Cajun Spiced Roasted Yams

I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in the south with my mom’s sweet potato casserole, but good grief I love yams!  I’d go for yams over white potatoes any day, and I’m just lucky that they’re pretty good for you, too.  Yams are kind of having a moment, which I think they totally deserve.  This recipe pairs well with my Southwestern Turkey Black Bean Meatloaf if you’re looking for ideas for serving.

These roasted yams pair perfectly with my Southwestern Turkey Black Bean Meatloaf!

Cajun Spiced Roasted Yams

3 yams, peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces
1.5 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Cajun Creole seasoning mix (Spice Hunter brand)
1/2 tsp oregano

1.Preheat oven to 400° F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil. Put yams in a medium sized mixing bowl. Melt coconut oil and mix spices into melted coconut oil, then pour over yams and stir to combine. The oil will harden as it cools on the yams, but that’s fine. It will melt again in the oven.
2.Roast yams in oven for 40 minutes. Checking after 20 minutes and flip them over and rotate pan as needed. Yams are done when they are soft and look roasty brown in spots. I suggest trying with my Southwestern Turkey Black Bean Meatloaf and a salad.

Southwestern Turkey and Black Bean Meatloaf

Sometimes, you don’t want to mess with the classics.  This recipe does the opposite.  I wanted to combine black beans and ground turkey with chili powder and green chilies, and did some recipe testing to create this meatloaf.  The beans add texture, fiber and flavor and take the place of a little of the meat this recipe would otherwise need.  I don’t cook with gluten containing ingredients in my kitchen, so this version is gluten free, using coconut flour rather than the traditionally used breadcrumbs.  If you want a paleo version, just use another 1/2 lb of ground turkey instead of the beans.  If gluten agrees with you, feel free to use regular breadcrumbs in place of the coconut flour, but you’ll have to adjust the amount.

These roasted yams pair perfectly with my Southwestern Turkey Black Bean Meatloaf!

Southwestern Turkey and Black Bean Meatloaf

1 lb ground turkey (I used 93% lean, but any variety would work well, ground beef could be used instead if you’d prefer)
1 cup black beans, drained
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbs coconut flour
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (or 1 medium yellow onion, chopped)
2 tsp coconut oil
1 green pepper
4 oz hatch green chilies
garlic 3 cloves
1/2 bunch cilantro
Spice mix:
1.5 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin

Set aside:
10 oz Rotel tomatoes and chilies, drained

1.Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt coconut oil and add onions and green pepper. Allow to sautee for about 5 minutes until it starts to cook down a little then add some of the spice mix and all of the minced garlic. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, while stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
2.In a medium mixing bowl, combine turkey, beans, green chilies, the rest of the spices and the cilantro. Mix a bit with your hands then add the egg and coconut flour and continue to mix to combine. Add the sauteed onion pepper mix and combine.
3.Oil a bread pan on the bottom and sides. Drain the Rotel tomatoes and set aside. Put meat into the pan and place in the oven when it’s preheated. Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven and top with the drained Rotel tomatoes and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Bake until internal temperature of meatloaf reaches 170° F. Allow to cool slightly before serving.  The meatloaf will release some juices and shrink a little as it bakes, you can carefully drain off any excess liquid when the cooking time is over.
4.Serve with chili roasted sweet potatoes and a green salad.

Sage Roasted Turkey with Shallots and Apples

Roasted turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving, people!  This recipe is a great alternative to the longer and more complicated process of baking an entire turkey, with all the savory flavors that you’d expect with turkey.  You could also use turkey breasts or if you’d prefer chicken then chicken thighs or bone in chicken breasts would be great instead.  The shallots and apples cook nicely in the juices of the turkey and pair well with the savory spices and poultry.  Enjoy!

