Primal Shrimp over Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Primal Shrimp over Pesto Zucchini Noodles

This recipe is not strictly paleo, hence the primal in the title, because it includes a little dairy. But still no grain! I made my mother’s recipe for homemade pesto, threw it on top of some zucchini noodles, yes I said ZUCCHINI NOODLES, added some tasty shrimp and had a pretty delicious meal. This is meal takes practically no time to prepare but is crazy yummy!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Pesto:
2 cups             Fresh Basil, densely packed
1 cup               Pine Nuts
1 cup               Grated Parmesan Cheese
¾ cups           Olive Oil
4 cloves          Garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste

Zucchini Noodles:
4                      Zucchini
(and you’ll need a mandolin)

Shrimp:
2 lb                  Fresh, Peeled and Deveined Jumbo Shrimp, tails removed
2 cloves           Garlic, minced
1 Tbs                Olive Oil
2 tsp                Dried Basil
1 tsp                 Dried Tarragon
Salt & Pepper to taste

First, prepare the pesto…
Place the 2 cups of basil leaves (remember densely packed), 1 cup of pine nuts, and 4 cloves of garlic in the food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the olive oil and combine in food processor. Add the cheese and combine into a paste. Lastly add small amounts of salt and pepper until desired taste is obtained. Place the pesto in the fridge while you prepare the rest.

Next, prep the noodles…
Wash and remove the ends of the zucchini. Slice the edge lengthwise such that a flat surface is made on the squash. Place the french fry adaptor on the mandolin and slice the zucchini on the mandolin (BE VERY CAREFUL). Place in a microwave safe dish with a cover and set aside the until the shrimp are almost ready.

Prepare the shrimp…
Heat the olive oil in the pan on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add the minced garlic and sauté. Add the shrimp, herbs, salt and pepper then reduce the heat to medium. Sauté until shrimp turn pink and are no longer opaque. 

While shrimp are cooking, place the covered zucchini in the microwave and cook for 2 minutes. Toss about ¼ cup of the pesto in with the zucchini and divide into the 4 servings. Top each serving with about 5-6 shrimp and there you go!

I served this with artichokes and a nice glass of white wine, a Vouvray to be exact!

  

          I hope you guys enjoy!!!

Honey Mustard Pork

This Paleo recipe is about as simple as it gets! And I have got to say pretty delicious. Serve this on top of some sweet potatoes with simple green salad and you have a delicious and healthy meal J

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1.5 lb                Lean Pork Loin Slices or Pork Tenderloin
3 strips             Microwaveable Bacon
½ cup              Whole Grain Mustard
¼ cup              Honey
¼ cup              Apple Cider Vinegar
¾ cup              Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Just a pinch of salt 

Just as I said before, this is pretty simple… throw everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 10 hours. DONE!

Hope you guys enjoy!

(Bacon added on top for aesthetics)

Curried Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash

Curried Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash

Another Fall Paleo Recipe has arrived! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. I just served each half with a side of fresh steamed green beans for some more vegetable goodness.

Servings: 4 stuffed halves of Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

Squash
2                      Acorn Squash
Cumin
Salt and Pepper

Beef Stuffing
1lb                    Lean Ground Beef, 96/4 is what I used
1lb                    Bag Cauliflower Pieces
2TBS                Curry Powder
1TBS                Turmeric Powder
2tsp                  Ground Cayenne Pepper
1TBS                Coconut Oil
½ can              Light Coconut Milk
Salt and Pepper

Prep:

1)      Cut each acorn squash in half and remove seeds

2)     Grind fresh black pepper and salt into each half

3)     Sprinkle ~2tsp cumin into each half of squash

4)     Place one of the halves into a microwave safe dish, cover, and cook in the microwave for 8 minutes, repeat with remaining halves
You can also roast the squash all together but the microwave saves time and you don’t have to add oil

While the squash is cooking, prepare the beef mixture…. 

