Tomato Chutney

Y'all. Don't be like me. A good chutney needs a couple hours to slowly simmer and thicken, so don't start yours at 9:30pm like I did this time. But if you do, stick your face as close to the pot as you can without singing off your eyebrows and get a good whiff of this deliciousness right when it all starts to melt together. And then put on your favorite Christmas record. Not a CD or playlist. It has to be a record for some reason. I don't know why. And it has to be Christmas, because for some reason the smell of this stuff makes me think of the holidays. Again, I don't know why. It just does. 

But no matter what else you do or what time of day you make this, just promise you'll make it often. It is so rich and flavorful, and it can be used in dozens of ways. Top meat or fish, pour it over pasta or quinoa, or even just use it as a dip all by itself or ladled over cream cheese. So good. So versatile. And aside from taking awhile to simmer away, it is super easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes. Pretty much any kind. This time I used one pint of grape tomatoes and 4 or 5 plum tomatoes.

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia 

1 large green pepper, finely chopped

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons ketchup

a generous splash of Sriracha

1 teaspoon sweet basil paste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

Instructions:

Stir all ingredients together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Once mixture begins to bubble a bit, reduce heat and simmer for up to 2 hours, stirring regularly until mixture has thickened to desired consistency.

Sushi Bowls

Alright, listen. I love me some sushi. And I typically love re-creating all of my favorite foods at home. But mad respect for the experts, yo. There is an art to perfectly rolled sushi that I simply haven't mastered. (Probably never will, but I'll keep trying.)

Meanwhile, though, I do still want to enjoy some of those flavor combinations at home. So--sushi bowls. Not quite the same, but still fun to mix and match in the same way you might build a roll (if you're so inclined.) 

This also allows me to use quinoa (my food crush) in place of rice without worrying about the roll falling apart since it's almost impossible to get quinoa to be as sticky and sturdy as rice within a roll. So yeah. Not all bad to just eat it out of a bowl I guess. Try it, and let me know what you think.

Oh, and don't skip the sauces on this! They are super simple to make, and they change the flavors from "good" to "magical". I promise.

Sriracha Mayo (Sauce #1):

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light mayo

1 tablespoon Sriracha (you can adjust to your heat tolerance)

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Instructions: 

Mix well and set aside. (Store leftovers in refrigerator.)

Eel Sauce (Sauce #2):

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup Mirin (sweet Japanese wine) If you can't find this, you can use dry sherry or marsala or really any cooking wine, but you will probably want to sweeten a bit.

1/2 cup coconut sugar

Instructions:

Combine all 3 ingredients in small sauce pan over medium high heat. Simmer at a gentle boil, stirring often, until reduced by about half. Set aside to cool and thicken. (Store leftovers in refrigerator.)

Sushi Bowls:

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 leek, finely diced (Or really any onion. I just had a leek, and I really like them, so I threw it in there.)

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks

1/2 cup cucumber, cut into matchsticks

1 cup frozen shelled edamame 

1 avocado, diced

1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

6-8 oz. fresh tuna

coconut oil (for coating pan 3 times)

Instructions:

1. Prepare edamame according to package directions and set aside.

2. Coat a non-stick pan with coconut oil and saute leeks over medium heat just until fragrant and slightly wilted. Add cooked quinoa and garlic paste and heat just until well-combined and warmed through. Set aside. (It's totally fine to serve this at room temperature. No need to keep it piping hot.)

3. Coat pan again with coconut oil and toss shrimp over medium heat just until firm, pink and opaque. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

4. Coat pan one more time with coconut oil and increase heat to medium-high. Sear tuna ever so briefly on each side--no more than about 30 seconds. Just enough to get a nice brown layer of flavor on the outside but stay pretty rare on the inside. Remove from pan and slice.

5. Build bowls by beginning with quinoa/leek mixture. Then add veggies and avocado. Layer protein over top and drizzle with sauces. 

6. Go back for seconds, 'cause you're gonna want 'em. :-D

And just because I think it's so pretty, one more picture...

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my go-to items for almost any get-together I host where finger foods are involved. They are just the perfect little bite. Rustic and elegant at the same time. And somehow simultaneously indulgent and healthy. The best of all worlds. 

