#1,340: Sun-dried tomato and garlic green beans

As you can tell from my posts, I'm enjoying throwing the sun-dried tomatoes into a lot of the foods I eat lately.  It gives it a sweet/salty flavor that I'm really enjoying.  This was so simple to throw together and the beans were straight from my garden.  I'll probably eat this again tonight!
1 lb. fresh green beans 

1T olive oil 

2 T chopped garlic

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c water 

1/3 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Trim both ends of green beans, wash and set aside.  Chop the garlic, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes.  Set aside.

Heat a heavy frying pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, until it's too hot to hold your hand over it.  Add the oil and heat about 30 seconds more, then add the garlic and red onion for about 1 minute, stirring often.  

Add beans and salt and cook about 2 minutes, stirring several times. Then add water, cover the pan, and let beans steam for 5 minutes. 

Uncover the pan and add the sun-dried tomatoes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Add a little bit more olive oil if desired.  

#1,339: Sun-dried tomato tuna salad

Here's a paleo-friendly, non-mayo tuna salad I created for lunch one day.  This was fantastic over salad/spinach leaves, but I'll admit, I ate it on some Ezekiel bread, and it was wonderful.  (That might have been partially because I don't eat bread anymore though, so it was a special treat).
1 small foil packet or can of tuna (I used in water)
3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, diced
about 1/8 c diced cucumber
1/8 c red onion, diced
1/2 tbsp (or desired amount) of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Place in fridge to chill for a few minutes if desired.  

#1,338: Easy Crockpot Meatloaf

This is such a simple recipe you can make ahead of time and freeze.  I threw this in the crockpot frozen and let it cook all day on low and it was done when we got home from work.  I omitted the breadcrumbs and used crushed Ezekiel breadcrumbs instead.  It was a typical crockpot meatloaf...a little soft, but very tender.  We enjoyed this one.  

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c milk
2/3 c bread crumbs
1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey)
Ketchup (optional, for topping)

Mix all ingredients together and form into a loaf shape.  Freeze if desired.  Place in crockpot and cover with ketchup if desired.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

#1,337: Easy Paleo Chili with Veggies

 Last week I made a paleo taco soup, and I was trying to cut back on the sodium, so this week I made a similar recipe but with sodium free chili seasoning and A LOT of veggies.  This is delicious and would be even better served over some zucchini noodles.  Don't get me wrong, it would also be great with canned beans and/or cornbread, but that makes this much less paleo and healthy.  LOL

1 lb ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
½ onion, chopped
1 zucchini diced
2 bell peppers, diced
8-10 baby portobello mushrooms, diced
2+ carrots, peeled and diced
2+ stalks of celery, diced
1+ cups of freshly diced tomatoes
10 oz salsa (your favorite kind)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 packet of Mrs Dash sodium-free chili powder
Salt to taste
hot sauce or diced jalapenos if desired
1-2 cups of water

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the ground turkey and onion and sautee until meat is browned and onion is tender.  Using a spoon, break up the ground turkey into small pieces.  Drain grease if desired.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes. 

#1,336: BLT Bowl

This may not be the prettiest looking salad, but it sure as heck was good!  I made some changes to the original recipe since I omitted the avocado (I was out!) and feta (not eating it these days).  I also added extra veggies that I had on hand.  I loved this salad and will probably eat it again for dinner tomorrow!  :)

Lettuce (I used lettuce from my garden)

1 large avocado (I omitted)

2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes

Half a cucumber

Handful of cilantro, chopped

4 rashers of bacon

Half a handful of feta cheese (I omitted)

I also added sauteed mushrooms, red onion, green pepper

Cook your bacon until it's nice & crispy. While it's sizzling away, chop everything else up into bite-sized squares. Throw it all in a bowl, followed by your bacon (chopped) when it's done. Crumble your feta over the top.

Pour about 2 shot glasses of good olive oil into a cup. Add a shot of balsamic vinegar, a tsp of mustard, the juice of a small lemon and a good sprinkle of salt. Drizzle over your salad.

#1,335: Roasted Carrot Fries

I have to admit, I don't love roasted or cooked carrots, but I really enjoyed these carrot fries.  Next time I'm going to roast them a tad longer so they get a little more browned, but I will definitely make these again.  These were soft and bendy though, so if you are expecting these to be the texture of a french fry, this is not it!

