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SUMMER SQUASH PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO AND GRILLED PEACHES

Squash can’t be summery you say? Well, that’s what I had in my fridge so deal with it. Serve this dish up lightly chilled for a tasteful twist on the classic picnic pasta salad.

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash

1 Roma tomato, diced

1 peach

1 slice of prosciutto, minced

1 wedge laughing cow cheese

3 garlic cloves, minced

splash of  beer

olive oil

thyme

basil

salt

pepper

Directions: Lightly coat a large sautee pan with olive oil. Add minced garlic and cook until golden but not burned. Add prosciutto pieces and fry until lightly crisped. ( About 1-2 minutes0). Do not get distracted by the bacon-like smell!

Toss in the tomato chunks and a splash of beer. I had 312 on hand because a good cook never begins a culinary journey without some alcohol on hand. ( For flavor enhancement, of course.)

Over low heat, plop in the cheese wedge and stir until it melts into a creamy like sauce. Once reduced, add the squash and remaining seasonings to taste. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

During this time, I grilled the peaches on my nifty George Foreman for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Curry Cauliflower Soup

Makes: 4 serivngs

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 sticks of celery, chopped

4 C chicken broth

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbls coconut oil

3 bay leaves

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 C coconut milk

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp tumeric

* Bacon, optional

Directions:

Melt 1 Tbls olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat.

Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender. ( About 5 minutes).

Mix in the cauliflower, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the chicken stock, cumin, tumeric,curry, bay leaves, coconut oil, chili flakes and coconut milk. Stir thoroughly.

Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until everything is tender.

Remove the bay leaves. Season to taste and garnish with bacon.

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Fried Egg with Sweet Potato Hash

Servings: 1

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 sweet potato, diced

1/4 onion, diced

1/4 avocado, sliced

1-2 pcs of bacon

1/2 tsp garlic

1/4 tsp chili powder and paprika

a pinch of cayenne for heat

a pinch of dill

Sriracha sauce * optional

Directions

First, cook bacon according to package directions. Remove from skillet, and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 Tbls olive oil (if needed) and add onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly translucent.

Add sweet potatoes and seasonings (except the dill) to the pan. Stir to coat evenly. Cover and allow to cook 5-7 minutes until potatoes are soft. Remove and place on a plate

To fry the egg:

Heat skillet on med/low heat. Crack egg in center to ensure even cooking. After yolk begins to bubble slightly, place 1 Tbls water in the skillet (not on the egg.) Cover and allow to cook 2-3 until slight film forms over egg yolk.

Slide egg out of the skillet, without cracking the yolk, and place on top of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with dill and Sriracha sauce. Add sliced avocado.

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Bacon Spaghetti Squash

Makes: 2 servings

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

1/2 onion, diced

2 pcs of bacon

1 cup tomato/marinara sauce

3/4 diced tomatoes

1 cup greens (spinach works best)

1/2 c toasted seeds (I used a mix of pistachio and pumpkin)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp dried basil

2 bay leaves

1 Tbls white wine

 salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm squash in microwave for 3-4 to soften before cutting. Slice squash in half lengthwise and lightly coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet, skin side down. Bake for 45 minutes. 10 min before squash is complete, cook bacon in a large skillet. Turn occasionally until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel. In the same skillet, cook onion in bacon fat for a few minutes until golden. Add wine to deglaze pan and prevent sticking. Add seasonings, bay leaves, chopped tomatoes and greens. Cook for 3-5 minutes until greens have wilted. Stir in seeds and chopped bacon bits. Remove the bay leaves. Scrape the squash into the pan and stir in tomato sauce. Cook through until heated. Refill squash halves.

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Delightful Date Bites

Makes: 12-15 date bites

Time: 10 minutes

Here's what you'll need:

20 pitted dates

1 Tbls nut butter (I used SunButter)

1/3 C pistachios, crushed

2 Tbls cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1 tsp cinnamon

In a blender or food processor, combine dates and nut butter. Blend until it is a creamy consistency.

In a bowl, combine nuts with cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Form the date mixture in Tablespoon-sized balls and gently roll in the nuts and cocoa powder until lightly coated. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.

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10 posts!  Every little bit counts :)

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"Practically" Paleo Pizza

I stumbled upon this recipe for a paleo pizza crust but was downtrodden to find it contained almond flour, which I happen to be allergic too. Plus, some other unnecessary ingredients like 3 types of eggplant..seriously, who has time for that? Some of us have Bravo binge-watching to do.

