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, […]

    This Shrimp Pad Thai is a dish that my daughter, Madelyn, and I put made on one of those special nights of cooking together. I think we were both thrilled with how it turned out! If you love a good Pad Thai then this recipe is for you.  It is easy and you can really use any source of protein you would like.  Make tonight special You will not be disappointed!     Sauce Ingredients: 4 T tamari 2 T honey 2 T fish sauce 2 T brown rice vinegar 2 T Sambal Oelek chili paste   Pad Thai Ingredients: 12 oz. brown rice pad thai noodles 1 lb. wild-caught shrimp, thawed ¼ C butter or ghee 1 T sesame oil 3 carrots, chopped 1 shallot, minced 5 cloves garlic, minced 5 green onions, chopped in 2-inch pieces ¼ C cilantro, finely chopped ½ C basil, finely chopped ½ C roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped 1 lime, cut into wedges     Directions: 1. In a large stockpot, heat water and cook noodles as directed. 2. To make the sauce: mix together tamari, honey, fish sauce, brown rice vinegar and Sambal Oelek in a small jar with a lid. Close tightly and shake vigorously to blend. 3. Heat wok over medium heat.  Add ghee or butter and sesame oil. 4. Saute carrots and shallot until the carrots are tender.     5. Add garlic and shrimp and saute until shrimp is pink in color, about 4 minutes. 6. […]

This is my favorite marinade for grilled chicken. I almost always have these ingredients on hand and it’s delicious and so easy to prepare ahead of time. I usually incorporate some kind of marinated chicken into my meal prep because it’s incredibly versatile. I can top salads, quinoa bowls and tacos with this chicken. This is also a terrific place to start if you’ve never made your own marinades before because I know that it can be intimidating. However, it’s so important for me to know what’s going into my food and jarred marinades often have hidden sugars, salt and preservatives. You don’t need to compromise quality ingredients for flavor. For me, preparation is always key to stay on track with clean eating. Cheers friends, enjoy this healthy, fresh and delicious marinade all summer! Marinade Ingredients: ½ C of cilantro ⅓ C fresh squeezed orange juice Zest of ½ orange 6 T olive oil Juice of one lime 4 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp salt 6 boneless chicken breasts In a glass container, marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Grill about 4 to 6 minutes on each side or when the thermometer reaches 165. Let rest for 10 minutes then slice against the grain. Enjoy!             © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

  This recipe is so incredibly nourishing and it is so good if you struggle with any type of inflammation! It is delicious while being easy to digest.  Mung beans are amongst the easiest of beans to digest so I highly recommend them.  The fig and cashew quinoa is the perfect base and I love the toppings of cashews, yogurt or feta cheese to give more protein and healthy fat!  If you are vegan just leave out the cheese. This recipe can be modified to fit your specific tastes and needs!      Ingredients for the Dahl:  1 C mung beans (lentils are a great replacement) 1 ½ T ghee 2 Thai chilies seeded and finely minced (optional) 1-inch fresh ginger 2 tsp. cumin seeds 2 tsp. mustard seeds ½ tsp. coriander 1 ½ tsp. turmeric ½ tsp. pepper Pinch of cloves 1 C chopped spring onions 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 4 C vegetable/ chicken stock 2 C finely chopped greens (kale, swiss chard, spinach) 1 T lemon zest Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp. salt   Directions:  1. Soak mung beans for 24 hours then drain and rinse. 2. In a dutch oven over medium heat, melt ghee.   3. Add chili’s, ginger, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric, pepper and cloves.  Saute until mustard seeds begin to pop.  Toss in spring onions, sauteing for a few minutes until onions start to wilt.  Sprinkle in garlic and saute for an additional minute.     4. Add mung beans and […]

Every once in a while I enjoy making a meatless dinner, especially with a recipe as packed with flavor as this one. I like to make these when I need to use up some veggies in my fridge, or for a meatless Monday dinner after the weekend. This recipe is gluten-free as well and the cakes can easily be made bigger for burgers. It’s a perfect dish for spring and summer, especially on those hot days when you don’t feel like eating a lot of meat. Did I mention that this remoulade goes great on just about anything? It’s delish. Eat up friends and enjoy food that makes you feel great! Jalapeno Cilantro Remoulade ½ C strained plain greek yogurt 2 tsp fresh lime juice 1 small jalapeoño, minced 1 T cilantro, chopped Salt to taste Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to eat Black Bean Cakes Ingredients: 2 T olive oil, divided 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced 1 C shredded sweet potato 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ C almond meal ½ C chopped cilantro 1 T ground cumin 2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed salt and black pepper to taste Directions: 1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. 2. Saute green onions and bell peppers until softened, about 1 minute. 3. Stir in garlic, 2 diced jalapenos, and cumin; cook […]

  I don’t want you to be overwhelmed by all the steps it takes to make this dish.  None of the steps are difficult and there should be plenty of leftovers so that you can eat it the next day.  This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. I got the idea from a recipe that I saw in a recent Food and Wine magazine but it did not have all the healthy elements so of course, I had to make it my own.  The dressing is mine entirely and I think it makes the bowl. Give this a try!!! Serves 6 Ingredients: Marinade 3 T coarsely chopped lemongrass 2 T finely chopped shallots 2 T coconut sugar 1 ½ T olive oil 1 ½ T fish sauce (such as Red Door) 1 T finely minced garlic ¼ C Bragg’s Amino Acids ¼ tsp crushed Thai chilies (optional) or black pepper   Spicy Chili, Lime and Cilantro Dressing: Zest of 3 limes Juice of 2 limes 1 T brown rice vinegar 2 T raw honey 1 ½ T Bragg’s Amino Acids 3 T avocado oil 1 jalapeno, seeded 1 handful cilantro Salt & pepper to taste   Noodle Bowls:  2 lbs. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1 pkg. Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodles (such as Star Anise Foods or Annie Chun’s) 1 large seedless cucumber, shaved 4 cups Arugula 2 large carrots shaved or grated 4 green onions, chopped 1 red or yellow bell pepper sliced thinly ½ C torn […]