Sufganiyot, by Cheryl

These were surprisingly very easy to make! And delicious.. I mean, who doesn't love fried dough. I got this recipe from Once Upon a Chef and it was super easy to follow. I chose not to fill them with jelly since no one in my house likes that. Instead, we dipped them in Nutella! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp instant/rapid rise active dry yeast

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 large yolks

2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus about 1 quart for frying

1 tsp vanilla extract

About 1 cup jam or jelly - or custard, Nutella, pudding, etc.

Directions:

1) Combine the water and yeast in a small bowl and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, confectioner's sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk and set aside.

3) To the yeast mixture, add the egg yolks, 2 tbsp oil, and vanilla and whisk. 

4) Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together. It should be a bit sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1-2 hours. 

5) Line a baking sheet with a few paper towels. Line another with parchment paper and dust heavily with flour. Dust a clean countertop and your hands with flour. Pat the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Add more flour add necessary so it doesn't stick. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut 24 squares and transfer to the baking sheet. Sprinkle squares lightly with flour.

6) Add oil to a heavy pot to measure about 2 inches deep. Heat to medium high heat. When hot, place 6 dough balls into the pot and fry until golden brown, 1.5 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel lined pan. 

7) When they are cool enough, puncture the side with a paring knife to form a pocket. Squeeze 1-2 tsps of jam or whatever inside. Or serve it on the side to dip into. 

8) Dust the donuts generously with confectioner's sugar. Serve warm. 

White Chocolate Martini, by Cheryl

I was looking for a pretty and pretty tasty drink for my family Hanukkah party this weekend. I tried a few different recipes and this one seems to be a winner! It's a combination of a lot of different ones that I tried.. trial and error! I had some edible blue glitter from one of the kid's birthday parties and we were good to go! This was sweet and STRONG! Yum! 

Ingredients:

1.5 oz vanilla vodka

1.5 oz white creme de cacao

2 oz. white chocolate liquor

1 oz heavy cream

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

edible blue glitter

vanilla frosting

Directions:

1) Put all of the liquid ingredients into a martini shaker with ice. 

2) Line the rim of the glass lightly with vanilla frosting, then dip in the glitter.

3) Pour liquid into the glass. Sprinkle with glitter on top.

Baked Brie, by Cheryl

Um, yum. That's all I need to say about this.I literally used crescent rolls, a wheel of Brie cheese, and canned cranberry sauce. Oh and an egg to brush on top to give it a nice color when it cooked. I think I ate half of this just on my own. Yum!!

Ingredients:

1 can crescent rolls

1 can cranberry sauce

1 wheel Brie cheese

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325. In a pot add the cranberry sauce with a couple of tbsp of water. Heat and break up the sauce. Let cool.

2) Unroll the crescent rolls. Form a square with half of them. Set aside the other half. Place the Brie in the center the dough. 

3) When the sauce has cooled spoon about half of it onto the Brie. 

4) Fold the bottom rolls onto the top while using the other half of the rolls to spread along the top. Mine didn't look pretty, but it worked! Don't close it completely. 

5) Use a basting brush to brush the egg mixture over the dough. 

6) Cook for 35 minutes or until top is brown and cheese is melted. 

Fall Bowl Sauce, by Diane

 

I've been OBSESSED with my Fall Bowl recipe, and it's been on rotation for dinners for a few weeks now. But last week I got some roasted brussels sprouts from a restaurant that had a spicy, creamy sauce on the side and used the leftovers in the bowl the next night- the sauce elevated this bowl SO much!! So I tried my hand at recreating it- and WHOA I knocked it out of the park on the first try! This sauce as a substitute for the OG sauce I used, plus roasted sprouts, have been in the mix of the Fall Bowl since then and I can't get enough of this healthy warm dinner on the fly. I would use this sauce anywhere- as a marinade for chicken even on the grill a la tandoori chicken. Yum!

As a bonus, I finally found a use for my ume plum vinegar- it's kinda like red wine vinegar but more sour and complex! The original copycat recipe had lemon, and as a hunch I used this- and wow was that a good idea! It adds an awesome complexity to the sauce, taste it before and then after and you'll see!

Ingredients (for one bowl/serving):

2 tbsp mayo (I have been using Japanese Kewpie mayo for the flavor)

1 tbsp coconut sriracha (by Ninja Squirrel at Whole Foods, regular sriracha would work too!)

1/2 tbsp ume plum vinegar

1/4 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, paprika

1/8 tsp each cumin and himalayan salt

1 tbsp water

Fall Bowl, by Diane

I created this warm bowl for dinners this week and haven't wanted anything since!! It is SUCH a great combo of flavors and so freakin easy to meal prep and heat up during the week. And it's healthy to boot. Total win! Side note, this was my first time whipping up my own vinaigrette, and it was SO delicious. I was out of dijon mustard so I had to get creative, and I'm pretty impressed with the outcome. I think it's what makes the whole bowl shine, and I can see this used as a marinade or dressing for so many other recipes! I ran out of pecans which I was going to chop and add to this bowl for crunch, and I think that would be a good addition! I also added it over some kale one day as a salad, and one day there was some goat cheese in it. Yum!

Note: this made about 4 bowls across the week, with some leftovers for another 1/2 bowl at the end of the week. For leftovers, I warmed up all the ingredients except the apple and the dressing.