Sage Roasted Turkey with Shallots and Apples

2 lbs bone in skin on turkey thighs or breasts (bone in skin on chicken thighs or breasts would be good, too)
2 fuji apples, chopped (or apples of your choice)
3 medium shallots, chopped (or a large red onion, chopped)
1 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt (keep separate from spice mix)
Spice Mix:
1 tsp garlic pepper (I suggest Spice Hunter brand, it doesn’t contain any gums, msg or strange ingredients)
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, ground in a spice grinder or just crushed a bit between your hands.
1 tsp marjoram

1.Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove turkey from fridge while you prepare other ingredients. Lightly oil a baking dish and set aside.
2.Slice shallots into rounds and chop apples into small chunks. Layer both on the bottom of baking dish to cover it. Drizzle a tsp of the melted butter and some of the spice mix on top.
3.Remove turkey from package and dry with paper towels, then set on the shallots and apples in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining butter then mix the salt with the rest of the spice mix. Sprinkle salt and spice mix over turkey, covering evenly.
4.Place baking dish into oven and set timer for 50 minutes. Check internal temp of turkey, it should cook to 170° F, return to oven if it needs more time.
5.Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit before serving. Serve with the shallots and apples on the side, roasted yams or potatoes and a green veggie of your choice.

Zesty Pesto Garlic Meatballs

I’m gonna be real with you about this recipe, it took a few tries to get it right.  The green olives in the first picture below did not make it into the final batch, the flavors just weren’t working for me.  Anyhow, I’m telling you that because I want you to know that sometimes experimenting in the kitchen doesn’t go as planned even when you’ve been at it for a while.  If you try a recipe that doesn’t work out, don’t be too hard on yourself about it and remember that some recipes just suck.  But not this recipe!  These meatballs are gluten free, paleo friendly and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.  I serve these over a salad, or with rice and a veggie on the side, but if that sounds too weird for you, they are great warmed up in a clean ingredient marinara sauce and served with spaghetti squash or pasta.

Those green olives above? Not in the final recipe.

Zesty Pesto Garlic Meatballs

1/2 lb ground turkey
3/4 lb ground beef (you could of course just use all beef or all turkey for this recipe, I used a mix to add some flavor and fat to the turkey)
3 Tbs pesto, I recommend this pesto recipe
1 large clove garlic, minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp tomato paste
Optional add in: 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
Optional: marinara sauce and steamed spaghetti squash or pasta of your choice for serving.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Let your meat come to room temp for about 30 minutes on the counter while oven preheats and you prep other ingredients. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil with cooking oil and set aside.
2.Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mixing until just combined, your meat will become too tough if you overmix. Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out equal sized meatballs and evenly space on baking sheet with a little space between each meatball.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, and slice into a meatball to check that it’s cooked through (no longer pink inside) and cook longer if needed. When fully cooked, add meatballs to warmed marinara sauce and pasta, or serve with rice and veggies or over a salad (if you’re weird like me).

Green Curry Chicken with Veggies

Every year, I’m convinced it’s going to be winter forever but this year I have proof that spring is coming.  My backyard hens are laying more eggs this week, a sure sign that the days are getting longer.  Spring still exists, people!  This has nothing to do with this recipe, but it’s something I’m excited about because my hens hate winter as much as I do…or at least that’s what my chickens tell me.  What, chickens don’t talk to you?  Anyway, if you’re sick of the cold, know that some little backyard hens in Colorado feel your pain.  Does that help?  Probably not.  Until it gets warmer, this recipe is full of warming spices  that aren’t too spicy (ginger and green curry) and won’t take too much of your time.

As much as I love cooking and making things from scratch, I like having shortcuts in the kitchen too.  I just started a new job and need to get back to the routine of streamlining my cooking.  One of my favorite ways to save myself some work in the kitchen is buying ready to go rotisserie chicken (without any funky ingredients!) and finding ways to use up the leftovers.  This green curry chicken with veggies is a perfect way to transform leftover chicken.  You could of course buy chicken breasts or thighs and cook them up just for this recipe, too.  Let me know if you try it for yourself!

Chicken Green Curry with Green Beans

1-2 tsp coconut oil
12 oz green beans, cleaned, ends removed and snapped into smaller pieces
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced, tough stems removed
2-3 carrots, scrubbed and sliced on a diagonal
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2-3 cups of leftover cooked chicken
2 tsp coconut aminos (or gluten free tamari)
1 Tbs green curry paste
1/2 C full fat canned coconut milk plus 1/4 C water
Zest of 1/2 lime
Optional: 1/2 tsp fish sauce (I like Red Boat brand)
Optional: sriracha sauce, for serving

1.Heat large skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil. When warm, add carrots, green beans and green onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, grated ginger, coconut milk/water mix, coconut aminos, fish sauce and green curry paste. Stir well to distribute the curry paste. Allow to cook a few minutes longer until veggies start to become soft, then add chicken. Cook a few more minutes until chicken is heated through and then stir in the lime zest. Serve with extra coconut aminos and sriracha sauce if desired.
2.Serve over brown rice, or cauliflower rice if following a paleo diet.

