Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri

 

I've always been a steak lover, especially when it's topped with homemade chimichurri. It adds freshness and zing to grilled meats, chicken or fish, and the sauce can be made a day in advance.

In Brazil, Argentina and many other countries in South America, chimichurri is as common as ketchup is to Americans. My cousin Kat is from Brazil, and taught me how to make the BEST chimichurri, so forget all the other recipes out there, this is it! You can double or triple the recipe if you're feeding a crowd. Serve this with grilled corn or a salad on the side and you have yourself a meal!

Flank steak is a great lean beef option for grilling, I make a quick rub and slice it thin across the grain just before eating. If you want to make the chimichurri sauce a day ahead, leave it refrigerated, then before serving bring it back to room temperature. 

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Turmeric-Garlic Shrimp with Cabbage-Mango Slaw

Tons of flavor in this quick, shrimp dish! The perfect balance of spicy, savory, sweet & sour – and ready in less than 30 minutes.

I seasoned the shrimp with turmeric, cumin and red pepper flakes, then gave it a quick saute with garlic and finished it with some fresh lime juice and cilantro.

 

To balance out the heat (it's mild, although you can make it spicier or leave milder to your taste) I served this over a quick slaw with sweet mango, red cabbage and lime juice.

My husband gave it two thumbs up! This dish is perfect for most diet restrictions: gluten-free, low-carb, paleo, whole30 and of course weight watcher friendly!

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Skirt Steak, Baby Bok Choy and Zucchini Stir-Fry

 

This quick stir-fry has some of my favorite foods; skirt steak, baby bok choy and zucchini plus carrots, scallions, garlic and ginger finished with a delicious sauce that has the perfect balance of savory, sweet, sour and spicy.

I wanted to make this a quick one-pot meal, so I loaded this up the veggies and skipped the rice. I adapted this from Jackie Ourman's recipe with some changes. I reduced the oil, added more veggies and changed the sauce because I wanted that salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavor combination. To do that I cut back on the ponzu, (I used Eden) which was pretty vinegary, and added soy sauce and oyster sauce for sweetness. If you don't have oyster sauce you can substitute it with more soy sauce and some honey or sugar. To give it some heat, I used chili sesame oil which gives it great flavor. If you don't have that you can use regular sesame oil and add some red chili flakes to the stir-fry. SInce it was just me and my husband eating, I made this for two, but you can easily double this for 4!

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Skillet Basil-Peach Chicken Breasts

Sweet peaches, basil and shallots are a great flavor combination in this light, savory-sweet chicken dish.

Once in a while I like to take a break from testing new recipes and make something from one of my many cookbooks. When I look through a cookbook, I usually like to try something I would never have thought of making which is what inspired me to try this dish from Virginia Willis' Cookbook, Lighten Up 'Yall; Classic Southern Recipes Made Healthy and Wholesome. It's also peach season so now is the time to eat enjoy the sweetest, juiciest peaches.

The author shares a really great tip for easily peeling the peaches: Bring a small pot of water to a boil and have an ice bath ready in the sink. Using a pairing knife cut an "X" in the blossom end of the peach. Gently place the peach in the water for 15 to 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. The "X" will open slightly and the skin can be removed by gently pulling with a pairing knife.

The recipe below is exactly as written in her book, I didn't make the full recipe so the photo only shows 2 breasts instead of three. I really enjoyed the flavors of this dish, it was light and flavorful and easy to make. My husband isn't a fan of fruit in his dinners so it wasn't his type of dish, but he did clean his plate. Hope you enjoy!

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Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy a burger, then I think you'll love this Hawaiian inspired teriyaki burger made with Laura's Lean ground beef, carrots, scallions and topped with a homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce and a grilled pineapple.

This was inspired by a trip to Disney World with my husband and youngest daughter Madison. We stayed at the Grand Floridian Resort which was a lovely place to stay. One of those nights we ate dinner at the Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort, where I had a delicious teriyaki steak topped with pineapple; which was the inspiration for this burger recipe.
 

I did a little research into what goes into a Hawaian teriyaki sauce, and after reading many recipes I came up with my own version which was so good, this will certainly be a regular. You could of course buy teriyaki marinade to speed this up, but making it from scratch tastes sooo much better.

