Sausage Egg Skillet

I love the presentation of this yummy one-pot meal! What do I love even more? How easy it is. Everything goes in the skillet, you cook it up, and serve. Done and yum.

YIELD 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

        4 links sausage, precooked and sliced

        4 to 6 eggs

        1 bell pepper, chopped

        1/2 onion, diced

        5 ounces, cherry or grape tomatoes

        1 medium zucchini, chopped

        2 to 4 large mushrooms, sliced

        1 teaspoon salt

        A couple dashes of black pepper

        A bit of oil for sautéing (coconut is my favorite, but if you use olive oil, just make sure the heat doesn't get too high)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    In a bit of oil sauté onions and sausages on medium/low heat for a few minutes, adding 1 teaspoon of salt

    2.    Toss in peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes and allow to cook until the peppers begin to get tender, 5-10 minutes

    3.    Crack eggs into mixture and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper

    4.    Place baking sheet over skillet (I use my pizza baking sheet) and allow eggs to steam for 4-6 minutes, depending on how done you want the yolks

Cashew Crusted Chicken Fingers

I adore this recipe. I came up with it as an alternative to parmesan crusted chicken fingers. You get all the yummy creaminess without the dairy!

INGREDIENTS

        12 to 16 chicken tenders

        1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour

        1/2 teaspoon salt

        1/4 teaspoon pepper

        1 teaspoon paprika (optional)

        1 cup cashew cream

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    Preheat oven to 350F

    2.    Pat chicken dry

    3.    Spread cashew cream liberally on top of tender

    4.    Combine almond meal, salt, pepper, and paprika and coat both sides of tenders in mixture

    5.    Place in an oiled baking dish (cashew cream side up) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown

Simple Stuffed Peppers

I am such a fan of stuffing delicious veggies with more delicious veggies, and peppers are my favorite. It's easy, so tasty and body-friendly! Here's my basic (but awesome) stuffed pepper recipe. And like a lot of the dishes on this site, there's room for some flexibility with the ingredients. Have some leftover tomatoes? Dice and toss them in. Black olives? Yes, please. Zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, peas... you get it. Just be sure that, if you're adding to the recipe, you make allowances and subtract from the called-for ingredients so your peppers don't end up overflowing.

YIELD 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

        4 medium bell peppers

        1 pound ground beef

        4 cups of your favorite marinara sauce

        1/2 medium onion, diced

        1 stalk celery, diced

        4 large mushrooms (2 chopped, 2 sliced)

        1 tablespoon minced garlic

        1 teaspoon salt

        1/4 teaspoon black pepper

        2 teaspoons coconut oil (for sautéing)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    Preheat oven to 350F

    2.    Fill a large pot (large enough to hold the peppers, nearly submerged) with water - heat to boiling

    3.    While you're waiting for the water, wash peppers, cut tops off and hollow out seeds and white membranes - place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes

    4.    In a bit of oil, sauté garlic, mushrooms, onions and celery until onions are nearly cooked and translucent

    5.    Next add ground beef to veggies and brown thoroughly, seasoning with salt and pepper

    6.    Place peppers into a large casserole dish, shaving a bit of their bottoms if they're not standing upright on their own

    7.    Stir a cup of marinara into beef/veggies mixture and spoon into peppers

    8.    Top with remaining marinara sauce and bake 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are tender

    9.    While they're baking sauté the sliced mushrooms in a little oil, salt and pepper and top peppers when they're done baking

Sweet Potato Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Mayo

I love these so much. Sweet and salty, with a little heat, these guys are so. darn. GOOD. And with a little slather of spicy mayo on each... just yum.

* I mention it below, but it bears repeating - this recipe doesn't make super firm patties, but it does make super awesome ones. Just take a bit of care when flipping.

* Potato thoughts

INGREDIENTS

        1 pound precooked tiny shrimp

        1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (3 medium sweet potatoes/yams or 2 cups mashed)

        1 bell pepper, half finely diced (for inside patties), half sliced (to top salad greens)

        2 tablespoons onions, finely diced

        2 eggs, beaten

        1 teaspoon ground ginger

        1/2 teaspoon coriander

        1 teaspoon salt

        1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

        Red pepper flakes to top mayo (optional)

        Oil to coat skillet (coconut is my favorite, but if you use olive oil, just make sure the heat doesn't get too high)

        6 cups mixed greens

        For Spicy Mayonnaise

        3/4 cup mayonnaise

        1 tablespoon hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    Scrub sweet potatoes and poke a few holes in them with a fork

    2.    Put them in a shallow dish and into the oven, without preheating it

    3.    Then heat to 425F and allow to bake for 45 minutes if they are 2-3 inches in diameter. Add 15 minutes for each additional inch in diameter. After the timer goes off allow them to sit in the oven for another 30 minutes as it cools off (instructions source)

    4.    While they're baking, finely dice the onion and bell pepper and whip up the spicy mayo

    5.    When the sweet potatoes are done, and cooled off a bit, peel and mash in a large mixing bowl, then stir in the rest of the ingredients (except red pepper flakes) and thoroughly combine

    6.    Oil skillet and heat to med/low (make sure burners are heated before cooking)

    7.    Scoop slightly less than 1/4 cup (per patty) onto the skillet and use back of spatula to pat down to about 1/2 inch thick

    8.    Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side and serve with a little schmear of spicy mayo, atop a bed of mixed greens and sliced peppers

Tips:

• Make sure the skillet isn't too hot, or they may end up burning and sticking without thoroughly cooking
• These don't make super firm patties so take care when flipping. And if they seem to be falling apart easily, just make them a bit smaller.

