Consider the leaf TURNED.: good eats

Showing posts with label good eats. Show all posts

Gorgeous beets are in season right now and if you're thinking of a new way to enjoy these nutritious and colorful vegetables, then this recipe is for you. Beets are an excellent source of folate, and a good source of manganese, potassium, copper, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6. They are also a healthy dose of carbs, if you're looking to add some variety to your real food plate. So pick up a bundle or two during your next trip to the farmers market and bring this salad to your next summer cookout. Or eat it all yourself in the comfort of your home. Both options are totally acceptable.

Now this beet salad is super simple and the key is the creamy, flavorful dressing. The dressing is based on Planks, Love, and Guacamole's ranch dressing (which I LOVE and make every week!), but I add lots of fresh basil and mint for a unique flavor combination.

Creamy Basil Mint Dressing
Based on Planks, Love, and Guacamole's "Best Ranch Dressing EVER"

Recipe Ingredients:
2/3 cup of light tasting olive oil
1 egg
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
handful of fresh basil
handful of fresh mint

Recipe Directions:
1. In a wide-mouth mason jar, add the egg and red wine vinegar. Let sit for 15-30 minutes to bring the egg to room temp.
2. Add spices and herbs to the jar and blend, using a stick immersion blender for about 30 seconds.
3. Measure out 2/3 cup of LIGHT TASTING olive oil and slowly add to the jar while you keep the immersion blender going. Within a couple of minutes, you should have a beautiful emulsion resulting in a creamy, delicious dressing. Taste test and add more herbs, if a stronger flavor is desired.

Creamy Beet Salad with Basil Mint Dressing Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:
3 large beets
2 tbsp Creamy Basil Mint Dressing (see above)
water, for boiling
1/2 tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped
pinch of salt

Recipe Directions:
1. Chop off the beet greens and save for later*. Thoroughly wash beets, but you don't have to peel them yet.
2. In a large pot, boil the beets until fork tender. This could take anywhere from 45 - 75 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. I usually start testing at minute 45 and then every 15 minutes after that until cooked through.
3. Carefully transfer the beets to cold water to speed up the process of being able to handle them safely, without burning yourself.
4. Using a bunch of paper towels, carefully rub off the skin of the beets. The skin should easily come off and into the paper towels, without turning your hands bloody red.
5. Once peeled, dice up beets and place into a large bowl. Add about 2 tbsp of the Creamy Basil Mint Dressing and stir. Feel free to add more dressing, if you'd like.
6. Stir in the fresh herbs, saving a bit for garnish on top. Add a pinch or two of salt and you should be good to go!
7. Enjoy!

*I will be posting a delicious recipe for sauteed beet greens soon. Think bacon and garlic! Yum!

XOXO,
SMP

If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen me post a meal earlier this week where I added bits of coconut butter on top of a tomato sauce based dish. It looked like melted cheese and although the combo may sound weird, I couldn't believe how much I loved it. This spur of the moment decision got my wheels turning and this Coconut Marinara Chicken recipe was born.

This chicken recipe is really easy, as long as you have the right ingredients. You will want to find a clean marinara sauce (no added sugar or funky ingredients) or use your own recipe. I usually use this one from Wegmans or this one I found at Costco.

And then of course, you will need coconut butter. This is not coconut milk, cream, or oil. Just pureed coconut flesh. My favorite brand is Artisana's which I can usually find at TJMAXX. I also like Nutiva's brand, which I'm also able to find at my local Wegmans.

Trust me - the combination of the marinara and the coconut butter is decadently delicious. While I used the coconut marinara to top chicken in this recipe, it goes amazingly over spaghetti squash or mixed in with ground beef or pork. Try it and let me know what you think!

Coconut Marinara Chicken Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

For the Coconut Marinara Sauce

2 cups marinara sauce (no sugar added)

1/2 cup coconut butter

For the Chicken

1-1.5 pounds of boneless chicken thighs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Ghee, for frying

Toppings:

More coconut butter (because, why not?)

Fresh cilantro

Recipe Directions:

1. Warm a cast iron pan over medium heat.

2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. Melt enough ghee to coat your pan and pan fry chicken thighs for about 5 minutes per side.

