Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers

My friend Larry inspired me to make this recipe. I used his recipe along with some ideas from Jennifer Fisher (jalapeno and cauliflower rice) and Barefoot Contessa (wine, stock, canned tomatoes and tomato paste). Came together with so much flavor. Delicious!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

3-4 yellow peppers (my color preference), tops cut off and seeds removed

Olive oil

½ yellow onion, minced

½ - 1 jalapeno, minced

3-5 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup frozen cauliflower rice (not necessary, just nice for added veg)

1-2 T tomato paste

1-2 T parsley, minced 

1/3 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth (or a little more)

1 cup whole peeled canned tomatoes (crushed in your hand)

1 lb ground turkey

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Red chili flakes

1 cup cooked white rice

Cheddar cheese, shredded 

 

Heat oven to 400. Rub a little olive oil at the bottom of a baking dish. Put peppers on the pan and roast for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

 

While peppers cook, start on the meat filling. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add onion and cook, stirring regularly until they start to soften. Add jalapeno and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Add cauliflower rice, tomato paste and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes. Add white wine and cook maybe 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and crushed tomatoes, then bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.

 

While the sauce thickens, cook the meat. Heat oil in another pan over medium high heat. Add turkey and brown one side, then flip. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili flakes and any other seasoning you like. Stir and cook through. 

 

Once cooked through, add to the sauce, and stir in cooked rice. Allow flavors to combine.

When peppers are done, remove and allow to cool. Stuff peppers firmly with turkey mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and add shredded cheddar cheese, then bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted. 

 

Broccoli Soup Phase

 

I always go in phases with food and right now I'm in my broccoli soup and Welsh Rarebit phase. I think this is the perfect dinner. It's so quick and easy to make, and feels healthy because you get so many greens (broccoli and spinach). I use the Food 52 recipe for Welsh Rarebit (link here) and this broccoli soup recipe below, inspired by The Davidson Standard Instagram account. Measurements are all rough estimate as I make it a little different every time. 

Broccoli Soup

 

Olive oil

½ yellow onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped carrot

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Sprinkle of red chili flakes

¼ t turmeric (or even less)

3 cups stock – I used 1.5 cups veggie stock and 1.5 cups chicken stock

1 bag of frozen broccoli (10 oz bag)

Pepper

Salt – depending on saltiness of your stock, sometimes not needed

 

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it starts to soften, making sure to stir so it never burns. Add carrot and sauté for a few minutes. Add garlic (and a little more olive oil if needed so garlic never burns). Sprinkle with chili flakes and some turmeric, then add the frozen broccoli and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5-10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to your desired texture, depending if you like it thicker or more brothy. Add pepper and taste to see if salt is needed. 

 

Topping options:

 

Chives

Hemp seeds

Chia seeds

Parmesan 

Any kind of sprouts

Lemon juice

Fresh pepper

Instagram Inspired Dinner

 

I recently found two new Instagram accounts that I love.... 

The Davis Standard

https://www.instagram.com/thedavisstandard/

The Jiniga

https://www.instagram.com/thejiniga/

 

I went on a deep dive and they have lots of great health and wellness tips and some clean eating ideas. I love seeing what Jessica Lee’s adorable 73 year old mom, Yong Lee, eats for longevity. Three things they mentioned that I tried tonight…

Unagi – buy frozen from the Asian market, heat with garlic and green onion

(see this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMx4w3sg9Cj/)

Gaba rice – I purchased the organic Gaba rice that they recommended, lots of health benefits listed for this type of rice

Mung bean sprouts – I bought these and added them to my snow peas that I sauted in garlic and butter with a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil

 

And then I added some asparagus and Barrett Prendergast’s Garlic Healing Broth. Recipe here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B82SytgJeDZ/

Perfect and healthy dinner. 

Avocado Toast & Egg Cups

 

I'm trying to eat healthier these days which means more protein, more veggies, more fiber, more color in my diet, etc. I love this lunch because it crushes all the categories. Make the egg cups one day when you have time and then you have leftovers for days or a quick afternoon snack as you head out the door. I've been loading them up with lots of spinach, tomatoes and herbs. I've also mastered the Avocado Toast as well. So good...

