The Best Fall Salad, by Diane

This is my latest lunch obsession, so quick and easy to meal prep and packed with autumn flavors! I've decided the formula for this to work best is two roasted veggies, one protein, something crunchy (usually nuts or seeds), something sweet (usually apples, dates or dried cranberries), a leafy green, and my dressing creation which seems to remain the same because it goes with everything!! This version is the best so far, so I'm posting it to remember in the future! 

This can make about 3 salads for the week if you use one whole squash, 2 apples, 1 bag of pre-grilled chicken, and about 1 lb of sprouts (dressing amounts remain the same). If meal prepping- combine the veggies and the chicken and cheese, then on the day of eating chop the apples so they stay fresh and add the arugula (so it won't wilt) and pecans (so they stay crunchy!). 

PS- delicata squash is my most favorite veggie of fall, you can eat them with the skin on and when roasted and browned they get almost caramelized. My favorite way to eat them is here, roasted in coconut oil until both sides are fully browned, then tossed with sea salt and rosemary powder (not dried rosemary)- it tastes like thanksgiving and I can eat a whole squash in one sitting!

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced grilled chicken (I use pre-grilled strips for ease)

Coconut oil

Roasted delicata squash

Powdered rosemary

Salt

Brussels sprouts, halved and trimmed

Gala apple, chopped

Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Chopped pecans

2 cups arugula or a large handful

Dressing: 2 roasted shallots, 4 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tbsp or more ume plum vinegar, 1 tsp dried thyme, water as needed

Drizzle blackberry balsamic vinaigrette on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and place coconut oil (about 2 tbsp each) on two trays while the oven warms.

2. When the oil is melted, toss the sprouts and shallots with salt and oil on one tray, and the squash with salt and rosemary powder and oil on the other. Coat well and roast until charred, flipping halfway.

3. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients and whiz until creamy. This will stay creamy in the fridge for days. Add the water or more oil if the consistency needs to change, and feel free to adjust the vinegar too.

3. When the roasted veggies are room temp, toss with chicken, apples, cheese, pecans, arugula and dressing. Mix well then drizzle balsamic on top and enjoy!

Sweet Chili Shrimp, by Cheryl

This is a simple and delicious recipe that I made the other night when I had no idea what to make. Searching through my freezer I found not one, but two bags of frozen shrimp! I also had a bottle of sweet chili sauce, so a recipe was made! The only rice I had was sushi rice so I cooked that and it was a hit with 3/4 people (we never get the 4th one lol). Overall, this was a quick and great weeknight meal for the family. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp (I used frozen, but might be better cooked in the sauce)

Scallions, chopped

Red pepper, sliced

Minced garlic

Some ginger

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, maybe more

Olive oil

Directions:

1) Saute red pepper for a couple of minutes in oil. Set aside. 

2) Add some red chili sauce to the pan and arrange the shrimp. Cook about 3 minutes each side? 

3) Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and a little more sauce. Mix together. 

4) Serve with cooked rice. 

Fall Chopped Salad, By Diane

 

I came up with this recipe the other week before traveling as I needed something quick and healthy, and the weather was just starting to turn to feel like fall. This has been an amazing meal to have prepped in the fridge ready to go! I also made it when I got home from traveling and it has been really nourishing. The ingredients are easy to swap out, and sometimes I can reduce cook time by heading to Whole Foods bar and grabbing a few of the roasted veggies- they always have roasted butternut squash with herbs and roasted brussels with apples on their bar! That combined with pre-made chicken strips makes this super easy to chop up and prep. YUM.

This recipe makes 3 servings (b/c I work 3 days a week and need quick lunches!)

Ingredients:

2 breasts grilled chicken (I just buy one pack of grilled chicken strips)

One head red butter lettuce

12 Dates

1 small butternut squash, cubed and roasted with evoo/poultry seasoning/salt until browned

1 large golden beet, cubed roasted w evoo and salt until browned 

1 large red apple, roasted until softened

2 cups brussels sprouts, roasted w evoo and salt

6 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled

6 tbsp chopped pecans

Drizzle blackberry balsamic vinegar

Champagne vinaigrette to taste

Directions:

