Monday, June 25, 2012

Slow Cooked Oven Stew

You will need a Dutch Oven.

Ingredients:
4 cups beef stock
1 - 1 1/2 lb beef or venison roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 - 1 lb small red potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup chopped carrots
1 shallot or onion - roughly chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans. if using fresh - remove ends and cut into small equal lengths
2-4 celery stalks - cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup fennel root - chopped
7-8 button mushrooms - quartered
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
2 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP flour (or gluten free flour or potato starch)
3 TBSP butter

Heat oven to 325. In a 6 quart dutch oven, combine stock, meat, veggies and seasonings.

In a small pan melt butter. Slowly add flour and whisk until bubbly. Add a few tablespoons of stock and whisk to make a roux. Pour over contents of Dutch oven and stir to combine.

Cover and cook 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Green Bean Fries

Made these the other night and even got an approval from the man of the house :)

Ingredients:
Green beans - washed and ends cut
Olive oil
Pepper
Garlic salt
Chili powder
*Cayenne (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl toss green beans with olive oil and seasonings. I used a lot of chili powder; I like spice!
Arrange on prepared baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes, flipping once or twice, until they reach desired crispiness!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Italian Slow Cooker Roast

Ingredients:
Bottom round roast or cut of your choice
enough beef broth to just cover roast
3 carrots - cut into large pieces
*8-12 mushrooms - cut in half (optional)
1 packet Italian style salad dressing mix
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder
2 bay leaves

Place meat, carrots and mushrooms in slow cooker. In a large bowl combine broth and seasonings - pour over meat. Add bay leaves.
Cook on low for 10 -12 hours or on high for 4 - 5 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy made from cooking broth.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Cornmeal Crusted Trout

Ingredients:
4 trout filets - deboned
1 cup corn meal
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
herb butter
coconut oil

Mix together cornmeal and dry spices in a shallow plate or bowl.
Heat about 4 TBSP coconut oil in a large skillet. Dredge filets in cornmeal mixture and cook about 4 minutes on each side - starting with skin side facing up.
Remove from pan and top with a dollop of herb butter! Moist, flavorful and you can even eat the skin! (Make sure to take the scales off though).

LEFTOVERS!!
Make a yummy sandwich on toasted bread with stone ground mustard, bacon, cabbage and tomato!!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Spicy Sweet & Sour Meat Balls

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground meat
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup bread crumbs
4 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 + tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
olive oil

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch salt
1 tsp red chili paste
1 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsp lemon juice
4 TBSP cornstarch
*1/4 cup ketchup (optional)
*red food color (optional - i use it when making chinese)

For the meatballs: whisk together egg and milk. Mix in bread crumbs and let stand 5 minutes. Add beef, garlic, pepper, salt and cayenne; mix thoroughly with hands. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning a few times, 3-4 minutes to sear outside. Transfer to a baking dish or cast iron skillet and place in oven. Bake while making S&S sauce, but check occasionally to keep from over cooking.

For sweet and sour sauce - combine all ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Make sure to mix cornstarch with a little water before adding to prevent clumping. Whisk until desired thickness.
Serve over meat balls. Garnish with sliced scallions!

Allergy-Free Lentil Meat Balls

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
olive oil
1/2 large onion - minced
1 carrot - minced
2 celery stalks - minced
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 TBSP fresh Thyme (or 2 tsp dried)
2 tsp salt
3 TBSP tomato paste
1/2 cup veggie or chicken broth
1/4 cup dry Sherry
8 oz button mushrooms - chopped small
3 eggs - or 3 TBSP ground chia seeds mixed with 6 TBSP water
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut flakes
1 TBSP gluten free flour
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
cayenne

Cook lentils until soft, drain and let cool.

Saute onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and salt in 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently - about 8-10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, broth and sherry and cook - stirring frequently - for 10-15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are soft. Let mixture cool.

Add lentils, chia seeds, coconut, flour, cilantro and walnuts to mixture. Combine by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400.

Roll mixture into golf ball sized balls and place in a baking dish coated with olive oil, allowing 1/4 inch separation between each. Bake 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Serve with pesto, spaghetti sauce or sweet and sour sauce!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad

This salad is easy, bright and so delicious! It's also full of protein and can stand on it's own for a light meal!

Ingredients:
1-2 cups cooked quinoa - cooked in vegetable, chicken or beef broth - chilled
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
1 medium mango - peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper - diced
4-6 green onions - white and green parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
4 TBSP red wine vinegar
3 TBSP olive oil
1-2 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

In a large bowl combine the cooked, cooled quinoa, mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans and cilantro.

In a separate bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and serve.

Lemon & White Bean Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can white beans (like cannellini) - drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice - about 2 lemons
2 TBSP olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves
pinch salt
*coconut milk

Add beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil to a food processor and blend until smooth. Thin with coconut milk as needed.

Overnight Blueberry Oats

So this isn't my recipe but I had to share it since it was so YUMMY and easy!

Ingredients:
1/2-1 cup rolled oats
2 TBSP chia seeds
1 cup coconut milk
1/3-1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine oats and chia seeds in a breakfast bowl.

Add blueberries, milk and vanilla to a blender and puree.

Pour over oats, stir and cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably over night.