Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes

At this time of year it seems like there is pumpkin spice everything, everywhere! So why not celebrate the glorious pumpkin by adding its yummy flavor to yet another delightful treat :) Paleo pancakes are so tasty on their own, but in honor of fall I wanted to try them with pumpkin spice pizazz! If you've ever made regular paleo pancakes before you know that flipping them is the hardest part. You want to make sure to keep the moisture to a minimum because if they are too wet, they will fall apart. So remember, recipes are just a guide--if things seem a little wet you can always use a sprinkle of almond flour to tighten them back up.  Also, I would definitely consider this a paleo splurge...best enjoyed on the weekend when you can linger and savor the sweet flavors!

Best Buffalo Sauce Ever!

No matter how you make your chicken wings: baked, broiled, deep fried, grilled, breaded, un-breaded, bone-in, or boneless, the sauce is the boss! Having the perfect wing sauce can take delicious, juicy wings to the next level. There are so many sauces out there but I like to keep it simple and stick with a classic:  buffalo sauce. In my old age 😉  I tend to steer more to the milder side of things but I still enjoy a nice kick of heat and flavor mixed in. For buffalo wing sauce I like to use Frank's because it works perfectly for this recipe and goes great on the wings. I would say this recipe is about a medium in heat but if you like things 🔥🔥🔥 hot then add less butter. If you prefer things more mild then add more butter, it's that simple. The good thing about this sauce is that it's so tasty you really can put it on anything!

Ingredients 

coats about 14 wings

1/4 cup Frank's Red hot sauce

3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter

2 Tablepoons Brown sugar

2 teaspoons Honey

2 teaspoons Lemon juice

Preparation 

Add all ingredients to a small sauce pot and warm over low heat. Stir occasionally until all ingredients are melted together and sauce is formed. Toss with wings and enjoy. Sauce can be stored and refrigerated.

Meatless Monday: Superfood Tacos!

I'm always looking for healthy, simple, and tasty recipes to serve my family. I've given myself a challenge to make Monday's dinner's meatless. I'm hoping to make something so delicious that we don't even miss the meat, or even notice that it's gone! I decided to start off this week with these sweet potato tacos everyone is buzzing about...so good! You basically just add sweet potatoes to a pot of grains and cook them like you'd normally prepare the grains and what you get is an awesome filling for some amazing tacos. I decided to use a blend of super grains: red and white quinoa, millet and buckwheat but this recipe works the exact same with just quinoa. This super food version is everything you want a taco to be: yummy, filling, and fun to eat!

Ingredients

serves about 4
1 medium sweet potato, small diced
1 cup of quinoa (or super grains blend)
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation
In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups of water, sweet potato, quinoa and salt to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let cook until all liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes). Serve with white corn tortillas and cabbage topping. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Cabbage topping
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

Preparation
In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add cabbage and remaining ingredients. Cook until tender. Serve as topping for tacos.

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini

Summer squash has been really yummy lately. For dinner tonight I made some beautiful zucchini. The colors are just gorgeous when they are grilled and they taste so good. This is a simple and easy recipe that has great flavor and takes no time at all. I used a grill pan but you can totally use a real grill especially if you're already grilling other things. Also, in this recipe I use garlic powder--normally I'm not a huge fan of substituting fresh when it comes to garlic, however in this particular recipe I think it just makes sense. You can cut the zucchini however you want but when grilling I like to cut them lengthwise because it looks so darn pretty.

  

Ingredients
serves about 2-3 people
1 large zucchini or 2 small
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation
Preheat grill pan over medium high heat. Wash the zucchini well then pat dry. Slice the zucchini lengthwise cutting it into 1/4 inch slices. Drizzle the zucchini with olive oil, then sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill the zucchini in the pan over medium high heat for about 1 minute on each side. Careful not to move the pieces too much so they can have nice even grill marks. Remove the zucchini from the pan and top with the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve warm or room temperature.

The Best Cookies Ever!

A few years ago a good friend of mine introduced me to the most delicious gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie clusters I've ever had...and I've been obsessed ever since! Everyone loves these cookies. You can't even tell that they are gluten free! They are so moist (I know, I used the word moist :) and chewy with the perfect amount of chocolate chips, with little bites of walnuts. When I asked her for the recipe, she told me that she got it off the back of a Trader Joe's Gluten Free Oatmeal bag--I couldn't believe it! I found the recipe and it is so simple and straight forward. All you need is a spoon and a bowl and these cookies practically make themselves-- no stand mixer required. I guarantee this yummy, protein packed snack will become your new fav!