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

Chicken, grilled and sliced (I used 2 bags of pre-grilled chicken to make this easier)

2 crowns broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 portobello mushrooms

2 cups wild rice and quinoa mixture, cooked according to package directions (I used 1/2 cup warmed rice in each bowl)

2 sweet crisp apples, peeled and cubed (I used 1/2 an apple in each bowl)

EVOO

For the Dressing:

5 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp mustard powder

1 medium shallot, minced

1 stalk rosemary leaves, minced

5 stalks thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tbsp fig jam

Instructions:

1. Toss the broccoli, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms in EVOO and roast until tender at 350. I made sure the sweet potatoes really caramelized on each side before pulling them out to add extra flavor. 

2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together and set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients and devour :)

 

Yummy Potatoes, by Cheryl

I don't even know what to title these, but they are gooooood! Over Labor Day weekend we visited our friends Dave and Carla. Dave is always coming up with these great recipes on the spot. This is one that he made for us as a side to our dinner. And they were so good that I made them soon after coming home! I never thought I would like this since I'm not the biggest fan of mustard, but the flavors work so well together! I love these potatoes! Yum!

Ingredients:

1lb small red or white potatoes

2-3 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (the one with the seeds)

1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar

a handful of chopped parsley

1 shallot, diced

Directions:

1) Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Place the potatoes in until tender (not mushy).

2) Meanwhile, put all of the other ingredients in a bowl and mix together. 

3) Drain the potatoes and cut them in half, or quarters depending on how large they are. 

4) Place potatoes in bowl and mix together until covered. 

Crispy Baked Tofu Bites, by Diane

I found this recipe from @plantyou, one of my favorite instagram accounts for healthy meal ideas and ways to use food scraps. These were a really crispy good snack/lunch! I made a few swaps that I included in the recipe below rather than posting hers.

First, I decided to swap the cornstarch for sweet potato starch, which I had leftover from my Taiwanese Chicken Cutlets, because it's extra crunchy when used as a coating. I also added my favorite chili crisp by Laogonma for flavor and a little bit of heat (this stuff is gold!!). The wet ingredients soaked up pretty quickly leaving me with no batter to coat the tofu, possibly from the addition of the sweet potato starch or possibly because I left the wet ingredients for about 5 min before I coated the tofu. As a result, the "batter" was sort of crumbly, so I sprayed the tofu cubes with avocado oil and tossed it in the crumbs and hoped for the best (it did actually all stick to the tofu in the end though)! Next time I'll coat the tofu in the wet ingredients before I toss in the starch and see if that helps, which I noted below. Finally, I used my air fryer, although her recipe uses the oven, and they did also turn out really crispy! 

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu, pressed for 20 min and sliced into cubes

2 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp cornstarch (I used sweet potato starch)

2 tsp seasoning (I used goya here)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chili crisp

Directions:

1. Add EVOO, seasoning, and soy sauce in a bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Toss in tofu cubes to coat well, then add in starch and toss again.

3. Bake in air fryer @ 400 for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Shrimp Cakes, by Diane

 

I saw this recipe from tiffycooks.com and really wanted to make these as healthy lunches this week. These were so quick and easy, and a great riff on lunches. They tasted like the inside of shrimp shumai dumplings! I'll definitely make them again, served with a side of sweet chili sauce! Yum! They would even be good as burgers between some crispy lettuce wraps. 

I came up with a hack I really liked here to replace the dashi powder which had msg. I know from experience making my Rabokki that dashi broth is really just kelp, green onion, and anchovy boiled with water and strained. So, I found asian seafood soup packets at my local asian grocer that had anchovies, kelp, onion, burdock root, dried tuna, and chili flakes. I removed the whole anchovies and placed the rest directly into the food processor to create a powder with the same taste- perfection! 

Also- she pan fried these but the air fryer was convenient and healthy!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs raw shrimp, peeled

3 scallions, green parts only

1.5 tbsp dashi powder (this had msg so I used some ingredients from an asian seafood soup stock instead)

1 tsp white pepper

3 tbsp arrowroot flour

1 tbsp oyster sauce

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in food processor and pulse until well combined and mashed.

2. Form into patties, place into air fryer that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and cook at 350 for 18 minutes. Flip halfway through.

Chinese Marinated Ramen Eggs, by Diane

 

I made these for a healthy snack this week as a fun twist on hard boiled eggs. I LOVE these eggs in ramen, they are my favorite part! I overcooked these by a minute, and wished they would have been more jammy, but know what to do for next time! They had a cool flavor and I was happy overall with how they turned out- yum! Marinade recipe by see_jay91 on instagram, egg recipe by justonecookbook.com

Ingredients:

12 eggs

2 star anise pods

1 scallion, green and white parts, cut into 1/3rds

4 inches ginger, sliced into thick coins

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

1/2 cup shao xing wine

2 tbsp rock sugar

1/3 cup chinese soy sauce

1/4 cup chinese dark soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, toast the star anise pods until fragrant. Add scallion and ginger, toast lightly for 2 min.

2. Add in stock, water, wine, and sugar and stir to combine, bring to a simmer.

3. Add in soy sauces, stir to combine.

4. Chill marinade in the fridge until completely cooled.

5. To make the eggs, bring a large pot of water plus 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vinegar to a rolling boil. Add in eggs with a slotted spoon straight from the fridge. Set a timer for 7 minutes at the time of the addition of the first egg and cook until that ends.

6. Remove the eggs directly into an ice bath for 15 min, then peel.

7. Add the peeled eggs to the marinade, cover the top of the liquid with a paper towel, and cover with lid. Let sit for 24 hours minimum. 

Easy Asian Rice Cakes, by Diane

 

I've seen these posted on several accounts over the years, and decided to make them the other day as a side dish to a Korean menu I made for family friends. This was quick and easy, and really flavorful! The sauce would also pair well with regular noodles as well. 

