Many of my recipes are going to come from Melissa at The Clothes Make The Girl. Her entire blog entry can be reached by clicking on the recipe titles. I love her blog, you will too.
Scotch Eggs
Makes 5 servings
(I know that’s a weird number, but I wanted to add about 3 oz. of meat to the egg to make it a complete meal-size serving of protein.)
Makes 5 servings
(I know that’s a weird number, but I wanted to add about 3 oz. of meat to the egg to make it a complete meal-size serving of protein.)
Ingredients
1 lb. ground pork
1 tablespoon Penzeys Italian Sausage Seasoning*
5 hard-boiled eggs, peeled**
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Mix the ground pork and sausage seasoning until well-combined.
3. Divide the pork mixture into 5 equal servings. Flatten the pork into an even pancake shape, and wrap around a hard-boiled egg, sealing it all the way around and making sure the meat is evenly distributed. This is WAY easier than its sounds. Just roll and lovingly pat it into place.
4. Place the wrapped eggs on a baking sheet and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until the outsides are nicely browned and starting to crisp.
These are great with sauteed veggies on the side or a nice tossed salad – also awesome cold with some berries on the side for a quick breakfast.
Mel’s Favorite Chili
Makes about 6 servings of 1 1/3 cups each
Zone: 3P + 2F + 1C
Weight Watchers: 5 points, includes 1 healthy fat serving
Mel’s Favorite Chili
Makes about 6 servings of 1 1/3 cups each
Zone: 3P + 2F + 1C
Weight Watchers: 5 points, includes 1 healthy fat serving
Ingredients:
the base:
2 tablespoons of your favorite fat: olive oil, coconut oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lbs. ground meat (lean beef, pork, turkey, veal, bison, or a mix)
-
spices:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
-
liquids:
14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire-roasted.)
6 oz. tomato paste
14.5 oz. can beef broth
12 oz. water
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute ’til soft. Add garlic and let heat ’til fragrant, about 2 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Add the meat and sauté until browned and crumbled.
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute ’til soft. Add garlic and let heat ’til fragrant, about 2 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Add the meat and sauté until browned and crumbled.
2. Blend all the spices in a small bowl. Add to pot and stir well, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well.
4. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low so the pot has a gentle simmer. SIMMER FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. Do not skimp on the simmer. Just as rest time is the magic time when you build your strength, simmering is the magic time when the flavors meld.
Variations:
Add additional quality fats with some chopped black olives, green olives, or avocado slices (or all three!).
Add additional quality fats with some chopped black olives, green olives, or avocado slices (or all three!).
Add more veggies by serving over a bed of cooked spaghetti squash, grated zucchini, or baby spinach leaves.
The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat. Ever.
Kale Chips
I was skeptical of the kale chips until I tried them. And I know they don’t look like the answer to your snacking prayers, but I’m telling you: They’re really good. They’re salty, crispy… and if you leave ‘em in the oven long enough, they mimic the taste of the burnt edges of potato chips. (Y’all know how I like all my food on the verge of burnt!) These are very, very good and – important for me – taste like “junk food.” But they’re not!They’re kale! Kale, people.
I was skeptical of the kale chips until I tried them. And I know they don’t look like the answer to your snacking prayers, but I’m telling you: They’re really good. They’re salty, crispy… and if you leave ‘em in the oven long enough, they mimic the taste of the burnt edges of potato chips. (Y’all know how I like all my food on the verge of burnt!) These are very, very good and – important for me – taste like “junk food.” But they’re not!They’re kale! Kale, people.
Ingredients:
4 cups raw kale, washed, dried, torn into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted, or olive oil
salt
Directions:
1. Place kale in a bowl and toss with oil.
1. Place kale in a bowl and toss with oil.
2. Spread the kale on a baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle generously with salt. (For a BBQ chip flavor, add a sprinkle of chili powder and paprika.)
3. Bake in a 350F oven for 7-10 minutes – keep an eye on them! (If you’re making the Meatza Pie, too, you can bake the chips and Meatza Pie together, then let the chips cool and crisp up while the Meatza Pie is baking for the second time.)
