Foodie Friday

TGIF!!!  In an effort to use up our fabulous green, fresh goodies from our weekly CSA box, I have been busy whipping up some fabulous recipes this week!  So, let’s get started!

Crustless Veggie Quiche

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 2 cups parslane
• 
• 6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• garlic scape, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 3 slices proscuitto, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8-inch pie pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and salt until well-combined.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the parslane.  Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until just beginning to wilt.
4. Add the parslane and remaining veggies into the pie pan. 
5. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the eggs are set.
7. Let the quiche sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Turnip “hashbrowns”

Ingredients:

• 3 medium turnips
• 1 1/2 Ts olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut turnips into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place in bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (may consider using higher heat oil to aviod transfat opportunity from breakdown of oil) next coat with salt and pepper.
4. Oil aluminum pans with remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Place turnip matchsticks on pan and place in oven. set timer for 10 minutes, rotate pan and turnips at 10 minutes. Place back in oven for another 10 minutes.
6. Check for doneness, turn on broiler and broil on high for 5 minutes.

**NOTE:  These hash browns were PERFECTION!! I served them with the quiche.  The hubs and I ate them so fast, I forgot to take a picture before they were all gone!

Summer Chicken & Veggie Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cooked chicken (I used part of a rotisserie chicken I picked up at the deli to keep it simple)
• 1 portabella mushroom, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 3 sweet peppers, sliced
• 2 Ts Blue Gate Farm Pesto (recipe below)
• Pasta, cooked (I used rice pasta noodles)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan.  Add mushrooms and cook until soft.  Remove and place on a plate.
2. Add peppers to the pan.  Once the peppers begin to soften, add squash.
3. Add mushrooms back to pan.  Add chicken.  Toss ingredients together.
4. Mix pesto into pasta.
5. Plate the pasta and top with chicken and veggies!

 

Blue Gate Farm Pesto

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs Sunflower seeds-toasted (can substitute pine nuts)
• 2 cloves Garlic (garlic lovers can add more) green garlic or garlic scapes are also good.
• 2 c. Basil (any variety, a mix is particularly nice)
• ½ c. Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt (if using pre-salted sunflower seeds, can reduce salt amount)
• ½ c. Parmesan cheese, fresh grated (not the stuff in the can) *I substituted DF swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Place sunflower seeds and garlic into food processor then pulse several times.
2. Add basil and drizzle with half of oil. Pulse several times.
3. Add remaining oil, Parmesan cheese and salt if desired.

Foodie Friday!

I’ve been absent from posting regularly the past few weeks, now that I’ve recovered from surgery and my appetite is nearly back to normal, I’ve been working to get reacquainted with my kitchen :).

The hubs and I joined a CSA for the first time this year and we have been enjoying our weekly boxes of fresh veggies!  I really wanted to join because I knew it would force me to try veggies that I’ve shyed away from in the past and expand my horizons.  So far… it has!

This week’s CSA box

If you’ve been following y blog, you know I love avocados!  When I found this recipe for Blackened Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa, I knew I had to try it!  Prep was quick and easy and the outcome was absolutely delish!

Blackened Salmon Ingredients:

• 2 small wild salmon fillets, boneless and skin on
• 3 teaspoons melted dairy free butter or EVOO
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cracked pepper
• ¼ tsp thyme
• ¼ tsp cayenne

Mango Avocado Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe mango, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1 large avocado, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup diced grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons diced onion (I used a sweet onion)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Directions:

1. Combine the butter and all of the spices in a bowl. Rub all over both sides of the salmon. Leave at room temperature while the grill heats.
2. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
3. Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients together in a bowl and store in the refrigerator while the fish cooks.
4. Sear the salmon, skinless side down first. Close the grill lid. Cook 1-3 minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are. (Try not to move them until you are going to flip them over to help keep them in one piece.)
5. Using tongs and a metal spatula in the other hand, carefully turn the fish over, so that the skin side is down, and reduce the heat to medium. For charcoal grills, finish cooking over indirect heat furthest from the coals.
6. Close the grill lid and finish cooking for another 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
7. Salmon should be just barely opaque and will start to flake along the center of the fillet when done.
8. Serve hot with the mango-avocado salsa spooned over it.