Carrots
Olive Oil
Salt

Cut carrots into thin slices.  Toss with a little bit of olive oil.  Placed on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  

#1,334: Super Veggie Loaded Paleo Taco Soup

In the fall I often make different versions of taco soup, and since the weather was supposed to be in the low 70's this week, I decided it was time to make another batch, but this time very paleo friendly.  So no beans or corn for this batch.  I also wanted to bulk up on the veggies so I thew in just about every vegetable I had on hand!  I am loving eating this!  It is SO good and I've been enjoying eating this for lunch AND dinner.  :) 

1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
several shakes (each) of: onion powder, crushed red peppers, dried oregano, paprika
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups chicken stock
4 oz diced green chilies, undrained
15 oz petite diced tomaotes, undrained
1 zucchini, diced
3 bell peppers (I used a red,yellow and orange), diced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 baby portobello mushrooms, chopped

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and ground turkey, and cook until no longer pink, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.  When the turkey is almost done, add the carrots and stir to combine.  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken stock, and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Turn the burner down to a simmer and continue cooking for about 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.  Serve with chopped cilantro and avocado or guacamole if desired.

#1,333: Green Beans with Cashews and Balsamic

Mmmm....look at those yummy green beans.  The only thing that this recipe needed was more tomatoes, but my garden is over-picked right now.  It was such a simple side dish to serve, and I will definitely be making this again. 

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I used cashews)
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed (about 8 cups)

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is just barely showing signs of turning brown, 30 to 90 seconds. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl to stop cooking.

Meanwhile, add 1 to 2 inches of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer attachment, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add green beans to steamer, and cook, covered until the beans are crisp tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the green beans to the bowl. Add walnuts, balsamic and salt and toss to coat.

#1,332: Veggie Loaded Paleo Turkey Chili

First of all, let me tell you how much I love this recipe.  It is SO good and I love all the veggies that are in it.  Next time I might even put more veggies (like the celery and mushrooms).  This is an excellent lunch and/or dinner, especially if you are doing a no/low carb/paleo-ish plan.  This was outstanding.

However, I had a slight issue.  When shaking chili powder into your pan, make sure it's on the "shake" side and not the "pour" side.  I had A TON of chili powder in mine and it is HOT.  PS...I don't like hot/spicy!  So I added more tomatoes, some water and a 8 oz can of tomato sauce to try and town this down a bit.  It helped, and it's still delicious, but it sure is a tad spicy.  

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey (or ground beef)

1 green bell peppers, chopped

1 yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped  (I omitted)

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 zucchini, quartered and chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 28oz can diced tomatoes (I used a 14 oz can of petite diced  plus about a dozen chopped cherry tomatoes from my garden)

1 4oz can diced green chilis

1 tsp coconut oil

2 TBSP chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp honey (I omitted)
As explained above, I also added about 1 c water and 8 oz of tomato sauce

Chop the zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and set aside 

Next, add the coconut oil to your pot and turn the heat to medium. Throw in the ground turkey and cook until it’s browned all the way through. Once the meat is ready, add your carrots and onions. Cover for about 3 minutes.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in the pot and stir.

Cover your pot and let the chili simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. 

#1,331: Sun-dried Tomato Basil Meatballs

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Holy moly are these meatballs fantastic.  I think I have a new love and appreciation for sun-dried tomatoes!  They may become a more regular staple on my grocery list.  The sweetness of the tomatoes with the saltiness of the ground turkey are fantastic.  I can't wait to eat this for dinner tomorrow over some zucchini noodles!  LOVE, love, love this recipe! 

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper

First, preheat your oven to 350.  Then, mix all of the ingredients together in a big bowl and shape into golf ball sized (maybe a bit larger) meatballs.

I skipped this next step and just baked them in the oven for the entire time (about 25 minutes, flipping once).  Next, heat a skillet over medium to medium high heat.  Once the pan is hot, spray some coconut oil (if non-stick) and carefully place the meatballs in the pan.  Then, brown the meatballs on all sides.

Next, if your skillet is oven safe, cover it with foil and transfer to the oven and cook for an additional 15 or so minutes.  If the skillet is not oven safe, move the meatballs to a large baking dish, cover and cook for a few more minutes until desired temperature.

#1,330: Zucchini Carpaccio

If you love marinated cucumbers, you might love this recipe.  And if you are like me and you don't like marinated cucumbers because they are too mushy, you might definitely love this recipe. :)  I don't like how cucumbers get soft and mushy as they sit and marinate.  I like my veggies crisp.  And although these veggies do get softer as they sit, I cut them into larger slices so they held up better.  I am not a huge raw zucchini fan, but this recipe may have just made me a converter!

