Happy New Year!

The new year begins for many with the resolution to get fit and eat right. Often people are overwhelmed and give up. To help you start on the right foot easily, here is crockpot beef stew. It is clean, gluten free, and dairy free! Not to mention it is freaking delicious so you will actually want to eat it.

Cut up some carrots and potatoes. I got the fun multi-colored carrots and potatoes from trader joes.

Then I cut up some tomatoes and the beef. I added all the veggies and meat to a beef broth. Next came the seasonings. This time I used sage, thyme, marjoram and two bay leaves. Turn on the crock pot on low for seven hours or high for about four. Try not to drool from all the yummy smells!

All done!

Yum :)

Ingredients

• 3-4 potatoes chopped into bit size pieces
• 3-4 carrots chopped
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• .5 – 1 lb of beef
• 2-4 cups of beef broth (depends on the amount of carrots, potatoes and beef used)
• 2 bay leaves
• tablespoon of marjoram, thyme, and sage
• cornstarch to thicken, if desired

Steps

1. Place chopped veggies, beef and seasonings in the crockpot.
2. Cook on low for about 7 hours.
3. Add cornstarch to thicken.
4. Eat. (see 3 steps = easy)

Greek Yums!

Roasted lemon potatoes with dill. Set them to roast at 400 while preparing the chicken.

Prepare the chicken stuffing with spinach, feta, dill and a touch of garlic.

Cut your chicken breast into thin cutlets. Roll up the chicken with the stuffing inside. Set in a dish. Sprinkle lightly with extra dill and a slight drizzle of olive oil. You can also add a touch of lemon juice at this time. All set to bake :)

Once the potatoes are done pop the chicken in at 375. Bake until the chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Ingredients & Steps

Roasted Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes into bite size pieces.
2. Toss the potatoes in a tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon and some dill. You can use as much dill as you like.
3. Roast at 400F until done.

Greek chicken roll-ups

1. Mix 1/4 cup of feta, 2 handfuls of chopped spinach, tablespoon of dill, and a pinch of minced garlic.
2. Cut the chicken into thin cutlets
3. Place a tablespoon or more on each cutlet.
4. Roll up the cutlets.
5. Place in baking sheet, drizzle with oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with dill
6. Bake at 375-350F until cooked through.

Eat!

Balsamic Steak with Roasted Veggies

This is a two-part recipe for one yummy meal.

While the veggies are roasting I make up the steak which has been marinating for about 12 hours or so.

Mix up the marinade. You need balsamic vinegar, a dash of olive oil, some crushed garlic and thyme. Marinate then grill up the steak. I use a Griddler aka a George Forman grill.

For the roasted veggies, I used red potatoes, carrots and a parsnip. Lightly coat the veggies in olive oil and sprinkle thyme over them.

Roasted veggies getting ready

Roast for about 20 minutes at 400 F. Enjoy!

Steak Recipe

• Marinade: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, dash of olive oil, 1 crushed or minced clove of garlic and about a tablespoon of fresh thyme.
• Marinate the steak for about 12 hours.
• Grill until desired done-ness.

Roasted Vegetable Recipe

• Cut up red potatoes, carrots and a parsnip
• Coat the vegetables in olive oil and sprinkle them with thyme
• Roast at 400F for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kale Chips

I have been making kale chips for years. They are easy and yummy. I won’t lie, they taste nothing like regular chips, but still good. First wash and cut up some curly kale. Toss in olive oil with whatever seasoning you like. I generally use salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic.
Before tossing:

After:

Now I bake them for 15 ish minutes ate 350 F… I tend to check on them pretty often so I don’t know the exact cooking time.
Let them cool and enjoy!

Kale Chips Recipe 

Ingredients

• Kale cleaned and chopped
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• sprinkle of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

Steps

• Toss the kale in the oil and seasoning
• Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until it begins to get crispy.

Eat a healthy snack!! The best part is you can eat tons of these and it costs less than 100 calories.  Wooo!