**Disclaimer: I actually forgot the salsa in the fridge when we ate the blackened salmon!  The salmon was so good on it’s own, that we didn’t miss the salsa.  I was so disappointed that I goofed that up!  The next day, I took 2 fillets of white fish (I had sole on hand), followed the same recipe to “blacken” them and baked them in the oven until they were flaky and cooked thoroughly.  The salsa was amazing served with this fish.  In the end, it was a win-win!  We enjoyed the salmon and dressed up an otherwise plain fish :).

Blackened Salmon with Swiss Chard Saute

 

Blackened Sole with Mango Avocado Salsa

 

From our CSA box, I paired the Blackened Salmon with a tasty Swiss Chard Sautee.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb Swiss chard
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 5-6 fresh garlic scapes (or more to taste) or 1-3 cloves minced garlic
• Sea salt

Directions: 

Cut garlic scapes into 1” chunks. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic scapes. Trim large stems from chard leaves. Cut stems into 1” pieces. Add stems to skillet. Stack chard leaves and roll into a tube. Cut into ½” strips. As scapes and stems just begin to soften, add leaves to skillet. Cook until leaves wilt. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Another tasty side dish that I made this week, again, courtesy of our CSA box was Turnips!  I’ve never tried turnips before and I was admittedly nervous to embark on this “adventure”.  To my wonderment, it was delicious and I am hoping we have more turnips in our box next week!

Spring Turnips with Greens and Raisins Ingredients:

• 2 T dairy free butter, divided
• 2 t olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 bunch spring turnips and greens (about 10 small or 5 large turnips
• about 1/4 cup raisins
• about 1/4 cup craisins
• salt (I used a seasoned salt variety for just a little extra flavor)

Directions:

Heat 1 T of the butter and all of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wash turnips and trim the leaves from the root. Chop the roots into 1-inch dice. Discard any yellowed turnip leaves and roughly chop the nice ones. Once the onions are softened, add the turnip roots. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, stir and cover. Cook until the turnips can be easily pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up to medium high, and cook, stirring now and then, until turnips turn light brown at the edges. Add the chopped greens and raisins and cook until the greens are wilted and tender, another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 T butter and salt to taste.

Now mom, don’t fall off your chair as you read this- I know it’s still surprising that I eat anything but hot dogs and bologna now, I surprise myself most of the time!

 

Foodie Friday

First of all, I hope you all had as fantastic of a start to your Friday as I did!  Check out this wonderful sunrise that I enjoyed this morning at Grays Lake with two of my wonderful running buddies!  Absolutely gorgeous!

Followed up with a cup of joe in my favorite running mug :).  Artwork done by my bestest niece- that’s a portrait of me, by the way ;).

This week, the hubs and I cooked together and prepared a smokin’ good pulled pork dish with pineapple guacamole and homemade BBQ sauce!

As always, I can’t follow a recipe without adding my own modifications, so I’ll link to the originals and post what we made below.  As an added bonus, there are so many ways you can serve this dish, we enjoyed it two nights in a row and still have leftovers!

Hawaiian Pulled Pork with Pineapple Guacamole

INGREDIENTS: 

HAWAIIAN PULLED PORK

• 3-4 lb. pork butt, excess fat removed then cut in big hunks
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Onion powder
• 1 cup chopped pineapple
• BBQ sauce (I made my own, click link for recipe)

PINEAPPLE GUACAMOLE

• 3 avocados
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1-2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup pineapple tidbits, drained
• Onion powder, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Rub the minced garlic and onion powder into the pork pieces and place into the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot. Add chopped pineapple, and BBQ sauce. Mix slightly then cover and cook on low for 9-12 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Shred. Pour remaining BBQ sauce into another bowl and set aside (straining out pineapple and pork pieces).
2. Right before serving, prepare guacamole by combining avocados, garlic, lime juice, and onion powder in a bowl. Smash with a potato smasher or fork until desired consistency is reached. (I mashed 2 avocados, then chopped 1 for a chunkier dip). Fold in cilantro and pineapple tidbits.

3. Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste (or ketchup), 1 Tablespoon molasses, and a teaspoon each: chili powder, crushed red pepper, all spice, and paprika to the leftover BBQ sauce and heat over low to thicken.

4. To serve as tacos: warm tortillas on a griddle, add pork, drizzle BBQ sauce on top, and garnish with a dallop of guacamole.

5. To serve as nachos: preheat oven to 450, layer tortilla chips on a pan, sprinkle with pork, BBQ sauce, shredded cheese (I used dairly free pepper jack), chopped cherry tomatoes, and bake 3-5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Remove from oven, top with guacamole and serve!

 

I also made a batch of plantain chips to serve as a healthy side option with the tacos, using my Excalibur Food Deyhydrator.  Hands down, one of the best “splurges” on a kitchen appliance I have made.  It’s amazing :).  Simply slice 3-4 plantains, put in a bowl, add sea salt and Mo’s Rub, gently mix so all the plantains have some spice, and lay out on the dehydrator trays.  I use a very low setting to keep them a “raw food” and it takes about 2 days for them to dry out.

With that, enjoy with a tasty margarita!  Cheers, my friends!  And TGIF!!!

Foodie Friday

This week I tried my very first MOREL mushrooms!!! Seriously, someone like me, who loves mushrooms and never once tried the most famous, beloved morels??  Crazy!

The hubs and I spent last weekend in Omaha visiting some of his friends and we came across a stand at the Saturday morning farmer’s market selling the little gems.  I had to grab some!

First, I researched how to clean them and decided to cut them in half and do a few quick rinses in cold water to get rid of the grit and any crawlers that may have made a home in the hollow stems.

Since it is finally patio and grill weather (!) I decided to pair the gems (aka morels) with lamb chops.  Since lamb chops don’t need  a lot of fancying up, I created a simple marinade using Rosemary olive oil and some Mo’s Rub.

It was my first experience using Mo’s Rub- my friends have been talking up this local, Iowa seasoning blend for quite some time and when I looked at the ingredients, it included everything I was going to mix together- win win!

I let the lamb chops marinade for an hour in the fridge and then another hour on the counter to bring them to room temperature before cooking (always best!).

I found a simple recipe for the morels that didn’t involve frying the little gems- seriously, why ruin something great with batter and deep-frying in oil?  I prefer lighter and healthier options myself… So, I simply sautéed the morels in rosemary olive oil, fresh garlic, and a splash of red wine. 

We threw some locally grown asparagus marinated with lemon olive oil on the grill with the lamp chops and voila!  An easy, scrumptious, healthy dinner!

Cheers!

Foodie Friday

After a week of travel, I always crave fresh fruits and veggies!  I stocked up on kale, collard greens, portabella mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes at the store .  While I was deciding on a source of protein, I decided to stay meat-free and experiment with Tempeh.  It did NOT disappoint!

I marinated the tempeh overnight in a mixture of soy sauce, szechuan sauce (for a little kick), and tahini.  The next day for lunch, I heated a skillet with some olive oil, pulled out the marinated tempeh, cut it into cubes and added it to the pan to cook through.  That day, I sautéed some kale, mushrooms, and tomatoes, mixed in some fish sauce and a little more szechuan sauce (I guess I was feeling a little “spicy” :)) and added the tempeh on top.

 

Delicious and definitely satisfied my craving for fresh and light dishes this week!

The next day, I pulled out a large leaf of collard greens and washed it. I spread some of my favorite muffelata on top, added a sliced small sweet baby red, pepper, sliced cherry tomatoes, and tempeh.

I wrapped it up and enjoyed it like a sandwich!

Another great fresh alternative to “detox” this week!  What do you do to get yourself back on a healthy track?  Any favorite recipes or go to foods?