  

Ingredients
makes about 48 cookies

1/4 cup salted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of peanut butter (or any nut butter, ie. sunflower, cashew, almond)

3 cups of Rolled Oats

6 ounces of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (or any nut you prefer)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until well combined. Add in baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter. Finally, stir in oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. On a baking sheet spoon out 1 1/2 inch clusters of cookie dough on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool before removing from cookie sheet.

Fruit and Nut Chicken Salad

This delicious protein packed salad is a lunchtime favorite in my house. Its full of juicy grapes, apples and sweet golden raisins. I usually make a huge batch at the beginning of the week and that takes care of all our lunches and snacks for the week (unless we gobble it up the first day!). Whether all by itself or in a sandwich--its so convenient to have this yummy salad on hand. Oh yeah, and its paleo too!

  

Ingredients
makes about 1 quart of salad
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 Tablespoon country Dijon mustard
2 roasted chicken breast, cubed
15 red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 of medium Fuji or Gala apple, small diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tablespoons lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Remove roasted chicken from the bone and cut into small cubes.
In a medium bowl whisk the mayonnaise and mustard together until well combined. Add the chicken, grapes, apples, raisins, and nuts to the mayonnaise mixture. Mix until all ingredients are well coated. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Perfectly Roasted Chicken Breast

This is an easy way to make juicy white meat chicken--perfect for salads, soups, pot pies, etc. or even as an easy main entree. I love set-it-and-forget-it recipes and this chicken comes out golden brown, juicy, and delicious every time!

    

Ingredients
2 split chicken breast with ribs
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a sheet pan lather chicken breast with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for about 50 minutes until chicken is cooked through or juices run clear.

Mason Jar Salads

When I first started seeing mason jar salads all over pinterest, I have to admit, I wasn't interested.  I'm not sure if it was the professional chef in me or what saying: "you're too busy to make a fresh salad??? *eye roll* Smh!" When I became a new mommy, the answer to that question quickly became: "YES! I'm way too busy to do anything, let alone make a salad!"...and now I'm a believer :) Mason jar salads are literally the best thing since sliced bread. It's so practical, time saving, completely customizable, unbelievably fresh and really delicious. The key to success is the order in which you fill your mason jar. I like to use the wide mouth 24 ounce jars. It makes a big salad but the containers are wider and that helps you build a better salad--but any size jar will work. So let's get stacking!

Dressing: Put your dressing in first. I suggest about 2 tablespoons, but it's totally up to you. You want enough to enjoy your salad but not too much to drown it.

Veggies: Next, you'll add your veggies or even fruit. Keep the produce chunky and not too small so that it will be able to handle being in the dressing. Also, you want to put heartier veggies in first like tomatoes or cumbers--they will help create a nice barrier between the dressing and the rest of the ingredients. If you decide to use any apples or avocado, just make sure you rub them with lemon juice before they go into the jar.

Grains and Protein: Depending on what type of salad you are making, this is the perfect spot for some amazing grains. Its a great way to bulk up your salad and add that extra boost of protein and fiber. Quinoa, barley, farro, and millet are great grain options. Next you'll add your protein: grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp are great and beans are a nice addition too.

Fixings: This layer is where you'll put all those yummy extras: dried fruit, nuts, and cheeses--the sky is the limit! My favorites are dried cranberries, pecans, and feta cheese :)

Leafy Greens: The final layer consists of your leafy greens. You want to keep these at the absolute top of the jar as the last item. This will insure your salad stays crisp and fresh. Again, this salad is totally customizable--whether its romaine, arugula, spring mix, or spinach anything will work.

Top it off with the lid and if you stack it right, your mason jar salad should last about 5 days in the refrigerator. When you're ready to eat, just dump it out into a bowl or plate and voilà! A delicious and healthy salad made just for you, by you!

Happy New Year!

Time really does fly and after an amazing year filled with so many blessings what better way to usher in the new year than with a long time family tradition of nourishing the soul with amazing food that's said to bring health and prosperity in the new year. Black-eyed peas represent good health, collard greens represent money and together they make the most delicious meal you will ever enjoy on New Year's Day!

Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients
makes about 6 servings
1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas
1 lb of smoked ham hocks
1 chicken bouillon cube
Lawry's seasoning salt to taste

Preparation
Place dried beans in a large bowl and add enough cool water to completely cover the peas; let them soak overnight. Drain, rinse, and sort the peas. Place them in a large pot with ham hocks, bouillon cube, and add just enough water to cover the peas and pork. Bring to a simmer and cook on low heat for about 2 1/2 hours or until peas are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Pull the meat off the ham hock bone and spread throughout. Serve with white rice.

