#1,310: Spinach and Avocado Dip

This recipe was so easy to make and I loved eating it for lunch a few days this week!  It is healthy and I loved eating it with carrots and celery.  I will definitely be making this again to take with me for my lunches.  I think the dip would also be good on top of some taco meat (and taco salad). 

5 cups raw spinach
1 Large avocado
1/2 onion
1 - 2 clove garlic, freshly crushed
1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt (I used kosher salt)
1  lemon, freshly squeezed

Optional
pinch organic cayenne powder (I used a few dashes of hot sauce)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until well combined and creamy.

#1,309: Princess Punch (and Summer Bucket List Item)

This recipe was sitting on our summer bucket list so the girls were excited to help me make it (I think they were more excited by the name than the fact it was on our bucket list!).  The kids really enjoyed this punch and I will definitely make it again...especially for a crowd because it makes a ton! 

46 oz can pineapple juice
6 oz frozen pink lemonade
2 1/2 c water
3 (28 oz) bottles of ginger ale
1 quart strawberry ice cream (I used raspberry sorbet)

Mix all ingredients and stir until all frozen ingredients dissolve.  

#1,308: Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps (Or salad...)

I came across a recipe for Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps...I think the recipe is pretty self explanatory.

Lettuce wraps/leaves
Cooked, chopped bacon
Diced avocado
Chopped tomatoes

But I decided to make this recipe as a salad and grabbed some kale from my garden.  I also felt it needed a little dressing so I poured some balsamic vinegar on it too.  It was delicious, but nothing super special.  BUT this is a great low-carb meal that I can prep mostly ahead of time and take to work for my lunches.  (That's win!)

#1,307: Peruvian Grilled Chicken

Typically I like chicken marinade recipes that I can just mix in a bowl and then pour over the chicken.  This one requires heating up the mixture to bring out the flavor and I had a very hard time pouring a hot marinade over the raw chicken breasts and then letting it sit for 8+ hours in the fridge.  So I did not heat this up and just mixed it all together and poured over the chicken instead.  Although this was very good, I think it lost some of the flavor/heat by not heating it up first.  If I make this again, I will heat up the marinade, but then let cool to room temperature before pouring over the raw chicken.  

Overall, my family really enjoyed this recipe though and the photo above was all that was left by the time I got back from the gym and sat down to eat dinner.  :)  That's always a good sign.

juice of 2 medium limes
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (I used honey)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1½ Tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (I omitted)
1 teaspoon mexican chili powder
4 pounds chicken parts, on the bone (I used 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

In a large bowl, combine lime juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and maple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine garlic, coconut oil (doesn't need to be liquid), smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder and mexican chili powder. Heat over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant and well combined. Combine garlic mixture with lime juice mixture and whisk until well mixed.

Use a fork to puncture fork holes into chicken pieces and place chicken in a ziploc bag. Pour marinade over. Seal and massage marinade around until well covered. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Remove chicken from fridge about 30 minutes prior to grilling. Set grill to medium heat. Cook for 32 to 34 minutes (if using bone-in chicken!), turning at least once or until internal temperature of 165F.

#1,306: Slow Cooker Lasagna Rolls

This recipe was so easy to make, and honestly the worst/hardest part was pre-boiling the noodles (I usually by the no-boil kind).  This recipe does not make this a meat filling, but next time I will probably add some cooked ground turkey to make this even more lasagna-y, rather than just a cheese lasagna.  My family really enjoyed this one!

The recipe calls for 12-13 noodles, which I cooked, but then you cut them in half.  I got about 16 roll-ups out of the filling so I had extra cooked noodles.  Of course I couldn't throw them away, so I whipped up another batch of the filling and made and 8x8 pan of lasagna to throw in the freezer.

Also, I under cooked the noodles a little bit since I knew it would continue cooking in the crockpot.  I think that was a good idea.

Yep, I will definitely make this one again.  