Ingredients:

1 small pack rice cakes, frozen

2 tbsp chunky peanut butter

2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1 tbsp chili crisp oil

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced

Directions:

1. Boil the rice cakes until completely cooked through and soft- not mushy or chewy!

2. While the rice cakes boil, mix the remaining ingredients together in a sauce and taste to adjust. 

3. Pour sauce over rice cakes and serve immediately!

Goddess Bowl, by Diane

 

I created this bowl specifically because of my Flower Child Sweet Potatoes, and I added the remaining ingredients from there. I called it a Goddess Bowl because I felt so damn healthy and glowing when I ate it for dinner tonight! I always see these creative bowls on instagram but avoid them because of all the prep of the ingredients, and this one did require a bit of prep. But now I have healthy easy bowls for the week and I'm pretty pumped about that! I used roasted mushrooms and beets along with my Burnt Broccoli and grilled chicken here, and for the rest of the week I have some greens I want to serve it over along with a dressing I want to create (I just ran out of time tonight!).

Ingredients:

Red and golden beets, cubed and roasted

Flower Child Sweet Potatoes

Burnt Broccoli

2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings

1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced

Salt

Coconut oil

Directions:

1. Saute onions in a large pan with a sprinkle of salt and coconut oil over medium heat until browned, then add in mushrooms with another sprinkle of salt and cook until done.

2. Assemble your bowl with the mushroom mixture, sweet potatoes, broccoli, beets, and chicken.

Flower Child Sweet Potatoes, by Diane

These sweet potatoes are my favorite side at a local restaurant called Flower Child. They are red chili glazed, but not spicy. They melt in your mouth!! I was lucky enough to find their recipe posted online, and decided to make these stat! So easy, healthy, and definitely will be on rotation in the future. Yum!

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

2.5 lbs sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted, at room temperature

1/2 cup sesame vinaigrette

1 cup kale, shredded

handful toasted sesame seeds

For the vinaigrette:

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp sriracha 

1/3 cup tamari

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup grapeseed oil (I used coconut oil)

Directions:

1. For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients except the oils and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Slowly incorporate both oils, bit by bit, with the blender until smooth and emulsified.

2. Warm the vinaigrette in a large sautee pan until simmering. Add the room temp sweet potatoes, kale, and sesame seeds.

3. Toss to incorporate until liquid is gone and remove from heat.

Baked Cod w/ Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives, by Cheryl

This is very similar to another cod dish that I frequently make. I wanted to keep a similar taste, but switch it up a little. I had bought sun-dried tomatoes at our local farmers market and thought that they'd be a great addition to this tapenade! I also added some capers, parsley, and lemon juice. This was a great meal served with pearled couscous and roasted tomatoes and zucchini. Yum! 

Ingredients:

2-4 cod fillets

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

3/4 cup black pitted olives

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp capers

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp parsley

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400. 

2) In a food processor, process the rest of the ingredients. You don't want it too smooth, but finely ground is fine. 

3) Place fish on a baking dish brushed lightly with olive oil. Put a couple of tablespoons of the mixture on top of each fish, spreading it out. 

4) Bake until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes depending on the size. 

Juicy Lucy Burgers, by Diane

 

Forming the burgers

Looking good....

The final product!

I saw this burger on a cooking show, it's known all around Minneapolis as a juicy cheeseburger that leaks cheese sauce everywhere when you bite it! The secret is that the cheese is stuffed inside the burger patties rather than being laid on top, and as the burgers cook the juice of the meat blends with the melting cheese. We tried this for our latest cookout along with some homemade thousand island made with grilled diced onions (to mimic in-n-out burger!), and man were these a hit!!! We also paired them with lightly grilled King's Hawaiian rolls. These will be on heavy rotation this summer for sure, and were a nice change from the normal cheeseburgers on rotation.

PS- all recipes call for processed American cheese singles, but we want to experiment to see if other cheeses melt differently!

Ingredients (this made 3 burgers):

1 lb Ground beef (make sure to use 80/20 as the fat content helps the cheese)

Seasoning (we used a blend but salt and pepper would also work)

3 slices American cheese singles

3 Kings Hawaiian rolls

Thousand Island dressing (we blended ketchup, mayo, 1 tsp vinegar, salt, minced garlic, sweet relish, and pan fried white onions- YUM)

Sliced raw white onions

Directions:

1. Season the ground beef and separate into 6 portions. Form each one into a thin patty (these will be 3 big burgers so each patty is half a burger). It helps if you slap the meat to make sure it's held together!

2. Break each cheese slice into 4 squares and place in the center of 1 patty, then top with the remaining patties and seal the edges so the cheese sauce doesn't leak out. See first photo for reference!

3. Grill patties until cooked well on each side, flipping only once so as not to disturb the cheese. 

4. Serve immediately so the cheese sauce stays hot on a grilled bun slathered with your dressing and raw onion slices. Bite carefully- the sauce will be hot and spill everywhere!

Pesto Salmon with Spinach Puree, by Cheryl

I made a discovery at Wegmans - they have a frozen spinach puree that comes in little ice cube shapes. You put some in a pot and heat up with a little olive oil and it is soooo good! It was such a great side to the fish we were having.. I plan on using it for other meals as well! This is such a quick and healthy meal to put together. I didn't have any of my homemade pesto on hand, but used a store bought version that I had. We served this with a side salad and sweet potato fries. This was super yummy, healthy, and was a hit. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 salmon filets 

pesto sauce

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

olive oil

Wegmans spinach puree

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 425.

2) In a baking dish place filets skin side down (mine didn't have skin). Put a couple of spoonfuls of pesto sauce on top of the fish to cover it. 

3) Toss the cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt. Spread around the fish in the baking dish. 