Collard Greens
Ingredients
makes about 4 servings
3 bunches of collard greens
1/2 lb smoked turkey neck or leg
1/2 sweet onion
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 Tablespoon Lawry's Seasoning salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 cups of water

Preparation
Pick the leaves off the stem of the collard greens and wash the leaves thoroughly several times. Place remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Chiffonade the collard greens by stacking a few leaves on a cutting board, roll them into a cigar shape, and cut the roll into thin slices. Add the greens to the smoked meat broth, cover and cook on low heat for about 45minutes-1 hour until collards are bright green and tender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti with homemade meatballs is my favorite rainy day comfort food. Whenever its gloomy outside or raining, it always reminds me of one of my favorite meals my mother made growing up.We had spaghetti with homemade meat sauce a lot, and living in Florida sometimes it rained a lot too--so I guess somewhere in my brain the connection between the two was made and its been my rainy day craving ever since. I love the sweet smell of sautéed onions, garlic, and crushed tomatoes simmering away. On dreary days it seems like time stands still, which is perfect for rolling out homemade meatballs. For special occasions I will do a beef and pork blend but for my family I always make turkey meatballs. They are so moist and flavorful and taste just as great. So here is my take on simple rainy day turkey meatballs. 

    

Ingredients

Meatballs (makes about 12 meatballs):

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/3 cup red cooking wine

1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 bay leaf

Preparation

In a medium bowl, mix parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, milk, salt & pepper into the turkey meat until just combined. Make sure the ingredients are well incorporated but don't over mix. Using hands roll out mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add meatballs, browning them for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove meatballs from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, add chopped onions and cook them over medium heat until translucent. Raise the heat to medium high and add garlic and then the red wine to deglaze the pan-- getting all the brown bits of flavor off the bottom of the pan from cooking the meatballs. Let the wine reduce by cooking it for about 45 seconds. Lower the heat to low and add in crushed tomatoes, seasonings, sugar, and bay leaf. Stir until the onion mixture is blended into the tomatoes. Add the meatballs back into the pain with any juice that has run off. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the meatballs on low for about 45 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Honey Dijon Brussels

I came across some beautiful bright green brussels sprouts today at the market...definite purchase! I really enjoy these bold little sprouts of flavor. Whether in a salad, deep fried, roasted, shredded, or even grilled--I simply can't get enough of these little green guys. I decided to keep it simple yet flavorful by tossing these babies in a country Dijon mustard and local honey glaze.

    

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1lb. brussels sprouts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon country Dijon mustard

Preparation

Fill a medium sized bowl with ice cubes and cool water to create an ice bath, set aside. In a large pot bring several quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and sprouts to the boiling water. Blanch brussels for about 3 minutes. Remove the brussels from the boiling water and shock them by placing them into the ice bath. After the brussels have cooled, drain and remove them from the water and clean them up by slicing about an 1/8 of an inch off the bottom stem. In a sauté pan, heat butter, honey, and mustard over low heat until melted and well combined. Raise the heat to medium, add the sprouts; tossing them in the mustard glaze until the veggies are well coated and warmed through.

Easy Roast Chicken

When I'm at the meat counter during my weekly shopping trips I prefer to buy whole chickens. Murray's chickens are my favorite. I don't really like to freeze meat so whatever I buy this week, we eat. A lot of times when I buy a pack of chicken legs or a pack of chicken breasts they never last, it seems like I have to cook them today or else!... despite the later "use by" date printed on the package. But I find that my chicken stays fresher longer when I buy a whole chicken and butcher it myself. Butchering a chicken isn't for everyone, but if you are up to it there are a million ways to do it. You just have to find what you are most comfortable with. Although I buy a chicken every week and do all sorts of different things with it, sometimes I decide to just roast the entire thing. Sometimes there is leftover chicken perfect for a salad or a sandwich or something. Just like there are a million ways to butcher a whole chicken, there are a million and one ways to cook it. I find the easiest way to cook and serve a whole chicken is by removing the back bone and laying it flat. The chicken cooks evenly and beautifully. This particular recipe will have your home smelling so fragrant and delicious, people will think you've been cooking all day!

  

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, sliced
2 Tablespoons of flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 3-5 lbs whole roasting chicken
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

      

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan, melt butter, olive oil, and garlic over low heat. Once melted an warmed through, remove from heat and add parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Set aside. Rinse chicken and pat it dry. On a stable workspace with a cutting board for raw chicken and a sharp chef's knife, sit the chicken up on the board. Identify the spine. Starting at the very top of the chicken, slice down both sides of the spine removing the back bone. Lay the chicken flat on a sheet pan. Using a brush liberally place the melted butter mixture all over the chicken. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes before serving.