RECIPES Baked Bell Peppers Basic Tomato Sauce Citrus Slaw Citrus Tacos Cedar Plank Salmon Crock-Pot Chicken Dinner Grilled Asparagus Grilled Veggie Kabobs Ground Meat Sunday Marinara Sauce Homemade Chicken Nuggets Macadamia Crusted Halibut Spaghetti Squash Spicy Italian Chicken Sunday Marinara Lasagna Sweet Potato Fries Sweet Potato Medley Turkey Meatloaf Vegetable Medley Veggie Soup Zucchini Spaghetti Sauté Protein Cooking Instructions
Baked Bell Peppers [Makes 4 Servings] 4 sweet bell peppers 2 cups of Sunday Marinara Sauce ½ cup jasmine rice These baked bell peppers make for good leftovers to warm up for lunch or dinner tomorrow. So make extra if you have busy days ahead! 1. Start the rice first, cook ½ cup of rice with 2 cups of water on the stovetop. 2. In a large pot of boiling water preboil the peppers until just tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and dry. 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 4. Mix rice and Sunday marinara sauce then place inside each pepper. 5. In baking dish add about 1/8 inch of water to just cover the bottom. Place the filled peppers in the baking dish. 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the sauce in the middle is completely heated. 7. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes. 8. Serve and Enjoy! Refrigerate extra peppers. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making.
Basic Tomato Sauce [Makes 4-6 Servings] 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves (minced or diced) 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste 2-3 cups big chunked tomatoes (remove some of the skins) ½ teaspoon sea salt and black pepper This is a great basic tomato sauce. Makes enough sauce for two large pizzas and a great base with the Spicy Italian Chicken recipe. 1. In small or medium pot combine olive oil and garlic on low heat for a couple minutes. 2. Add tomato paste and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 30-45 minutes, or until tomato chunks soften and sauce is smooth. Stir occasionally. 3. Turn off heat and remove lid. Let sit until sauce thickens (about 30 minutes). Refrigerate or freeze extra. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making.
Cedar Plank Salmon [Makes 2-4 Servings] 1 cedar plank 1 large salmon filet with skin (about 16oz.) ¼ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced) 1 tablespoon soy sauce ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar Omit the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to keep all added sugars out. 1. Place cedar plank in water at least 1 hour before cooking. 2. Place salmon in large baking dish. 3. Mix olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, sea salt, pepper, rice vinegar and brown sugar together, then spread over fish. 4. Cover fish and place in fridge for at least 30-60 minutes before cooking. 5. Preheat grill and place salmon directly on cedar plank on the grill for 20-25 minutes until firm, slightly pink in the middle, and brown around the edges. Refrigerate extra. Best if eaten within 2 days of making.
Citrus Slaw [Makes 2-4 Servings] 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage ½ cup thinly sliced red cabbage ½ red, yellow, or orange sweet bell pepper diced ½ small red onion, sliced into thin strips ¼ cup of fresh basil, chopped 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped 1 large orange peeled and sectioned 1 tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp garlic salt ¼ tsp sea salt 1/8 black pepper 1 fresh squeezed lime 1. Combine everything into a large bowl and refrigerate. 2. If adding avocado add right before serving. Refrigerate. Best if eaten fresh within 2-3 days of making. ½ to 1 avocado, diced goes great with fish or chicken tacos. 2 to 4 tbsp mayo makes it a creamy citrus slaw, goes great with grilled fish.
Citrus Tacos [Makes 4 Servings] 8-12oz. ounces protein of choice (white fish, chicken, or pork) Citrus Slaw (see citrus slaw recipe) 4 corn tortillas 1-2 avocados (sliced) For a spicy kick add ½-1 diced jalapeño to the citrus slaw. Or a vegetarian meal you could replace protein with black beans or eat as a bowl with rice, black beans and citrus slaw on top! 1. If making rice start the rice first. 2. Then make the citrus slaw, place in the refrigerator to chill. 3. Bake or grill the protein. 4. Warm up black beans on the stove. 5. Warm up tortillas once protein is cooked. 6. Piece together 4 tacos and top with citrus slaw and avocado. If keeping any tacos for lunch or dinner tomorrow keep the citrus slaw separate and piece together once ready to eat. Refrigerate. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making. Serve with rice and black beans for a complete meal!