4) Cook for 12-15 minutes (I do 12).

5) Meanwhile, cook spinach puree according to package instructions (5 minutes to cook).

6) Assemble with the puree at the bottom, then the fish, and finally the cherry tomatoes. 

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl, by Cheryl

While mindlessly scrolling Instagram I came across this recipe from Primal Kitchen. It looked so good from the way they showed the recipe I knew I had to try it! A quick Whole Foods shopping list was made and I was good to go! The recipe was super easy to make and was different! We enjoyed it very much. Next time I would make more of the mayonnaise, but other than that this was a great meal. Yum! 

Ingredients:

Salmon teriyaki:

1lb salmon, cut into cubes

Primal Kitchen no soy teriyaki marinade

Quick-pickled vegetables:

1 carrot, sliced into circles

1/3 cucumber, peeled, sliced into circles

2 tbsp water

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Sriracha Mayo:

1/4 cup Primal Kitchen Mayo w/ avocado oil

1 tbsp sriracha or chili paste

Bowl Assembly:

1 cup short grain rice

1 avocado, diced

2 individual packages nori

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Cover salmon with teriyaki sauce in a bowl for at least 20 minutes.

2) Prepare the pickled vegetables. In a bowl, add rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk together until combined. Add cucumber and carrot slices. Set aside for 20 minutes. 

3) Line a baking tray with foil and spray with avocado oil. Add cubed salmon and broil in the oven until browned on top and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4) Between 2 bowls, split rice evenly. Top with cubed salmon, vegetables, avocado, and drizzle the mayo.

5) Serve with nori and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. 

Easy Matzah Ball Soup, by Cheryl

I love making the matzah ball soup for Passover. This is a relatively quick way to make it. Instead of making the broth from scratch I just use pre-made chicken broth and water, but I cook the veggies and chicken in it to give it a lot of flavor. It's always a big hit! Yum!

Ingredients (makes about 20 servings):

Soup:

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

4 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

3 yellow onion, chopped

9 carrots, peeled and chopped

9 stalks celery, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

24 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

Few sprigs of fresh dill

pepper

Matzah balls:

Follow package directions, but will need eggs, oil, matzah meal, salt, and water

Directions:

1) Saute garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until onions are transparent, about 5 minutes. 

2) Add the chicken thighs, chicken broth, 2 cups water, pepper, and 2 sprigs dill to the pot. Place lid on pot and let it come to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes. 

3) Meanwhile, make the matzah balls according to package directions. Once made the dough will need to sit for 15 minutes in the fridge before making the balls. 

4) After 30 minutes, remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred with a fork. Return chicken to pot. Taste soup and add salt if desired. 

5) Form the matzah balls into ping pong size. Drop the balls in the simmering soup and let simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on. 

6) Add a couple of sprigs of dill at the end. 

Kuku Sabzi, by Diane

 

We made this dish to celebrate the spring equinox, as this is a typical dish served on this day in Iran. It was a delicious and healthy mix of eggs and lots of chopped green herbs, topped with walnuts and cranberries. This recipe was super easy to make and really tasty! Traditionally it's made on the stove but this recipe made it easier in the oven. Definitely a great healthy meal to be repeated!

ps- this can be served with yogurt, feta, or soft bread like naan, but we had it plain and it was great on it's own too!

Ingredients:

5 tbsp EVOO

2 cups parsley leaves

2 cups cilantro leaves and stems

1 cup fresh dill

6 scallions, green and white

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp green cardamom, ground

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

6 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 F, and use a rack that is in the upper middle position. Prepare an 8x8 inch or 9 inch round baking dish by lining the bottom with parchment paper, then adding 2 tbsp of EVOO until the sides and bottom, as well as both sides of the parchment, are covered in oil. The oil should pool at the bottom and generously coat the sides.  

2. Finely grind the green herbs and scallion with remaining 3 tbsp of EVOO in a food processor.

3. In a large bowl, whisk baking powder through pepper, then whisk in 2 eggs until fully mixed. Add in remaining eggs until just combined, then fold in herbs and 1/2 of each of the walnuts and cranberries (reserve some for topping). 

4. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top, then top with remaining walnuts and cranberries.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the center of the egg is firm, then remove from oven and let sit in the pan for an additional 10 minutes. 

6. To serve, run a knife along the sides to loosen, then invert on a large plate (bottom will be facing up), then place the serving platter on the bottom (facing up) and flip again so it is right side up on the serving platter. 

Creamed Spinach, by Cheryl

Every year for my wedding anniversary I make my pistachio crusted rack of lamb. And each year I switch up the sides to try to add some pizazz. This year I made this delicious creamed spinach! It was super easy to make, was mighty tasty, and paired with the lamb well. Yum!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 tsp coarse black pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup flour

3.5 cups half and half

2.25 pounds fresh spinach or 1 pound frozen

1 cup mozzarella cheese

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 tsp of salt. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about one minute. Drain the spinach in a colander.

2) Rinse with cold water until cool and squeeze out any excess water. Chop the spinach into pieces that are less than an inch.

3) In a large skillet melt butter with garlic and onions. Cook on medium until translucent, about 8 minutes. 

4) Add in the remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

5) Add in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon over low heat and cook for about 2 minutes.

6) Add in the half and half and cook until boiling. 

7) Add in the mozzarella and cream cheese. Cook for 6-8 minutes until it has thickened.

8) Add in the spinach and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. 

