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!

Mini Crunchy Tuna Burgers!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh tuna, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup chives
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Tamari 
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup coconut oil or EVOO
• 8 small dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls
• Lettuce slices
• 1 tbsp ginger
• Mustard
• Salad (I used mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and topped them with lemon juice)

What to do:

1. Pulse the tuna, garlic, chives, black pepper, Tamari, sesame seeds, and ginger in the food processor. 
2. Separate the tuna mix into 8 small patties and roll in the bread crumbs. 
3. In a medium skillet, heat up the coconut oil or EVOO on medium high. Cook the patties (approximately 2 minutes per side). Set aside. 
4. Serve on Hawaiian rolls with mustard, lettuce, and any other toppings you prefer (I used jalapeno and Wasabi). 
5. Serve with veggies or a salad.

Simple Shrimp Skillet!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper spice
• Salt
• 1 tsp coconut oil or EVOO
• Salad (toppings are your choice-I went with goat cheese and squeezed lemon juice on top)

What to do:

1. Heat up the coconut oil or EVOO in a medium skillet on medium high heat. 
2. Cook the shrimp and toss in the lemon pepper spice, salt, and juiced lemon. 
3. Cook until done and set aside. Serve with a small side salad.

BBQ Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus!

Ingredients:

Wraps-

• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1.5 pounds thin cut chicken breast
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 inch ginger root, finely chopped
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
• 3 tbsp hoisin
• 1/2 large head iceberg lettuce, core removed, head quartered
• Wedges of navel orange, for garnish

Asparagus-

• 1 bunch of asparagus, organic
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• Salt and pepper
• Tuscan EVOO
• 8 thin slices of prosciutto 

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Prep the asparagus first...clean the asparagus and trim to the same length. Separate into 4 bunches. Drizzle lightly with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lemon zest. 
3. Wrap each bunch in 2 slices of prosciutto. Drizzle with lemon juice and bake for 12-15 minutes. 
4. Set aside and cover in foil to keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet or wok to high. Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to pan and sear meat (1-2 minutes). 
6. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two.
7. Add salt and pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cook one minute more.
8. Add zest, red bell pepper, and water chestnuts. Cook another minute.
9. Add hoisin sauce and stir to coat mixture evenly. 
10. Transfer the hot chopped chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce along side. Add wedged oranges to platter to garnish. 
11. To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce halves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and squeeze an orange wedge over.

Marsala Mushroom, Garlic, and Cheese Quiche!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 6 brown organic eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 6 tbsp goat cheese (crumbled)
• 6 tbsp blue cheese (crumbled)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Meanwhile in a medium skillet, heat up 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and saute mushrooms and garlic cloves. Add salt and pepper and Marsala wine. Saute for approximately 5-6 minutes. Set aside.
3. Mix together eggs, water, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. In a 8 inch cake pan, coat with 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (using a paper towel to coat evenly). Add half the egg mixture, then evenly add mushroom mixture, half the cheese mixture (goat and blue cheese), next layer the other half of egg mixture, and top off with the other half of the cheese mixture. 
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until done.

Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Fresh Veggies!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of frozen organic butternut squash ravioli (or make your own)
• 1 tbsp coconut butter
• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• Handful of green beans
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes chopped
• Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• Marsala wine, approximately 1/4 cup

What to do:

1. Bring a medium sauce pan filled with water to a boil. Cook noodles until done (approximately 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the coconut oil and add the veggies, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine and tomatoes, and saute for another 3-5 minutes.  
3. Serve the veggies on top of the ravioli. 

Chicken Pot Pie For Speedsters!

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp oil (coconut or EVOO)
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dill weed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (15 oz) can mixed peas
• 3 carrots, chopped (or canned)
• 2 potatoes, chopped (or canned 15 oz)
• 7 oz can chicken broth (or 14 oz for thinner filling)
• 1 (8 oz) package refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (or other rolls)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut chicken into large bite sized pieces. Add oil to skillet pan and add chicken, garlic powder, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Cook until done. 
3. Meanwhile, whisk cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth together in a sauce pan on medium and bring to a simmer. Add the carrots, peas, potatoes. Gently stir together, and bring to simmer again. 
4. Pour contents of sauce pan into 6 cup casserole dish. Add cooked chicken to casserole dish, and stir together. Add an additional dash or two of spices to taste.
5. Unwrap crescent rolls. Separate rolls and layer on top of filling, taking care to leave a few gaps for steam and venting. Bake 12-15 minutes or until rolls are light brown. 
6. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Kielbasa, Ham, Potato, and Cheese Quiche

This is perfect for a meal after a long run or just for Sunday brunch with friends. :)

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup kielbasa cubed
• 1 cup finely cubed potatoes
• 1 cup ham cubed
• Chipotle adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or EVOO
• Pam

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper together. Set aside.
3. In a medium skillet, heat up the EVOO on medium. Add the ham, kielbasa, and 2-3 tbsp of adobo sauce. Cook until done and seasoned well (approximately 5-7 minutes).  Set aside.
4. Coat a 9 inch cake/pie pan with Pam. 
5. Add the potatoes and kielbasa/ham mixture into the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with the egg mixture. Top with the cheese crumbles.
6. Cook 30 minutes or until done.