I've made them at least a dozen different ways, but this is one of my favorites. The sharpness of the sun-dried tomatoes and tangy goat cheese combines so perfectly with the melty creaminess of the mozzarella, and then it's all held together by those hearty, earthy little mushrooms. Just a good bite of food. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

24 (or so) Baby Bella or White Button mushrooms (I tend to opt for the bellas when I can, but sometimes they're quite a bit more expensive. No worries. The white ones work just fine. There is so much flavor going on in these, the mushroom is really just a vehicle to get the other stuff into your mouth. :-D)

coconut oil (for coating the pan)

1 large onion, finely diced

2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup baby spinach, torn into small pieces

1/3 cup goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon sweet basil paste

1/3 cup freshly grated mozzarella

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 generous pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Clean mushrooms by wiping with paper towels. (Don't rinse as the water could cause them to wilt too much before cooking.)

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. Remove stems from mushrooms. (Save them for soup or something. You won't need them for this recipe.)

4. Heat just enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet. Cook onions over medium heat until they begin to caramelize. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook until garlic becomes fragrant. Add spinach and cook just until wilted.

5. In large bowl, combine goat cheese, mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, basil paste, and salt and pepper. Pour vegetable mixture over top and combine well.

6. Stuff mushrooms with cheese/vegetable mixture.

7. Combine last 2 tablespoons Parmesan with panko bread crumbs and sprinkle over top of mushrooms.

8. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, until nice and bubbly inside and golden brown on top.

Our Favorite Chili

It's football season. Which means it's chili season. That's just the way it works at our house. It's entirely possible we'll eat chili at least once a week from now until February, and no one will complain one bit. It's one of our favorite fall/winter meals. And this is our favorite recipe. Which doesn't feel much like a recipe at all since it's ridiculously simple, but it's also delicious, so why complicate things? :-)

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds ground lean ground turkey (93-95% lean; don't use 99% lean all white turkey meat as you'll need at least a little bit of fat to keep the meat juicy)

2 tablespoons homemade chili seasoning or 1 packet dry chili mix

1 (28 oz) can chunky crushed tomatoes

2 cans chili beans

1 jar of your favorite salsa (This is such a great trick for getting plenty of onions and peppers in there. It adds tons of flavor.)

any combination of your favorite garnishes: freshly shredded cheese, Frito's, sour cream, avocado, green onions, hot sauce, tortilla chips, diced onions, etc.

Instructions:

1. Cook turkey over medium heat until browned. Drain and return to pot.

2. Add chili seasoning and stir well to evenly coat meat and slightly toast seasoning. 

3. Add tomatoes, beans and salsa. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until heated through.

4. Serve with shredded cheese, Frito's, sour cream, green onions, and hot sauce. (or any of your favorite garnishes)

This freezes really well and tastes just as good leftover. Maybe even better.

Caprese Salad with Roasted Asparagus

Caprese salad is one of my (and my family's) favorite side dishes. I'm pretty sure I could serve it every day, and no one in my house would be disappointed. But I like variety way too much to do that, so I cut it back to just 3 times a week.

Just kidding.

But I do make it often enough to need more than one version, so here is one of my favorite variations. I love this version for lots of reasons, but mainly because it increases the nutritional value quite a bit and also because it is a great way to serve (expensive) indulgent asparagus without needing much of it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 oz. fresh mozzarella

1 pint grape tomatoes

1/2 pound fresh asparagus

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

healthy handful fresh basil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

balsamic glaze to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut asparagus into 1-1/2 inch segments. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. 

3. While asparagus is cooking, cut tomatoes in half and toss into serving bowl. Cube mozzarella and add to bowl.

4. Brown garlic in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. (Watch carefully as it tends to burn quickly once browning has begun.) Set aside to cool.

5. Remove asparagus from oven and allow to cool slightly. 

6. Tear basil into bite-size pieces and add to salad. Add cooled asparagus. Drizzle garlic-infused oil (including garlic) over top. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to serve.

Simple, delicious, and so pretty! :-)

Broiled Tilapia with Pineapple

Macy is my fellow fresh pineapple-lover. It's a little like torture to her when I buy a whole pineapple and put it in the fruit bowl, only to tell her she can't eat it (yet). She sure likes to hang out with me in the kitchen when I finally do cut into it, though. Funny little coincidence... ;-) So I had lots of company when I made this dish last week. And sure enough, it's a new favorite for Macy.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons peeled, freshly grated ginger root

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

1 lb. tilapia

1 whole pineapple

1 teaspoon corn starch

Instructions:

1. Combine first 7 ingredients and stir well.

2. Peel, slice and core pineapple. (Confession: I actually didn't core mine this time, since it's easy enough to cut with a fork, and my family didn't mind, but if serving company, you would want to core the pineapple.)