1. Roast all the veggies together with noted seasonings and allow to cool- the squash, beets, apples, brussels.

2. Combine lettuce, roasted veggies, chicken, dates, and cheese on a large cutting board and chop finely all together.

3. Divide into 3 bowls and store until ready to serve. This makes great meal prep!!

4. When ready to serve, add in chopped pecans, balsamic vinegar, and vinaigrette and combine well. 

Immunity Fire Cider, by Diane

 

I love to make a fire cider in the start of fall to be ready for cold and flu season as well as to combat the fatigue and stress of the long dark days. This recipe is so good for you, and so easy to customize as you like it! It's also kind of fun to watch as the days go on. I don't remove any skins or stems like you normally would, because the nutrients in these are good for the cider. This can be used daily for prevention, or for when a cold or illness strikes, or just as a fun tasting additive to recipes for a health boost!

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, quartered

1 large knob of ginger, sliced with the skin on (enough to make about 1/2 cup of slices)

1 large knob of turmeric, sliced with the skin on (enough to make about 1/2 cup of slices)

1/4 cup grated fresh horseradish

1 medium bunch thyme

1 medium bunch rosemary

4 smashed cloves garlic, peels removed

1 jalepeno, sliced lengthwise (option to keep ribs and seeds if you want this spicier!)

1 large cinnamon stick

Apple cider vinegar, with the mother

Raw honey

Other options: serrano pepper or other peppers, elderberries, ground black pepper, burdock root

Directions:

1. Fill a large mason jar with all the dry ingredients onion through cinnamon. You may have to pack the ingredients down to fit.

2. Fill the jar to the top with vinegar until there is no more room in the jar, making sure to cover all ingredients completely.

3. Place a plastic lid on the top, or if using a metal lid cover with plastic wrap in between the liquid and the lid. 

4. Store in a warm place for 6-8 weeks, shaking daily to infuse all ingredients. 

5. At this point, the liquid can be strained and saved discarding the solid ingredients, OR you can blend all ingredients in a high speed blender and let sit for an additional week without shaking to allow the solids to settle before straining.

6. Once step 5 is done, add the honey in to taste and combine well. 

7. This can be used as a digestive tonic on it's own, added to water (1 oz to 8 oz), or even in dressings.

Mexican Chicken Salad, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from @dayamifrommiami on IG, and I thought it was such a creative high protein recipe for lunches this week! It was super easy, and so so good. I loved it on its own, with chips, and lettuce cups! I also loved the swap of greek yogurt for mayo. YUM. I added the poblano and green onions and they were a great addition! I also removed the avocado so it would last all week, and took out the cheese bc I didn't want it but it did have queso fresco in the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

2 8oz cups greek yogurt, plain

1 lime, juiced

1 can fire roasted corn

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts chopped

1 poblano, fire roasted (I use my gas burner for this until black and blistered), diced

Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin

Directions: Mix well and enjoy!

Fish Taco Bowls 2.0, by Diane

 

This weekend I was at the beach and got some blackened bass with peach salsa, with a side of corn and coleslaw. I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I decided to mix it all up into a bowl and it was soooo good I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since! I decided to create my own version with cod and mango salsa and it was so great! Plus it was a great meal prep recipe as it got better in the fridge each day, and was a cold dish to eat on hot days. Yum!

(I saw there was another recipe on the blog for fish taco bowls, so these are titled 2.0!)

Ingredients:

Fish (I chose frozen cod filets that I defrosted, next time I'd use fresh)

Seasoning (I used garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cumin and merken from Chile but you could use chili powder instead)

Avocado spray oil

Salsa: 2 mangos diced, 2 tomatoes diced, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 red onion diced, 1 bunch cilantro chopped, 1 lime juiced, salt

Red cabbage shredded

Dressing: 1 cup greek yogurt plain, 1 bunch cilantro with stems, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper, 1 lime juiced

Directions:

1. Make the salsa and dressings ahead of time and let them marry in the fridge. I did mine the night before. They get better this way!

2. Season the fish and spray with avocado oil on each side, then air fry at 350 for 15 min or until the fish is 145 internally and flaky. 

3. Serve in a bowl with cabbage, salsa, fish and dressing!

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup, by Cheryl

Whew, what a busy summer! This is a delicious, healthy soup to have on a summer day! It was so tasty and light and I would definitely make it again. It didn't take long at all and makes enough for leftovers for a couple of days. Pair it with a nice white wine! Yum! 

