OhYaGood

Whole Food Lover + Recipe Hacker

Autumn Quinoa Salad

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My husband and I were just in NYC where the food was of course outstanding. I only “cheated” with one dinner indulging in some fantastic gluten and soy filled ramen at Ivan Ramen. It was heavenly but I certainly paid for it with an instant headache and all swollen the next day. Nothing a little hike on the Brooklyn bridge couldn’t fix.

One of my favorite meals was at a place called Tiny’s near our hotel in Tribeca. It was an egg dish with crispy quinoa served with greens and poached eggs. Similar to a hash. Definitely something I’ll have to try in the kitchen. For now though, I need to detox which means salads every damn day, including this little gem.

Autumn Quinoa Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • ½ cup roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash, 1-1½ inch cubes
  • 1 Tablespoon oil, I used avocado
  • 2 cups arugula
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 4 slices of bacon, chopped
  • 10 dried figs, halved
  • 1/ 4 cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F
  2. Toss potatoes with oil and spread onto a baking sheet to roast for 40 minutes or slightly browned
  3. Meanwhile prepare quinoa and render bacon on the stove for 10 minutes
  4. Let potatoes and bacon cool for five minutes before tossing with arugula, figs and pumpkin seeds
  5. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette or make one with 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon of your favorite vinegar, cracked pepper and salt to taste
  6. Best at room temperature

 

BLT Pizza

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This summer hasn’t left much time for kitchen exploration but it has my the motivation to try new products. Mostly to make the cooking process a little easier. I really wanted to make my own cauliflower crust for pizza but I bought a freezer full of the trader joes version instead. I’m only half kidding.

After a successful attempt at making taco pizza with the cauliflower crust, I decided to try another favorite from the infamous Happy Joes I frequented as a kid, BLT pizza. It turned out amazing!

BLT Pizza
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 1 cauliflower crust or pre-made crust of your choice
  • 2 tablespoons mayo (whole30 approved)
  • 3 slices of bacon
  • 1 cup thinly sliced romaine or iceberg lettuce
  • ¾ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 3 slices of red onion
Instructions
  1. Bake crust according to package directions
  2. Render bacon in the oven for 10 minutes at 375°
  3. Spread mayo onto cooked crust
  4. Top with remaining ingredients

 

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

 

Wilted Spinach Salad

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Wilted_Spinach_SaladAnyone else wishing for snow to cover all the grayness? I’m fighting the lack of sunlight and brown, dead ground with some green-action in the kitchen. Seriously, I bought poundssss of spinach this week. It’s a miracle cure.

I had never eaten a wilted spinach salad till working at an italian restaurant in my early 20s. I was instantly in love. While back in Iowa over Thanksgiving, my Mom served almost the exact same salad I remember from the restaurant so I asked her to share her recipe so I could dissect it and of course, make it my own. It’s really the perfect salad during these cold-ish December days.

Wilted Spinach Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 4 slices of thick bacon
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup champagne or white wine vineagar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayo
  • 6-7 cups spinach
  • ½ pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. Render bacon until cooked to your liking (I prefer the oven for 10 minutes at 400ªF on a foil lined baking sheet)
  2. Use one tablespoon of the bacon grease to oil a frying pan and set to medium heat
  3. Sauté onions until softened, about 10 minutes
  4. Add vinegar and honey and bring to a simmer
  5. Add bacon, cut into small strips
  6. Add mustard and stir until dissolved
  7. Remove from heat and add mayo, stir until dissolved
  8. Drizzle the mixture over 2 cups of spinach for each serving and garnish with pine nuts

 

Bacon, Apple & Fig Bites

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bacon fig apple bitesSo many appetizers have cheese in them. Spinach artichoke dip, crab dip, cheese and crackers, cheese balls, cheese, cheese, cheese. That’s why I made these. I wanted something a little more exciting and filling than the usual raw veggies and olives for all of us dairy-, gluten-free-ers?

This is a great last minute appetizer and a play on the classic bacon wrapped chestnuts. All you need are these three ingredients and some toothpicks. To make Whole30 compliant, make sure your bacon is sugar-free.

Bacon, Apple & Fig Bites
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24 bites
Ingredients
  • 1 granny smith apple or another tart variety, sliced into small triangles
  • 6 slices of thick bacon
  • 12 dried mission figs, stems removed and cut in half
Instructions
  1. Render the bacon slices on the stove for 10 minutes over medium heat, flipping after 5 minutes
  2. While cooking slice the apple and prepare the dried figs
  3. Once back is cooked to your preference, cool on a plate with a paper towel
  4. Cut each slice into 4 pieces cross-wise
  5. Assemble the bites apple, bacon and fig on top and pierce with a toothpick

 

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

 

Sweet Potato Hash

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SweetPotHashBreakfast for dinner is a big hit in our house. I love it because I usually have everything I need to make it so it’s a quick go-to when I don’t have a plan. Like tonight, for instance.

I’ve made this for a few crowds even before eating paleo and it’s always been a hit. A few things I will note about this recipe, it’s way easier if you have a food processor or a Ninja Prep (which is like a a combination of a blender and processor), otherwise you’ll be grating potatoes for days.  Did every cook back in the day have carpal tunnel? Oh, it’s also fairly rich dish so I’d recommend pairing it with a salad, some fruit or a cold breakfast beer to balance out the heaviness.

Sweet Potato Hash
 
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Recipe type: Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and halved to fit in processor
  • 4-6 slices of bacon
  • 1 clove of garlic or shallot, minced
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 350°F
  2. Process the sweet potatoes into small rice like size.
  3. Spread contents onto a baking sheet with a lip, lightly salt and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes
  4. While they are baking, render your bacon in a large pan big enough to hold the sweet potatoes too.
  5. Once the bacon is almost to your liking approximately 10-15 minuets, remove from the pan and set aside the bacon.
  6. Add the garlic to the bacon grease pan and cook for 2 minutes.
  7. Remove the baked sweet potatoes from the oven and add to the garlic and bacon grease.
  8. Cook the potatoes till they get lightly browned and crispy. More fat might be needed.
  9. Cut up the bacon and mix in with the potatoes.
  10. Serve the potatoes with a poached or fried egg on top, sliced avocado and green onion.