3. Layer fish and sliced pineapple in baking dish and cover with 1/2 of pineapple juice mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for an hour or two, flipping fish at least once.

4. Preheat broiler. Place fish and pineapple slices on baking rack fitted into shallow baking sheet. Broil on top rack of oven for 10-12 minutes, checking often so as not to burn.

5. While fish and pineapple are cooking, add second half of pineapple juice mixture to small sauce pan and bring to boil. 

6. Combine corn starch with 1 teaspoon water and mix well. Add to sauce pan and continue to boil until mixture begins to thicken.

7. When fish and pineapple are ready, remove from oven and place on serving platter. Drizzle sauce over top of entire platter and serve warm.

London Broil with Basil Butter

I have a weird confession. There's a strange little glee that happens in my heart when I have a big piece of red meat marinating in the fridge. Especially if I have the patience to leave it there for a day or two. The anticipation! It's like waiting for Christmas morning! So good. This is just such a recipe. And I love it.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened (Don't get nervous. You won't actually eat all of this in this recipe, but just stay with me.)

1-1/2 teaspoons sweet basil paste, divided

2-3 pounds London Broil (flank steak)

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup Burgundy cooking wine

1/4 cup olive oil

1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

1 splash Sriracha

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Mix softened butter with 1 teaspoon basil paste. Place onto piece of plastic wrap, roll up and secure ends. Place in freezer to become firm.

2. Place London Broil into shallow baking dish. Mix together all remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, but preferably 24+. Flip meat in marinade occasionally.

3. When ready to cook, remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towel.

4. Add marinade to small sauce pan and bring to a boil to thicken. (Never serve marinade that has had raw meat in it unless it has come to a full boil.)

5. Melt a coin of previously prepared basil butter in cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Sear steak on both sides for 3-5 minutes depending on desired doneness and thickness of steak. 

6. When meat is cooked through, remove to cutting board and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

7. After resting, slice against the grain. Place several coins of basil butter on top and drizzle with reduced marinade to serve.

***I served this with wilted spinach and cauliflower hash. While we were eating, I noticed that Grace hadn't touched anything else on her plate. I said, "Grace, do you not like the cauliflower hash?" And she responded, "This steak is so delicious, I forgot all about it." :-D So there you go. Family approved.

Shrimp and Grits

I asked each of my girls to choose a recipe for me to make during the first week of school. Something that would give them something to look forward to at the end of the day. This was Grace's choice. :-)

I don't cook with grits very often just because they're a little higher in carbs and a little lower in nutrients than I prefer for every day meals. But sometimes a southern girl just needs some grits, and a little bit of a splurge was in order anyway after a successful first week of school in a whole new state. So: Shrimp and Grits! And what better way to enjoy them than with plenty of cheese and a little bit of bacon? I mean, really... If you're gonna do it, you might as well do it right!

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided

1 cup half and half

1 cup grits

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

splash of Sriracha (optional)

4-6 slices bacon, cut into lardons

1/2 lb. portabella mushrooms

2-3 green onions, sliced (save a small handful for garnish if desired)

1 can chopped green chiles

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined

generous pinch (or two) coconut flour

generous pinch (or two) corn starch

freshly ground black pepper

Tony Chachere's seasoning to taste

salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Begin browning bacon pieces over medium heat.

2. Combine 3 cups chicken broth with half and half and 1/2 teaspoon salt in sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add grits and reduce heat to simmer. Stir often until they begin to thicken.

3. Sprinkle shrimp with coconut flour and corn starch, and season with salt, Tony Chachere's seasoning and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. (You don't need much flour or corn starch. This is not intended to be a batter, just a small bit of added texture for the shrimp and a thickening agent for the sauce which will be built from the pan drippings.)

4. Once bacon is fully browned and crisp, remove to paper towels to drain. Discard all but a thin pan coating of grease. 

5. Add shrimp to bacon pan and cook over medium heat until mostly pink and almost done. Remove from pan.

6. Add mushrooms to bacon pan and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, green chiles and green onions and saute until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and use to deglaze pan. Increase heat slightly until mixture barely begins to boil. Reduce heat and allow to thicken, stirring occasionally.

7. Add cheeses, garlic paste and Sriracha (if desired) to grits.

8. Add shrimp back into pan with sauce and toss to coat and warm through.

9. Serve shrimp mixture over grits and top with bacon pieces and chopped green onions (if desired.)

***For the record, I'm planning to try this using finely processed cauliflower in place of the grits. My kids are skeptical, but I think I can make it work, which would mean we could eat this a little more often. ;-) I'll let y'all know how it goes.