Avocado Toast

 

Sourdough bread, toasted

Avocado

Radish, thinly sliced

Sprouts, any kind

Hemp seeds

Salt – I like Jennifer Fisher spicy salt

Freshly ground pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

Squeeze of lemon

Marnie Jean's Vegetarian Tacos

 

I'm obsessed with this cauliflower and garbanzo bean taco recipe inspired by my goddaughter Marnie. It was so good! I made a slight adjustment roasting instead of pan frying so I could do a larger quantity but either method would be great. She suggested sour cream on top so I made a little avocado sour cream sauce and added sliced jalapeño for some heat. The whole meal was perfection. 

 

Marnie Jean’s Tacos 

 

Tacos:

 

Cauliflower - cut into large chunks

Cabbage - sliced into ½ inch ribbons

Garbanzo beans - drained, rinsed and dried

Yellow onion, diced

Taco base/shell (we like casava or corn tortillas)

 

Toppings:

 

Avocado crema

Fresh cilantro

Jalapeno, thinly sliced

Fresh squeeze of lime juice

Hot sauce if you like but mine didn’t even need it

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

 

Cauliflower

Olive oil

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

½ t paprika

Salt

Pepper

 

Toss cauliflower with spices and oil. Add to a sheet pan and roast roughly 20-40 minutes depending on size. Flip once or twice and watch carefully. You want them to become golden but not burnt. 

 

Cabbage

Olive oil

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

½ t paprika

Salt

Pepper

 

Toss cabbage with spices and oil. Add to a sheet pan and roast roughly 5-15 minutes depending on size. You want it to roast and start to brown and caramelize.

 

Garbanzo beans

½ chopped yellow onion

Olive oil

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

½ t paprika

Salt

Pepper

 

Toss beans with spices, oil and onion. Add to a pan and roast roughly 10-15 minutes, tossing once or twice.

 

Avocado Crema

½ avocado

½ cup sour cream

Juice of 1 ½  limes

1clove of garlic, minced and smashed into a paste

½ - 1” jalapeno, minced

Small handful cilantro leaves

Salt

 

Combine in a blender or food processor. 

 

Once you have all the fillings and toppings ready, heat the tortilla in a touch of olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and maybe a little rub of the cut edge of a lime. Once warm add the toppings and enjoy!

Israeli Chicken Sofrito Dinner with Sides

This dinner was perfection. My new weekly go-to.
 
Israeli Chicken Sofrito 
Recipe here
I’ve made this a few times and every time I make a few adjustments. Tonight I made it with 2 legs and 2 thighs (skin on). Same sauce and spices. Added 1/8 t cayenne pepper. Next time I would add parsley or cilantro at the very end. 
 
Roasted Za’atar Carrots 
Recipe here (minus the yogurt sauce)
 
Sauteed Kale 
Recipe here
 
White rice
Day old so I reheated with 2 T butter and a splash of water

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs & Veggies

This is hands-down my new favorite dinner. I've been making it weekly and it's so easy and flavorful. 

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

Recipe here

* I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I have been using skinless thighs and it's fine. I definitely trim the fat first and I made sure to do it on medium high, often with a heavy pan on top, so it really browns on the first side. I double the sauce and I add sliced green onion and sesame seeds at the end.

Stir Fry Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic & Sesame

Recipe here

* I followed the recipe except I use olive oil. I also waited a little bit to add the soy sauce and I use low sodium tamari. 

Grilled Asparagus & Green Onion

* I used asparagus plus the light green & white ends of green onion, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and then grilled on the BBQ. Also works to broil it. 

 

Chicken Katsu with Cauliflower Fried Rice

 

Just made this tonight and it's my new favorite dinner....

 

Chicken Katsu with Cauliflower Fried Rice

 

I made a basic recipe for Chicken Katsu (flour, egg, panko) and added seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder) and toasted sesame seeds to the panko mixture. Then pan fry in mostly olive oil and some butter on medium/medium high heat until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve with cauliflower fried rice, kimchi and sriracha plus a green veggie for a perfect dinner.

 

Cauliflower Fried Rice

 

Olive oil

1/3 onion, small chop

2 carrots, small chop

1/2 zucchini, small chop

Green onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 T ginger, minced

Cauliflower rice (frozen)

2 eggs, scrambled

Tamari or low sodium soy sauce

Toasted sesame seeds

 

Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot, zucchini and green onion. When almost done, add more oil, ginger and garlic. After a few minutes add ¾ bag of frozen cauliflower rice. Stir and heat for several minutes. When almost ready to serve, push everything to the side and melt 1 T butter in the pan. Add scrambled eggs and saute. Once cooked all the way, mix in with other ingredients. Sprinkle tamari and stir to combine. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with sriracha and kimchi.

