Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup hot water

Whisk everything together. Makes a couple cups.

Air Fryer Honey Salmon

 4 salmon fillets (~1/2 lb-1 lb)

1 Tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp sesame seeds

1. Place salmon fillets into a shallow dish. Whisk soy sauce, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

2. Pour the sauce mixture over the salmon fillets and gently rub all over, flipping the salmon a few times to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

3. Place fillets into preheated air fryer, skin side down, and cook at 400 for 8 minutes.

4. Open the air fryer and brush fillets with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook for 2 more minutes.

To reheat, place in preheated air fryer at 350 for 5 minutes.

Best Tater Tot Hotdish

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

15oz can peas

15oz can whole kernel corn

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 lb bag frozen tater tots

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in worcestershire and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer ground beef mixture to the baking dish and spread evenly.

Top with cream of mushroom soup and spread evenly.

Add peas and corn, followed by the cheese.

Top with tater tots.

Bake for 40 minutes or until tater tots are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Allison's Go-To Slow Cooker Chili

2 Tbsp oil 

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp cumin

1/4 cup chili powder

2 lbs lean ground beef

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce

2 cans beans, rinsed (light red kidney, dark red kidney, pinto beans)

4 oz can mild green chiles

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 1/2 Tbsp cumin, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer veggies to slow cooker.

Add the ground beef to the hot pan, plus remaining 2 Tbsp chili powder, 1/2 Tbsp cumin, and measured salt and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.

Transfer beef to the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, beans, and sugar, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, about 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

Stir in the green chiles and serve topped with your favorite toppings, like cheese, greek yogurt, and fritos.

Serves 6-8.

Hamburger Cauliflower Hot Dish

1 large head cauliflower
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup coconut milk (or heavy whipping cream)
1 cup chicken broth
2 eggs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and discard the core, then cut the cauliflower into even smaller and more uniform pieces. Place a steamer pot over medium heat with a few inches of water, add the cauliflower into the top and season with salt. Steam the cauliflower until al dente (barely cooked) and then remove it from heat and set aside uncovered.

Place the ground beef and chopped onion in a frying pan over medium heat and season liberally with salt and pepper, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Break up the beef into small pieces with a spatula while cooking.  When the meat is mostly cooked remove it from the heat and set aside.

Beat the eggs, coconut milk, and broth together with a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. In a baking dish layer the cauliflower and ground beef until it is used up. Pour the egg mixture over it, making sure the meat and cauliflower is covered.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the center is set. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and sliced almonds and broil for 2-3 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

4 servings.

Note: Omit the cheese to make this paleo/whole-30

{Recipe adapted from Grass Fed Girl}

Healthy Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked chicken
1 cup diced celery (about 4 large stalks)
1/2 cup diced red onion (about 1/3 medium onion)
1 cup halved grapes or diced apples
2 handfuls cashews (or almonds or walnuts)
1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp white vinegar (or other light vinegar)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper, garlic powder, and dill to taste

Combine chicken, celery, onion, and grapes in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl stir together yogurt, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dill. Taste dressing and make any adjustments. Add dressing to the chicken bowl and stir to combine. If your chicken is warm from cooking, refrigerate salad for an hour or two to chill. Stir in cashews or other nuts before serving. Serve with quinoa (optional) on salad greens, or make sandwiches.

Serves 4 as salad, or 6 as sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli

1 lb. boneless chuck roast, sliced into thin strips

3 heads of broccoli, cut into florets (about 5 cups)

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup beef stock

1/3 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos

1/3 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tapioca starch (or corn starch; optional)

In a slow cooker, add the beef stock, soy sauce or coconut aminos, honey, garlic, and sliced apple. Add the sliced beef and stir. Cook for 4 to 5 hours on low.

In a small bowl, whisk the tapioca starch or corn starch with some of the liquid from the slow cooker. Pour it back into the slow cooker and whisk well. The apples will dissolve into the liquid. Add the broccoli and cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve on top of brown rice or cauliflower rice.

Serves 3-4.

{image and recipe adapted from Paleo Leap}

Lemon Couscous with Veggies and Chicken

1 lb chicken breast
1 10-oz package plain couscous
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp olive oil
4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 medium zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
6 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup lemon juice (or lime juice)
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1) Preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Remove and chop into bite-sized pieces.

2) Prepare couscous according to package directions.

3) Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and stir carrots in 1 Tbsp oil for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and green onion and cook and stir for 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4) Transfer couscous to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Add veggie mixture and chopped, cooked chicken.

5) In a bowl or screw-top jar combine lemon (or lime) juice, 1/4 cup oil, honey, salt, and black pepper; whisk/shake well. Pour over couscous mixture, toss to combine.

