Quinoa Chickpea Salad

 2 cups of cooked quinoa

1 can drained chickpeas

1 cup of pistachios

1 1/4 cup of cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup red onion

3/4 cup mint

3/4 cup chopped mint

3/4 cup feta

1 lemon

Avocado oil 

Salt Pepper

Paprika 

Parsley

 

1 serving

Calories 268

Fat 12g

Carbs 28g

Protein 11g

Sugar 0

Beef Stroganoff

 

2 packages Palmini Angel Hair Noodles

1 cup Bone Broth

1 lb Ground Beef

Minced Garlic

Mushrooms

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Parsley

Thyme

 

Boil Noodles in bone broth (add water if more is needed)

Cook Ground Beef with seasonings and add garlic once cooked.

 Add mushrooms to ground beef and cook until soft.

Add noodles to beef and mushrooms.

 Add ricotta cheese. If too thick, add a little bone broth from noodles.

 

Nutrition per serving (6 total)

217 Calories

11g Fat

4g Carbs

19g Protein

1g Sugar

Sweet Potato Chilli

 

2 1bs ground sausage

1 lb ground turkey

3-4 fresh tomatoes

Chopped sauted onion

Minced garlic

3-4 sweet potatoes

3+ tbsp chili powder

Calories: 350

Fat 26

Carb 11

Protein 20

Dede's Chili

3 Packages Jimmy Dean Sausage

28-32 ounces of Diced Tomatoes

3 cans Kidney Beans

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

Authentic Carne Asada Sous Vide Flank Steak

 INGREDIENTS

2 pounds skirt steak trimmed of excess fat (recipe note #2)

Carne Asada Marinade

1 jalapeño seeded and minced

4 cloves garlic minced

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lime

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

⅓ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Added: Brown Sugar, Onion Powder and Paprika to taste as optional ingredients

INSTRUCTIONS

 In a large glass baking dish whisk together Carne Asada marinade ingredients (jalapeño through black pepper) until combined. Add skirt steak in a single layer, turning to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 8 hours (longer will begin to break down the meat - recipe note #3).

When you're ready to grill: preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill steaks for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once for medium-rare. Remove steaks and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Slice thinly across the grain and serve.

EDIT: Sous Vide at 130 for 3-5 hours.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup wild rice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half and half*
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
2. Stir in chicken stock, wild rice, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Add mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
3. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and half and half, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Stir chicken and milk mixture into the slow cooker. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

NOTES:

*Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.

White Chicken Lasagna

 9 lasagna noodles

4 tablespoons salted butter

4 tablespoons flour

¾ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

4 ½ cups whole milk

8 ounces cream cheese sliced

4 cups jack cheese shredded and divided

4 to 5 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup ricotta

1 egg lightly beaten

½ teaspoon parsley dried or fresh

2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded

3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cook the lasagna noodles in salted water until they reach al dente (follow the package instructions to cook). Drain and set aside.

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the melted butter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is browned and bubbly.

Whisk the mixture while slowly pouring in milk until smooth and combined. Continue cooking over medium heat until mixture reaches a low boil and begins to thicken (6 to 8 minutes).

Add cream cheese and ½ cup shredded jack cheese to the white sauce. Stir, still cooking over medium heat, until cheese is melted and sauce is thoroughly combined. Remove from heat.

Stir the spinach leaves into the white sauce and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and another ½ cup of jack cheese.

In a greased 9×13-inch glass baking dish, spoon a bit of the sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Place three lasagna noodles side by side into the pan. Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and top with ½ of the chicken. Spoon ⅓ of the sauce over the chicken and ricotta and top with 1 cup each of mozzarella and jack cheese.

Place another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining chicken, and another cup of both mozzarella and jack cheese.

Top with the remaining noodles, the remaining sauce, and finally, with the remaining cheeses.

Bake lasagna 30 to 35 minutes or until sauce is bubbling up and cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Remove from the oven and garnish with more parsley, if desired.

Pan Seared Baked Chicken

1. Brine - put chicken breasts in large bowl with salt, sugar and luke warm water. (20min to an hour but no longer)
2. Remove and discard brine.  Rinse chicken and pat dry (important)
3. Slather with olive oil and then liberally coat in Old Bay or Cavender's seasoning (or your favorite)
4. Preheat oven to 375.
5. Fire up the cast iron skillet on med heat with a little bit of oil to coat the bottom.
6. Sear breasts for 3-4 minutes per side.  You want them to almost get to the color you want when you eat them.  Color won't change much after the sear.
7. Move skillet from stove to oven for about 15-20 min, adding two ice cubes before shutting the oven door (It's OK, just do it)
8. Cook to 160 because you'll get a carryover of at least 5 degrees getting you likely above 165.

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Tacos

This is a nice, easy, one skillet meal for two with leftovers.  Can be easily increased for more.

Ingredients:
canola oil
kosher salt
1 small white onion
1 medium sweet potato
1 pound Mexican chorizo, removed from casing
1 lime halved
2 ounces cotija/feta
2 ripe avocados
corn tortillas


How to Make It
Step 1
Peel and dice onion, cut sweet potato into 1/2-in. cubes. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, potato, and salt and cook until onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potato is just tender, 8 to 9 minutes.

Step 2
Increase heat to medium-high and add chorizo. Cook, breaking up sausage, until cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes.

Step 3
Meanwhile, heat tortillas however you do it. Wrap in foil or tortilla warmer.

Step 4
Halve, peel, pit, and thinly slice avocados; put in another bowl and toss with juice from lime half.

Step 5
Spoon about chorizo-sweet potato mixture into each warm tortilla. Divide cotija and avocado among tacos with a squeeze from the other half lime half.

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 Serrano pepper, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup medium salsa verde
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream

• 3 cups shredded chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
• 8 oz Cabot Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded & divided
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 avocados, peeled and chopped
• 8-10 flour tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute. Stir in flour, constantly stirring, and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro. Remove from heat. Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add 3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add chicken, Cabot Monterrey Jack Cheese, onion and avocado to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with leftover cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve immediately.