#1,356: Vegetarian Crockpot Paleo Chili

After not eating too many carbs the last several months, this was a really good, filling vegetarian chili.  I'll admit, I'm actually kind of afraid to eat it because of all the carbs!  It was simple to make and I now have lunches or dinners ready for the next several days.  I've enjoyed this so far...hopefully my body will enjoy having the carbs too.  

1 red onion, diced
1 can organic black beans, rinsed
1 can organic red kidney beans, rinsed

2 medium zucchini, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large can of organic diced tomatoes

1 small can of organic crushed tomatoes

1 packet of Mrs. Dash Salt-free Chili Seasoning
1 can diced green chilies 

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste

In a large slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  

#1,355: Crockpot Brussel Sprouts

My good friend Lora gave me some homegrown brussel sprouts from her garden.  Lately, we've been SO busy that I'm really only in the mood to use my crockpot to get meals going/done faster (read: less time in the kitchen for me).  So I found this recipe as was so nervous to try it.  I really only like my brussel sprouts roasted and slightly overcooked.  I was so afraid the crockpot would turn these to mush!  Happily, they definitely did not turn to mush.  They were cooked perfectly for me, but they didn't have a ton of flavor.  I think I'd have to add a little more Dijon mustard next time.  Would I make these again, yes.  Would I be so happy to eat them that I'd make them again tomorrow?  Probably not.  

1 pound brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Wash and trim the ends off of each Brussels sprout, and cut in half. Toss into the cooker. Add butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3. Stir well to distribute the sauce before serving. The sprouts on the edge get brown and bit crispy on the outer edge. This is a good, and not something to worry about!

#1,354: Southwestern Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Yum, yum, yum!  I loved this spaghetti squash recipe.  The only thing I would do differently next time would be to add some cooked ground turkey to it too.  What a healthy, filling, delicious meal!

1 medium spaghetti squash, cooked and flesh removed (save the shell)
1 Tablespoon olive oil (I omitted)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (leave seeds in for more heat)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin (I used ½ packet of Mrs. Dash Salt-free Chili Seasoning)
1/2 Tablespoon oregano (I omitted)
1/2 Tablespoon chili powder (I omitted)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used about ½ cup)
1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and red bell pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, oregano, chili powder, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté 1 more minute. Stir in beans, corn, half of cilantro and lime juice until well combined. Add the “spaghetti” strands from the squash to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Taste and season as desired.

Set oven to broil. Stuff each squash half with the squash-vegetable mixture and top with grated cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and gets brown and bubbly, 1-2 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve warm.

I took the lazy route and made the recipe this way:
In a large bowl combine the cooked spaghetti squash strands, onion (raw), garlic, diced green chilies, bell pepper (raw), Mrs. Dash seasoning, pepper, salt, black beans, corn (frozen), and cilantro.  Place in a lightly greased 8x8 pan, cover and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue cooking for about 20 more minutes or until the peppers are cooked to your desired texture/consistency.  Remove from oven and serve in the spaghetti squash shell if desired.  

#1,353: Beefy Mexi-Cauli Rice

Minus the carrots, this is what the original recipe is supposed to look like.  Personally I thought it was a little bland, so I added some crushed tomatoes and about 1/2 of a packet of Mrs. Dash Salt Free Chili Seasoning to it.  I think it make it much better!

This (above) is a picture of my doctored up version.  It was much better.  Although I didn't add it this time, I think some added avocado and sour cream would be a delicious topping!

1 Small Head of Cauliflower (grated with a box grater)

6 oz. cooked Ground Beef (I used 3/4 lb ground turkey)

1 Small Can of Chopped Tomatoes with Garlic & Onion (drained)

1 Heaping Tbsp. Chili Powder

Garlic Salt to Taste

1/2 Medium Avocado

Dollop of Dairy-Free Sour Cream

I ended up adding 1 small can of crushed tomatoes and about 1/2 of a packet of Mrs. Dash Salt Free Chili Seasoning

After cooking the ground beef in a pan, add grated cauliflower, tomatoes, chili powder and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes allowing flavors to meld.  Top with avocado & sour cream if desired.

#1,372: Sparkling Cranberry Kiss

I love making new drink recipes when I have company over for book club.  It gives me an excuse to try a new recipe.  This was SO simple to make and personally, I think it's a good fall drink...and would be really good warm too.  :)  Although I don't know what that would do to the ginger ale??  My kids really loved this.  They have been drinking the leftovers all week.  I will probably make this again for them this week.  This was really good. 