Gjelina Inspired Za'atar Roasted Carrots with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

 

Za’atar Carrots with Yogurt Tahini Sauce

Inspired by Gjelina

 

Carrots – shaved and cut in half lengthwise or into chunks on the diagonal 

Olive oil

Za’atar

Cumin

Brown sugar

Sesame seeds

Salt

Pepper

Parsley or cilantro - optional

 

Preheat oven to 425. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and lay out on a large cookie sheet. Roast for 8-10 minutes, then flip and roast for 8-10 more, until perfectly roasted. 

 

 

Yogurt Tahini Sauce

Inspired by GP’s recipe

 

3 T tahini

¼ cup boiling water

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced and smashed into a paste with the edge of your knife

¼ cup Greek yogurt

3-4 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil (or less)

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

 

Whisk the tahini and water together until smooth. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and taste for balance. Adjust as necessary. I like a lot of lemon and garlic but adjust as you like it. 

 

Spread yogurt tahini sauce on plate and then top with carrots. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro for added flavor and color. 

Meatless Monday: Bulgogi Tofu & Hibachi Zucchini

 

I got this recipe from my friend Anne’s Instagram story. It was so fast and easy. My kids don’t love tofu so it was a hard sell for them but I loved it. I served it with Hibachi Zucchini (recipe here) and a quick rice dish (day old white rice with butter, chicken stock, chicken bouillon, soy sauce and green onion) for a fast and flavorful meal. 

 

Bulgogi Tofu

1 T sesame oil

Green onion, chopped large

1 block of soft tofu

4 T Bulgogi sauce

 

Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add green onion. Sauté for a few minutes, then add tofu and bulgogi sauce. Heat for several minutes until warmed through. 

Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha. 

 

Cucumber Side Salad

 
I made this cucumber salad as a refreshing side dish for salmon with sumac tzatziki, coconut rice and naan with pomegranate dip. It was just what the meal needed.

Persian cucumber, seeded and sliced 1/4" thick

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Mint, chiffonade 

Sumac

Salt & pepper

Sauteed Cabbage

I'm a sucker for sauteed cabbage. This recipe is inspired by the delicious cabbage in the deli case at Erewhon. I served this with chicken potstickers for a perfect dinner.

Sauteed Cabbage 

1 T canola oil

1/8 t red chili flakes
1 head of cabbage, cut into large bite-size pieces 
2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
¼ cup chicken stock 
few splashes soy sauce

½ t toasted sesame oil

Green onion, green parts thinly sliced

Black sesame seeds

Using a wok or other large pan, turn heat to medium-high, then add canola oil. Add the red chili flakes and cabbage and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes until it begins to brown. Turn heat down a bit and add the garlic with a tiny splash of oil so it doesn’t burn. When it appears to be almost done, add chicken stock, soy sauce and splash of toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine and let cook for a few more minutes. Sprinkle in green onions. Serve hot with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

Zucchini Boat Pizzas

My friend Anne posted these on her Instagram account and I was so curious if they were good that I was making them within days. And they were good! So good I made it again the next night too, which says a lot because I'm usually not one to go with the healthier option. I definitely liked the version with turkey pepperoni, which I made 3 days in a row, but you could do any topping combo you like. 

And no, my kids did not eat these but I have faith that one day they will try a zucchini. 

Zucchini Pizzas

Zucchini

Pizza sauce (I’m loving Rao's brand pizza sauce)

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Turkey pepperoni 

 

Preheat oven to 425. Cut zucchini in half the long way and cut or spoon out a little of the inside to make a boat. Place on a wire rack on a cookie sheet. Rub with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for ten minutes. Flip and roast for 10 more. 

 

Remove from oven and reduce heat to 400. Spoon pizza sauce over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and some fresh grated parmesan. Top with turkey pepperoni or any toppings you like. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or so. Watch and determine when the cheese is to your liking. 

 

Pour a glass of wine and enjoy! Biden Harris 2020 Woo Hoo!

Belynda's Greens

 

My friend Belynda hosted a fabulous indoor dinner party (pre-Covid! remember those?!) and everything was delicious. Since then, I've been making this veggie dish because it's so easy and delicious.