1)   Heat 1TBS coconut oil in a pan

2)     Add the ground beef and break up into small pieces with a spatula

3)     Add salt, pepper, curry powder, turmeric powder, and cayenne; stir thoroughly

4)     Once the beef is cooked through, add ½ can coconut milk to the beef mixture and turn down heat to a light simmer

5)     Once each squash half is cooked, place in cool or just barely warm oven; then microwave the bag of cauliflower for about 2 minutes

6)     Place the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until small, grain size pieces form
(like cauliflower rice)

7)     Add the cauliflower rice to the beef mixture and stir to let the cauliflower absorb the moisture and finish cooking; simmer for at least 5 minutes

8)     Gently scrape the insides of the acorn squash halves and stir the squash to incorporate the spices on the surface then reform a basin for the stuffing

9)     Stuff each acorn squash half evenly with the beef mixture and ENJOY!!

Harvest Pulled Pork with Almond Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Here you go, another Paleo recipe! The almond butter adds a certain flavor and creaminess to the sweet potatoes that is perfect for the season. Also, making the mashed sweet potatoes with the skin allows you to get all of the great nutrients that are in the skin that we usually just discard. I made up this recipe on the fly and I think it came out really well, I hope you guys enjoy!

Servings per Recipe: about 8

Ingredients:Pulled Pork
2                                              Pork Tenderloins, around 1lb each
1 ¾ cup                                 Chicken Broth
¼ cup                                    Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup                                    Honey
2 TBS                                     Pumpkin Spice Blend, sold at Trader Joes
2 TBS                                     Ground Cinnamon

Sweet Potatoes
8                                              Small Sweet Potatoes (4-5 large)
2 heaping TBS                       Almond Butter, no oil or sugar added is best
Salt

Preparation:
Trim the tenderloins of excess fat
Place in crockpot and add remaining ingredients
Cook on low for 8 hours
Shred pork with a fork and set the crockpot to “keep warm” while preparing the potatoes

Rinse the sweet potatoes thoroughly
Stab each several times with a fork or knife all over the potato
Place in microwave save dish with cover and microwave on high for 4 min
Rotate and cook for an additional 4 min or until soft
Place in a food processor with skin on
Add the almond butter and salt then pulse until the desired consistency is reached

Serve and Enjoy!

I just steamed some green beans and had those as my vegetable but this would also go well with a side salad

Spiced Apple Chicken with Sweet Slaw

99.9% Paleo Recipe,  Perfect for Fall!

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1.5 lb                     Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2                            Apples, cored and sliced
1                            Yellow Onion, sliced
1 TBS                    Ground Cinnamon
1 TBS                    Ground Cloves
1 TBS                    Molasses
1 cup                     Low Fat Chicken Broth
¼ cup                   Apple Cider Vinegar

Slaw:
2                            Pears, cut into cubes
1 bag                     Tri-Color Coleslaw Mix
1 TBS                    Olive Oil
1 TBS                    Apple Cider Vinegar
1 TBS                    Pear White Balsamic Vinegar

Add all chicken ingredients to the crockpot
Stir to combine
Cook on low for 8 hours

Once chicken is ready, prepare the slaw (it does not keep for more than a day or so because the pears start to brown)
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and balsamic vinegar and whisk with a fork
Pour over pears and coleslaw, mix to coat

Pretty simple! Everything is Paleo except the olive oil (and maybe the molasses)

Hope you Enjoy!

