OhYaGood

Whole Food Lover + Recipe Hacker

Monster Noodles

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Monster Noodles BologneseI’ve never eaten so much zucchini in my life. I love these little “monster” noodles and they are so damn easy. I should clarify, I named them “monster” so my kids would eat them and I think it helped. I did the same with broccoli calling them “little trees” which for some reason made them eat them like candy. I guess it’s a form of playing with their food.

Here’s the the recipe for the bolognese sauce minus the slivered almond garnish.

Monster Noodles
 
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Recipe type: Staple
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Oil of choice (I prefer coconut)
  • 3 med size zucchini
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Trim off zucchini stem
  2. Spiralize zucchini into a bowl
  3. Salt the zucchini with a few shakes and let sit for 30-60 minutes (This step helps eliminate some of the water from the zucchini so it's not so soggy after cooking)
  4. Press the zucchini with a few paper towels
  5. Use a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat
  6. Oil the pan
  7. Sauté the noodles for 5 minutes

Here are a few extra shots showing the spiralizer I have. I like it because it takes up little cupboard space and super easy to clean.Monster Noodles In ProgressMonster Noodles Finished

Roasted Acorn Squash

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Roasted Acorn SquashFall fare can be so lovely but I think I over due it every year and by Thanksgiving, I’m over it. I watched this Whine About It about Fall—ROFL “Pumpkin is like putting cinnamon on a sandcastle.” Matt Bellassai is pretty hilarious and his points are valid but I still embrace it. I won’t be drinking rum and cider—–yet, but I’m using a lot of this autumnal vegetable, acorn squash. It’s so warming on my belly. I love it and so do my girls.

If I could eat cheese, I’d top this with some pungent blue cheese or gorgonzola. If only..

Here’s a quick tip. Partially cook the squash in the microwave before roasting it in the oven to save some time. With this recipe, it saves about a half hour of cook time.

Roasted Acorn Squash
 
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Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 1 acorn squash, cut length-wise and seeds removed
  • 1 T of pecans, chopped
  • 1 T of pomegranate seeds
  • coconut oil
  • maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
  2. Rub each half of the squash with coconut oil
  3. Place the squash on a microwave safe plate, face up and cook for 10 minutes
  4. Transfer the hot squash to an aluminum pan, face up
  5. Add more coconut oil and the pecans to each half
  6. Roast in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes
  7. Dress with pomegranate seeds
  8. Drizzle with maple syrup

 

Chicken Sausage Salad

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chicken_sausage_saladI’m usually the person that brings a salad to pot luck functions because so many salads have cheese on them which means I’m S.O.L. There’s a basic equation when thinking about a salad I heard years ago that I try to follow.

1) Start with your base green or filler

2) Add some protein

3) Add something salty or crunchy

4) Finish with something sweet or tangy

This delicious tangy salad follows that equation and it’s super easy to put together. Aidell’s Chicken Sausage makes it extra easy because it’s already cooked. All you have to do is heat it up.

Chicken Sausage Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken apple sausages
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 granny smith apples, diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, diced
  • ½ cup walnut pieces
  • 1 T hemp seeds
  • 1 T olive oil
  • ½ T apple cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Cook sausages per package instructions, I prefer to pan fry or grill.
  2. Slice the sausages.
  3. Toss with the spinach, apples, onion and walnuts.
  4. Dress with olive oil and vinegar.
  5. Garnish with hemp seeds.

 

Beanless Chili

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Beanless_Chili

The minute the weather cools, I make a batch of chili. My recipe for years, that has even won me a chili cook-off or two (oh ya!) was in need of an upgrade. I wanted to incorporate more veggies into it, omit the beer, minimize the sugar and try it without beans. Sounds like I would be ruining it however, the results were outstanding! I didn’t even miss the beans but I could see adding them in again when I can tolerate them. What I did miss were leftovers. Hermpf.

