This chicken dish (from Light & Delish) was so refreshing and very tasty.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa
2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
1 lime
2 T. olive oil
1 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers, cut into quarters
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 c. chopped jicama
1/4 loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1/8 t. ground red pepper (cayenne)

Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. From lime, grate 1 1/2 t. peel and squeeze 3 T. juice in small bowl, combine peel, 1 T. juice, oil, 1/4 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Brush tomatoes and bell peppers with oil mixture and place in grill basket. Grill 8-9 minutes or until veggies are browned and tender. Place chicken on grill for 8-9 minutes or until browned on both sides and no longer pink inside. While chicken and veggies are grilling, combine jicama, avocado, cilantro, cayenne, 1/4 t. salt and remaining 2 T. lime juice. Serve chicken and vegetables with salsa.

Beef and Zucchini Stew

2010-06-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Beef and Zucchini Stew
1 lb. beef, cut into strips
1 T. oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground pepper
1/2 c. water
Heat oil in pan and fry beef until browned on all sides. Add onion, garlic, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Check from time to time to ensure mixture has not become too dry. Add more water if needed. Stir in zucchini and bell pepper and simmer for another 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Recently having chilly weather in CO in June, I felt it necessary to make stew for dinner. It was a tasty, warm treat that evening. :)

Pineapple/Apple Souffle

2010-06-16T06:32:00.000-06:00

I have been working on desserts made of good, clean food with no added sugar. I made a good one tonight! My whole family devoured it - yes, even my little gals. This will definitely be a repeat dessert in our home.

Pineapple/Apple Souffle
1 c. apple, peeled, cored, chopped
1 c. pineapple, peeled, chopped
4 egg whites
1/2 c. almond flour
ground cinnamon to taste
Preheat oven to 350º. Puree pineapple and apple in food processor until it is thick and has a light creamy texture. Transfer puree to a bowl and fold in almond flour. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into fruit mixture. Place 2 medium or 4 small individual ovenproof dishes in a 9x13 baking dish. Fill 9x13 baking dish with water up to halfway on the individual dishes. Divide the fruit/egg mixture evenly between the 2 or 4 dishes. Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve immediately.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

2010-06-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

We had a BBQ at EmerFit for Memorial Day and I decided to bring these tasty little treats. I had been looking for a group of people to try them out on and knew my fellow gym friends wouldn't mind. :) These were gone before the rest of the food was even ready. They are delicious!!!

Bacon-Wrapped Dates
16 oz. pitted dates
raw, unsalted whole almonds
2 lb. bacon, sliced in half
toothpicks
Preheat broiler. Place 1 almond inside date. Wrap 1/2 piece bacon around date. Secure with toothpick. Broil about 10 minutes, until evenly browned and crisp. Watch them closely so they don't burn (believe me - I've done it). :)

Peach Chicken and Apple Salad

2010-06-14T15:58:00.000-06:00

I am so excited for all of the delicious, fresh, sweet fruit coming our way - now that warmer weather is upon us. I had some peaches and apples in my Door to Door Organics box and decided to use them for dinner. And it was a delicious dinner! So simple, but so good. Both recipes came from Elana's Pantry and I changed them just a bit based on what I had on hand.

So, I forgot to get a picture of the chicken before I cut into it. Guess I was too hungry. :)

Peach Chicken

(1) 3 pound chicken
¼ cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon celtic sea salt
6 peaches, quartered
4 shallots, halved
ground thyme

Rinse chicken, pat dry, place in 9x13 baking dish. Rub with oil, season with salt. Sprinkle thyme over chicken. Scatter peaches, shallots around chicken. Roast at 400º for 60-90 minutes. Serve with peaches and pan sauce.

Apple Salad
5 cups greens
1 apple, cut into bite-size pieces
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a large bowl, place greens, apple, dried cranberries, walnuts. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over salad. Toss and serve.