Crock-Pot Chicken Dinner [Makes 4 Servings] A quick and healthy dinner on it s own, or pair with any salad. Leftover chicken can be added to the veggie soup when you make that meal. Be sure to freeze the leftover chicken and broth if you re not planning on making the veggie soup within the next 2 days. 1 whole chicken 2 sweet white onions 1 bag of baby carrots or 6+ whole carrots (cut in chunks) 1-2 sweet potato or yam (cut in chunks) any other veggies you would like to add and have room for season with sea salt, black pepper, garlic salt to taste 1. Place onion on bottom of crock-pot and place entire chicken on top (be sure to take out the innards). Season lightly, then add the carrots and sweet potatoes or yams and season again lightly. 2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. 3. Remove veggies and chicken. Pull the chicken off the bones. 4. Serve the pulled chicken with veggies. 5. Save any extra chicken to go with the veggie soup. Refrigerate or freeze the broth and onions for the Veggie Soup broth.
Grilled Asparagus [Makes 2-4 Servings] 2 lbs. asparagus ( ½ inch thick) ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced) 1 tablespoon soy sauce ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1. On medium heat combine all ingredients (except asparagus) and mix well in small pan on stove. 2. Lightly coat asparagus with mixture once warm. 3. Grill 6-8 minutes, rolling spears on grate, moving spears to evenly cook. Best eaten fresh! Serve with Cedar Plank Salmon for a complete meal!
Grilled Veggie Kabobs [Makes 4 Servings] 4 skewers 2 sweet bell peppers 6-10 whole mushrooms ½ red onion 8 cherry tomatoes extra virgin olive oil 1. Preheat grill on low to medium. 2. Cut all the veggies into big chunks then place on skewers. Alternate veggies with protein if adding one. 3. Lightly cover with olive oil. 4. Grill for about 10 minutes each side, possible longer if you have a protein added, just be sure it s completely cooked. 5. Serve and Enjoy! Best eaten fresh but leftovers can be reheated. You can use any assortment of veggies for kabobs (check those drawers in the fridge for leftover veggies). You can also add a protein with these to make a full meal, just cut the protein in big chunks to fit the skewers. The Veggie Kabobs pair great with the BBQ Chicken Salad.
Ground Meat Sunday Marinara Sauce [Serving Size: A Lot!] 1 red onion (diced) 1 (green or yellow) bell pepper (chopped) 1 green Italian squash (sliced and quartered) 1 yellow Italian squash (sliced and quartered) 2 ½ lbs. ground turkey 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves (minced or diced) 2 teaspoons ground oregano 2 teaspoons ground basil ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper Makes enough for full lasagna recipe 1. In medium saucepan, combine garlic and olive oil over medium heat. 2. Add onion, bell pepper, oregano, and basil. Sauté until onions are translucent. 3. Add squash. Sauté 3-5 minutes. Add olives. 4. In a medium pot, combine diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce over low heat. 5. Add ingredients from saucepan to sauce. Simmer over low heat. 6. In a large saucepan, cook meat over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled. Drain. 7. Add meat to sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 45-60 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze extra. Best if eaten fresh within 2-3 days of making. 1 can (6 oz.) chopped olives 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste 2 (15 oz.) jars of your favorite tomato sauce Can substitute 1 lb. ground Italian sausage for 1 lb. ground turkey if desired. To make vegetarian replace the 2 ½ lbs. of ground turkey with another 2 cups of veggies (sliced or chopped).
