OhYaGood

Whole Food Lover + Recipe Hacker

Sweet Potato Chicken

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Sweet Potato ChickenHello again!! My apologies for the lack of content over here these last few weeks. I’ve done a lot of cooking and baking but most of my recipes were flat and uninteresting. On thing I didn’t expect once I started a blog is just because I’m trying new recipes, doesn’t mean they are always going to work and when they don’t, you really want to just make stuff that you KNOW works. So my meatloaf, bolognese and broccoli all went into heavy rotation. Leaving less time for new rocking recipes.

This recipe is a modification on one I’ve been making for years. It’s a real simple recipes that I made with Mexican flavors of cumin, cilantro and lime. I know it’s not rocket science but I was happy with the results and my family enjoyed it too. More to come soon. Promise.

Sweet Potato Chicken
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken thighs or 1.5 lbs of chicken
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 onion, cut into 1-in wedges
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon of lime zest
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • salt and pepper
  • (optional) a pinch of ground coriander
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400ºF
  2. Arrange thighs, sweet potatoes and onion in a large baking dish
  3. Drizzle with olive oil & syrup
  4. Add cumin, zest, coriander, salt and pepper to taste and stir to coat chicken
  5. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring once half way
  6. Let rest for 5-10 minutes
  7. Garnish with cilantro leaves

 

Taco Salad

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Taco_SaladRemember when Taco Salads were considered the Big Mac of salads. Loaded with unhealthy ingredients fooling you into thinking you were eating something healthy because it was a salad. Yeah, I’m all for that. Why not really? You’re still eating vegetables whilst consuming the fats. It’s better than eating a burrito or sandwich in my opinion. So this version is my indulgent vegan salad. I can’t do cheese or sour cream obviously so why not load it up with stuff I can eat that’s not necessarily good for me. Insert- corn chips. A very under appreciated chip. They are so good and crunchy and really only three ingredients. Corn, oil and salt. I still haven’t reintroduced beans into my diet but if I could I’d add them to this bowl too. Or whatever meat you might like. I just wanted to keep this one vegan. To your health!

Taco Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups romaine, chopped
  • ½ bell pepper, julienne
  • ½ cup plantain chips (I used the trader joes brand)
  • 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ Tablespoon red onion, finely diced
  • ½ avocado, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon salsa verde (I used a packaged guacamole mix from Fonterra)
  • ⅓ cup corn chips
  • Dash of hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
  1. Mix avocado with salsa verde
  2. Place romaine, peppers, tomatoes, and chips into bowl
  3. Top with the avocado mixture and onion
  4. Sprinkle salad with hot sauce

 

BLT Cups

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blt_cupsAppetizers have always been hard for me. My go-to for parties usually consist of veggie and fruit trays, guacomole and the occasional meatball. When you don’t eat bread or cheese …and now beans (sad face), most dips are out of the question as are many vehicles. However, I’ve discovered endive to be very satisfying and have made this amazing Food and Wine recipe numerous times if you like shrimp. It inspired me to try a lettuce cup app since it is easier to find year round and has a lighter flavor. And because the super bowl is this weekend, why not an indulgent appetizer with plenty of bacon.

BLT Cups
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 6 medium sized leafy green lettuce leaves
  • 4 slices of bacon, cooked and sliced into ½ in strips
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • ½ an avocado, diced
  • ½ Tablespoon red onion, finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoons mayo (homemade for whole30 compliant)
  • ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  • cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Render bacon to your liking, I bake mine for 10 minutes at 375°F
  2. Mix bacon, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, mayo and lemon juice in a bowl
  3. Scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture into the lettuce leaves
  4. Serve with cracked peppercorn
  5. Contents will keep for two hours

 

Green Salad with Chicken and Mustard Vinaigrette

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Chicken Field Green Salad with Mustard VinaigretteIt’s been too long since I’ve posted anything green. The holidays kind of got the best of me and to be honest, I’ve been in a bit of a funk ever since. I was certain all this uber clean eating and less alcohol would take care of it but I think this deep freeze is to blame. The next few days are supposed to be better (like 15 degrees instead of -15 degrees for all you non-northerners). Hopefully a little child’s play like sledding or skating will take care of these blahs. That and finishing up the maddening documentary, Making a Murder. I go to bed pissed off almost every night we watch it. When does New Girl start? Ok, I’ll stop my whining now.

I’ve been hesitant to post salad recipes because they are a no brainer in my world. I make them often so I’ve had a lot of practice however, I’ve been told to keep giving ideas. If you want to substitute things like pears for the beets or pecans for the pistachios, that would also make a lovely combination. Remember the formula, something sweet or tangy, something salty, something crunchy and of course, the greens.

