OhYaGood

Whole Food Lover + Recipe Hacker

Tuscan Tuna Salad

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Did I mention I’m doing Whole30? Probably not since it’s more like the Whole26. Don’t judge. I haven’t had the will power to stick with it because of a family Christmas celebration, Leo’s birthday and a little happy hour. I know. I’m weak but I’m glad to have still do it partially. My joints feel better, I’m not as tired and huge bonus, my clothes fit better. Who knows, maybe I’ll just stick with this way of eating giving myself a break here and there.

I’ve noticed these COLD winter months can be really hard to get excited about salads or just fresh produce in general. I have a natural desire for carbs and heavy, warm foods. Maybe that’s why I gravitate towards a salad that’s mostly protein and room temperature, like this tuna salad. This one is packed with lots of flavor and keeps me full all afternoon with 27 grams of protein. AND it’s Whole30 approved.

Tuscan Tuna Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 1-2
Ingredients
  • 1 4oz can of tuna in water
  • a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive tapenade, I like Trader Joes
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • ¼ cup diced cucumber
  • ¼ cup diced sweet pepper
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • a dash of red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • fresh basil
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together and serve
  2. Garnish with fresh basil

 

Sweet Potato Rounds

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Enjoying appetizers are kind of a joke for anyone not eating cheese or bread. Typically I make a crudité platter with some hummus when I need something quick. But if I take some time, I can do something delicious like deviled eggs or meatballs which is great, unless vegetarians are present too. So here’s a little something vegan that also takes a little effort but has a tremendous pay off.

This idea came to me after seeing fried sage show up on my instagram feed. I had tried making it last year but I knew I fried those tender little leaves too long so the flavor was more like burnt sage. I had to take another stab. I’ve been wanting to do something with sweet potato rounds too so obviously the two became a perfect pair. If you didn’t have to be dairy-free, you could certainly use Neufchâtel or even mascarpone as a substitute for the cashew cream.

Sweet Potato Rounds
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 1-2 sweet potatoes or enough to make roughly 24, ¼" slices
  • ½ cup cashews
  • 1 cup water, ¼ reserved
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 24-30 sage leaves
  • ¼ cup oil for frying (I used avocado) and more for brushing rounds
  • sea salt
  • cracked peppercorn
Instructions
  1. To make the cashew cream from scratch, mix the cashews with ¾ cup room temperature or cool water and let soak for at least 2 hours or overnight
  2. After the cashews are softened, drain the water and rinse in a colander
  3. Add the cashews and ¼ cup water to a high speed blender or food processor and pulse until they start to cream
  4. Scrap sides as needed, this can take 3-5 minutes to get just right
  5. Preheat oven to 350° F
  6. Place slices of sweet potatoes on a oiled sheet pan
  7. Brush each round withe oil and bake for 15 minutes
  8. While they bake, heat oil at medium-high heat in a saucepan
  9. Fry about 4-5 sage leaves at a time for only 3 seconds
  10. Fish them out with a fork and cool them on a paper towel, top them with a few cracks of sea salt
  11. Assemble the rounds with a dollop of cashew cream and top with the sage
  12. Garnish with some fresh cracked peppercorn

 

 

Cranberry Apple Smoothie

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This house is SOOOO excited for Thanksgiving! We’ve been talking about what we are thankful for, donating goods and volunteering our time, and of course I’ve been cooking up a storm trying new recipes. I try really hard not to get overwhelmed with all the to-do’s this time of year by writing and planning a ton. It sounds counter-intuitive I know but just getting it out of my head and onto some paper or in my phone calms my nerves. I never considered myself a planner until I had kids and I think this is because everything else involving kids is totally unpredictable and out of your control. I mean, how many times a year can a child come down with some sickness and an entire week can be gone? I know mine excel at that in the winter.

One thing I know is having a smoothie five days a week for breakfast has really streamlined our morning routine. Gosh I sound like such a dork but it’s so true! I always have some sort of frozen fruit, juice or milk alternative on hand, some protein additions and wa-la! Breakfast is served. I thought up this recipe after realizing I only consume cranberries this time of year which needs to change. Did you know they are considered healthier than spinach?! According to WebMD they have more antioxidants which make them disease fighters. (See reference to kid sickness above.)

 

Cranberry Apple Smoothie
 
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Recipe type: Smoothie
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 small apple, preferably a sweet red variety
  • ½ cup carrot juice
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen, canned)
  • 1 scoop or tablespoon collagen or protein powder of your preference
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon hemp or chia seeds
  • 2 walnuts
  • 5 ice cubes
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend for a minute. Serve immediately or freeze into cube.

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

 

Celery and Grapefruit Salad

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Celery_Grapefruit_Salad_loHappy 2017! Naturally, my first post of the year is a salad. Even though I’m not a big new years resolution kind of gal, I certainly can appreciate the need to eat better after too many cookies. Seriously, I made my peppermint cookies at least a half dozen times over the course of a month. Could. Not. Stop.

This time of year is tricky when it comes to seasonal produce or lack there of but one thing I seem to always have on hand is celery, my soup staple and dip boat. This salad is chalk full of the refreshing and crunchy vegetable and even includes the greens so don’t pitch ’em. You could easily use some fancy oils like hazelnut or walnut for more complex flavors but the salad is good as is and who wants to go buy an $8 bottle of oil that will likely go rancid before using it all. Practicality wins in my book!