Makes about 8-10 cups. Serves 4-6 as a main course.

You can use quinoa or rice instead of couscous to make this gluten-free (or healthier!). I used 2 cups of dry quinoa last time I made it - it tastes great but isn't quite as fluffy as couscous. Can be served hot or cold, but I prefer room temperature. Excellent topped with sriracha.

Turkey Sausage Gravy

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp ghee or butter, divided
1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

Add 1 tsp ghee to a skillet over high heat. Add ground turkey and sage, chili powder, 1 tsp salt, and allspice. Brown, breaking meat apart. Once browned, remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain juices from pan. Return to burner, over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp ghee and onion. Saute until translucent, tender, and golden, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and arrowroot. Whisk and cook for about 1 minute, or until bubbly. Whisk in chicken stock, ensuring there are no lumps. Cook for an additional minute, until thickened and bubbly. Add coconut milk, remaining spices, and cooked turkey. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley if using.

Serve over roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower florets.

If you don't care about cooking paleo, you can use dairy milk instead of coconut milk and corn starch instead of arrowroot. Just don't use arrowroot with dairy milk or it will get gummy. Serve over biscuits for a special treat!

Very kid-friendly, just watch the amount of cayenne!

Serves 3-4.

Citrus Spice Stir Fry

Sauce:
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder*
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional**)
1 cup orange juice
6 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce to taste***)

In a small bowl mix the vinegar, garlic, five-spice powder, and red pepper flakes with a fork. Stirring continuously with the fork, pour in the orange juice, then add the coconut aminos.

Stir Fry:
Assortment of veggies of your choice (broccoli, pea pods, onions, mushrooms, carrots, etc.)

Heat up a skillet or wok with a little oil (I use coconut), then add a pound of diced chicken and cook, splashing with a little of the sauce to keep it moist. Remove the chicken and set aside, then add chopped veggies to the skillet along with the rest of the sauce and cook until finished. Add the chicken back in and heat. Serve on top of rice.

* Chinese five-spice powder has a distinct clove flavor, so use less if you think your kids might not be into it!

** The only thing that makes this spicy is the red pepper flakes. The Chinese five-spice power is not "hot" spicy - it's more of a clove/cinnamon spice flavor.

*** Using coconut aminos makes this Whole 30 or paleo approved, but if you don't have any on hand (and don't care about that) you could probably use soy sauce. Soy sauce is more salty than coconut aminos, so I would add a little at a time until you reach the flavor you want - it might not take as much.

Serves 4-6 depending on how many veggies you use.

French Dip

Serves 6-8

4 cups beef broth
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
3# beef roast
8 French rolls
8 provolone cheese slices
Butter

In a slow cooker, combine broth, onion, and seasonings. Add roast, cover, and cook on low all day (or on high for 4-5 hours). Remove roast from cooking liquids and slice or shred.

Butter rolls on both halves. Put meat on one half and top with cheese. Place sandwiches open-face on a baking sheet and pop in a hot oven (350-400, it doesn't really matter) for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and the roll is slightly toasty, maybe 5 minutes.

Close sandwiches and cut on the diagonal. Serve with the cooking liquid on the side for dipping.

Lightened-up Whipped Cream

A lighter, higher protein whipped cream. The flavor is similar to cheesecake. From Skinnytaste.


1 C chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 C sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla
1 C plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Fold in yogurt. Enjoy the delicious.

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

• 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast
• 1 cup soy sauce (See Note; the soy sauce and water just needs to be a 1:1 ratio)
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk (light or regular)

Mix everything except the chicken in a large, resealable bag or container. Add chicken and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Pour out marinade and grill chicken (and onions if you want) over low heat until cooked through. Serve over rice.

Note: You can make this using the broiler. For my chicken breasts, it took 8 min/side with a high broiler and the pan 3" from the flame.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

{note} You will need a donut pan for this recipe, or you could make muffins

Donuts

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Coating

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans. If you don't have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a standard muffin tin; they just won't be doughnuts.

2) Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth.

3) Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.

4) Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full; use a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well. If you're making muffins, fill each well about 3/4 full; the recipe makes about 15, so you'll need to bake in two batches (unless you have two muffin pans).

6) Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. If you're making muffins, they'll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.

7) Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.

8) While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar. If you've made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with cinnamon-sugar.

9) Cool completely, and wrap airtight; store at room temperature for several days.

Yield: 12 standard or 24 mini doughnuts (or 15 muffins) {original recipe from: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/PrintRecipe?RID=4281&radio=1}

Tortilla Pie

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained (or about 1.5 cups frozen, thawed)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
1 1/2 cups salsa, divided
1 cup shredded cheese
1-2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix (see below)
6 corn tortillas

On the stove over medium-high heat, cook the meat with 1-2 Tbsp of taco seasoning. When it's close to being done, add the onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.

