Sweet Potato Hash

3-4 cooked sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted or baked
2 red bell peppers, finely diced
1 cup finely diced onion
16 mushrooms, chopped
8 scallions, chopped and divided white from green parts
salt and pepper
olive or avocado oil

8 eggs

2 avocados, diced

Saute peppers, onion, mushrooms, and white part of scallions until softened and browning. Divide the potatoes among four plates, then topo with veggies. Cook the 8 eggs as desired and top the dishes with egg, green onion parts, salt and pepper, and avocado.

Herb Crusted Salmon

4 salmon filets
2/3 cups panko crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped chives
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 c lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Place salmon on a baking sheet and top with lemon juice. Combine all other ingredients and top with this panko mixture. 

Lightly spray with olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until fish flakes with a fork.

High-Protein Pasta Sauce

8 oz mozzarella pearls
12 oz radiatore pasta

Sauce:
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers
15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (don't drain)
1/4 cup basil

Blend all ingredients and add to pot of drained pasta. Top with mozzarella pearls.

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.