Tag: Dinner

Recipes

Easy Chicken Tacos with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

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Want an easy go-to recipe for healthy weeknight dinners? These delicious and flavorful chicken tacos are bound to be a new family favorite. Swiss chard is packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K, and magnesium; and since it picks up the flavor of the salsa it’s cooked in, it’s a sneaky way to eat more veggies.

Makes 4-6 servings

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup crimini mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 bunch swiss chard
  • 4 tsp unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 14 oz container fresh mild salsa (usually found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
  • 1 package corn tortillas

sauteed-chardSeparate the chard stems from the leaves. Chop the chard stems into small, 1/4 inch slices. Set the leaves aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and sear, approximately 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside onto a plate. Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with the chard stems, mushrooms, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the chicken back to the skillet. Pour in the salsa, making sure to cover the chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the salsa doesn’t burn. In the meantime, roughly chop the chard leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Flip over the chicken breasts and allow to simmer, covered, for 8 minutes more. Add the chard leaves to the skillet and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully shred the chicken using a knife and fork. Stir together the mixture and spoon over warmed tortillas. Sprinkle a small amount of feta on each taco before serving.

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Recipes

Creamy Paleo Butternut Squash Soup

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This dairy-free Paleo butternut squash soup gets it’s creaminess from coconut milk. This soup is slightly sweet and full of flavor. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods and it’s super easy to make. Butternut squash is a great source  of Beta-carotene and Vitamin C, nutrients that are important for immune function and healthy skin. Butternut squash also contains Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Calcium, which are beneficial for promoting a calm, relaxed mood.

Serves 4-5

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 apple, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 quart chicken stock or bone broth
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 4 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped finely
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Sauté the squash for 10 minutes, or until slightly softened, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning. Add the onion and apple, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Then add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the stock or broth and bring it to a boil, before reducing the stove temperature to allow the soup to simmer for 5-10 more minutes. When the apple and squash are tender, add the spices and coconut milk and remove the soup from heat. Blend the mixture using an immersion hand blender, or if using a tabletop jar blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before carefully transferring to the blender. Serve warm.

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Recipes

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Herbed Turkey Hash

acorn-squash-938936_1920This is one of my go-to recipes for Autumn dinners and it is always a favorite in my house. The hash is also delicious for breakfast over a bed of sauteed greens and topped with a fried egg. Acorn squash is a wonderful seasonal vegetable that contains lots of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Magnesium.

Serves 2-4

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey (I prefer dark meat for this recipe, but white meat is fine too)
  • 1 small carrot, diced
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs dried sage
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper + small pinch for the squash
  • 1/4 tsp salt + small pinch for the squash

Preheat oven to 375 F. Carefully split the squash in half length-wise with a sharp kitchen knife. Scoop out the seeds and discard or reserve for roasting (they are delicious and taste very similar to pumpkin seeds!). Place the two halves of the squash in a glass or ceramic baking dish, cut side down. Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes or until the squash softens. Use a fork to test if it is done.

While the squash bakes, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, celery, and carrot for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking and to prevent burning. Set the vegetables aside in a medium bowl and mix in the sage, thyme, marjoram, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of black pepper.

Using the same skillet you sauteed the vegetables in, cook the ground turkey. Break up large pieces and stir occasionally until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink, approximately 4 to 6 minutes. Mix the cooked turkey into the vegetable mixture and set aside.

Once the acorn squash is cooked, remove from the oven. Turn them over and drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each half and then season with salt and black pepper. Fill each half with a portion of the turkey hash and return them to the oven to bake for 5 more minutes. Each half can easily feed two if served with other vegetables or another side dish.

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Recipes

Chicken with Summer Tomatoes, Fennel, and Green Olives

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A great way to celebrate summer produce!
Serves 4.
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1/2 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 2 Tbs vegetable oil
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup fresh basil, julienned
  • 1/3 cup green olives, pitted and halved
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side and set aside. Add 1 Tbs of oil to skillet along with sliced fennel, onions, and salt. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes or until veggies are slightly browned and softened, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and wine along with partially cooked chicken breasts. Nestle chicken amongst the veggies and cover with a lid. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add olives and basil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees.

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Recipes

Turkey Chili

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A new take on an old favorite, this recipe gets its delicious, complex flavors from the combination of chili and cocoa powders.  It is full of fiber, lean protein, and veggies, for a great one pot dinner.

Serves 4-6

10 minutes prep time, 40 minutes cooking time

  • 3/4 lb ground Turkey
  • 1 Tbs Coconut Oil
  • One small Garnet Yam
  • Two stalks Celery
  • Two small or one medium Zucchini
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 1 small bunch Kale, cut into small ribbons
  • Six cloves Garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Tomatoes, diced
  • Two 14 oz cans Black Beans
  • 6 oz Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup Broth or Water
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Chili powder
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa powder

chiliHeat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Chop the onion, celery, zucchini, and yam into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. Add turkey to pot and cook lightly until browned, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, cocoa powder, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the onion, celery, zucchini, and yam, and simmer for 10 minutes more. Then, add the garlic and kale and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachios and Thyme

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This recipe is simple and delicious, with a rich nutty flavor. I often serve it in place of rice or couscous when I make a tagine, curry, or stew. Serves 4-6.
  • One headof cauliflower, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil orothervegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the chopped cauliflower on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the mixture and then spread it out into one even layer. Bake for about 40 minutes total, stirring once at 20 minutes and adding the pistachios and thyme after 35 minutes of cooking. Cauliflower should be tender and lightly browned. Serve warm.