4. While your chicken thighs are frying up, in a small sauce pan warm up marinara sauce on medium low. Once warmed, add coconut butter and stir until melted and completely combined.

5. After the initial browning step of the chicken in step 3, lower heat to medium low, and cook an additional 10 mins or so, until chicken is fully cooked. (Juices run clear, internal temp of 165)

6. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan and let chicken rest for about 5 minutes on a plate. Spoon the creamy coconut marinara sauce over the chicken and top with more bits of coconut butter and fresh cilantro.

7. Enjoy!

XOXO,
SMP

I've tried making cauliflower rice in the past and while it was edible, it wasn't my favorite. That is, until I started playing around with cilantro, lime, and a little bit of spice, which developed into this very tasty recipe that I'm sharing today.

This cauliflower rice goes REALLY well with my recipes for Sara's Chicken or Adobo Lime Chicken. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in food processor (about 6 cups "riced")
2-3 TBSP ghee, or other cooking fat of choice
1 garlic clove, minced
3 green scallions, sliced
1 TSP homemade Adobo seasoning
Zest and juice of one lime
1 heaping TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
Drizzle of chili infused oil or a pinch of red pepper flakes - optional

Recipe Directions:
1. Chop up 1/2 head of cauliflower in a food processor until it is the consistency of rice. In my ninja, it takes about 4-5 pulses. Set aside.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Melt ghee or other cooking fat of choice and sauté scallions and garlic for about 1 minute.
4. Add "riced" cauliflower to pan, sprinkle with adobo seasoning, and stir to combine. Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add juice from 1 lime, stir to combine, lower heat to medium low. Let cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until done to your liking. I like my rice soft but slightly browned, and not mushy. (Don't over cook or cover - extra moisture will make it soggy).
6. Stir in fresh cilantro and lime zest. If you'd like a little heat, add a drizzle of chili infused oil or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
7. Do a final taste test and enjoy!

Tip: I like to chop up the whole head of cauliflower and save the rest in the fridge so I can quickly make this again later on in the week!

Until next time!

XOXO,
SMP

After a great WOD (workout of the day) at the box (Crossfit word for gym), I was hangry (a cross between hungry and angry). I got home at 8am, got the baby down for a nap by 8:45, and had a work conference call to attend at 9. I decided to be adventurous and make breakfast while on the phone - thank God for mute buttons!

Since I was paying attention to the conference call, I just started pulling stuff out of the fridge and throwing things together. End result was a yummy bowl of chicken sausage, grape tomatoes, kale, and cashew pesto. It's a simple recipe which can easily be adapted to whatever veggies and proteins you have on hand. I ate this whole thing, but it could also easily be a side dish for two alongside some eggs - darn, why didn't I think of that earlier?

Sausage & Kale Pesto Bowl Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

2 Aidell's Chicken & Apple Sausage (whole30 approved!), diced

15-20 grape tomatoes, quartered

2 big handfuls of organic kale, cut and cleaned

1 heaping TBSP of pesto (recipe below for cashew pesto)

1 TBSP cooking fat of choice

1 capful of apple cider vinegar

pinch of salt

Recipe Directions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

2. While your skillet is heating up, chop up chicken sausage and grape tomatoes into bite size pieces.

3. Once the skillet is hot, add enough cooking fat (I used olive oil) to coat the pan and add your chicken sausage and grape tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes.

4. Add your two big handfuls of kale, pinch of salt, and capful of apple cider vinegar.

5. Stir frequently until kale is wilted. Kale is a sturdy green, so it may take a little longer to wilt than let's say spinach.

6. Once the kale is cooked to your liking, add a heaping tablespoon of already prepared pesto. I had my cashew pesto already in the fridge from earlier in the week. Stir until pesto is warmed up and lightly coated on everything.

7. Serve in a nice big bowl and savor every bite!

Cashew Pesto Recipe

My cashew pesto recipe is based on Everyday Paleo's Walnut Pesto. Lately, I've been using cashews instead of walnuts and twice the amount of lemon juice and I love the way it turns out.