"Potato" Salad

2010-06-03T14:52:00.004-06:00

It is finally warm here in Colorado. Let the BBQ season begin! Woo hoo! We made grilled bison burgers, grilled asparagus and "Potato" Salad last weekend. The whole meal made me so happy for 2 reasons. 1. It was DELICIOUS! 2. It reminded me summer is coming. Yay! So, I am not a big fan of plain cauliflower, but I can't even tell it is the substitute for potato in this dish! It is the best trick! I will be making my "potato" salad this way from now on. Think I can trick anyone else? hee hee :)

"Potato" Salad
1 head cauliflower
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 T parsley, finely chopped
2 eggs, hard boiled and diced
1 small pickle, diced
3 T. olive oil mayo
1/2 T. yellow mustard
1/4 t. celtic sea salt
dash celery salt
pepper to taste
Chop cauliflower into small florets. Put cauliflower through food processor with shredding blade attached. Put shredded cauliflower into covered bowl and microwave for 4 minutes (or until cauliflower is tender). Allow cauliflower to cool. Add onion, eggs, pickle, parsley. Stir in mayo, mustard, sea salt, celery salt, pepper. Serve.

This is my modified version of Elana's Pantry's original recipe for "No Potato Salad."

Pizza and Salad

2010-06-02T21:09:00.001-06:00

I was given the idea for this pizza by a fellow gym member, Jason. I finally tried making up a recipe of my own with his idea and it turned out amazing! We paired it up with a refreshing salad from Elana's Pantry and had ourselves a tasty dinner. What is fun about the pizza is that you can top it with any ingredients you wish.

Pizza Crust
3 zucchini, washed and shredded
1 egg
1/4 c. almond flour
1/2 t. garlic powder
Mix all ingredients in bowl. Spread out on pizza pan to make crust. Bake at 300º for 20 minutes. Broil on high for an additional 10 minutes to brown. Take out of oven.
Pizza Toppings
1 lb. sausage, browned
1/2 red onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
handful pepperoni
pizza sauce of choice
While crust is baking, heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic and saute until onion is transparent and soft. Place sauce on crust. Then add veggies, sausage, pepperoni. Bake at 300º for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Cherry Orange Salad
2 1/2 cups greens
2 oranges, sliced into bite-size chunks
3/4 c. cherries, pitted/cut in half
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Place greens, oranges and cherries in salad bowl. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Toss and serve.

Pineapple Pork Chops with "Rice"

2010-05-27T14:28:00.004-06:00

Pineapple Pork Chops with "Rice"
4 pork chops, trimmed of all visible fat

3 limes

20 oz. can pineapple tidbits/chunks (in its own juice)

1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

2 t. fresh ginger, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. coconut milk

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. ground ginger

pinch sea salt

1 T. coconut oil

1 head cauliflower

macadamia nuts, slightly crushed

avocado slices

-Trim pork chops and marinate (for at least 30 minutes) in: Juice of 2 limes, just the juice from the can of crushed pineapples, cayenne pepper, ground ginger and salt.

-While that's marinating.... Prepare your cauliflower rice and set aside. I use a food processor with the grater attachment. Wash and trim leaves off cauliflower. Cut in big chunks, and grate to a rice-like consistency. Put cauliflower "rice" in an 8x8 glass pan.

-In a sauce pan, heat 1 tsp. coconut oil. Saute garlic and ginger until it starts to brown. Add coconut milk, pineapple, and the juice of 1 lime. Simmer.

-In a large saute pan heat 2 t. coconut oil. Brown pork chops (about 4 minutes on each side - until golden brown). Remove to a baking dish - on top of "rice." Pour coconut milk mixture over pork chops. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Bake for about 12-15 minutes at 350º. Sprinkle with some crushed macadamia nuts. Garnish with fresh cilantro and avocado slices. Enjoy!

The original recipe for this tasty dish comes from Eat This. All of these ingredients tasted so good together. I am still surprised at how yummy cauliflower "rice" is - especially mixed with the pineapple. This dinner will be enjoyed again in the near future!

Pecan Chicken & Brussel Sprouts

2010-05-26T10:20:00.001-06:00

If you haven't noticed, I am a big fan of nuts on chicken! :) This recipe is so tasty and the side of brussel sprouts was just as good. I changed the original recipe a bit because I wanted to try applesauce instead of honey. The brussel sprouts recipe comes from my friends at Primal Eating Modern Table. I didn't change that one at all - those ladies make up some good recipes! :) Yum!

