Dinner

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Blackened Fish Tacos

We love fish tacos in this house, especially if they come in a purple cabbage “tortilla” paired with avocado and pickled onions. This sounds fancy, but I promise this meal is easy.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Keto Quickstart, by Diane Sanfilippo. This meal, however, does not need to be keto. It pairs well with cauliflower rice and Spanish rice.

Print Recipe

Blackened Fish Tacos

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 4 each (6-ounce) boneless salmon (skin-on) or mahi mahi filets
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 head red/purple cabbage
  • 1/2 cup marinated red onion marinate sliced red onion overnight in covered red wine vinegar, sea salt, pepper, galic and dried oregano in a sealed container.
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fresh
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Set an oven rack directly below the broiler and turn the oven to the low broil setting. Heat a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat.
  • Lightly season the skin side of the salmon with salt and season the other side with the spice blend. Place the salmon skin side down in the dry, hot pan and sear for 3 minutes.
  • Transfer the pan to the oven, directly below the broiler. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fish is opaque. Remove the pan from the oven and flake the fish with a fork. Set the skin aside to eat separately.
  • Assemble the tacos: Using 1 or 2 large cabbage leaves per taco, layer on the fish, marinated onions, and cilantro.
Keyword Keto, Low carb, whole30

Sheet Pan Dinners

The gals over at realfoodrds.com always come up with great real food recipes, and simple ones to make.

Print Recipe

Sheet Pan Kielbasa Cabbage and Potatoes

Prep Time 20 days
Cook Time 50 days
Course Main Course
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 each (14-16 ounce) uncured kielbasa
  • 1 lb fingerling potatoes halved
  • 1 small red/purple cabbage or other cruciferous vegetable
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 pinch sea salt and pepper
  • 1 srvg spicey brown mustard for serving, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Place potatoes, onion, garlic, and cabbage on the baking sheet, being careful not to separate the leaves of each cabbage wedges. Drizzle with oil. Gently toss the potatoes, onions, and garlic with oil and carefully rub the oil over the surface of the cabbage wedges.
  • Turn potatoes cut-side down. Arrange kielbasa over potatoes and onions. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper and nestle thyme sprigs into the veggies. If using dried thyme, sprinkle over the veggies along with the salt and pepper. 
  • Place pan in preheated oven and bake 45-55 minutes, rotating pan halfway through the baking time, or until potatoes are tender and golden brown on their undersides. 
  • Remove from the oven, serve with mustard if desired. 
Keyword HIgh protein, Low carb, Low sugar, whole30

Spaghetti Squash and Marinera Meat Sauce:

Preheat oven at 375F.

Pasta

  • 1 spaghetti squash, cut long-ways with seeds scooped and removed
Place the squash face down on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 375F for 45-55 minutes.

Meatballs

  • 1/2 lb pasture-raised pork, groud
  • 1/2 lb organic grassfed beef, ground
  • 2 Tbsp almond meal
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2 eggs, pasture-raised, free range
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt/pepper
Mix all of the above ingredients; best done with your hands. Once well-mixed, portion meatballs a little larger than golf balls and place on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place in the pasta sauce for 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is done.
 
Sauce:
  • 1 4 ounce can organic tomato paste
  • 1 can of organic diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1 Tbsp basil
  • salt/pepper

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on low heat. Finish the directions included with the meatballs and you have yourself a meal.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

  • 1/2 T of coconut oil, or grassfed butter
  • 1 chicken breast, free range, skin and bones
  • 2 drum sticks, free range, skin on, bones in
  • 4 cups, gluten free chicken broth, enough to cover the soup ingredients
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced, add more if your prefer
  • 1/2 yellow onion, add more if you want the soup to be sweeter
  • 7 carrots stalks, chopped
  • 1 celery heart, ~10 stalks, chopped
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 T rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Splash of lemon juice
  • sea salt
  • pepper
 

Directions:

  • Turn slow-cooker to high. Add coconut oil or butter.
  • Place in the chicken.
  • Begin chopping and prepping all other ingredients. Add all ingredients, including broth.
  • Change temperature to Low, and cook for 9-10 hours. Remove chicken and once cool, remove from the bone and shred. Place chicken back into soup mix. Enjoy.

Polish Bigos
A Polish favorite! Ingredients can vary but this batch includes cabbage, sauerkraut, salt/pepper, bacon, pork loin, grass fed beef, calabrese sausage and salami. Pretty much any meat you can get your hands on and the longer the mixture sits, cooks and marries, the better. I allow the mentioned ingredients cook in my slow-cooker overnight and through the morning.