I also got a little crafty this week and made myself a new, summery centerpiece for our dining room table!  I have a lot of burlap bags (thanks to my sister!) and found a great little tutorial online to make burlap flowers!  This little endeavor did require me to buy my very own hot pink polka dot glue gun! (I couldn’t resist- how cute is that!?!)  However, the glue gun didn’t quite have the same affection for me.  We had a bit of a struggle and the gun won. Ouch!

 

Nonetheless, I’m quite happy with the result!  And, I’m enjoying the “pains” of my labor :).

 

 

Foodie Friday

This week I decided to shake up my breakfast routine.  I’m always looking for a high protein packed way to start the day with minimal carbs and this one definitely packs a punch!

Protein Punch Pancakes:

Ingredients- pancake:

• 1 egg
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup vegan greek yogurt (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• dash of cinnamon
• optional: 1 Tbs ground flax seed
• optional: flour to thicken batter

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 3 large strawberries

Directions:

Put all pancake ingredients into a food processor (a blender will work fine too). If you don’t thicken the batter, they are more like crepes and you can roll the fruit topping inside.  Pour 1/2 cup batter into a pan and cook like a pancake, until the top starts to bubble and flip.

I used my crepe pan, any pan or griddle will do though

This will make about 8 4-5 inch pancakes.  I only made half the batter and saved the rest in the fridge to enjoy a fresh batch another day this week.  You can also make all the pancakes and they will keep in the fridge for a day or two.

Vegan (aka DF) Greek Yogurt:

Ingredients:

• a little over half a package of firm tofu
• up to 1/3ish cup almond milk (or whatever DF milk you prefer
• a few drops of vanilla stevia, honey, or agave nectar (you can omit this for a more sour greek yogurt taste)
• Optional: If you want true “yogurt” you can add the contents of 1 probiotic capsule to the mix.

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in your blending contraption (I use my food processor) and give it a whirl.

Foodie Friday

Good Friday!  This week I’ve enjoyed being back in my kitchen and doing what I love- cooking up new dishes!  I took a sugar-free and alcohol-free challenge with some friends in an effort to detox post marathon and eating my way through the city of Paris. The indulgence on that trip was well worth it, but it feels good to fueling my body with some healthy food and plenty of water, rather than wine :).  So far so good, although last night, I was close to breaking down and enjoying a glass 🙂

To kick-start the week, I cooked up a great big pot of my Fat Flushing Veggie Soup.  And to curb off and cravings, I whipped up this delicious chocolate pudding with, you’ve got it, NO sugar!  NO kidding!  Let’s just say, it can be called heaven in a bowl.  And this is from a gal who doesn’t even really enjoy chocolate!  I do enjoy dates and cacao nibs, so really, that’s what sells me on this little dish.  I served it up over a cut up banana. To. Die. For.  The avocado adds a whipped consistency, similar to a mousse.

Chocolate Pudding: 
1/2 cup dates (soaked in water for 20 min)
1 avocado
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
1 tablespoon agave necter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all ingredients into blender or food processor and mix- add soaking water to facilitate blending. Chill in fridge for 1 hour before serving.

 

And finally, the BIG hit of the week…

OMG Artichoke Lemon Pesto “Lasagna”

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking fat (butter, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed in small pieces
• ½ yellow sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 12-15 artichoke hearts, cut in half (I used jarred & quartered artichoke hearts)
• ⅓ cup almonds
• 1 garlic clove
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil (add more for a more runny pesto) (I added in some lemon EVOO for extra taste)
• 4-5 tablespoons vegetable broth (add more for a more runny pesto)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fresh parsley
• ½ cup fresh basil
• juice of 1 lemon
• grain-free coconut flour crepes
• 1-2 cup freshly shredded raw cheese (I used a dairy free variety of provolone and swiss because that’s what I had on hand)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 glass baking dish.
2. Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cooking fat and garlic cloves. Once garlic becomes fragrant, add cubed chicken and onion to the pan and cook until cooked through and no pink remains. Once chicken is almost done cooking, add mushrooms to cook for just a minute or so.
3. Remove mixture from pan and place in a bowl and set aside.

