Dinner

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I like to make this Butternut Squash soup fairly often in the fall and winter, its a great way to get in lots of veggies and it’s not overly heavy at all! This recipe is so easy to make and freezes very well if you wanted to make a big batch and have more another time. To be honest though, the toppings are my favorite part of this soup, they are so delicious! When you put them all together they are the perfect fall flavors! I just listed a few of my favorites but you could also top with goat cheese, crushed cashews or scallions. Enjoy this easy, delicious and healthy soup recipe! Ingredients: 1 Butternut Squash halved and seeded A drizzle of Olive Oil 1 TBS. Butter 2 shallots 2 cloves garlic 1 inch  fresh ginger 4 cups of Chicken stock Pinch of Nutmeg Salt & Pepper Optional Toppings: Chives Bacon bits Fried Sage leaves Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Homemade yogurt   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Drizzle Olive oil over the top of squash halves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in 400-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until desired tenderness. 3. While squash is roasting, melt butter in a small dutch oven and saute shallots over low heat to caramelize.  Add in ginger and garlic and saute for an additional minute. 4. Remove squash from oven and scoop out flesh and put in blender. Add the sauteed vegetables and process slowly adding chicken stock. […]

Coconut and Mango Black Forbidden Rice

  Have you ever tasted black forbidden rice?  I had no idea it existed until a few years ago.  I love the nutty flavor and sometimes enjoy it hot for breakfast with raw honey and almond milk. This Coconut and Mango Black Rice is the perfect side dish to the Smoky Jalapeno Chicken Skewers that I posted last week.  I like to make extra because it goes really well with almost any form of protein. I like Lotus Foods Heirloom Forbidden Rice and purchase it on Amazon. It is linked below! Enjoy!!   Ingredients: 1 C black forbidden rice    1 C coconut milk 1 ¼ C chicken or vegetable stock 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 TBS. coconut oil  1 tsp. Sea salt ¼ C finely chopped mango (optional)     Directions:  1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt coconut oil. 2. Add garlic and shallot and saute for 1 minute.     3. Add rice and saute rice, stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom, for about 3 minutes until toasted.     4. Add coconut milk, broth and salt.     5. Follow directions on the back of the rice package.  6. When rice is done, add mango (if using) on top of rice and put the lid on.  Allow mango to heat up. 7. Stir and serve! I like to serve it with my Jalapeno Chicken Skewers and Garlic Yogurt Sauce!                   […]

Mediterranean Sausage and Goat Cheese Frittata

  I think this might be one of my favorite brunch dishes but it is also a great supper alongside a green salad.  Eggs are so protein dense and such a complete protein.  Egg yolks also contain choline which is an important nutrient that detoxifies the liver, which is an important step in hormone balance. It is hard for me to understand why we divide this complete and nutrient dense food and put the slimy whites in a carton and call that healthy. That doesn’t seem like a whole food to me.  Sorry, but I really get upset with what these companies do to our food, claiming it is health food and charging double the price when half of the nutrition is missing.  If you want more information on the health benefits of eggs, Dr. Axe has a really great detailed article.  It is definitely educating and well worth the read. Eggs are a fairly inexpensive protein and are absolutely delicious.  Now, I do recommend Organic and Free Range Eggs. They are so much more nutrient dense than their mass-produced, supermarket counterparts.  I buy mine from a local farm and the egg yolks are a beautiful orange and have the very best flavor.     The sausage I use in this dish is also from a local Virginia Farm as well.  Riven Rock Farm raises some of the most flavorful beef, pork and lamb of any that I have tasted.  Pastured pork is leaner than mass raised pork and has unbelievable […]

