Dinner

Taco Zucchini Boats

Dinner, Recipes

Who doesn’t love tacos?? These are a great healthy and keto alternative to normal tacos. Taco mix served in a zucchini boat cooked to perfection.

Steps for Success:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Cut Zucchini in half length wise and deseed using a spoon.
  • Season Zucchini with Salt, Pepper, Taco Seasoning and Paprika to Taste and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Place in oven with seed side up for 5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked and then drain grease.
  • While beef is draining, sauté peppers and onions in the skillet until cooked and then return beef to skillet and season with Chili Powder, Taco Seasoning or Cumin, Paprika and diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
  • Place zucchini skin down in a pan or baking sheet that is oven safe, carefully place spoonfuls of taco mixture in zucchini boats and then top with shredded cheese.
  • Bake in the oven at 400° for 10 minutes.
  • Cut fresh cilantro, red onion and lime to garnish with!

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2-3 Large Zucchini
  • ¼ White Onion, diced
  • 1 Baby Bell Pepper (or 1/2 bell pepper), diced
  • 1 Poblano Pepper, diced
  • ½ Ground Beef
  • ½ Canned Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning or Cumin
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Salt, Pepper, Taco Seasoning and Paprika to Taste for Zucchini
  • Toppings: Cilantro, Red Onion, Lime Juice

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Cut Zucchini in half length wise and deseed using a spoon.
  • Season Zucchini with Salt, Pepper, Taco Seasoning and Paprika to Taste and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Place in oven with seed side up for 5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked and then drain grease.
  • While beef is draining, sauté peppers and onions in the skillet until cooked and then return beef to skillet and season with Chili Powder, Taco Seasoning or Cumin, Paprika and diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
  • Place zucchini skin down in a pan or baking sheet that is oven safe, carefully place spoonfuls of taco mixture in zucchini boats and then top with shredded cheese.
  • Bake in the oven at 400° for 10 minutes.
  • Cut fresh cilantro, red onion and lime to garnish with!

Taco Zucchini Boats

  • 2-3 Large Zucchini
  • ¼ White Onion, diced
  • 1 Baby Bell Pepper (or 1/2 bell pepper), diced
  • 1 Poblano Pepper, diced
  • ½ Ground Beef
  • ½ Canned Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning or Cumin
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Salt, Pepper, Taco Seasoning and Paprika to Taste for Zucchini
  • Toppings: Cilantro, Red Onion, Lime Juice

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F

  2. Cut Zucchini in half length wise and deseed using a spoon.

  3. Season Zucchini with Salt, Pepper, Taco Seasoning and Paprika to Taste and drizzle with olive oil.

  4. Place in oven with seed side up for 5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

  5. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked and then drain grease.

  6. While beef is draining, sauté peppers and onions in the skillet until cooked and then return beef to skillet and season with Chili Powder, Taco Seasoning or Cumin, Paprika and diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

  7. Place zucchini skin down in a pan or baking sheet that is oven safe, carefully place spoonfuls of taco mixture in zucchini boats and then top with shredded cheese.

  8. Bake in the oven at 400° for 10 minutes.

  9. Cut fresh cilantro, red onion and lime to garnish with!

Main Course
Advertisement

Tuscan Mushroom Scampi

Dinner, Recipes

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 20 Medium Shrimp
  • 1 Garlic Clove, Minced
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • ½ cup sundried tomatoes, Julian style
  • 2 cup Fresh Spinach
  • ½ cup Baby Bella or White Mushrooms
  • ⅔ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • ¼ Oregano or Italian seasoning
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds. Lightly salt and pepper and drizzle the inside with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet with a splash of water.
  • Cook spaghetti squash for 30-40 minutes until soft.
  • While spaghetti is in the oven, add sliced mushrooms to the skillet with a tbsp of olive oil on medium heat and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly (about 30 seconds) and then add broth, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Stir well to combine.
  • Add broth, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Stir well to combine.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4-5, stirring frequently.  Add spinach and continue to simmer (while stirring frequently) until spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
  • While sauce is simmering, rinse and pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper. Saute in a pan with olive
  • Return chicken to skillet and serve topped with cream sauce.

Tuscan Mushroom Scampi

Spaghetti Squash with a Creamy Tuscan Mushroom Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 20 Medium Shrimp
  • 1 Garlic Clove, Minced
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • ½ cup sundried tomatoes, Julian style
  • 2 cup Fresh Spinach
  • ½ cup Baby Bella or White Mushrooms
  • ⅔ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • ¼ Oregano or Italian seasoning
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds. Lightly salt and pepper and drizzle the inside with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet with a splash of water.