Avocado-Stuffed Chicken Burgers

Avocado-Stuffed Chicken Burgers
Another Paleo Recipe

Serving Size: 1 burger + 1 spoonful of avocado mixture
Servings per Recipe: 6

Ingredients:

1 ¼ lb                     Ground Chicken, lean (99/1)
¼ cup                     Almond Flour
1                              Egg, Jumbo
1                              Avocado, Large -- diced
½                            Yellow Onion, Small -- diced
2 Tbs                       Dried Parsley, divided
2 Tbs                       Red Pepper Flakes, divided
Salt and Pepper

Make Avocado Filling:
Add diced avocado and 3Tbs of the diced onion to a sturdy bowl
Add 1Tbs of both the parsley and red pepper flakes
Add salt and pepper as desired
Combine into a paste using a mixer or just the back of a fork/spoon
Reserve ½ of the mixture in the fridge

Make Burgers:
Combine chicken, almond flour, egg, and remaining onion, parsley, and red pepper
Add black pepper as desired
Combine with hands until thoroughly mixed
Form into 6 patties, making a depression in the center
Add the even portions of the non-reserved avocado mixture into the depressions
Fold edges over the filling and reform patties, ensuring filling is not exposed

Pre-heat a grill, George Foreman, or broiler and cook
Place a spoonful of the reserved avocado mixture on top of cooked burger
And ENJOY!

Each patty should be approximately 200-250 calories depending on the amount of avocado added

Super Low Carb Sausage and Peppers

Super Low Carb Sausage and Peppers

Though this picture is deceiving, this recipe does not call for any wheat/flour products. In this recipe I have substituted spaghetti squash for your standard pasta. While 1 cup cooked pasta contains about 200+ calories and 43g of carbohydrates, 1 cup of spaghetti squash contains only 42 calories and 10g of carbs (www.myfitnesspal.com). This is a delicious vegetable substitute for a common carbohydrate!

Servings per recipe = 6

Ingredients:

1                              Spaghetti Squash
2                              Bell Peppers, 1 green and 1 red
2 packages          Cooked Chicken Sausage, sliced (I used 1 package Sweet Italian and 1 Sun-Dried Tomato)
2 cans                    Diced Tomatoes, 1 no salt added and 1 roasted with peppers from Trader Joe's
3 Tbs                      Diced Onion
1 Tbs                      Dried Basil
1 Tbs                      Fennel Seed
Ground Pepper

Add sausage, tomatoes, onion, basil, fennel, and ground pepper to slow cooker.
Stir and cook on low for 8 hours.
Slice the peppers, sauté in olive oil for a few minutes, then add to the slow cooker.

Cut squash in half, lengthwise, and grind fresh pepper and salt over the top of each.
Place one half in a microwave safe dish, add ½ inch of water to the bowl, cover and cook in the microwave for 10 min.
Repeat for other half.

Take a fork and scrape the inside of the squash to form strings.

Serve ½ cup of sausage/sauce over 1 cup squash and enjoy!

Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Cauliflower "Rice"

Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Cauliflower "Rice"

Makes: ~7-8 servings 

Ingredients:

Curry:

1.75 lb                   Thinly Sliced Chicken Breasts, sliced into ¼” strips

2 cans                    Light Coconut Milk

¾ cup                   Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1 jar                       Thai Green Curry Paste

15 leaves                Fresh Basil (if you can find Thai Basil, that is best)

2 Tbs                      Ginger, freshly grated 

1 Tbs                      Dried Tarragon (not needed if using Thai Basil)

½                           Onion, medium

1 lb                         Green Beans, trimmed and cut to a reasonable length

2                             Red Bell Pepper, julienned 

Spray Coconut Oil (available at Trader Joes)
Salt

Cauliflower “Rice”:
2 heads                  Cauliflower
Spray Coconut Oil
Salt

Preparation:

Place coconut milk, chicken broth, curry paste, ginger, tarragon, salt, and onion into crockpot
Stir to combine
Make a chiffonade of the basil and add it into the crockpot
Spray a pan with the coconut oil and once hot add the prepared chicken
Once browned, add to the crockpot
Turn on the crockpot to medium and cook for ~8 hours

After the 8 hours…
Steam the green beans until they are slightly softened but still have a crisp (~4 min in microwave)
While green beans are steaming, sauté the julienned bell pepper in coconut oil for ~5 min
Add both the peppers and beans to the crockpot and turn to “keep warm” (if available)

Remove the stem cauliflower and cut into manageable pieces
Place in food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is the size of cooked rice
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add cauliflower
Sauté for a few minutes then cover and cook on low for 10 minutes

Plate however you like your curry and enjoy!

