Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Based on this recipe from allrecipes, I created a really yummy and fast pasta dinner that uses up all your spinach! No picture because sometimes we eat too fast...

Ingredients:

olive oil
5-6 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins, cut into bite size chunks or strips
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 8oz package of cream cheese (I actually used less because Taylor is sometimes wary of cream cheese)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons of corn starch depending on how thick or loose you like your sauce
3-4 cups of packed fresh spinach  (it is really impossible to add too much fresh spinach because it just like disappears!)
GF penne pasta-however much you want to eat

Directions:

Get your pasta going.

In a skillet over medium heat saute the onions for 2 minutes.  Toss in the chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 3 more minutes.

Add in your chicken stock and salt and pepper.  Throw in the spinach, reduce the heat to low, and cover so until the spinach is wilted.  Once wilted, cube up your cream cheese and stir it in until creamy and combined.

Mix the cornstarch with a little bit of cold water or chicken stock and add.  Start with just a little until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.  Pour over your pasta and enjoy!

This was a really good base recipe that you could add more to.  Next time I might add some fresh basil or even some diced zucchini or summer squash.  Yum!

Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Pizza

Yes you did just die and go to pizza heaven.  

Right out of the oven

I found this idea on allrecipes as I was searching for asparagus recipes.  I hadn't made pizza in awhile and this sounded AMAZING so I went for it. You will need:

1 pizza crust. I used Pamela's bread mix and the pizza crust recipe on the bag. 

1 pound bacon, cooked to be slightly chewy-almost crunchy

1 bunch asparagus spears, cut in half

1 tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz goat cheese

mozzarella cheese or any type of pizza cheese or italian cheese blend

This pizza crust had to bake for 25 minutes before it got topped so while it was in the oven I cooked the bacon and then sauteed the asparagus with the butter and some of the bacon grease until it was tender. I tossed the garlic in with the asparagus for its last 3-4 minutes of cooking.  When the crust came out, I drizzled it with olive oil and put lots of italian cheese blend all over it and then sprinkled on the bacon, placed the asparagus, and crumbled the goat cheese on top.  I should have sealed the toppings in with another layer of cheese blend.  Then back in the oven for 10 more minutes.  

This pizza was so delicious I wanted to just crawl inside the crust and die. I had probably 2 pieces too many and while I was putting it away I took a bit of each piece because I couldnt. stop. eating. it. 

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe is a conglomeration of two recipes from Wheat Belly Cookbook as well as my own brain.
It is some real good comfort food.

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
5-6 chicken tenderloins, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream or canned coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 recipe of biscuit dough - I used Pamela's baking and pancake mix. The biscuit recipe is on the bag.

Preheat oven to 350.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a oven safe pan (like a dutch oven) and saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for 5 minutes.  Add in the cauliflower and broccoli and continue to saute for 6-8 more minutes. Add in the broth and simmer until you finish the next step.

In a small saute pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.  Saute the chicken until it is no longer pink on the outside.  Then mix it in with the vegetables.  Add in the thyme and S&P.

Put the whole thing in the oven and bake for 10 minutes while you make the biscuit dough.

Take out the vegetable and chicken out of the oven and turn up the heat to 400.  Stir in the sour cream or coconut milk and drop the biscuit dough all over the top in heaping tablespoons.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through.

This is so buttery and yummy and makes you feel like it is hugging you.

Green Curry Chicken with Basil

Last year I bought a little jar of green curry paste for a recipe out of the Wheat Belly Cookbook.  Since that time, I have not used it again.  I remembered about that little jar last week and decided I should use it again! So I looked for some recipes and found this one and we LOVED it! Taylor especially couldn't get enough of it.  He kept saying how "authentic" it was so it made me pretty happy :).  I found if off the Thai Kitchen website.

Ingredients: 

1 can Coconut Milk
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 to 4 tablespoons Green Curry Paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1⁄2 cups assorted cut-up vegetables, such as red bell pepper, zucchini, carrots and peas
3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooked Rice

Directions:

MIX coconut milk, stock, basil, fish sauce, green curry paste and brown sugar in medium saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes.

STIR in vegetables and chicken; simmer 10 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through.

SERVE over cooked Rice.

This was really fast and easy to make.  I used 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of curry paste.  It was the perfect amount of heat and spicy.  If you wanted a little more heat you could add more.  I threw in some spinach because I had it and I used a frozen bag of Chinese stir-fry vegetables because it was convenient.  I used canned chicken for the same reason.  Sometimes it is just easier to take short cuts. Hope you enjoy it!

