Sweet and Spicy Winter Crunch Salad

Here is my "healthy doesn't have to be boring" entry for Miller's Recipe Contest and I think you're going to love it. I love a dish that offers contrast and this one packs them all in! Tangy and spicy dressing made with honey, orange juice and Miller’s Hot Banana Pepper Sauce for that touch of heat. Apples, fennel, carrots and sunflower seeds for crunch. Canned chickpeas for an easy no cook protein. Dates and dried cranberries for chewy sweetness and fresh mint because I think mint on a savory dish is the most underrated thing in the kitchen.

Sweet and Spicy Winter Crunch Salad 

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup Miller’s Hot Banana Pepper Sauce

2 Tablespoons orange juice 

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas

1 cup fresh fennel, sliced thinly 

1 cup julienned carrot

1 cup julienned green apple 

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped dates

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

In a small food processor puree the garlic, Miller’s Hot Banana Pepper Sauce, orange juice, honey and olive oil until smooth.

Pour the dressing into a large serving bowl and add the chickpeas, fennel, carrot, green apple and red onion. Gently toss so all of the vegetables are coated evenly.

Sprinkle with the mint,  dates, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds and serve.

Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side   

You can find Miller's Banana Pepper Sauce at Whole Foods, Wegmans or Amazon 

You can follow Miller’s on Facebook or Instagram

#betterwithmillers #millersrecipechallenge #anythingbutbland

Greek Salad Style Tot-chos with Chimichurri Drizzle

I saved the best for last. This is my final entry for the Big Mountain Foods Recipe Challenge and it is by far my favorite! My son, who is home sick, ate half of this tray and said "I like staying home sick way better than being at school" and he didn't mean hanging out with mom. It was these tot-chos that had my bottomless pit teenage son smiling.

I tossed frozen tots with greek seasoning and baked them till crispy. Loaded them down with Big Mountain Foods CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds, hummus, fresh veggies and the most delicious chimichurri sauce. These are so so delicious I promise you would never guess they're vegan!

Greek Salad Style Tot-chos with Chimichurri Drizzle

 2 pounds frozen potato tots

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning spice blend

½ cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 cup Big Mountain Foods CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds

½ cup roasted garlic hummus

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped cucumber

2 Tablespoons chopped kalamata olives

2 Tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers

 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread the frozen tots out evenly on a large cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the tots with the Greek seasoning, tossing to combine. Place in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until evenly browned and crispy.

While the tots bake, make the Chimichurri sauce. Place parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, oil, and cumin in a mini blender or small food processor and puree until smooth.

Heat the CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds in the microwave according to the package instructions.

When the tots are crisp remove them from the oven and place them on your serving plate. Drizzle with hummus, top with CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds, tomato, cucumber, olives and pepperoncini peppers. Drizzle with Chimichurri sauce and serve immediately.

You can follow  Big Mountain Foods on their website,  Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter 

#BigMountainFoodsRecipeChallenge #BigMountainFoods #Veganrecipes

 

Sausage Fajita & Grits Brunch Bowls

Here’s my second entry for the Big Mountain Foods Recipe Challenge and it’s Brunch time! Gluten free and Vegan can still be delicious with my Tex-Mex spin on the classic Shrimp and Grits dish that I love so much. Creamy garlic grits are topped with charred peppers, onions and Big Mountain Foods Superfood Brekkie Links tossed in a bright tomatillo salsa. Top it off with guac, cilantro and pickled jalapenos for freshness and all you'll need to decide is whether it's mimosa or margarita time!

Sausage Fajita & Grits Brunch Bowls

 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup coarse ground yellow cornmeal

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup thinly sliced onion

½ cup thinly sliced poblano pepper

½ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

½ cup thinly sliced orange or yellow bell pepper

1 (10.58 ounce) package Big Mountain Foods Superfood Brekkie Links, sliced

¼ cup tomatillo salsa

½ cup guacamole

¼ cup minced cilantro

2 Tablespoons pickled jalapenos

 

In a medium sauce pot over high heat, bring the coconut milk and vegetable stock to a boil. Whisk in the cornmeal, salt and garlic powder and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender and thickened. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

 Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the peppers and onions in a single layer. Allow the veggies to char, without stirring for 4 minutes. Stir the peppers and onions and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, allowing the veggies to soften. Push the mixture to one side of the pan and add the sausage to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the sausages begin to brown. Stir in the salsa and turn off the heat.

 To serve spoon the grits into bowls, top with sausage fajita mixture, guacamole, cilantro, and pickled jalapenos.