Italian “Sausage” Sauté
[Makes a 3-block Zone dinner; approx. 7 points for the whole meal, including dessert]
[Makes a 3-block Zone dinner; approx. 7 points for the whole meal, including dessert]
You need:
- 1-lb. ground turkey, chicken, or lean beef
- Penzeys Italian Sausage Seasoning
- zucchini
- broccoli
- Penzeys Italian Herb Blend
- fruit and nuts for dessert
What to do:
1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and heat your favorite fat source; I like coconut oil. Mix the ground meat with 1 tablespoon Penzeys Sausage Seasoning until well-blended. Brown the meat in the pan and set aside.
1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and heat your favorite fat source; I like coconut oil. Mix the ground meat with 1 tablespoon Penzeys Sausage Seasoning until well-blended. Brown the meat in the pan and set aside.
2. Same pan: re-heat, then toss in sliced zucchini and sprinkle with Penzeys Italian Herb Blend and garlic salt. Sauté ’til desired texture. Set aside.
3. Cook broccoli. I defrost frozen florets in the microwave, then quickly sauté in a pan with a little fat and garlic salt to give ‘em zing. If you like steamed broccoli, good on you! I need everything to have some brown, crispy edges, even my broccoli.
You’re ready to assemble. This is the exciting part!
4. Throw a serving size of the meat and zucchini back into the pan. Stir ’til heated through. Plate up!
5. Eat. Enjoy. Feel smug that you cooked something so delicious and healthy.
10-Minute Pizza Soup
Makes two generous servings.
Makes two generous servings.
Ingredients:
olive oil
2-3 Italian sausage links
half bag frozen chopped broccoli
3 cups broth (I like to use half beef, half chicken.)
14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire-roasted.)
2-3 teaspoons Penzeys Pizza Seasoning
Directions:
1. Cut the sausage into coins, moons, or dice. I like to make moons, then halve them. They look like little slices of pizza!
1. Cut the sausage into coins, moons, or dice. I like to make moons, then halve them. They look like little slices of pizza!
2. Heat some olive oil in a saute pan and brown the sausage.
3. Add the canned tomatoes and the pizza seasoning. Stir to combine.
4. Pour in the broth, then add the broccoli. It can be frozen or defrosted; doesn’t matter.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Ladle into deep bowls, then drizzle with a teaspoon of high-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper.
“You’re the Top” Tuna Salad
This makes enough for two hungry people.
This makes enough for two hungry people.
Ingredients:
2 cans tuna (I prefer it packed in olive oil.)
1 small apple, diced
a few scallions, green tops only, sliced thin
1 oz. pecans, walnuts, or cashews, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard
2-3 tablespoons homemade mayo
salt & pepper to taste
NOTE: If you like celery, a sliced stalk would not be a bad addition.
Directions:
1. Place apples, scallion tops, nuts, and celery (if using) in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well.
1. Place apples, scallion tops, nuts, and celery (if using) in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well.
2. Drain liquid from tuna and add tuna to the boil. Mash with a fork to break up tuna and blend ingredients.
3. Add mustard and mayo, then mix with a rubber spatula until well-blended. If you can stand it, let the tuna salad sit for 15 minutes so the flavors can meld. While the tuna ingredients are getting to know each other, cut up some raw vegetables to eat alongside… This is also yummy served with butter lettuce leaves to make hand-wraps, or stuffed into the halves of a raw red pepper.
NOTE: To balance the creaminess with a tiny tangy bite, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar along with the mayo in step 3.
The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat. Ever.Secret #1: Brining
You will think it’s not necessary. You will think it sounds too fussy. But I guarantee you won’t regret it if you do it. If you’re short on time, you can just salt & pepper the chicken, but the magic just might be in the waiting for the brining step.1. Put 1 quart of water in a large ziplock bag and add 1/4 cup salt. Let the salt dissolve.
2. Add the chicken breasts to the bag. This will look gross; ignore it.
3. Put the bag in the fridge and forget about it for 2 hours.
4. Remove the bag from the fridge; ignore that it looks even grosser.
5. Rinse the chicken well. Think about something else as you do this so as not to notice that you’re holding raw chicken.