I like to use cauliflower as a substitute for starch as much as I can, like in the "Bangers and Mash" recipe. Though I am not Paleo, I think this is definitely a good substitution to make for health reasons and to lower your caloric intake. Although I knew I wanted to make cauliflower, I wasn't quite sure the best way to make it for curry. I got the idea for the "rice" from nomnompaleo. It worked perfectly and tasted almost exactly like rice! I highly recommend using it as a common substitution.

Hope you all enjoy!

"Healthier" Cake Pops/Balls

"Healthier" Cake Pops/Balls

For my friend Alex's birthday, a few friends and I decided to get a little creative and make cake pops. Of course, I had to attempt to remove some of the guilt factor and make a few substitutions. To make cake pops, first you bake a cake! Any cake you like, then crumble and combine it with mass amounts of icing, dip it in chocolate, and decorate it with other sweet treats. As delicious as they are, one pop can contain anywhere from 150-200+ calories! While cake is a requirement for "cake pops" and, for me, chocolate is a must have in any dessert...the icing I could do without. (Also, I didn't think diabetes was a good birthday present) Therefore, I decided to make an easy substitution that gives the cake pops the same texture and flavor but takes out a lot of fat and sugar from the icing. Of course, the recipe could be made even healthier by making a cake from scratch, but I have never claimed to be much of a baker so I took it one substitution at a time. Also, I am not much of a decorator but we tried! Here goes....

(Makes ~45 pops/balls)

Ingredients:

1 box of store bought cake mix and ingredients listed on box, any variety you like

1 bag white chocolate chips

1-2 cups honey greek yogurt

coconut or canola oil

food coloring

sprinkles or any other toppings you like

Tools:

cake pan

lollipop sticks (if you are making cake pops, we couldn't find any so we just make cake balls)

your hands

The recipe is quite simple...

1)     Bake the cake according to box instructions

2)     While cake is cooling, melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave very slowly with 2-3tsp of oil

3)     Once cooled, crumble cake into large mixing bowl

4)     Add 1st cup of yogurt and mix thoroughly with hands, adding more yogurt until the mixture has a very thick "batter" consistency 

5)     Roll "batter" into balls in your hand, about 1" or 1.5" in diameter

6)     If making pops, dip one end of the stick in the chocolate and push about 1/2 way through the cake balls

7)     Place cake pops/balls in freezer for at least 30min

8)     While in freezer make sure chocolate remains melted, divide into separate bowls and place 2-3 drops of food coloring in each bowl

9)     Once cake pops have set, dip in chocolate to coat and top with desired treats

10)   Stand pops upright in Styrofoam or place balls on wax paper/plastic wrap and allow chocolate to harden for a few minutes

Once the chocolate has hardened, they are ready to enjoy!

I have to admit I had lot of help on this one, so thanks Nako, Josh, and Colin!

Chicken and Artichoke Saute with Warm Salad

Chicken and Artichoke Saute with Warm Salad

Ingredients

Servings: 6

Chicken:

1.5lb        Chicken Breast, thinly sliced

2              Shallots 

2tsp         Garlic Paste

1can        Artichoke Hearts, drained, dried, and quartered

1              Lemon

2Tbs        Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Warm Salad:

2heads       Cauliflower, stem removed and sliced into 1" thick pieces

1lb             Green and Wax Beans

2Tbs          Whole Grain Mustard

1Tbs          Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1Tbs         Seasoned White Vinegar, I used a lemon-herb white balsamic vinegar (champagne would work) 

Spray Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Prep Cauliflower:

Preheat oven to 400

Slice cauliflower as described above

Spray cookie sheet with olive oil and lay out the cauliflower in one layer on the sheet

