Maple-Walnut Chicken Thighs and Cheddar-Apple Rice

This was a little more time consuming than I originally thought, but well worth the effort. Since we don't eat rice, I just substituted cauliflower florets (frozen) to make cauli-rice and it turned out great!! Below are my modifications. The original recipe can be found here.

1 cup Walnut Halves
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 package froze cauliflower florets
2-½ cups Chicken Stock, Divided Use
1 whole Apple (peeled, Seeded, And Chopped)
¾ cups Packed Flat-leaf Parsley Leaves
¼ cups Packed Fresh Dill
Salt And Coarsely Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 pieces Bone In Chicken Thighs
¼ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cups Dark Maple Syrup


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F).
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes.
In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the cauliflower and saute for a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to boil, and lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes longer.

While the cauliflower cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the cauliflower during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1-2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season alot with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook turning once, until browned 10-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drain off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat and add the vinegar to the skillet. Cook, scraping all the the drippings then add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock, the maple syrup, and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened about 1 minute longer. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon the sauce over them. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with the cauli-rice. Delicious!!

Chocolate Coconut Pie

This is a super easy recipe and so good! It feels like a decadent treat, but really it's not! One of the few treats with no added sugar, not even honey! You may need to increase the amount of butter for the 'crust'. Using unsweetened coconut made the crust super crumbly. You can check out the original recipe here on Tasty Kitchen. Below are my modifications!

• 4 Tablespoons grass fed/pastured Butter, Softened
• 14 ounces, weight unsweetened Coconut Flakes
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 10 ounces, weight 70% dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Canned Coconut Milk, Refrigerated So Cream Separates From Liquid

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a food processor, combine the softened butter with 1/3 of the coconut and process until it comes together. Slowly add the remaining coconut. If it gets too thick to process, remove to a bowl and mix the rest by hand.

3. Place a 9-inch pie pan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press coconut mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, leaving the top edges loose and fluffy.

4. Make a foil ring to prevent the edges from burning: Tear off a piece of foil about 3 times the length of the pan. Fold it lengthwise twice. Wrap it around the pie so it covers the crust.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the center starts to brown. Remove foil ring and bake another 3-5 minutes or until edges are browned.

6. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

1. Pour chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl.

2. Scoop the coconut cream from the canned coconut milk into a measuring cup. If you have less than 1 cup of cream, finish filling the measuring cup with the coconut liquid. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

3. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until completely smooth. This may take a few minutes.

4. Pour into cooled crust and place uncovered in the refrigerator until set, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

I made this for lunch on Day 4 of the Paleo Challenge 2012. Oh. My. Hell. It is good. I made several changes to the recipe to make it Paleo, but you can check out the original version over at Tasty Kitchen here. I haven't blogged or updated recipes for a while. It feels good. I missed it. Life gets so busy before you realize it you forget about the things you love doing. So, I'm back. I'm taking the paleo challenge as more of a life challenge. So, I'm trying to streamline Max's bedtime, keep the house clean, cook meals every night and start working out again. whew. That is a lot to do.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Gorgonzola Quiche

3 whole Onions

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided

1 whole Sweet Potato

Gorgonzola Cheese

6 whole Eggs

2 cups coconutMilk

½ teaspoons Pepper

¼ teaspoons Nutmeg

To caramelize onions, slice onions into an even 1/4″ slice and heat a medium pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Start cooking onions, stirring occasionally. After onions have cooked for 15-20 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to let cook, letting more time go by before you stir the onions (I go for about 15-20 minute increments.) Continue to cook and stir onions until golden, soft, and cooked down – usually 60-75 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare sweet potatoes, peel and cut into 1/4″ slices. Toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and place on a covered baking tray. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and begin to brown. The onions, and sweet potatoes can be done all at the same time.

Preheat oven to 375˚F when you are ready to assemble and bake the quiche.

