Italian Grinder Salad

INGREDIENTS

For the grinder salad dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 

• 2 tsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tsp minced garlic

• 1 tsp sweetener (I used Monk Fruit)

• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes

For the grinder salad

• 16 ounces shredded iceberg lettuce

• 4 ounces ham

• 4 ounces pepperoni

• 4 ounces salami

• 4 ounces of provolone cheese

• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved

• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers

• 1/2 red onion diced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make The Dressing. Mix the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, sweetener, Italian seasoning, red pepper chili flakes(if using), salt, and pepper until well combined.

2. Set it aside for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

3. Slice the ham, salami, and pepperoni into 1/4-inch slices and the provolone cheese into small cubes.

4. Use a mandoline or food processor to shred the iceberg lettuce thinly.

5. Add the shredded iceberg lettuce and the rest of the ingredients to a large salad bowl, then drizzle the dressing all over the ingredients and mix until well combined.




NUTRITION FACTS
Amount per serving.
Calories 445kcal
Total Carbs 9g
Net Carbs 7g
Protein 19g
Fat 38g
Fiber 2g
Sugar 4g

Beer Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded cheese* (Gruyere, Emmenthaler, raclette, cheddar or other good melting cheese) 
• 1/4 cup flour (substitute with corn starch) 
• 1 cup flavorful, low bitterness beer** 
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (fresh, at room temperature) 
• grated garlic or onion (to taste, optional) 
• fresh or dry herbs (to taste)

BEST BEER STYLES TO USE FOR CHEESE FONDUE

Styles with low bitterness, bready/biscuity notes and herbal, earthy aromas (Noble hops or traditional English varieties) make the best candidates to use. To that end we recommend:

• Pilsner lagers (like Bohemian (Czech) and Munich Helles)
• Dunkel and bock lagers
• Doppelbock lagers (especially well suited with more aged cheeses)
• Saisons and strong Belgian ales (nothing sour)
• Wheat ales, especially if fermented with clean American yeast (not fruit flavored of course and nothing sour)
• English pale ales, English mild
• Amber and brown ales (low bitterness, mostly aroma hops)

Avoid sour beers (including kettle sours) as their higher acidity may cause the heavy cream to curdle, especially if it is not fresh heavy cream and has already began to sour in the carton.

Directions:

Step 1. To start – shred enough cheese to have about four cups worth. Coat it well with flour (this will facilitate the melting process). Set aside.

Step 2. Next, pour the beer into a cold pot, turn the heat to medium and bring to simmer to cook off the alcohol. After the beer has simmered for a couple of minutes, add the cream and simmer for a few more minutes.

TIPS: 1. If you add beer to a hot pan/pot it will foam excessively. 2. If you’d like to add a bit of grated garlic or grated onion and/or any dry or fresh herbs such as picked fresh thyme leaves, add them to the beer to infuse with their flavor.

Step 3. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the cheese in batches while gently stirring. Once all the cheese has melted, transfer to a pre-heated fondue pot, taste and if needed season with salt & pepper, then serve.


WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BEER CHEESE FONDUE BREAKS

If your beer cheese sauce breaks (most likely due to adding cold cheese to too hot of a liquid base) you might end up with clumps. This is easy to fix!

Simply use an immersion blender or transfer the entire broken mess into a blender and process it until no more clumps are visible. Strain and add a few tablespoons of cream to the cheese sauce and warm it up over very gentle heat while stirring.

Hungarian Goulosh

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 onions, sliced 
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes 
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 
• 1-1/2 cups water 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Step 1: Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onions in oil until soft, stirring frequently. Remove onions and set aside.
• Step 2: In a medium bowl, combine paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Coat beef cubes in spice mixture, and cook in onion pot until brown on all sides. Return the onions to the pot, and pour in tomato paste, water, garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Garlic Herb Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• 1 Head Cauliflower Medium, or 16 ounces store-bought cauliflower rice
• 1/2 Cup Almonds sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt fine
• Black Pepper freshly ground, to taste
• 1/4 Cup Parsley fresh, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Dill fresh, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Basil fresh, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or more, to taste

Instructions

1. Using a food processor, cut the head of cauliflower into medium chunks and remove the core. Working in batches, add the cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is broken down into very small bits that resemble rice. Do not do all at once or it will be mush and whole in other parts.
2. Add the almonds to a large skillet over medium heat. Stir the almonds around the pan until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. 
3. Return the skillet to the burner and add the butter. When the butter is melted and bubbling, stir in the garlic. Cook the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the cauliflower rice, salt, and a few pinches of black pepper. Cook, stirring until the cauliflower rice is crisp-tender and starts to turn light brown in places, 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Take the skillet off of the heat, and then stir in the fresh herbs, lemon juice, and toasted almonds.