Spray cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh black pepper and salt

Roast in oven for about 30-35 min or until tender

Prep Chicken:

(If you cannot find "thinly sliced" chicken breasts, slice standard chicken breasts in half yourself such that it is 1/2 the thickness)

Pound the chicken until very thin

Slice each piece into strips on a vertical diagonal

Season with salt and pepper

Add 2Tbs of olive oil to a large, deep saute pan and warm on medium-high heat

Once olive oil is hot, add shallots and saute

Add garlic and mix with shallots then immediately add chicken

Saute until beginning to brown, about 5-7min, then add juice of 1 lemon to deglaze the pan

Add artichokes and saute on medium-low heat

Prep Salad:

Microwave green and wax beans according to bag instructions or in a covered dish with 2Tbs water for 3-4min

Remove any water from beans and add to serving bowl

Add roasted cauliflower to beans

Mix mustard, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to small bowl and mix with fork or whisk

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat thoroughly 

Plate chicken and salad as desired then enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Avocado Slaw

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Avocado Slaw

The Necessities: 

Slow Cooker:

2lbs                 Chicken Thighs, trimmed of most fat

2 jars              Trader Joe's Salsa Verde (homemade is best but in a rush this works just fine)

1 can               Pinto Beans, drained

1 can               Sweet Yellow Corn, drained

1TBS               Ground Cumin

2                       Shallot, diced

1/4                   Onion, diced

Avocado Slaw:

1                     Avocado, medium

1/2 bag         Sliced Green Cabbage

1TBS             Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

1TBS             Apple Cider Vinegar 

1/4tsp           Onion powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnish:

Yellow Corn Tortillas, toasted over gas stove

Chopped Cilantro

Roasted Bell Pepper

Combine required ingredient into the slow cooker, cover and cook on low heat for 10 hrs. (NO other prep needed!)

Prepare the slaw by first peeling and dicing the avocado. 

Mash the pieces of avocado with the back of a spoon in the bowl you will be preparing the slaw.

Add the cilantro, vinegar, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.

Add the cabbage to the bowl and toss to completely coat the cabbage.

Toast your tortillas, slice your roasted peppers, chop you extra cilantro, and prep any other toppings you desire...

Then enjoy! 

The "Skinny":

The avocado slaw is my perfect alternative to regular coleslaw. The avocado still supplies the creamy texture but loaded with more vitamins and "good for you" fats in comparison to Mayo.

Corn tortillas are also a better alternative to flour tortillas, plus I think they taste better anyway. 

It has been a while since my last post but I hope you guys enjoy!

Herb Crusted Pork Loin with Mushroom & Red Wine Sauce over Creamy Polenta

Herb Crusted Pork Loin with Mushroom & Red Wine Sauce 

over Creamy Polenta

Prepare Pork:

2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 tsp crushed garlic
salt and pepper
1.5 Tbs olive oil, divided
1lb pork tenderloin

• Preheat oven to 375⁰F
• In food processor, finely dice the herbs
• Add herbs to crushed garlic in small bowl
• Add salt, pepper and ½ tbs olive oil, combine into paste
• Heat remaining olive oil in metal pan over medium-high heat
• Rub half of herb paste onto pork and add to pan
• Sear the meat on all sides then place on baking sheet
• Rub the remaining paste on the pork and place in oven for ~30-35min.
• Once internal temperature of the pork has reached 165⁰F,
• Remove pork from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

(Resting the meat is crucial to maintaining moisture. If the pork is sliced immediately after cooking, the juices will run and the pork will be dry once served)

Prepare polenta:

1 cup water
2 cups unsweetened original almond milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup polenta (corn grits)

• Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil, remove from heat and steep for 10min
• Remove herbs and garlic and return to boil
• Add polenta and cook for ~5 min then remove from heat

(This preparration was adapted from Food and Wine Magazine)