6 cups cranberry juice
1-1/2 cups orange juice
3 cups ginger ale
Ice cubes
Orange slices, optional

In a pitcher, combine cranberry juice and orange juice. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale; serve over ice. If desired, serve with orange slices. Yield: 14 servings (3/4 cup each).

#1,370 and #1,371: Dr. Pepper Cake with Dr. Pepper Frosting

The picture that I originally found on pinterest was extremely misleading!  It showed a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  That is NOT what you will get if you make the recipe as directed.  That was fine with me for the cake, but after baking my cake in too small of a pan, it started to cave in.  I knew that I needed to try and find a chocolate frosting to help hide my "hole" in the middle.  But then I ran out of powdered sugar!  (This recipe was doomed from the start apparently).  So I had to add some cream cheese to help try and thicken it up.  It helped a little, but it was still not super thick.  That's ok.  I was making this recipe for bookclub, and I didn't care that it was a little misshapen.  (Sorry girls, but I know you don't care either).  

So below are two recipes I used:  One for the Dr. Pepper Cake and one for the Dr. Pepper Frosting.  To be honest, I need to stop baking altogether because I totally give in to the snacks I'm making and go off my food plan!  Oh well, that's part of life I guess.  BUT that doesn't mean that I need to keep baking/making unhealthy foods for myself/friends/family. 
This was good, and a little dense, but that was probably because I put WAY too much batter in this small pan.  Next time I make this I'm going to try a devil's food chocolate cake mix instead.  

Dr. Pepper Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 10 oz. can of Dr. Pepper
3/4 cups walnuts (chopped)

Turn oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt pan. Mix all ingredients together and pour into bundt pan. Bake for one hour.  Cool completely.

Dr. Pepper Frosting:

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. Dr. Pepper
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 (16 oz.) box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat butter, cocoa and Dr. Pepper and blend well. Stir in powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly and ice cake.

#1,369: Savory Biscuit-Breadsticks

Now these are breadsticks that are SO easy to make and serve at a family gathering, or just for you family/kids for dinner.  I even partially made these ahead of time, so I just had to throw them in the oven about 10 minutes before dinner was ready.  I will definitely be making these again.  I doubled the recipe and made 20 breadsticks for 6 people, and they were all gone at the end of our dinner.  These were a hug hit with my family.

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°.

Make-ahead tip: I did all of this about 4 hours before dinner, place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, covered with foil, and placed it back in the fridge.  I put 20 breadsticks (2 tubes of biscuits) on one cookie sheet. 

In a shallow bowl, mix cheese, garlic and pepper flakes. Roll each biscuit into a 6-in. rope. Brush lightly with oil; roll in cheese mixture (I just sprinkled it on top). Place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 10 breadsticks.

#1,368: Lemon-Pepper Roasted Broccoli

I am always looking for easy, new ways to make my vegetables.  This lemon-pepper broccoli recipe was so simple, especially since I used the pre-cut, pre-washed broccoli florets.  All I had to do was cut the ends off the stems and throw it all in a Ziploc bag to mix/combine.  Delicious...that's what this recipe was!  I loved it!  I will definitely be making this one again!!

1-1/2 pounds fresh broccoli florets (about 12 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided
1/4 cup chopped almonds
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 450°. Place broccoli in a large bowl. Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until blended; drizzle over broccoli and toss to coat. Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Roast 10-15 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with almonds, lemon peel and remaining pepper; toss to combine. Yield: 8 servings.

#1,367:Easy Garden Green Beans

These green beans were SO easy to make and I wasn't sure I was going to like the addition of vinegar with them, but I loved it.  It gave it a nice tangy flavor, but it wasn't too overpowering.  I'm going to be making these again several times this week.  They were delicious.  I'm sure they would be great with the Parmesan cheese on it too, but I omitted it.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I omitted)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)

Set a steamer basket insert into a large saucepan and fill with water to a level just below the steamer. Bring to a boil. Add green beans, and steam to your desired degree of tenderness, or about 5 minutes.

Once the beans have cooked, transfer them to a serving bowl. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar, and Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove garlic slices and garnish with parsley before serving.