Ingredients (from Paleo Running Momma)

1 tbsp olive or avocado oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tbsp minced lemongrass, inner part of one stalk

1 tbsp red curry paste

3 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 14 oz cans of full fat coconut milk

8 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

zest of one lime grated

1 lime, juiced

Sea salt

Cilantro and/or scallions for garnish

Directions:

1) Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until fragrant, then stir in the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste, and cook for one minute. 

2) Pour the broth into the pot while stirring continually. Then stir in the fish sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and stir, the add the mushrooms. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. 

3) Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime zest and juice. Season with salt to taste. Serve with cilantro, scallions, and/or lime wedges. 

Roasted Asian Cabbage Salad, by Diane

 

I saw this recipe on @starinfinitefood and she makes really creative salads. I tried this and added rotisserie chicken to make it a meal. Overall, this was really good! I like the flavors, they tasted way better through the week, and it was good cold during this heatwave. The only changes I would make are roasting the carrots with the cabbage, and roasting the chickpeas longer because mine weren't dried out and then became chewy. Otherwise I loved this and would make it again!

Ingredients:

For the Cabbage:

1 medium cabbage, chopped

3 tbsp EVOO

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

For the dressing:

6 tbsp chopped peanuts

6 tbsp EVOO

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

2 cloves diced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

For the chickpeas:

1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed drained and patted dry

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tbsp EVOO

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sesame seeds

For the Salad:

3/4 cup matchstick carrots

1/2 cup scallions, white and green parts sliced

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 and add the cabbage and all cabbage ingredients to toss (I would add carrots too). Roast for 30-35 minutes, tossing again halfway.

2. Add just the chickpeas to a dry pan and roast with the cabbage on a separate tray for 20 minutes or until dry (I'd go longer). 

3. While these roast, add the salad ingredients and set aside, make the dressing and set aside, and make the chickpea sauce with the remaining ingredients and set aside.

4. Add the chickpea sauce to the chickpeas and cook another 8 min or until carmelized.

5. Toss the roasted cabbage mixture into the salad bowl and mix well with dressing. Top with crunchy chickpeas.

Mexican Egg Bake, by Diane

 

I got inspired to create this recipe after trying unsuccessfully to remember my last egg bake recipe and failing- but the silver lining is that this creative take on a Mexican chili and Mexican baked eggs was created! Boy am I glad, because oh my gosh this was so soooooo good! So easy, and so dense in nutrition and protein- this was a winner for sure! The mix of flavors and the slight heat in this was also amazing!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

12 eggs

Salt

1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed and rough chopped

1.5 tbsp EVOO

1 white onion, diced

1 poblano pepper

1 lb ground turkey

Taco seasoning (I made my own with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper), to taste

1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 small can diced green chiles

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 15 oz can sweet yellow corn (I found a mexican version with bell peppers in it and used this)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray on bottom and sides and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and a pinch of salt together. Add in cilantro and stir well, set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add onions and brown.

4. While the onions brown, roast the poblano pepper skin over a flame (I had a gas stove so this was easy) until the skin chars and blisters. When cool, remove the seeds and black skin, and dice and add to the onions.

5. Add the ground turkey and taco seasoning to the pan and crumble with the back of a spoon until the turkey is just cooked. 

6. Take the pan off heat and add tomatoes, chiles, beans, and corn to the pan and mix well. 

7. Pour the turkey mixture into the 9x13 dish, then pour the egg mixture over top and mix until combined evenly.

8. Bake for 50 min or until eggs are set and a knife comes out clean.

Sausage Egg Bake, by Diane

I created this recipe four times now, because I lost it before I could post it three times in a row. :/ At any rate, that should convince you of how good it is! These are high protein packed lunches for me, but could easily be any dinner or a snack. I actually like them both cold and hot leftover! Super easy to throw together and really satisfying. I sneak a whole bag of spinach in here too for nutrients too! I omit the cheese bc I don't eat a ton of dairy but it would be killer here!

Ingredients:

12 eggs

Seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's creole seasoning with chili powder and paprika and garlic here, but salt/pepper and any other blend you like is ok!)

1 jar mild salsa (I love Chi Chi's restaurant style!)

12 links uncooked turkey breakfast sausage, casing removed and cut into small pieces

1 medium bag raw spinach

1/2 red onion, diced

cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the seasoning. Add in the jar of salsa and whisk again. Set aside.