Prepare sauce:

0.5lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbs olive oil
dry red wine (dry Marsala)

• In the pan used to sear the meat, heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat
• Add the mushroom and sauté until almost golden, adding water for moisture if needed
• Deglaze the pan with dry Marsala wine 

(Ensure the pan is not too hot such that a flame may develop.  If a flame does develop, lift pan from stove and blow out flame. Once the flame is out, you may return the pan to the stove. The integrity of the sauce will not be compromised if small flame does develop, as long as it is put out in a timely manner)

Prepare Vegetable:

1lb asparagus
Salt & Pepper
Spray olive oil

• While pork is resting and oven is still hot,
• Place trimmed asparagus onto same pan used to roast the pork
• Season with salt and pepper the coat with spray olive oil
• Roast in oven for about 20 minutes

My Plating Suggestion:
Once all ingredients are prepared,
make a foundation of polenta on plate
place 3-4 ¼” slices of pork on top of polenta
top with mushrooms and wine sauce
line asparagus alongside the foundation of polenta

ENJOY!

Loaded Grecian Sandwich

Loaded Grecian Sandwich

Serving size: 1 Sandwich

Servings per Recipe: 4-5

Ingredients:

Rolls or Bread (I like Trader Joe's Half-Baked Rustic Rolls that I finish baking at home)

~1lb thinly sliced chicken breast

Jar of roasted bell peppers

Jar or Kalamata olives

Jar of green olives (I like the ones stuffed with pimentos but any of your choosing will work)

Can of artichoke hearts, drained

Bag of arugula

Cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

2 Persian cucumbers (sold at Trader Joe's) or 1 small/medium English cucumber

4tsp olive oil, divided

Spray olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Make "Tzatziki" Sauce:

Finely dice the cucumber and mix into Greek yogurt with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Place in fridge to chill while preparing the rest.

Roast the Artichokes:

Preheat oven to 375.

If the artichokes hearts are whole, cut in half and place on a paper towel and cover with another. 

Pat the artichokes dry so they roast more easily.

Coat baking sheet with spray olive oil and place the artichokes on the sheet, cut side up.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then coat with spray olive oil.

Place in oven for about 10-12 min, or until beginning to golden.

Prep the Chicken:

Pat the thinly sliced chicken breasts dry with paper towel.

Slice each breast in half.

Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat 2tsp olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.

Add chicken to pan and leave untouched for 3-5 min until it begins to golden on bottom.

Flip chicken and again leave untouched until the meat is thoroughly cooked through.

(cut the thickest piece to test, no pink? then you are in the clear)

Repeat with second round of olive oil and chicken. 

*Tip: adding fresh garlic wouldn't hurt*

Prepare condiments:

Slice olives in half longitudinally

Slice roasted bell peppers into desired size

Assemble Sandwich:

Place 2 pieces of chicken on the bottom of roll. 

Top with desired amount of arugula, olives, roasted artichokes, and roasted bell peppers.

Add a dollop (or more!) of the "Tzatziki".

Attempt to close down the sandwich and ENJOY!

You can serve this with a number of sizes, a Greek orzo pasta salad for example.

I kept it simple, and attempted to lower the carb intake, by just roasting some asparagus with just a little salt and pepper (coated with spray olive oil) in the oven at 375 for 10-12 min.

The chicken preparation seems like it is a bit boring, but believe me, the simple flavors of the chicken complement the robust condiments!

Hope you all enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day Feast: "Bangers and Mash"

"Bangers and Mash"

Serving Size: 1 "Banger", 1/2 cup "Mash", 1 cup Brussels Sprouts
Servings per recipe: 4

"Bangers":
1 package Trader Joe's Smoked, Apple, and Chardonnay Chicken Sausage

"Mash":
1 head (~1lb) Cauliflower
Cumin, Salt, and Pepper, to taste
Spray Olive Oil

Brussels Sprouts:
2 Bags Trader Joe's Brussels Sprouts
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Spray Olive Oil

Prepare Mash First...
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with spray olive oil.
Trim the bottom of the cauliflower then slice head into about five evenly thick pieces. Break slices of cauliflower by hand onto the baking sheet and distribute evenly.
Season with desired amount of salt, pepper, and cumin. Spray and evenly coat the cauliflower in olive oil.
Roast in oven for about 40 minutes.

