“Gravy”

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Tools required: Immersion blender
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 slice bacon
Chicken giblets
Chicken juices reserved from Mediterranean Chicken recipe
Dried oregano and rosemary to taste
2 Tb mashed cauliflower (for use as thickener)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In pan, cook the bacon – it adds wonderful flavor.
Remove the cooked bacon, but keep the grease (this is what we’re after anyway – feel free to snack on the bacon).
In the bacon grease, cook chicken giblets and remove from pan for more snacks (this step deepens the flavor of the gravy).
Now, add the chicken juices reserved from the roasted chicken and stir.
Add a tsp each of oregano and rosemary if you like.

Once combined, pour into your 2 cup measure along with 2 Tb mashed cauliflower.
Blend with immersion blender until you reach a gravy consistency (you may need to add more mashed cauliflower to reach your desired texture).
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour liberally over EVERYTHING. Seriously, this is delicious.

Crustless Quiche – 2 ways

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Tired of scrambled eggs? Add some veggies to your eggs and mix up your routine. Great for a weekend brunch or make ahead and bring to work with you.

Ingredients: 

4 eggs
salt & pepper to taste
Coconut oil to grease the pans

Veggie Lovers add:
1 zucchini & 1 carrot (or two of each) – shredded

Meat Lovers add:
2 pieces of bacon, chopped into small pieces
2 breakfast sausages, chopped into small pieces

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Turkey Meatballs with Kale & Zucchini

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The best part about these meatballs is that they’re actually half vegetable! Double the recipe to make a whole pan so you can bring them to work throughout the week for lunch.

Ingredients: 

1 pound ground turkey
2 zucchini – shredded
1 bunch of kale – chopped in food processor
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

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Pork Chops Stuffed with Prosciutto

We found this recipe in the great Italian Gourmet Cooking magazine that’s out on the newsstands now!

Ingredients:

4 bone-in, thick-cut pork chops (center cut rib chops)
8 sage leaves, cut into ribbons
8 thin slices mozzarella
4 slices prosciutto
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

 

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Zucchini Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini
1 onion, chopped
2 pieces of bacon (cooked)
6 eggs total
1/2 cup parmesan (shredded)
1/2 cup feta (shredded)
8 oz Monterey jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 pieces of toast cut up into small pieces

 

Instructions:

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Waldorf Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
2 medium celery ribs, diced
green onions, minced
1 large crisp apple, cored and diced
6 tablespoons chopped, toasted walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt

 

 

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Ceviche

Ingredients:

1 lb petrole sole
6 limes- juiced

1 tomato chopped
1/4 of a green pepper chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp each salt & fresh cracked pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco

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Caprese Salad

Slice the 3-4 large beefsteak tomatoes into 1/2 in slices
Slice the 3-4 large fresh mozzarella balls into 1/2 inch slices as well
Layer the mozzarella on top of the tomato slices
Layer with fresh basil leaves
Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and season with saltpepper

Mindless Monday: Spinach Frittata

Our newest idea: Mindless Monday! What’s deal with that? Well… we’ll be the first to admit that some of our recipes are a little time consuming. So we thought we’d highlight some of the easier, quicker, less time-intensive options. This also means that the recipes are open to interpretation. Think of Monday recipes like the Pirate Code “they’re more like guidelines.”

Saute the spinach and onions in an oven proof pan until spinach is wilted and onions are translucent
Whisk the eggs (8) together with some milk (1/2 cup), salt and pepper
Add sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped up sausage to the spinach in the pan, if you want
Pour the egg mixture over all of it
Pick up the spinach with your spatula to let the egg seep under
Cook on medium until egg is about half way done
Layer on as much goat cheese as you want (or not!) 
Pop into the preheated oven (400F) for about 15 minutes
Done when the egg is cooked through!