Tomato Egg, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from my new favorite instagram chef, Kristina Cho. She describes it as Chinese comfort food that every house makes differently, and this is her family recipe. I really was intrigued, and decided to make it for dinner one night. It was really unique and very comforting, and easy to make! My only complaint was that the ginger flavor was far too strong, and I used much less than the recipe called for. I also had some colorful cherry tomatoes on hand so used those, but definitely did not use the same amount of tomatoes as her, so next time would try it with the roma tomatoes instead as hers came out much more tomato looking. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 inch knob ginger, cut into matchsticks

4 cups roma tomatoes (about 5), rough chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

1.5 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp cornstarch 

2 eggs, whisked

1/3 cup green onions

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, add ginger and cook 1-2 min until fragrant. 

2. Add tomatoes through oyster sauce, cook 5-8 min until jammy. 

3. Whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry in a small bowl, stir into the tomato mixture until thickened 2-3 min and reduce heat to simmer.

4. Drizzle the eggs over the mixture and don't stir until just set about 2 min. 

5. Gently stir in most of the green onions, leaving some for garnish. Don't stir too much!

6. Serve with steamed rice and top with remaining green onions.

Christmas Old Fashioned, by Diane

 

I forgot to take a photo but here's a much prettier one from the recipe!

I've had this recipe from @halfbakedharvest saved for a while, and wasn't drinking alcohol around the holidays. But recently I took a weekend trip to a quiet little farm and we wanted some drinks to go with dinner, and I knew just the recipe! This cocktail was so delicious I wound up drinking 3, and if you know me you know that doesn't often happen! And, the maple cardamom syrup was great leftover the next day for sausage. Yum.

Ingredients:

For Syrup:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cinnamon stick

10 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1/4 cup water

For Drink:

2 oz bourbon

1 oz orange juice

1 oz lemon juice

1-2 dashes bitters

1-3 tbsp syrup mix

ginger beer

orange zest or sugared cranberries for garnish

ice

Directions:

1. Make the syrup by combining the ingredients in a pot bringing to a boil for 2-3 min then remove from heat and let cool. This makes enough for 6 drinks.

2. Combine drink ingredients with ice and garnish (you can do a cinnamon sugar rim if desired).

Harvest Casserole, by Cheryl

Another great recipe Whole30 recipe from Paleo Running Momma! This is a delicious side dish that tastes like Thanksgiving with each bite! And you get your healthy dose of veggies as well! I made this for my mom who is doing a Whole 30 round and she loved it too. Yum!

Ingredients:

3 cups butternut squash cut into 1in. pieces

1 lb brussel sprouts cut in half or quarters

Olive oil

sea salt and pepper

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 links chicken apple sausage, cut into coin shapes

2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

2 tsp fresh sage, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp fresh parsley, minced

2 cups cauliflower rice

1 apple, finely diced

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries (I cut up dates)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

fresh herbs for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425. Place squash on one baking sheet and brussel sprouts on another. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 25 minutes, stirring the brussel sprouts halfway through. 

2) Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Cook until onions are translucent, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken sausage and fresh herbs and cook until sausage has slightly browned. 

3) Add in the cauliflower rice, pecans, apples, and cinnamon, and stir and cook until apples have softened. 

4) Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and combine the two mixtures together. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh herbs as a garnish if desired. 

Spice Rubbed Chicken Wings, by Cheryl

These were a quick go too dinner for us during Whole 30. While they do take an hour to cook, the prep is super fast and if you plan early enough you can just pop them in the oven. You can use whatever rub you like, but we love using the brand Chairman of the Bird to spice these up in. Super easy, fast, and delicious! Yum!

Ingredients:

2 packs of chicken wings/drumsticks

Spice rub

Salt

Olive oil

Directions:

1) Pat dry all of the chicken wings with a paper towel. 

2) Put the wings into a ziplock bag with some olive oil and move it around until each wing is thoroughly coated. 

3) Place wings on a cooling rack over a baking pan. Shake the spices and salt over the wings. Turn each wing over and do the same. 

4) Bake at 400 for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, turn off the oven, and let sit for another 20 minutes. 

Chicken and Cabbage Spring Rolls, by Diane

 

My family and I made these for the superbowl and these were such a hit! They are another recipe from Kristina Cho, and this is her mom's recipe but in a baked version. We used the air fryer, and could only find egg roll wrappers, but both of these changes made them taste crispy, crunchy and amazing! I had them for lunch and for dinner today too! You can literally fill these with anything and they were SO easy to make- they really tasted quite like egg rolls in Chinese restaurants except with less grease. Next time we want to try a classic version with pork, shrimp, and carrots, but these were a big hit as is! Rolling instructions and photos here.

Ingredients:

1 package spring roll wrappers (we used egg roll and whoa this made it so crunchy!)

1.5 lbs chicken breast, diced small

1 tbsp oil plus more for cooking

4 tbsp oyster sauce, divided

1 heaping tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp white pepper, divided

1 small head green cabbage, shredded

3 stalks green onion, sliced (both green and white parts)

2 tsp sesame oil

1 bundle bean thread noodles

1/4 cup each water and flour (we didn't need this for the egg roll wrappers)

Cooking spray

Spring roll sauce for serving

Directions:

1. Mix chicken breast, 1 tsp oil, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high, cook cabbage 5 min until wilted, spread on a baking tray to cool.

3. Add 2 tbsp oil to the same skillet and cook the chicken until browned and mostly cooked through. Transfer to the baking sheet with the cabbage.

4. Bring a pot of water to boiling and submerge noodles for 2-3 minutes, drain, then cut with scissors to bite size pieces. Add to the baking tray to cool.

5. Once cooled, mix together in a bowl with green onion, remaining 2 tbsp oyster sauce, remaining 1/4 tsps of salt and pepper, and sesame oil.