Chicken Vietnamese Bowls

Chicken Vietnamese Bowls

Ingredients

4 Cloves Garlic 

2 Persian cucumber, diced

Cilantro, chopped

2 Limes, halved

1-2 Chili pepper, diced

8 oz Shredded carrots 

1 cup Jasmine rice 

1-1/2 lb Chicken Breast or thighs 

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce 

2 tsp Sriracha 

4 Tbsp Mayonnaise 

Directions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Mince garlic. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise. Roughly chop cilantro. Zest and halve limes. Thinly slice chili pepper, removing seeds for less heat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, carrots, lime juice, cilantro, and juice from one lime half. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Set aside. In a small pot, combine rice, water, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. While rice cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium to high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest. 
4. Make sauce. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low and stir in the soy sauce, half the Sriracha, 1-1/2 tablespoon of sugar, and juice from remaining lime. Simmer, stirring, until thickened in syrupy, about one minute. Turn off heat.
5. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and remaining Sriracha. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until mixture reaches a drizzle and consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Finished and serve. Fluff rice with fork, stir in lime zest, butter and season with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls. Thinly slice chicken. Topper rice with chicken and carrot salad. Drizzle chicken with sauce. Garnish with Sriracha mayo, remaining cilantro and chili to taste.

Spinach Pesto Chicken Pasta

Ingredients 

1 Box of Spaghetti 

12 oz Spinach 

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 Cup EVOO

1/4 Cup water

Salt and Pepper

Feta cheese

1-1.5 lb Boneless Chicken Breasts 

Directions

1. Combine spinach, onion, garlic, EVOO, salt and pepper and water in food processor. 

2. Brown chicken in skillet and set aside once cooked. 

3. Boil pasta for no more than 5 minutes. Drain all but 1.5 cups of pasta water. Combine pasta, reserved pasta water and spinach pesto in deep sauce pan. Reduce down by a 1/3. 

4. Serve hot with chicken atop pasta and garnish with feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken is an easy low carb and gluten free meal perfect for any night of the week. Serve with some roasted veggies and rice for a complete meal!

Course: Main 

Cuisine: Mexican 

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 320 kcal

Original Author: Isabel Eats

Ingredients

• 4 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a meat tenderizer to pound out the breasts until they're all the same thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until both sides are browned.

3. Place skillet in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.

4. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the cooked chicken to a large plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Place the same hot skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet to get the brown bits off the pan. The skillet should still be very hot so be careful.

6. Add the green chiles and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lime juice, cumin, oregano and coriander.

7. Mix together and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes or until liquid has greatly reduced.

8. Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the cream and cilantro. Place the cooked chicken in the sauce and serve.

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Nutrition Facts

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 /4th of recipe)

Calories 320Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 112mg37%

Potassium 370mg11%

Total Carbohydrates 4g1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A9%

Vitamin C15%

Calcium5%

Iron9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Avocado Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Where do I begin?! YUM ... that's where. I wanted something healthy and fresh for dinner. I searched for a few ideas online and came across this salad dish and changed it up just a bit. I am in love with the dressing and used the leftovers for a burger the next day. It could even be used as a dip or hummus for chips.


Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups spinach

1 carrot, julienned
1 radicchio, chopped (optional)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Quinoa

The Avocado Peanut Dressing

1/4 avocado
1/2 cup peanuts
Juice of one 1/2 lime
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine honey, lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper. Marinate chicken in this mixture for at least 30 minutes.

2. Grill the chicken. Once cooked through, set chicken aside and allow to cool slightly. Cut into slices.

3. To make the dressing: Mix the ingredients (avocado, rice vinegar, peanuts, lime juice, olive oil and garlic) together in a blender or food processor. Adjust with salt and pepper.

4. Combine the chopped spinach carrots, cilantro, red onion and radicchio in a large bowl and toss it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the quinoa and chicken on top along with the avocado. Drizzle on the dressing, top with chopped peanuts, and serve!

Note: The avocado peanut dressing can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a couple of days.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced (or red onion)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt your butter
2. Add chicken thighs, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned. It doesn't need to be cooked through yet, just sear it. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Bring the heat down to medium and add shallots and garlic. Saute until tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, chicken broth, honey, and mustard to the skillet, and stir to combine.
5. Add chicken thighs back to the skillet in the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until chicken in cooked through.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
7. Serve warm.

Original recipe from: The Gracious Wife

Serves: 4-8

Bruschetta with Artichoke Hearts and Parmesan

Ding ding! This is a family favorite! This can be made ahead and stays in the fridge for up to a few days. 