Frittata with Chicken Apple Sausage and Kale

Frittata with Chicken Apple Sausage and Kale

8 eggs beaten well with 1 Tbs water added
One package of Aidells Chicken Apple sausage (or 12 oz of your favorite sausage), chopped into rounds or diced
1 C chopped mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup frozen kale or spinach, slightly defrosted (just take it out of the freezer when you start your recipe and let it defrost a little)
3 tsp coconut oil, divided
Spice Blend:
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1.Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat a medium sized oven safe skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp coconut oil with onions and mushrooms. Stir and add a little of the spice blend and allow to cook for 5 minutes, then add the frozen kale and continue to cook until kale defrosts.
2.Remove veggies from skillet and set aside, wipe out skillet and add another tsp of ccoonut oil, then place sausage rounds evenly into skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes without turning to allow it to brown. Flip and allow the other side to brown for 3-5 minutes then remove from pan, set aside.
3.Wipe out pan and add 1 tsp cconut oil to pan and return veggie mix into pan. Add the remaining spice mix and stir into veggies and spread veggies evenly over the bottom of the pan. Pour beaten eggs into skillet and swirl around a little. Place sausage chunks evenly over the top, allowing them to overlap as needed.
4.Allow to cook for a few minutes on the stovetop, then place pan in oven and bake for about 20 munites, or until edges are golden brown and center is cooked through.
5.Allow to cool a little, then slice into 4-8 wedges, depending on how many servings you’d like. Serve with avocado, fruit, potatoes or any sides of your choice!

Getting Your Sh#t Together: A Practical Guide to Meal Prep

When I was in my 20’s, the idea of meal prep was, “is there any trail mix left in the pantry?”   But now that I’m older, with all the obligations and time constraints of being an adult, I find that I need a plan.  Our generation calls it batch cooking, or prep day, but I just call it getting your shit together.  I like to plan my meals, make a complete list and do as much cooking as possible all in one go.

Mr. White and Jessie know what I’m talking about.

If you feel that a plan for getting your shit together would help you, I’ve curated all of my blog recipes to date and have added in a handy shopping guide, step by step instructions for cooking it all, and a PDF of all of the recipes listed in the order you would be cooking them.  I’m posting this on Saturday to give you weekend shoppers a chance to get your shit together this weekend!

Here are the PDF files for your use, please let me know if you try this method and if it helps!

Shopping list

Meal Prep Day Guidelines

Meal Prep Day Recipes

Do you already do this or have your own method for meal prep?  I appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

 

Kale with Caramelized Onions and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Kale is that vegetable that’s just been sitting there, minding it’s own business, doing it’s own thing, and then bam! all of a sudden it became pretty famous.  Like, Beyoncé wearing a KALE sweatshirt famous.  But kale is still pretty chill about the whole thing, kale hasn’t gotten too good for the other leafy green veggies in the garden, kale isn’t selling out to iceberg lettuce.  Kale is still being itself, and for that, I have a lot of respect for kale.  To show my respect, here’s a recipe featuring this humble vegetable.  This stuff is vegan, gluten free and full of, well…. kale.  Haters to the left.

Kale with Caramelized Onions and Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 bunch of kale, washed and torn into bit sized pieces
1/4 cup of diced sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (if there is any excess olive oil, reserve it to drizzle over completed recipe)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
A few sprinkles of sea salt
1/4 tsp crushed pepper flakes
For the caramelized onions:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 red onion, sliced into rings
1 yellow onion, sliced into rings
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

1.Heat a large non stick skillet over medium heat. I highly recommend a non stick skillet for this recipe, to keep the onions from sticking during the caramelizing process. Add the 1/4 cup of oil (if you’re concerned about using this amount of oil, you can cut it back to 2 tbs but have some extra oil that can go into the pan if the onions need it.
2.Turn the heat down to medium low and add the salt, pepper and paprika. Stir the spices into the onions and continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning down the heat if onions start to get too brown.
3.When the 30 minutes are up, remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
4.Add the kale to the pan with a sprinkle of sea salt. Add 1/2 cup of water and return heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid (or large plate, be careful with this method, as plate will get hot during cooking process. Cook kale for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and add a little more water if it evaporates.
5.When kale is tender, add the sun dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar and give it a big stir. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

Enjoy!