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Recipes

Winter Squash and White Bean Soup

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This is a hearty and healthy soup, perfect for cold winter nights. This recipe takes about 90 minutes to prepare, not including soaking times. The beans may be cooked up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cup dried white/navy beans
  • 1 small butternut squash
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups kale, chopped fine
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp thyme
  • 1 Tbsp rubbed sage
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Soak beans 6-8 hours or overnight in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 3 inches. Drain soaked beans and add to a large pot of water. Boil for 30-40 minutes until beans are tender but not soft. Drain beans. Carefully, slice butternut squash in half lengthwise with a large chef’s knife. Scoop out seeds. Remove the skin with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler. Chop the squash into ¾ inch cubes.  Heat oil over medium heat in a large dry stock pot. Add the butternut squash and onion and sautee for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer until onion becomes tender and translucent. Add the broth and bay leaves, cover, and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. After this, add the cooked beans. Continue to simmer 10 minutes longer until squash is tender. Add the chopped kale and seasonings and cook 5 minutes more. Serve warm.

Recipes

Soba Salad with Tahini Dressing

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This is a great easy meal to make during the week. Soba noodles are made primarily from buckwheat flour and have a darker color than semolina pasta and a somewhat nutty flavor. You can find them in health food or asian grocery stores and although some soba noodles contain wheat flour you can also find gluten-free alternatives. Feel free to substitute other favorite vegetables you may have on hand for the ones listed here, with equally wonderful results. This recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare.

Serves 4

Soba Salad

  • 2 carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
  • 1/4 lb shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ medium onion, halved and sliced thinly
  • 1/2 lb  sugar snap peas, tops and strings removed
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 Tbsp sunflower or other vegetable oil
  • 1 box soba noodles
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted for garnish

Tahini Dressing

  • 1/2 cup Tahini (raw or roasted)
  • 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 2 Tbsp Tamari or Soy Sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1-2 tsp Siracha (or other) hot sauce
  • 3 Tbsp water

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot but not smoking, add carrot, bell pepper, and onion and cook for 3 minutes until onion starts to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes longer, until all vegetables start to soften. Add snap peas and ginger and cook 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, boil 3 quarts of water in a medium sized pot. Once boiling, add soba noodles and cook 6-8 minutes or as directed on package. Drain noodles in a colander and run under cold water to stop cooking. Divide noodles evenly into 4 bowls.

Mix ingredients for dressing in a small bowl. Heat a small non-oiled skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and toast for about 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until seeds begin to lightly brown. Be careful not to burn as seeds cook very quickly. Remove seeds from hot pan into a small bowl to cool.

Serve the vegetables over the soba noodles. Top with a few spoonfuls of Tahini dressing and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Recipes

Summer Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup with Broiled Asparagus and Farm Eggs

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This meal is a wonderful way to celebrate the vibrant colors and flavors of summer. Peppers may be roasted and eggs boiled in advance, up to one day ahead.  This recipe takes approximately one hour to prepare.

Serves 4

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 3 leeks, white and light green portion only
  • 1/2 large shallot
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried dill, or 1 Tbsp minced fresh dill
  • 2 tsp dried thyme

 Broiled Asparagus with Farm Eggs

  • 1 bunch thin asparagus
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 4 Eggs
  • Optional: fresh grated parmesan

Place bell peppers on a broiler pan and place in the broiler approximately 6 inches below heat source. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning three times, until the outer skin on each side of all peppers is blackened. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes. You may place them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap to make them easier to peel.

Place eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil over high heat and then turn heat down just slightly to maintain a gentle boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes and then turn off heat. Allow eggs to rest in the hot water for 1 minute for soft boiled or 3 minutes for hard boiled. After time is up, spoon eggs out and place immediately and gently into a bowl of ice water. Allow eggs to cool. Shell carefully and then gently slice in half, to maintain integrity of yoke.

Discard darker green top portion of leeks. Slice leeks into 1/4 inch rounds, removing any dirt. Set aside. Peel and dice shallots and set aside.

When peppers are cooled, heat oil in a heavy bottomed stockpot over medium low. Sautée leek and shallot for five minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, peel bell peppers, remove the seeds and stems, and roughly chop. When the leeks and shallots begin to become translucent, add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and broth to the pan. Turn heat to medium and allow to soup to simmer for 10 minutes.

To the soup, add the salt, pepper, dill (if using fresh dill, don’t add it until you remove soup from heat), and thyme, then simmer 3 more minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then pour one half at a time into blender or use an immersion blender.  Blend soup until smooth.

Wash and snap off ends of asparagus. In small bowl or shallow dish toss asparagus with oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Arrange asparagus evenly in one layer on broiler pan and place in broiler about 6 inches below heat source.  Broil 5 minutes, stir, and then broil 2-3 minutes longer until asparagus are tender and lightly browned.

Ladle soup into bowls. Plate asparagus with optional grated Parmesan and two half eggs per serving. Serve warm.