Raw Summer Salad with Mozzarella and Bacon

Simplicity is a beautiful thing. And this is about as simple as it gets. You can throw it together in minutes, and it works as a side dish for almost anything or even as a complete light lunch. Also, it is one of the most versatile dishes ever. I am listing below the ingredients I used, but honestly you could use any combination of your favorite veggies and cheese and even throw in some nuts and seeds if you like. The key to this salad (in my opinion) is to have plenty of crunch in the veggies you choose, and don't skip the dressing. It's just the right amount of sweet, tart and creamy for all those veggies. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-size pieces

1 small head of cauliflower, separated into bite-size florets

1/2 lb. coarsely chopped portabella mushrooms

1 large orange (or red or yellow) bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and coarsely chopped

6 oz. mozzarella, freshly grated

1/2 lb. bacon, diced and fried very crispy (Dicing the bacon before cooking helps it to cook more evenly and become more crispy, but you could certainly just crumble leftover strips if that's what you have.)

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons powdered stevia

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all veggies in large bowl and toss together.

2. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits over top.

3. Combine mayonnaise, stevia and vinegar and whisk to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a bit over top of salad, reserving some to the side for those who would like to add a bit more.

4. Toss and serve while everything is nice and crisp.

***Suggestions for other great veggie additions include fresh carrots, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, edamame, and grape tomatoes. (I would avoid chopped tomatoes or canned vegetables since they tend to add too much moisture.)

Dirty "Rice" with Spicy Shrimp

Yeah, we're not making rice. Too many carbs. ;-) But at least it isn't quinoa this time for those of you who are sick of hearing about that. It's my other favorite food crush: cauliflower! (To be clear, quinoa and cauliflower are some of my food crushes mainly because they are just so helpful in keeping me happy without so many carbs in my life. If you wanna talk true love, we'll have to discuss chocolate and bacon and things like that, but that will be a discussion for a different day. :-D)

Anyway--riced cauliflower. Have you ever tried this? You should. I submit that not only is it a much healthier option than white (or even brown) rice, it honestly tastes better than rice to me if prepared correctly. And I would never lie to you about something like this. Ever.

Ok. Dirty Riced Cauliflower with Spicy Shrimp. Y'all hungry? Let's do this.

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, riced (just do a rough chop and process in a food processor)

coconut oil for coating pan

1 chicken bouillon cube

dash cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon garlic paste

splash of Sriracha (optional)

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound lean ground beef

Tony Chachere's seasoning to taste

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

chopped green onions for garnish

Instructions:

1. Warm just enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of a pan over medium heat. Add bouillon cube and stir until melted. Add riced cauliflower, cayenne pepper, paprika and thyme, and stir until cauliflower begins to soften.

2. Meanwhile in separate (larger) pan over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, green pepper and celery in just enough coconut oil to coat bottom of pan.  Once vegetables have softened, stir in ground beef and cook until fully browned. Drain and return to pan.

3. Stir garlic paste, Tony Chachere's and Sriracha (if desired) into cauliflower mixture and stir until garlic paste has completely melted into the mixture.

4. Dump cauliflower mixture into ground beef mixture and toss together until well-combined. Turn heat to low and keep warm.

5. In the same pan that you used to cook the cauliflower mixture (you might just want to give it a quick wipe with a paper towel if needed), warm just enough coconut oil to coat bottom of pan and add shrimp. Cook until pink and firm, tossing a few times to make sure all sides are cooked. Season to taste with Tony Chachere's seasoning and a Sriracha (if desired).

6. To serve, pour entire cauliflower/beef mixture onto a platter and layer shrimp over the top. Garnish with chopped green onions

Baked Eggs in Quinoa with Mock Mole Sauce and Queso Fresco

Did you just roll your eyes because I'm talking about quinoa again? You did, didn't you? I can't help it. It's pretty much my food crush. But listen! I have good reasons! I mean, besides the fact that it's delicious and so good for your body (which should really be enough), it's also so amazingly versatile! You can use it in breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, whatever, and you can make it taste a million different ways with just a few ingredients. So really you should probably get used to hearing about it, 'cause I've only given you like 4 recipes so far, which means I have at least 999,996 more to go. So. ;-) 

Oh, but also, I should tell you why I'm calling this "mock" mole sauce. It's because I've been told that a good, authentic mole takes hours to make. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I'm not pretending to be some awesome little Mexican grandmother who has slaved over her stove top all day long. I just think this tastes an awful lot like many of the mole sauces I've tasted. But it is actually pretty quick and easy to make, so I'm calling it "mock mole" out of respect. Taste it and see what you think. 