Roasted Kabocha Squash with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce

OMG, you guys it’s still squash season!  Does anyone else get nerdy and like, really really excited at the start of autumn when they all go on sale at grocery stores?  I know that everyone goes crazy over pumpkin spice errythang, but I get that way about winter squash.  I hadn’t tried kabocha squash until a few years ago, but it’s becoming one of my favorite squashes (I love that word, ‘squashes’).  It’s similar to acorn squash but the skin is a bit thinner and the texture when roasted is a bit meatier and denser than acorn squash, if that makes sense.  It holds up well to roasting, doesn’t require peeling, and it’s just a beautiful vegetable.  I like a contrast of colors on my plate and kabocha definitely delivers.  It isn’t always available at all markets, but can be found at any well stocked grocery store in the fall/winter months or at any Asian market with the other winter squash.  You could skip the dipping sauce if you’d prefer, but it makes it just a little more special.  This recipe is vegan friendly, gluten free and full of healthy carbs and fats from the coconut oil and coconut milk.  Team squash!

Roasted Kabocha Squash with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce

1 medium kabocha squash
3 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric

Curry sauce:
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
2-3 tsp green curry paste, to taste
1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
1/2 tsp fresh grated lime zest (optional)
1 tsp arrowroot starch

A note about the sauce: This sauce is best served warm, so if you have any leftover sauce that you want to use just be sure to warm it up on the stovetop again when you want to serve it. Because of the fats in the coconut milk and the thickening properties of arrowroot, the sauce will thicken and congeal (I hate that word, sorry I had to use it) and thin out a bit as it warms up.
If you’d prefer a cold dipping sauce, you can simply omit the coconut milk and arrowroot and mix the green curry paste, lime zest and ginger root into 1/2 cup of mayo (find one without weird ingredients you can’t pronounce).

1.Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse and dry squash. Place squash on a large cutting board and cut from the stem side down through the middle to cut in half. Cut off the stem and scoop out any seeds.
2.Cut into lengthwise quarters and then cut each quarter into half moon shaped chunks about 1” thick. Put all pieces into a bowl.
3.Melt coconut oil and combine all spices and coconut oil with squash and stir to coat.
4.Place squash on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes for doneness. Squash should have roasty color on the bottom, but shouldn’t look burned.
5.While squash is cooking, combine coconut milk, curry paste and ginger root in a small pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and when it is warm, pour a little into the bowl with the arrowroot starch and stir until no clumps remain. Pour arrowroot mix back into pan and stir to combine. Allow to cook for a few minutes longer until sauce begins to get thick. Remove from heat, being sure to warm up again before serving.  Note: If you end up with leftover sauce after the recipe, be sure to serve it warm because it will get pretty thick in the fridge when it’s cold but will thin a little when it’s warm.
6.When squash is done cooking, allow to cool a little and serve with warmed coconut green curry sauce.

Enjoy!

Baked Carrot ‘Fries’ with Cumin

 

Baked Carrot Fries with Cumin

7 medium carrots, sliced into carrot sticks, about the size you’d want on a veggie appetizer tray.  (Or if you find pre-cut carrot sticks, you’d be saving yourself some work)
1 tsp cumin seeds (or 1 tsp ground cumin)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs coconut oil, melted in a small skillet

1.Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.Wash and scrub carrots (no need to peel em, save yourself the work!) and slice into large sticks, like for carrot sticks. Place in a medium bowl and set aside.
3.Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Make sure they don’t get burnt, just enough time to get them toasty. When toasted, place in a spice grinder and grind into powder.  If you’re using ground cumin, skip this step.
4.Combine carrots, melted coconut oil and spices.
5.Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the carrot sticks evenly over the baking sheet, being sure to leave room between each stick.
6.Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  They pair well with my Chili Lime Turkey Burgers.

Enjoy!

Here they are, stealing the show with my chili lime turkey burger.