Prepare Brussels Sprouts:
Coat another baking sheet with spray olive oil.
Trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts off and slice in half.
Spread evenly on second baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and coat with spray olive oil.
Add to oven with 25 minutes remaining on the cauliflower, and roast.

Once the Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts are done, turn down the oven to 325 degrees and put the "Bangers" in the oven for 12-14 minutes (on baking sheet or directly on rack).

While the "Bangers" are cooking, prepare the "Mash".
Puree the roasted Ccauliflower in the food processor until smooth (no need to add oil or a thinner).

Once the "Bangers" are done and the "Mash" is made, plate and enjoy!

Notes:
Being Irish, I couldn't let St. Patrick's Day go by without attempting to make an Irish inspired meal, of course while lightening it up a bit.
I was really in the mood for something simple and cheap, but still delicious (staple qualities of Irish food) so I went for the "Bangers and Mash".

Traditionally, the Bangers are pork sausage but I decided to go with a healthier chicken sausage. I chose the Smoked, Apple, and Chardonnay Chicken Sausage because Bangers usually have a mild flavor and can be served for both breakfast and dinner. It was also a nice change from the savory Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage I usually cook with. (Don't worry, this sausage is not a "sweet" sausage, I think it actually worked perfectly, a nice balance of savory and sweet.)
I decided to turn the mashed potatoes into mashed cauliflower to still get the starchy texture and flavor but all the health benefits of a vegetable substitution.

I hope you enjoy my rendition of "Bangers and Mash"!

Turkey Burgers with Avocado Spread

Turkey Burgers with Avocado Spread: 
(makes about 4 burgers)

Turkey Burger:
1 lb Lean (White) Ground Turkey Meat
1 Jalapeno; diced
2-3 Tbs Yellow Onion; finely chopped
~1/4 cup (or a little less) Panko Bread Crumbs
3 Tbs Egg Whites (or one whole egg)
1-2 Tbs BBQ Sauce
Few Dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
Palm of Fresh Parsley; finely chopped
Hot Sauce (to taste)
Salt & Pepper

Avocado Spread:
1 Medium Avocado; pitted, pealed, and cubed
Fresh Parsley; chopped (to taste)
Salt & Pepper

Veggie Accompaniments:
Keep them simple!
I just sauteed up some thickly sliced zucchini and yellow squash with a little olive oil and salt & pepper.
Green beans, asparagus, or a light, fresh salad would also go well.

Roll of your liking (I used 1/2 of a Trader Joe's Rustic Roll)

Mix all ingredients for burgers in a large bowl. You don't want to mix too much, just so that all ingredients are incorporated into the meat. Over mixing will ruin the texture of the burgers.
(Tip: mix all ingredients before adding ground turkey then just lightly combine with hands.)

Prepare the burgers however you like: grill, pan fry, or broil. Broiling might be the best way to retain moisture in the burgers. Covering with foil will also help keep the burgers juicy. Turkey burgers do have a tendency to dry out more easily than beef burgers. Using "less lean" ground turkey will help keep them moist but at the cost of a slightly higher fat content (some will fat cook out).

Spread avocado paste onto bun (as much as desired) and add burger. Serve with the veggies of your choosing and ENJOY!