And I just have to share this contraption that easily cuts pineapple into perfect rings. My girlfriend Gabbie bought this for me a few years ago, and I love it; it's called the Pineapple Easy Slicer. It's simple to use and it's awesome. If you prefer canned pineapple, be sure it's packed in juice and not syrup.

By the way, this is also great without the bun if you're watching your carbs, just serve it on a bed of lettuce and drizzle the teriyaki sauce on top. Without the bun, the burgers are Weight Watchers 6 points plus.

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Grilled Lemon Dijon Chicken Skewers

Here's an easy chicken dinner idea – cut up some boneless chicken breast, whip up this easy lemon Dijon marinade and leave this in the fridge overnight (or you can freeze them to use another day) then put them on a skewer and grill them for a quick weeknight dinner. The results are so juicy and flavorful, perfect with a big chopped salad (I served it with a Spriralized Cucumber Greek Salad) or make a side of orzo or grilled veggies.

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Tuna Lettuce Wrap with Avocado Yogurt Dressing

Here's a tasty way to transform ordinary canned tuna into a delicious lunch. These low-calorie, low-carb lettuce wraps are filled with hearts of palm, tomatoes, carrots and onion and topped with a light avocado dressing. I found two to fill me up, but the calories are low enough you could easily eat three. Using a good quality tuna in oil makes all the difference in flavor here.

I made the avocado yogurt dressing in my magic bullet, it makes a larger portion than is needed in this recipe but it can easily be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and used a veggie or cracker dip, salad topper or drizzled over grilled fish.

If you're not familiar with hearts of palm, they come canned or in a glass container available at Trader Joes or in most supermarkets. They make a great addition to salads.

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Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers

Homemade pesto with basil from my garden makes a scrumptious addition to shrimp. Serve these for dinner or make them at your next BBQ!

These are EASY, and now that it's grilling season I am sharing them from the archives.

Inspired by a dish served at my sister in laws garden baby shower (pictured below), this is so simple and delicious, I knew I had to make them myself.

They served them on a platter over a bed of greens, but this is also great served as skewers so you can hold them in your hand.

These have been making a regular appearance at my house since I first posted the recipe. I often keep the nuts out of my pesto to keep the fat content down and everyone always loves it. And bonus, these are low-carb, gluten-free and delicious!

Note: Keep in mind that when you remove the shell from the shrimp it will weigh less, so I started with about 2 lbs of shrimp to get 1 1/2 lbs after I peel them. Depending on the size of your shrimp you will get different amounts. I used jumbo, so that gave me about 35 shrimp, 5 on each skewer. One skewer is the perfect serving size but if you want to serve this as an appetizer, you can put 3 as a small bite.

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Turkey Burgers with Zucchini

My trick to making the juiciest turkey burgers EVER is by adding grated zucchini! A huge bonus if you want your kids to eat more veggies – they'll never know!

I started experimenting with adding zucchini to my turkey burgers back in 2010 and never looked back. They come out so juicy, and the flavor is delicious. This recipe is from the archives, my sad photo needed a makeover so I made them for lunch outside on the grill and re-shot them.

Adding zucchini also lowers the calories per serving because you get five patties out of 1 pound of ground turkey them instead of four. Serve them with your favorite burger toppings, on a whole wheat bun or skip the bun and serve them on lettuce to keep the carbs low. These can be grilled or cooked indoors. If you want to make them on the grill, it's best to make the patties ahead (overnight is best) and keep them refrigerated so they hold their shape. You can also freeze them and thaw them right on the grill.

For best results: use a hand grater to grate the zucchini, onion and garlic super fine. Get the pan hot before you put the burgers on to get a nice sear, then lowered the flame to the lowest setting to let the burgers cook all the way through, turning a few times so the burgers don't burn. 


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Tequila Lime Shrimp

Easy shrimp seasoned with fragrant spices and spiked with tequila, takes weeknight sauteed shrimp from ordinary to amazing in less than 10 minutes!

I'm not much of a tequila drinker, but cooking with tequila... well let's just say I don't object to boozy shrimp. The alcohol actually cooks out so you won't get intoxicated eating this, but the flavor is spot on. I also add some red pepper flakes to give the shrimp a little spice. 

You can serve this over salad, brown rice, cilantro lime cauliflower "rice" or make some guacamole, heat up some corn tortillas and turn them into shrimp tacos (SO GOOD)! Any brand of tequila will work, I went with George Clooney's Casamigos Tequila just because... (wink wink). Enjoy the shrimp!!

