Category: whole30

Pressure Cooker Whole Chicken

My husband has been on a pretty solid streak of making himself salads for weekday lunches.  Nothing terribly fancy: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, a protein, and some olives or cheese with homemade dressing. For the protein, he tends to use canned tuna, beans, or rotisserie chicken. So when I heard that you can make your own “rotisserie” chicken in a pressure cooker, I knew I had to try it! May I introduce you to: Pressure Cooker Whole Chicken!

The recipe is quite straightforward… season your chicken, brown on all sides, and then pressure cook. Pressure cooking doesn’t result in crispy skin, but boy does the meat stay juicy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • the juice of 1 lemon

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Pomegranate Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I absolutely love roasted vegetables, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts are a favorite of mine. Something magical happens in the oven!

I’ve had a hankering for Brussels sprouts for a while now, but was in the mood for a vegetarian version (a.k.a. not cooked in bacon).

This recipe for Pomegranate Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts balances the heat from stone ground mustard with tangy pomegranate molasses, a syrup made from cooked down pomegranate juice. Typically used in Middle Eastern recipes, pomegranate molasses can be found in most supermarkets today. Or, you can make your own at home; I have a recipe for it here. You could also substitute in honey, but use half as much; pomegranate molasses isn’t very sweet. To make a paleo-friendly version, look for unsweetened pomegranate molasses, or omit the sugar all together when making it at home.

The roasted Brussels sprouts are then topped with toasted walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds to finish it off. Yum!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or olive oil to make vegan/dairy free)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Continue reading Pomegranate Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine

This cold snap feels like it will never end. One good part about the cold weather is I definitely do more cooking!

One of my husband’s favorite recipes I make is one for Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Tagine. I wanted to try a tagine with a different meat, so when I found this recipe for Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine on the cooking section of the New York Times, I used it as a base to make a slow cooker version.

Tagine or Tajine dishes are Moroccan slow cooked dishes named after the pot they are cooked in. The dishes are typically a stew with a protein, spices, and fruit. And, well, they are fantastic; they make for a perfect comfort food meal!

I braved the cold so I could pick up the ingredients for this yummy dish. I’m lucky enough to live close to Reading Terminal Market, and La Divisa Meats in the Terminal cubed some lamb leg meat for me for this recipe. If you do not have a local butcher, lamb stew meat works too.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds cubed boneless lamb leg meat
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • large pinch saffron
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 3/4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup dried apricots
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or margarine to make dairy free, or ghee to make paleo)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • fresh lemon juice, to taste

Continue reading Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine

Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I love how comforting a good bowl of soup can be in cold weather, plus soup recipes, including this recipe for Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, are typically super easy to make!

I try to keep my freezer stocked with a bunch of different soups to enjoy on nights that I just don’t feel like cooking.

The use of curry in this Cooking Light recipe for Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup makes for a nice warm tasting soup.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or margarine to make dairy free)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium leek, chopped
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 lbs pre peeled, pre cut butternut squash
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make vegetarian)
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • coconut milk, to taste
  • 1/2 cup julienne-cut granny smith apple

Continue reading Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

You’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge fan of slow cooker recipes; I have almost 50 slow cooker recipes on this blog! Slow cooker meals work great for make ahead meals, feeding a crowd, and getting that “cooked-all-day” flavor.

I was sent Phyllis Good’s latest cookbook Stock the Crock, which is right up my alley. The cookbook has 100 delicious, tried-and-true recipes, plus 200 easy to follow variations for any dietary preference, such as gluten-free, paleo, vegan, etc.

There are a ton of awesome sounding recipes, but a recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala caught my attention. Gotta love a make-at-home takeout favorite!

This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is incredibly simple but really delivers on flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 2 small onions, chopped, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • pinch sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup red onions, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Continue reading Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Grilled Guacamole

National Guacamole Day is tomorrow (September 16th) so this recipe for Grilled Guacamole is a timely post to share!