 Serves 4

You can follow  Big Mountain Foods on their website,  Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter 

 #BigMountainFoodsRecipeChallenge #BigMountainFoods #Veganrecipes

 

Cajun Street Corn Soup with Andouille Seasoned Mushroom Crumble

This is my first entry for the Big Mountain Foods Recipe Challenge - it's Vegan, Gluten Free and surprised even my biggest meat eaters! I made a creamy corn and veggie chowder topped off with a mushroom crumble that's spiced like my favorite andouille sausage! This is healthy, cozy comfort food you don't have to feel guilty about!

Cajun Street Corn Soup with Andouille Seasoned Mushroom Crumble

1 (14 ounce bag) riced cauliflower

2 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk

2 Tablespoons organic reduced sodium vegetable broth base concentrate

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 large poblano pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon oregano

½ cup diced yellow squash

½ cup diced zucchini 

1 (9 oz) bag frozen fire roasted corn kernels 

1 (10.58 oz) package Big Mountain Foods Lion's Mane Mushroom Crumble

1 ½ teaspoons low sodium Cajun seasoning blend 

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

½ cup minced cilantro

In a blender puree the cauliflower, unsweetened coconut milk and vegetable broth base until completely smooth.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, poblano and garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Add the cumin, salt and turmeric and allow to cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, to toast the spices. 

Add the oregano, squash, zucchini and corn to the pot and cook for 3-5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk mixture and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, or until the squash has become tender.

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the Lion's Mane Mushroom Crumble, Cajun seasoning blend and smoked paprika. Cook until the mixture has warmed through.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with a generous amount of the mushroom crumble and cilantro and serve immediately.

Serves 6

You can follow  Big Mountain Foods on their website,  Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter 

 #BigMountainFoodsRecipeChallenge #BigMountainFoods #Veganrecipes

 

Sam’s Summer Salad with Watermelon Jicama Vinaigrette and Crispy Prosciutto Chips

Texas summers can be absolutely brutal, so when I think of what to cook on hot summer days I want refreshing, cool, light dishes that are packed with flavor but won’t weigh me down.  All the summer produce is highlighted in this one! Juicy peaches, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers and fresh herbs all come together so beautifully when dressed in a Watermelon Jicama Salsa Vinaigrette. I mean, does it get more summer than that?! 

Sam’s Fresh Watermelon Jicama Salsa is my favorite from their line up and really took me by surprise. I was skeptical at first, but it’s completely addictive and unexpected. If you can stop yourself from eating the whole container with chips, I highly recommend this salad! 

Sam’s Summer Salad with Watermelon Jicama Vinaigrette and Crispy Prosciutto Chips

4 slices prosciutto

1 large ear of corn

½ cup Sam’s Fresh Watermelon Jicama Salsa

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

8 ounces Persian cucumbers

1 large avocado, diced

20 assorted baby tomatoes

2 small peaches, cut into wedges

4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lay the prosciutto slices on a large, parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool and crisp up. Once crisp, break into large pieces.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once the pan is screaming hot, place the corn in the pan and cook until all sides are charred, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once the corn has cooled, cut the charred kernels off the cob.

Place the Sam’s Fresh Watermelon Jicama Salsa, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a small food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette into a large mixing bowl. 

Using a veggie peeler or mandolin, slice the cucumbers into ribbons. 

Add the cucumber ribbons, charred corn, avocado, baby tomatoes, peaches, basil and mint to the vinaigrette and stir gently to combine. Divide the salad between 4 appetizer plates and top with crispy prosciutto pieces. 

Serve immediately. Makes 4 appetizer servings.

I was chosen as one of 30 bloggers to create recipes for "Sam’s Fresh Salsa Blogger Recipe Challenge"! They sent me an awesome care package full of their new fresh salsas to work with and I have really enjoyed creating dishes with them. 

You can follow Sam’s Fresh Salsa on their website, Facebook or Instagram 

You can find all these fresh, delicious salsas at ShopRite, Acme, and Safeway

#freshnotfake #samssalsarecipechallenge #salsalove

Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

This is my final entry for the Kevin’s Natural Foods “Eat Clean. Live Happy. Blogger Recipe Challenge.”. My Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad is Paleo, Keto, Gluten, Soy and Dairy Free and is the perfect thing to balance out all those Christmas cookies you might be baking! 

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?! I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces! 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

 1 (7 ounce) packet Kevin's Natural Foods Lemongrass Basil Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 ½ Tablespoons lime juice

1 Tablespoon coconut aminos

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

1-pound chicken tenders

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

½ cup matchstick carrots

½ cup seedless cucumber, cut into half moons

¼ cup torn mint leaves

¼ cup torn cilantro leaves

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts

Place 1 Tablespoon of the Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a small mason jar with a lid. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, coconut aminos and coconut sugar to the jar, cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly mixed. Place in the fridge to chill.