Beanless Chili
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 lb of sirloin steak, cubed
  • 1 lb of ground beef
  • 1 med onion, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 red, yellow or orange pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic (or you can add garlic separately)
  • 1 c dark roast coffee
  • 1½ c broth (beef, chicken, veg or bone)
  • ⅛ c maple syrup
  • 1 T molasses
  • 3½ T chili powder
  • 1 T cumin seeds
  • 1 T unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • (optional) 1 t cayenne pepper
  • (optional) 1 fresh hot chili, such as serano, padron, etc. seeded and minced
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large pan over medium heat.
  2. Add sirloin to the pan, spaced out and carefully not to overcook.
  3. Remove from pan into a separate bowl.
  4. Add a sprinkle of cumin to toast for a minute.
  5. Add onion, carrots, celery, sweet pepper and hot pepper if using to the pan.
  6. Once softened, add the ground beef.
  7. Brown the beef and add the tomato paste and cook for a minute.
  8. Add ½ c broth to deglaze the pan.
  9. Add the sirloin back, canned tomatoes, coffee, remainder of the broth, maple syrup, molasses, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, oregano, coriander and salt.
  10. Let simmer on low for at least an hour. Stir occasionally.
  11. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, whatever sounds good.

 

Beet Smoothie Bowl

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Beet_Smoothie_BowlThis was my most popular post while doing the Whole30. I guess it’s been a bit of a craze on IG and I think it’s also quite pretty. When I began Whole30 I had just quite coffee cold turkey. My stomach always felt unsettled after I drank it and I had an occasional arrhythmia from it. Obviously my body was trying to tell me something. So if I wanted my guts and my nervous system to be back to normal, I’d need to go back to drinking coffee as a treat. Sure I missed the warm drink and substituted with green tea but what I really missed was that little teaspoon of sugar I would add to it. Morning smoothies have helped that craving. Smoothie bowls, well they are like eating cereal without the grains and surprisingly filling too.

Beet Smoothie Bowl
 
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Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • SMOOTHIE
  • 1 large beet (frozen or fresh, Trader Joes has packaged versions in their produce section)
  • ½ frozen berry mix (I like Trader Joes)
  • 1 celery stick
  • 2 kale leaves, stems removed
  • ½ c. carrot orange juice (no sugar added)
  • ¼ c. water
  • TOPPINGS
  • Pecan pieces
  • Pistachios
  • 2-4 Mint leaves
  • 1 T chia seeds
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend
  2. Sprinkle with toppings

 

Cauliflower “Rice”

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Cauliflower Rice

Did you know if you plug your left nostril and breathe in through the right and exhale through the left for about 10 long breathes you will instantly feel energized? I’m not even joking. Try it and tell me it doesn’t work. I just did it myself because I was feeling very unmotivated to do anything after a long morning.

Now back to the food part. This is my new favorite side dish. It’s what I would consider pretty quick to prepare and even quicker to cook. Plus, I love that I can make different variations like coconut rice, lime cilantro rice, or fried rice. (recipes to come) For now, try this one out and enjoy it with whatever main dish you’re hearts desire. Bonus, my kids haven’t even noticed it’s not really rice.

Cauliflower "Rice"
 
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Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Paleo
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • medium head of Cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil or your fat of choice
  • 1 small onion or shallot, diced
  • 1 wedge of lemon
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Place the cauliflower in the food processor or blender and pulse till it's in rice like pieces.
  2. Heat oil in a sauté pan to medium heat and add the onion.
  3. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes
  4. Add cauliflower pieces and sauté for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
  5. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes or desired doneness.
  6. Squeeze lemon over rice, salt and pepper.

 

 

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.

 

Carribean Cabbage Salad

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CarribeanCabbageSalad

Sometimes you just want to eat like you’re on an island somewhere. At least us Minnesotans do. As much as I don’t like to admit it, food gives me so much comfort. Probably something I need to deal with down the road but for now, I’m going to just enjoy these delicious flavors and pretend it’s not going to be cold soon. Denial? Maybe but I like to think of it as manifestation?

The key to this salad is fresh ingredients. Except for the Trader Joes frozen mango. That is purely for convenience and because I’m terrible at peeling and cutting up slippery mangos. I’ve also used pineapple in place of mango in the past.

Carribean Cabbage Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Caribean
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Cooked Shrimp (6-12)
  • ¼ medium red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • Juice one lime and grated zest
  • One avocado, diced
  • ¼ cup diced mango (I love Trader Joes frozen mango)
  • half a yellow pepper, julienned
  • a handful of fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon full fat coconut milk
Instructions
  1. Cook shrimp in a sauté pan with oil of your choice or grill it.
  2. Add cabbage and onion to bowl and dress with lime juice. While that's marinating, cut up remaining vegetables, fruit and nuts.
  3. Add to the bowl.
  4. Whisk white wine vinegar, coconut milk and zest. Dress the salad.
  5. Salt and pepper and extra lime juice to your liking.