Pecan Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1/2 c. dijon mustard
2 T. applesauce
1 c. pecans
sea salt to taste
Pre heat oven to 350º. In a medium bowl blend together the mustard and applesauce. Toss the pecans in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Pour the chopped pecans on a plate. Using a paper towel, remove any excess moisture from the outside of your chicken breasts. Taking one chicken breast at a time, first place the chicken into the mustard/applesauce mixture and coat on both sides. Transfer chicken to the chopped pecans and again cover both sides. Place coated chicken into a greased glass 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle each chicken breast with just a little sea salt. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

Brussel Sprouts
1 lb. brussels sprouts
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
Chefs Shake seasoning to taste
Soak the Brussels sprouts in water for 10 minutes prior to prepping to wash dirt and things out of them.
Cut off the ends of the sprouts and cut them in half. Bring the chicken broth to boil in a large skillet and add the sprouts. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until the are tender. Discard the liquid and then add the oil, garlic, and seasoning. Stir and sauté for 3-5 minutes.

Pork Carnitas

2010-05-25T13:19:00.000-06:00

I love my slow cooker. It just makes for such an easy dinner! This recipe is no exception and it tastes fantastic. :) I put this in the cooker before a busy day of running around and it was so nice to just sit and eat dinner when we were ready. Ahh.....

Pork Carnitas
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. salsa
1 T. tomato paste
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
Coat slow cooker with cooking spray. Cut pork tenderloin into chunks and add to slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over pork. Set slow cooker on high for about 4 hours or low for about 8 hours.

Tuna Stuffed Avocado

2010-05-14T15:59:00.000-06:00

I had a friend (thanks Tracee!) recommend I try this recipe. She found it on Everyday Paleo and raved about how much she and her family liked it. So, of course, I had to try it. I changed the recipe just a bit based on what I had at home. I made this for lunch and it was gone in minutes - it is amazing! So excited to have this again. :)

Tuna Stuffed Avocado
1 avocado, sliced lengthwise, pit removed
1 can tuna packed in water
1 green onion
1/2 t. dried dill
1/4 t. garlic powder
pinch celery salt
diced pickles slices (as many as desired)

Olive Oil Mayo
1 egg
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
pinch sea salt
few shakes cayenne pepper
1 t. yellow mustard
1 c. olive oil
In food processor, process egg, vinegar, mustard, cayenne, salt for 5 seconds. Slowly add olive oil and process for another 5-10 seconds.

Mix together tuna, green onion, pickles, spices. Mix tuna mixture with as much mayo as desired. Scoop into halved avocados. Enjoy!

Teriyaki Steak and Pineapple

2010-05-13T14:19:00.000-06:00

My mom just came to visit and I decided to test out a new recipe on her. She ate it and enjoyed it - a success! We all enjoyed it actually - even my little picky eaters. I love it when good food tastes good. :) And I am so excited that it is getting warmer so we can get back outside with the grill!

Teriyaki Steak and Pineapple
1 bottle gluten-free teriyaki sauce
1 pound flank steak
1 can sliced pineapple, drained (or fresh sliced pineapple rings)

Place steak in gallon, sealable bag. Add whole bottle of sauce. Make sure bag is sealed; place in refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours to marinate. Heat grill on medium heat. Remove steak from marinade, discard marinade. Grill steak to desired doneness. While grilling steak, place pineapple slices on grill and cook on both sides until slightly browned and warm. Serve the steak hot with grilled pineapple slices.

Almond Chicken and Braised Kale

2010-04-21T14:09:00.000-06:00

This chicken and kale were so delicious. Definitely my new favorite way to eat kale and I can't wait to make this chicken again. Both were just a variation of food we eat often, but so worth it to keep dinner interesting. I made this meal for my family before heading to the gym (I'm so nice, right? lol) and then came home to eat it within a matter of minutes. Yeah, it was that good. There were leftover toasted almonds in the pan from the chicken, so I put those on top of the kale to make it even better. Yum!

