Balsamic Garlic London Broil

Talk about an easy recipe. If you can add a bunch of ingredients to a Ziploc bag, marinate it overnight, and then cook in a skillet or grill pan...this recipe is for you!

My Dad was a butcher so I grew up eating a lot of meat and London broil was no exception. This type of meat is best cooked to medium rare or medium. It can overcook quickly and become very tough.



Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs London broil steak
• 4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat a few turns of the pan of olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. 

Place steak in the pan and cook 6-8 minutes per side. Be sure to let it side and sear.

Flip steak over and cook another 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness.

When the steak is done, remove from the pan and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain to ensure the most tender pieces.

Whole Roasted Chicken

Although I make this chicken recipe quite often, since we're getting into the colder months and holidays, I thought this was an appropriate post.

I buy my whole chickens from Lima Family Farms, where my husband used to work. I love knowing exactly where my chicken comes from. Free-range. Organic. Handled with care. It was funny when he worked there, he usually could tell me if the chicken I bought was one that he plucked!

I love to make a whole chicken and then use the bones to make my own broth. I use an awesome crock pot broth recipe from www.100daysofrealfood.com that is not only delicious, but super easy since you throw everything in the crock pot and let it cook overnight!

I also like to butterfly the chicken so I know it's going to cook all the way through. I also change up the spices from time to time when I make this and you can add whatever vegetables to the bottom of the baking dish that you have on hand.

I'm going to do this recipe description a little differently, because like I said I change up the ingredients quite often and you can literally use whatever spices you have on hand and whatever vegetables are in your fridge!

• Start by filling the bottom of a large baking dish with a variety of vegetables. (I used carrots, leeks, potatoes, onions, and fresh thyme)

• Melt a couple Tbs butter and baste the chicken. Then, add your spices evenly to all sides of the chicken and place in the baking dish.

• Bake at 350° for 20 minutes per pound (the chickens I usually get bake about 1 1/2 hours). The chicken should be moist and the skin should be crispy. Vegetables should be tender.

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken

What could be better than Italian bacon wrapped around a juicy chicken thigh?!

Not Much.

This recipe is so simple and quick. You can prep the chicken ahead of the time and then throw it in the oven when you get home from work or 40 minutes before dinner.

I've been M.I.A. lately thanks to the lovely daylight savings time. My 8 month old daughter is not only teething like crazy, but her sleep schedule is completely off, in part from that and from the time change. It's been early mornings and little to no naps, so getting on my computer has been none existent.

This recipe is a blast of flavor. My 3 year old ate almost a whole chicken himself! Your family is sure to love this one.



Ingredients:
1- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs or breasts
2 Tbs honey
1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, grated
5-6 slices prosciutto
Salt and Pepper, to taste



In a small bowl, mix together the honey, red pepper flakes, and garlic.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish.
Spread the honey mixture evenly on each piece of chicken.

Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each chicken thigh.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through. Juices should be clear and prosciutto should be charred.

Bake Thai Salmon

This recipe turned out to be much better tasting than I imagined. I have to admit that the sweet chili sauce is not completely paleo, but it adds such a great flavor and is kid approved.

I'm not one for spicy foods and I was afraid that the sauce would be too spicy, but it's perfect and paired with a wonderful piece of wild caught salmon, wonderful.

Salmon is so good for you. It is filled with Omega 3s. Try to get wild caught, if at all possible. I know it's more expensive, but the farmed raised are filled with artificial color, fed antibiotics, and are exposed to pesticides.

Broiling the salmon instead of baking gives it a different flavor. It cooks fast and keeps it's natural juices and moisture inside.


Ingredients:

1 lb salmon, skin removed if possible

Pinch of salt

Thai sweet chili sauce

Green onions, chopped

• Place the salmon in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Top with about 1 Tbs of chili sauce and coat evenly over the fish. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

• Turn the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place salmon on it. Coat with another 1 Tbs of chili sauce.
• Broil for 8-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once. Remove from oven and top with any additional sweet chili sauce that you desire. Return to the oven and broil another 5-10 minutes, or until salmon is caramelized.

• Garnish with green onions.