12-13 lasagna noodles (Since you cut these in half this makes a lot)

15 oz container ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Italian seasoning grinder

1 cup shredded cheese

2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I only used about 1 1/4 jars)

Cook 12-13 lasagna noodles (depending on what size your Crock Pot is) according to the instructions on the box.

Mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, shredded cheese and parmesan.

Pour one jar of spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker and turn on low. (I did not need that much on the bottom.  I only used about 1/3 - 1/2 a jar)

Lay the lasagna noodles on a cutting board a couple at a time. Spread 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Roll up the lasagna noodles and carefully cut them in half.  Place the lasagna rolls in the sauce in the slow cooker. Continue until the slow cooker is full.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Most of the sauce is soaked up while cooking so serve with more spaghetti sauce.

#1,305: Tater Tot-Chos

I have been dying to try this recipe, even though I can't and don't eat tater tots (or any carbs) right now. Brian was leery of eating this because he doesn't like mixing his foods, so he did not eat this recipe as described.  The girls however, loved this.  If I was eating carbs, I would have loved this too!  It looked so good, even with the girls just eating cheese and sour cream.  There is great potential for this recipe especially if you like traditional nacho toppings such as olives, tomatoes, guacamole, etc.

4 c frozen mini tater tots (I used regular ones)
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2/3 c water
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c shredded lettuce
1/4 c slice ripe olives
1/4 c taco sauce
1/2 c sour cream

Bake tater tots according to package directions.  Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain.  Stir in taco seasoning and eater.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.

To serve, top tater tots with beef mixture, cheese, lettuce and olives, or other desired "nacho" toppings.  Serve with taco sauce and sour cream.   

#1,304: Cola Burgers

A little surprisingly, my family really enjoyed these burgers.  The girls both asked for seconds and Chloe almost never finishes an entire burger. I only had a few bites because I wanted to try it and be able to review it but it wasn't something that was really on my plan so I couldn't eat the whole thing.  This will be a recipe our family makes again!
1 egg
1/2 c cola, divided
1/2 c crushed saltines
6 tbsp french dressing, divided
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
hamburger buns

Combine the egg, 1/4 c cola, saltines, 2 tbsp dressing, parmsaan and salt.  Add the ground meat and mix well.  Shape into 6 patties.

In a bowl combine the remaining cola and dressing.  Grill patties uncovered for 3 min per side Brush with cola mixture.  Grill 8-10 minutes longer, or until juices run clear, basting and turning as needed.  Serve on buns.

#1,303: Chipotle Bacon Sliders

I was for sure that I would absolutely love this recipe, but shockingly I was not a fan at all.  I don't know if it's because I used turkey bacon instead of delicious regular bacon, but it was just too much meat flavor and not enough flavoring in the burgers.  Thumbs down for me with this recipe.  

1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds
2 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil
1 pound ground meat (I used ground turkey)
4 strips of precooked bacon
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking burgers
1 avocado
lime juice
unrefined sea salt

OPTIONAL: a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
lettuce for garnish

To make carmelized onions: Melt the ghee, butter, or coconut oil on medium heat.  Add onion rounds and saute slowly until golden brown.  Push the onions around a bit to make sure they cook evenly.  You can add a tablespoon of water if they begin to stick to pan (20-25 minutes).

Mash together avocado, lime, and salt in a small bowl.  Add optional hot sauce for some heat. Set aside.

Combine ground meat, chopped bacon, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.  Mix to combine.  Form into 9 small patties.

Heat 1 tbsp of fat of choice in skillet on medium to medium high heat.  Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked the way you like it.

Serve over a bed of fresh lettuce.  Top with caramelized onions and avocado.