  2. Cook spaghetti squash for 30-40 minutes until soft.

  3. While spaghetti is in the oven, add sliced mushrooms to the skillet with a tbsp of olive oil on medium heat and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.

  4. Add minced garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly (about 30 seconds) and then add broth, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Stir well to combine.

  5. Add broth, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Stir well to combine.

  6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4-5, stirring frequently.  Add spinach and continue to simmer (while stirring frequently) until spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

  7. While sauce is simmering, rinse and pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper. Saute in a pan with olive

  8. Return chicken to skillet and serve topped with cream sauce.

Main Course
Italian
Spaghetti Squash

Chicken Bacon Onion Pasta

Dinner, Recipes

Preparation

  • Rinse and pat dry chicken, salt and pepper both sides.
  • Cut onion into ¼ inch cubes and cut bacon into ¼-½ inch pieces. trim broccolini or broccoli and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Dice or press garlic.
  • Start a pot of water in a large pan and bring to a boil

Start Cooking!

  • Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium-large skillet. Once hot, place chicken in pan and cook for 3 minutes per side and then set aside on a plate. Don’t worry, we will finish cooking it later.
  • Using same skillet, cook the bacon until crispy and then set aside in small bowl.
  • Add onion to skillet and lower heat to low-medium. Cook for about 4 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Add pressed or minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant and then add wine or chicken broth to deglaze pan.
  • Add bacon, water and cream and stir. Turn up to bring to a boil and stir for about 3 minutes, reduce heat, add chicken and let simmer until thickened. About 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente (11-13 minutes).
  • Once sauce is thickened add broccolini and cook for an additional 3 minutes until softened. and pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don’t put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.
  • Once pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don’t put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.
  • Cut chicken if desired and combine pasta with the sauce and chicken. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2-4 Boneless Chicken Thighs (or breast)
  • 1 cup Broccolini
  • 3 pieces Bacon
  • 1 medium White Onion
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ⅓ cup White Wine (or chicken broth)
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • ½ cup Cream
  • 8 oz Pasta (Alessi Premium Italian Pasta Organic Penne)
  • 1 cup Water

INSTRUCTIONS 

Preparation

  • Rinse and pat dry chicken, salt and pepper both sides.
  • Cut onion into ¼ inch cubes and cut bacon into ¼-½ inch pieces. trim broccolini or broccoli and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Dice or press garlic.
  • Start a pot of water in a large pan and bring to a boil

Start Cooking!

  • Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium-large skillet. Once hot, place chicken in pan and cook for 3 minutes per side and then set aside on a plate. Don’t worry, we will finish cooking it later.
  • Using same skillet, cook the bacon until crispy and then set aside in small bowl.
  • Add onion to skillet and lower heat to low-medium. Cook for about 4 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Add pressed or minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant and then add wine or chicken broth to deglaze pan.
  • Add bacon, water and cream and stir. Turn up to bring to a boil and stir for about 3 minutes, reduce heat, add chicken and let simmer until thickened. About 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente (11-13 minutes).
  • Once sauce is thickened add broccolini and cook for an additional 3 minutes until softened. and pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don’t put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.
  • Once pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don’t put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.
  • Cut chicken if desired and combine pasta with the sauce and chicken. Enjoy!

Chicken Bacon Onion Pasta

Chicken in a creamy bacon onion sauce with broccolini and large penne.

  • 2-4 Boneless Chicken Thighs (or breast)
  • 1 cup Broccolini
  • 3 pieces Bacon
  • 1 medium White Onion
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ⅓ cup White Wine (or chicken broth)
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • ½ cup Cream
  • 8 oz Pasta (Alessi Premium Italian Pasta Organic Penne)
  • 1 cup Water

Preparation

  1. Rinse and pat dry chicken, salt and pepper both sides.

  2. Cut onion into ¼ inch cubes and cut bacon into ¼-½ inch pieces. trim broccolini or broccoli and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Dice or press garlic.

  3. Start a pot of water in a large pan and bring to a boil

Start Cooking!

  1. Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium-large skillet. Once hot, place chicken in pan and cook for 3 minutes per side and then set aside on a plate. Don't worry, we will finish cooking it later.

  2. Using same skillet, cook the bacon until crispy and then set aside in small bowl.

  3. Add onion to skillet and lower heat to low-medium. Cook for about 4 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Add pressed or minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant and then add wine or chicken broth to deglaze pan.

  4. Add bacon, water and cream and stir. Turn up to bring to a boil and stir for about 3 minutes, reduce heat, add chicken and let simmer until thickened. About 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

  5. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente (11-13 minutes).