Ingredients:

2 cups pre-cooked quinoa 

1 small jar chopped green chiles

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

coconut oil for coating pan

1 teaspoon garlic paste

4-6 eggs

3 white onions, quartered

4 plum tomatoes, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 anaheim peppers, stems and seeds removed

1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (these are quite spicy, so feel free to use less than the whole can or substitute mild green chiles or something along those lines if you don't like the heat)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups chicken stock

1 lime, juiced and zested (always smart to zest first)

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing the mole sauce. Raise oven rack to highest position and preheat oven to broil. Put quartered onions, tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and anaheim peppers on sheet pan and spray with olive oil or coconut oil. Broil until all vegetables are bubbly and tomatoes begin to blacken, stirring at least once. (Watch closely as this process happens fairly quickly, but don't be afraid of some black edges. That means flavor.)

2. When nicely charred, remove veggies from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. 

3. While these veggies are cooling, in an oven-safe skillet (cast iron would work perfectly), begin caramelizing chopped onions in coconut-oil coated pan over medium heat.

4. Dump broiled veggies into blender or food processor. Add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a sauce pan. Add chili powder, cocoa powder and chicken stock and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.When onions are nice and brown, add minced garlic and green chiles and cook until fragrant. (This smells so crazy, I kind of just wanna eat it with a spoon. But please don't do that.) 

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Add cooked quinoa and garlic paste to onion mixture and stir until all ingredients are well-combined. Spread quinoa mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan, then make a "well" in the quinoa for each egg. Carefully break one egg into each well and sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set but yolks are still runny.

8. Add lime zest and lime juice to sauce and stir to combine flavors. Salt and pepper to taste.

9. Serve by plating each egg with a nice bed of quinoa. Drizzle mock mole sauce generously over the top and crumble over some queso fresco. Yum!

Scotch Eggs with Dijon Cream Sauce

Well... Not exactly Scotch eggs. Because I baked them instead of deep frying them. But I don't think you'll mind. These are utterly delicious. After one bite, both of my daughters declared these their new favorite food/birthday meal for the rest of life. Alright then.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 pound homemade chorizo

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup crushed crispy fried onions

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon coconut flour

3/4 cup milk (any kind--I used 1%)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

1 generous Tablespoon of your favorite mustard--I used horseradish

splash of Sriracha

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Soft boil eggs any way you like. My favorite method is to bring to a gentle boil. As soon as they are boiling, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, dump hot water and submerge in cold water. Continue to dump and replace water as it will warm up from the heat of the eggs and pot. Once the eggs are nice and cool, they are ready to be peeled.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Create prep station by putting beaten eggs in one dish and mixing bread crumbs and crushed onions in second bowl.

3. Wrap each egg in a layer of chorizo, taking care to seal any seams so they won't fall apart while cooking.

4. Dip each wrapped egg into egg wash and then bread crumb mixture and place into seasoned or sprayed oven-proof dish. (Cast iron works great for this, but any metal or glass pan would be fine as well.)

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

6. While eggs are baking, prepare sauce by melting butter in pan on stove top. Add coconut flour and stir until well incorporated and browned. Add milk, Parmesan and mustard and stir until all is well-incorporated. Add Sriracha, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as you like.

Homemade Chorizo

A few weeks ago my local grocery store had a huge protein sale during which almost all of their pork products were on sale for under $1 a pound. I picked up a 17-pound $50 roast for $16, but my favorite purchase was quite literally ALL of the lean ground pork they had in stock that day. I'm not even kidding. I bought all of it. Six or seven 2-pound packages if I recall correctly. This is what freezers and homemade chorizo recipes are for. :-D

And speaking of homemade chorizo--

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork (Most chorizo is made with very fatty meat like pork butt, but I actually like it even better with leaner meat like ground loin. There is every bit as much flavor due to all the spices. The only thing missing is the grease.)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons chili powder (That's not a typo. Don't be scared. It's chorizo. It needs a lot of spice.)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

In medium bowl, mix all ingredients together, cover and chill in refrigerator overnight. (Or freeze for later use.)