6. If using spring roll wrappers, mix flour and water into a paste for sealing (no need to do this step for the egg roll wrappers). For both wrappers, place it in front of you like a diamond and place the filling in the bottom 1/3 closest to you. Roll the bottom corner over tightly, roll in the sides careful not to leave any gaps, then roll tightly to close. Place seam side down on a baking tray until ready to cook.

7. Cook in the air fryer at 350 for 15 minutes, spraying the tops and flipping halfway then spraying the tops again. Serve with spring roll sauce.

Classic Shepherd's Pie, by Diane

 

This is, as it turn out, our 6th shepherd's pie on the blog, but just so happens to be the only *normal* version which I find hilarious! I made this for dinners this week, and it turned out pretty well! The only thing I would change is that there was not really a gravy or sauce with this recipe once you drained the fat off, and so it was lacking in flavor and a bit dry. Once I made some gravy to go with it, it worked really well. I omitted the cheese in the potatoes here too, and kept it whole 30 except for the flour which easily could have been arrowroot. This recipe was adapted from NYT. This was also incredibly quick and easy to whip up for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes

1 lb lean ground beef

1 lb ground lamb

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1 package frozen peas and carrots

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 tbsp flour

3/4 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper 

1/4 tsp dried thyme and rosemary

4 tbsp butter (I used ghee)

1 cup milk (I used almond milk because that's what was on hand)

Directions:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes, boil until fork tender. Drain, mash, then add butter and milk until it becomes a thick consistency. Season as desired.

2. While the potatoes cook, brown the meat in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Drain and return to the pot, reserving 1-2 tbsp of the fat in the pot for cooking.

3. Add garlic, stirring for 2 minutes, then add peas and carrots.

4. Once the mixture heats back up about 5 min, add in tomato paste, herbs, and salt and pepper. 

5. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stirring for 2 min, then add broth and let simmer until sauce thickens (there was no sauce with mine so I would at least double this).

6. Adjust seasonings, then smooth the potato mixture over the top, forming peaks.

7. Bake at 375 for 30 min, until the liquid is bubbling on the sides and the potatoes are nice and golden (I stuck mine under a broiler for a few minutes because my top didn't brown after 35 min of cooking time).

Focaccia Take Two, by Diane

This was the second attempt this past weekend over facetime with my friend to redeem ourselves in making focaccia. Unfortunately, this recipe also did not match the texture of focaccia and was almost as dense and whitebread-like as the last one for both of us. We cannot figure out what is going wrong, as both recipes had amazing reviews!! Once again I topped it with the best combo of tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and red onion, but even that couldn't save it. The flavor of this one was not as good as the other, but the edges did come out really crispy. Another recipe hailed as "easy"... fail. Now, to be fair, we had to convert these measurements from grams, and for reasons I don't understand that is not easy because you can get 10 different answers (isn't this math?!). Regardless, our ratios were the same so we don't think that is where we went wrong.

Ingredients:

9 g active dry yeast

335 g water 105-115 degrees

450 g flour

9 g olive oil

9 g salt

20 g olive oil

20 g water

Flaky salt

Directions:

1. Combine yeast and warm water for 5-10 min until foaming.

2. Combine flour and salt to a large bowl, mix with yeast mixture until no dry flour remains. Pour 9g oil and mix with hands until combined. Cover and rest 20 min.

3. Grab a corner and stretch to cover the dough, turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until all sides have been stretched. Turn over seam face down and cover for 30 min. Repeat this step 3 more times. 

4. Drizzle some oil in a 9x13 pan, transfer the dough and see if it stretches to the edges. If it springs back wait 20 min. Cover and proof for 45-60 min until bubbly (ours wasn't).

5. Dimple the dough, then whisk remaining oil and water until emulsified and pour over top. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

6. Bake at 450 for 20-25 min until golden. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 min.

 

Focaccia Take One, by Diane

A friend and I made this together over facetime two snowy Saturdays ago, and unfortunately while the taste was spot on the texture did not match focaccia for either one of us. It was dense like homemade white bread for us both, with no holes for air, and not as crunchy on the outsides. I did love the combo of tomato, rosemary, thyme, and red onion, but this recipe was not a winner based on texture, even though it was hailed as "Shockingly Easy". 

Ingredients:

1 packet active dry yeast

2 tsp honey

2.5 cups lukewarm water

5 cups AP flour

1 tbsp mortons kosher salt

6 tbsp EVOO

Flaky salt

Butter

Directions:

1. Whisk yeast, honey and water in a bowl and let sit 5 min until foaming.

2. Add flour and salt to the bowl and mix with spatula until no dry flour remains.

3. Pour 4 tbsp oil in a bowl and transfer dough, coating all sides. Cover until doubled in size.

4. Butter a 13x9 baking pan, add 1 tbsp oil in the center.

5. Keeping the dough in the bowl, lift up one corner and fold over the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 3x to deflate it into a rough ball. Place the ball seam side down in the pan.

6. Leave in a warm spot uncovered to rise for up to 4 hours until doubled in size. The dough is ready when you poke it with a finger and it doesn't spring back quickly.

7. Heat an oven to 450 and prep a middle rack. Oil your hands and stretch the dough to the edges of the pan. Dimple the dough then drizzle w 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle w salt. Bake until golden brown for 20-30 min.

Ham and Potato Chowder, by Diane

 

I made this for the first week it got cold a few weeks back, and honestly it was one of those dishes that should have come out great but actually turned out just okay. I had some ham that I had made bone broth from to use as the base of this, and chopped up the remaining ham to use in the chowder. Overall I would not make this again, but A for effort!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

5 carrots, sliced (I used rainbow carrots)

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 leek, sliced green parts only

2 cups ham, diced

Seasoning: I used a combo of herbs de provence and poultry seasoning

3 cups broth, I used ham bone broth

Salt as needed

3 tbsp arrowroot flour

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, add oil, carrots and potatoes into a pot. Stir often and cook until they soften.