Pour the remining Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a medium mixing bowl and add the chicken and salt, tossing to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to high heat and oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes per side.  Remove from the grill when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165. Cover and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Place the cabbage, carrots, cucumber, mint, cilantro and green onion in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss until all the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, toss until evenly combined and place on serving plates. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

 #eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

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Tomatillo Fajita Shrimp & Cauliflower “Grits”

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?! I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces! 

Today I am sharing a mash up of some of my favorite things. Tex-Mex flavors and shrimp and grits. One of the things I miss the most from my pre-covid life is going out to dinner, ordering margaritas while digging into bottomless chips and salsa and waiting on a huge platter of fajitas. There's just something irresistible about that sizzling hissing plate and you know everyone is looking at it being carried through the restaurant. 

The trick to re-creating those perfectly seared marks on your fajitas while at home is to get a large, dry cast iron skillet screaming hot before adding any of your meat or veggies. As soon as you dump your veggies into the blazing hot pan don't touch them. Leave them alone. Back away. They need time to make those gorgeous char marks which equal smoky delicious flavor. Super simple, but super delicious.

Do I get bonus points for this dish being Keto, Paleo, gluten,  grain and dairy free? I think I should!

Tomatillo Fajita Shrimp & Cauliflower “Grits”

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

28 ounces fresh riced cauliflower (not frozen)

1 ½ cups coconut milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup sliced red onion

½ cup sliced poblano peppers

½ cup sliced yellow bell pepper

12 ounces medium-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry

¼ teaspoon salt 

1 (7 ounce) Kevin’s Natural Foods Tomatillo Taco Sauce packet

2 Tablespoons mild pickled jalapenos

Melt 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the riced cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, garlic powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the cauliflower mixture until you reach the texture of grits (smooth yet still grainy). You do not want the mixture to be completely smooth.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 4 minutes (you want to be able to hold your palm over the pan and make sure it’s hot before adding the vegetables). Add the onion, poblano and bell pepper slices and allow them to sear and blacken for 5 minutes before stirring. Stir the vegetables and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Add the shrimp and salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the sauce packet and cook until the shrimp are fully pink, and the peppers are evenly coated.

To serve, spoon the cauliflower grits into 4 serving bowls, top with the shrimp sauce mixture and pickled jalapenos. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

 #eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

You can follow Kevin's Natural Foods on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest

Meaty Mushroom Teriyaki Tostadas with Orange Jalapeno Crunchy Slaw

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?!

I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces!

These tostadas are loaded with flavor and are completely guilt free. They're also Paleo, Keto, Gluten, Soy and Dairy Free so no matter who is at your table, everyone will be satisfied. I took a mixture of sautéed mushrooms and lean ground beef and simmered that in Teriyaki sauce, loaded it onto grain free crunchy tostada shells and then topped them off with a veggie slaw that's sweet and spicy thanks to orange zest and jalapeno. It's an amazing new take on taco night!

Meaty Mushroom Teriyaki Tostadas with Orange Jalapeno Crunchy Slaw

3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

¾ teaspoon orange zest

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup matchstick carrots

½ cup julienned cucumber

¼ cup julienned radish 

2 Tablespoons chopped jalapeno

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 green onions, sliced

6 Cassava & Coconut Grain Free Tortillas (or other grain free tortilla of your choice)

1 ½ teaspoon olive oil

8 ounces chopped crimini mushrooms

1-pound lean ground beef

1 (7 ounce package) Kevin’s Natural Foods Teriyaki Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, olive oil, orange zest and salt. Gently toss in the carrots, cucumber, radish, jalapeno, cilantro and green onions in the bowl until everything is evenly coated. Set in the fridge to chill.

Lay the tortillas flat on 2 large cookie sheets and spray both sides evenly with avocado oil cooking spray. Bake for 7 minutes, flip over and bake 7 more minutes, or until crisp. 

Add the oil and mushrooms to a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until all the moisture has cooked out. Add the meat, breaking it up as you brown it, and continue to cook for 10-12 minutes. If there is any excess grease, strain it out. Add Kevin’s Natural Foods Teriyaki Sauce packet and reduce the heat to low. Allow the mixture to simmer until ready to serve.

To assemble, top each crispy tostada shell with an equal amount of meat and then top with the crunchy slaw. 

Serve immediately.

#eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

You can follow Kevin's Natural Foods on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest