Delicious Turkey & Veggie Burgers

 I got this recipe from Katherine M. Katherine, if you read this I miss you and always think of you when I make these. Such an easy recipe, which is why I love it.
I used cabbage, colorful peppers, kale, spinach,onion, garlic, and olive oil or coconut oil
I sauteed the onions first then added the cabbage, then the peppers and then the kale and spinach
then sea salt, pepper, cayanne, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder

 In a large bowl add the veggies and the ground turkey- mix well- form into patties and grill

I like to top mine with guacamole (avocado, sea salt, and garlic powder)

I like to make these because I get fat, protein, and fiber all in one thing. They are also good cold, which makes them easy to have on hand to take when on the go.  They freeze well so I like freeze half the batch to have on hand for later.

Runny Eggs & Kale

Recently this has been my favorite breakfast because it is so quick to make and it is just the right amount of food before working out.  I just put in about two handfuls of kale torn up, 1/2 tsp coconut oil, red pepper flakes, 1 glove crushed garlic, and cook for about 5-10 min.  I cook the egg so the yoke is still runny so I don't damage all the good nutrients.
I also like to sprinkle sea vegetable sprinkle on the egg, so it is a little salty.  

"Data taken from the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15. AA and DHA data from NutritionData.Com. Since the article was written, the USDA has published revisions. 
The yolk contains 100% of the carotenoids, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, E, D, and K (6 items). The white does not contain 100% of any nutrient.
The yolk contains more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and 89% of the panthothenic acid (9 items). The white does not contain more than 90% of any nutrient, but contains over 80% of the magnesium, sodium, and niacin (3 items).
The yolk contains between 50% and 80% of the copper, manganese, and selenium, while the white contains between 50% and 80% of the potassium, riboflavin, and protein."

Tomato Basil Soup

After my frig going out, I had not  gone to the store yet, but needed to make dinner. Luckily...I had everything I needed to make this tomato soup.
I'm just love the everyday paleo blog !  Every recipe I have made from her blog has turned out delicious.  This soup is thick, creamy, comforting, and very filling.
Get the Recipe Here: Tomato Soup

Best Recipe All Year! Moroccan Chicken

OH MY GOSH...this is the best recipe I've made all year. I normally steer away from recipes that call for a lot of ingredients. I really like quick and simple, but this recipe is worth it.  The only problem is it makes me want to get his cookbook because this turned out so well I bet he has other recipes just as good. I love that it is loaded with vegetables. 

 I really like that it is made with cauliflower rice, which is so simple to make. Just put it through the food processor. 

  

It actually did not take me much time to make. Doing a little prep work the night before makes it so easy. I just cut the onion and measured all the spices out, so it saved a little time. 

 

check out the link below to get the recipe.  

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/moroccan-chicken-casserole/

Does anyone have the Primal Blueprint Cookbook? 

If so, how do you like it? 

Are there any other recipes from Mark's Daily Apple that are really good and I should make?

Stuffed Peppers

I really like to make meals that have vegetables and meat in one dish or one item, so I made stuffed peppers
1. I cooked the cut up onion and 3 cloves of crushed garlic in 2 tsp olive oil
2. After ~5 min I added in 1 lb of meat (grass fed beef or turkey)
3. I seasoned the meat with  2 Tbsp Chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, and a dash of cayenne pepper. 
4. Then I added in added kale, spinach, and zucchini, which I cut up small cooked for a few min.

I used this seasoning a lot and have it written on a sticky and stuck to the inside cabinet door where I keep my spices.  I recommend using the insides of your cabinets to post all your favorite recipes or whatever good info.
Whitney said it is the 3 C's (Cayenne, Cumin, and Chili powder) - brilliant- now I can remember with out having to guess what goes together.  I would really love to take a cooking class on spices and learn easy ways to remember what goes together without having to look at different recipes all the time. 

 I normally cut the tops off, but this time I cut them in half, which I actually like better. 

I served them to Dan, but he said that they are called "stuffed peppers" for a reason and went back to add more meat.  The red pepper is the one I made and you can see the green is the one he made.

We also like to save the leftover meat to add to our eggs in the morning with a little more spinach and some salsa. 

Pesto Pizzzabeella Pies

 I tried one of these Portabella pizza's at Whole Foods with Michelle from Optimal Nutrition. 
It is made with a vegan cheese that melts and tastes good the brand is Daiya. 
These cost a little over a dollar for one, but you can easily make them at home. 
You can also have them make you a pizza with rice crust and vegan cheese.

Has anyone been to Blue Ribbon Pizzaria it is in Encinitas?
I'm so excited to have a healthy pizza place I can recommend.  I have not tried it yet, but I plan on going soon. 
They are a good choice for pizza because they ferment the dough for 3 days and every thing is locally grown organic :)

like chips

I like this time of year because Brussel Sprouts are in season. 
Cut the ends, cut in half, put a little olive oil, sea salt, and garlic, roast ~15-20 min.  I like to make the leaves really crispy, so they are like chips. 

Slimming Soups

 I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  Dan was working, but it was nice to be able to  go to the Station and celebrate with him. 
Simple vegetable soup- such a great way to prevent any veggies from going bad.  I sauteed onion in coconut oil and added carrots, celery, kale, cauliflower, zucchini, and bone broth.

 I also made the asparagus soup and froze half of the vegetable soup and half of the asparagus soup, so I had a variety. 

I also like to add in steamed vegetables to the asparagus soup and raw egg yokes for good omega 3 fatty acids.  Sometimes when I reheat the soup I will add in the white of the egg cook it and then put the yoke in last so it is still raw.  So good. 

Asparagus Soup

 I LOVE this soup.  It is simple and good.  Terra sent it to me from Giada on the Food Network and I just modified it a little bit. 

1. Sauteed 2 leeks with raw butter (you can find it at Jimbos) for until soft
In case you don't know what a leek is I took a picture of it below.  It is a part of the onion family, good for fat loss, and you can use it like you would an onion.  I just sliced it up until I got to the tough green part.

 2. Add in ~3 cups (2-3 bundles)  asparagus

If you don't have a good knife, I would stop reading this and go get one.  It will save your life by making cooking SO much easier.  I like my knife with the two men on it. 

3. Add 4 cups chicken broth or bone broth
4. Add 1/2 cup basil, sea salt, and pepper
5. Once it is cooked I put it in the blender and blend

Crockpot Chili

 Such an easy recipe and perfect for this rainy weather we had this morning.
One of the reasons I love cooking is to just be able to throw stuff together without measuring.

I just browned the meat with onions and garlic in a skillet. I used Elk game meat (thanks April & Andy), which is a lean red meat and much leaner since it is wild.  I had to call my dad to tell him what I was making because Elk is what stopped me from eating red meat 17 years ago when my dad got an Elk and we had Elk everything. I was so sick of it.  

I added the meat, fire roasted tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, tons of chili powder, red pepper flakes, cayanne pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder to the crock pot.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8 hours.  It made the whole house smell really good.

I'm looking for some more crockpot recipes that are healthy and good for me and the girls in class.  
If you have any healthy, good crockpot recipes please share in the comments below.
Thanks :)
jess

Basic Vegetable Soup

 In the spring and summer the juicer is my go to for getting in lots of vegetables, but in the fall and winter soups are a staple for me.  They are quick, cheap, filling, and really healthy. 

1.  Saute 2 onions in raw butter, ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil for 10 minutes
2. Add 12-14 cups of vegetables (kale, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, etc)
3. Add chicken stock or bone broth and water up to two inches below the vegetables.  
4. Add pepper and sea salt or himylayan pink salt
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for ~30 min 
6. Eat as is or puree 

 I like to add two heads of cauliflower to make it a really thick, creamy soup.  I also like mine blended, but I will blend half and keep the other half unblended for variety.

I don't add any protein when I make it because this is another way I can add variety so I don't get bored with the same soup every day.
I add any of the following:

• eggs- really good- I cook the white when I re-heat the soup and then add in raw yoke at the end, so it is runny
• chicken
• fish 

Descanso

I like to buy my eggs, chickens, and chicken feet (will explain later) at Descanso Valley Ranch stand at the Little Italy Farmers Market.
I recommend their eggs because it is important to have a good ratio of omega 3 and 6.  The modern diet contains too much omega 6 and the ration is really important for good health.

Avoid vegetarian feed eggs = ratio is messed up- chickens are supposed to eat bugs and grubs- make sure they don't eat corn
Avoid Omega 3 eggs = feed low grade flaxseed and the eggs will go bad faster

Keep the yokes runny when you cook them for the most nutrients.  Also, keep the yoke for a good balance of the essential fatty acids and to stay full longer.  

