Monday, November 25, 2013

Fancy Feta Sausage, Veggies, and Eggs Breakfast!

Want to impress your guests with a fancy fake out breakfast? This is the one and it's super easy!


Ingredients:

  • 1 Spinach and Feta Sausage (I got mine from Sprouts and got Chicken)-made into 4-5 patties
  • Tuscan cheddar cheese, 4-5 thin slices for on top of patties (or your favorite cheese)
  • 1/2 red and yellow bell pepper chopped
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • EVOO
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 small eggplant, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped 
  • 4 eggs
What to do:
  1. Cook your sausage patties until done, then top with cheese slices until melted. Set aside on a paper towel and top with foil.
  2. Saute your veggies in EVOO, top with garlic salt and black pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes. Set aside and top with foil.
  3. Finally, cook your eggs over easy (or however your prefer them)...top with black pepper. 
  4. On a plate, put a layer of the sauted veggies, then top with two sausage patties, finally top it with 1-2 eggs. 
Enjoy!

Veggie Tuscan Soup!

Looking for a new seasonal hit this winter? This one is pretty tasty!


Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of brussel sprouts, halved
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 bunch of kale, chopped
  • EVOO
  • 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence w/Lavender
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 16 ounce container of organic Tuscan Tomato soup
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp cracked pepper
What to do:
  1. Saute the brussel sprouts in EVOO, top with cracked black pepper, and half the Herbs de Provence with lavendar....cook until slightly browned on the edges for extra flavor (8-10 minutes). Set aside.
  2. Saute onion, red and yellow pepper, add cracked black pepper and other half of Herbs de Provence and the paprika. Saute for about 10-12 minutes. Set aside. 
  3. In your crockpot combine all ingredients and mix together well. 
  4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. 
  5. If you don't have a crockpot, cook on medium to high for 30 minutes, then simmer for 1-2 hours.
Enjoy!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Meatloaf Stuffed with Apple Goat Cheese and Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes!



It's fall and creeping closer to the holidays and there are some fun new ingredients in the stores which inspired this new version of meatloaf. I hope you enjoy! :)

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 small roll of apple crusted goat cheese (mine was from Trader Joe's or choose your preferred cheese stuffing)
  • 4 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette (2 for the meatloaf, 2 for the sauce)
  • 1 cup ketchup (for sauce)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (for sauce)
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
  • 8 large jalapeno stuffed olives, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1/2 pound of small baby potatoes
  • 2 tbsp. EVOO (I used black truffle oil for the potatoes)
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped to top the potatoes
  • 1/2 onion, diced for the potatoes
What to do:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, eggs, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette, 2 sprigs of chopped rosemary, olives, and 1/2 onion together.
  3. In a bread loaf pan/meatloaf pan, spray with Pam or put in foil. Then put a small layer of the meat mixture on the bottom. Next put in some small chunks of the cheese. Top with the rest of the meat mixture, making a loaf shape.
  4. Meanwhile, mix together your sauce (ketchup, brown sugar, and balsamic vinaigrette) and pour over the top.
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
  6. Meanwhile, in a small baking pan, place your potatoes and top with the chopped onion, rosemary, and glaze with the EVOO or truffle oil. Bake also for 30 minutes or until tender.
Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna w/Green Beans!


This one is super easy, quick, and a nice fancy fake out! During the week if you have a busy schedule, this is great for a week night.

Ingredients:

  • 2 small Tuna Steak fillets, sliced into long bite size pieces
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tbsp paprika, smoked
  • 2 bunches of green beans, chopped
  • 1 tbsp EVOO
  • Wasabi sauce/spread
What to do:
  1. Briefly soak the sliced tuna fillets in the soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. 
  2. Heat EVOO in a medium skillet and cook sear the tuna on both sides, about 1 minute each, topping with paprika evenly. Set aside and cover in foil. 
  3. In the same pan, add the green beans. Top with the remaining soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. Add a little paprika. Cook until done. Set aside.
  4. Serve the tuna and green beans and top with a drop of Wasabi on each tuna slice depending on how much spice you desire. 
Enjoy!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Savory Mediterranean Lamb Shanks!



This one is super easy to make and it's tasty and great for the season. Modify with your favorite veggies and spices as you have them in stock.

Ingredients:

  • 2-4 lamb shanks
  • 1/2 cup Marsala wine
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (organic, low sodium)
  • 4 heirloom tomatoes, diced
  • 2 sticks of rosemary (one diced, one whole)
  • 5 Chinese spice, 1 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 4 celery sticks, chopped
  • Pepper
  • EVOO
What to do:
  1. Saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper in EVOO. Set aside. 
  2. Heat some EVOO in a medium skillet pan. Brown the lamb shanks on both sides-about 3 minutes per side (season with half the paprika and a little pepper). Set aside.
  3. In your slow cooker, add the tomatoes, rosemary, vegetable broth, sauted veggies, celery, the remaining paprika, the 5 Chinese spice, and Marsala wine. Stir well.
  4. Add the lamb shanks, and cover in juice and veggies. Set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Enjoy!

Super Savory Quiche w/Sausage!


Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 cup milk or water
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • EVOO
  • 1 handful of spinach
  • 1 sausage, bite size pieces (hot Italian sausage or sweet or chorizo)
  • Feta cheese or your favorite cheese
What to do:
  1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, pepper, and milk. Mix together well.
  2. Saute the spinach in EVOO and set aside. 
  3. Saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Set aside. 
  4. Cook the sausage until done. De-grease by setting on a paper towel. Set aside. 
  5. In a round oven safe bowl, spray with Pam and pour in half the egg mixture.
  6. Layer in some spinach and then some onion and pepper mixture and then some sausage. 
  7. Slowly pour in the second half of the egg mixture.
  8. Repeat the layers (spinach, onion mixture, and sausage). 
  9. Top with your favorite cheese. 
  10. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes...until golden brown on the edges and solid in the center. 
Serve it up with the extra sausage on the side. Enjoy!

Spicy Tortilla Soup Loaded w/Veggies and Chicken!

It's that time of year...time to cure a cold or just enjoy wholesome warm goodness. Soup is calling as the season turns to fall. This one certainly helped me get over the hump with my cold...enjoy!


Ingredients:

  • 1.5 chicken breasts, sliced into bite size pieces (brown and saute in EVOO, pepper, green onions, and garlic)
  • 2 handfuls of brussel sprouts, diced and seasoned with lemon and pepper (brown and saute)
  • 3 small potatoes, diced (cook in EVOO with garlic, brown and cook until tender)
  • 1 cup of corn 
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 bunch green onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 4 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 quart Tortilla soup base (I got the one from Trader Joe's, organic and low sodium)
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1-2 peppers (jalapeno or something else spicy)
  • 3 flour or corn tortillas, chopped into small slivers
  • Sour cream as a topper
  • Avocado, chopped up (drizzle in lemon juice to keep fresh)
What to do:
  1. After browning and sauteing the chicken, the brussel sprouts, and the potatoes as stated in the ingredients list, combine all the ingredients.
  2. Cook in a large soup bowl on the stove for at least one hour, start with a boil and then cook on medium-low for the duration. If you have time, instead of cooking the brussel sprouts and potatoes, cook in a slow cooker (only cook the chicken before adding). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
  3. For the tortillas, spray with Pam. Place on a Pam and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 
  4. Serve soup in bowls. Top with Tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped avocado.