#1,366: Stuffed Zucchini Boats (#2)

I found a recipe for ground turkey zucchini boats, but it had a lot of cheese incorporated into it.  Although I'm sure it would be delicious, cheese is not something I am eating right now, so I changed up the recipe a little bit to omit it.  I loved, loved, LOVED these zucchini boats.  I made quite a bit of filling/meat mixture, but will cut the zucchini into boats just before I'm ready to eat them.  Don't get me wrong, I also have 2 of these for leftovers for lunch on Monday at work, but I think these are going to be best eaten hot/straight out of the oven.

4 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise and middle scooped out and reserved.
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped red/yellow/green peppers in any combination
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup of water
1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I omitted)
1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese (I omitted)
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded (I omitted)
1 green onion, sliced thin (I omitted)

Brown beef, peppers, onions and the middle part of the zucchini that was scooped out. Leave “boats” on a sprayed sheet pan.

Add taco seasoning and water. Stir and simmer a few minutes until seasoning is equally distributed.

In a large bowl, add beef, cheddar, mascarpone, parsley. Mix well.  Spoon mixture into each zucchini boat.

Bake 400* for 30 minutes. If zucchini is not done, return to oven and check after 10 more minutes.

Remove, sprinkle mozzarella cheese and return to oven. Turn heat off. Cheese will melt in 3-5 minutes. Top with green onions and serve.

#1,365: Spicy Ranch Ritz Crackers

This wasn't the best picture I could take of these crackers, but I knew if I didn't take it as soon as I took these out of the oven, I was going to forget to do it...and I did!  As you can see from the photo above, some of the crackers were heavily loaded with the ranch mix, and some weren't.  Next time I think I'm going to put these into 2 ziplock bags instead of one whole box of crackers in one bag to try and distribute the seasoning more evenly.  Regardless, these were really good.  They were a little too good because I kept sneaking some off the tray.  I paid for it on the scale the next day too!  These are a tad addicting!   

1 box of regular Ritz crackers (not Ritz Bitz)
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
ranch seasoning packet
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (I used more like 1 tsp)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Place the crackers in a large ziplock bag.  Pour the melted butter over the crackers and shake to combine.

In a separate bowl combine the remaining ingredients and pour into the ziplock bag with the crackers.  Shake well to combine and coat all of the crackers with the ranch mixture.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

#1,364: 15 Minute Lasagna

 The original recipe where I found this, was able to break their noodles into nice, even-sized pieces.  Mine did not break that way!  I even tried cutting them with a sharp knife...I had little lasagna noodles pieces everywhere!  This was so easy to make and my family loved it.  I wouldn't say this is a 15 minute recipe b/c it takes about that long just to cook the meat.  However, if you precook your meat, THEN it would be a super fast meal to get on the table after work or for your family.  I would definitely make this again, and my crew enjoyed it a lot! 

1/2 lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 cup diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb pork breakfast sausage
8 oz (about 10) lasagna noodles, broken into 1/4ths
1 (10 oz) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes (or regular diced tomatoes)
1 cup tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon each
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz fresh mozzarella pearls (I omitted)

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, pork sausage and onion over medium-high heat stirring occasionally until browned. Drain excess grease. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.

Add the uncooked lasagna pieces, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water over the skillet. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes over medium to medium-low heat. Shake the skillet occasionally to evenly distribute the noodles as they soften. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. I skipped this last step:Top with mozzarella pearls and broil for 3-4 minutes until golden and bubbly. 

#1,363: Italian Style Un-Stuffed Peppers

Well this is about my 11th form of a "stuffed pepper" recipe I've posted on my blog.  Can you tell it is one of my go-to meals?!  As I've noted before, I don't actually like the texture of stuffed peppers, so I "un-stuff" mine and add the diced peppers right into the recipe/dish.  I've made stuffed peppers in the crockpot, as soup, as a skillet meal, etc.  All of them are good in their own way.  This recipe was no exception.  It was so easy to throw together and I'm enjoying eating it (over fresh spinach).  Love this paleo-friendly meal!!

2 bell peppers (I diced mine)

1 Tbsp bacon grease or coconut oil

1/2 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

4 small tomatoes, diced (or use 14 oz canned diced tomatoes)

1 lb grass-fed ground beef (I used ground turkey)

6 Fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

2 c Baby spinach, finely chopped (Kale would be good too!)

sea salt – to taste

black pepper – to taste
hot sauce – optional, as garnish
extra basil leaves garnish

Preheat your oven to 375.  Halve the bell peppers and place them in a roasting dish face-down for about 10-15 minutes. Note: You can skip this step if you want to keep the peppers more firm/raw when you eat them (or if you are adding them to the dish diced, like I did).