Healing Turmeric Bowl

  My friend Wanda made this delicious meal for me a couple of months ago and I have been reduplicating it ever since. Of course, as with all other recipes I have slowly made it my own. This recipe is done in 4 different steps. Now don’t let this deter you from trying this recipe because the last three steps can be done while you are accomplishing the first. I find that just cooking up the individual ingredients can result in several different meals during the week so don’t hesitate to double this recipe. Almost everything on here can be frozen including the dressing so you can have everything on hand to have this another week.   Ingredients: Serves 4 2 large sweet potatoes 1 carton chicken stock (4 C) Fresh ginger Turmeric Ghee 1 bunch of parsley Garlic bulb Arugula 1 lemon Raw honey Olive Oil Quinoa 4 eggs Sea Salt Peppercorns Shelled Pistachios Feta Cheese   Step 1: Turmeric Ginger Sweet Potatoes 2 large sweet potatoes 2 C chicken stock 1 tsp Turmeric ½ tsp chopped fresh ginger Salt & Pepper   Directions: 1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. 2. In a small saucepan, combine sweet potatoes, turmeric and fresh ginger. Cover with chicken stock. 3. Simmer on the stovetop until sweet potatoes are soft and can be pierced easily with a fork. 4. Remove sweet potatoes from stock with a slotted spoon. Mash with a fork adding in as much broth as needed for […]

Vegan Lentil and Pumpkin Seed Curry

  Here is to all my vegan friends! I have come up with a very protein-dense Lentil and Pumpkin Seed Curry.  It is so yummy that you meat lovers will not miss a thing. There are lots of cruciferous vegetables and also our beloved sweet potato. Oh, and don’t forget all the toppings!!!  I love serving this alongside the Coconut Mango Black Forbidden Rice I posted last week. This curry is so creamy and delicious. Vegan or not, I hope that you will try it!!!   Ingredients:  ½ C pumpkin seeds ½ C red lentils 4 C vegetable stock 2 T coconut oil ½ medium red onion 2 garlic cloves 1-inch fresh ginger 3 T curry powder 1 tsp. Garam masala ½ tsp. cumin 1 C chopped broccoli florets (I used thawed frozen broccoli) 1 C chopped cauliflower (I used thawed frozen cauliflower 1 sweet potato peeled and cubed. 1 can coconut milk Salt and Pepper to taste.   Optional Toppings: Toasted sliced almonds Cilantro Diced cherry tomatoes Microgreens   Directions:  1. Soak pumpkin seeds and red lentils in two separate containers overnight.   2. Strain both pumpkin seeds and red lentils.   3. Using a Vitamix, add pumpkin seeds and lentils and 4 cups of the vegetable stock. Process until completely smooth.  Set aside.     4. To a medium-sized dutch oven, saute red onion in coconut oil over medium heat, until translucent.     5. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. 6. Add all spices and […]

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger Topped With Peach Chutney

So…I made up this recipe and I have to say..these burgers are awesome!!!  They take many twists and turns but don’t freak out because I am telling you…the flavor combination is on point.  How can you lose with the combination of blue cheese, peach chutney, bacon and arugula loaded on a cinnamon raisin english muffin.  I start missing the flavor of a big burger right around this time of year.    The key to great burgers is the quality of beef that you are using.  I am using 100% grass-fed beef from Riven Rock Farm.  You don’t have to use much seasoning other than salt and pepper because the meat is already so flavorful and tastes incredible standing on its own.     Ingredients:  1 lb.  good quality ground beef (grass-fed preferably) 4 ounces blue cheese 1 egg salt & pepper Good quality Mayonnaise 8 slices cooked bacon arugula peach chutney (recipe to follow) Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins   Directions: 1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until desired doneness (I like mine crispy).  Set aside. 2. Meanwhile, In a medium bowl, add ground beef, crumbled blue cheese, egg and salt and pepper.  Mix together. ( I use my hands for this)    3. Form burgers.  I make 4 burgers with 1 pound of meat since I like large burgers.  If you prefer smaller burgers, you can make 6 instead.  4. Once bacon is done, remove from skillet and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the […]

Fresh Greek Chicken Wraps

This wrap is now such a favorite.  It is a lot lighter than the foods that I have been eating all winter long.  I think it is the perfect spring recipe since all the herbs will start popping up in the garden in the next month.  I have included a great marinade recipe but as a shortcut, you can always use a bottled Greek dressing. (I recommend Primal Kitchen since their dressing is very clean).  Also when it comes to the yogurt sauce you can always use a prepared plain Greek yogurt. I have to say though; the homemade tastes best! Recipe HERE for that.     Ingredients: Yogurt sauce 3 8-ounce containers of yogurt, strained, or 12 ounces Greek yogurt 2 T chopped fresh dill 2 T chopped fresh oregano 3 T chopped fresh chives 1 tsp lemon zest 1 T lemon juice Salt and pepper   Greek Dressing Marinade: ⅓ C olive oil 3 T apple cider vinegar ¼ C fresh parsley 2 T lemon Juice ¼ tsp coriander ¼. tsp cardamom 1 T fresh oregano 1 T lemon zest 1 T raw honey (or to taste) salt and pepper (to taste)   Wrap Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 2 C mixed greens 1 C cherry tomatoes halved ½  C sliced red onion ½ C feta cheese, crumbled 8 Siete almond flour wraps     Directions: 1. Do ahead: Combine all ingredients for marinade except olive oil in a food processor or small blender. Once the blender is going drizzle in […]