I have wanted to make Grilled Guacamole since I first got my Coyote Grill last summer and somehow never got around to it.

The cooler weather seems to be right around the corner, so I had to make sure I made it in time!

The ingredients in guacamole work great for grilling and add a new layer of flavor to a favorite snack.

You can grill most of the ingredients: avocados, lime, red onion, jalapeno, tomato, and garlic.

Guacamole

  • 3 ripe avocados, halved and pits removed
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • ½ jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed
  • 1/2 tomato
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

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Freezable Ratatouille

This Freezable Ratatouille is another recipe my friend and I made last weekend during our cooking marathon. This time of year is perfect for making a huge batch of ratatouille and freezing it!

Ratatouille is a produce-heavy dish, using eggplants, zucchini, onions, and peppers. My friend doesn’t really love eggplant, so I used fairy tale eggplants which are smaller, with thinner skins and are a bit sweeter than regular eggplants.

This Freezable Ratatouille also allows you to do a lot of the prep work ahead of time. The vegetables are cooked separately, so prep work does go into a bunch of bags, but it makes the cooking process much easier. We used a recipe from The Kitchn as our base.

Ingredients (makes 8 to 10 servings):

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 medium green bell peppers, chopped
  • 6 to 8 medium zucchini, cut into bit sized pieces
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 fairy tale eggplants
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup basil, sliced into ribbons, plus more for garnish
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Freezable Ratatouille

Steak and Eggs Hash

Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

Last weekend, I stumbled upon a farmer’s market while walking around my neighborhood and picked up a bunch of veggies: peppers, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes. I didn’t really have plans for the vegetables, but then I realized these ingredients would make a really tasty hash!

I had been planning on making a steak and eggs recipe using Moyer Beef’s Angus Top Sirloin, so after my bounty at the farmer’s market, that morphed into a steak and eggs hash!

This recipe is a great sharing recipe with friends and family. You can serve the meal right out of the skillet (just add a towel to the handle so you don’t burn yourself)!

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Moyer Beef Angus Top Sirloin Steaks
  • 1 pound yellow potatoes, diced into small bite sized pieces (can substitute sweet potatoes to make paleo)
  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup small heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered (if larger)

Continue reading Steak and Eggs Hash

Beef Kofta Kebabs

Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

This past weekend, we had my parents over for dinner. I had a hankering for Lamb Kofta, which is a dish of ground lamb with spices formed into meatballs and grilled.

My dad isn’t exactly the most adventurous eater, and doesn’t like lamb, so I instead decided to adapt the spices added to kofta into a marinade for beef kebabs. Kofta can be made with any ground meat, but I had some beautiful  Moyer Beef’s Rib Kebab meat on hand, so kebabs it is!

Kofta can be made with quite a range of spices, so this recipe is very adaptable. This version uses fresh parsley as well as dried spices to add a different dimension of flavor. I also served it with some tzatziki for dipping.

Ingredients:

Tzatziki (omit to make dairy free):

  • 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cucumber, seeded, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • the zest of one lemon
  • the juice of one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Kebab:

  • 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 lbs kebab meat (I used Moyer Beef’s Rib Kebab meat)

Continue reading Beef Kofta Kebabs

Grilled T Bone Steak with Gremolata

Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

One of my favorite parts of working with Moyer Beef this summer is that I am trying cuts of beef I’ve never had before, like a T-bone steak. T-bone steak is a bone-in steak and includes the strip loin and tenderloin; it’s named a T-bone, because, well, the bone looks like a T.

T-bones are considered pretty high-quality steaks, and as such, don’t need much effort to make them taste amazing. They are also huge (in my opinion), usually 16-24+ ounces. So I invited over some friends to help my husband and me enjoy our bounty (they didn’t seem to mind too much).

For these steaks, I decided to add a simple dry rub and top with gremolata to add some freshness. Because it was absolutely beautiful this weekend, there was no way I wasn’t grilling them outdoors! The result was this Grilled T Bone Steak with Gremolata.