So here is my modified version, guaranteed to give you that gooey gluten consistency I so often pine for:

Makes: 1 personal pizza

Cook Time: 1 hour (from start to finish)

Crust Ingredients:

1 eggplant, shredded

1/4 Cup, plus 2 Tbls ground flaxseed

4 Tbls Trader Joe's gluten-free flour

1 egg

1 Tbls olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Shred eggplant using a hand grater. Or you can thinly dice like I did. Allow it to sit for 5 min. Then, using your hands or a paper towel, squeeze out any extra liquid.

Combine eggplant with other ingredients until it forms a wet ball. Roll out or press onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack.

Flip over, coat with a thin layer of olive oil and any toppings you wish to have. I used zucchini, bell peppers, turkey meat and marinara sauce.

Bake for 15 minutes and voila!

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Gazpacho: The Ultimate Summer Soup!

Gazpacho is the chameleon of the culinary world. It’s flavor changes each time you try it due to the fact that people take pride in preparing their own unique version. Much like the Italians and their marinara sauce.

If you’ve never tried this chilled tomato soup you’re missing out! Did I mention it’s easy as hell to make? Just throw in a blender and voila!

Here’s a simple version I whipped up due to budget constraints per usual:

Makes approx. 2 large servings or 3-4 small servings

3 roma tomatoes

1 can Trader Joe’s roasted tomatoes (Can’t have a recipe without TJ)

 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced

 1/2 cucumber, peeled

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

 1/2 yellow bell pepper , diced

2 Tbls Olive Oil

1 Tbls vinegar

pepper, salt and dried basil to taste

  Just blend until smooth and top with croutons or  your favorite sturdy carbohydrate!

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Surprising Southwest Soup

I know, I know..ANOTHER soup recipe.  I’ve been lazy lately. And by lazy I mean I’ve been going out a lot, shame on me.

So once again, I’m forced to compile whatever random components I have in my fridge, which usually results in a soup or stir fry of some sort.

Yes, that’s right, cactus! Now, before you freak out and wonder why I would put such a horrific sounding thing in my soup, I want to ask you one question: Do you like green beans?

If the answer is no, move along with your day. I won’t be offended.

But for us green bean lovers out there, I bring you cactus! The saltier, slightly softer cousin of the green bean. That’s pretty much all it is. Doesn’t have a lot of flavor but it’s a great unique addition when simmered in a crockpot for a few hours. Or use it as a base for a salad.

If you don’t believe me, check out this recipe page for its various uses.

So without further ado… here it goes!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 box of low sodium chicken broth

1 can roasted tomatoes

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

1 can cactus, rinsed

1 garlic clove, minced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

chili powder, to taste

paprika, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

Combine and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Simple as that!

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What I'm Obsessed with This Week: Thai Chili Lime Cashews

This in turn has forced me to find an array of items that need little preparation because let’s face it, who wants to WAIT to eat snack? It defeats the purpose.

Enter…the chili lime cashews!

Snacking on fruits and veg can get a little bland after awhile until I stumbled upon these spicy beauts in, you guessed it, Trader Joes. – I seriously need to be a promoter for them.

Salty and flavorful with a hint of heat, pair them with TJ’s dried white peaches (divine) and you get a nice little combo snack full of fiber and protein.

What are some of your favorite quick- fix snacks?

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Fingers-Crossed Pot Roast (Because I'm Hoping It Turns Out Ok)

If I have one more piece of chicken I might wake up clucking at the crack of dawn. Although, I’m sure my pug Kirby would enjoy that, considering  he so lovingly leaps on my face at about 5 am every morning to feed him – in case I forgot his existence.

Here is a meal so simple and so melt-in-your-mouth delicious, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it yourself. (I’ll give you permission to pretend you did.)

Dig in!

Ingredients

Trader Joes’ Pot Roast (pre-seasoned)

½ Bag TJ’s Frozen artichoke

1 onion, diced

2 Cups vegetable broth

 1 Cup water

2 Tbls Thyme

½ Tbls Red Chili Flakes

* Cook on low 6-7 hours

Preparation: combine in a crockpot and top with diced green bell pepper and hot sauce. Enjoy!

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Tickle Your Tastebuds: Paleo Turkey Chili

With this series of never-ending snow flurries coming through, I decided to whip out my favorite appliance yet again- the crockpot!

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 lb ground turkey

Taco Seasoning packet

small can of tomato paste

4 oz can diced green chiles

3 garlic cloves, miced

1 can Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 1/2 Cups Low Sodium vegetable broth

2 fresh jalapenos, one with seeds and one without

La Preferida jarred jalapeno nacho slices with juice- to taste

garlic poweder, paprika, thyme and oregano – to taste

2 Tbls lime juice

optional: fresh avocado and extra onion for topping

* Sorry I don’t have specific amounts for the seasonings, I just dump them in until I like the flavor combo.