Chicken Field Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • SALAD
  • 3½ cups field greens or green mix of any variety
  • 1 cooked chicken thigh or small breast, sliced
  • 1 large already cooked beet, diced (jarred or steamed work too)
  • ¼ cup shelled pistachios, salted
  • VINAIGRETTE
  • 1 Tablespoon oil of choice, I used Pistachio
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, I used stone ground
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together
  2. Toss salad ingredients together with vinaigrette

 

Pizza Soup

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Pizza_SoupThis recipe might break the internet. Pizza Soup seems so wrong but I can attest, it is sooooo right. Oddly enough, it is derived from a recipe my Grandma used to make. However, don’t picture the kind of Grandma that spent hours in the kitchen perfecting beautiful, delicious dinners. No, my Grandpa was that person, but after he passed away, my Grandma was forced to get creative in the kitchen. I’m not sure where the recipe came from. She may have developed it on her own but she gave it to me typed on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of computer paper. Again, not the old tatter recipe card you might imagine.

The soup is a great alternative to chili and tastes just like pizza for all of your dairy-free, gluten-free’ers like me who are deprived. The girls had a sprinkle of mozzarella on theirs for good measure and devoured it. It’s also Whole30 compliant if you use meat and canned items without sugar or additives. So without further or do, make this tonight, with some stinky garlic bread if you can. 😉

Pizza Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups italian sausage, I used a mild pork
  • 2½ cups water
  • 1 15 oz can pizza sauce, (Muir Glen is sugar-free)
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, (Muir Glen fire roasted is also sugar-free)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced (I used half green, half red)
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 oz or about 12 slices, cut up pepperoni (Applegate is sugar-free)
  • ½ tsp oregano
Instructions
  1. Brown the sausage over medium heat in a dutch oven or soup kettle for about 10 minutes.
  2. While that is cooking, prepare the veggies
  3. Remove the sausage and let the oil drain on a paper towel lined plate
  4. If the sausage had high fat content, remove some of the oil from the pan so there is only a coating to sauté the vegetables
  5. Add onion, mushrooms, peppers and zuchinni to the oil and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or onions are transluscent
  6. Add the water, pizza sauce, tomatoes, sausage, pepperoni and oregano and bring to a boil.
  7. Turn heat down to a simmer for 20 minutes and serve

 

Fish Tacos

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fish tacosHello internet! After a long break, I’m back posting some healthy recipes. I’ll admit, I wasn’t on my best Jodi this holiday mainly because the husband and I were enjoying lots of drinks while he was home. It was a lot of fun but it’s definitely time to get back on the healthy train.

This recipe takes a little bit of prep but cook time is quick. It’s in heavy rotation at our house and sometimes I’ll add more fancy stuff like coconut avocado cream (recipe to come) but in a pinch, this fills all my taco desires, any time of the year.

Fish Tacos
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lb of tilapia or another flaky white fish of your preference
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 cup sliced cabbage
  • 1 lime, juiced and 2 teaspoon zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 2 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch of cilantro, about 1 cup chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400ªF
  2. Rub coconut oil on a foil-lined baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle the fish with ½ the salt and ½ the lime zest
  4. Cover the fish with another large piece of foil and pinch it shut making sure it's sealed
  5. Place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until fish flakes
  6. Toss the cabbage with vinegar, lime juice, remaining zest and salt.
  7. Warm tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds
  8. Top with cabbage, fish, avocado, radishes and cilantro.

 

Bolognese Sauce

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Bolognese_sauceThis recipe is not super veggie-sentric but I do try to add as many veggies to it to make it healthier. I also use my favorite jarred organic mushroom spaghetti sauce from Trader Joes which doesn’t have any cheese or soy added. What’s even more awesome is this recipe can be done in under 30 minutes. It’s my quick go to when I don’t have a plan which usually happens about once a week. It goes great with my Monster Noodles.

Bolognese Sauce
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 1 lb of ground meat, I use beef or pork sausage
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ jar of tomato sauce or marinara
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 cup button mushroom, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano or basil
  • ½ cup dry red wine
Instructions
  1. Place meat in a large skillet to brown over medium heat, about 10 minutes
  2. While meat is cooking, prep and cut veggies
  3. Add onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves and cook for another 5 minutes
  4. Add mushrooms and tomato paste and cook for another 5
  5. Add tomato sauce, wine and herbs and let simmer and cook down the liquid for 5-10 minutes or longer if preferred.