In a large bowl make filling mixture: Combine meat and onions, corn, beans, tomatoes, and 1 cup salsa. Place 3 tortillas in the bottom and part way up the sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Then add the filling mixture. Place 3 more tortillas over the filling. Spread 1/2 cup salsa over the tortillas. Top with 1 cup cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 60 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.

Note: Cooked, shredded chicken can be used instead of ground beef, or meat can simply be omitted for a vegetarian option.

- - -

Taco Seasoning:

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano

Play Dough

3 cups flour
1.5 cups salt
6 tsp. cream of tarter
3 tbsp. oil
3 cups water

Pour all ingredients into a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms by pulling away from the sides. Knead dough until the texture matches play dough (1-2 minutes). Store in plastic container. Should last for at least 3 months.
To color, divide into 6 pieces. Into each piece, knead 1 packet of Kool-Aid.

Kool-Aid Colors:
Lemon-aid: Can hardly tell it's in there
Pink Lemon-aid: Very pale pink, fleshy
Blue Raspberry Lemon-aid: Light blue
Cherry: Pink
Strawberry: Dark pink
Lemon-Lime: Bright green
Grape: Blue-purple
Orange: Bright orange

Slow-Roasted Orange Pork

1 (6-7 pound) boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, well marbles
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp  ground allspice
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbs salt
6 cloves garlic, thinnly sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/3 cups orange juice, divided
1.5 cups dry red wine, divided

2 Tbs fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs olive oil
2 thin-skinned oranges, thinly sliced

Three days before cooking, make deep cuts into the roast. Combine cloves, allspice, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, salt, garlic, oil, 2/3 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup of wine. Smear mixture all over roast, stuffing spices and garlic into the cuts. Put in a bag or container with extra marinade and refrigerate for 3 days, turning several times.

Day of cooking:
Remove meat from fridge and preheat oven to 400 F. Puree rosemary, onion, oil and salt. Spread over meat, stuffing into cuts. Put the roast into a shalow pan (such as a 9x13x2 or a half sheet pan) with the fat side up and scrape any remaining marinade over the meat. Lay orange slices over the roast and roast for 30 min.

Pour the remaining wine and orange juice over the roast, reduce temp to 325 F and roast 90 min, basting over 20-30 min. Once meat reaches 145-150 F, reduce heat to 200 F for another 30 min, or until internal temperature is 155-160 F. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 min before slicing.

Thinly slice pork and drizzle with pan juices. Serve along side roasted potatoes and salad.

Cranberry Orange Ice Cream

1.5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
4T orange juice concentrate
2 T water
2T brown sugar

1T vanilla
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar

Heat cranberries through brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, squishing the cranberries as you stir. Cool completely (to speed cooling, pour into a shallow pan and place in fridge for 30 min).

Mix vanilla-sugar in a bowl until sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour into ice cream maker along with the cranberry mixture. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Mango Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice

This takes a little planning ahead. The meat should marinate at least a couple hours, or overnight. The rice takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to prepare. It's worth the effort, though. If you want to save on calories or groeries, the curry would be good over plain rice as well. {Thanks to my friend, Laura, for the base of this recipe}

Serves 4.

For the chicken curry:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2-3 Tbsp. hot curry paste

Veg. oil

Cider vinegar

1 onion, chopped

1-2 bell peppers, sliced and cut into 1" pieces

Fresh cilantro, chopped

2 mangos, chopped

Coconut rice (see below)

Make a marinade with the curry paste, a little oil, some cider vinegar, and a little water.  Add the chicken and let it marinade for a few hours.

Cook the onion and peppers in a little oil.  When done, add the chicken with marinade.  When the chicken is cooked, add the cilantro and mango chunks.  Stir over heat a few more minutes.  Serve over rice.

For the rice:

1 1/2 cups brown jasmine or basmati rice
2 cups good-quality coconut milk (preferably regular, not 'lite')
2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 Tbsp. dry shredded coconut (optional)

1 Tbsp. coconut oil, or other vegetable oil

Rub the oil over the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and shredded coconut. Stir and set over high heat. Bring to a bubbling (but not rolling) boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 1 hour, or until the coconut-water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 min. Fluff with a fork.

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

(makes 18-20 bites)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

{note} When I made these, they were a bit dry. If you have that problem (which probably has t do with your peanut butter, as I always pour the oil off of my new jars of PB), just add more PB and honey until it will hold together.

*original recipe on smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com