Recipe: Chimichurri Steak

Compliments of Eileen from PaleoSimplified.com

Serving Size: 3-4

Chimichurri Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• ½ tsp. sea salt

• 2 cloves garlic

• ½ tsp. cumin powder

• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

For the Steak:

• 2 boneless rib-eye steaks (8 ounces each)

• 1 TB balsamic vinegar

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to season

Chimichurri Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Steak Directions:

Let steaks sit out for about 30 minutes to bring to room temperature before cooking. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and just enough olive oil to coat.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip the steaks and cook an additional 5-6 minutes. Avoid moving the steaks around in the pan while cooking. Remove from the pan, and let rest about 5 minutes. Slice the meat in thin strips and drizzle with the chimichurri sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Canva - EzumeImages from Getty Images

Recipe: Sesame Crusted Turkey

Serving Size: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. organic turkey loin

• 1.5 oz. toasted sesame seeds

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. lemon pepper

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

• 1 pinch salt

• 1TB extra virgin olive oil

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix the sesame seeds, cumin, and lemon pepper together in a large bowl. Also- preheat a sauté pan to medium-high.

Season the turkey with 1/4 tsp. salt. Dip the turkey the egg allowing the excess egg to drip off. Finish by coating it completely with sesame seeds.

Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the sauté pan and sear crusted turkey for 1-2 minutes each side until crispy and golden. Place in a glass baking dish. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until internal temp 150°F. Let rest 5 minutes once cooked.

Photo Credit: Canva - ildipapp

Recipe: Vanilla Almond Overnight Quinoa

This is the time of year many of us return to a more regular routine. And although things are still very different this year, I know most of us are still quite busy. So this Vanilla Almond Overnight Quinoa is a great way to prep your breakfast the night before. Save time in the morning while still making sure you're eating a healthy breakfast to fuel your day.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

• 1/2 cup almond pulp (or almond flour or finely ground almonds)

• 4 TB chia seeds

• 2 TB maple syrup

• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

• Stevia, to taste (optional)

• Chopped almonds, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Divide all ingredients between 2 mason jars. Stir until incorporated. Place in refrigerator and let sit overnight. Remove and garnish with chopped almonds. Enjoy! (save the second serving for another day)

Photo Credit: Canva - prosiaczeq from Getty Images

Recipe: Signature Steak Salad

Serving Size: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Skirt Steak, trimmed of excess fat, halved crosswise (at room temperature)

• 1-2 TB extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• ½ lbs. baby arugula

• ½ cup roasted peppers

• ¼ sliced avocado

• Choice of dressing (suggested: Balsamic)

Directions: 

Cast-iron skillet: Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to simmer, place steak in skillet and do not move for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes to med-rare (or more or less depending on preference).

On a grill: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes. Arrange arugula on a platter. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss remaining ingredients on top. Drizzle dressing on top and serve.

Photo Credit: Canva - Mariha-kitchen from Getty Images

Recipe: Zucchini Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

It's zucchini season! I don't know about you but I've had zucchini coming out of my ears this year. I don't know what to do with it all. So, if you're like me, give this yummy zucchini pasta recipe a try. It's simple but delicious, and a great way to use up some of those zucchinis.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• 2-3 zucchini, shredded (can be made ahead and refrigerated)

Pesto:

• ¼ cup roasted unsalted almonds

• 1 cups tightly packed basil leaves

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1 TB lemon juice

• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

With a spiralizer, mandolin, or peeler – cut the zucchini into long noodle shaped pieces and set aside.

In a blender, place all of the other ingredients except olive oil and sundried tomatoes and process for 5 seconds. With machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until blended.

Place all ingredients (including zucchini) in a bowl. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes. Toss and serve.

Photo Credit: Canva - oleksandranaumenko

Recipe: Spicy Baked Plantain Chips

Serving Size: 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 green plantain

• ½ tsp. paprika

• ½ tsp. ground cumin

• ½ tsp. dried thyme

• ½ tsp. sea salt

• ¼ tsp. black pepper

• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

  2TB coconut oil

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 450 F with a rack in the center of the oven. Mix all the spices together in a bowl. Peel the plantains with a knife.

Slice the plantain into thin slices (about 2mm thick). Place the plantain slices in a mixing bowl. Pour the coconut oil into the bowl and all but ½ tsp. of the spice mix. You’ll use the remaining ½ tsp. once they are cooked.