While the peppers are pre-cooking, you’ll cook the stuffing on the stove-top. Use a large sautee pan or a large pot. Place your bacon grease or coconut oil in the pan and then cook the onions over medium-high heat until they’re slightly browned on the edges and appear cooked through (translucent). You may season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Next add the ground beef or turkey, breaking it up and allowing it to cook through completely. Then add the tomatoes and garlic and allow the ingredients to simmer together for a couple of minutes.  Add the chopped basil and spinach and mix them in just allowing them to wilt.  (I also added the hot sauce at this point, along with some Italian seasoning).

Remove the peppers from the oven when they’re just a bit softened, then flip them over and spoon in your stuffing mixture.  If you would like to eat them at this point, you can go right ahead. Otherwise, place them back into the oven for around 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld even more.  (I skipped this step completely, turned the skillet down to low and let the flavors melt/simmer for about 15 minutes.  I added a little bit of water to the pan (about 1/8 c) so it wouldn't get too dry).  

#1,362: Paleo Beef and Veggie Chili

Yum, yum, yum!  This is so good...and my version is SO hot.  I am not a fan of heat and got a medium salsa at the store (the fresh kind I wanted didn't have any left in mild) so mine is HOT (to me...I'm sure it's still not hot to most of you!).  It is so good though.  I had to eat mine over some roasted broccoli to help cut the heat, but it was still fantastic.  What a great recipe to make to use up any leftover veggies!

1 pound ground beef and/or stew meat (I used ground turkey)

½ onion, chopped

2 t minced garlic

14 oz diced tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) jar salsa

4 tablespoons chili powder (I used 1 packet of Mrs. Dash chili seasoning)

2 cans pinto beans (I omitted the beans and used at least 2 cups of chopped veggies: mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers and spinach)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp lime juice

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least a 30 minutes to an 1 hour (or until stew meat is tender, if using). Top with any desired toppings.  

#1,361: Braided Pizza Calzones

I have to admit, I'm surprised how well this one turned out.  I was extremely nervous this would be a major "pinterest fail," but not only does this look awesome, it was SO easy.  I've been making sure to have the girls help me cook in the kitchen more (hence the picture of Allison) because I want them to know how to cook and enjoy cooking when they are older.  I don't always have the time to let them cook during the week when we are so busy, so on nights like tonight when there isn't much going on, I have been encouraging them to help.  They love it.  :)

My family RAVED about this recipe and there wasn't anything left!  The only thing they wanted changed to the recipe next time was to add pepperoni.  Allison does not like pepperoni though, so that's why I left it out.  I might cut the dough in half next time and make 2 shorter/smaller ones, one with pepperoni and one without.  This was pretty much just a picture I found on pinterest so I improvised a little (as you will see by the red comments/notes below).  I will definitely be making this one again!!  

1 tube of refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 jar (or more) of pizza sauce
About 1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese
Pizza toppings of choice (this time I used a combo of seasoned cooked ground turkey and pork sausage)
1 egg white, whisked
grated Parmesan cheese
garlic powder

Unroll the pizza crust, making sure to keep it pretty much the same size as it comes out of the tube.  You don't want it to be too thin!!  Using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears, cut about 12 strips into each side of the crust, about 2 inches in (see photo below).  Spread a nice layer of pizza sauce down the middle (the uncut part) of the crust.  Top with any desired toppings and shredded cheese.  

Next, alternate folding the strips over one another to create a "braided" look.  (Again, just look at the photo to see what I mean).  Whisk the egg white and brush over the top and sides of the pizza crust.  Top with some garlic powder and parmesan cheese.  

This is a picture of the "braided" calzone before I baked it.  See how simple it is to overlap the strips? 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 18-20 minutes.  Watch it carefully so it doesn't get too brown or over done.  Ours was done right at about 20 minutes.  If the parmesan cheese starts to brown too much before the dough is cooked all the way through, you can tent it lightly with some foil so it keeps cooking without browning.  (I didn't need to do this though!)