3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

Trim off the ends of the zucchini, then slice lengthwise as thin as possible

Place zucchini, olive oil, balsamic and salt in a shallow baking dish (forget that, I thew it all in a bowl). Place in refrigerator to marinate (1 hour to overnight)

Serves 4

#1,329: Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie

I really liked this recipe, but I think I slightly ruined it by putting in some fresh garden tomatoes.  This recipe was SO watery/mushy, and I found myself desperately seeking the slight firmness of the zucchini noodles.  Next time I'm going to omit the tomatoes or get all of the seeds out of it.  I also don't think this recipe needs the egg(s), so I will omit those as well.  Otherwise, it was a really good dinner.  I would definitely make this again! 

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half and remove the cooked strands

1 ½ lbs. chicken breast (I omitted but next time will add some chopped cooked turkey meatballs)

3 tbsp. ghee (I omitted)

¾ yellow onion, diced (I omitted)

2 zucchini, turned into noodles with spiralizer (or use a box grater)

1 ½ cup pizza sauce 

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning 

5 eggs, whisked (I used 1 egg)

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake spaghetti squash face down on baking sheet for 30 minutes and remove the threads once cooled. Lower heat to 350 degrees. Place threads in a large baking dish. 

I skipped this step to avoid the meat/chicken filling:
Heat large pan over medium heat with the ghee and cook the chicken until no longer pink (about 5 minutes on each side). Pull apart the chicken and add the onions. Cook until onions are slightly browned. 

In a small bowl, combine your pizza sauce, seasonings, and salt and pepper, mixing well. Add this mixture and the zucchini noodles and to the spaghetti squash threads.  Add the whisked eggs and mix well.  Place in a lightly greased baking dish.  Bake in oven for about 50 minutes or until the top forms a slightly browned crust that is no longer runny. Let cool and enjoy.

#1,328: Ginger-Garlic Roasted Chicken

I was honestly a little scared that my family (especially my husband) would not like this recipe.  The idea of serving him chicken that was marinated/coated in yogurt would make him not even attempt to eat this chicken.  So I did what any sneak chef would do....I didn't tell him!  I was sure he was going to catch on and ask what was up with this chicken but he didn't.  And shockingly, we all really enjoyed this dinner!  Even I did, and I'm a super picky chicken eater!  It was a tad sweet/tangy from the Greek yogurt, but it was so moist.  I loved it!  

4 bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves (I used boneless)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 425ºF. Coat large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Using kitchen shears, trim back and rib bones attached to chicken. Combine all remaining chicken ingredients in large bowl. Add chicken, turning to coat. (Chicken can be made to this point 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

Remove chicken from yogurt mixture; place on baking sheet. Discard remaining yogurt mixture.  Bake 30-50 minutes or until chicken is brown and no longer pink in center.  If you use boneless/skinless breasts like I did, 30 minutes was plenty! 

#1,327: Sun-dried Tomato Tuna Salad

I made a few changes to this recipe because I don't really love eggs in my tuna and I omitted the yogurt.  Overall though, I really loved this tuna recipe and enjoyed it eaten in lettuce cups.  This would be great on top of a veggie salad too...or on bread (which I'm not eating).  I loved the sweet and saltiness of the sun-dried tomatoes.  I will definitely be making this recipe again!

1 hard-boiled egg, yolk only (I omitted)
1 tsp vinegar
1.5 tbsp plain yogurt  (I omitted)
1 (5 oz.) can tuna
1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (I used 2-3 tbsp)

1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
I also added some diced orange peppers and red onion
Lettuce leaves/cups or bread

In a medium bowl, mash egg yolk. Stir in tuna, vinegar, and yogurt.  Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and basil.  Mix in tuna and serve as desired (in lettuce cups, in hard boiled egg white halves, on bread/crackers, etc.)

#1,326: Baked Lasagna Style Spagetti Squash

Doesn't that look absolutely delicious?  It was!  And it was healthy and filling, and I cannot wait to eat it again.  I omitted the cheese since I'm not eating dairy right now, but I didn't miss it at all.  I also used fresh ingredients right from my garden.  This recipe could be so versitile, you can pretty much throw in whatever you want.  I added some chopped, cooked turkey meatballs to give it some protein and make it a complete one dish meal.  LOVED it!

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes (I used tomatoes fresh from my garden)
1 tablespoon dried basil (I used fresh basil)
1 cube vegetable bouillon (I omitted)
black pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped (I omitted)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I omitted)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I omitted)
I also added about 4 cooked turkey meatballs cut into pieces (for 1/2 of a squash)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking spray. Place squash halves cut side down on the baking sheet.

Bake squash 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife can be easily inserted. Remove from oven, and cool. Remove squash strands with a fork, reserving the shells. 

Meanwhile, spray a non-stick saucepan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic until golden brown. Stir in tomatoes, basil, bouillon cube, and black pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until you have a medium thick sauce. (I cooked my fresh tomatoes for about 5 minutes). 