Note: this recipe is inspired/ adapted from some amazing turkey burgers I had at a cookout a while back, made by my friend Marcela's husband, KB.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Corn Relish and Crispy Polenta

Grilled Chicken Salad with Corn Relish and Crispy Polenta:
Servings: about 4

Chicken:
1.25-1.5lb Chicken Breast, thinly sliced such that the breast is about 1/2 as thick
Cumin (as much as you like)
Salt & Pepper

Corn Relish:
1 15oz can of Yellow Corn
2 Roasted Red Peppers (from Jar)
2 Large Jalapenos
1/2 Medium Red Onion
1 Large Handful of Basil
Juice of 1 Lime

Salad Dressing:
2 Limes, Juiced
1Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2tsp Distilled White Vinegar
1tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Salad:
Polenta
1 Bag Spinach

~Prepare the Relish first:
Drain can of corn and place in bowl. Chop basil and add to bowl. Finely dice jalapenos, red peppers, and red onion and add to mixture. Juice lime into bowl and stir to combine. Chill in refrigerator while preparing the remaining components.

~Prepare Polenta:
Cut pre-made polenta tube into 1" squares. Coat baking pan with spray olive oil and add the polenta. Spray top of polenta with spray olive oil. Place in preheated broiler for 20 min, stirring and flipping polenta half way through cooking.

~Prepare Chicken:
Season each side of chicken with desired amount of cumin, pepper, and salt. Place in pocket of aluminum foil, 2-3 pieces in each pocket. Grill on George Foreman or outdoor grill until no longer pink (about 8 minutes on the George Foreman).

Combine all ingredients for the dressing in small bowl. Toss spinach in dressing and add to plates. Top with polenta, relish, and chicken.

ENJOY!

Grilled Paprika Shrimp with Polenta

Grilled Paprika Shrimp with Polenta:

Serving Size: 2 Skewers of Shrimp, 2 Slices of Polenta, and as many Veggies as you want
Servings per Recipe: 4

1lb Large Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined (you can use frozen or fresh depending on budget)

1 Tube Pre-Cooked Polenta (I get mine from Trader Joe's)

1 Bag Green Beans (or I think Asparagus would go well also)

2-3tsp Crushed Garlic (also sold at Trader Joe's)

1-2tsp Spanish Style Paprika

1-2tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Can of Spray Olive Oil (such as PAM)

Wooden Skewers (soaked in water prior to use)

1. If using frozen shrimp, just put in colander and run cool water over shrimp for 5 minutes or until no longer frozen in the middle. Let stand in sink for a few minutes while preparing other ingredients.
   
2. Pre-heat broiler. Spray broiler pan with spray olive oil. Slice polenta into 8 even pieces and place on broiler. Spray top of polenta slices with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper if desired. Place in oven just below broiler. Cook for 10 minutes on each side.
   
3. While polenta is cooking, pre-heat grill (grill pan or outdoor grill will work). Next, make the garlic paprika paste. Add the 2-3tsp of crushed garlic into a small bowl, add the 1-2tsp of paprika and stir to combine. Add enough liquid olive oil to slightly thin but make sure it is a consistency slightly thicker than pancake batter (about 1tsp).
   
4. If the bowl is big enough, you can place all of the shrimp into the bowl and toss with your hands making sure every piece is covered equally. You can also use a brush or a the back of a spoon to individually coat each shrimp.
   
5. Place 4-5 shrimp on each skewer (depending on how many came in the pound). Grill the skewers until the shrimp turn pink and have the desired amount of caramelization (~5min per side).
   
6. While shrimp is cooking, cook the bag of green beans according to the directions (usually poke a hole in the bag and place in microwave for 3-4 minutes).
   
7. Once everything is cooked, plate how ever you like and ENJOY!

My Comments:

This dish is Spanish inspired so I used a lot of paprika. Depending on your preferences, you can use as much or as little as you like. You may also want to add a little ground cayenne pepper for some heat! The polenta complements the spices in this recipe and is a filling, yet not too carb heavy, starch. (Also looks pretty in my opinion).

I don't have an exact number of but this dish should be around 325-350 calories per serving as long as you control the amount of olive oil you use.

ENJOY!