Recipe Ingredients (adapted from original recipe)

4 oz fresh basil (or a big bunch)

1 cup cashews halves and pieces
6 garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
Juice from 1 lemon

Recipe Directions:
1. In a food processor add the cashews, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Process until smooth.
2. Add the basil and lemon juice and process again until smooth.
3. Take a taste and fall in love.

XOXO,
SMP

So I'm a little late with this post. But do not fear! We did successfully complete our Whole30! The last 10 days of our Whole30 were just as delicious as our first 20. Although we were busier, got a little sick, and tempted to indulge, we remained on the course! I'm actually still going strong and today is Day 37! Mark had a mini detour and enjoyed some organic tortilla chips with my guacamole. I know, we are such rebels.

I currently have a cranky baby on my lap so I will just post these pictures as a reminder that eating this way is never boring or bland. I have actually enjoyed some of the most delicious meals while on this program. I hope to post a reflective piece on what I've learned from the experience this time around in the next day or so, as well as some of the recipes for the meals pictured below. Stay tuned! Until then, be inspired to eat real food!

PS: I downloaded this new app that adds text to photos and I might have gotten a little carried away!

Sweet potato, ground beef, and a homemade balsamic cherry jam

That's yucca and plantains in that soup - no potatoes!

Recipe slightly adapted from Primal Cravings Cookbook

Another delicious recipe from the Primal Cravings cookbook

Two thirds of the way complete with our Whole30! Again, I say it has been so easy this time around! I'm taking advantage that our little Belle is asleep so I'm keeping this post short and sweet. May the pictures speak for themselves.

WHOLE30 EATS: Days 11-20

Sara's Chicken with Sauteed Kale

I made a fresh batch of ghee!

How to Make Ghee at Home

2 eggs with avocado and tomato salad

Not the best pictures, but chicken wings, tostones, and avocado - YUM.

A very random concoction on a very busy day: avocado, tomatoes, red onion, chicken sausage, and olive oil

Keeping it simple with some scrambled eggs with coconut milk and dried tarragon

A delicious meal I made by accident: Walnut Pesto Ground Pork Salad

Walnut Pesto Ground Pork Salad Recipe

2 hardboiled eggs drizzled with the walnut pesto sauce I'm currently obsessed with eating

Walnut Pesto Sauce Recipe

Sara's Chicken

Sara's Chicken Recipe

I decided to make a big batch of chicken breasts for emergency protein. They were simply seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked in the cast iron skillet in some ghee.

Some of that emergency protein with roasted butternut squash and rutabaga and of course, the walnut pesto sauce.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, and Rutabaga Recipe

Horrible picture, but some more of that emergency protein with some organic marinara sauce

A big pile of food: sweet plantains, chicken sausage, and an avocado

Bacalao con Guineos: Salted Cod with Plantains. Recipe coming soon.

Yum.

Sara's Chicken with Sauteed Kale

"Sara's Chicken" is my go-to recipe for chicken. We make it at least once a week. This chicken goes really well with white potatoes as the potatoes soak up all the marinade in the roasting pan. Since we are doing a Whole30, we are not eating white potatoes this month. (Sad Face)

Instead, I decided to make some sautéed kale on the side to go with the chicken this week. Using the chicken's pan drippings to sauté the kale really gave it a lot of flavor and I highly recommend trying it.

After the chicken was done and out of the oven, I simply took about 1/4 cup of the pan drippings and put it into a sauté pan.

Over medium heat I let the pan drippings bubble a bit and after it began to reduce, I added a few big handfuls of chopped kale into the pan.

Don't be afraid to add A LOT. It wilts down so much.

I continuously tossed the kale so that it was covered with all of the flavorful sauce. In just a few minutes the kale had cooked down and was ready for a dash of salt and pepper and a splash of apple cider vinegar. I find the vinegar to really take the edge off of the bitter greens. It was delicious.

A big, one person serving or enough to divide into two.

I ended up eating the entire serving by myself since Mark wasn't feeling too adventurous about eating the kale. However it was probably enough for two people. If you need to serve more, then of course just double this simple recipe.