(At this point I just mixed the cooked spaghetti squash with my tomato/basil/onion/garlic/black pepper mixture.  Then I thew in some chopped, cooked turkey meatballs and mixed it together). 

I pretty much skipped all of this and just thew it into the shell: Layer each half with a spoonful of the sauce, a layer of spaghetti squash strands, olives, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until shells are full, or until all of the ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until Parmesan cheese melts.

#1,325: Meatball Calzones

This recipe has been sitting on my pinterest board for almost a year now.  I was slightly intimidated by it because it called for rolling out bread dough, and I am NOT a baker.  But this recipe was so simple and my family absolutely loved it.  When asked what they would rate it on a scale of 1-10, 2 of them said 100. A little dramatic if you ask me, but definitely a recipe they enjoyed!  

I dislike this recipe ONLY because it takes some planning (thaw the bread dough, make the meatballs, let it sit, etc.) so it is not a recipe that I will make often (I need quicker meals).  But this is definitely a great weekend meal.  We had enough to make 2 meals out of this...that's a bonus!  (I only used 2 bread dough loaves and about 1 lb of ground turkey for the meatballs). 

Serves 12 (4 slices of calzone per bread loaf):

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 pounds ground turkey or beef

3 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Additional Italian seasoning

1 jar (14 ounces) spaghetti sauce, warmed

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels. 

Reduce heat to 350°.

On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough into an 18-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Spoon a third of the meatballs and mozzarella cheese down the center of each rectangle. Fold dough over filling; press edges firmly to seal.

Place on greased baking sheets. Brush tops with egg white; sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Let stand for 15-30 minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce. 

#1,324: Monkey Muffins

It's been a while since I made a Pioneer Woman recipe, mainly because they are not super healthy or anywhere near a Paleo-ish plan.  But I made some calzones for dinner and had a little bit of leftover thawed bread dough.  So I took to Google to search for a way to use up this dough, when I came across this recipe for Monkey Muffins.  Now, my muffins look NOTHING like the Pioneer Woman's recipe.  Hers are much more carmelized and gooey looking, but I was also looking to keep these a tiny bit healthier for my family.  So I used less butter and sugar/cinnamon and made a simple powder sugar glaze to lightly drizzle on top.

My family loved these.  There was just enough dough left for each one to have one small muffin...a perfect after dinner treat.  Matthew just kept saying "yum" over and over.  Thanks Pioneer Woman for an easy way to use up some ingredients!!

Leftover Bread Dough
Butter
Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
Sweetened, Condensed Milk (I omitted and used a simple powder sugar glaze)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to muffin tins. Sprinkle in sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls.  Place three into each muffin tin. Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle on more sugar and cinnamon.

Allow dough to rise, if applicable, or just go ahead and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle plenty of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each one. Be generous! Allow rolls to sit for a little while to absorb sweet, sticky milk.

#1,323: Crockpot Green Beans

I'm totally in a green bean recipe mood (as you can tell by the number I'm posting recently), so I was eager to try this recipe when allows me to make fresh green beans in the crockpot.  I had very low expectations for this recipe expecting them to come out mushy and over done.  These remind me a lot of canned green beans, except better.  They are slightly more firm and don't have all of the preservatives or sodium.  I didn't like the bacon in this at all, so I picked it out, but it did give it some nice flavor so I will continue to add them again next time...along with some garlic.

I WOULD make this again for my family for dinner...ok, for me as a side dish.  The girls, who like canned green beans didn't love these but it is a great way to have veggies ready for me when I get home from work.  

2 lbs. fresh green beans
6 strips of bacon
1 medium yellow onion, rough chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt or salt to taste

Clean the green beans by snapping off the ends and then snapping longer ones in half.

Cut the bacon strips in half, and rough chop the yellow onions.

Add the green beans, bacon, yellow onion and salt to the slow cooker.

Add enough water to just cover the green beans.

Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.

#1,322: Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins

I had a helper in the kitchen making these muffins with me.  Allison (7) was very happy to help put this recipe together.  She did almost all of it on her own too!  Since she helped make the recipe and since I am not eating muffins these days, I thought I would also let her be a guest "blogger" and give her opinion on these.  :)
"These were good!  It tastes a lot like bananas and I barely tasted the oatmeal.  The banana and chocolate chips mixed together were really good.  If I could, I would eat them everyday."

Final verdict: All three kids loved these, and are already asking if they can have one with their dinner.  I'd say that's a win!  Plus, I like that they are a healthier, protein packed breakfast that they can enjoy before school!!