Phony-roni 'N Cheese

I am getting tired of all my other recipes and went in search of some new ones for this week.  Last night and tonight we have had two winners! Last night I made this recipe, originally from the Wheat Belly Cookbook. It was very tasty and filling.

5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter.  Cook the onion, stirring for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the coconut flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in the coconut milk, mustard, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese and cauliflower. Pour into baking dish.

In a small bowl, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and milk in the parmesan cheese and flaxseeds.  Sprinkle over the casserole.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned.

** I made this exactly as written but added some fresh ground black pepper to it and more parmesan cheese in the topping.  I think next time I will cook it a bit longer to the cauliflower isn't so crunchy and raw tasting.

I don't have a picture of the made dish (just picture a delicious crusty cheese topped cheese sauce over cauliflower) BUT! I do have a picture of my renovated menu planner display!

Garlic Basil Squash

Little yellow summer squash have long been a problem for me.  I know they're healthy, but I don't love them.  I don't even know what to do with them.  I used to throw them in a pasta dish with some zucchini and tomatoes, but even then, they were the pieces that got picked around and left behind in the serving bowl...and not just by me!  Joey feels the same way.  You see the problem.  So when we got like 6 of these bad boys in our bountiful basket I knew I had to find something!  Can't just let them go to waste.  Some googling later and I found the only recipe I will ever make with summer squash (Thank you Everyday Paleo!).  It is soooo good.  There is so much flavor you don't even know you're eating squash - perfect!  However, you will know you're eating garlic, and so will everyone around you, so don't bring the leftovers to work the next day.

2 lbs summer squash, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion, thinly sliced
8-10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coconut oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely diced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss everything except the basil together in a glass 9x13 baking pan, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Once it comes out of the oven, toss the squash with the fresh basil and get ready to enjoy your new favorite summer squash dish!

No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna

Not my picture... I took it from the recipe on
allrecipes.com because I forgot to take one. 

This recipe was super delish but a little labor intensive.  Luckily it was Sunday when I was making it and my trusty yet elusive sous-chef Taylor was able to help out a lot so it went much faster then if I was making it alone.  Would be really good for a make ahead meal or a freezer meal. Originally from here.

2 large zucchini
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 can tomato paste
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 egg
1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta
cheese (I used cottage cheese)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and drained
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a deep 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with salt; set aside to drain in a colander.
3. To prepare the meat sauce, cook and stir ground beef and black pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add in green pepper and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and oregano, adding a small amount of hot water if sauce is too thick. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Meanwhile, stir egg, ricotta, and parsley together in a bowl until well combined.
5. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared pan. Then layer 1/2 the zucchini slices, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, all of the spinach, followed by all of the mushrooms, then 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat by layering the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Kale and White Bean Soup

I used to be afraid of kale.  After the kale chip incident last summer I have shied away from this super food.  I just didn't know how to hone its super power! Well now I know! Chop it up and throw it in a soup! This recipe originates from here. 

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed
1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (8 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (I used a teaspoon of dried)

6-8 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (2 ounces), plus 1 piece rind (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

(I also diced up a couple red potatoes and threw them in to make the soup for further.  When I make this again, I will probably cook up some sweet italian sausage and throw that in.)


Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, celery, onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the beans, kale, rosemary, chicken broth, and Parmesan rind (if using). Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan before serving.

Cheeseburger Soup

Another soup recipe! I just can't get enough soup! This one comes from the Wheat Belly Cookbook. (My changes)

4 cups chicken broth, separated
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets (I used a whole one because why not)
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
(I think I added a diced green bell pepper and was glad that I did)
1/2 pound ground beef (I used a pound of ground turkey)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley ( I used a teaspoon of dried)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut flour ( I used corn starch as a thickener so Taylor would eat it)
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (so not enough.  go a cup or go home)

In a large saucepan, combine the 3 3/4 cups broth and cauliflower.  Cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium low.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until cauliflower is super fork tender.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter or oil.  Cook the onion and beef until no longer pink.  Drain the grease.  Stir in the parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Puree the cauliflower and broth with a immersion blender (or normal blender).  In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup broth and coconut flour until smooth.  (I just used a little bit of cold water and cornstarch) Gradually add to the cauliflower mixture and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Whisk in the cheese just until it melts.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved beef mixture.