Yellow Curry Soup

Or as I like to call it “melted crayon curry” due to the vibrant yellow color.

I hate midweek cooking, but everything I made over the weekend is almost finished and I still need food for the week. This recipe is easy and requires little prep.
I gathered up all the ingredients and am now ready to assemble.

Cut up half an onion and quickly sautée in the coconut oil. Then add everything else but the coconut milk. Yup, I’m using the left over coconut milk from my squash soup. Let it simmer awhile and that is it. See, it’s easy!

When it is almost done, add the coconut milk and simmer for about ten minutes. Often I add rice noodles or spinach at this point, depending on my mood.

This time I added noodles.

It is all set. This soup even tastes better the next day because all the flavors meld.

Yellow Curry Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• Chickpeas
• Green lentils
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of yellow curry
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric (you can add less if you prefer)
• A sprinkle of ginger if you like
• Light coconut milk
• Cup of broth- if you choose vegetable broth this recipe is vegan

Steps

• Sautee the onion with a little bit of oil
• Add everything but the coconut milk, simmer for about 20 minutes
• Add coconut milk and any extras like rice noodles or spinach
• Simmer for 10 more minutes
• Done! Eats! or in my case, pack up for the rest of the week.

Crockpot Apples and Pork

Everyone in my family will tell you: I hate cooked fruit. It is true I do, but I like the flavor of apples with pork. So, if you are lucky enough to come eat this with me, YOU get all the apple goodness!
To start I gather up my honey, cinnamon, apple (fresh from the orchard), rosemary, parsnips and crockpot.
Really, that is it. I will add a splash of water just in case because dry pork is disgusting.

First cut up an apple and put about two slices in slits in the pork. Put the rest on the bottom of the crockpot. Last minute I added a parsnip. I saw them in Trader Joes this weekend and bought them mainly on the premise that it is fun to say “parsnip”.

Next I poured honey over it and cinnamon. I love cinnamon so poured is more accurate than sprinkled.

Now it is ready to cook on low for 8 hours. And because I constantly just throw things into recipes, I added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar when I splashed in a touch of water.

Now I wait.

A few hours in, it is looking good and smells amazing!

Added a pinch of rosemary. Can’t wait!

It is done!

I love this dish!! Even with not eating the apples, the parsnips and pork are AMAZING. They are flavorful and taste like fall! Yum!

Crockpot Apples and Pork

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 2 apples
• 1 parsnip
• 1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1/2-1/4 cup of honey
• splash of water

Steps

• Cut up apples, put slits in the pork about every inch or so
• Put apples into the slits, layer the rest on the bottom of the crockpot with the parsnips (cut them how you prefer)
• Note: I put a teensy bit of coconut oil on the bottom of the crockpot to make cleaning easy

• Pour on honey. Add cinnamon, vinegar, water and rosemary
• cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• EAT!

Butternut squash part 2

The soup is set, now on to the quinoa bowl. I used the left over roasted squash, kale (which I always have on hand), feta and cranberries. Oh! And the left over chicken broth.

I used about a half cup of tricolor quinoa and about a cup of broth. I needed to add a splash of water so I had enough liquid. I also added a pinch of thyme to the liquid because it’s yummy.

I quickly washed up some baby kale I had in the fridge. It will get thrown into the quinoa during the last few minutes of cooking.

Now I just mixed in the squash, feta, and cranberries. It is good to go!

Recipe for Quinoa Bowl with Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

• Roasted butternut squash (2 handfuls)
• Handful of kale ( used baby kale, chopped)
• 1/4 cup of feta
• handful of dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup of quinoa
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon of thyme

Steps

• Roast the squash (375-400 for 30-40 minutes with a little olive oil and sea salt)
• Cook the quinoa in the broth and thyme. Cook according to the package directions (mine said for 15 minutes at a simmer)
• Mix in all the yums! (a.k.a. the feta, cranberries, squash, kale)
• Eat!