3. In another large bowl, wilt the spinach in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This makes it easier to mix into the eggs I have found from trial and error!

4. In a 9x13 glass baking dish, spray with cooking spray on bottom and sides and add in onion, spinach, and sausage and mix well.

5. Pour the egg mixture over top and mix well to combine. 

6. Bake for one hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Manischewitz Jello Shots, by Cheryl

Yes, I made Jello shots for my Passover seder. Someone sent me the recipe on Instagram and I just knew I had to make them! They weren't strong at all, but they were so good! Next year I'm making a bigger batch. Yum!

Ingredients:

Jello packet

1/2 cup manischewitz wine

1/2 boiling water

Directions:

1) In a bowl pour the Jello mix, wine, and boiling water together. Mix until dissolved. 

2) Pour into little shot glassed. Put in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Drug Eggs, by Diane

I've tried to make ramen eggs before in two other posts, but this was a slight variation on them from @alexawhatsfordinner and I thought I'd give it a go for a creative protein snack. These are called drug eggs because they are supposedly addictive, but for me they were just okay. The recipe called for the liquid to cover the eggs, and it didn't so I added more water and it's possible that was the issue because I definitely wanted them to have more flavor. 

On the plus side, I finally figured out how to make the perfect jammy eggs from this recipe so that was a win I'll take!!

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp gochugaru or red chili flakes

1 tbsp sesame seeds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, finely diced

1 spicy red pepper or habenero, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Soft boil the eggs by bringing a large pot of water to boil then gently lowering each egg into the pot. Cook for 6-7 minutes for jammy yolks and carefully transfer to an ice bath to cool completely before peeling the eggs.

2. Combine all remaining ingredients except eggs, then add eggs and make sure they are fully covered. 

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Serve with marinade if desired.

 

Tender Meatballs, by Cheryl

These are the most tender meatballs I've ever made! Everyone in my house ran through the first batch so quickly that I made two more batches the next day for snacks and meals. I've used milk in meatballs before, but not in the way this recipe had me do it. It truly made a difference! Eat on their own or with spaghetti! Yum!

Ingredients (recipe from here):

1 lb ground beef

2/3 cup bread crumbs

7/8 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp fresh Italian herbs

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400. Add the milk and the bread crumbs in a bowl and stir until absorbed. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well until combined. 

2) Roll the mixture in meatballs and lay them on a lined baking tray. Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking. 

3) Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes. Serve with whatever you want!

Crockpot Chipotle Shredded Beef, by Diane

 

This recipe came from @kaleforniakravings, and I had some doubts about the flavors but decided to give it a try. The beef came out super tender and easy to shred, but I was right about the flavors so I probably wouldn't make this version again. I tried to save the sauce with some brown sugar and tomato paste which did help a lot, and then immersion blended the onions, garlic, and cilantro in. I also put it on tostadas with my fave black beans from Guatemala and topped with onion and cilantro- all of which made this better! Next time I'll find a different recipe but keep the same cooking method.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast 

1 tbsp each chipotle powder and paprika

1/2 tbsp each dried oregano and chili powder

1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper

1 medium white onion, sliced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and whole

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup each orange juice (fresh squeezed) and water

2 tbsp lime juice

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, deseeded and chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, choppped

Directions:

1. Cut the beef into 4 large sections and rub chipotle powder through pepper into the meat. 

2. Put onion through chipotle pepper in the bottom of a crockpot, then layer on beef, then cilantro.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, remove beef and shred with some of the liquid.

Grinder Bean Salad, by Diane

 

This is one of the best things I have ever eaten!!! I cannot get over how good this is, it's like the world's best italian hoagie on steroids with a spoon. I follow @viotletwitchel on instagram and she makes a new dense bean salad each week for lunches. This is a blend of two of her latest recipes, and holy moly I'm obsessed. She said she ate this for lunch three weeks in a row, and I can see why. This would also be great for potlucks and picnics too! This is highly customizable and I am thinking of experimenting with cucumber, olive, artichoke hearts...already dreaming of future lunches!

My two notes: she includes parsley in this, which I did, but it was WAY too overpowering so next time I'll likely add dried parsley to the dressing. And, she adds the mozzarella balls and says it keeps all week, but by day 3 the cheese started getting watery and gross. So, next time I'd add fresh cheese each day and store it separate.