Taylor and I really enjoyed this soup and it was pretty quick and easy to make!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Now that it's October and there is a chill in the air, it is full on soup season! I found this stuffed pepper soup recipe on sixsistersstuff.com while searching for good soup recipes.  Their recipe is very easy and straightforward, but of course I wanted to make things harder for myself, so I made some alterations to fit what I had and my tastes. Here is my version:

1 lbs lean ground turkey

1 onion, diced

Pot shot because I forgot to take a picture until we had already eaten

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups beef broth
2 tomatoes, diced

2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 half head of cabbage, diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

dash of onion powder

dash of garlic powder

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups cooked rice

Brown the turkey in a large stock pot with the onions.  Cook until no longer pink.  Drain the grease.  Add everything else but the cooked rice.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in rice before serving.  Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.  

I wasn't really sure how this would turn out and was afraid it would taste very bell peppery, but it was actually way delicious! Lots of flavor and texture without anything overpowering anything else.  Definitely a keeper!

Cinnamon Butternut Squash

Sorry for the crappy pic on this one.  Someone (Joey) started eating it as fast as they could before I got a nice shot of the whole pan, so I did the best I could.  Whatever.  It really is that good that you want to eat it before dinner's even been served!  In fact it is our favorite way to eat any kind of squash lately.  It's like candy, cinnamon squash candy.  It took the 3 year old a few tries to like it, and now we're kind of sad that she does....less for us.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 Tablespoons (approx.) coconut oil, melted
cinnamon
ginger
sea salt

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Combine the squash chunks, oil, and spices in a 9x13 glass baking pan, stirring well to ensure each piece is coated.  I don't really measure the spices, just give a few good shakes of each (I tend to do a little less ginger than cinnamon and salt) and then stir away.  Pop in the oven for 40-60 minutes, until squash is tender.  Pull it out to stir every 15-20 minutes.  Your cooking time will depend mostly on how big your squash chunks are.  Bigger chunks take longer to cook, small ones take less time.  By pulling it out every so often to give it a stir you'll be able to monitor how done they are and lessen your risk of overcooking.  My 3 year old does NOT like mushy pieces!

Zucchini Boats

What to do with the mountain of zucchini that my garden is producing.  It is out of control!

Luckily for me, I saw this recipe on Facebook.  My garden is also producing tomatoes and basil, so this was a perfect fit.  It is now my all time favorite zucchini recipe.  We have made it several times and love it!

Zucchini Boats

Cut several small zucchinis in half and place on a cookie sheet.  Slice a little off the back if they will not lie flat.  Brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Cover with thinly-sliced tomatoes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.  Top with fresh basil after baking.

These are the best!

Kale Chips

It seems like kale chips are all the rage right now.  I know Jessica tried to make a batch once that ended up a disaster, so I was intrigued to try them myself.  I had a beautiful bunch of kale just sitting in the fridge so I decided to see what all the fuss was about.  After reading through countless recipes online (all of which are basically the same), here is what I came up with:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and dry the kale.
Tear it into bite size pieces.
Coat the pieces with extra virgin olive oil.  I wish I had a misto sprayer to assist with this step, but alas, I don't.  I drizzled some on the kale and tossed/coated them all by hand.
Set the pieces on a foil covered (b/c I enjoy easy clean up) baking sheet.  It works well to set them curly side down so they form little tents.
Sprinkle with salt/pepper/seasoning of your choice.  We went with Salt'n Spice - it sounded fun for the maiden voyage.
Bake for 10-15 minutes
WATCH THEM CLOSELY!  Smaller pieces might be done faster so you'll want to pull them out.  You DO NOT want them to get brown at all - it will make them taste yucky instead of delicious.

Fresh out of the oven!

They turned out AMAZING!!  All crispy and yummy.  Even 3 year old Jenna loved them.  In fact she and I sat there and ate the entire first batch in no time flat.  Good thing we had enough for a second batch so we could take some pictures and share with Joey!  Just writing about them makes me want more...better run to the store...

Cilantro Buttered Corn on the Cob

It's summer and that means corn on the cob! My Kroger had 6 corns for 2 dollars so I got 'em, took 'em home and boiled 'em.  I wanted them to be a little spiced up (more so that Taylor wouldn't be upset that the only thing I was making for dinner was corn on the cob (it was just one of those days...))
So I found a nifty recipe for Cilantro Butter which was perfect since I had a little tupperware full of chopped cilantro left over from some fresh salsa I had made earlier in the week.

