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. 

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

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!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Sprinkle Dipped Meringues

Melt-in-your-mouth meringues dipped in creamy white chocolate and sprinkles, is there anything sweeter?

This meringue recipe is from my friend Rosie’s new book The Sweetapolita Bakebook, which comes out next Tuesday, April 7th! This book is BEAUTIFUL, filled with brilliant ideas for the baking enthusiasts.

I'm not quite sure if I could do this book justice, the quality of her work is just a bit out of my league, yet it's one of those books I can't stop looking at. Recipes like Cotton Candy Cloud Cookies, and Chalkboard Cookies with Edible Chalk – I'm totally obsessed! If you're a baker, or know a baker, this book is a must!

Back to these meringues. Naturally I chose this recipe because they are low in fat. Two cookies are under 100 calories, so if you need a sweet treat to bring to a party that's not over-indulgent, this is a great option.

A note from the author: When making meringue, be sure that your mixer bowl and whisk are completely free from even a smidge of grease or other residue. For the most stable and voluminous meringue, I find it’s best to use fresh eggs, without a trace of yolk, and not pre-packaged egg whites. Egg whites tend to separate best when they are cold, but they whip up best when room temperature or warm.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spiralized Sweet Potato Latkes

 

Latkes – a healthier take on a traditional deep fried potato pancakes, these are lightly pan fried in a small amount of olive oil, made with sweet potatoes instead of white and made EASY by using a spiralizer because it eliminates the need to grate the potatoes, which can take a lot of time. With the spiralizer, it only takes minutes. Of course, if you don't have a spiralizer you can grate them with a box grater instead.

The question I get asked most often is what spiralizer I own. There are lots on the market which are fine, but I love my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer because it's made well and it's easy to use and clean. I own the three-blade which is perfect for what I need.

The ingredients are simple: sweet potatoes, scallions, garlic and egg. I knew I wanted to lightly saute them in a pan with just a trace amount of oil and tried to see if they would hold without using flour and they worked out perfect, so they are kosher, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly. You'll want to make them and eat them right away, they are best when they are hot. These go perfect with Braised Brisket – enjoy!


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Healthy Salmon Quinoa Burgers

Wild salmon, quinoa, and kale – these burgers are not only super healthy, loaded with good-for-you omegas and tons of protein (21-1/2 grams of protein) they also taste delicious and are easy to make. Serve them on a simple arugula salad with grapefruit, with a mustard-shallot vinaigrette.

I'm excited to share this awesome salmon recipe with you, because it takes me back a few weeks to my weekend in Santa Cruz with a great group of women, who all happened to be amazing food bloggers.

If you can imagine spending a weekend with a group of food bloggers means eating lots great food, well you're right. We worked, cooked, took long walks on the beach and ate REALLY well.

Jaden, of Steamy Kitchen who has a blog that focuses on Asian recipes had prepared a lunch for us from leftover salmon and quinoa we had from dinner the night before and it was so darn good I asked her if I could remake it on my blog to share with you. I don't recommend using cooked salmon because they fall apart without having to add a ton of eggs and breadcrumbs, so I used raw wild salmon instead.

 

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Mushroom Ceviche

Mushrooms marinated overnight with lemon juice, cilantro, red onion and bell pepper. I couldn't decide if I wanted to call this poor man's ceviche or vegetarian ceviche, but what I did want to make clear is that the flavors in these marinated mushrooms are what you would expect to taste when enjoying ceviche, only without the seafood.

This makes a great appetizer, and the flavor gets better with time. My husband, who's not a mushroom fan loved this! You can make this up to a few days ahead, if desired, it would last a week if not longer.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Roasted boneless leg of lamb seasoned with rosemary, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and garlic is a succulent Easter delight that truly celebrates Spring.

With Easter coming soon, I am re-posting this easy, crowd-pleasing dish from the archives because I LOVE lamb, not just for Easter, but any time of the year.

If rosemary is not your thing, you could use other fresh herbs such as thyme or oregano. Ask your butcher to trim off all the fat for you to make this easier. I like to roll and tie the lamb myself so I can season the inside as well as the out. If you are nervous about doing this, you can just have the butcher do it and just season the outside.

To compliment the lamb, serve it with Teeny Tiny Potatoes with Rosemary and Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette for a Skinny Easter Feast, and don't forget the cupcakes!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spiralized Apple and Cabbage Slaw

This beautiful apple and cabbage slaw is sweet, bright and crisp, the perfect side dish to any meal and great to bring to a potluck.

You don't need a spiralizer to make this, you can of course core and cut the apples into thin strips, but if you have one, use it because it's so much easier and quicker to do! No coring, and the seeds just pop out. II used the thicker blade on my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer to make my apple zoodles, which are not just for zucchini!

I just remove the stems and place the thicker end in the little spokes for a better grip.  Then spiralize and quickly add the dressing so the apples don't brown (lemon juice works too).

The poppy seed dressing is the perfect finish to this slaw, hope you enjoy!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Medley

This healthy salad is a great way to jump start your Spring! Quinoa, black beans, mango and vegetables with cilantro and lime juice – a delicious combination perfect for lunch or as a side dish. (perfect for Meatless Mondays!) Leftovers are great, the flavors only get better the next day.

This recipe is from the archives, since the weather is getting warmer I find myself craving more salads and lighter dishes like this. It's packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, folate, iron and lutein so it's not just tasty, it's good for you.

This recipe is from The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer, RD who I met in California on my trip to the Dole Blogger Summit. A great book if you're are interested in adding more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Asparagus Egg and Bacon Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I love the combination of this simple salad of asparagus, hard boiled egg and bacon tossed with a Dijon vinaigrette – it has Spring written all over it!

I'm sharing this from the archives because asparagus is in season right now, and this is one of my go-to salads this time of year. Asparagus and eggs are a match made in heaven, but not just for breakfast, it's great for lunch too! I always keep hard boiled eggs on hand in my fridge to use throughout the week, therefore this salad came together in less than 10 minutes. It's perfect to pack for lunch, and you can easily double or multiply the recipe to feed more. It's also very inexpensive to make, low-carb, high in protein and fiber and perfect for gluten-free and Paleo diets.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...