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 can white cannellini beans

1/2 lb each deli turkey and salami, diced (I chose black pepper turkey and genoa salami for flavor)

1 small jar roasted sweet peppers, drained and chopped

1/4 cup banana peppers, chopped

1 package small mozzarella balls

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 cup capers

1 cup colored cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 red bell pepper, diced (I skipped this)

Dressing: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I only had ACV which worked great!), 1/2 cup EVOO, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dijon, salt and pepper

Directions:

Toss dressing together and toss over remaining ingredients, mix well and chill!

Paccheri with Shrimp in a Tomato White Wine Sauce, by Cheryl

Oh paccheri, how I love you! This is my favorite pasta and I fell in love with it during my time in Naples. I also fell in love with their classic white wine tomato sauce. I can't ever seem to replicate it as well as they do, but this dish definitely brought me back. I loveee it. Yum!

Ingredients: 

1 package paccheri

1 8oz container of grape tomatoes

1 cup white wine

1 onion, chopped

A couple tbsp minced garlic

A couple handfuls of spinach

1 lb shrimp, seasoned

Salt

Olive oil

Directions:

1) Cook pasta according to directions.

2) Meanwhile, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the white wine, tomatoes, and garlic and simmer, mixing occasionally until sauce thickens. 

3) Cook shrimp in separate pan and then add to the sauce. 

4) Pour everything over the pasta. 

Zucchini Pizza Bites, by Diane

 

We wanted a healthier appetizer option to balance out the rest of our superbowl party and found these online. Overall they were good, but next time I would follow my instincts and draw the water out of the zucchini or use an air fryer on these as they were a bit wet. Otherwise you can't go wrong with this flavor combo!

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4 thick rounds

pepperoni

mozzarella cheese

pizza sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 and assemble the zucchini with sauce, pepperoni and cheese.

2. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and set the broiler to high.

3. Broil on high for 5 more minutes or until the cheese browns. Serve warm (but they are also great cold as leftovers!).

Scrap Stock, by Diane

I keep seeing tricks on instragram to make your own stock, which tends to be far more healthy and less expensive than store bought. One trick I saw was to keep a gallon ziplock bag of veggie scraps in the freezer, adding to it each time you cook, until the bag is full. Then you use those with water and seasonings to create homemade stock. I decided to try it on a night where I was also cooking with lamb and had a lot of bones I was about to throw away, so I combined it all together to get this super savory and extra golden broth! This couldn't have been easier and as you can see it made a ton of stock! I also liked the taste of it way better than store bought, so I'll definitely keep this going. My bag had extra rutabaga I never used, celery ends and leaves, onion and garlic ends and peels, broccoli stems, leek ends, and ginger peels. Yum.

One note- usually when making homemade bone broth you'll want to skim the scum off the top of the water that appears about 20 minutes in. There were so many veggies floating at the top I couldn't do this, but it actually wound up settling at the bottom of the pot at the end so I just strained it out and it was ok! Next time you could start the bones early and then skim it and add the veggies too.

Ingredients:

1 gallon bag of veggie scraps

Optional bones for bone broth

Water (enough to cover the veggies)

Salt (you'll want to salt heavily here, but taste to be sure along the way)

Seasonings: I used 2 bay leaves, celery seed, poultry seasoning, dill, dried oyster mushrooms, and black pepper

Directions:

Toss everything in the pot and bring to a boil then simmer on low for 2-3 hours (the longer you do it the more flavorful!). I kept the lid off so the liquid concentrated down a bit like stock, but you could also keep the lid on to trap condensation and get more liquid! Strain the liquid and toss the veggie scraps and bones if using, then store in the fridge or freezer or sip for immunity and good health!

Butter (or ghee) and Garlic Mushrooms, by Cheryl

For some reason I had a family size container of baby bella mushrooms that I had to use. I needed a quick and easy recipe in order to use them all. This recipe is so simple and SO delicious! If I had a shallot I would have chopped some of that up and put it in there. It was a hit with 3/4 of us so I'd say that's a win! It was a perfect side. Yum!

Ingredients:

Baby bella mushrooms

A few tbsps butter or ghee, salted

Parsley 

Minced garlic, a few tbsp

Directions:

1) Melt the butter in a pan. Add garlic and parsley. 

2) Next, add the mushrooms. Flip over to cover them with the sauce. Cook on low medium heat for a little bit on each side. 