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5-Ingredient Almond Cake with Fresh Berries

This simple almond cake is made with just five ingredients (not counting the berries), but don't let it's simplicity fool you – it's delicious (and it also happens to be gluten-free)!

When my family gets together for holidays, birthdays, or just because, everyone chips in and brings a dish. It's usually a given that my cousin Nina who blogs over at Ambrosia Baking will bring dessert. My aunt recently had to stop eating gluten, so lately the desserts have been gluten-free. The last family party we had, Nina brought this cake and I loved it. I started poking around asking her questions about the ingredients, and when I realized it was fairly light, made with no oil or butter I got busy in my kitchen testing it out. The original recipe comes from baking goddess Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking Chez Moi. If you're a baker, this book belongs in your kitchen!

The only changes I made to her original recipe was cutting back the sugar and using less egg yolks. The results were fabulous, and this cake is amazing. It stays moist for days!

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Blackened Fish Tacos with Cabbage Mango Slaw

Blackened cod fish seasoned with a spicy rub and cooked in a cast iron skillet. The mango-cabbage slaw is the perfect balance of sweet and sour which compliments the fish perfectly. I served these for dinner last night with some guacamole on the side (not pictured here) and my husband was a very happy man.

I cooked the whole thing outside on the grill which is a great way to keep the fish smell out of your house, but you can also do this indoors on the stove. The only thing that would have made this meal better would probably be a margarita on the side. Hope you enjoy!

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Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lettuce Slaw, Avocado and Cotija

Grilled chicken tacos piled high with a lettuce-tomato slaw, avocado, and Cotija cheese all served on a charred tortilla. A quick weeknight dinner solution!

We love taco Tuesdays in my house, and I'm not talking about the taco's that come in a kit! Instead I make all kinds of tacos from scratch, from fish tacos, to slow cooker chicken and black bean tacos, turkey taco lettuce wraps and sometimes we even use picadillo in our tacos.

These grilled chicken tacos are a wonderful addition to our taco rotation, and perfect to make outside on the grill now that the weather is warming up. I set all the fixins out on the table and let everyone make their own. You can double or triple this if you want to feed a crowd. If you don't have an outdoor grill, no worries! A grill pan works just as good. If you prefer to skip the tortilla, just turn this into a great big salad!

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15 Healthy Adult Snacks

Here are 15 healthy adult snacks that are perfect to fuel you up in between meals whether you're home, at your desk or on the go!

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Green Harissa Salmon

I'm excited to share this guest post from my friend Jackie from CAFE, Celiac and Allergy Friendly Epicurian (I great source for gluten-free recipes). I made this for lunch yesterday with roasted broccoli and loved it! Please welcome her...

My 8 year old son absolutely loves this Asian-Marinated Salmon recipe so I make it almost every week. I like to encourage healthy eating habits and give the kids seafood as much as possible. However, while they don’t mind (and actually even prefer) repetition of meals, I like a little variety. 

Today I made two versions; Asian-marinated for the kids and this spicy green harissa baked salmon for the adults. This dish is very easy to prepare. It didn’t feel like too much extra work. Also, my kids aren’t into foods with too much heat. If my husband and I are craving spicy food, sometimes two variations are a necessity.

Harissa is one of my go-to sauces for adding a quick burst flavor to any ingredient. You can put it on veggies, meats, seafood, and eggs and even use it as a dipping sauce. For this recipe, I literally just smothered the harissa on top of the salmon with a little lemon zest and put it in the oven. A little sprinkle of sugar at the end helps it caramelize a bit and cuts into the acidity of the vinegar in the sauce.

I used Mina brand green spicy harissa but you can use any kind you like or are able to find near you, including red spicy or mild. 

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Quick Cabbage Slaw

This quick, simple slaw is a staple in my house. Perfect when you need something acidic to balance a savory dish. Everyone loves this, including my toddler only for her I leave out the red onion.

A few weeks ago I updated the photo on my Slow Cooker Pernil Recipe (this is on regular rotation in my house) and I often serve it with this quick slaw. I've since gotten so many emails on how to make the slaw, so here it is. Hope you enjoy!