Broccolini & Snap Peas

 

1 bunch broccolini

1-2 handfuls of snap peas

3-4 garlic cloves smashed 

Sprinkle of red chili flakes

1-2 T olive oil

1-2 T butter

Salt & pepper

 

Heat olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and chili flakes. Add broccolini and snap peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and keep on medium heat for a minute or two. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring here and there. If everything starts to brown, add a little water to the pan so it steams. Turn off heat and leave until you're ready to serve your main course. 

Second photo shows what was left because I eat it so fast and forgot to photograph. 

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Quinoa & Pickled Golden Raisins

This is a delicious recipe from my cooking class at The Gourmandise School. The original recipe was for cauliflower steaks but I think it's easier to just roast it. 

PICKLED RAISINS

½ cup white vinegar

Pinch of sea salt

1 t sugar (maybe more)

¼ t coriander seeds

½ cup golden raisins

Warm the vinegar, salt, sugar and coriander seed. Taste and adjust as necessary. Pour over the raisins and let sit for at least one hour.

The recipe calls for honey but a friend told me not to heat honey because it becomes toxic so I swapped for sugar. 

QUINOA

1 cup quinoa

1 cup chicken stock *

1 cup water

Large pinch Kosher salt

1 T salted butter *

Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve. Place the quinoa, stock, water and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. Check to see if all the liquid was absorbed and add butter when it's ready to go. 

* swap veggie stock for chicken stock and skip the butter if you want it to be vegan.

CAULIFLOWER

½  yellow onion, diced

2 T olive oil

2 t ground turmeric (or more)

1/2 t cumin

1 t Kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets

4 whole garlic cloves

Heat oven to 425 or 450. Cut up the cauliflower and throw in a big bowl. Toss with garlic cloves, olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Put cauliflower on a cookie sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes. While that cooks, dice the onion and toss in the same bowl with a little more olive oil, turmeric, salt and pepper. After the 8-10 minutes, take out and toss in the onions. Put back in the oven and cook for another 8-12 minutes until cauliflower is starting to brown.

To serve, spoon the quinoa onto plates. Top with onions and cauliflower and garnish with pickled raisins.

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I've been trying to find the secret to roasted sweet potatoes that are crispy and not soggy. This recipe for Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries from Cookie & Kate was better than other recipes I've tried. I will try the corn starch trick again and adjust the temp and timing slightly. Delicious though with chimichurri sauce. 

My New Favorite Green Beans - Greek Style

I am obsessed with these green beans. My friend Maria's dad made them for us with green beans from his garden and they were amazing. I've been making them every week with green beans from the farmers market. They are delicious!

Per Maria's suggestion I added some chili flakes. I used only one onion, roughly a pound of beans, and then basically did everything else to the measurements given. I'm a sucker for sauce. I also added some slivered garlic. Next time I want to try adding the Yukon Gold potatoes.

Thank you Maria!!!

Summer Favorite - Grilled Green Beans with Garlic

Grilled Green Beans

Brodie Young

Green beans

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

3-6 cloves of garlic, minced

Toss beans with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes while you pre-heat the grill to 400 degrees. Make a foil bowl and put beans in it. Place on a hot grill, stirring regularly so garlic will brown but not totally burn. Should take 8-12 minutes. Serve hot.

Penelope Casa's Garlic Green Beans

Great new preparation for green beans. They were way better than I expected. Instead of tasting over-cooked, they had great flavor. Found it in the new Food 52 cookbook. 

Penelope Casa's Garlic Green Beans 

Carrot & Halloumi Patties

Photo credit: The Spice Peddler

My friend Marion made these Carrot and Halloumi Patties for me and they were SOOOO good. Great paired with a salad. Delicious, fresh, light and flavorful. 

I used a bag of grated carrots and eyeballed the rest so my consistency was off and they didn't stick together. Next time I will follow the recipe better. They still turned out great though. 


Carrot & Halloumi Patties

4 large carrots - grated
4 spring onions (40g)
30g coriander
1 lemon
100g hallumi - grated
1 clove garlic - minced
20g red onion - minded or grated
40g rice flour (I used regular white flour)
1 egg white
2 T fennel seed
2 T olive oil

Combine all the ingredients except the fennel and olive oil. Put olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add fennel seeds and cook for 3 minutes. Add to bowl with all the other ingredients. Squeeze out all the liquid and make into little patties. Saute in a pan until golden brown on each side. 

Serve with tzatziki or any other creamy sauce.