6. Place in a sieve to drain/dry while you move on to Secret #2.
Secret #2: Spice Blend
There are commercial blends out there, and there are certainly other things you can mix together, but this one is a crowd-pleaser. Promise! This makes enough for about 2-2.5 lbs. of chicken — tastes good on pork, too. (Also makes a nice sprinkle for sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and acorn squash, if you eat such things.)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well with a fork.
2. Coat the chicken pieces with the mixture; massage and pat it on lovingly. You want the pieces pretty densely coated.
Note: If you roll the meat in the mixture, you need to throw away any remaining spice blend. Don’t re-use it on vegetables or think you can save it for later. It’s once and done when raw chicken is involved.
Secret #3: Moroccan Dipping Sauce
Kinda like salad dressing, this would also be delish drizzled on raw cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and onions. It was killer on all of our meats, but really made the chicken sing… and I’ve been using it to spice up whatever I pack for lunch: green beans, cabbage, broccoli. It’s a great way to get a little extra dose of healthy oils.Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
pinch cayenne pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced cilantro or parsley
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper together in a small bowl. Inhale and rejoice that you have a nose.
2. Gradually whisk in the oil, then stir in the fresh chopped herbs.
3. Serve at room temperature.
Secret #1: Brining
You will think it’s not necessary. You will think it sounds too fussy. But I guarantee you won’t regret it if you do it. If you’re short on time, you can just salt & pepper the chicken, but the magic just might be in the waiting for the brining step.
You will think it’s not necessary. You will think it sounds too fussy. But I guarantee you won’t regret it if you do it. If you’re short on time, you can just salt & pepper the chicken, but the magic just might be in the waiting for the brining step.
1. Put 1 quart of water in a large ziplock bag and add 1/4 cup salt. Let the salt dissolve.
2. Add the chicken breasts to the bag. This will look gross; ignore it.
3. Put the bag in the fridge and forget about it for 2 hours.
4. Remove the bag from the fridge; ignore that it looks even grosser.
5. Rinse the chicken well. Think about something else as you do this so as not to notice that you’re holding raw chicken.
6. Place in a sieve to drain/dry while you move on to Secret #2.
Secret #2: Spice Blend
There are commercial blends out there, and there are certainly other things you can mix together, but this one is a crowd-pleaser. Promise! This makes enough for about 2-2.5 lbs. of chicken — tastes good on pork, too. (Also makes a nice sprinkle for sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and acorn squash, if you eat such things.)
There are commercial blends out there, and there are certainly other things you can mix together, but this one is a crowd-pleaser. Promise! This makes enough for about 2-2.5 lbs. of chicken — tastes good on pork, too. (Also makes a nice sprinkle for sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and acorn squash, if you eat such things.)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well with a fork.
2. Coat the chicken pieces with the mixture; massage and pat it on lovingly. You want the pieces pretty densely coated.
Note: If you roll the meat in the mixture, you need to throw away any remaining spice blend. Don’t re-use it on vegetables or think you can save it for later. It’s once and done when raw chicken is involved.
Secret #3: Moroccan Dipping Sauce
Kinda like salad dressing, this would also be delish drizzled on raw cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and onions. It was killer on all of our meats, but really made the chicken sing… and I’ve been using it to spice up whatever I pack for lunch: green beans, cabbage, broccoli. It’s a great way to get a little extra dose of healthy oils.
Secret #3: Moroccan Dipping Sauce
Kinda like salad dressing, this would also be delish drizzled on raw cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and onions. It was killer on all of our meats, but really made the chicken sing… and I’ve been using it to spice up whatever I pack for lunch: green beans, cabbage, broccoli. It’s a great way to get a little extra dose of healthy oils.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
pinch cayenne pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced cilantro or parsley
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper together in a small bowl. Inhale and rejoice that you have a nose.
2. Gradually whisk in the oil, then stir in the fresh chopped herbs.
3. Serve at room temperature.