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Blueberry Banana Bread

Blueberries and banana combine so well together in this delicious, super moist bread made with lots of very ripe sweet bananas which allow you to cut back on the fat without sacrificing the flavor and texture. This is perfect for breakfast or snack and can also be made as muffins if you prefer.

I don't know why it took me so long to add blueberries to my banana bread, it's a delicious combination I'll be doing more often. We love banana bread in my house, Madison especially loves when I make it so she can have it for breakfast or snack in school. I have several varieties, Banana Nut Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Petite Loaves, Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread and a Gluten Free Banana Bread.

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Mustard Herb Crusted Chicken Breasts

These chicken breasts are are lightly brushed with Dijon mustard and herbs and breaded with panko and parmesan cheese. Then they are lightly pan fried until golden and finished in the oven. 

A quick and easy weeknight chicken dish that I served with a simple green salad on the side. This would also be great with roasted parmesan green beans or roasted broccoli with smashed garlic on the side.

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Stir Fried Pork and Mixed Veggies

Stir-fries are perfect for busy weeknights because they take under 15 minutes to prepare, and you can us any protein or vegetables you wish!

I chose to use lots of colorful veggies and lean pork, but you can also make this with chicken, beef, shrimp or even tofu if you wish. The stir fry sauce has a slight kick from the sriracha which I love, but if you're not a fan of spicy food, leave it out (or add more if you like it HOT!)

I ate a big bowl of this and felt completely satisfied, but if you want to serve this with brown rice, perfect! I am loving Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, it's so good and such a great time saver! If you want to keep it low carb you could make my favorite Cauliflower "Fried Rice" on the side.

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Grilled Fennel with Parmesan and Lemon

Grilled fennel with lemon, olive oil and shaved parmesan is my FAVORITE way to eat fennel. If you think you're not a fennel fan, this is the recipe that may change your mind!

When raw, it has a licorice-like taste I'm not a fan of, but when you grill it, the flavor changes completely, and has more of a mild taste like a bok choy.

The charred edges, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and finished with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano is my new favorite way to prepare it. You can serve this as a side dish for four, or have it as a warm salad for two. You can do this indoors on a grill pan, or make it outside on the grill.

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Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken

Sweet, savory and a little spicy, this simple Asian inspired chicken dish has a balance of flavor combinations – serve this over your favorite rice and dinner is ready!

Madison is off from school this week so I'm trying to spend less time working and more time doing family stuff. This is in my slow cooker today so I thought it would be perfect to share here from the archives.

I'm not a fan of sweet foods as a main dish, unless it's balanced with savory and spicy flavors. In this dish the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sriracha compliment each other and balance out the sweetness.

I've tried a few versions floating around the web, but they were much too sweet for my taste. After a few attempts, I finally found the perfect balance of sweet-savory without adding too much sugar. Rice wine is naturally sweet, and adds a bit of acid which rounds out the flavors. I served this with more sriracha sauce on the side for extra heat and served it over brown rice.

I usually set some chicken aside for my toddler when I shred it, before adding it back to the sauce, since her palate is pickier than the rest of ours, and it works out fine. I never cook a separate meal for her, she eats what we eat, just modified at times if I cook something spicy.

For lunch the next day, I made some lettuce wraps with some leftover forbidden rice I had and thoroughly enjoyed eating them with my hands.

And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it's done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is so great, I actually own two!

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Shrimp Zoodles Parmesan for Two

Baked Shrimp Parmesan over Zucchini Noodles – an easy, light and delicious shrimp dish made in under 30 minutes!

I love shrimp parmesan and make it often at home because it's so much healthier to make it yourself. Rather than frying the shrimp like you'd get from a restaurant, I bake them in the oven until golden.

I've had the idea of making shrimp parm over zucchini noodles for quite some time, so when I was approached by Tuttorosso to be a part of their Inspiralize the Spring campaign, I knew this was what I was going to make. Every day this week, five bloggers are participating in a Spiralized Virtual Dinner Party – how fun! Here's the invite so you can follow along.

I've been using Tuttorosso tomatoes for years – if you've been following me from the beginning, you probably already know that they're my crushed tomato of choice.

This recipe is simple, you'll want to have everything prepped and ready before you start making this, because it comes together fast.  Have your zucchini cut and ready before you start, I prefer a thicker zucchini noodle so I used the thicker noodle blade of my Paderno Spiralizer to cut my zoodles. Enjoy!

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