Recipe: Simple and Delicious Pork Chops

Serving Size: 2 Servings (although you may want to double this recipe - it’s a GOOD one!)

Ingredients:

• 2 pork chops (all-natural or organic, 1” thick)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1/2 lemon

• 2 cloves of garlic

• Pink Himalayan Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Preheat an oven-safe sauté pan to med to med-high on the stove. Rinse and pat dry both pork chops. Season both sides of chop with salt and pepper. Smash your garlic cloves with the side of your knife and cut your lemon in half.

3. Once your sauté pan is heated, add the olive oil. Once the oil is heated (in a couple of seconds), place the 2 garlic cloves in the pan carefully separated by a few inches).

4. Place each pork chop on top of a garlic clove. Allow searing for 2-3 minutes. Flip chops and sear for an additional 2-3 minutes. (You’re looking for a nice crust on each side). Squeeze ½ lemon over the chops.

5. Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Let rest for 3 minutes and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Canva by SarapulSar38 from Getty Images Pro

Recipe: Egg Roll Bowl

This is a super versatile recipe. You can experiment with using pretty much any ground meat you’d like. It also can help feed your cravings for takeout Chinese food!

Serving Size: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sesame or coconut oil

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

• ½ cup diced onion

• 2-3 tbsp of diced fresh ginger

• 1 pound ground chicken

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp of sriracha or other hot sauce

• 14-oz bag of your favorite coleslaw mix (I like rainbow slaw)

• 3 tbsp of gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 1 tbsp of vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar but rice vinegar is more authentic)

• Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds

 Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the garlic, onion, and saute until the onion is soft. Add in the diced ginger and saute for 1-2 minutes.  

Stir in the ground chicken, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the hot sauce. Keep cooking until the chicken is done.  Next, stir in the coleslaw, coconut aminos, and vinegar and continue until the coleslaw is tender.

Sprinkle with optional sesame seeds and serve.

Photo Credit: Canva - Nikolay_donetsk from Getty Images Pro

Recipe: Thai Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

This colorful soup is packed with good-for-you ingredients … and it tastes amazing!

Serving Size: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1 cup diced onion

• 2 cloves grated garlic

• 2 tablespoons curry paste

• 1-2 teaspoons sriracha or other hot sauce (the more, the spicier!)

• 3 peeled and diced sweet potatoes

• 2 cups peeled and diced carrots

• 3 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken broth

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup light coconut milk

• ½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• Optional: Lime wedge and goat cheese

Directions: 

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the garlic, ginger, curry paste and hot sauce. Saute for another couple minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes and carrots, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Mix together well so the vegetables are well-coated and then pour in the broth.

Bring the mixture to a boil, before reducing to low. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Remove from the heat, and carefully use an immersion/stick blender to puree the soup. You also can use a high-speed blender to puree the soup in batches, being careful to avoid backsplash.

Return to the pot and stir in the coconut milk, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the soup topped with an optional lime wedge and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. This also tastes great with a little goat cheese stirred in.

Photo Credit: Canva - natashabreen

Recipe: Beet Dressing

Serving Size: 12 Servings (2 Tbsp. per serving)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked beets, chopped

• 2 Tbs. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

• ½ tsp. Sea Salt

• 2 TB filtered water

• 2 Tbs. Flax Oil

Directions: 

1. Blend all ingredients on high. This is perfectly sweet, tart, and creamy and perfect over any type of greens with cucumber, red onion, and carrots. 

2. Store extra in the refrigerator.

3. Enjoy! ☺

Photo Credit: Canva by dianazh from Getty Images Pro

Recipe: Healthier Version of Spaghetti

I love Spaghetti, it’s one of my favorite comfort foods!

So, the other night I couldn't sleep and I turned the TV on in the middle of the night and half absorbed this recipe. I  did what I remembered (when we were low on groceries) and my hubby and I both loved it. 

Serving Size: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• Fresh or dried rosemary 

• Thyme if you have it- fresh or dried

• Scallions or spring onions if you have them ( you can regrow these in your window sill)

• 2-4 cloves of garlic depending on taste

• Spaghetti Pasta- I used red lentil whole foods brand (way better than I wan anticipating!)

• 2 cans of roasted stewed tomatoes (I used garlic)

• Fresh or frozen spinach

• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Boil water (we use a kettle to save time) add to a pot with some salt

Add butter or oil (preferably avocado, coconut, or butter) to a pan at medium heat. Add Rosemary (and thyme) if you have it, saute for 3 minutes, add garlic   

Add 2 cans of stewed tomatoes to the pan. I use the flame-broiled garlic kind. I added my scallions then (if you have them).

