Pear and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Shallot Dressing and Roasted Sausages

Simple, flavor-packed... No reason to not make it! I found the original recipe in Everyday Food and modified it a little to fit our diet. It has become one of our favorite post-workout meals because it's so quick.

Serves: 3-4

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pear (I like using Red Anjous - the contrast is pretty!) cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices

1 heaping tablespoon minced shallot

3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and pepper

5 ounces of baby spinach (or your favorite leafy greens - I used a combination since our gardens have finally started producing!)

4-6 sweet turkey sausages

1) In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, shallot, and oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 

2) Heat oven broiler to high and make sure the rack is about 4" below the heat. Pierce sausages all over with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet under the broiler. Cook 8 minutes, turning once. (I always cut into one just to ensure that it's really done before I take them out!)

3) In a medium bowl toss together pears and greens. Divide among dinner plates, and drizzle with dressing. Dinner is served!

"Good Fer Yer Eyes" Salad

When I was growing up, my mom was deathly afraid that all of her many (7!) kids would follow in her and my dad's genetic footsteps and grow up to be blind. Well, not truly blind - my dad is legally blind, and she wears glasses, so I think she was mainly trying to avoid the glasses for all of us. The easiest and cheapest way to do this was to include carrots in each and every one of our lunches. I hate eating carrots now. I really do. But I have to say, this salad has really made them quite palatable, if  not just downright delicious. Make it, eat it, discover a love of carrots previously unrecognized...

Total time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 carrots, cut into long, thin strips with a vegetable peeler
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper

1) In a medium bowl, toss together all ingredients to coat evenly.

2) Serve!

Grilled Chicken and Vegetables

I'm falling down on this blog thing! Yesterday, Aric actually gave the link to a friend, prompting the realization that I hadn't posted in almost a month. Yikes! So here we go...

Don't let the oh-so-bland name of this dish fool you - it's really too good to be true. We had it for dinner last week, and when we invited my dad over for dinner tonight Aric begged for it again!

(Note: You will need a grill for this! I guess you might be able to pull off a decent rendition of it with a broiler, but I'm not certain...)

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 large zucchini, cute lengthwise into 1/4 slices
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Course ground salt and pepper
Coconut oil for grilling

1) Heat the grill to a medium heat. Place the bell peppers over the flame and roast for 16 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and cover tightly, allowing the peppers to steam. Set aside.

2) While the peppers are steaming, brush the sliced zucchini with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 minutes, turning once.

3) Season chicken with salt and pepper, and grill until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. While it is grilling, remove peppers from bowl (they will be hot!) and run under cool water. Gently rub them with your fingers to remove the burnt, loosened outer skin. Once they are cleaned, discard stem and seeds, and slice into 1/2 slices.

4) Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl, and add parsley, cranberries, and artichoke. Season with salt and pepper.

5) Layer the zucchini, chicken, and bell peppers on each plate, and top with dressing mixture. Enjoy... then double all the ingredients next week and invite your friends (or parents) over to enjoy it again!

Thai Skirt Steak with Carrot Salad

Hi all! After a little prodding from friends and family, I'm starting a food blog! I'm definitely enjoying trying out new recipes, and I think sharing them is going to be a lot of fun. Since our diet around here is almost completely gluten and sugar-free, many of the recipes are modified from the original, but don't worry - I won't post unless it's delicious...

So, on to the first recipe! This one takes a little prep time - I nearly forgot to plan for it this morning, but remembered just before I ran out the door (read: fast and easy!).

(Side note: If possible, I don't cook with olive oil if it requires heating: I use coconut oil instead. You don't have to, but from what I've read it seems to be healthier. If you don't have it on hand, olive oil works just as well.)

Serves: 3-4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 min + marinating 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon lime zest, plus the juice from the lime
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed and cut into four pieces
1 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
6 carrots, trimmed and shaved with a peeler
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large ziplock bag mix together curry paste, lime zest, and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Add steak and knead/shake to coat. Refrigerate at least one hour (or up to overnight).

1) Heat remaining coconut oil a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, and cook 7 minutes, turning once, for medium rare. Remove from heat and let it rest on a plate, covered with foil, for 10 minutes. 

2) While the meat is resting, shave the carrots into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, cilantro and olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. 

You're done! Slice the steak thin against the grain, and garnish with extra cilantro.