Almond Chicken
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. dry white wine
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 T. olive oil
1 c. sliced almonds, chopped
Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on plate. Drizzle with lemon juice and wine. Coat chicken with chopped almonds. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When hot, add chicken and saute until browned on both sides and cooked through. Enjoy!
(Glutenfreeda)

Braised Kale
2 T. olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
pinch dried red chile flakes
red russian kale, stems removed, leaves roughly torn
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground pepper, to taste
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red chile flakes; saute until onion is soft - about 5 minutes. Add kale, toss to coat leaves with oil. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until leaves are tender - about 10 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, raise heat to high and boil uncovered until pan is dry. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Serve.
(got idea for this recipe from finecooking.com)

Egg and Potato Casserole

2010-04-15T15:37:00.000-06:00

I made this recipe up for MOPS this morning. I wanted to make something that I would enjoy eating with hope that other moms would enjoy eating it, too - all while clearing out my fridge of some veggies. And it worked - my mom friends actually liked it (including me)! Every MOPS meeting a "best recipe" is picked by one of the groups and mine won! I was totally shocked and super excited. I made this one up all on my own and it was healthy. :)

I made the sweet potato hash browns the day before. They taste just as amazing the next day - cold or warmed up. Ok, so I usually cook these in a pan just like the Sweet Potato Chips. So, instead of slicing them in my food processor, I use the shredding blade. This time I thought I would save some time and bake them instead. Guess I didn't realize it really isn't faster, but I didn't have to stand at the stove the whole time like I do when I cook them in a pan.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns
6 small yams (3 medium/large yams), peeled and shredded
coconut oil, liquefied
grapeseed oil
sea salt
Mix the 2 oils. Put shredded yams in a resealable bag. Add enough oil to coat. Seal bag. Work oil around in bag to coat yams. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread yams out evenly on baking sheet. Add sea salt to taste. Bake for 25 minutes at 350º. Remove from oven, flip yams. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are little crispy and cooked through.

Egg and Potato Casserole
6 eggs
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 zucchini, shredded
2 green onions, chopped
prepared sweet potato hash browns
garlic powder to taste
sea salt/pepper to taste
Grease 9x13 pan. Line bottom of pan with hash browns. Warm skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with oil of choice. Add onion and pepper - cook until soft. Add zucchini - cook for about 1 minute. In bowl, whisk eggs, veggies, garlic powder, salt/pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes. Cover pan with foil. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Salad Dressings

2010-04-12T06:23:00.000-06:00

My husband is always telling me I need to eat more salad. It is such an easy option for lunch, right? I just can't find a store-bought salad dressing I like, which then prevents me from eating salads at home. I have learned the only way I will make and eat a salad is if I make my own dressing. I like the way they taste and I know what is in them. I have several that I love and are so easy to make. What works best for me is to double one of these dressing recipes on Sunday evening to have ready for salads for the week for both me and Dean. They all come from the cookbooks from The Junior League of Denver. I don't have pictures to share, but am going to post the recipes for my favorite salad dressings.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
2/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. balsamic vinaigrette
2 T. dijon mustard
1/2 t. dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In small bowl, combine ingredients. Whisk to blend.

Mustard Vinegar Dressing
2 cloves garlic
1/4 t. salt
1 t. dijon mustard
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. virgin olive oil
Mash garlic and salt to a paste in small bowl. Whisk in mustard and vinegar. Add oil in a stream, whisking dressing until oil is emulsified.

Zesty Dressing
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. finely chopped green onions
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. honey
2-3 t. Tabasco sauce
Mix all ingredients together. Shake well.

Balsamic Dressing
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dijon mustard
1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
Whisk vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper until smooth. Slowly whisk in oil until smooth.

Easy Roasted Chicken and Carrots

2010-04-12T05:29:00.001-06:00

I must be busy because I find myself going to the easy recipes lately. This one required such little preparation, I was able to spend some time out of the kitchen getting other things done. Yay! :) And we still got to enjoy a very tasty dinner. Thanks for the great recipe idea thespunkycoconut.com!