3) Dust a little parsley on top when finished cooking. 

Lamb Biryani, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from the NY Times, and it looked like the perfect dish to make for a cozy winter weekend. It did involve prep a day ahead, and was a little laborious, so I would save this for a week when I had the time to cook it. Overall, I liked it but it was a bit drier than I hoped. Some biryani dishes I've had are on the dry side so this wasn't a problem with the recipe I don't think. Another complaint was that the whole spices had to stay in while it cooked so every few bites I'd get a cardamom pod or a piece of cinnamon stick (also not uncommon), but I think next time I'd put these in a little bag and take it out before the oven step. On the plus side, the lamb was super tender and the rice was nice and fluffy, and the heat level with just one green finger chile and the 1 tsp of Kasmiri chili was a perfect mild-medium level. I also added currants to one bowl on whim and really like the pop of sweetness! And, while there was a ton of cilantro and mint in this I couldn't tell at all, all the flavors really blended nicely. 

Ingredients:

For the Lamb:

4 green finger chiles (or serrano chiles), stems removed (I used one)

1 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

8 cloves garlic, peeled

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

2 roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup full fat yogurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp Kasmiri chile powder, plus more if desired

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp kosher salt, plus more if desired

2.5 to 3 lbs lamb chops (shoulder bone in or boneless) (I cut this into bite size pieces)

3 Indian cinnamon sticks half inch each, or 1 large cinnamon stick

12 whole black peppercorns

6 cloves

6 green cardamom pods

1 tbsp garam masala

For the Fried Onions:

1 cup neutral oil like canola

2 yellow onions thinly sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Rice:

kosher salt

water

3 cups basmati rice

For Assembly:

6 tbsp whole milk

1/2 tsp saffron threads

2 cups mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

6 tbsp unsalted butter, sliced

Directions:

1. Prep the lamb marinade by adding finger chiles, garlic and ginger to a food processor until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and onions until smooth. Add to a ziplock bag with the lamb, yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric and salt. Combine well and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prep the fried onions by heating oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook until browned about 25-30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and spread out so they don't clump. Set aside.

3. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom to the remaining oil and fry over medium heat for one minute until fragrant. Add the meat mixture with the marinade plus one cup of water and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, on a low simmer (adjust heat as needed) until the meat is tender and the sauce is dark (about 2.5 hours). Add in garam masala, then chile powder/salt as needed.

4. Heat the oven to 350 F. Prep the rice by adding it to a large pot of salted boiling water for 3 minutes, stirring well and often, then strain and run cold water over the rice. Set aside.

5. Prep the saffron milk by warming the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Remove from heat and add saffron, crumbing it with fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside.

6. In a large dutch oven with a lid, add 1/3 meat mixture to the bottom layer of the pot evenly. Sprinkle the meat with 1/3 herbs and 1/3 rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers down. Drizzle 2 tbsp of saffron milk over the rice and add 1/3 fried onions. Build 2 more layers like this and top with butter pats. Cover the pot with foil and then the lid.

7. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for one hour until piping hot. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving, digging all the way to the bottom with the spoon to serve. Reheat in a covered dish in the microwave for leftovers.

Lemon Almond Flour Pancakes, by Cheryl

It's January.. and you know what that means for me! Whole 30 time! We had a very rough December with a ton of food to go with it so we needed a reset. I also simply needed a different breakfast that didn't include eggs or meat. I love eggs and bacon for breakfast, but I was starting to feel my arteries clog in real time lol. 

These were good. I might make them again. They didn't stick very well so it was hard to flip them. And I desperately needed something sweet to dip them in, but I loaded up on berries with each bite and that was sufficient. The lemon was a nice touch and I wish I had poppy seeds to mix in there. I also had them the next morning with.. eggs! I used the runny parts of the egg as my little sauce, topped with some avocado. These were a solid breakfast, and very filling! Yum!

Ingredients (modified recipe from here)

2 cups almond flour

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp ghee

1.25 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

Directions:

1) Melt the ghee in a small pan. Add the lemon juice and mix. 

2) Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and coconut milk. Whisk until halfway combined and then whisk in the lemon butter.

3) Heat a pan with ghee. Drop in 1/4-1/2 cup of the batter and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes. 

4) Remove the pancakes and top with fruit!