Homemade Chicken Nuggets [Makes A Lot!] Kids love! 3-3 ½ pounds of chicken breast 1 cup of Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons raw honey 2-2 ½ cups of panko (note, if you want it gluten free be sure it is, most is actually made with wheat) 2 teaspoons sea salt 1-2 teaspoons black pepper Add other spices such as cayenne pepper for a little bit of spice, but I recommend keeping them simple and plain if you re making for kids. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 and you will need 2-4 baking or cookie sheets, plus I like to place parchment paper on top so the chicken doesn t stick. 2. In a medium size bowl, add the Greek yogurt and honey, mix together. 3. Cut up the chicken into smaller pieces about 2 bite pieces (this takes a while) and add them to the yogurt as you go. Once all the chicken is cut up stir in with the yogurt to cover all the chicken. 4. In a medium bowl add the panko, sea salt, and pepper, mix together. 5. Add a portion of the chicken mixture to the panko mixture. I do about 1/3 at a time. 6. Cover each piece of chicken with the panko mix then place on the baking sheet. Place the chicken close to each other but not touching so you can cook the entire recipe on 4 baking sheets. 7. Place in the oven for 15 minutes then with tongues quickly turn each over and then continue to bake for 15 minutes until they start to brown. 8. Remove and let sit for a couple minutes before serving. 9. Let the rest of the chicken nuggets cool then portion them out into freezer bags so they are ready for a quick meal down the road. 10. When reheating, I recommend heating in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes or until warm, or in a toaster oven so they turn crispy again.
Macadamia Crusted Halibut [Makes 4 Servings] 4 4oz. halibut filets sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne peper to taste ( a pinch of each should do) 1 cup macadamia nuts (chopped in food processor) 2 eggs (scrambled) 4 tablespoons extra virgin oilive oil or coconut oil One of my favorites! Pairs great with a side of fresh steamed veggies or a veggie medley. 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Lay out filets. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper. 3. Wash filets. 4. Place in egg scramble. 5. Spread a layer of nuts on filets (press on if needed). 6. In sauté pan place oil. Sear filets for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on each side. 7. Place filets in baking dish and bake for 8-10 minutes. 8. Serve and Enjoy! Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate additional and eat within 2-3 days.
Pumpkin Turkey Chili [Makes 8-12 Servings] 1 sweet white onion (chopped) 1 (green or yellow) bell pepper (chopped) 3-4 garlic cloves (minced) 1 can black beans (drained) 1 can diced tomatoes (un-drained) 2 cans pumpkin 4 cups chicken broth 3 cups turkey (cubed or shredded) 2 teaspoons chili powder ½ -1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper avocado To make vegetarian, replace the 3 cups of turkey with 2 cups of veggies (bell pepper, squash, sweet potato) and 1 additional can of black beans (or precooked lentils) or 1 additional can of pumpkin. 1. In crock-pot add all ingredients, place on high for 6-8 hours. 2. Serve and top with sliced or cubed avocado and enjoy! Refrigerate or freeze extra. Best if eaten fresh within 2-3 days of making. Healthy Lifestyle for The Busy Mom Knocked-UpFitness.com/Healthy-Lifestyle
Spaghetti Squash [Makes 4-6 Servings] 1 spaghetti squash extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper Works great as leftovers for lunch the next day! Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half (lengthways), and remove center with seeds. Place on cookie sheet. Cover inside with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes (or until forktender). Let stand for 5 minutes to cool, then fork out the center. Refrigerate extra. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making.
Spicy Italian Chicken [Makes 4 Servings] 1 onion (diced) 1 red pepper (diced) 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce 2 chicken breasts 4+ big lettuce leaves (or a full cup of lettuce per serving) May omit cayenne pepper for less spice, or add more for a spicy kick! 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In medium saucepan, sauté onion and coconut oil on medium heat. Once onions start to brown, add peppers. 3. Once pepper starts to soften, add Basic Tomato Sauce and stir together until well mixed. 4. Cut two chicken breasts down center to make four strips. Place in glass pan and cover with sauce. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked 6. Serve over a bed of lettuce. Enjoy! Refrigerate or freeze extra. Best if eaten fresh within 2-3 days of making.