(adapted only very slightly from a recipe by Bobby Flay)

Bacon-Wrapped Sriracha Shrimp

I submit that if the words bacon, Sriracha and shrimp are in the title of a recipe, it needs no further explanation. I mean, honestly...

So. Without further ado...

Ingredients:

1 pound large shrimp

salt and pepper

1 pound bacon

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 Tablespoons Sriracha

handful of coconut sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In medium bowl, whisk together coconut oil, lime juice and Sriracha. Peel and de-vein shrimp, season with salt and pepper and place in bowl with marinade. Toss to coat well and put in the refrigerator for about an hour. (They're already so pretty, it's hard to be patient. I understand. Really I do. But if you let them soak up all the flavors of that gorgeous marinade, it will be worth the wait. I promise.)

3. Cut bacon slices into 3 equal pieces. Wrap each shrimp in one piece of bacon. (You can secure with toothpicks if you like, but if you place them seam-side down on your pan, it's really not necessary.) For best results, use a broiler pan or an oven-proof cooling rack inside a sheet pan.

4. Sprinkle generously with coconut sugar and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, increase heat to broil in order to crisp bacon and finish caramelizing coconut sugar. Watch very closely at this point so as not to burn them. I typically broil for 1 minute, then rotate pan and broil for 1 more minute, but results may vary. Please don't burn these!!! Wasted shrimp and bacon just hurts my heart. I can't handle it.

For something so incredibly delicious, these are really deceitfully easy to make. Super impressive as a finger (or toothpick) food for dinner parties or a rock star main dish for your family any time!

Quinoa Cakes with Garlic-Sriracha Sauce

So... Quinoa. I talk about this stuff a lot, because I pretty much have a crush on it. It's kind of perfect. You can use it a million different ways and come up with all kinds of creative ideas for replacing much less nutritious ingredients like rice, pasta and flour in some of your favorite dishes.

But. You either like it, or you don't. I get it. As my youngest daughter so profoundly said when she was just a tiny little munchkin, "You can't just decide to like something. Your tastebuds have to change or something." Indeed. That's true. Mostly.

But. (Yes, another but.) Even if you don't love it on its own, I do think there are ways to prepare it surrounded by other deliciousness in such a way that you will enjoy the final product. This is one of my favorite recipes for converting non-quinoa lovers. It works almost every single time. I love that. :-) 

The other thing I love about this recipe is that I've made it at least a dozen different ways with different combinations of cheeses, diced veggies, herbs and spices (and sometimes even a protein or two), and it is delicious every time. Today's combination went something like this:

Ingredients:

1 cup pre-cooked quinoa (Any kind is fine, but my favorite is red quinoa prepared with low sodium chicken broth.)

coconut oil for coating pan

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon garlic paste, divided

1/4 cup freshly shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup goat cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon coconut flour

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped

salt to taste

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup light sour cream

generous splash of Sriracha

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon basil paste

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook diced onion in coconut oil on medium heat until it begins to caramelize. Add garlic and continue cooking until garlic is fragrant.

2. In medium bowl, combine quinoa, onion and garlic, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, all cheeses, egg, coconut flour, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well and form into patties.

3. Place patties on parchment paper-lined plate, and freeze for at least an hour. ***This is an important step as cakes will melt too quickly and not hold their shape if you try to pan-fry them before freezing.

4. While the quinoa cakes are firming up in the freezer, prepare sauce by combining mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, Sriracha, basil paste and salt and pepper.

5. Once cakes are nice and firm, heat coconut oil in medium-hot pan and fry each cake on both sides for 3-4 minutes. They should be crisp and brown on the outside and perfectly cheesy and gooey on the inside.

6. Serve on a beautiful bed of greens as a salad or as a stand-alone side dish to just about any meal. And don't forget the sauce! 

Stuffed Pork Loin

I'm just gonna let the picture speak for itself on this one. Mercy. (But one note: This is much easier to make than it might look, so it could be a great way to impress someone. Don't be scared. ;-)

Ingredients:

6 boneless pork loin chops

Olive oil, for coating pan

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 heaping tablespoon garlic paste

4-6 sundried tomatoes, chopped

2-3 handfuls fresh baby spinach

salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 cup goat cheese

1/4 cup cream cheese

Instructions:

1. Coat a skillet with olive oil and cook onions low and slow until nicely caramelized.

2. While onions are cooking, create a pocket in each piece of pork by cutting a slit into the side of each loin, being careful not to cut all the way through. Generously coat the inside of each loin piece with garlic paste. (And don't try to be dainty about it. It's messy business. Just get in there and go for it. The added flavor will be worth it. I promise.)