Bruschetta Topping

1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and patted dry

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper

2 oz Parmesan cheese, 1 oz grated (1/2) cup and 1 oz shaved

Toasted Bread

French Bread cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 Garlic clove

Olive Oil

Directions

1) Pulse artichokes, oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor, about 6 pulses.

2) Add grated Parmesan and cloves to combine, about 2 pulses.

3) Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 

4) When ready to serve, adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

5) Place bread on prepared sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes.

6) Lightly rub one side of toast with garlic and oil and season with salt to taste. Garnish the artichoke mix with shaved parmesan.

Lemon Orzo Pasta

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Orzo
1/8 Cup Green Onion, Chopped
1/2 Cup Garbanzo Beans
1/2 Cup Feta Cheese
The juice from 1/2 a Lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Basil to taste
Garlic to taste

Directions

1) Cook the orzo per the directions. I salted my water.
2) Mix the orzo and list of ingredients together in a bowl
3) I added about a 1/8-1/4 Cup of basil, 1-2 Tbsp. of minced garlic and the same of Olive Oil.
4) Refrigerate for a couple hours to chill before serving.

Indian Butter Chicken

1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 pounds chicken thighs, on the bone
¼ pound unsalted butter
4 teaspoons neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 medium-size tomatoes, diced
2 red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
 Kosher salt to taste
⅔ cup chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade
1 ½ cups cream
1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds
½ bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

Directions:

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown.

Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the almonds, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. 

Garnish with the cilantro leaves.

(from Foodgawker & the New York Times)

Tahini and Roasted Walnut Oil Salad Dressing

1/2 c Tahini
1/2 c Roasted Walnut Oil***
1/2 c Water
1/4 c Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp of Lemon juice
2 tsp of minced fresh garlic
2 tsp of minced fresh ginger


*** I bought a Trio pack from Trader Joe's that consists of Roasted Walnut Oil, Roasted Pistachio Oil, and Roasted Hazelnut Oil. You may use regular Olive Oil as a substitute.

Cheese Tortellini and Sun-Dried Tomato Soup

Ingredients

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup, undiluted
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups 2% milk*
2 cups half-and-half cream*
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon onion powder (I used half a shallot instead)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used fresh, minced garlic)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Additional shredded Parmesan cheese, optional


*I'm aware there is a lot of dairy in this soup. Next time I may try all milk or 3 cups of skim milk and 1 cup cream next time to cut down on fat. If you try to change the recipe and it's good, let me know!

Directions

1) Cook tortellini according to package directions.

2) Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. 

3) Drain tortellini; carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired.

Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Baked Curry Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 chopped green onion, green part only

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line the bottom of a roasting pan or cookie sheet with foil. Place a roasting or cooling rack on top.

In a large bowl, toss together the wings and oil. Place cubed chicken onto rack in the pan and bake 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, curry powder, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and sugar.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour mixture and stir to form a roux (similar to a paste). Whisk in the chicken broth and milk, trying to smooth the sauce as much as possible. Bring to a boil, whisking often until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Once the chicken is cooked, toss with the curry sauce. If the sauce cooled down and thickened too much, reheat until hot again, adding a little more chicken broth to thin it out if necessary. Top with green onion. Serve immediately.

I served it over Basmati rice and garlic Naan


Adapted from: (www.chocolatemoosey.com)

Curried Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 green pepper, chopped (or 1 stalk celery)
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons yogurt (or mayo)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium size mixing bowl combine chickpeas, garlic, curry powder, green pepper, onion, yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.

Lemongrass Chicken Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped (seeded if you want less heat)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 stalks of lemon grass, cut into large chunks and bruised
• 3 tsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and either sliced thin or grated
• 1 Tb sugar
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 2-3 cups of water or stock
• 1 cup sugar snap peas or broccoli
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 Tb sriracha
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 Tb coconut oil
• Lime wedges, for garnish
• 1 green onion, sliced for garnish

Directions

1. Saute onion, jalapeno in coconut oil until onion begins to soften. Then add garlic and lemongrass. Toss around in the oil for another minute or so until garlic begins to caramelize.
2. Then add spices (curry powder, garam masala and turmeric), fresh ginger and sugar. Toss to coat.
3. Add cubed chicken and season with salt and pepper. Toss chicken in the other flavors and allow to lightly brown on the outside.
4. Add your veggies. Mushrooms, peppers, peas and green onion. (Note* I added my broccoli until the very end to avoid over cooking). Toss to coat with everything.
5. Add your liquid, coconut milk and 2 cups of stock or water. There should be enough liquid to lightly cover everything, so you may need to adjust accordingly. Also add a few dashes of sriracha.
6. Cover and cook on medium-low until chicken is cooked through. About 20 minutes. When done, add lime juice. 
7. Garnish with green onion and lime wedges.