#1,360: Cake Mix Lemon Ricotta Drop Cookies

Well this recipe has been sitting on my pinterest board for three years!  I've been trying to make/remove some of my older pins that need to get tried.  I made Blueberries with whipped ricotta and balsamic syrup (which my kids hated) and I had some ricotta to use up.  So when I came across this recipe, I knew it would be a good one to use the ricotta with.  One of my kids hated these cookies, but the other two were more than happy to eat several of them.  One even kept sneaking cookies off the cooling rack.  These would be SO good with frosting added to it, but I didn't want to fuss with frosting this time.  These aren't anything super special, but they are good...and easy to make.  

¼ cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

1 cup ricotta
1 large egg
1 teaspoon lemon extract (I used a few drops of lemon juice)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
Canned or homemade lemon frosting, whipped well (optional) (I omitted the frosting)

Look at that little bugger sneaking
another cookie off the cooling rack!

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Position rack in the middle of the oven and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. (I was out of parchment paper so I sprayed with non-stick spray). 

In a stand mixer beat together butter and ricotta until fluffy. Add egg, lemon extract, and lemon zest and beat until combined and fluffy. Add the cake mix and beat until combined.

With a mini or standard size cookie scoop drop dough onto parchment two inches apart. Dunk scoop into a glass of hot water and shake well after every few scoops when the dough gets difficult to release.

Bake a sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. I used a mini cookie scoop; it might take a minute or two longer for standard sized cookies.

Let sit on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once cool, whip frosting until fluffy and pipe a dollop on top of each cookie.

#1,359: Meatball Stuffed Shells

This is truly one of the easiest recipes I've posted, and even 5 year old Chloe helped put this together. The other night I had some ground beef I wanted to quickly use up so I made these crockpot meatballs, which literally took about 2 minutes to whip together, added a jar of spaghetti sauce on top and cooked on low for about 5 hours or so.  Then I popped them into the fridge until we needed them tonight.  The hardest part of this recipe is pre-boiling the noodles...yep that's the hardest step!  Gotta love recipes like these!

The recipe below makes 36 shells.  I made about 15 or 16 so I only cooked half the box.  More for next time!  I also used homemade meatballs, but you could easily use frozen ones too if you are in a hurry or want to make it even simpler! 

36 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
36 frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (1/2 ounce each), thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Fill each shell with a meatball; place over sauce. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted

#1,358: Radish and Green Bean Salad

This recipe was supposed to go along with the Marinated Grilled Pork Chops I posted a little while ago, but we got busy that night and I never made the green beans to go with it.  I didn't want the radishes to go bad though, so I decided to make it tonight as a side dish for my leftover pork chops.

I threw the diced radishes into the dressing to marinate while the green beans were cooking.  I loved this dish, and the radishes gave it a nice bite, but wasn't too strong.  I would definitely make this again!

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup plus
salt and black pepper
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 small bunch radishes, cut into wedges

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Steam the green beans in ½ inch water until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes; drain. Toss the green beans, radishes, the vinegar/mustard/olive oil mixture, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl.

#1,357: Blueberries with Whipped Ricotta and Balsamic Syrup (WW+ pts included)

Well, I honestly thought my kids would enjoy this recipe that I found in Weight Watchers Magazine.  However, they HATED it!  I can't eat it because I'm not eating dairy right now, but I took one bite so I could at least give my honest opinion on it...and I LOVED it.  It killed me not to finish their dishes!  :(  This is fantastic...but I love ricotta cheese.  If you aren't a ricotta fan, you'll probably not like this one either, but oh goodness give this a try.  

Ingredients: serves 4
WW+ pts: 3

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

2 tsp grated orange zest

2 pints blueberries

Orange zest strips (to top, so this is optional)

Bring the vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; boil until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the ricotta in a mini or regular food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in orange zest.

Divide the blueberries evenly among 4 dessert dishes; top evenly with the ricotta mixture. Drizzle evenly with the vinegar and sprinkle with the zest strips.

#1,356: Paleo Meatball and Cabbage Skillet

I had a severe love-hate relationship with this recipe.  On one hand, it was so good, I couldn't get enough of it.  I was surprised how much I loved this, and may have omitted a few notes of "OOOOH this is SO good" as I was eating it.  However, cabbage did not agree with my stomach and I was so bloated for about a full 24 hours.  I may not make this again because of that...nah, I'll make this again.  However, this truly was the easiest recipe and SO tasty.  I had found a similar recipe that I had intended to try, but was missing some ingredients, so I adapted it and made it easier (in my opinion).  :)  

This makes one really big serving.