Mix the slices together with the oil and spices until they are coated. Lay the slices out flat onto a baking sheet making sure none are stuck together.

Place in the oven and bake for about 7 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and flip the chips over one at a time. Place back in the oven and bake for mother 3-5 minutes being sure not to burn the chips.

Remove from the oven. Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the spice mix. Mix well and enjoy. Better than potato chips! ☺

Photo Credit: Canva - jrroman from Getty Images Pro

Recipe: Lemon Bites

Give these delicious lemon bites a try. Let me know how you like them.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup almond flour

• 1/3 cup organic raw coconut flour

• 1 - 2 pinch Himalayan pink salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 6 TB organic liquid sweetener (maple syrup, coconut nectar, or raw honey)

• 1/4-1/3 cup organic lemon juice

• 1 TB organic lemon zest

• 2 tsp. organic vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil (+ 1TB, melted/liquid)

Directions:

Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl and fold together. Next, add all the wet ingredients (EXCEPT the coconut oil) to a separate small bowl and mix

Slowly add the wet ingredients (EXCEPT the coconut oil) to the dry ingredients until they are mixed well. Slowly add the melted/liquid coconut oil and mix until it is blended in.

Take out about a spoonful at a time and roll them in the palms of your hand into a bite-sized ball.

Leave them plain or roll in shredded coconut flakes, almond flour, or sprinkle with coconut sugar. Put them in the refrigerator to firm for about 20-30 minutes. Keep them in the cold until ready to serve because they will get soft/mushy if left out at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Canva - Yana Gayvoronskaya

Recipe: Chocolate Covered Blueberry

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk

• 2 cups spinach

• ½ cup frozen blueberries

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Directions:

Blend all together and enjoy! :-) 

Photo Credit: Canva - PhotoSouth by Getty Images Pro

Recipe: Zucchini and Fennel Soup

I have a RIDICULOUS amount of squash (see my harvest above).... so this soup recipe is a great way to use up some of the zucchinis* you might have!

*I feel like this would work with any squash

Serving Size: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 3 zucchini, chopped and peeled

• 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

• ½ fennel bulb, chopped

• 3 cups chicken stock (low-sodium)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or soup pot with zucchini, onion, and chopped fennel. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10-15 min.

 Add stock, bring to a boil and then simmer until soft. Put everything in blender and blend. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Saara

Spent Grain Beer Bread- A Healthier Version

Before the  grain was spent....I love this stuff. I am going to  try sprinkling it on a  salad......

Ingredients:

• Some water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon corn or agave Syrup
• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups spent grain
• 1 instant yeast package bloomed.
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 3 pinches of sugar

Step one: Bloom your yeast

Fill a coffee cup halfway with warm water, I check the temperature of the water by placing my finger into the cup of water, it should feel slightly warmer than the air but not too hot. Pour the packet of yeast in the cup and add a few pinches of sugar to keep the yeast happy, give it a stir and wait....

Tah-Dah!!!! Seriously, that was the hardest part. 

So then, in no particular order I combine the above ingredients into the bread maker and put it on the dough setting. (If you need to do this by hand you can, you just literally have to mix it for 10-15 minutes. No joke! I have tried to cheat and just do five, or eight....nope at least 10 and 15 if you want to be sure. By that time my arm wants to fall off so I like the bread maker). 

Open the lid and take a peek after about 10 minutes of the bread maker doing all the work. You want the dough to be a little moist. Mine was a little dry, so here is where my awesome measuring skills come into play. There was a little grain left in the bowl so I splashed some water in the bowl and swirled it around and added this to the bread maker. 

Then I had to go teach a boot camp. I came home and started working and forgot about the bread...opps. I think it sat in there 3 hours....opened the lid and it looked like this. 

 then set the bread maker setting to "bake" and added an extra 30 minutes. The default is 1 hour, in the past this left the middle gooey so I added 30.  it started smelling awesome at 45 minutes and turned out great.... so much so that I forgot to take another photo until after a few slices. 

It turned out great, if you don't have a bread maker you can cook it in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 410 degrees. 

I health-ified it by only using whole wheat flour, used olive oil and minimal sugar. I have also been known to sprinkle in some garlic powder, or grated carrots at times.  

It is seriously easy, and I did it at altitude. You can also freeze extra grain. If you really want to try it but you don't brew let me know as the husband brews a lot and we have TONS of grain. Use this form to send me a message. 

Cheers!

Saara