  6. Once sauce is thickened add broccolini and cook for an additional 3 minutes until softened. and pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don't put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.

  7. Once pasta is done, carefully remove skillet from heat and place on a pot holder. Don't put the skillet on our counter. Most counters can not handle this heat.

  8. Cut chicken if desired and combine pasta with the sauce and chicken. Enjoy!

Main Course
Italian
bacon, pasta

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Garlic Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower

Dinner, Recipes

Mashed Cauliflower has become very popular over the last decade with the increase spotlight of the Keto Diet. It is a great alternative to mashed potatoes because it is high in fiber, a god source of antioxidants and has much less carbs and calories than traditional mashed potatoes. However, the texture and consistency of mashed potatoes can be hard to replicate but don’t worry, I have a few tips to help you out.

Cooking the Cauliflower

The first step to making Mashed Cauliflower is to cook it. Most recipes will call for you to boil the Cauliflower head but this adds too much water and can make them runny. To ensure your Cauliflower has a thick, potatoes-like consistency, you will want to steam and then back your cauliflower. Steaming the cauliflower for 10 minutes will ensure it is softened and then baking it at 400F for 10 more minutes will allow some of the moisture to evaporate. Once you have steamed and baked your Cauli, you will the pieces between two paper towels and lightly press down to squeeze additional water out of it.

Mashing

The best way to get the potato-like consistency is to use a processer or a blender. While a mixer can do the job, it doesn’t do the job as well. Assuming you had one large head of Cauliflower, you will want to combine 1/2 cup heavy cream (or substitute), 1-2 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Then put the cover on the processer and process on low to medium speed for 4 minutes.

Thickening

At this point, you have a pretty good side dish but the last step is what will make your Mashed Cauliflower taste more like traditional Mashed Potatoes. Time to cook the moisture out. This step requires your full attention because you do not want to burn your mash. In a medium to large non-stick pan, pour Mashed Cauli in and stir constantly for 10 minutes. If the bottom starts to stick, turn the heat down a little and continue to stir until the mash has thickened and it is a similar consistency as potatoes.

INGREDIENTS  

  • 1 Cauliflower Head
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Fill a large pot up with about an inch of water and heat on high. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Cut Cauliflower into medium pieces and place in pot. Cover and steam for 10 minutes until soft.
  • Drain Cauliflower and place on lined baking sheet. Place in oven on middle rack for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove Cauliflower and place on a plate or cutting board that has a paper towel on it. Place another paper towel on top of the Cauliflower and lightly press down to squeeze out additional water.
  • Combine all ingredients in the processer or blender and blend for 4 minutes on low-medium speed.
  • Once combined, transfer to a non-stick frying pan and heat on stove over medium heat. Stir CONSTANTLY for 10 minutes until thickened.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower

  • 1 Cauliflower Head
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

  1. Fill a large pot up with about an inch of water and heat on high. Preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. Cut Cauliflower into medium pieces and place in pot. Cover and steam for 10 minutes until soft.

  3. Drain Cauliflower and place on lined baking sheet. Place in oven on middle rack for 8-10 minutes.

  4. Remove Cauliflower and place on a plate or cutting board that has a paper towel on it. Place another paper towel on top of the Cauliflower and lightly press down to squeeze out additional water.

  5. Combine all ingredients in the processer or blender and blend for 4 minutes on low-medium speed.

  6. Once combined, transfer to a non-stick frying pan and heat on stove over medium heat. Stir CONSTANTLY for 10 minutes until thickened.

  7. Serve and enjoy!

If you like the garlic to be more mild, steam it with the cauliflower or sauté it beforehand. Raw Garlic can be very potent. 

Mediterranean Shrimp Cauliflower Bowl

Dinner, Lunch, Recipes

Recommendations:

  • Seasoning: My go-to seasoning is from The Spice Lab. Their Spicy Seafood seasoning is amazing and award winning (literally). A good alternative is the Blackened Seasoning as well. If you don’t like heat, you can go with a simple salt and pepper as well.
  • Feta: I don’t think you can go wrong with Feta in most cases. However, the best Feta I have had is the Garlic and Herb Feta from Athenos. The additional flavor it has from the seasoning adds to this dish perfectly. Sometimes I will add a little to the cauliflower while it is cooking to have a more creamy texture.
  • Riced Cauliflower: I like to take the easy route here and buy this premade from Green Giant, I find it easier to cook when I am in a rush and the taste is consistent. However, if you want to make it homemade, the Minimalist Baker has a quick and easy recipe here.