4-5 cooked meatballs, chopped into small pieces
1/4 onion, chopped
3 cups of coleslaw mix
1 tsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
½ c or more spaghetti sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

In a sautee pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.  Next, add the coleslaw mix, chopped meatballs, diced tomatoes (undrained), and spaghetti sauce.  Stir to combine.  Add more sauce if desired.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer about 12-15 minutes or until the cabbage is soft/your desired texture.

#1,355: Cucumber and Red Onion Salad (Paleo friendly)

I need to thank my friend Mary for this recipe!  She shared it with me after I posted another recipe last week that was for Marinated Tomatoes and Cucumbers, and although I loved it, I had wished it was without the tomatoes.  Mary came to the rescue and suggested I try this non-tomato recipe next!  I was happy to oblige.  :)   Needless to say, I loved this recipe.  I ate it for lunch several days and it kept great in my fridge (an in my mason jar).  The only thing I would do differently next time would be to dice the red onion much smaller.  It was a tad overpowering for my tastes, but that was b/c of the way I cut it, not the recipe itself.  Thanks for sharing this one with me Mary!!

1 English cucumber, cut into quarters and chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly slivered
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of white sugar (I omitted)
1 teaspoon dried dill
Sprinkle of garlic powder
2 large pinches of kosher salt
5-6 grinds black pepper

In a large bowl add the cucumbers and red onion.  In another small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the cucumbers and red onions.  Let it sit for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.  

#1,354: Easy Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

Whenever a recipe calls for mustard I get nervous that my family isn't going to eat or like it.  Then almost every time, I'm shocked that they had no idea that it was even in the recipe.  :)  These pork chops were so simple to make.  I almost forgot to make the marinade before going to work, but was able to throw it together literally in ONE minute.  My family enjoyed these pork chops, so I would definitely make this again.  

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)
1/3 cup olive oil
4 bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick; about 2 1/2 pounds total) (I used boneless thin cut pork chops)
oil, for the grill
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed, or 1 teaspoon ground coriander

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and ⅓ cup of the olive oil in a small bowl. Prick the pork chops all over with a fork and add to the marinade; turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

Heat grill to medium. Once it is hot, clean the grill grate with a wire brush. Just before grilling, oil the grill grate with canola oil.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and pat dry. Season with the coriander and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest chop (avoiding the bone) registers 145° F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

#1,353: Asian Cabbage Salad

This recipe is SO easy and I had everything prepped and chopped ahead of time, so I literally just had to throw it in a bowl and mix it together just before we ate dinner.  The recipe below serves one so adjust your measurements accordingly.  I don't know if my dinner guests enjoyed this, but I sure did! I loved the slight nuttiness from the sesame oil.  I ate this with grilled chicken...it was a perfect FoodFuels dinner! 

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger 

2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/2 head Napa or Savoy Cabbage (I used bagged coleslaw mix)

1 carrot, shredded

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 green onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

Himalayan Salt to taste

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  Toss with remaining ingredients and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.  Serves 1.

#1,352: Seasoned Roasted Potatoes

We had our neighbors over for dinner the other night and I grabbed my camera to take pictures...they thought I was weird.  I am weird!  Who takes pictures of their food they make.  LOL  I was not offended by their reaction though!  It's normal.  Ha!

This was a great make-slightly-ahead-of-time recipe and I will definitely be making these again for my family or for company.  This would even be really, really good cut into wedges and then broiled to give it a more crispy texture.  Oohh... I think I'm going to do that next time!!

I cooked these in the microwave a few hours before my guests arrived, cut them in half, sliced the little squares into the flesh and placed on a parchment linked baking sheet.  Then I spread some softened butter, seasoned salt and parmesan cheese on top, covered it with foil and placed in the fridge.  When dinner was almost ready, I popped these into the oven for about 15 minutes to finish baking and heat through.  It was so simple.  My family LOVED these, even Chloe who is not a potato fan.  Two thumbs up from our family!!

The recipe below is for ONE serving, but obviously just use more of all of the ingredients.  LOL  So simple to make for a crowd.

1 Russet potato

butter

Lawry's seasoning salt

grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and pierce the potato all over with a fork. Cook in the microwave until the potato is soft all the way through – about 6-7 minutes total, flipping halfway through.

Cut the potato in half, then cut each half into squares. Don’t cut all the way through, just down to the skin.

Season with butter, Parmesan cheese and Lowry’s seasoned salt, then place on a baking sheet under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.