Crustless Crab Quiche!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces imitation crab meat (or fresh meat), chopped
• 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbles
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 4 large eggs (I use brown organic)
• 1 cup milk (I use organic)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 dash paprika

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat 9 inch pie/round cake plate with vegetable oil or Pam. 
3. Combine chopped crab, onion, and cheeses in a bowl. Press ingredients into pie pan.
4. Beat together remaining ingredients except paprika and pour over the crab. 
5. Sprinkle with paprika.
6. Bake 30 minutes.

Serve it with a tossed salad topped with lemon juice and a side of sliced and cleaned strawberries.

Enjoy!

Turkey Sausage, Shrimp, and Veggie Creation!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of large shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1 lb turkey sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Red pepper spice to taste
• 2 limes, juiced
• 10 ounces of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• Optional: rice or noodles (to serve the dish on top of)

What to do:

1. In a large frying pan, saute your sausage, breaking it into small bite size pieces. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and any other veggies you'd like to add and saute, about 5-6 minutes. 
2. Add in the spices: red pepper, salt and pepper. Also, add the tomatoes and cover the pan. 
3. Simmer for 8 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce, cook another 2 minutes.
4. Mix together thoroughly. Add the shrimp and lime juice. Simmer for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque. 
5. Serve alone or on top of rice or noodles. 

Savory Pork Chops and Asparagus!

Ingredients:

Pork Chop Marinade-

• 4-6 thin pork chops
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinagrette
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Asparagus-

• 1 bunch asparagus, cleaned
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place asparagus on cookie sheet covered in foil. Marinade them with lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes until done. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp EVOO in a skillet on medium heat. Sear the pork chops and cook through, about 3 minutes per side. Make sure cooked through.
3. Serve and enjoy!

Easy Spinach and Cheese Quiche!

Ingredients:

• 8-10 eggs (I used brown organic eggs)
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste 
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 2 tbsp goat cheese crumbles (or your favorite cheese)
• 2 tbsp bleu cheese crumbles (or your favorite cheese)
• EVOO (2 tbsp or so)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together your eggs, salt, pepper, and water. 
3. Take a round pan (cake pan) and coat with EVOO, use a paper towel to cover the edges. 
4. Add half the egg mixture to the pan. Then layer in half of the spinach and one cheese (goat cheese).
5. Add the second half of the egg mixture and layer with other half of spinach and the other cheese (bleu cheese). 
6. Put in oven and bake for 20 minutes, until done. 

Recipe courtesy of my Liz Stampley. :)

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Veggie Pasta Dish!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of diced Italian fire roasted tomatoes, sauce included
• 1 zucchini, chopped and skinned
• EVOO, 2 tbsp
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 celery, chopped
• 2 Bella mushrooms, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• Italian seasoning
• Red spiced pepper, to taste
• 8 oz spaghetti 

 What to do:

1. Cook noodles, set aside.
2. Meanwhile, saute the zucchini, carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and tomato paste, add the seasonings to taste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes with the top on. 
3. Top a serving of noodles off with the sauce.

Enjoy!

Beer Braised Chicken!

Ingredients:

• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 12 ounce bottle of beer (I used Dos Equis)
• 1 cup shallots, peeled and halved
• 1/2 pound small red skinned potatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• Rosemary, to taste

What to do:

1. In a large pot, heat the EVOO on medium high. season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brown the chicken (about 6-7 minutes). Add the chicken in batches to brown it.
2. Add the beer, shallots, potatoes, mustard, sugar, thyme, 1 cup water to the pot and stir, making sure the chicken is fully submerged. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and stir in the parsley.
3. Serve in a bowl. Enjoy!

Creamy Veggies and Rice!

Alternate option: if you're craving meat, you can make this with chicken. All you need to do is season you chicken breasts with salt and pepper, cook in Tuscan EVOO on medium high until browned on the outside (2 minutes per side or so). Transfer to a baking dish and cook at 200 degrees until done (15-20 minutes). Meanwhile, cook your veggies and rice.

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 scallions, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• Optional: 1 plum tomato, chopped
• 1.5 low sodium vegetable broth (organic and low sodium)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups green beans or snap peas (your preference)
• Rice

What to do:

1. Heat your EVOO in a medium skillet over medium high and add your scallions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are browned, about 4 minutes. Pour in the veggie broth and bring to a boil, scraping  up any browned bits. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. 
2. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the green beans and tomato (optional), season with salt and pepper. Service on top of rice and/or chicken.

Mushroom Salad!

Great for a healthy mid-day snack or a side dish! Super easy!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thinly sliced button mushrooms
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp parsley, fresh and chopped
• 2 tbsp dill, fresh and chopped
• 2 tbsp chives, fresh and chopped
• Salt and pepper

What to do:

1. Toss all ingredients together in a medium bowl and mix well. 
2. Serve and enjoy!