August Dinner Menu Plan

Back to school means back to freezer cooking!  The last two weeks I've been slowly making my dinner menu for the rest of August and early September, and have also been making as much ahead of time to have ready in the freezer.  As you can see by the list/calendar below, almost all of our meals are super simple ones and ones we've had before.  We also keep spaghetti and breakfast for dinner in our rotation weekly to keep our grocery bill down just a little.  Sadly, I can't/won't/don't eat most of these meals so I've also got veggie burgers, chicken burgers, and taco meat in the freezer for me to pull out as a protein if needed.  And it will be needed since I can't eat the dinner's I'm preparing for the next 3 nights!  I'm ok with that though...staying on my food plan is more important (i.e. weightloss!).

As you can also see I have a few meals already ready for the 2nd week of September as well.  That week Brian and I both have birthdays, so we will probably eat out on those nights, and I'm sure some of the menu items for August will get bumped to another night if we have a lot of leftovers after a particular dinner.  So hopefully I'm ready through mid-September at least! 

Fortunately I don't have to plan for breakfasts b/c the kids eat at school, Brian eats cereal every morning and I only eat fruit.  That makes it simple.  I also have a separate menu for lunches, but that varies by my mood each week and what I have in the house.  Brian either takes a sandwich or leftovers, M eats at daycare (food provided), and the girls will do hot lunch almost every day.  So really I only have to plan lunches for me and that pretty much consists of protein and veggies so no point in making too detailed of a menu/list. 
  

#1,302: Homemade Crockpot Garden Spaghetti Sauce

I  planted a garden for the first time this summer and it is doing very well, especially my cherry tomatoes.  I eat as much as I can, I give away a bunch, but sometimes I still have a ton to eat/use.  So I searched the internet for a super easy way to make spaghetti sauce when I came across this recipe that required me to put everything in a crockpot and then blend it when done.  I didn't even have to peel the tomatoes.  I am loving this sauce...BUT since I didn't peel the tomatoes there are some long tomato skins throughout this recipe.  It doesn't bother me in the least, but this is not a recipe I could give to my family without them picking those pieces out.  So for me, this is a good recipe, for my family, I need to keep searching for another one.

6 cups diced tomatoes, skin left on or taken off (I used large cherry tomatoes and threw them in the crockpot whole, with the skins on...so easy!)
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large red onion, diced
1/4 c fresh basil
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
3-6 oz tomato paste (to thicken sauce if needed)

Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Place all ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until well combined.  If you blend longer it will make a thinner, smoother sauce.

#1,301: Yum Yum Chicken

I hate when I make a recipe with a stupid name.  This is one of those recipes because I'll never remember this recipe since I can't find it without the tag "yum yum."  Although the name is forgettable, this is a recipe I will be making for my family again.  I wasn't sure they were going to enjoy this one because of the "creamy" mixture in the middle, but they loved it.  Allison had thirds of this recipe I think and Brian wanted me to save the leftovers for lunch the next day (always a very good sign).  I used a rotisserie chicken and chopped up the meat ahead of time.  Then I froze the chicken until we were ready to make this recipe (I defrosted it over night in the fridge).  This is such an easy, prep ahead of time meal (at least the chicken part) and then whip together the night you are ready to make it.  

1 to 1 ½ lb. chicken, cooked and cut up (I shredded one rotisserie chicken)
8oz sour cream
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 box Cornbread stuffing, uncooked (Stove Top)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

In 9x13 baking dish, lay chicken in the bottom of the dish.  In separate bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup and sour cream. Spread over the chicken.

Sprinkle the uncooked stuffing over the soup mixture, (note: if herb packet is not mixed with stuffing mixture, top stuffing with herb packet).  Mix together the broth and the melted butter and pour evenly over all.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Family Bucket List: Frozen Olaf Paint

The only thing missing from this "recipe" was the glitter, and that's because I didn't feel like running to school to pick it up.  So I added a tiny bit of blue food coloring into this shaving cream/glue mixture for the kids.  The kids had been bugging us for weeks to make this one, so I'm glad we finally had a chance to get it done.