Sautee on low for a while*- 30 mins at least

Add pasta of your choice to boiling water- the red lentil kind I used cooked in 9.5 minutes. I like it al-dente

When the pasta was ready I drained it but did not rinse it and added it to the sauce. I then added 2 handfuls of fresh spinach and covered it to simmer (you can add frozen instead if you don't have fresh).

Season with salt (I used smoke salt) and pepper

Turned out awesome!  

It was my first time making red sauce "from scratch" literally sautéing the rosemary at first made my house smell like a dream and hubby was in love before he tasted anything. 

 SUPER EASY! I'd do it again and maybe add some sauteed mushrooms and onions (and meat- if you aren't vegan or vegetarian) if you had more time. This is truly a good base!

Photo Credit: Canva - katrinshine

Recipe: Easy Pumpkin Protein Egg Pancakes

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Ingredients:

• ½ cup egg whites (need about 4 eggs)

• ½ cup pure pumpkin

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

• Cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

Blend together and cook on a skillet.

Serve with 1/4 cup berries and 1/4 walnuts!

Photo Credit: Canva - Anastasia Collection

Recipe: Simple Sautéed Spinach

Serving Size: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs. of baby spinach, cleaned & dried

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled & thinly sliced

• 1/2 fresh lemon

• 1.5 Tbsp. coconut oil

• Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions: 

Heat up a large sauté pan with coconut oil over med heat. Add 1/3 of the spinach to the pot and with tongs, continually turn the spinach for 1-2 minutes. Add the next 1/3 of spinach to the pot, continually turning (about 1 min). Add the final 1/3 of spinach AND the sliced garlic, and continually turn until all of the spinach is mostly wilted (another 1-3 minutes).

Remove spinach mixture from the pot and squeeze ½ lemon over the spinach. Season with salt & pepper and toss well. That’s it! Very easy & super healthy!

Photo Credit: Canva from SherSor by Getty Images

Recipe: Citrus Fish Tacos

Serving Size: Serves 2

Ingredients: Marinade

• 2 large oranges (juiced)

• ½ lime (juiced)

• 3 TB olive oil

• 1 tsp. cumin powder

• ½ tsp. salt

• 2 wild-caught tilapia fillets (cut in 1” chunks)

Ingredients:

• Wraps

• 3-6 butter lettuce leaves

• ½ red pepper (diced)

• ½ red onion (diced)

• ½ mango (diced)

• ½ avocado (sliced)

Directions:

Mix the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt in a bowl and combine well.

Gently place the pieces of Tilapia into a large Ziploc bag and pour in the juice. Marinade for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator, flipping the bag over about halfway through.

Next, heat some olive or coconut oil over a large skillet. When the pan is warm, add the Tilapia and cook for about 4-5 minutes on 1 side, then turning only once, finish cooking on the other side (about 8-9 minutes total)

Then, simply prepare your tacos to your liking, adding the fish, pepper, onion, & mango! (be creative and add anything else you think may taste great on there!)

It’s very refreshing and absolutely DELICIOUS! Once you get the marinade in the fridge, it will only take you about 10 minutes to prepare them.

Photo Credit: Canva - M K from Getty Images

Recipe: Butternut Squash with Pancetta and Sage

Serving Size: Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 4 oz. Pancetta or nitrite-free bacon, chopped

• ½ finely chopped fresh sage or ¼ tsp. dried

• 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” chunks

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 dash of ground nutmeg

• Salt and pepper, to taste (white pepper if you have it)

• 1 cup organic chicken stock

Directions:

Add bacon and olive oil to sauté pan and cook until bacon is crisped. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon.

Add squash and chopped onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are clear and started to turn golden.

Add sage, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper (white pepper if you have it).

Add broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve and enjoy. ☺

Photo Credit: Canva - Lilechka75 from Getty Images

Recipe: Morning Mojo - Lemon Ginger Detox

This is how I start my morning every single day. I highly recommend it!!!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. glass water (at room temperature)

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Either: ½ inch knob ginger root OR a pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions: 

Add the lemon juice to the glass of water.

If ginger: finely grate the ginger using a zester, and add the zest to the glass of water.

If cayenne pepper: add a pinch of cayenne to your water. A perfect way to start your day!

Photo Credit: Canva by bondarillia