Kale Chips

 Great job today Fit 2 Wed ladies!  I love our workouts at Kate Sessions.  I'm looking forward to our last week of this session coming up and to the next session starting October 25th :)

Craving chips?  Don't know how to add Kale into your diet?
I love to make these.

1. Wash, de-stem, and Spin kale
2. Mix one bunch with 2 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp sea salt until well coated (1 tbsp Apple Cider vinegar- optional)
3. lay out and bake for 10-15 min at 350 degrees
Kale will come out nice and crispy like a chip. 

Even Finn my 2 year old neighbor likes these, so I would make them as a healthy snack for your kids for sure.  Dan loves them!!!
For the left overs I just put them in the oven for a few min to re-crisp them.

Sesame Crusted Ahi

This recipe is so so good!  It will be on the next newsletter. 

Be Wise Ranch: Swiss Chard Frittata

My picture does not come close at all to how good this Frittata tastes.  So easy are really good. 

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch of swiss chard
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped

Preparation

In a medium size bowl, using a fork, whisk together eggs, pepper and salt and set aside.  Wash chard thoroughly and cut into 1" strips.
Heat 12" non-stick, oven-safe pan on medium high heat and add olive oil.  Pour in onions and saute until translucent.  Mix in swiss chard and saute until wilted.  After the chard is sauteed, pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle basil.
Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.  Sprinkle additional basil on top and enjoy!
This recipe was feature in Be Wise Ranch's CSA box during the week of 9/20.

Tilapia with Puttanesca Sauce

 

Grilled Tilapia with Puttanesca sauce was one of the recipes from Terra in our Supper Club this week. It is delicious. I love that it has capers in it. 

I have been adding this sauce to everything: On top of chicken, tilapia, I also grilled some eggplant and had it over that, I also had it over zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower.  

 

Terra said she also made a batch and was able to freeze half of it for later.  Don't forget about the magic of the freezer to have nice homemade meals on hand. 

 

Freezing things before they go bad can save you a lot of money in wasted produce and food.  My brother in-law even freezes every thing even his tomatoes before they go bad and will use them in his spaghetti sauce. 

Recipe: (Note: I omitted olives, anchovies and salt)

 

Puttanesca Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

6 cloves of garlic

2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, broken into pieces, with juice

1 cup tightly packed, pitted, chopped Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons (about 8) minced anchovy fillets

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

Salt

 

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly carmelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, about 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste, cover and set aside.

Paleo Pizza

Stacey made this Paleo pizza as one of the recipes of the week last week in our Supper Club it was so delicious.
the recipe is from http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/08/04/everyday-paleo-pizza/
It is nice to have such a filling meal that is a little bit easier to just wrap up and take with me on the go. 

Paleo Pancakes

I've made these before, but this time these were way better.  I used the almond meal from Trader Joe's. I also like to eat them cold as a filling snack.  
It is so nice to feel like you are eating pancake, but without the highs and lows of eating so many carbs at one time and a small amount is really satisfying.

Recipe from everydaypaleo.com
http://everydaypaleo.com/2009/11/22/almond-meal-griddle-cakes/

Roasted Tomatoes

 Tomatoes are in season, so if you are loaded down with more that you know what to do with from your CSA, I recommend roasting them.
I just sliced them in half, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with Italian seasoning, pepper, and sea salt.  Roasted at 375 for about 1 hour. 

I also roasted some garlic with it.  I cut the top off the clove, put some olive oil in it, wrapped it in foil, and put it in the oven with the tomatoes.

My husband said the Sam the cooking guy just roasted the tomatoes and garlic and mashes them up for a homemade sauce. 
I decided to try to make tomato soup out of it with bone broth, rosemary, thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes, and basil. I will post the recipe if it turns out.

Burger Lounge

After 17 years of NOT eating any red meat, I had my first burger last week!
I'm adding in a small amount of hormone free/organic/grass fed red meat for my health. 
Toxins are stored in the fat and the muscle, so make sure you are eating quality grass fed beef. 
I can't believe how much chewing it takes, but it kept me full for hours.  I skipped the bun and had them grill a tomato and add grilled onion.