Pesto, White Bean and Sausage Soup

  I’ve got another top-notch soup recipe for you!! I am riding the soup train as long as the weather is cold! This Pesto, White Bean and Sausage Soup is super easy and should be enough for 2 meals which makes it a great solution for a busy week.  Take advantage of the lingering cool temps and make some soup as part of your dinner routine. This pesto soup is packed with delicious flavors and awesome ingredients that will heal and nourish your body.      Ingredients:  4 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 sweet potato, cubed ¾ C pesto (I used a jar from Trader Joe’s) 4 C chicken stock 2 cans white cannellini beans, strained and rinsed 4 sausages (I used garlic chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s), sliced 3 C chopped kale Salt and pepper to taste   Directions: 1. In a medium dutch oven, fry up bacon until crisp.     2. Let sit out on a paper towel to soak up excess grease. 3. Strain out most of the bacon fat leaving about a TBS. in the bottom of the pan. 4. Return Dutch oven to stovetop and add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute until soft.     5. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. 6. Add sausage and allow to heat through. 7. Add pesto and allow to cook for about a minute to bring out the flavor.     […]

Herb Baked Eggs

Eggs are one of my all around favorite sources of protein. This one food is a complete protein, a healthy fat and packed with amino acids. The egg yolk, besides tasting delicious, is also full of choline which is a methylator and great at removing unwanted xeno-estrogens from the liver. Which is just one reason among many why I do not believe in leaving out the yolk and eating only the egg white; egg yolks do tremendous things for balancing your hormones! So, eat up and embrace all the delicious ways you can cook with this diverse food. I enjoy them hard boiled on a salad at times, but baked eggs are my absolute favorite. Below is an easy and quick recipe for baked eggs. You can easily throw this together for a little brunch or, for a light dinner, with a green side salad.   Ingredients: 1 T butter, melted ½ C heavy cream 1 large clove of garlic, minced 1 ½ oz ham, finely chopped 1 ½ oz gruyère cheese, finely chopped 4 eggs 1 T finely chopped herbs (I use thyme and parsley)   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 200˚C (400˚F/Gas 6) and put a baking tray on the top shelf. 2. Grease 4 ramekins with the melted butter. 3. Pour half the cream into the ramekins and then put a quarter of the garlic, ham and cheese into each. 4. Break an egg into each ramekin. 5. Mix the remaining cream with the herbs and pour […]

Turkey Meatloaf

I have definitely made many turkey meatloaves over the years but I have finally settled on this recipe as my favorite.  This is a super easy recipe… all you need is one bowl and your hands! Adding the extra oil to this meatloaf guarantees a really moist end result. The other great thing about this recipe is that you can just as easily form some burgers from the mixture and throw them on the grill.  Just as delicious! The show stopper is the bacon. It allows the smoky flavor to penetrate the meatloaf and makes for a delicious crunch in each bite. This recipe is designed to make two meatloaves so you can have leftovers or freeze half.   (Makes two meatloaves, each one serves 6)     Ingredients: 2 lbs. ground turkey (I use organic, free range) ½ C sundried tomatoes in olive oil ¼ C of the olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes ½ large yellow onion chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 roasted bell peppers chopped (I use the jarred version from Trader Joes) 20 Kalamata olives, halved 1 C chopped parsley 3 T fresh oregano or basil chopped ¼ C gluten-free bread crumbs ½ C crumbled sheep’s milk feta cheese (don’t use the pre-crumbled feta because it is coated in flour) 2 eggs 1 T salt 1 tsp. black pepper 6 slices uncured smoked bacon (optional)   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Spray 2 medium-sized loaf pans with olive oil spray. 3. In a large bowl, […]