Ingredients:

  • 2 t-bone steaks (I used Moyer Beef’s T-Bone Steaks)

rub:

  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper

gremolata:

  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

Continue reading Grilled T Bone Steak with Gremolata

Grilled Red Snapper with Chunky Tomato Watermelon Salsa

I have the unnecessary “skill” of setting off my smoke alarm almost every time I use my oven or stovetop. I’m going to blame it on my house having an overly sensitive smoke alarm (which I guess is better than one that doesn’t work at all). So in the summer, I basically turn every recipe into a grilling recipe so I can cook outdoors.

This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light. Making it on the grill means I didn’t get as crispy skin on my red snapper (mainly because it stuck to the aluminum foil), but that’s ok. Feel free to check out the original recipe to make indoors.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups diced seedless watermelon
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 4 (6-oz.) skin-on red snapper fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Continue reading Grilled Red Snapper with Chunky Tomato Watermelon Salsa

Memphis Style Grilled Ribs

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GetGrillingAmerica #CollectiveBias

Can you believe it is almost Memorial Day? Since the first relatively nice day we had this spring, I’ve been dreaming of warm weather and outdoor grilling; I cannot wait to kick off the unofficial start of summer with a true backyard barbecue! To break in my grill for the season, what better choice than to get some ribs on the grill?

I have a few recipes on my blog for Slow Cooker Ribs, dripping in yummy homemade barbecue sauce. But when it comes to ribs on the grill, I like mine smoky and seasoned with a flavorful dry rub, like this recipe for Memphis Style Grilled Ribs. Grilling ribs takes some time but is a pretty simple process. Cooking them low and slow results in a wonderfully tender meat that is nice and juicy on the inside, with a beautiful crust on the outside.

I picked up a rack of Smithfield Fresh Pork Back Ribs from Walmart, as well as some charcoal, and hickory wood chips. Smithfield Fresh Pork ribs are hand-trimmed and have no added hormones or steroids. They are extra tender and juicy, making them perfect for grilling.

(As a said above, smoky ribs are a favorite of mine!) I love love love the flavor that charcoal imparts on grilled food.

Adding some chips on top of the charcoal adds another level of smoky flavor to the ribs.

So let’s get grilling!

Ingredients:

  • ~3 lbs Smithfield Fresh Pork Back Ribs
  • 1 cup hickory wood chips
  • charcoal

Dry Rub:

  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Mop Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • the juice of 1 orange
  • 2 tablespoons of the dry rub

Continue reading Memphis Style Grilled Ribs

Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chicken Yassa is a popular chicken dish originating from Senegal. This meal is the epitome of comfort food: marinated roasted chicken with onions, lemon juice, olives, garlic, and broth served over rice. It has a subtle heat to it as well that really makes for a flavorful meal.

This recipe makes quite a bit of food, a good 8 servings. However, in my house, leftovers this good don’t last very long!

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups sliced onion (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 1/2 cups less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced with a fork
  • 4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice (optional)

Continue reading Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My husband and I just moved into a new home, so I wanted to make one of my first meals here extra homey!

This recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken is perfect for a Sunday night and is hearty to feed 6 people.

The original recipe used cilantro in the chimichurri, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used parsley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 3 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

Continue reading Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

Tapenade

Last weekend, friends of mine invited us to an awesome Scotch tasting. They had recently visited Islay and brought back some for us to try as well! Each Scotch was paired with a bite of food to bring out some of the flavors, including oysters, lamb kofta, pheasant sausage and so much more.

I naturally didn’t want to come empty handed so I brought this simple olive tapenade along with me.

Tapenade is a pureed mixture of olives, anchovies, capers and olive oil. Salty foods always pair nicely with spirits, so this recipe was an easy choice to bring to the party.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (9 oz) jar pitted kalamata olives, drained
  • 1 (9 oz) jar pitted green olives, drained
  • 3 anchovy fillets, patted dry
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons capers
  • 3 fresh basil leaves
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • crusty bread or raw vegetables

Continue reading Tapenade

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