Lemon Garlic Salmon

Marinade:

Olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, freshly minced garlic, sea salt and pepper

Mix about 1 cup of olive oil, with the juice and freshly grated rind of two lemons
Whisk in the garlic (2-4 cloves), salt and pepper
Pour over salmon to marinate for 10 – 15 minutes
Bake @ 450 for 7-10 minutes

 

Edamame Cheese Salad

We already love edamame, so adding cheese can only be a good thing! Found and followed the recipe from FoodNetwork.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups (9 ounces) shelled edamame beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 ounces pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

 

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Walnut Potato Salad

The best walnut oil in the world comes from La Nogalera! That’s where we got this recipe!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. walnut pieces2 lbs. new potatoes, such as Jersey Royals or Charlotte
1 Tbsp. tarragon or cider vinegar washed or scrubbed
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
4 Tbsp. walnut oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp honey
2 Tbsp chopped cornichons or gherkins (optional)
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Leg Lamb

Ingredients

1 4lb leg of lamb with bone removed
5 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of chopped rosemary plus 4 twigs of rosemary
5 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
4 potatoes sliced

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Savory Bread Pudding

The world’s most ridiculous conversation took place while I was making this…

Peter asks what I’m making.I say “bread pudding with the left over cubed bread.” He eyes the bacon I’m frying and asks “with bacon?” “Well, yeah, bacon makes everything better!” I reply. “Even dessert?” he asks skeptically. “Dessert??? This has bacon, cheese, spinach and sun-sried tomatoes. I didn’t know where was such a thing as sweet bread pudding” I reply. Pause. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as savory bread pudding!” LOL

Ingredients:

1  loaf  bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 (5-ounce) package spinach leaves
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained well
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
(we threw in a mixture of all the cheeses we had on hand… gruyere, parmesan and a bit of asiago too)
6 eggs
3 cups milk
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

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Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary


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Julia Child’s French Onion Soup

 

Julia says it best: “Fat gives things flavor! The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
3 lbs onions, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced very fine
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 cups red wine
6 cups beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 toasted slices of French baguettes, 1/2 inch thick
1 cup swiss cheese, grated
3 cups parmesan cheese, grated

Lavender Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons culinary lavender
8 lamb chops
sea salt & ground pepper

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Bison Burgers


Ingredients:

1 pound of ground bison
lemon pepper
salt
oregano

 

Instructions:

Knead together the ground bison and spices (to taste) in a bowl
Form into four patties
Grill 5 – 7 minutes on each side
Pile high with toppings and enjoy!
For a slow-carb version, wrap your burger in lettuce or collard greens 

Esalen Meatloaf

An Esalen favorite, in our book! The word “basic” doesn’t give this meatloaf enough credit, but that’s what it is, a nice basic meatloaf. Honestly, when we want meatloaf we don’t want something that’s trying to be more than it is. Meatloaf is comfort food. This is the ultimate recipe.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 stalk diced celery
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork (the original recipe called for 2 pounds ground beef, we like the depth the mixture gives)
2 eggs
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 can tomato sauce

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Cottage Pie with Mashed Yams

We found this yummy recipe on the Nourished Kitchen blog and just had to try it (with our own additions and modifications, of course)!

Ingredients:

1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 cup beef stock
1/3 cup cream
1 stick butter
1 large onion, chopped
1+ cup frozen peas
1+ cup diced carrots
3 medium sized yams or sweet potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste

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Mac & Cheese

This recipe came from the Macaroni & Cheese cookbook, which is pretty hilarious because the only requirements are literally that the recipe contain macaroni AND cheese. So recipes like Truffled Timbales with Zucchini Pesto, Lemon-Scented Pasta Pudding and Tuna Noodle Casserole are in this book because they have… you guessed it… both cheese and macaroni! We’ll be trying out a couple more recipes, especially a couple of the baked versions.

This recipe is SUPER easy and SUPER quick. You can literally prep everything in the time it take for your pot was water to come to a boil.

Ingredients:

12 ounces smallish macaroni (elbows or pennette)
2 cloves chopped garlic (we minced 4 cloves)
1 shallot, chopped
(we clearly used a red onion)
10-12 ounces shredded Gruyere, Emmenthal or Appenzeller
(we used about 16 ounces total of all three!)
4 ounces of creme fraiche (we used heavy whipping cream)
A grating of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 – 3 tablespoons butter


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