2. Add in leeks and ham, cooking until leeks wilt.

3. Add broth and seasoning, let cook for an hour over low heat

4. Taste for seasoning and salt, then add a slurry of flour and some broth whisked together in a small bowl into the soup to thicken.

Whole 30 Shepherd's Pie, by Cheryl

Another winning dinner! Everything about this is scrumptious and filling. And perfect to have on a bitter cold night (literally bitter... it has been in the single digits everyday). The meat/veggie mixture was tasty and mixed well with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle a little salt and you have a very tasty meal. Yum! 

Ingredients (recipe from here): 

1.5 lbs ground beef

1 tbsp ghee

salt and pepper

1 cup carrots, diced

1.5 cups brussel sprouts, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup chicken broth

2.5 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

MASHED POTATOES:

4-6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

2/3 cup full fat coconut milk

3 tbsp ghee

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

salt and pepper

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions: 

1) Heat a pot of water, sprinkle with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the potato pieces and cook until soft.

2) Drain the potatoes and return to pot. Add the coconut milk and ghee. Mash with masher and once smooth, add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. 

3) Preheat oven to 375. In a deep oven proof skillet, brown beef over medium high heat with a sprinkle of salt. Once cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

4) Adjust heat to medium and add the Brussel sprouts and carrots. Cook for about two minutes. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic and sprinkle with a little salt. 

5) Add the remaining ingredients to the beef mixture, stir to combine, then return the beef to the skillet. Stir to coat and simmer for two minutes. 

6) Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the beef mixture, using a spoon to smooth the top. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and bake for about 20 minutes. 

7) Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Baked Eggs, by Cheryl

I'm sick of peeling hard boiled eggs. Day 23 of Whole 30 is here and I no longer have the time or patience. So I decided to bake them in a muffin tin. Easy peasy and tastes the same! And you can adjust the time based on if you want runny or hard yolks. I chose hard yolks since it's easier to eat on the go. Quick, healthy, and easy! Yum!

Ingredients:

12 eggs

avocado or coconut oil spray

salt, pepper, or any other spices you want to add on

Directions: 

1) Preheat the oven to 350.

2) Crack each egg into its own muffin tin with silicone holder. 

3) Bake for 20 minutes for hard yolks.

4) Sprinkle with what ever you want! In addition to salt I used Herbes de Provence.

Tuscan Garlic Shrimp, by Cheryl

Another winner from Paleo Running Momma! This was fairly easy to make and was really good! I had mine over cauliflower rice and Jon had his over some roasted potatoes, both which were good options! Yum! 

Ingredients: 

1lb medium shrimp, deveined, peeled

sea salt and black pepper

2 tbsp ghee

1 small onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp tapioca flour

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 tbsp mustard

1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast

1.4 tsp Italian seasoning blend

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 cups baby spinach

chopped parsley for garnish 

Directions:

1) Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add ghee to medium high heat skillet and melt. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes per side. Plate and set aside. 

2) Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for one minute. Whisk in the tapioca, then add the chicken broth and coconut milk, scraping the bottom of the skillet. Stir to combine, then add the mustard, nutritional yeast, and italian seasoning. Cook and stir over medium heat until it starts to thicken, then add salt and pepper for taste. 

3) Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook until softened, then add the spinach to wilt. Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir, then sprinkle all over with parsley. Serve over cauliflower rice or zoodles. 

Pork Floss and Seaweed Pull-Apart Rolls, by Diane

 

I have been following a chef on Instagram, Kristina Cho, and she just published a cookbook called Mooncakes and Milkbread which is full of recipes for sweet and savory Chinese pastries. It's the first time I've looked at a baking challenge and thought I'd like to try making them, plus I love Asian bakeries. Yesterday it was a snow day here, and I thought what a great way to fill the day by making this recipe, which I've had my eye on for a while. Her cookbook is backordered, but this recipe was published in Bon Appétit. 

I was floored that these came out so well. I had several moments where I was sure I messed up the dough, including yeast that didn't ferment in milk causing me to borrow milk from a neighbor during the storm, and not having a stand mixer so not being sure how long to mix the dough by hand. These tasted WAY better than any one I've had in a Chinese bakery, which also really surprised me! This is partly due to her famous milkbread recipe, which is soft and pillowy and just slightly sweet. Overall, these made 8 craveable and super fun rolls, and I had been anticipating they wouldn't be so good but here we all are trapped in the house together...

I did a few things differently than her recipe- I used a shrimp flavored furikake because I like the way pork and shrimp go together (in the end I couldn't taste the shrimp but everything blended so well!). I also had some leftover fried garlic and onion from an Indonesian recipe so sprinkle that on top as well with the sesame seeds- definitely a great addition. 

I can't say enough about what a surprise hit these were, so savory and sweet and the dough was just soft and pillowy and comforting. I would definitely make these again, for when more people were in the house... I also loved the freeze and reheat instructions! FYI, this recipe takes about 5-5.5 hours to complete from start to finish.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup milk, divided (I had to use half and half here since my first batch didn't ferment and it was fine)

2 tbsp plus 2 2/3 bread flour, divided, plus some for flouring surface

1 tsp active dry yeast

A pinch plus 1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp diamond crystal or 1/4 tsp morton kosher salt

4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

1 tsp vegetable oil

Filling/Assembly:

1/2 cup Kewpie mayo

1 cup pork floss

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

2 tbsp furikake

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk or heavy cream

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

(I also added 2 tsp fried garlic and onion bits)

Directions:

1. Cook 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp bread flour in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened into a paste 2-3 min (mine never did so I added a bit more flour). Transfer this mixture, called tangzhong, to a small bowl and let sit until warm (should resemble mashed potatoes), 5-10 min. 