Frozen Olaf Paint

Family Bucket List: Go to the beach

No explaination needed for this bucket list item.  This was a kid's request, as being on a beach is sort of like a personal hell.  I hate sand.  I hate the feel of it on my skin, the mess it makes, how it sticks to everything....blech!  But Chloe told me "This was the BEST bucket list item!"...so it made the day totally worth it! :) 

Go to the Beach

#1,300:Raw Corn and Zucchini Salad

A co-worker of mine asked if we wanted some freshly picked sweet corn.  Of course I could not turn that down as my kids love corn on the cob.  We have been thoroughly enjoying having it with dinner the last couple of nights.  I wanted to use the corn in a new recipe though too, so I went to my pinterest boards to see what was waiting to be made.  I realized that I pretty much had all of the ingredients for this recipe, and I didn't have to cook the corn (bonus!).

First, I need to make a disclaimer, that my cilantro was bad so I had to omit it.  I love cilantro so I think it would have made this salad better, and next time I will be adding it in.  Secondly, you have to enjoy raw zucchini if you are going to like this recipe.  I DO like zucchini, but I prefer mine slightly cooked, so next time I'm going to sautee it in a pan for a few minutes first.  

Other than that, this salad was really good.  It's should be called "From Your Garden" salad because it was so fresh and everything COULD have been found in your garden...or at least in ours.  :) 

Serves 4
3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
With a sharp knife, cut off kernels of corn.  Discard cobs.  Transfer kernels to a medium bowl.  Add zucchini, lime juice, olive oil and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.  

#1,299: Clean Eating Turkey Meatballs

Oh how I love most meatballs.  This one was really, really good and I've been enjoying eating them for lunch w/a salad.  These were super easy to make too as I pretty much had all of the ingredients on hand.  I will definitely be making these little babies again! 

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey 
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup Ezekiel bread crumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsely, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.In a large bowl place egg and breadcrumbs.  Add spices and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Using an ice cream scoop make meatballs and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Place in hot oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

#1,298: Beast (Paleo) Meatloaf (Weird name...not sure why)

Sorry for the odd photo...I wasn't home yet when the family dug into this!

I have a pound of ground turkey sitting in my freezer and I'm itching to make some more turkey burgers...but I figured my family might enjoy something different for a change.  We haven't had meatloaf in quite a while, and since this one is on my current eating plan, I figured it would be a great one to serve for the family (w/a side of mashed cauliflower!).  The girls and I really enjoyed this meatloaf and asked for leftovers the next day.  Brian however was not a fan and claimed all he could taste was salsa.  I personally would definitely make this again.  He however requests we don't.  :) I say try this one! 

2 lbs of lean ground turkey
1 cup all natural mild salsa
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I used Ezekiel bread)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Press mixture into 9x15 inch loaf pan. 

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into 8 slices and serve garnished with parsley.

#1,297: Cucumber Noodles with Spicy Sesame Soy Dressing

Here's what I love about this recipe: it's a different spin in a "salad", you can make most of it in advance, and it once you have all the dressing ingredients on hand, you pretty much might always have everything on hand (I almost always have carrots in the house...cucumber might be the only thing I would need to get).

Although this recipe was good, it had way too much dressing (my error on pouring too much) so between the excess dressing and the natural liquid draining from the veggies, this was swimming in liquid.  Even after letting it sit in a collander for a while, it was still really wet.  It also needed a texture, like crushed nuts on top.

Would I eat this again, yes...with way less dressing.  Would I make this again for myself....not with this dressing.  Soy is not my friend.  So I need to find a balsamic dressing or something to add to it instead.  I do like the idea of the carrot, zucchini and cucumber noodles though. 

This makes a large salad.  If making for one person (a large salad) I use 1 carrot, 1 small zucchini and half a cucumber w/the seeds removed. 