Cilantro Butter (enough for 6 ears of corn)

2 Tbs room temperature butter
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 ground chipotle pepper (I left it out since I didn't have it)

Mix it all up in a little bowl and shmear it all over your hot corn.  Mmhmm mhmm good!

Tuna Patties and Sweet Potato Pancakes

Dinner in the Round

Natalie sent me a recipe for sweet potato pancakes that we were excited to try--KC's favorite food is sweet potatoes.  We paired them with tuna patties and the result was what we ended up calling "dinner in the round." 

Paleo Sweet Potato Pancakes

• 1 Giant Baby Yam (or several normal yams…whatever)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 3 eggs
• 1-2 Tbls of Coconut Flour (This is just a binder- you can use whatever flour is on hand)
• Dash of Nutmeg (for a different flavor try smoky paprika or chili powder)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

Instructions

1. Bake the yam at 350 for about 45 mins (varies depending on size). You do not want it to get soft all the way through. You want it cooked soft enough to pierce but staying firm enough that a knife will not go all the way through easily (think al-dente pasta)
2. Place the yam in the fridge until it is cool enough to work with.
3. Peel the yam. Use a box grater or the grating attachment to a mixer to grate the yam into "hashbrown" style strings. (Be careful- it mushes easily but this recipe tastes better with some texture.)
4. Season the grated yam with the coconut flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. GENTLY mix in the diced onion
6. Beat the eggs and pour into the yam mixture. Use a fork to gently toss the egg into the yam.
7. Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
8. Spoon 1/4 cup of yam mix into the coconut oil gently pressing to spread and flatten into a pancake shape. Repeat for as many pancakes as your skillet will comfortably hold.
9. Flip when the first side is crispy and browning.
10. When both sides are done remove onto paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.

These were so delicious.  I used regular size sweet potatoes.  I peeled them first and put each one in the microwave for four minutes, and then put them through my food processor.  Worked great.

Tuna Patties

2 cans of tuna (7 oz.), drained
2 eggs
1-2 Tablespoons pickle relish
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise (enough to kind of hold it together)
coconut oil

Mix ingredients together, except for the coconut oil.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Form patties and cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes per side.  We served them with Garlic Lemon Aioli.

Garlic Lemon Aioli (from Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook)

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix and serve.

Zucchini Herb Casserole

This recipe is a great way to use up zucchini and tomatoes, which always seem to be in plentiful supply as the weather turns hot and the garden gets out of control.  I'll serve it on its own as a weeknight meal, but it also makes a great side dish with some kind of meat hot off the grill!

1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs zucchini, cubed
1 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine the rice and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until rice is done.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the oil over medium heat in a saute pan and cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic 5 minutes or until tender.

Add the garlic salt, basil, paprika and oregano.  Give it a stir.  Mix in the cooked rice, tomatoes, and 1 cup of the cheese.  Stir until everything is combined and the cheese is melty.

Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, and top with the remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Don't let the color or baby-food like consistency of this one put you off!  It really is quite delicious, and we always feel so healthy after eating it. Plus it's a great way to use up a bunch of veggies!  Disclaimer:  I don't really measure the quantity of the veggies I add, so it always comes out a slightly different color depending on what's in it!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces baby carrots, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
14 ounces chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
3 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream, or evaporated milk, or even just whole milk if that's what you have!)

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.

Add carrots, celery, broccoli, chicken broth, salt, pepper and three cups water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.  Add potatoes and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  *You can really control your simmering time depending on the size of your chopped veggies.  If I'm short on time I'll chop everything pretty small and it cooks up much quicker!

Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender.  You can also use a normal blender, but I really recommend the immersion blender!  Stir in the half and half, until heated through, and serve!

This soup is great served with some kind of gluten free biscuit for dipping!

Brussels Sprouts w/ Garlic & Parmesan Cheese

Now I know what you're thinking, "Brussels sprouts?  Really??  Does anybody actually like those things?!"  Well the answer is Yes!  They are delicious!  Honestly I was a bit of a skeptic myself until I tried this simple way of preparing them (thank you Ashley!) and now Joey and I fight over the last few bites every time I make them.  Enjoy!

1-2 lbs Brussels sprouts
2-4 tablespoons of butter
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
chicken broth, about 2-3 cups
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Prepare the Brussels sprouts by cutting off the hard bottom/stem part and cutting in half.  Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the minced garlic.  Cook while stirring for a couple of minutes until fragrant.   Add the Brussels sprouts and enough chicken broth to nearly cover them.  Bring to a boil and cover, reduce heat and simmer covered until desired tenderness.  I like mine pretty tender, but be careful to not overcook since they are not delicious if you turn them into mush.  Drain off most of the broth and transfer sprouts to serving dish.  Pour a generous amount of Parmesan cheese over them, give them a quick stir, and they are ready to eat!

Asian Lettuce Wraps and Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash

Yesterday was a beautifully sunny day in the mid 70's and I was getting ready to go lay out by the pool.  We wanted to eat something light for lunch because it is hard to feel cute laying out in a swimsuit when you have eaten a big heavy lunch.  I pulled out a head of iceberg lettuce from our weekly farmer's market produce bag,  some spinach, cabbage, and assorted vegetables for the salads.  As I went to unwrap the beautiful head of iceberg lettuce, on the front it said "Have you tried our Asian Lettuce Wraps?" Well no, I hadn't, but they sounded good! So I went to dole.com to find the recipe but it was so hard to navigate and find the recipe on the ipad so I gave up.  I then preceded to read about 15 different asian lettuce wrap recipes, none of which I had all the ingredients for and I was not about to run to the grocery store again (we had already gone that morning).  So I decided to save the lettuce for Monday and pick up the extra ingredients on my way home from work.

So today, I was really craving those asian lettuce cups and thought to myself, I am just going to make up my own recipe of lettuce cups with stuff I already have, based on what I had read on all those different recipes.  So this is what I came up with:

*Disclaimer: I really just made it up as I went, so I apologize if you think "wtf is this?"

Coconut oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
some mushrooms, diced
1/3 cup soy sauce
a splash of rice wine vinegar
ginger ( I just sprinkled in some powdered since I didn't have fresh, but I would definitely recommend fresh ginger for this)

1/4 a head of cabbage, diced up

Iceberg lettuce, rinsed, and pulled into separate leaves.  

Saute the onion and bell pepper in some coconut oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  Drain.  Add a little more coconut oil to the pan and put the meat mixture back in it.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and cook on medium low for 5 minutes.  

Scoop into lettuce leaves and eat it up. nom nom nom. I think it is good.  I am not sure. haha I kept asking Taylor what he thought about it and he said it was delish and proceeded to eat about 6 leaves full, but I couldn't tell if he actually liked it or was driven to binge due to the fact we had been fasting all day. So try it and tell me what you think! Or if you have a good asian lettuce wraps recipe you have tried and liked send it my way! 

As for the squash.  I had it so I made it like we would make roasted potatoes, carrots, or sweet potatoes.  

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into cubes

1-2 cloves minced garlic

salt

pepper

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.  Lather squash cubes in olive oil and sprinkle with S&P and garlic.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Delish!

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf and Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

I always thought I didn't like meatloaf, but I tried this recipe from Allrecipes a year or so ago on the advice of a good friend (Thanks Yvonne!) and love it!  Now my deep dark secret is I've never made meatloaf using hamburger, just ground turkey.  Jenna loves to dip hers in ketchup and is always concerned I don't share her great love of that dipping sauce.  To each her own.  The roasted vegetables are something super simple to throw together and I'm always amazed at how many we can eat.  Plus they go well with a wide variety of entrees.  You can leave the rosemary out if you want, or try your own spice combo depending on what you like and what you're serving them with.  

Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf

1/4 cup quinoa

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey (I use whatever size the package at Costco is)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (I only use 1/2 tablespoon of Tabasco)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon water

Bring the quinoa and water to boil in a small saucepan over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Remove from heat to cool.

Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onion/garlic mixture, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in  a large bowl until well combined.  The mixture will be very moist.  Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.  (Make sure you do this!  Ground turkey cooks differently than beef and will be dry if you bake in a loaf pan)  Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl.  Rub/drizzle the paste over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes.  Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes

Baby carrots

An onion

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Rosemary (I used dried crushed Rosemary)

Cut up all the vegetables into bite-sized chunks and toss into a glass baking dish.  I tend to make the potatoes smaller than the sweet potatoes as they don't get tender quite as quickly.  Toss the veggies in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary to taste.  Make sure to get them all good and coated.  Bake at 350 for about an hour or until desired tenderness.