Sunday Marinara Lasagna [Makes 10-12 Servings] This is great for dinner parties or to make lots of meals. I do recommend freezing a portion for a quick meal on a busy day, dinner or lunch.. 1 ½ cups small curd cottage cheese 1 package (5 oz.) Parmigianno- Reggiano (grated) 2 packages (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley 2 eggs (lightly beaten) 9 Rice pasta lasagna noodles (cooked or oven ready) Ground Meat Sunday Marinara Sauce (the entire recipe) To make vegetarian be sure to replace the ground turkey in the Sauce with 2 cups of veggies. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In small bowl combine cottage cheese, Parmigianno-Reggiano, parsley, and eggs. 3. Using 13 in. X 9 in. X 2 in. baking pan, spoon ¼ of Ground Meat Sunday Marinara Sauce into bottom of pan. 4. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of sauce (do not overlap noodles). 5. Spread 1/3 cheese mixture over noodles. 6. Top with ¼ of sauce, and 1/3 of Mozzarella cheese. 7. Repeat steps 3-5 twice more, ending with sauce (keep 1/3 of Mozzarella cheese to top lasagna later). 8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 9. Top with remaining Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes until hot and bubbly. 10. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate or freeze extra or portion out some for both. Best if eaten fresh within 2-3 days of making.
Sweet Potato Fries [Makes 2-4 Servings] 2 large sweet potatoes or 4-5 small sweet potatoes 1 egg white sea salt and pepper Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick! A kid-friendly favorite and goes great with a burger or a healthy evening snack while enjoying family movie night! 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise in many strips, thinner or thicker it s a personal choice. The smaller the potatoes the easier to cut. 3. Place the strips of sweet potato in a large bowl and add the egg white. Be sure to coat the sweet potatoes with the egg white. 4. Add parchment paper to a cookie sheet and lightly cover with coconut oil then place the sweet potatoes evenly across, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. 5. Bake for 45-60 minutes until they start to brown, let cool for several minutes then serve! Best eaten fresh but leftovers can be reheated in the oven.
Sweet Potato Medley [Makes 4 Servings] 2 large sweet potatoes or 4 small sweet potatoes (sliced) 4-6 beets (sliced or cubed) 1 sweet white onion (sliced) 1 tablespoon coconut oil sea salt and pepper Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick! 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Add coconut oil in baking pan and place in oven for a couple minutes until it melts. 3. Then place the sweet potatoes, beets, and onions in the baking pan with the coconut oil. Gently stir until veggies are lightly covered with coconut oil. 4. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and black pepper. 5. Bake for 45-60 minutes until softened, let cool for a couple minutes then serve! Best eaten fresh but leftovers can be reheated in the oven.
Turkey Meatloaf [Makes 4 Servings] I recommend making 2 meatloaf s at one time so you have extra for lunch and/or dinner tomorrow. It makes great leftovers! 1 egg (lightly beaten) ½ cup rolled oats 1/3 cup milk ¼ cup frozen peas ¼ cup chopped frozen spinach ¼ cup red onion (chopped) ½ cup sweet bell peppers (chopped) ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated) 1 ¼-1 ½ pounds ground turkey 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic salt organic ketchup 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In large bowl, mix egg, oats, milk, onion, peas, spinach, bell peppers, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. 3. Add turkey. Mix well. Place mixture in an 8 in. X 8 in. X 2 in. loaf pan. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes. 5. Spoon off fat. Spread ketchup over meatloaf. Bake for 10 more minutes. 6. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate extra. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making. To make dairy-free, omit Parmesan cheese and use a milk substitute (i.e. coconut or almond milk).
Vegetable Medley [Makes 2-4 Servings] 2+ cups of sliced veggies (sweet potato, sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, squash, zucchini, etc.) 1 sweet white onion (sliced) 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter sea salt and pepper to taste For a spicy kick sprinkle with cayenne pepper! Pair with any grilled or baked protein for a complete meal. Extra goes great with scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow. OVEN 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Place coconut oil on large baking pan then place in the oven until melted (about 2 minutes), then remove and add the veggies and onions. Stir around until lightly covered with coconut oil. 3. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper. 4. Bake for 30-45 minutes until veggies have softened. 5. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then serve! STOVE TOP 1. In large pan add oil or butter, seasoning and onions, cook on medium about 10 min. 2. Turn heat down to medium low and add the other veggies. Stirring occasionally, cook until slightly soft, about 5-10 additional minutes. 3. Remove and top with avocado. Refrigerate extra. Best if eaten within 2-3 days of making.