 

Sausage & Kale Soup

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sausage kale soupOh how funny the creative process can be. As you may have noticed, I took a little break from posting after Thanksgiving. I just wasn’t feeling it in the kitchen like I normally do. Most of my recipes were turing out mediocre and frankly, I was feeling lazy. Yesterday was a complete shift from that. I wasn’t really in the mood to cook what I had planned but I knew the rest of my family could use some good homemade soup to combat their colds. So, I opted for a quick soup recipe and ended up spending most of the night in the kitchen having fun with a few new creations. I have fond memories during my art school days staying up to the crack of dawn, working tirelessly on projects because you just. can’t. stop.

I made this soup for a new momma not too long ago and thought something was missing. Lo and behold, the addition of the egg. Just like in a hot bowl of ramen. There’s probably a more technical way to doing it but I found the microwave easy enough. Soup for breakfast anyone?

Sausage & Kale Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • ¾ lb sausage of your liking (I used italian pork links and removed the casing)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 large russet potatoes, diced (peeled if preferred)
  • 1 bunch kale, dino or lacinato, stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • chili fake (optional)
  • 4-6 large eggs
Instructions
  1. Add oil to a soup kettle or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook till softened.
  2. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add sausage and bay leaves (Remove from casing if using links).
  3. Cook until brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add stock, water and potatoes and bring to a boil.
  5. Lower heat to a simmer and add kale, rosemary, salt and pepper, and chili flake, if using. Add more warm water if kale isn't mostly submerged.
  6. Cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and kale is tender.
  7. Scoop each serving into a microwave-safe bowl and carefully place an egg on top of the soup.
  8. Microwave each bowl on high for 1½-2 minutes or until the egg whites turn white and the egg is to your liking.

 

Bacon Spinach Quiche

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Bacon Spinach Quiche

Our family lives on eggs. We eat them about every other day for breakfast. They are packed with so many good nutrients and they keep me full all morning. Long gone are the days of cereal or peanut butter toast…shit! I haven’t thought about that in months. Peanut butter toast was my saving grace when I was pregnant AND when I was nursing. I would make it in the middle of the night when I was starving. Ugh.

Ok…back to the main event here.

Quiche takes far less work than you’d think. Plus, you can freeze it for later. Or another option is to do crust-less muffins which would cut cooking time to about 30 minutes versus 45. I used a dairy-free, gluten-free frozen crust from Wholly Wholesome purchased from Whole Foods. I let that thaw for 10 minutes and baked it for 10 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients.

This recipe is completely dairy and gluten free but for all you cheese-lovers, gruyere would be so lovely on this one.

Bacon Spinach Quiche
 
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Recipe type: Breakfast/Brunch
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup canned coconut cream
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • ½ Tablespoon oil
  • ½ medium sliced onion
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh diced sage
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
  1. Prepare crust according to package
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F
  3. Meanwhile render bacon and slice onion
  4. Sauté the onion in oil at medium heat for about 10 minutes or until translucent
  5. Whisk eggs, coconut cream and sage together
  6. Once crust is cooled slightly, cut bacon into small stripes and place in crust
  7. Add onion and spinach leaves
  8. Carefully fill the crust with the egg mixture
  9. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

 

Meatloaf Vegged

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meatloaf_vegged_2Some flavors are instant reminders of my childhood, sugar cereal, cottage cheese, bologna. All things I no longer eat, or would even attempt to eat. Something like meatloaf, minus the breadcrumbs, is totally tolerable. It brings me back to those annoying dinners you didn’t want to eat and would sneak half of the food in my mouth and half into my napkin. Obviously I had much more distain for the all-mighty-loaf than I do now. I’ve embraced it by adding loads of vegetables, two kinds of meat, yet still drowning it in ketchup.

Meatloaf Vegged
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
  • 1 T coconut oil
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 1 celery stalk, quartered
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled & quartered
  • 2½ cups fresh spinach
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1¼ lb ground beef
  • 1¼ lb ground turkey
  • 3 T balsamic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ ketchup (sugar free or homemade for whole30)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a small baking sheet or bread pan with parchment paper
  2. Heat oil in skillet
  3. Place onion in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to the large, oiled skillet. Add carrot and celery to the food processor, and pulse until chopped. Add spinach and pulse a few times more. Add to the skillet.
  4. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring. Continue cooking until liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
  5. Add egg, ground meat, balsamic, salt and black pepper to the bowl, and mix gently with your hands. Scrape mixture into the bread pan or onto the baking sheet and form into a loaf approximately 4 inches wide and 10 inches long. Spread top of loaf with ketchup. Bake until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before slicing.