INGREDIENTS  

  • 1 Cup Riced Cauliflower
  • 5 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
  • 1 Cup Spinach
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • ½ tsp Mediterranean Seasoning Italian seasoning works as well
  • ⅛-¼ Cup Feta
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ½ tbsp Spicy Seafood Seasoning or Blacked Seasoning
  • 8-10 Shrimp
  • 8 oz Chickpeas
  • Paprika and Cayenne Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Heat oven to 400°F.
  • Drain chickpeas and rinse, pat dry with paper towel and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with paprika and cayenne pepper (optional). Once oven is heated, place in oven for 15 minutes, shaking half way through.
  • Heat medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Add riced cauliflower, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Mediterranean seasoning and cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring consistently.
  • Add spinach and cherry tomatoes and cook until spinach is wilted.
  • Heat 1tbs olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Season deshelled shrimp with spicy seafood seasoning or blackened seasoning and sauté in pan for 2-3 minutes per side, until shrimp are cooked through.
  • In a bowl, pour riced cauliflower on the bottom, top with roasted chickpeas, feta and shrimp.
  • Enjoy!

Mediterranean Shrimp Cauliflower Bowl

Nutrient packed bowl with Cauliflower Rice, Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, Feta, Chickpeas and Shrimp.

  • 1 Cup Riced Cauliflower
  • 5 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
  • 1 Cup Spinach
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • ½ tsp Mediterranean Seasoning (Italian seasoning works as well)
  • ⅛-¼ Cup Feta
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ½ tbsp Spicy Seafood Seasoning or Blacked Seasoning
  • 8-10 Shrimp
  • 8 oz Chickpeas
  • Paprika and Cayenne Pepper (to taste)

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.

  2. Drain chickpeas and rinse, pat dry with paper towel and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with paprika and cayenne pepper (optional). Once oven is heated, place in oven for 15 minutes, shaking half way through.

  3. Heat medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Add riced cauliflower, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Mediterranean seasoning and cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring consistently.

  4. Add spinach and cherry tomatoes and cook until spinach is wilted.

  5. Heat 1tbs olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Season deshelled shrimp with spicy seafood seasoning or blackened seasoning and sauté in pan for 2-3 minutes per side, until shrimp are cooked through.

  6. In a bowl, pour riced cauliflower on the bottom, top with roasted chickpeas, feta and shrimp.

  7. Enjoy!

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Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu

Dinner, Lunch, Recipes

I have been trying to change up my foods recently and start incorporating new foods or a more vegetarian style diet such as Tofu. It has taken me a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I enjoy tofu but this is one of my favorite recipes. This dish is perfect for a snack, lunch or even dinner. The sauce is pretty spicy but you can reduce the heat by omitting the siracha or just putting less of it in. Let’s talk about the tofu! The key to crispy tofu is to try to get as much water out of the tofu before cooking. To do this you will want to lay down a few paper towels, drain the tofu and then lay the tofu on the paper towels. Then, you will want to cover the tofu with a few more paper towels and let sit for about 5 minutes. Remove paper towel and then repeat one last time.

INGREDIENTS  

Sauce

  • ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • ⅛-¼ cup Honey
  • 4-5 Small Garlic Cloves
  • 2 tbsp Siracha
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Water

Tofu

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ½ block Extra Firm Tofu cubed

INSTRUCTIONS 

Sauce

  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add minced or pressed garlic cloves. Stir until fragrant but do not burn garlic. 1-2 minutes.
  • In a small sauce pan, combine soy sauce, honey, siracha, water and hot garlic oil. Heat on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil and stir consistently until sauce is bubbling and thickened. 5-8 minutes.
  • Once thickened, set aside.

Tofu

  • Cut tofu into cubes so that they are about about 1inch by 1inch.
  • In a medium non-stick frying pan or skillet, heat 2tbsp of olive oil over high heat. Once hot, add tofu.
  • Cook tofu for about 10 minutes turning the tofu every couple minutes until all sides are brown and crispy.
  • Once done, remove from heat and toss in sauce. Serve over a bed of snap peas or white rice, top with sesame seeds and enjoy!
  • Cook on high heat until all juices are soaked in the noodles or evaporated and then using tongs, continue to flip the noodles so that the noodles on the bottom do not burn. Do this for about 10 minutes and then divide into bowls, top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu

Crispy tofu in a spicy honey garlic sauce served over a bed of snap peas.

Sauce

  • ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • ⅛-¼ cup Honey
  • 4-5 Small Garlic Cloves
  • 2 tbsp Siracha
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Water

Tofu

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ½ block Extra Firm Tofu (cubed)

Sauce

  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add minced or pressed garlic cloves. Stir until fragrant but do not burn garlic. 1-2 minutes.

  2. In a small sauce pan, combine soy sauce, honey, siracha, water and hot garlic oil. Heat on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil and stir consistently until sauce is bubbling and thickened. 5-8 minutes.