Since there is no oil in this recipe they are SO hard to get out of the paper liner.  Even with spraying each liner with non-stick spray, some of the muffin stuck to the bottom and sides.  It wasn't too bad, but just be prepared if you are making these to take to an event or serve to guest.  The kids though, didn't mind a bit!

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats (old fashioned or quick)
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup chocolate chips, mini or regular

Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners (spray the liners with spray as well). Set aside.

Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a blender or food processor and process on high until oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full. Optional: sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the top of each muffin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

#1,321: Bacon Roasted Green Beans

There isn't actually any bacon in this recipe.  I know, the name is a little deceiving.  BUT, it does use bacon fat...so it's kind of true.  I happened to be making bacon for another recipe so I happily saved some of the grease to use with the green beans in this recipe.  Although I totally loved these green beans, it really didn't give it much of a bacon flavor, so if I don't have any bacon fat/grease on hand (which I never do), I'll just use some olive oil instead.  The only thing I will also do differently with this recipe next time is to add a little bit of sliced onion and some garlic.

Now if you really want to make these unhealthy but SO good, go ahead and use some of that bacon you were frying up in the first place and add some crumbled on top. Now that would have made for an even better side dish!  ;) 

1 lb Green Beans, end trimmed

2 Tbsp Bacon Fat (melted, slightly cooled)

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 425F. Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

Make sure that your green beans are washed and completely dry. Place them on the parchment-covered baking pan.

Pour the bacon fat over the green beans and add your salt and pepper.

Using your hands, mix everything so that all the green beans are evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the pan.

Roast in the oven on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes.

#1,320: Easy Garlic Green Beans

This was such an easy, delicious recipe that I ate for dinner tonight.  I will definitely be making this one again...and again! I loved that I could cook this one up so quickly.  

1 lb. fresh green beans 

2 T peanut oil (I used about 1 tbsp of olive oil)

2 T chopped garlic

1/2 large yellow onion, cut into slivers 

1/4 tsp. salt

1 T water (plus a bit more if you check and the pan seems dry)

2 T oyster sauce (I omitted)

Trim both ends of green beans, and cut nto 2 inch lengths.

Heat the wok or a heavy frying pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, until it's too hot to hold your hand over it.  Add the oil and heat about 30 seconds more, then add the garlic and onion slivers and cook for 20-30 seconds, stirring the whole time.

Add beans and salt and cook about 2 minutes, stirring several times. Then add water, cover wok, and let beans steam for 5 minutes. 

Uncover the pan and add oyster sauce, then cook 2 minutes more, stirring so all the beans are uniformly covered with the sauce. Beans should still be slightly crisp when they're done. Serve hot.

#1,319: Calzone Dip

Of all of the meals I've made for my family, THIS is apparently the one that they liked the best.  My kids RAVED about this super simple meal.  It's almost embarasing how simple this recipe is.  My kids told me it was so good, I should enter Master Chef.  Uh, yeah right.  Bwahahah.  This would make for a good appetizer, but it was also a great dinner when paired with some yogurt and fruit...I guess! 

2 12" Boboli® Original Pizza Crusts

2 5-oz. pkgs. Boboli® Pizza Sauce

1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese (I used about half of this)

1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded (I omitted)

3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

20–25 slices pepperoni, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 450° F.

(I didn't layer this as suggested in the next step, I just mixed it altogether): In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 pouch of pizza sauce, Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, pepperoni slices, red pepper and black pepper until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a small, shallow baking dish; top with remaining sauce pouch, spreading evenly; and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake alongside the crusts for 10 – 12 minutes until dip is bubbly and crusts are crisp. Cut crusts into 1"x 4" strips and serve alongside dip.

#1,318: Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

This is a super simple, tasty recipe that I found and made for my kids to add to their Greek Yogurt.  I give the kids yogurt and Greek yogurt often, especially since I don't give them many carbs at dinner anymore.  I especially give it to Matthew who is a very picky meat/protein eater.  They all loved this recipe and I've probably made it 3 times now.  So simple,yet so good. 

The recipe below is for one serving and is suggested to be added to an individual serving (6 oz cup??) of plain or vanilla flavored Greek Yogurt.  I tend to use more yogurt than the recipe calls for so that it's even healthier.  In my opinion one single serving of yogurt does not need an additional 3 tablespoons of sugar/sweeteners (nut butter, sugar, chocolate chips).  So alter the recipe as you see fit. 

To an individual serving of plain Greek yogurt, add:
1 tbsp nut butter (we use peanut butter or Nutella)
1 tbsp sweetener (I used a little organic sugar)
1 tbsp mini chocolate chips
1/4 tsp of vanilla