Sautéed Kale with "Sara's Chicken" Sauce Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

1/4 Cup of pan drippings from "Sara's Chicken" recipe
2-3 big handfuls of chopped kale (I used about half of a 16 oz bag of already chopped/cleaned kale)
dash of salt and pepper
splash of apple cider vinegar

Recipe Directions:

1.) Make "Sara's Chicken"
2.) After the chicken is done, take about 1/4 cup of the pan drippings and put into a saute pan on medium heat.
3.) Let the pan drippings bubble and reduce a bit (1-2 minutes) to create a bit of a sauce.
4.) Add kale and toss continuously so that all of the kale gets coated in the sauce.
5.) After just a few minutes, the kale should be wilted and ready for a taste test. If needed, add a dash of salt and pepper.
6.) Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and toss before plating alongside your delicious chicken.
7.) Enjoy!

Walnut Pesto Ground Pork Salad

I love it when delicious recipes happen by accident. Today was a busy day. Between managing my work load and caring for the baby, it was close to 2pm before I had a chance to make something to eat. And I was hungry.

I plopped my little angel in her swing and flew into the kitchen to see what I could quickly make. I didn't feel like having eggs (my usual quick meal), so I started looking around. I noticed that I had a bunch of fresh basil that I needed to use, so I immediately started getting the ingredients together for this walnut pesto sauce. It's my new fave and it takes a whopping 5 minutes to throw together. Now, what would I put this delicious sauce on?

Upon opening up the fridge, I noticed that I didn't have any "quick cooking chicken" as all of the items I had defrosted were bone-in. I needed something fast. I did have a pound of organic ground pork - would that taste good with the pesto sauce? We were about to find out!

Since I already knew that the pesto sauce had plenty of flavor, all I did was cook up the ground pork in a pan on medium heat with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. I decided it needed some type of vegetable so I chopped up a red bell pepper and threw it in once the pork was no longer pink in the middle. Once it was all cooked, I took the pan off the heat and added about 3 tablespoons of the pesto. I did a little taste test and BOOM - I was in heaven. SO. GOOD.

I got myself a big bowl of spinach, spooned on some of the pesto ground pork and peppers, and topped it all with a handful of chopped walnuts. This is my new favorite meal. You must try it.

Walnut Pesto Ground Pork Salad

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound of organic ground pork

3 TBSP of walnut pesto sauce

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1-2 handfuls of raw baby spinach, for salad base

olive oil, enough to coat pan

salt & pepper to taste

handful of chopped walnuts, as salad topping

Recipe Directions:

1.) Make walnut pesto sauce if you don't already have some on hand.

2.) Heat a saute pan over medium heat and coat with a bit of olive oil

3.) Crumble the ground pork into the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste, a little less than usual since the pesto has salt in it and plenty of flavor

4.) Once the ground pork is no longer pink in the middle, lower the heat, add your chopped pepper, and cover for 3-5 minutes, or until the pepper is cooked to your liking

5.) Remove from heat and add 3 TBSP of the walnut pesto sauce. Mix and do a final taste test. Add salt and/or pepper if needed, but I'm sure it will be just fine!

6.) Add pesto ground pork mixture over baby spinach and top with a handful of chopped walnuts.

7.) Dig in!

Mark and I are currently doing another Whole30! I'm not sure if it's because we've done it before or because it's a new year - but I'm really pumped about it. I'm also finding it super easy this time around. I'm not going hungry. I'm not stressing over meal plans.

I'm just doing it.

To read about our first experiences with the Whole30, go here (my story) and here (Mark's story).

I'm already feeling like I have more energy, especially with a 2 month old child and just starting to get back to work this week. Also, TMI ALERT, Isabelle has been so much less gassy since I've cleaned up the diet again. Apparently, she prefers her breastmilk to be Whole30 compliant too.

Milk coma

So we all know I like to photograph my meals - I love food that looks pretty and I love to share ideas with all of you. I didn't always get the chance to snap a pic of every meal (especially when I had repeats), but below are a few of the delicious meals we have enjoyed while being on the Whole30 over the first 10 days. Enjoy!