Balsamic-Glazed Pork Meatloaves

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

16 oz brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved

1 large red onion, halved and sliced into 1/2 inch thick wedges; finely chop a few wedges to get 4 Tbsp chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp dried thyme

20 oz ground pork

4 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 panko breadcrumbs

4 tsp chicken stock concentrate

3 Tbsp plum jam or similar

3 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp butter

salt, pepper, & oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place racks on top and middle positions.

Drizzle sprouts with oil and thyme, season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast on top rack for 5 minutes. 

In a large bowl, combine pork, garlic, panko, mustard, half the chopped onion, and 2 tbsp water. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and form four meatloves with flattened tops. 

Once sprouts have roasted 5 minutes, place meatloves on the pan on the opposite side. On a second sheet, toss sweet potatoes and onion wedges with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast sprouts and meatloaves on top rack and potatoes and onions on middle rach until meatloaves are cooked through and the veggies are lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. 

While everything roasts, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium high heat. Add remaining chopped onion and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar, cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed, 30-60 seconds. 

Stir in 1 cup water, jam, stock concentrate, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until glaze begins to thicken, 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp butter. 

Slice meatloves and plate them, serving alongside veggies. Spoon glaze over the meatloaves and serve.

King Ranch Casserole

From Well Plated

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers chopped
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 poblano pepper chopped
1 small jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
½ tablespoon ground chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make gluten free)
1 cup unsalted chicken broth or water
2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
3 ½ cups shredded or diced cooked chicken breast or thighs
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles drained (10 ounces)
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas torn into rough 1-inch pieces
⅔ cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese divided

For Serving:
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Nonfat plain Greek yogurt, optional


Place a rack in the upper third of the oven (usually the second-most slot from the top) and preheat the oven to broil.

In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not yet smoking. Add the bell pepper, onion, poblano, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 to 9 minutes.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt and stir constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, still stirring constantly, until they are thoroughly coated and the white bits of flour disappear, about 1 minute.

Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Stir and cook until the mixture is somewhat thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

Break the cream cheese into the skillet in bits. Stir until melted. Gently stir in the chicken, diced tomatoes, torn tortillas, and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not walk away. Watch the skillet the entire time to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Greek Shrimp with Lemon Rice, Tzatziki, & Marinated Veggies

From Julia's Album

Tzatziki:
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ medium English cucumber
½ medium lemon juiced
2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Marinated vegetables:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
½ medium cucumber thinly sliced
½ cup green olives sliced
½ cup canned roasted bell peppers sliced
2 green onions chopped

Shrimp:
2 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups chicken broth
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Make the Tzatziki:

Grate the cucumber using a coarse grater. Use a clean kitchen towel or a cheesecloth to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Transfer squeezed grated cucumber to a medium bowl. Add the remaining tzatziki ingredients and mix to combine. Cover and place in a fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Marinate the Veggies:

In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, chopped basil, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, roasted bell peppers, and green onions. Toss to coat and let marinate while you cook the shrimp and make the lemon rice.

Cook the Shrimp:

In a large bowl, mix together smoked paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Add shrimp and toss to combine.
Heat a large, high-sided skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Once hot, add olive oil and swirl to evenly coat the skillet. Sear shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink and slightly charred. Remove from the skillet and set aside and squeeze lemon over the shrimp.

Make the Lemon Rice:

Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add uncooked rice and ground turmeric. Toast for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken broth and salt. Stir together and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice and lemon zest.

Assembly:

Top the lemon rice with pan-seared shrimp and marinated veggies.
Drizzle with tzatziki sauce and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients 

• 3 large eggplants 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• one onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• pepper to taste 

• 12 oz mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 16 ounce ricotta 
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 24-ounce marinara sauce 
• 8 no-boil lasagna noodles 
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella 
• 1/3 cup parm

• Pesto
• Red Pepper flakes 

Steps

Preheat oven to 400 F

Sweat and Roast Egg plant: 
Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices and place on sheet pan lined with silicone mat. Sprinkle half the salt over the top as evenly as possible. Turn each piece over and sprinkle the remaining salt. Let the eggplant sit (and sweat) 15-20 minutes while the oven gets hot. When the eggplants look damp, pat the top side down with paper towels. Spray with olive oil. Flip them. Blot with paper towels, spray with olive oil. Roast in the middle of the oven for 30-40 minutes, checking at 25 minutes. Roast until golden and tender. 