Easy Roasted Chicken and Carrots

6 chicken thighs

5 carrots, peeled and sliced

sea salt

rosemary

herbes de provence (The Spice Hunter)

olive oil

Grease 9x13 dish with olive oil. Fill with sliced carrots. Sprinkle carrots with rosemary and drizzle little olive oil on top. Season chicken with sea salt, rosemary, herbes de provence. Top carrots with chicken. Roast at 450º for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake

2010-04-05T13:51:00.001-06:00

I figured we were due for a baked good and I came across this recipe from "The Spunky Coconut Cookbook." This cake is soooo tasty! My girls absolutely loved it and kept asking for more. It is so fluffy, moist and satisfying! Delicious!!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake

1/4 c. coconut flour

2 c. shredded coconut

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/4 c. dairy-free chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)

6 egg whites

2 t. vanilla

1/4 c. honey

2 t. coconut oil, liquefied

pinch of sea salt

In one bowl mix: coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking soda, baking powder, chocolate chips. In separate bowl beat egg whites to form soft peaks. While beating eggs add: vanilla, honey, coconut oil, sea salt. Add whites to dry ingredients and gently fold together. Pour into 8x8 greased dish. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top. Bake at 325º for 25 minutes.

Zucchini Spaghetti

2010-03-31T19:57:00.002-06:00

Shhh... there's zucchini it in! :)

I decided to hide some zucchini in my girls' spaghetti and it worked! They didn't even notice and ate everything in the bowl! A success in my book. I have a very picky 3-year-old (my guess is too much time eating like I used to) and I do my best to get her to eat veggies. The best way I know how is to hide them in food she likes. I really enjoyed the zucchini "noodles" - my new favorite way to eat spaghetti!

Zucchini "Noodles"
2 zucchini - washed and shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 T. grass-fed butter
oil to coat pan

Warm oil in skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, garlic, butter. Cover and cook 1 minute. Remove lid and continue to cook another minute. Serve with spaghetti sauce of choice and ground meat! Yum!

Cornish Game Hen and Sauteed Kale

2010-03-25T16:12:00.001-06:00

These little hens are so cute. So tiny! I like they they can just be served on a plate whole and we can dig in like true cavemen. :) I found this recipe in a new cookbook Gluten-Free Quick & Easy. It was easy to make and delicious to eat!

Cornish Game Hen with Red Currant-Mustard Glaze
4 Cornish game hens
2 1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. red currant fruit spread
2 T. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400º. Sprinkle 2 t. of salt and all pepper inside hen and on skin. Place hens on a rack in roasting pan. Roast hens for 45 minutes, or until skin starts to turn brown. Stir together remaining 1/2 t. salt, paprika, mustard, fruit spread, lemon juice to form a glaze. Brush glaze on hens and continue to bake 15-20 minutes or until hens are darkly browned. Remove from oven and let stand in roasting pan, covered, 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

We have really been enjoying kale, lately! Dean has been requesting I make this at least once a week and since it is something we both like, I do. :) My favorite part, besides eating it, is listening to the noise when you put it in the pan to cook. It sounds like bubble wrap being popped. Fun!

Sauteed Kale
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, cut into bite size pieces
2 T. olive oil
2 T. water
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch or dried crushed red pepper
1 t. grapeseed oil or grass-fed butter
sea salt to taste

Heat skillet on medium heat setting, add oil, garlic and crushed pepper. Saute about 1 minute. Add chopped kale. Cover. Check after 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add 2 T. water. Flip leaves over in the pan to cook other side. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and oil/butter. Serve.

(Original recipe is for swiss chard from simplyrecipes.com)

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2010-03-19T20:21:00.001-06:00

Dean and I went to the dinner theater in Loveland and the menu was fantastic. Everything we ate was so good. So, I decided to duplicate something I had that evening. I created my own recipe and was pleasantly surprised. Both Dean and I enjoyed the flavor and all of the ingredients in it. My favorite part was the kale - yum!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
1 roasted chicken, cut into chunks
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 c. chicken stock
2 t. creole seasoning
1 t. dried thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
3 T. bacon fat

Heat bacon fat in large pot over medium high heat. Brown sausage. Remove sausage. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper to pot. Cook about 2 minutes or onion and pepper are soft. Add carrots, tomatoes, broth, seasoning. Bring to boil. Add chicken and sausage. Bring to boil. Turn heat down to low/medium low and simmer up to 1 hour. Add kale and cook for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Lasagna

2010-03-16T14:28:00.000-06:00

Since starting this blog I have friends recommend recipes I should try and I love it! My super strong friend Emily from the gym recommended I try this recipe from Everyday Paleo and it is amazing! I changed the recipe up a bit and would do the same next time I make it (and there will definitely be a next time!).