  3. Once thickened, set aside.

Tofu

  1. Cut tofu into cubes so that they are about about 1inch by 1inch.

  2. In a medium non-stick frying pan or skillet, heat 2tbsp of olive oil over high heat. Once hot, add tofu.

  3. Cook tofu for about 10 minutes turning the tofu every couple minutes until all sides are brown and crispy.

  4. Once done, remove from heat and toss in sauce. Serve over a bed of snap peas or white rice, top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

  5. Cook on high heat until all juices are soaked in the noodles or evaporated and then using tongs, continue to flip the noodles so that the noodles on the bottom do not burn. Do this for about 10 minutes and then divide into bowls, top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Main Course, Side Dish

Summer Shrimp Scampi

Dinner

Summer is almost here! Well, not really but it’s always summer in Florida! This dish was inspired by my best friend’s family. I go up to Maine for a week each summer and a few summers ago Kayla made summer pasta. It was light, garlicy and filled with summer vegetables. This pasta dish is a great change to the basic scampi you might get at your local Italian restaurant and it’s perfect with a glass of white wine.

Recommendations:

  • Pasta – For the pasta, I recommend using the Homemade Fettuccini Pasta from RAO. It’s a thicker pasta that is made of only two ingredients, durum semolina flour and water. The pasta does soak up a lot of water so be sure to fill the pot up and add some olive oil and salt to prevent sticking.
  • Shrimp – Stick with large or jumbo shrimp for this dish. The small shrimp will cook too fast and lose the texture. Take the tails off to make it an easy-to-eat meal for the family.
  • Vegetables – You can substitute the summer squash with zucchini if you would like. The taste is almost the same and zucchini can add some additional color to the dish. Go a step further and add both!

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 4-5 Garlic Cloves minced or pressed
  • 1¼-1½ lb Shrimp Prawns, shelled with tail off
  • ¼ cup White Wine, Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ¼ cup Chopped Parsley
  • 1 Summer Squash
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 8 oz Fettuccini Pasta, dry
  • Red Pepper Flakes optional

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Heat 6 quarts of water in a large pot, bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and olive oil (optional, prevents sticking).
  • Add Pasta to boiling water, stir occasionally and start sauce. Cook for 11-13 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. You don’t want to burn the butter.
  • Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Then add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and sauté for 1-2 minutes on one side and then flip.
  • Pour in broth or wine, add red pepper flakes (optional) and add summer squash, tomatoes, parmesan and cream. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes or until wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through and squash is soft.
  • Drain pasta and add to sauce, stop with half the parsley. Stir to combine and then plate. Top with additional parsley and serve hot! Enjoy

Summer Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi with a twist! Parmesan, cream, tomatoes and summer squash turns the traditional shrimp scampi into a perfect summer dish.

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 4-5 Garlic Cloves (minced or pressed)
  • 1¼-1½ lb Shrimp Prawns, shelled with tail off
  • ¼ cup White Wine, Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ¼ cup Chopped Parsley
  • 1 Summer Squash
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 8 oz Fettuccini Pasta, dry
  • Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

  1. Heat 6 quarts of water in a large pot, bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and olive oil (optional, prevents sticking).

  2. Add Pasta to boiling water, stir occasionally and start sauce. Cook for 11-13 minutes.

  3. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. You don't want to burn the butter.

  4. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Then add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and sauté for 1-2 minutes on one side and then flip.

  5. Pour in broth or wine, add red pepper flakes (optional) and add summer squash, tomatoes, parmesan and cream. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes or until wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through and squash is soft.

  6. Drain pasta and add to sauce, stop with half the parsley. Stir to combine and then plate. Top with additional parsley and serve hot! Enjoy

Main Course
Italian

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Spicy Beef Lo Mein

Dinner, Recipes

A few years ago I went to Echo in Palm Beach, a restaurant that just blew me away with their food. I tried A LOT that night but the one thing that stuck out to me was their Lo Mein noodles because of how spicy they were. After that night I started experimenting with Asian influenced food, which lead me to making my Garlic Honey Siracha Sauce. This sauce is a perfect sauce to go over chicken, noodles, beef, veggies and tofu.

The Sauce

The Garlic Honey Siracha Sauce is a sweet and spicy sauce that I use in almost all of my Asian dishes. It is a concentrated sauce that combines soy sauce, honey, garlic, siracha and water. If you don’t like the heat, you can still make this sauce by skipping the siracha sauce and adding more honey. This will create a sweet garlic sauce.

  • Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.
  • Add 2-3 large garlic cloves or 4-5 small ones. Minced or pressed.
  • In a separate sauce pan, add 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce.
  • Add 1/8 cup honey or 1/4 cup honey for a more sweet sauce.
  • Add 2 tbsp siracha sauce. If you don’t like spice, skip this step or add just a teaspoon.
  • Move sauce pan to stove top and heat on medium-high heat. Add fragrant garlic oil and bring to a boil until thickened. Stirring frequently.

The Noodles

You can find lo mein noodles at most grocery stores in the international isle or the pasta isle. I tend to use KA-ME Wide LoMein Noodles.

Recommendations:

  • Cook Time – You will want to pay special attention to the cook time of these noodles because they cook much faster than your traditional pasta. Once the water is boiling, they only take about 4 minutes to cook fully.
  • Stir – These noodles will stick together very easily so I recommend that you add half of the batch first, stir and then add the remaining noodles. You will also want to continue to stir them while they cook to prevent them from sticking together.

The Veggies

The key to the veggies is cooking them on high heat before you combine all the ingredients. You want the edges of the veggies to be slightly crisp but retain the crunchiness of the vegetable. In order to do that, you need to turn up the heat and reduce cooking time. In a large skillet or frying pan, a wok will do as well, heat the oil up first so it is scorching hot. Then you throw in the veggies. If you have a lot of veggies I also recommend doing them in two batches to prevent them from becoming soggy.

Spicy Beef Lo Mein

Wide lo mein noodles with beef and packed full of veggies.

Sauce

  • ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • ⅛-¼ cup Honey
  • 4-5 Small Garlic Cloves
  • 2 tbsp Siracha
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Water

Lo Mein Veggies

  • ½ cup White Onion
  • ½ cup Red Bell Pepper
  • ¼ cup White or Bella Mushroom Caps (sliced)
  • ½ cup Snap Peas
  • ½ cup Broccoli
  • 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 8oz can Water Chestnuts

Lo Mein Beef

  • 12 oz Skirt Steak
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Lo Mein Noodles

  • 1 Pack KA-ME Wide Lo Mein Noodles
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Assembly

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Sesame Seeds (optional )

Sauce

  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add minced or pressed garlic cloves. Stir until fragrant but do not burn garlic. 1-2 minutes.

  2. In a small sauce pan, combine soy sauce, honey, siracha, water and hot garlic oil. Heat on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil and stir consistently until sauce is bubbling and thickened. 5-8 minutes.

  3. Once thickened, set aside.

Lo Mein Noodles

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and place half the Lo Mein noodles in the pot, stir to break them up and then add the remaining noodles.

  2. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring consistently to prevent sticking. One cooked al dente, drain and lightly drizzle about 1tbsp of olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

Lo Mein Beef

  1. Cut the skirt steak into long strips that are about 1/4 inch thick.

  2. In a large skillet or frying pan, add 1tbs olive oil over medium-high heat and add beef.

  3. Add 1tbsp of the sauce and let cook until cooked through and then let simmer while you cook the veggies.

Veggies

  1. Cut the onion and bell pepper julian style.

  2. Slice mushrooms so that you have about 4-5 slices from each mushroom. Roughly chop the broccoli, cut the carrot into thin slices and drain the water chestnuts.

  3. On high heat, add 2 tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet, wok or frying pan and add all veggies. Sauté until edges are lightly browned or burnt but the veggies are still semi firm and set aside.

Assembly

  1. In a large non-stick frying pan or wok, heat 1tbsp of olive oil over high heat and add noodles.

  2. Flip noodles every few seconds until some of them look crispy.

  3. Add sautéed veggies, remaining sauce and beef with the juices.

  4. Cook on high heat until all juices are soaked in the noodles or evaporated and then using tongs, continue to flip the noodles so that the noodles on the bottom do not burn. Do this for about 10 minutes and then divide into bowls, top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Main Course, Side Dish

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Dinner, Recipes

This dish is such a delicious spring and summertime dinner! Whole wheat penne tossed in a creamy homemade pesto sauce, topped with chicken and sautéed cherry tomatoes.

Tips & Recommendations:

  • Protein – Skip the chicken and go vegetarian or add some shrimp to meet your dietary needs.
  • Pesto – When making the pesto, you can use basil or garlic infused olive oil to give it some extra flavor. Another great idea, that I got from Kellyswholelife – Health Coach, is to add spinach or kale to the pesto. You can do this by either substituting 1 cup of basil with spinach and kale or adding some in addition to the basil. Either way, you will get some extra veggies in the meal and you don’t compromise the taste.
  • Simplify – If you don’t have time to make the pesto from scratch, you can buy premade pesto at the grocery store. I recommend making it from scratch because the flavor is so fresh. However, you can simplify by getting it premade. If you do this, I recommend going for the pesto that is in the perishable section such as Buitoni Pesto with Basil.

