Chicken Pad Thai
35 minutes Serves 6
No need to scour the take-out menu drawer. Prepare this favorite at home any night of the week. Plus, it’s loaded with vegetables, lean protein, whole grain noodles, and a creamy peanut sauce.
Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 chicken breasts, about 1-1 ½ pounds
1 large onion, sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced
3-4 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks (about ½ pound)
3-5 scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks with most of the seeds & white center removed)
8 ounces brown rice noodles (or whole grain)
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
1 Tablespoon ketchup
2 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2-3 teaspoons Sriracha
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup peanuts, chopped
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
- Heat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, about 3-5 minutes per side. Then add 1/3 cup of water to the pan, cover, and continue to cook for 8-15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Heat a second large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, peppers, carrots, and white scallions (I save the dark green tops for garnish) for 8-10 minutes.
- Heat a large pot filled halfway with water. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions (about 5 minutes.) After draining, rinse noodles in cold water.
- In a small skillet, heat the lime zest, lime juice, peanut butter, ketchup, coconut aminos, fish sauce, Sriracha, and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth. Next, carefully whisk in eggs one at a time. Be sure to whisk continuously so eggs do not scramble. Once a thickened sauce has formed, pour over the vegetables, chicken, and noodles. Toss mixture until well coated. Garnish with green scallions, chopped peanuts, and cilantro.
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
50 minutes Serves 6+
With this recipe, I can enjoy my favorite dessert for breakfast. Heart-healthy oats, sweetened with mostly applesauce and maple syrup, make this cake classic breakfast worthy.
Ingredients:
¾ cup carrots, finely grated
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup oat flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup almond milk (soy, coconut, skim, etc.)
2 cups old-fashioned oats
½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
4 ounces light cream cheese
1 Tablespoon milk
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use a food processor to grate the carrots. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the carrots, applesauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Then, mix in the baking powder, oat flour, and salt. Carefully stir in the almond milk. Next, stir in the chopped pecans (you can also sprinkle some or all of the pecans on top before baking.)
- Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish or 12-13 lined muffin cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
For the icing:
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the light cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the milk, powdered sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Pour into an icing or Ziploc bag. Finally, pipe over the cooled oatmeal.
- Store leftovers in the fridge.
Pizza Salad
20 minutes Serves 4
Pizza night just became healthier! Add your favorite pizza toppings to a bed of mixed greens with a creamy, tomato-based dressing.
Ingredients:
Olive oil
4 slices of whole grain bread (can use gluten free)
1 clove of garlic
6-8 cups mixed greens
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Pepperoni
Bacon, crumbled
Tomatoes, diced
Red and green bell peppers, sliced
Basil
Parmesan cheese
Creamy Pizza Dressing
4 ounces light cream cheese
½ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon oregano
Instructions:
- If needed, brown the bacon.
- Set the oven to low broil. Brush slices of bread with olive oil. Broil each side for 4-5 minutes, until browned. Then, rub bread with a clove of garlic.
For the dressing:
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Next, beat in the tomato sauce, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and oregano. Increase mixer speed to high to reach a smoother consistency.
For the salad:
- Top mixed greens with your favorite pizza toppings (chopped garlic bread croutons, mozzarella, pepperoni, bacon, diced tomatoes, peppers, basil, parmesan cheese, etc.).
- Serve with the creamy pizza dressing.
Asian-Style Meatloaf
75 minutes Serves 4
This is not your mama’s meatloaf! The grated onion adds great flavor and keeps the lean meat from drying out. For a quicker dish, turn the mixture into meatballs!
Ingredients:
1 slice gluten free, whole grain bread
Olive oil
1 lb. ground chicken, turkey, or grass-fed beef
¼ small onion, grated
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 small scallions, finely diced
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2-3 tsp. Sriracha
¼ tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 egg
Glaze
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. Sriracha
1 tsp. brown sugar
- Set the oven to low broil. Brush top of bread with olive oil. Then, broil for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Tear up pieces and grind in a small food processor.
- In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ground meat, onion, garlic, scallions, coconut aminos, Sriracha, ginger, sesame oil, and egg. Use clean hands to mix. Next, form into a loaf. Place on a greased baking sheet or loaf pan.
- Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 55 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the coconut aminos, orange juice, Sriracha, brown sugar, and ginger in a small bowl. Then, remove meatloaf from the oven and brush glaze over the top. Next, bake for an additional 5 minutes. Again, brush more glaze over the top. Garnish dish with chopped scallions.
Sloppy Joes on Sweet Potato Planks
30 minutes Serves 6
Based on the classic dish my father used to make, this cleaned-up version is loaded with veggies and served over sweet potatoes!
Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 peppers finely diced
3 medium carrots, finely diced
Salt and pepper
2-3 sweet potatoes
1-2 tsp. Sriracha
1 lb. ground chicken, turkey, or grass-fed beef
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. mustard
2-3 tsp. Sriracha
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Optional: scallions, Parmesan cheese
- Prepare the vegetables. Finely dice the peppers and carrots or use a food processor. (if you use a food processor, remove excess water from the peppers by placing on paper towels.)
- In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, peppers, and carrots for 8-10 minutes, seasoned with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, set the oven to high broil. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tbsp. of olive oil with 1-2 tsp. of Sriracha. Next, brush tops of sweet potato slices with olive oil mixture. Broil each side, about 7-10 minutes, until beginning to brown and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Once the onions, peppers, and carrots are softened and beginning to brown, remove from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Brown the ground meat, seasoned with salt and pepper (about 5 minutes.)
- Return the vegetables to the skillet with the browned meat. Next, add the ketchup, mustard, Sriracha, and brown sugar. Stir until well combined. Finally, garnish with scallions and Parmesan cheese.
Grilled Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats
30 minutes Serves 4
All of the flavor with less of the fat, calories, and carbs! These zucchini boats will definitely satisfy that chicken parmesan craving!
Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 chicken breast
Salt and pepper
4 medium zucchinis
½ - ¾ c. marinara sauce
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
Basil leaves, chopped
- Heat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, about 3-5 minutes per side. Then, add 1/3 cup of water to the pan, cover and continue to cook for 8-15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice zucchini in half length-wise. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and part of the flesh. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Next, top each boat with marinara sauce, grilled chicken, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and oregano. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes. Finally, garnish with fresh basil. Serve with a simple Italian salad.
GF Mini Apple Pecan Pie Bites
30 minutes Makes 24 mini muffin bites
This dessert combines apple and pecan pie into a lighter, but still sweet, mini treat!
Ingredients:
½ c. gluten free shortbread cookies, crumbled
1/2 c. oats
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 large apple, peeled & finely diced
2 Tbsp. orange juice
¼ c. pecans, chopped
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg
Optional: ¼ c. powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. milk or light cream
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a small food processor to crumble the shortbread cookies. Then, use the same food processor to grind the oats. In a medium bowl, combine the shortbread cookies, ground oats, maple syrup, and melted butter. Stir until mixture is wet and beginning to stick together. Next, spoon 1 heaping teaspoon into each lined mini-muffin cup. Use the back of the teaspoon to press crumb mixture into the cup. Then, bake for 4 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix the diced apples, orange juice, pecans, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter. Once well combined and cooled, mix in the egg. Then, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling into each muffin cup. Return to the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Optional: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and milk until a thick glaze forms. Drizzle over pipe over the cooled bites.