Lasagna
2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage links, cut into 1" chunks
1 red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. bacon fat
2 T. dried oregano
2 T. dried basil
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. sea salt
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
5 zucchinis, thinly sliced (I used the slicing blade on my food processor)

In large pot warm bacon fat over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add sausage and beef to pot and brown. Season meat mixture with dry ingredients, tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well. In 9x13 baking pan, put layer of sliced zucchini, then cover with thick layer of meat mixture, then another layer of zucchini, then rest of meat mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

When it was time to eat I wasn't that hungry so I just served myself a small portion. I was up and out of my seat before my husband and girls were even finished eating serving myself a larger second portion. Then when everyone was done I realized I wasn't, and served myself an even larger third portion! My husband mentioned that it must be good if I wanted more than one helping. Simple, yet satisfying.

Coconut Curry Chicken

2010-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have never tried curry and I have to say I am now a fan! This recipe (Cate's Nutrition Kitchen) was amazing! The chicken was juicy and flavorful. The veggies were cooked just right and tasted delicious. My husband was out of town when I made this, so I will be making it again really soon. He shouldn't miss out on a good dinner because he has to travel (plus I just want to have it again). :)

Coconut Curry Chicken

2 lbs. chicken, thighs

1 T. coconut oil

1 can coconut milk

1 T. tamari sauce

1 T. curry powder

1 T. ginger, freshly minced

2 whole carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

1 whole yam, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, sliced into 1" chunks

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into 3" chunks

1/2 c. cilantro, finely chopped

Soak chicken in cold, salted water for 30 minutes. Drain and dry chicken. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, then sear chicken for 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Add coconut milk, tamari, curry, ginger to skillet and scrape bottom of pan to deglaze. Add all veggies to baking dish, then cover with coconut milk mixture. Cover dish with foil. Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until chicken cooked through. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

Fudge Babies

2010-03-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

My birthday treat!

My birthday is this week and I toyed around with the idea of making a cake, but knew I would regret it. I have been feeling really good and didn't want to mess up my body with some sort of processed cake. So, instead I tried these little fudge babies (The Label Says Paleo) and they hit the spot! Actually, they were quite addicting! They are sooooo good! I will warn anyone who makes these - make them, try a couple, then have someone take them away and lock them up. You will want to eat many more of these that you should! :)

Fudge Babies

1 c. walnuts

1 1/3 c pitted dates

4 T. cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla extract

Put all ingredients into a food processor. Process. Form into little balls and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Romanesco

2010-03-09T13:55:00.001-07:00

This was an interesting vegetable we received in our veggie box. It looks like some sort of alien vegetable and tasted "out of this world" - sorry that was dumb! :) But we did enjoy it.

Romanesco

Romanesco, trimmed and cleaned as you would broccoli or cauliflower

olive oil

salt and pepper

minced garlic (as much as you like, I used 4 cloves)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes or until tender. Serve!

Chicken Meatballs

2010-03-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

I came across this recipe (The Spunky Coconut Cookbook) and thought they sounded good and I am always looking for a way to hide vegetables. First, I was surprised at how easy they were to make! I love when recipes don't take much preparation time. Second, they were a hit! I have a super picky eater in my house (my 3-year-old, Brisea) and she doesn't try anything I fix for dinner until we make her try it. She is usually ok trying something if she know it is chicken. I put these in front of her and she dug right in - she even asked for more! And neither one of my girls complained having it the next day for lunch. So, I made some homemade tomato sauce to go along with them (and it was not good). But I do have another recipe for tomato sauce (The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook) that tastes great and I would use this one next time (recipe below).

Chicken Meatballs

3/4 c. almond flour

2 stalks celery

2 carrots

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

handful parsley

2 beaten eggs

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. sea salt

Add to food processor: almond flour. Process to make sure there are no big lumps. Pour into large mixing bowl. Add to food processor: celery, carrots. Process, then add: chicken, parsley. Process until you have ground meat. Add meat and veggies to bowl with almond flour. Add eggs, spices to bowl stir to combine. Drop tablespoon size meatballs onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Serve!

Tomato Sauce

14 oz. tomato paste

2 cups water

1 T. herbes de Provence

1 T. sea salt

1 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. minced garlic

In saucepan, bring all ingredients to boil. Decrease heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until sauce is slightly thicker. Serve.