3 medium to large cucumbers
2 large carrot, peeled
I also added a zucchini

For the dressing:
1 clove of garlic
Juice from half a lime
½ tbsp mirin
½ C soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 - 2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp honey
Cilantro for garnish
Red pepper flakes for garnish

(I didn't do any part of this step...I threw it all in my food processor!)  Using a julienne peeler, slice the cucumbers and carrots. Do this by laying the cucumber and carrots down lengthwise and running the peeler across the top of the cucumbers and then carrots. For the cucumbers, once you get near the seeds, rotate it and repeat the process. Place the cucumber noodles in a bowl.

Make the dressing by whisking the remaining ingredients, minus the cilantro and red pepper flakes, together in a jar. You probably won't need to use all of the dressing but you can store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 7 days.

Toss the noodles in your desired amount of dressing and serve in bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and red pepper flakes if desired.

#1,296: Not your ordinary chocolate cookie...Egg-less and Fudgey!

The actual name of this recipe is "Jane's Favorite Chocolate Cookie," but I knew that might not be intriguing enough to make someone want to check this recipe out.  I had my 5 year old eagerly helping me make these cookies.  These were so simple to make and the batter (since it is eggless we tried it) is just as good as the cookies themselves!  These almost didn't make it into the oven.

The cookies do get more of a chewy/crispy texture once baked and cooled, but they have a great fudgey taste.  We loved them!  I made these to take with me to book club, hopefully the girls will like them too. 

This made slightly more than 2 dozen cookies.  I learned a few things about this recipe:
1. spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
2.  These do not thin out when baked so you can squeeze a few more onto each tray.  

3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup flour

1 cup pecans (halved or chopped)

Melt butter, chocolate chips and condensed milk in a double boiler on the stove until smooth and shiny.  Stir constantly and don't overheat.  

Remove from stove and quickly fold in flour and pecans.  Scoop with a cookie scoop onto a cookie sheet, two inches apart.  Let sit for 15 minutes in a cool place.  

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Cool on a rack before eating.

#1,295: Crunchy Paleo Cabbage Salad

I think I may have a new favorite salad/lunch recipe.  I love this recipe because I can buy a bag of shredded coleslaw mix, layer all the other ingredients in a mason jar the night before, and make the dressing ahead of time too.  I took this recipe to my sister's house when I was meeting her and a friend for the day.  My salad literally took me 1 minute to throw together.  It was so simple.  I loved this! And I added some ground turkey taco meat on top for a complete, no-carb dinner.  Delish!  

1 pound cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
½ pound bacon (I used turkey bacon)
2 green onions, finely chopped
½ cucumber, diced
¼ cups toasted, slivered almonds (I used cashew pieces)
¼ cups sunflower seeds (I omitted)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I omitted)
Optional: dried cranberries and/or diced apple

Balsamic Dressing (Makes about 1 cup):
¼ cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon herbs of choice (oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon)
½ cups olive oil, extra-virgin

Finely slice or shred your cabbage, toss into a salad bowl along with the other salad ingredients.

Make your dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.

Toss the salad with the dressing, to taste. Start with less, you can always add more!

#1,294: Grilled Aritchokes

I had such high, high hopes for this recipe, but it was not one that I enjoyed.  The flavor is good, but the artichokes were so tough and I could barely get any of the meat off the layers.  I don't plan on making this recipe again.  :( 

Serves 6 to 8

3 whole artichokes
1 lemon
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
4-6 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil

Fill a stockpot with water — deep enough to for the artichokes to fully float — and bring to a boil.  Trim the ends off the artichoke stems and slice the artichokes in half lengthwise. Set them, cut side down, on a platter or cutting board.

Zest the lemon and reserve the zest. Slice the lemon in half. Crush the garlic.

When the water is boiling, squeeze the lemons and drop the rinds into the water. Add the salt, pepper and garlic. Gently lower the artichoke halves into the boiling water and lower the heat to simmer. Cook until the leaves pull away when gently tugged, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the artichokes over halfway through.

Remove the artichokes with tongs and drain on a towel. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the fuzzy choke and brush the cut side with olive oil. Place them cut-side down on a pre-heated grill and cook about 3 minutes, until grill-marks form.