3. Once onions are nicely caramelized, remove from pan into medium bowl. Coat the same pan with oil again and add minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and spinach is wilted. Add this mixture to the same bowl with the onions.

4. Add goat cheese and cream cheese to the same bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Stuff each pork loin generously with this mixture.

5. Oil pan one more time. Generously salt and pepper both sides of pork and add to hot pan 3 pieces at a time. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown on the surface and cooked all the way through.

This is maybe one of my favorite pork recipes of all time. I find that pork can be pretty bland, but the sharpness of the goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes paired with the sweetness of the garlic paste and caramelized onions add the perfect layers of flavor. Enjoy!

Cheddar Cauliflower "Biscuits"

We don't eat much bread in our family. And I'm just gonna go ahead and admit that it's kind of annoying. It certainly isn't because it isn't delicious. It's just because I don't like serving up all those empty, simple carbs. I sure wish that somehow suddenly a giant loaf of rosemary bread dipped in balsamic-laced, roasted garlic-infused olive oil would magically become health food. But alas. I don't see it happenin'.

So. We eat some of that amazingly fragrant rosemary bread occasionally--for special occasions and when we've been super disciplined and deserve a little splurge (Or ok--a pretty big splurge. Whatever. Stop judging me for wanting all of the rosemary bread.)

But most of the time, I try to avoid such things. So a little treat like this--even thought it really isn't a biscuit at all--can sometimes be just the right bite to make us not miss those carbs so much. 

Ingredients:

2 cups finely grated or processed raw cauliflower

1 large shallot, finely minced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 large jalapeno, finely minced

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 cup coconut flour

Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower, shallot, garlic, jalapeno, eggs and melted butter.

3. Add cheeses and mix well.

4. Stir in salt, pepper, baking powder and coconut flour and combine well.

5. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray and combine mixture evenly into 12 cups.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

These are delicious served as a stand-alone side dish with just about any meal, but my favorite way to serve them is with a saucy meat dish like barbecued pulled pork or slow-cooked beef roast. 

Leftovers Re-Imagined 7-9-15

Do any of you have the same sickness I have that will not allow you to throw away perfectly delicious food even if there is only a teaspoon of it left? I confess that I have this sickness in spades. It's ridiculous. I package it all up in my refrigerator, fully aware that I will likely just end up throwing it away later once it has cozied into the corner of the fridge forgotten for so long that it becomes a fun little game of "Guess what this used to be!" I'm trying to get much better at that. And I have some really fun ways to help you do so too. Over time, we'll talk about lots of ways to become much more deliberate (and much less wasteful) with our leftovers.

Tonight's topic: Leftover-Stuffed Mini-Frittatas. My 2 favorite things about these is that they are so perfect for using very small amounts of items, and they are a great way to allow variety for the family's picky eaters without adding extra work for the cook.

Here's the plan. Collect all of your small amounts of leftovers. This can be almost anything. Meats, veggies, cheeses, quinoa, herbs, etc. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, and invite everyone in the family to fill their designated tins with the ingredients of their choice. Once this is done, pour over an egg mixture, and bake until golden brown and firm. This can be a complete family meal all by itself, especially if you make sure everyone adds some healthy veggies to their tin. ;-) Personally, I think it even makes for a fun and interactive company meal, and you can elevate it easily by adding a fruit platter and/or a simple salad of mixed greens with a tangy vinaigrette and maybe some dried fruit, nuts and crumbled feta.

Pay no attention to my extremely used muffin tin. It has been very frequently loved on in our house. Meaning we eat a lot. Don't worry about it. We're fine. ;-)

Here is the recipe and some suggestions for filler:

Ingredients:

10 eggs (this should be plenty for a 12-cup muffin tin depending on how many other ingredients are added)

generous splash of cream, half and half, or milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and invite everyone to fill their designated tins with whatever leftover ingredients they choose.

3. Whisk together eggs, cream, mustard powder, salt and pepper and pour into each muffin tin.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until golden brown on top and firm all the way through.

Tonight we used all of the following ingredients (not in the same tin): salmon, Italian sausage, bacon, spinach, caramelized onions, sauteed shallots and red peppers, black olives, tomatoes, green onions and 3 different kinds of cheese. Everyone used different combinations, and some of us even made 2 (or 3) with completely different combinations just for ourselves. Pretty fun and so yummy and satisfying!