Honey Mustard Chicken

This is one of our favorite dinners! I make it a couple times a month and will be adding it to our bi-weekly menu. It's so quick and easy, but tastes like it's been cooking all day.

You literally just mix the ingredients together and then pour over the chicken and bake.

I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you could use any type of chicken you like or have on hand. The sauce would taste great with pork, as well.

I talk about eating clean and using the best ingredients so I wanted to share a few of them with you all now.

The honey I get is usually local and/or raw.
And the Dijon I buy is all natural, as well. No added weird ingredients.

My meats usually come from Lima Family Farms in Hillsborough, NJ. They only sell whole chickens, so when I just need breasts or thighs I choose all natural, no hormones added chicken, like from Readington Farms.

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• salt
• rosemary
• black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish.

Add the honey mustard mixture to the dish and sprinkle with rosemary.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until cooked through. Drizzle with extra sauce, if desired.

Banana and Coconut Pancakes

Two different pancake recipes, too easy to make.

I love making a ton of pancakes on the weekend and freezing them for a quick breakfast. My son is super picky about breakfast food. He won't eat eggs so I need to be creative and keep it fresh for him. He loved both of these pancake recipes and ate without an issue.

The first recipe is only 3 ingredients and is super moist and tasty. My son ate 2 pancakes himself.

The second recipe is just as good, but a few more ingredients. Still gluten free and dairy free.

Give one of them or both of them a try this weekend and double or triple the recipe (they both make about 6-8 pancakes) to freeze and have all week long.


Banana Pancakes:

• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl until combined.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little butter, coconut oil, or bacon grease to the pan.

Use a 1/4 cup and pout batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbly and then turn over. Cook until browned and cooked through.

Coconut Pancakes:

• 3 Tbs coconut flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbs applesauce
• 1 Tbs coconut oil, melted
• 3-4 Tbs coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl until combined.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little butter, coconut oil, or bacon grease to the pan.

Use a 1/4 cup and pout batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbly and then turn over. Cook until browned and cooked through.

Caramelized Cinnamon Plantains

Are you ready for a recipe that is going to blow your mind?!

Since eating paleo, there aren't many dessert options without having to get fancy. When I saw this recipe on pinterest I was super excited to try it. I added it to my new favorite ice cream (soy free, dairy free, vanilla almond milk).

This dessert is sweet and full of flavor. It's definitely a crowd pleaser!

• 2 plantains
• 3 Tbs coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2-3 Tbs honey
• dash of salt

Directions:

Cut a slit in the plantain and peel. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add the sliced plantains, cinnamon, honey, and salt.

Stir occasionally and cook about 6-8 minutes, until plantains have caramelized.

Serve warm.

Bell Pepper Turkey Burgers

Illness has hit my household and we've been eating a lot of soup and leftovers. My son had a high fever for 4 days and we spent Saturday evening in the ER due to it. Thankfully, the virus has passed and we're all feeling healthy for the moment.

I do have to admit that I haven't been doing a lot of cooking the past week. I was feeling sick myself and so exhausted between taking care of my sick son and trying to give my daughter the attention she needs and deserves. Thank God for my mom, she doesn't live far and was over to help me for those 4 awful days because my hubby was away for work.

Like I said before, thankfully, we are all feeling better.
I was able to whip these turkey burgers up a couple days ago for lunch. The original recipe was a chicken burger and you had to put all the ingredients into the food processor, but who wants to do more dishes than necessary?!

I used ground turkey, chopped the pepper really small, used garlic powder, and mixed everything in a bowl by hand instead.


Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 bell pepper, chopped very small
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup almond flour
salt and pepper, to taste
EVOO

• Add all the ingredients, except the EVOO, to a bowl and mix well by hand.

• Form mixture into patties.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the EVOO.
• Cook the patties for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Cauliflower and Spinach "Bread"

This breakfast didn't turn out completely like the original recipe, but it was still delicious.  These "breads" are low calorie, dairy-free, gluten-free, and full of nutrients.

You can have your cauliflower and spinach bread with a side of your favorite meat, veggies, or an egg.