INGREDIENTS  

Pesto

  • 2 cup Fresh Basil
  • ½ cup Grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil Optional to used garlic or basil infused
  • ⅓ cup Pine Nuts
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Pasta Sauce

  • ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
  • Salt & Pepper

Pasta, Tomatoes & Chicken

  • 8 oz Whole Grain Pasta Penne (Half of a 16 oz carton)
  • 2 Thin Chicken Breast
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil
  • 6-10 Cherry Tomatoes Halved

INSTRUCTIONS 

Pasta

  • Bring large pot of water to a boil and then add Penne. Cook for 11-12 minutes until al dente.
  • Once pasta is done strain pasta and set aside.

Pesto

  • In a food processer or blender, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and pulse until everything is well combined.
  • Pour in olive oil and pulse until well combined and there are no large pieces of basil, garlic or pine nuts. Avoid over mixing to prevent it from separating and becoming “oily”. Set aside.

Chicken

  • Rinse and pat chicken breasts with a paper towel.
  • Salt and pepper both sides.
  • Heat a tsp of olive oil in a medium pan over medium high heat and cook for 3-4 minutes per side for thin chicken breasts. Time may vary based on chicken breast size.
  • Once cooked thoroughly, set aside.
  • Add halved cherry tomatoes to pan used for chicken and sauté them until they are soft and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside for assembly.

Sauce and Assembly

  • In a medium to large non-stick pan, combine heavy cream and parmesan cheese over medium heat. Wisk until it begins to thicken and bubble.
  • Once thickened, add 3/4 cup homemade pesto and whisk together.
  • Toss penne in the pesto and add to plate, top with chicken and cherry tomatoes and serve hot.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Penne tossed in homemade pesto, cream and parmesan cheese sauce. Served with sautéed cherry tomatoes and chicken.

Pesto

  • 2 cup Fresh Basil
  • ½ cup Grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Optional to used garlic or basil infused)
  • ⅓ cup Pine Nuts
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Pasta Sauce

  • ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
  • Salt & Pepper

Pasta, Tomatoes & Chicken

  • 8 oz Whole Grain Pasta Penne ((Half of a 16 oz carton) )
  • 2 Thin Chicken Breast
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil
  • 6-10 Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)

Pasta

  1. Bring large pot of water to a boil and then add Penne. Cook for 11-12 minutes until al dente.

  2. Once pasta is done strain pasta and set aside.

Pesto

  1. In a food processer or blender, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and pulse until everything is well combined.

  2. Pour in olive oil and pulse until well combined and there are no large pieces of basil, garlic or pine nuts. Avoid over mixing to prevent it from separating and becoming "oily". Set aside.

Chicken

  1. Rinse and pat chicken breasts with a paper towel.

  2. Salt and pepper both sides.

  3. Heat a tsp of olive oil in a medium pan over medium high heat and cook for 3-4 minutes per side for thin chicken breasts. Time may vary based on chicken breast size.

  4. Once cooked thoroughly, set aside.

  5. Add halved cherry tomatoes to pan used for chicken and sauté them until they are soft and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside for assembly.

Sauce and Assembly

  1. In a medium to large non-stick pan, combine heavy cream and parmesan cheese over medium heat. Wisk until it begins to thicken and bubble.

  2. Once thickened, add 3/4 cup homemade pesto and whisk together.

  3. Toss penne in the pesto and add to plate, top with chicken and cherry tomatoes and serve hot.

Main Course
Italian
pasta, pesto

Check out our other recipes below or partner this dish with my garlic pull apart bread.

Mexican Skillet Lasagna

Dinner, Recipes

This Mexican Skillet Lasagna is an easy recipe packed full of fiber, protein and veggies. You can turn up the heat with some jalapenos and hot sauce or tone it down by changing out some of the ingredients. Top with homemade Pico and a side of sour cream. Enjoy!

Ingredient Recommendations

  • Enchilada Sauce – I like to use Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce because it is a medium heat sauce. However, you can substitute with mild or even green enchilada sauce. I prefer the taste of the red sauce because I think it adds additional flavor.
  • Tortillas – My go to tortilla is either the Ole Xtreme Wellness Wraps that are keto friendly, high in fiber and low in net carbs or Mission Carb Balance Tortilla Wraps. You will want to choose a wrap that is slightly larger than the skillet. This will allow the edges to fold up and keep the sauce on each layer. If the wraps are too small then the layers will fall out on the sides.
  • Seasoning – You can use Taco or Mexican seasoning. A few that I like are Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, Ortega Low Sodium Taco Seasoning or if you are going for a low sodium, low carb and allergen friendly seasoning you can order FlavorGod Taco Tuesday Seasoning.