Spinach Filling: 
In a large skillet, saute the onion, over medium heat until. tender about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the fresh spinach, lowering heat, gently wilting. Season pepper. Set aside.

Mushrooms:
In the same skillet saute mushrooms until soft. Set aside.

Ricotta mixture: 
In a medium bowl, whisk with a fork, the ricotta, egg, nutmeg, basil. Set aside.

Assemble:
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil. 

Place 3/4 cup marina sauce on the bottom, or enough to cover the bottom. Place the no-boil lasagna noodles over top. Spread another thin layer of marinara over the pasta, or just enough to lightly coat. Add the roasted eggplant. Dot with half of the ricotta mixture. Spoon all of the wilted spinach mixture over top evenly. Add mushrooms. Top with 1/2- 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/8 cup parm. 

Add another layer of pasta sheets. Lightly cover with 3/4 cup marinara.  Next add the remaining eggplant. Smother with the remaining marinara sauce and spoon the remaining ricotta in fluffy dollops over the top. Add remaining  mozzarella cheese and parm. 

Bake:

Cover with foil (if your lasagna comes to the top edge of the baking dish, cover with parchment first and then with foil) and bake in a 375 F oven for 45-50 minutes, uncover and bake 10-20 more minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Miso Chicken Thigh Sheet Pan Dinner

6 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white miso
1½ tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (can sub 4 tsp unseasoned + 1 tsp agave + 1/8 tsp salt)
1 tablespoon mirin (can sub sherry)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
6 cups large fresh broccoli florets (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk minced garlic, 2 tablespoons miso, 1½ tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin and 1 tablespoon maple syrup together in a small bowl until a thin paste forms.
Toss 6 cups broccoli with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and ½ teaspoon pepper on the prepared baking sheet until well coated.

Arrange 4 chicken thighs between the broccoli florets on the pan. Brush the tops of the thighs with miso-garlic mixture.

Roast until the broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, toss the broccoli; continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers at least 165°F, about 5 minutes more.

Divide the chicken and broccoli among 4 plates; sprinkle with sliced scallions.

Chocolate Cheesecake Strawberry Bites

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup (85 g) dark chocolate chips

16-24 large strawberries

1/4 cup (45 g) mini chocolate chips for garnishing


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on low speed, increasing to medium, until well combined. (You can also use a hand mixer.) Beat in the vanilla.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted. Let cool slightly. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and beat on low speed until just combined, then on high speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the strawberries. Slice each strawberry in half lengthwise through the stem, leaving the stem intact. Optional: Using a small spoon or strawberry huller, hollow out the middle of each strawberry half, being careful not to go too deep. You can also just top the berries with the mixture.

Place the chilled cheesecake mixture in a piping bag with a decorating tip or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off, then pipe into each strawberry half. Garnish with the mini chocolate chips.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These are best served within 2 hours of filling the strawberries, but I recommend waiting to fill the strawberries until right before serving.

Greek Lemon Rice

From The Mediterranean Dish

2 cups Basmati rice
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (just over 1 cup chopped onions)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lemons, juice of (PLUS zest of 1 lemon)
2 cups low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable broth will work)
Pinch salt
Large handful chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dill weed (dry dill)

Wash rice well until the water runs clear, and if you have the time, soak it in water for about 10 minutes or so. Drain well.

Heat about 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan with a lid (like this one) until oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, then stir in the rice. Toss to coat.

Now add lemon juice and broth. Bring liquid to a rolling boil (it should reduce a little), then turn heat to low. Cover and let cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is done (liquid should be fully absorbed and rice should be tender but not sticky.)

Remove rice from heat. For best results, leave it covered and do not disturb rice for about 5 to 10 minutes or so.

Uncover and stir in parsley, dill weed and lemon zest. If you like, add a few slices of lemon on top for garnish. Enjoy!