Directions:

In a skillet, brown turkey and remove excess grease. Add taco seasoning and 3/4 Cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 mins.

Combine all ingredients and turkey into the crockpot. Cook on “high” setting for 2 hours and then switch to “low ” for 3 hours. Easy as pie!

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Pork Sausage and Peppers: Winter Weight Gain Here I Come!

First up on the menu, this devilishly easy recipe I whipped up on this rather frigid winter day in Chiberia, Chicago.

It’s hearty yet not too terrible for you. I HAD to use...

Here’s What You’ll Need:

- 5 pork sausages (you don’t have to use them all but I love leftovers!)

- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips

- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

- 1/2 onion

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

- 2 Tbls balsamic vinegar

- olive oil

- thyme, oregano, red chili flakes

- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a pan, sear the sausages until browned. (I also threw mine on the George Forman for a few minutes just in case.) Set aside.

Put a little olive oil in a hot pan and add the garlic. Cook for approximately 1 min. Then add peppers and onions.

Season with herbs, salt and pepper to your preference. Once vegetables have cooked through, add the sausage.

Pour broth and vinegar into the pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

And relax!

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Eat Like a Cave (Wo)Man

In an attempt to get back to the roots of healthy eating, I will be trying the Paleo Diet in approximately 3 days. As much as I will miss cheese (oh blessed cheese) I like to experiment with all types of eating styles.

My goal is to expand my cooking repertoire and see what eating a clean diet can do for me mentally and physically.

First dish on the menu

It was simple, cheap and delicious! I’ll never eat chicken the same way again.

Here’s what you’ll need: (I cut out some of the ingredients in the original recipe found here http://bit.ly/1drGRhn)

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- olive oil

- herbs: thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper

- 1/2 bag Trader Joe’s frozen artichoke hearts (TJ’s always has to make an appearance!)

- 1/2 bag Trader Joe’s frozen pearl onions

- garlic, to taste

- 3/4 C chicken stock

- 2 Tbls  balsamic Vinegar

  Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Defrost the chicken breast and lightly marinate with olive oil. Crust with herbs, salt and pepper.

Preheat pan, add a little olive oil. Place chicken in skillet and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add garlic and onions to the already heated pan. Add extra herbs if desired. Once onions are browned, add the artichoke hearts and cook through.

Finally, pour in broth and balsamic vinegar. Bring it to a simmer then remove from heat. Place pan with a cover into the oven and cook for approx 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

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What I'm Obsessed With This Week: Brown Rice Noodles

Ok, so you may have noticed I have a slight obsession with Trader Joe’s. And by that I mean… I shop there every week. What can I say? It’s surprisingly cheap and has a convenient parking garage which means no carrying groceries on the bus for me. YAY!

So my new favorite find are their Brown Rice Noodles...

I’m not a huge pasta person. I’ll eat it, but I’d rather waste my carb calories on bread.

These little gems ,however, taste like REAL pasta without the icky extra flour part.

200 calories per serving, 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Not too shabby I’d say. And they are ready in 8 minutes, so I can start gobbling them down a lot sooner.

Try them out and tell me what you think!

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Chicken Soup for the Lost Souls

When even the daytime starts to feel like nighttime, you know something is wrong. After a 3-week long battle with an ailment that kept morphing from a cold to a cough and then back again, I decided to take matters into my own hands...AND SOUP TIME COMMENCED!

I bring you my healthy, cheap recipe for fending off sickness just long enough to still maintain your social life on the weekend.

You will need:

A crockpot (If you don't have one, you are sorely missing out on the lazy-people way to cook things).

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 box of chicken broth

2 C  water

1 whole onion

1  C mushrooms

2 C fresh spinach

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 Tbls garlic

red chili flakes (obviously)

thyme

oregano

salt/pepper

Start by grilling the chicken. I'm a huge fan of my George Foreman. (It will make many appearances in future posts.) Allow the chicken to cool and dice into medium-sized chunks. You can also grill the mushrooms for added flavor,delish.

Pour the following contents into the crockpot and allow them to warm: broth, water, canned tomatoes, spices.

In a separate pan, combine garlic, onion, peppers and cook until almost done. Then add the spinach, it wilts rather quickly.

Add the contents of the pan and the chicken into the crockpot. Put on low heat if you plan on being gone all day. If not, jack that thing up and be ready to eat in about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

*Note: you can replace any of the vegetables I mentioned with your own, these just happen to be what I had in the house.