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2 Chicken Breast
  • ½ Red Bell Pepper
  • ½ Green Bell Pepper
  • ½ White Onion
  • 1 10oz Can Red Enchilada Sauce
  • 1½ Cup Mixed Cheese, Mozzarella or Mexican
  • 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
  • 1 Jalapeno
  • 1 8oz Can Black Beans
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 4 Tortillas
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Pico

  • ¼ Red Onion diced
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro roughly chopped
  • ½ Lime juiced

Optional

  • Sour Cream

INSTRUCTIONS 

Preparation

  • Heat oven to 400°F
  • Rinse black beans and set aside.
  • Cut chicken breast in half so that you have 4 pieces, bring a pot of water to a boil and place chicken breast in boiling water until cooked through.
  • While chicken is cooking, thinly slice the peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, place sliced peppers and onions in pan and saute for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened. Set aside and let cool.
  • Once peppers and onions are cool, take ¼ of the peppers and onions and roughly chop them and place in a large mixing bowl. Save the rest of the peppers and onions for assembly.
  • Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken from hot water, carefully, and place in the mixing bowl with roughly chopped peppers and onions and add 1 tbsp of taco seasoning. Shred by using a mixer or if you don’t have a mixer, you can shred chicken using forks by pulling the forks in the opposite direction.

Assembly

  • In a medium to large skillet, drizzle one tbsp of olive oil and spread around to ensure that the lasagna doesn’t stick.
  • Add tortilla to oiled skillet and then put half of the chicken mixture on tortilla with 1/4 cup of cheese and 1/4 can of enchilada sauce.
  • Top with tortilla.
  • On second tortilla, spread the entire can of black beans on the tortilla and add about 1 cup of peppers and onions, 1/4 cup cheese
  • Top with tortilla.
  • On third layer, add remaining chicken mixture with 1/4 cup of cheese and top with final tortilla.
  • Cut a few holes in the top of the final tortilla, cover with remaining enchilada sauce, 1tbsp taco seasoning and remaining cheese. Add sliced Jalapenos for heat and aesthetics and place in oven for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Pico

  • Dice red onion, cilantro and half lime.
  • Mix onion, cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Mexican Skillet Lasagna

Chicken Mexican Lasagna with peppers, onions, cheese, jalapenos and chicken!

  • 2 Chicken Breast
  • ½ Red Bell Pepper
  • ½ Green Bell Pepper
  • ½ White Onion
  • 1 10oz Can Red Enchilada Sauce
  • 1½ Cup Mixed Cheese, Mozzarella or Mexican
  • 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
  • 1 Jalapeno
  • 1 8oz Can Black Beans
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 4 Tortillas
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Pico

  • ¼ Red Onion (diced)
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • ½ Lime (juiced)

Optional

  • Sour Cream

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 400°F

  2. Rinse black beans and set aside.

  3. Cut chicken breast in half so that you have 4 pieces, bring a pot of water to a boil and place chicken breast in boiling water until cooked through.

  4. While chicken is cooking, thinly slice the peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper.

  5. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, place sliced peppers and onions in pan and saute for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened. Set aside and let cool.

  6. Once peppers and onions are cool, take ¼ of the peppers and onions and roughly chop them and place in a large mixing bowl. Save the rest of the peppers and onions for assembly.

  7. Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken from hot water, carefully, and place in the mixing bowl with roughly chopped peppers and onions and add 1 tbsp of taco seasoning. Shred by using a mixer or if you don't have a mixer, you can shred chicken using forks by pulling the forks in the opposite direction.

Assembly

  1. In a medium to large skillet, drizzle one tbsp of olive oil and spread around to ensure that the lasagna doesn't stick.

  2. Add tortilla to oiled skillet and then put half of the chicken mixture on tortilla with 1/4 cup of cheese and 1/4 can of enchilada sauce.

  3. Top with tortilla.

  4. On second tortilla, spread the entire can of black beans on the tortilla and add about 1 cup of peppers and onions, 1/4 cup cheese

  5. Top with tortilla.

  6. On third layer, add remaining chicken mixture with 1/4 cup of cheese and top with final tortilla.

  7. Cut a few holes in the top of the final tortilla, cover with remaining enchilada sauce, 1tbsp taco seasoning and remaining cheese. Add sliced Jalapenos for heat and aesthetics and place in oven for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Pico

  1. Dice red onion, cilantro and half lime.

  2. Mix onion, cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Main Course
Mexican