Proof! :)

Mile High Salad

2010-03-02T20:12:00.001-07:00

Mile High Salad
(Colorado Classique cookbook)
Dressing:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. finely chopped green onions
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. honey
2-3 t. Tabasco sauce
Salad:
10 ounces mixed salad greens
4 oz. chopped pecans
4 oz. dried cranberries
1/2 c. toasted walnuts

Mix all dressing ingredients together; shake well.
Combine all salad ingredients in bowl. Toss salad with desired amount of dressing.

This salad is so good and a great way to get some greens in my day! The dressing adds a nice "zip" to the salad. I tend to get bored with salads, but this recipe is interesting and definitely worth repeating.

Banana Rolls

2010-03-01T12:39:00.001-07:00

A friend led me to this recipe and the original recipe (paleomama.com) was based on Elvis' favorite sandwich. These remind me of one of my old favorite sandwiches - peanut butter and banana. Haven't had one of those in a while and this totally satisfied any craving I could have for that sandwich. Having 2 little ones who were hungry for lunch - I changed the cooking method from the original recipe. Cut down cooking time by 20 minutes! :) Though the combination might seem a little different, they taste amazing!

Banana Rolls

1 green banana

2 slices bacon

Cut bananas in half, lengthwise. Wrap each half of banana with strip of bacon. Place on baking sheet. Broil on high for a few minutes - turning once during cooking, until bacon is cooked. Serve with nut butter of your choice.

I used sunbutter and it was delicious!

Roast Salad

2010-02-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

I had leftover pot roast that I knew I wouldn't eat, so a friend told me what she did with her leftover roast. It was such a good way to ensure the whole roast was eaten and did not go to waste! Yummy! Instead of tuna salad or chicken salad - you get roast salad. :)

Roast Salad

leftover pot roast, sliced

Vegenaise

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

small tomato, diced

banana peppers, chopped

red leaf lettuce

Put roast, onions, tomato, peppers into food processor. Process until all ingredients are finely chopped (almost mushy). Take roast mixture out of food processor and add as much vegenaise as you like. Wrap in red leaf lettuce. Enjoy!

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

2010-02-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

12 hard boiled eggs

4 avocados

4 t. hot sauce

1/2 lime - juiced

salt/pepper to taste

-Peel and cut eggs in half. Remove yolk and place in bowl.

-Mash yolks with avocado, hot sauce, lime juice. Add salt/pepper to taste.

-Refill egg white halves with yolk mixture.

-Sprinkle each egg with a little paprika. Enjoy!

I made a whole carton of eggs because I wanted to have plenty to share . These were fantastic! I love avocado, so I thought it was the perfect match with egg yolk and hot sauce. These were so easy to make and perfect for parties, potlucks, etc. A great new twist to the traditional deviled eggs (marksdailyapple.com)!

Chipotle Lime Salmon

2010-02-21T11:14:00.001-07:00

I will be honest, I am not a fish person and really haven't tried hard to find recipes. Dean, though, loves fish and asks for it often (he is actually eating sardines from a can as I am writing this). I decided to make some salmon for him one night when he was going to be late coming home from work. Since I had already eaten dinner, I did not try this dish (funny how that worked out, right). He loved it! So, I told him I would make it again really soon and I would actually try it next time. :)

Chipotle Lime Salmon

(elanaspantry.com)

1 lb salmon, cut into 4 fillets
1-2 T. olive oil
2 limes, sliced in half
1 t. celtic sea salt
1 t. chipotle powder

-Preheat oven to 500º

-Rinse salmon, pat dry and place on metal baking sheet

-Rub each fillet with olive oil

-Squeeze juice from one-half lime onto each fillet

-Sprinkle fillets with salt and chipotle, then place half lime on top of each fillet

-Turn down oven temperature to 275º

-Place salmon in oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on how well done you like your fish

Pistachio Chicken with Leeks

2010-02-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

This chicken dish has become a favorite for us (recipe comes from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook). I can prepare the ingredients and chicken earlier in the day (like nap time) and then simply put it together and bake for dinner. Makes dinner a lot less stressful and very tasty! :)

I have been trying so many new vegetables lately! We get a small box, weekly, of fruit and veggies from Door to Door Organics. This has helped expand the variety of veggies I use for meals (I know there is no way I would have tried half of these new vegetables). We got leeks and I had the thought had never even crossed my mind to try them and I really liked them. :)

Pistachio Chicken

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T. almond flour

1/4 c. arrowroot powder

1 t. sea salt

2 large eggs

1 T. grapeseed oil

1 T. olive oil

1/4 c. dijon mustard

2 1/4 c. pistachios, toasted and finely chopped

-Preheat oven to 425º. Grease baking sheet with grapeseed oil.