2. Bring remaining 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp milk to a gentle rolling simmer over medium heat. Pour milk into a small bowl and let cool until warm to the touch (110 degrees). Stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit until foamy, 5-10 min. (I had to sprinkle and stir the yeast in as my first batch clumped).

3. Combine egg, salt, remaining 2 2/3 cup bread flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stand mixer w dough hook. Add in tangzhong and yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Add 1 piece of butter at at time, mixing until incorporated, then increase speed to medium high until dough is tacky and slightly sticky about 8-10 min. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, wet hands and form into a ball. (I just used my hands for all of these steps until it formed a tight ball and was a bit sticky). 

4. Coat a large bowl with oil and turn the dough until all sides are covered in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm draft free spot for about 2 hours until doubled in size. 

5. Roll dough on a floured surface to 18x10". Spread mayo over dough, then sprinkle pork floss, scallions, and furikake. Roll it up lengthwise into a tight log and pinch the ends and remove. Turning log seam side down, cut into 8 equal pieces.

6. Coat a 10" diameter cake pan with cooking spray, arrange rolls leaving a small gap between each one. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours in a warm draft free place.

7. Preheat oven to 350. Whisk egg and 1 tbsp milk/cream in a bowl and lightly brush the tops with this mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the tops (and garlic/onions if using).

8. Bake for 28 min until golden brown (I needed maybe another 3). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan until warm.

9. If storing, chill in airtight container in fridge (warm at 300 degrees until warmed through about 5 min or 30-45 sec in microwave) or freezer (bake 350 for 10-15 min).

Uzbek Plov, by Diane

 

This weekend thanks to Covid our plans got cancelled and we were stuck at home, so my friend and I resumed our virtual Cooking through the Countries series and picked Uzbekistan. Plov is the classic Uzbek dish of meat and rice, and having had it before at a local restaurant I was excited to make this! Traditionally it's made with lamb, but I used beef here. This was really warming, and very tasty. 

The instructions for cooking the rice wound up being incorrect for both of us, so I'm writing what we did here as well to correct it. We also added more salt throughout the cooking process and changed the garlic instructions, and were glad we did both. All our notes are in the recipe below.

Overall through this series we have learned that pretty much every country has a meat and rice dish, and that rice is very hard to cook with all the different methods! Both of us said we would make this again, and my friend used chicken and said it also was great! 

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless lamb cut into 3 inch pieces (I used beef stew meat for ease here)

2 cups basmati rice

4 garlic heads, whole (we used 2 but think 3 would be great), washed and top trimmed off to expose cloves

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large onions, sliced thinly

5 large carrots, coarsely grated

2 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds

1/2 cup fresh barberries (I subbed currants)

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 cups boiling water

2 tbsp salt (we used more)

Directions:

1. Cover rice in a bowl with warm water and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or skillet over high heat until smoking. Salt the meat, then add to pot, browning on each side. 

3. Stir in onions with a sprinkle of salt, cooking for 10 minutes until brown and soft.

4. Stir in carrots, cooking for 10 minutes until soft.

5. Stir in cumin seeds, coriander seeds, barberries and peppercorns. Stir in a pinch of salt and mix well. Add garlic heads face down on the bottom of the pan (this part was my addition and it worked well to caramelize the garlic). Reduce heat to medium and cook covered for 30 min. (We shortened the cooking time for beef to 20 and chicken by 15).

6. Wash and drain the rice until water is clear in hot water. Pour the drained rice in an even layer over meat mixture, then cover with boiling water about 3/4 inch and do not stir. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of salt and reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 20 min until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*note- this method did not work for us, so we would either do this for 10 min then stir together and cook until the rice is soft, or mix all together from the start. Our water did not cover the rice by 3/4 of an inch either, and we both thought we might increase the liquid by .5 cup.

7. Stir everything together at the end, adjust for seasonings, and serve with garlic heads on top.

*note- we squeezed the roasted garlic out and stirred this in too, it made it taste great!

Classic Deviled Eggs, by Diane

 

A photo of my snack lunches from last week!

This week I wanted a healthy lunch of a mix of things, and I had a carton of eggs just staring at me, so I made this classic deviled eggs recipe. They were very good and easy, and tasted great with my new smoked spanish paprika from Penzey's. 

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

1 tsp dijon

1-2 dashes tabasco (I left this out)

Salt, to taste

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp snipped fresh chives (I couldn't find these at the store)

3 tbsp mayo

Paprika and whole chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, then cover and remove from heat for 10-12 min. 

2. Peel under cool water and let sit in fridge for 15 min. 

3. Halve the eggs lengthwise, scoop out yolks, and mash with a fork.

4. Add in all ingredients except garnishes, combine well and fill egg whites.

5. Garnish and enjoy

Sweet Potato Hash, by Cheryl

Easy, basic, and healthy! This breakfast (or lunch or dinner!) hash complimented my sunny side up eggs and bacon! Whole 30 approved. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato, scrubbed and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 yellow, red, or orange bell pepper

ghee

Directions:

1) Add ghee into a medium skillet. When melted add onions and peppers and cook until translucent. Some brown bits are good too! Set aside. 

2) Add more ghee and add the sweet potatoes. Stir to coat. Cover and cook about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and peppers back in and stir. Enjoy with eggs and bacon or sausage!