Celery and Grapefruit Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 celery sticks
  • ½ chopped fennel bulb
  • 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced to your liking
  • 2 T roughly chopped celery leaves
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 3 T hazelnuts or walnuts, roasted and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ⅛ cup lemon juice
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Roast hazelnuts or walnut at 350 F until brown (about 5 minutes) cool completely before roughly chopping
  2. Mix together grapefruit, celery, fennel, celery leaves and green onion into a medium sized bowl
  3. Whisk together minced garlic, oil and lemon juice and drizzle into the salad
  4. Toss and garnish with chopped hazelnuts and salt and pepper

 

Chicken Soup

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chicken_soup_loI worked at a public relations firm years ago that used to do recipe testing for Kitchen Aid. It was an admin job and I frequently sifted through recipes that made it through loads of testing and were winners for their cookbooks. It’s really where my obsession with cooking and recipes began. The chicken noodle soup was the first recipe I tried that came from working there. I still have the 8 1/2 x 11 white paper printout that is three hole punched and lives in a black binder. Nerd.

This recipe is similar but excludes the noodles and uses a whole chicken so the broth is good and fatty. Perfect for a chilly day or when your entire family is sick, like mine. Why hasn’t anyone came up with a homemade chicken soup delivery service. Seriously. When I’m sick, THIS is what I want.

Chicken Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken 4-5 lb
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 1 leek, light green sliced cross wise
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tsp or 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, minced
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon salt (more or less depending on your preference)
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • 6 cups water
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low OR into a pressure cooker and set the manual setting to 15 minutes

 

Roasted Potatoes

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roasted_potatoes_loWelp. School has begun. We've all maintained our sanity and I'm LOVING my free time. By free I mean, it's chock full of the things I've been wanting to get done. House stuff like cleaning and organizing, appointments like the dentist (Yipeee!) and of course blogging. I have a long list of recipes I want to tackle so bare with me in the next few months. They might not feel very seasonal but whatever. I'm sure you'll still dig what I come up with. So, If you've been to my house in the last, oh, 6 months or I've made you dinner, you've probably gotten a taste of my roasted potatoes. I call them mine because I never read a recipe to make them, I just starting doing them and adding stuff and wah-la! I love how easy they are and how they go over so well with guests, even the wee young ones. The huge bonus, leftovers with eggs in the morning or whenever really. I've done this same recipe without the lemon zest on sweet potatoes and it turns out just as good. They go with just about everything too!
Roasted Potatoes
 
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Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs of yukon gold or red pototoes, diced
  • ⅛ cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or parsley (I prefer lemon thyme), 2 teaspoons if you're using dried herbs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • optional: 3 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F
  2. Dice potatoes to 1 inch squares or smaller and make sure they dry after washing them
  3. Toss the potatoes with the remaining ingredients in a bowl
  4. Spread the potatoes onto a cookie sheet making sure they are spread out evenly
  5. Roast in the oven for about 45 mins, stirring once to brown evenly

Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs

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grilledmarinatedchickenthighsHey! I’m back! I guess you could say I took a little summer vacation from posting. Believe it or not, I’ve still been cooking a ton, I just haven’t had the time to sit down and do any blogging. Something had to give. Grilling has continued to be my go-to while it’s been so nice out but I’m starting to get that urge to turn my oven on, roast, slow-cook and heat up the house. I’m kind of over the corn on the cob and watermelon.

However, these bad boys are delicious! Just in the last year I’ve made a switch to eating more thighs than breast meat because of their flavor and tenderness. Plus, throwing them on the grill is super quick and easy. They are super juicy and that bit of carmelization is so good with the asian flavors. Paired with a crisp broccoli salad. Yum!

Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs of chicken thighs
  • 3 Tablespoons olive or avocado oil
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons lime zest
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients except the chicken to make the marinade
  2. Place chicken and marinade in a resealable bag and coat.
  3. Refrigerate for at least a half hour.
  4. Grill chicken on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, turning once or until the chicken registers at 165°F
  5. To cook indoors, broil in the oven for about 8 minutes a side

 

Watermelon Salad

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watermelon_salad

It’s summer in full swing which means loads of fresh produce with little effort, right?! That’s been my motto anyways. I feel way more like a prep cook just slicing and dicing. I also have a wedding I’m bridesmaiding in a matter of days so all baking and sweet dishes are going to have to wait till after. Let’s just say I’ve been scheming an ice cream dessert for quite a while I hope to attack. Oh and that breakfast cookie I teased everyone with on instagram.

Watermelon has been so incredible these last few weeks and my family has already eaten three whole ones. The girls devour it. I’m an overachiever myself. This salad has made it especially wonderful. It’s a play on an appetizer a friend of mine introduced me to years ago that included buffalo mozzarella. That would also make a great addition to the salad if you can eat cheese. That or feta or ricotta salata.

Watermelon Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cubed watermelon
  • 1 cup halved tomatoes, cherry or grape
  • ¾ cup diced seedless cucumber
  • small bunch of mint, finely diced
  • small bunch of basil, finely diced
  • (optional) balsamic vinegar
  • (optional) honey
Instructions
  1. Prep first 5 ingredients and mix into a bowl
  2. Whisk balsamic and honey together or use a already prepared glaze to drizzle over the salad