-Rinse chicken, pat dry, and slice into 1/2" wide strips.

-In medium bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot powder, and salt. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and mustard. Place pistachios in another bowl.

-Coat chicken strips first in flour mixture, then in egg mixture, and finally in pistachios. Place on prepared baking sheet.

-Bake for 10 minutes, or until pistachios are golden brown and chicken is cooked through. Serve.

Roasted Carrots and Leeks

4 carrots

2 leeks

olive oil

1/2 T. dried tarragon

salt and pepper, to taste

-Preheat oven to 375º.

-Wash and peel carrots. Cut into 1/2" chunks. Trim leeks. Split leeks in middle lengthwise and wash thoroughly to remove sand and dirt (I had to watch a YouTube video to know how to do this correctly). Chop leeks about same size as carrots.

-Pour olive oil to cover bottom of skillet. Heat oil and add carrots. Pan roast carrots until they brown a little. Add tarragon, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven for about 15 minutes.

-Use same skillet to saute leeks (add a little more oil if needed). Saute leeks until begin to wilt and caramelize. Take carrots out after 15 minutes and add leeks to baking sheet. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables can easily be pierced with a fork.

-Serve.

Coconut Flour Crepes

2010-02-07T12:08:00.002-07:00

Coconut Flour Crepes
(thespunkycoconut.com - modified)

Separate 4 eggs. Add the whites to the blender with:

2 whole eggs

1/8 cup water

1/2 T. grapeseed oil

5 drops stevia

pinch sea salt

1 1/2 T. arrowroot powder

1 1/2 T. coconut flour

Puree.

-Use a small frying pan.

-Preheat your pan over medium heat.

-Grease the pan well between each crepe with small amount coconut oil and grapeseed oil.

-Pour your batter so that there is about an inch remaining between the crepe and the outside of the pan.

-Lift the pan and swirl the batter around, to fill in the extra space slightly.

-Set your timer and let the crepe sit on the first side for about 50 seconds.

-Flip your crepe (I used a plastic spatula) and wait only a few seconds, then roll it up or fold it.

-Keep the crepes covered (like with an upside down plate) while you're making more, to keep them hot.

-Makes 9-10 crepes

These were a fabulous treat on a Sunday morning. I was left wishing I would have made double the amount! Crepes are something I thought I wouldn't get to have again, so I was excited to find a gluten-free, grain-free recipe. I changed the original recipe to use ingredients I had on hand (grapeseed oil and arrowroot powder). We had them with pureed raspberry spread and fresh fruit. Delicious! :)

Lemon Thyme Chicken and Sauteed Broccolini

2010-02-04T15:00:00.005-07:00

This chicken was delicious! And the broccolini was just as tasty. I had never tried this fun, little vegetable before and really enjoyed it. :)

Lemon Thyme Chicken
(epicurious.com)
10 chicken drumsticks
3 T. olive oil
5 (3-4" sprigs fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, mashed
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
4 (1/4" thick lemon slices

-Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.
-Toss chicken with oil, thyme sprigs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then transfer to a large (17- by 12-inch) shallow heavy baking pan (1 inch deep).
-Bake chicken 10 minutes, then add lemon slices to pan. Continue to bake until chicken is golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve chicken with lemon slices.

Sauteed Broccolini
(doortodoororganics.com)
1 bunch broccolini
Sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil
1/2 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-Blanch the broccolini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes.
-Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.
-Melt the butter or oil in a large saute pan.
-Add the lemon zest and garlic and stir.
-Drain the broccolini and add it to the garlic mixture and heat for 2 minutes.
-Add the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and toss well before serving.