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

 

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

 

Mexi Shredded Chicken

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You may have noticed a trend on my blog. Lots of Mexican food. It’s my favorite cuisine and pretty easy to figure out the best flavors for recipe developing. Plus, when it’s warm out, the light flavors taste so good with all the fresh produce. It IS still summer!

I came up with this super recipe after numerous attempts at a red salsa version that I wasn’t super excited about. I realized with chicken, I prefer the lime and jalepeno flavors, hence the salsa verde. Big plus, it goes great with my corn recipe!

Verde Shredded Chicken
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs of chicken (a mix of white and dark is ideal)
  • 1 jar of Trader Joes Salsa Verde (or any green salsa would do)
  • 2 teaspoons diced shallots
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup broth, I used vegetable
  • (optional) 1 small serrano or jalapeno pepper, finely diced
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Cook for 6 hours for the slow cooker. Set Instant Pot to 20 minutes and let it naturally release.
  2. Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, shred with a fork and spread out the meat onto a cookies sheet.
  3. Pour half the leftover juices on to the chicken and broil at 500° for about 10-15 or until the chicken juices cook down and it gets a little crispy

 

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

 

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

 

Tomato Pumpkin Soup

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tomato_pumpkin_soup_lo

October. You are so good to me. Our anniversary and my birthday all in one little cozy month. Naturally, my favorite month. I’m a sucker for the weather, Halloween celebrations and of course, the food. Pumpkin, squash, stews and soups make me so happy this time of year.

Once the temps drastically dropped last week, I took to the kitchen to explore a soup that’s been so hard to recreate since going dairy-free. The all-mighty classic, tomato. I’ve tried, unsuccessfully in the past to get the richness and flavor or creamy tomato soup but adding coconut milk just didn’t cut it for me. I searched my pantry for an alternative. A-ha! Canned pumpkin. An obvious choice after picking up an entire crate at Costco to add some depth and sweetness. Plus, there’s a little booze to give it that extra umph. If you’re wanting a boost of protein, I added andouille sausage to a batch.

Tomato Pumpkin Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1 large stalk of celery, diced or ½ cup
  • 1 large carrot, diced or ½ cup
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)
  • 1 can pumpkin puree (I used organic)
  • ½ cup light coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons bourbon (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1½ Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Coat a dutch oven or large pot with oil
  2. Cook garlic, celery, carrots and onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes
  3. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, coconut milk, bourbon, spices, syrup and lemon juice and bring to a boil
  4. Bring the temperature to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Use an immersion blender to puree to your preference or blend in batches carefully

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

 

Pot Roast

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Pot_RoastIt’s been a wild few weeks. Lots of celebrating and little time for blogging. Not a bad thing I’d say. Just happy to see people are still enjoying my past recipes.

This pot roast was inspired from my client after talking about roast beef on a cold, rainy day. Well, it’s still cold and rainy so I just had to take a stab at it. It’s takes a little time up front or in the morning but SO worth the effort once it’s dinner time. I seriously said in my head when walking into our yummy smelling house, “Awww. Honey, I’m home” Cheesy as ever but that smell just made my night. I served the roast with some crispy home fries which was a perfect addition alongside the jus.

Pot Roast
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2-3 lb beef chuck roast (marbling is good)
  • 1 Tablespoon of oil, I used olive
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
  • 3-4 carrots, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (28oz Muir Glen, fire roasted was what I used)
  • 2 cups broth, I used vegetable
  • ½ cup dry red wine, I used malbec
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Trader Joes 21 season salute, (herbs de provence could work)
Instructions
  1. Dry the roast with a paper towel or two.
  2. Salt and pepper pretty generously.
  3. Heat oil over medium/high heat.
  4. Sear the meat, about 5 minutes per side. Don't forget the sides too.
  5. Set aside the meat to a plate and add the onions to the pan. Cook until golden.
  6. Add to the slow cooker.
  7. Add the carrots to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Add to the slow cooker
  8. Add the garlic cloves, tomatoes, broth, wine, vinegar and seasoning to the cooker. Stir gently.
  9. Add the meat and cover. Cook on low for seven hours. Add mushrooms and cook another hour.
  10. Serve with crispy home fries or potato of choice.

 

Pistachio Pesto

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Pesto_Shrimp

I’ve been working on a good pesto for a while and I think this one hits the nail on the head. Typically pesto has parmesan so I had to find a replacement that could give it a nutty flavor paired with the garlic and herbs. This is what I came up with. Just to note, I don’t digest garlic very well so I use it sparingly. If you are a garlic lover, by all means add more. I paired the shrimp with my monster noodles and some roasted tomatoes I stuck in the oven till they wilted a bit. Sure was tasty.

Pistachio Pesto
 
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Recipe type: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 T packed basil leaves
  • 2 T flat parsley
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 3 T pistachios
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • splash of white wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Place olive oil, basil, parsley, lemon juice, pistachios, garlic into food processor and pulse till it resembles a pulp. Add more olive oil if a thinner pesto is preferred.
  2. Pesto can be tossed with shrimp, zucchini noodles and roasted tomatoes

 

Egg Salad with Beets

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EggSaladwithBeets

Growing up, my Dad owned a a chain of sub shops called Pickle Barrel. One of his pride and joy recipes was his egg salad. His secret ingredient was Miracle Whip but I don’t eat the stuff anymore. I’m not even sure what it’s made of but egg salad is still a favorite of mine I just make it with mayo. This one is made with beets for some extra nutritional value and tartness. I ate it on some celery sticks but it tastes just as good on a crusty roll or cracker, according to my husband.

Egg Salad with Beets
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 5 hard boiled eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons mayo
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ cup roasted beets (I used the jarred trader joes variation)
  • 1 Tablespoon diced red onion
  • salt and pepper
  • (optional) 1 teaspoon fresh dill
  • bread, celery sticks, cucumber, field greens or whatever vehicle you prefer
Instructions
  1. Mix eggs, mayo, dijon, beets, red onion, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl.
  2. Serve with your preferred vehicle