Although it's called a "bread" it's definitely too flimsy to use as bread for a sandwich. There is a little bit of prep, but if you plan on this for breakfast you can prep the cauliflower in the food processor the night before. You can also make the whole recipe ahead of time and freeze it for a quick, on-the-go breakfast.



Ingredients:

Coconut oil for saute
1 cauliflower
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup spinach, fresh or frozen
2-3 eggs
1-2 cloves garlic, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

• Preheat oven to 350°
• In a food processor, chop the cauliflower until it resembles breadcrumbs.

• In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil and add the cauliflower. Heat through and add the garlic and onion until it browns, about 10 minutes.

• Beat the eggs in a large bowl and then add the cauliflower mix and the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine well.

• Place parchment on a baking sheet and spoon mixture into rounds.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned.

Roasted Veggies & Sausage

How about another one-dish meal?? Who's going to say no? I dare you!!

I prepped this meal together before I had to run an evening errand with my 2 kids and then threw it in the oven when I returned home.

This one really made the house smell great and definitely made our tummies growl!

 You can use the suggested veggies or anything else that you have on hand or that is in season. The carrots and sweet potatoes go together amazingly with the sausage.

**Note- I baked this on a baking sheet lined with foil and next time I will absolutely bake it in a baking dish or casserole dish, something that I can throw a lid on afterwards for leftovers.**



Ingredients:

1 lb sausage links, cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
2 carrots, chopped into small rounds
1 red pepper, cut into large slices
1 small onion, cut into large slices
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs Italian seasoning
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper, to taste

• Preheat oven to 375°
• In a large bowl, add all sliced veggies, garlic, and cut sausage.

• Add the oil and seasonings, mix to combine.

• Place in a baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes.

"Cheesy" Chicken Casserole

Who doesn't love a cheesy, creamy casserole?! I know I did.

I never thought in a million years that I would give up eating cheese. I ate cheese too many times a day to count...

This recipe not only is delicious, but it truly tastes like there's cheese in it.

If you don't have a whole lot of prep time, I suggest cooking the chicken and butternut squash the day before. This way you just need to mix all the ingredients together and heat on the stove top at dinnertime.

I boiled the chicken breast for about 20 minutes. Then shredded.

I cut the squash in half and baked in a 400 ° for 35 minutes. Then, peeled the skin off and mashed.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs shredded cooked chicken
1 butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1/4 cup coconut cream  **the thick top part of the coconut milk can**
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

• Place all ingredients in a large saucepan (I used the same pot I used to cook the chicken).

• Cook over medium heat until the peas are heated through and the the rest of the ingredients are warm and have melted together.

Shrimp & Pesto Zucchini Noodles

This recipe is so light and tasty that you'll forget that the weather is getting colder and still think it's summertime!

My husband, who doesn't much care for any kind of squash, LOVED this recipe and asked for seconds! The pesto adds the right kind of flavor for this dish and your family or guests will definitely ask for more too!

I've been making zoodles quite often lately and using a hand veggie spiraler and I'm happy to announce that I just ordered a spiral slicer from Amazon. I cannot wait for it to arrive!

You can totally make the shrimp and zoodles a separate meal, as well. They are flavorful enough to stand alone or with another meal.



Marinade for Shrimp:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste

If you can't find an all-natural pesto like I found, here's an easy Pesto Recipe:

• 2 1/2 cups fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Entree Ingredients:

• 2 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 2 zucchini, spiral sliced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 Tbs ghee or butter
• 1 Tbs olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. 

Add the shrimp and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Next, make the pesto if you need to.

Bake the pine nuts in a 350° oven on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the pine nuts with the remaining ingredients, except the oil.

Slowly pour in the olive oil while the food processor is running, until combined.

Spiral slice the zucchini and set aside.

Fry the pancetta, remove from skillet, and set aside.

Add the marinated shrimp to the skillet with pancetta drippings.

Cook shrimp about 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink.

Toss in the cherry tomatoes and remove from pan.

Add the zucchini noodles and 1/2 cup pesto sauce to the skillet. Cook until heated through.

Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the zoodles and top with cooked pancetta.