Veggie Soup [Makes 6-8 Servings] Leftover chicken stock from Crock- Pot Chicken dinner recipe 4 cups of chopped veggies (sweet bell pepper, carrots, celery, sweet potato, peas, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, etc.) sea salt and pepper to taste ½ teaspoon cayenne 1 clove garlic (minced) Add any leftover chicken or protein to your soup. Tastes great with salsa added. You can add to the entire pot or to individual servings if you have picky eaters that don t like the spice. For additional vegetarian protein add more peas and/or beans. 1. Place leftover chicken stock in crock-pot and add all the veggies and spices. 2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3. Dinner will be ready when you get home! Just serve and enjoy! Refrigerate (or freeze) leftovers. Best fresh within 3 days. Veggie soup is a great side or entire meal for dinner, lunch or even a healthy snack!
Zucchini Spaghetti Sauté [Makes 2 Servings] 2 medium-sized skinny zucchini (spiral with vegetable spiralizer) ¼+ cup cherry tomatoes (halved) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves (minced or diced) 3 basil leaves ⅛ cup marcona almonds salt and pepper to taste ⅛ cup feta cheese. If making for a stand alone vegetarian meal I recommend doubling the amount of marcona almonds. GEFU Spirelli Spiral Slicer - www.gefu.us 1. In large pan, sauté olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper on extra low heat for about 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally. 2. Add zucchini and stir. Cover to steam for 5-10 minutes, turning the heat up slightly. Add marcona almonds after a couple minutes. (Zucchini should start to get soft while maintaining a little crunch. Be careful not to over cook!) 3. When zucchini is almost done, add cherry tomatoes and cover for 30-60 seconds (just long enough to warm them). 4. Serve and enjoy! Sprinkle feta cheese on top if desired. Best when eaten fresh! Great when paired with chicken breast, or on it s own as a vegetarian meal. Super healthy and delicious.
Chicken [Cooking Instructions] GRILLING OPTION: 1. Cover chicken breasts with a small amount of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. 2. Grill over medium heat cooking 8-12 minutes each side, turning once. Let stand for 3-5 minutes then serve! BAKING OPTION: 1. Place chicken breasts in baking pan and cover with a small amount of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, or until completely cooked. 3/4 INCH THICK GRILLING : 1. Sprinkle over pork with your desired seasoning such as, sea salt, black pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. 2. Grill over direct high heat for 6-8 minutes each side, turning only once. Let stand for 3-5 minutes then serve and enjoy! 1 INCH THICK GRILLING : 1. Sprinkle over pork with your desired seasoning such as, sea salt, black pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. 2. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes each side, turning only once. Let stand for 3-5 minutes then serve and enjoy! 1 1/4 INCH THICK GRILLING : 1. Sprinkle over pork with your desired seasoning such as, sea salt, black pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. 2. Sear over direct high heat for 6 minutes each side, turn once, then grill 4-6 minutes over indirect heat. Let stand for 3-5 minutes then serve and enjoy! Pork Chops [Cooking Instructions]
Try to plate meat about 15 minutes at room temperature before cooking. Hamburger (Grass-Fed Beef or Bison) Seasoning options: sea salt, black pepper, garlic salt, cayenne pepper. 3/4 GRILLING OPTION: 1. Direct high heat for 8-10 minutes on each side, turning once. [Cooking Instructions] Try to plate meat about 15 minutes at room temperature before cooking. Lightly cover with extra virgin olive oil. Seasoning options (mix together then sprinkle on fish): sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, paprika, lemon or lime juice. 3/4 GRILLING OPTION: 1. Oil grill and preheat about 10 minutes on med high heat. 2. Grill about 6 minutes each side, turning once for about 1/2 inch thick filet of fish. Fish (Ono or Other White Fish) [Cooking Instructions] You ll know it s done when it s flakey.