4. Place the large pan back over medium-high heat and add the halved artichokes and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.

5. Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the almonds, garlic clove, olive oil, and vegetable broth. Puree until smooth.

6. Then add the parsley, basil, and lemon. Puree once more until smooth. Taste and add more lemon to your preference. If you want a more runny pesto consistency, add more olive oil and vegetable broth at this point.

7. Once pesto is done pureeing, add the pesto to the bowl full of chicken and mix well.

8. Now line the bottom of the baking dish with crepes.

9. Add a place spoonful of the chicken mixture and spread out, then sprinkle with shredded cheese on top. Then another layer of crepes, chicken, and cheese. The top layer should be crepes, topped with the last of the chicken mixture and some extra cheese on top.

10. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Then remove the foil and let sit under the boiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns.

11. Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil to help keep warm and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

 

Foodie Friday

This week I went for paleo- I think I typically eat along the lines of this diet inadvertently due to my GF and DF status, and there is a wealth of recipes online that make my mouth water reading them!  I surveyed what I had on hand and voila!

Braised Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 lb pork tenderloin
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• bok choy chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ cup organic honey
• 4 tbsp aminos
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:
Brown pork tenderloin in skillet pan with coconut oil.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Using same skillet saute garlic and bok choy.  Transfer Remaining ingredients into slow cooker and cook low for 4-5 hours.

Faux Mashed Potatoes (aka Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, chopped
• 5 large cloves garlic
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions: Bring 1-2 inches of water to boil in a stock pot with a steam basket.  Once water is boiling, add half of the chopped cauliflower, garlic, and a healthy dose of salt.  Add the remaining cauliflower, more salt and steam until soft.  Drain in a colander.  Transfer cauliflower and garlic to a food processor and add butter, nutmeg, and black pepper.  Puree until the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Transfer to a serving dish and heat thoroughly in an oven or microwave.

 

Foodie Friday

This week, I was feeling a little adventurous and bored with the same old ideas, so I decided to experiment with ingredients I had on hand.  Let me first say that I am somewhat obsessed with muffalata.  I buy it in bulk at Costco and find whatever I can to spread it on.  Needless to say, this was going to be used in this dinner 🙂

The result?

Olive Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, divided
• 2 tablespoons muffalata
• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 cup GF panko style bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 slices of cheese (I used DF for mine and regular dairy for the hubby)

For the marinade:

• white wine
• porcetta seasoning

Instructions:

Season the chicken with porcetta seasoning and place in shallow bowl.   Cover with white wine and let marinate for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 375.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and slice lengthwise (not cutting all the way through).  Spread the mustard inside the chicken breasts and top with muffalata, topping with the slice of cheese.

Roll the chicken back together and cover in almond flour.  Dip chicken in the egg, then cover with panko crumbs.

Put in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through and enjoy!

 

 

Foodie Friday

TGIF!  This has been one of the longest weeks ever!  I’m not sure exactly why… maybe I’m just feeling a tad bored lately or maybe I’ve got spring fever and would rather spend my days in the sun outside, rather than sitting at a desk… at least I got to run in the afternoon in the glorious sun twice this week!  (ok, so 1 afternoon run was on a gray, cloudy day, but at least it felt warmer 🙂 )

This week’s recipe is super quick, super easy, and super delicious- enjoy!

Seared Scallops over Spinach

Ingredients:

• Grape Seed Oil
• 6 scallops (I used bacon wrapped scallops from Nueske’s– a Wisconsin favorite!)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Spinach leaves
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/8 cup(s) Vinagre Viejo de Montilla (Spanish Red Wine Vinegar)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat Grapeseed Oil in a pan and heat over medium high heat. Place scallops into pan, sear on one side for 3-4 minutes, and then turn over and sear for an additional 1-2minutes. Set the scallops aside. Add the spinach and tomatoes into the pan add the Vinagre Viejo de Montilla, lightly season and sauté until tender. To serve lay down a bed of spinach and tomatoes, top with scallops, then drizzle Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil to finish.