There really aren't any rules to this. Any combination of items that work well together as pizza toppings, salad ingredients, sandwich stuffings, etc. will also work well here. Experiment and see what you enjoy most. You might find yourself doubling recipes so that you have leftovers on purpose. ;-)

Meaty Lasagna

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday, and this is one of her all-time favorite meals, so it was the obvious choice for today. :-) Happy Birthday, Grace! 

I wonder how many lasagna recipes exist. Surely the count is into the millions by now. And I bet most of them are perfectly scrumptious. If you already have one you love, I'm not suggesting you abandon it. Just offering my favorite for those who might be still looking.

These are some of the reasons this recipe is my favorite: 1. It is actually very easy to make, which is not always the case with lasagna. 2. It is so hearty and meat-filled that you can feed a pretty significant dinner crowd with just one tray. 3. It is easily adaptable to a low-carb meal by simply swapping zucchini strips for noodles and not losing any flavor at all. (Honestly, can we all agree that the noodles just carry the meat and cheese to your mouth?) 4. It is excellent for making ahead of time (or making several trays at a time) and storing in the freezer for a super quick homemade meal later. 5. It is Yummy! This recipe is a favorite of my entire family and a whole long list of my friends. It is probably my most-requested meal. If you don't already have a tried and true favorite, try it and see what you think!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lasagna noodles (or 2 zucchini thinly sliced in long ribbons)

1 pound lean sweet turkey Italian sausage

1/2-1 pound lean ground beef (I personally think there's no such thing as too much meat in this recipe, so I tend to go with the full pound.)

1 medium-large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28oz.) chunky crushed tomatoes

2 cans (6 oz. each) tomato paste

2 teaspoons coconut sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons dried crushed basil

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 container (15 oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

4 cups shredded mozzarella

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions:

1. Boil noodles according to package directions or slice zucchini length-wise using mandolin. Set aside.

2. In large skillet over medium heat, brown beef and Italian sausage with onions and garlic until vegetables are tender and meat is no longer pink. Drain. Return meat mixture to pan and add tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, basil and pepper. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

***Hey, can I show you a fun trick for getting tomato paste out of the can? Run your can opener around the top *and* bottom of the can, then use the bottom lid to push out the paste. No more trying to dig it out of the corners with a spoon.

3. In small bowl, blend ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Spoon 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer 1/3 each of noodles (or zucchini), ricotta mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella into dish. Repeat twice. 

6. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle Parmesan over top, and bake an additional 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is golden and bubbly. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting. (Don't worry. It will stay molten lava hot much longer than that.)

Perfect Cookies

Like literally perfect. I know people say things like that all the time. "This is the only ______ recipe you'll ever use again." Maybe. But I like variety. So probably not most of the time. However. This truly is the only cookie recipe I have used in at least 5 years. Because it is incredibly delicious, but also completely adaptable. So you can have your deliciousness and variety all at the same time. It's kind of like magic. I'll explain. . .

The basic recipe calls for 1 package of instant pudding and 1-2 cups of mix-ins. (Is your imagination dancing yet?) The recipe I use most often includes vanilla pudding plus 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. But let me help you get your brain excited. What about cheesecake pudding plus dried blueberries and white chocolate chips? Or chocolate pudding plus milk chocolate and peanut butter chips? Truly, the possibilities are endless! (And I haven't even mentioned my favorites yet. I'll tell you about those in more detail later. ;-)

But you get the idea. And here's a tip. These work so well for freezing the batter in individual scoops so that you can bake 1 or 2 or 6 at a time rather than the entire batch all at once. This is especially helpful if you like variety. Make a different recipe each week in the month or two leading up to an event or a houseful of company, and then you can create a "sampler" platter in a matter of minutes. Just throw 3 each of 4 different kinds into the oven for 9-12 minutes. Your guests will be so impressed! 

Here is the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 package instant pudding mix (vanilla)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened (NOT melted)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and pudding mix in small bowl. 

3. Beat butter, oil both sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl until well combined.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Gradually beat in flour mixture in 3-4 batches, making sure dry ingredients are well-incorporated after each addition.

6. Stir in chocolate and white chocolate chips. (And I mean, maybe this is just me, but I'm guessing no one would be mad if you accidentally spilled a few extras in there.)

7*. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheet or (my favorite) well-seasoned baking stone. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes until golden brown.

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 2-3 minutes before attempting to remove from pan. 

*You can also spread the entire batch of batter evenly into a pan and bake 20-25 minutes for a delicious homemade cookie cake.