Tuna on Tomatoes

This takes just minutes to whip up, it's yummy and it makes a pretty plate. I know most people have their own recipes for tuna salad - below is mine if you'd like it. And for those who eat dairy, just put a little cheddar or provolone on top and bake for a few minutes before topping with avocados!

YIELD 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

        3 large tomatoes

        2 medium avocados (24 slices)

        16 ounces of tuna (in can)

        3 tablespoons diced pickles

        1/2 stalk celery, diced

        1/4 small onion, diced

        1/4 cup mayo

        Black pepper to taste

        2 tablespoons currants or raisins

        Cayenne pepper or paprika (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    Combine ingredients for tuna salad (all but the tomatoes, avocado and cayenne pepper/paprika)

    2.    Cut tomatoes into 8 half inch thick slices

    3.    Spoon about 4 tablespoons of tuna salad onto each slice

    4.    Top with 3 slices of avocado on each, and dust with a bit of cayenne pepper or paprika

Beef and Broccoli

Ready for a tasty Asian-inspired beef dish? This one is easy, uses just one skillet, and it makes great leftovers.

* If you're avoiding soy, try substituting coconut aminos in place of the Bragg's liquid aminos or tamari.

YIELD 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

        1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 3-4 inch strips

        6 to 8 large mushrooms, sliced

        1/4 onion, chopped

        1 head broccoli, chopped

        1 head cauliflower (for rice)

        Sesame seeds to garnish

        Oil to coat skillet (coconut is my favorite, but if you use olive oil, just make sure the heat doesn't get too high)

        For Sauce

        1/2 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos or gluten-free tamari

        1/2 cup water

        1 tablespoon minced garlic

        1 to 2 teaspoons ginger powder, depending on preference

        2 teaspoons hot sauce

        1 tablespoon honey

        1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.     Dissolve arrowroot in the 1/2 cup of water, then stir into the rest of the ingredients for sauce - this is also your marinade, so you can prepare this the night before, morning of, or at least an hour before cooking to give meat enough time to marinate

    2.    Trim excess fat and connective tissue from beef and cut into strips, then place strips in sauce and refrigerate (once they are cooked I like to cut them into bite-sized pieces - up to you)

    3.    Prepare cauliflower rice and set aside (To keep warm, keep covered in a pan on lowest heat, stirring occasionally. If your stove runs hot and you're worried about overcooking, put in a covered dish and wrap in a towel.)

    4.    Prepare your veggies, oil large skillet and heat to medium/low - pan fry your beef (not the sauce) for a few minutes on each side - careful not to overcook

    5.    Take the beef out once it reaches your desired level of doneness, leaving the drippings in the skillet and toss the broccoli florets and onions in

    6.    Allow broccoli and onions to cook for a few minutes, stirring them until they begin to get tender and then add the mushrooms

    7.    Give all the veggies a few more minutes to cook and then pour in the sauce

    8.    Simmer for a few minutes, until sauce thickens a little, turn down the heat to low, and add beef to warm with the dish

    9.    Serve over cauliflower rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds

Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is the single most husband-requested recipe in this house. It's his favorite, hands-down. And I love it too, not only because it's super tasty, but because I get to clean out all the extra veggies from my fridge and freezer and dump them in. I hate wasting food, and this makes it easy not to. As with most of my recipes, this is a staple in most homes. So below is more of a suggestion, than a strict recipe. Like I said, chop and toss in the veggies you've already got. Or pick up your favorites from the store. Enjoy!

YEILD 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

        4 medium chicken breasts, chopped into small bite-sized pieces

        4 cups liquid (I use a combination of chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium) and water, usually 1:1)

        1 large bell pepper, chopped

        2 to 4 cups fresh spinach

        4 large white mushrooms, sliced

        1 large carrot, peeled & chopped

        1 head broccoli, chopped

        1 tablespoon salt

        1 teaspoon cumin

        1/2 teaspoon paprika

        1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

        1 tablespoon minced garlic

        1 can black beans (optional)

        1 cup shredded parmesan (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    Get vegetables ready and rinse beans in a colander

    2.    Heat broth on medium to a gentle boil and stir in salt, seasonings, and any dense veggies that take a little longer to cook, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc, and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, or until they're beginning to get tender

    3.    Then stir in chicken, beans and the rest of the vegetables, and allow to cook until chicken is done

    4.    Garnish with a little parmesan, hot sauce or guacamole (our favorite!)

Salmon Vegetable Chowder

Rich and satisfying, this chowder makes for such a simple, tasty meal. And a great way to use up leftover salmon (which cuts down on prep time too!)

YIELD 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

        3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

        1 cup water

        1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk or heavy cream

        12 to 16 ounces skinless salmon, cut into cubes (approx 1")

        1 tablespoon minced garlic

        1 medium onion, diced

        1 cup celery, chopped (approx 2 stalks)

        1 cup carrots, peeled & chopped (approx 3 medium carrots)

        1 cup tomato, diced (approx 2 medium tomatoes)

        1 to 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

        1/4 teaspoon pepper

        1 teaspoon dried dill OR 3 teaspoons fresh dill

        1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

        1 lemon (optional garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1.    In a large pot, sauté onions, garlic and celery in a cup of stock (adding more if necessary)

    2.    After a few minutes add cubed salmon

    3.    When salmon pieces begin to cook on one side, give a stir to cook other sides (doesn't need to be perfect) and toss in carrots and tomatoes

    4.    Cook for a few minutes, then add rest of stock, water and coconut milk or cream

    5.    Stir in salt, pepper, dill and cayenne and bring to a gentle simmer

    6.    Allow to simmer until veggies are tender (5-10 mins)

    7.    Serve and garnish with a little squeeze of lemon (optional)