 

Sweet Chili Sea Bass

Ingredients include Sea bass, marinaded in sweet and spicy chili (Asian inspired) sauce, homemade guacamole and sauteed onion

Kelly’s Fiber-Rich Chili

  • 2 lbs of grassfed beef, ground
  • 2 6 oz. cans organic tomato paste (Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced organic tomatoes (Trader Joe’s)
  • 3 bell peppers, varying colors
  • 10 carrot sticks, organic, about 8 in. long (Trader Joe’s; 1 bag)
  • 2 cups of spinach
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • Spices – 3 T cumin, 2 T chili powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 T pepper, 1/2 T crushed red peppers, 1 T oregano, 1 T paprika – all measurements depend on your taste.
  • 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot sauce (yes, you read that right)

Place slow cooker on high. Once warm throw in the half diced yellow onion, followed by the can of diced tomatoes. Add in the meat. Let cook for about 30 minutes.

During the 30 minutes, chop the bell peppers and all but 3 stalks of carrots into 1-inch pieces. Turn the slow cooker to low and add the bell peppers, carrots, tomato paste, spices and hot sauce. Stir until spices and tomato paste are evenly distributed.

Let the chili cook for 8-10 hours on low, stirring occasionally. Once you get to the end of the process, turn off the heat, add 3 stalks of chopped carrots and the spinach.

I like the variable (crunchy) texture and that is why I add more carrots at the end of the cooking process. As well, adding the spinach provides a more nutrient-dense punch to the meal. Vitamin C can easily be damaged with heat and that is why it is added at the end.

Once cool store half of the chili in your refrigerator and the other half in your freezer, so you have something healthy to eat next month when your time is tight.

Veggie Sausage Stew:

 

  • 1/2 lb farmer’s market ground sausage
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cups celery diced
  • 1 medium to large zucchini, cubed
  • 7 tomatoes cubed
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp of rosemary
  • 1/2 cup parsley, freshly chopped
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to your liking
  • salt to taste

Method: Brown sausage, combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, and allow it to cook on low for several hours. Batch half the meal in a freezer safe container and store half in the refrigerator for the week. *I doubled this recipe by just multiplying the ingredients by 2, but you may want to also increase the amount of spice. This stew was also good with some spaghetti squash. Provided a more comfort food craving.

Healthy Tacos:

  • 1 pound of grassfed beef (or very lean ground beef)
  • Optional – 1/2 onion and/or bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp fresh oregano (dried if frsh isn’t handy)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt or himalayan salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Heat ground meat (and onion or some fresh diced bell pepper) on high. Cook, stirring frequently to break up the meat, until fully cooked, about 8 minutes.
Add spices to beef. If the meat appears dry, add 1-2 Tbsp of water. Stir to fully incorporate.
Turn temperature down to medium and cook another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. I often stir in some salsa at the very end to add more moisture and flavor.

Cauli Mashed Potatoes

  • 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
  • Himalayan sea salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon of gluten-free soup stock (or you can use chicken broth in place of water and the stock. If you use chicken broth, use enough to cover the chopped cauli in the pan).
  • Garlic clove
  • Butter (optional)

Wash and chop the cauliflower in 2 inch pieces. Do not stress over the size. Boil water and soup paste in a large pot. Add in the chopped cauliflower once the paste has infused with the water. Add garlic clove. Turn the temperature down to medium and let the ingredients cook, stirring occasionally for 25 minutes. You want the cauliflower to cook long enough to be able to mash it easily with a fork. Once you reach this point, it’s time to strain the cauliflower. When cool enough to handle either puree the cauli mix with a stick blender or toss it into a food processor until the consistency you desire. Top with salt and butter (optional).

Cauli Rice:

  • 1 head of cauliflower

Directions: Clean and chop a head of cauliflower. Place in a food processor and let the cauliflower churn until it resembles the size of white rice. Remove from food processor and place in a large, hot skillet. Let cauli cook in the skillet for 10 minutes, stirring and keeping covered.

This rice can be made with flavor as well. If you desire, first sauté an onion with coconut oil or butter, and once cooked, add in the cauli and cook as directed. Additionally you can add cilantro and other favorite spices.

Cauli Crust Pizza

  • ½ Large head of cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
  • 2 large egg
  • 1 cup finely shredded mixture of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried minced garlic
  • ½ tsp onion powder

Toppings:

  • 1 cup organic marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s
  • Raw mozzarella cheese (Trader Joe’s)
  • Handful of torn basil leaves

Shred your head of cauliflower with a grater or food processor. Process until a large crumb-like consistency. You do not want to puree the cauliflower. Place ~ 2 cups of the shredded cauliflower into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 8 minutes. Allow cauliflower to cool. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a pizza pan or baking sheet with coconut oil or butter. Mix cauliflower crumbles (the amount will be less because of the microwaving) with the eggs, cheese, and spices. Pour the “dough” onto the pizza pan and shape into a round crust. Lightly spray crust with cooking spray. Cook crust initially for 20 minutes. Pull out of the oven and top it with desired ingredients. Place back in the oven and change the oven setting to broil. Continue to broil the pizza until cheese is melted or for about 5 minutes.

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