Once the three elements are ready, layer the sweet potatoes into the bottom of the pie dish. Sprinkle caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese on top. Finally, whisk eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg together. Pour the egg mixture over the filling ingredients.

If you don’t want to bake it now, it is at this point that you can cover the quiche, place in the refrigerator, and let sit for up to day before baking.

To bake, carefully transfer quiche to the oven on a baking tray. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the filling domes up and barely jiggles. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Getting ready for Christmas

The title is not a lie. I am getting ready for Christmas. I love Christmas and Thanksgiving, the latter being my favorite, but I love the traditions of Christmas. One of which is baking ridiculous amounts of cookies to give to friends.

Just a small alert: Christmas is 57 days, 10 hours and 38 minutes from right now!!

So, I've started making my Christmas cookie list to make. This year holds a special distinction for me.. paleo vs. non-paleo. Last year I did not make such a distinction, I just made what I wanted (which was like 20 varieties of cookies!). But this year it doesn't look like I am going to do it that way! I have paleo peeps and non-paleo peeps and I want to give to paleo what is due to paleo .. ok bad reference, but you get my point! So I started making my list. Here's what I have so far. This list will most definitely be cut down between now and when the baking starts:

Christmas Cookie List:

Non-Paleo
Sugar cookies (JB)
Cake pops (Bakerella)
Chocolate chip
Homemade almond joy (JB)
Lauren’s Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies (JB)
Monster cookies (PW)
Oatmeal (me)
Cinnamon rolls (PW)


Paleo

Chocolate chip cookies (EP)
Raspberry fig muffins (EP)
Pumpkin bars (Me)
Lemon blueberry custard tarts (CPG)
Almond joy chocolate bark (EP)
Peppermint patties (EP)
Mounds candy bars (EP)
Chocolate raspberry bonbons (EP)
Nut butter cups (EP)
Dina’s delightful cookies (EP)
Orange cake (EP)
Gluten free Twinkies (EP)
Hamanataschen (EP)
Chocolate covered cherries (EP)
Orange chocolate coconut clusters (EP)
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies (RM)
Coconut Macaroons (EP)
Raw energy bars (RM)

A little legend for reference: EP=Elana's Pantry, RM=Rawmazing, PW=The Pioneer Woman, CPG=Cosmopolitan Primal Girl, JB=Joy the Baker, Me = ME :)!

I thought this list was really interesting because I think it shows a shift in the way I eat. A dramatic shift from last year. Given that the paleo (well, as paleo as a baked good can get) list is twice as long as the "normal" list.

If you have an idea or preference or something you definitely want to see in a cookie basket, comment!

Paleo Latkes

These are a fall staple for breakfast in our house. We love squash and it's not only comforting but also super easy to whip up a batch in the morning or evening. You can make them sweet or savory and they store well in the fridge. I usually make a big batch and cook them up on my griddle and store them layered with parchment paper between layers in the fridge for a few days (as if they last that long).

Latkes

4c butternut squash, shredded (food processor or shredder)
3 eggs, whisked
1 small onion (optional - I add for a more savory approach)
EVOO

Optional Toppings:
blackberry preserves
unsweetened applesauce
greek yogurt

In a large bowl make batter by mixing together squash, eggs (and onion if using)
Use your hands to form batter into 3 inch patties
In a large skillet, heat oil (I typically use EVOO but have used Grapeseed in the past with success)
Fry patties on each side over medium heat until golden brown and crispy

Top with your favorite topping or enjoy plain.

Paleo Pizza

I've tried a couple versions of paleo pizza. I wasn't impressed. One recipe used almond flour but the crust was too soggy and you couldn't hold it in your hand. I tried to save some leftovers but that was a disaster! There is another "primal/paleo" pizza recipe for a cauliflower crust but it uses a ton of cheese just for the crust alone.

Then along came this recipe. It's awesome. It might be a weekly event in the Trzop-Vos, Vos household as the hubs says. It is easy to make and versitile. I think you could even freeze the crust for future use but haven't tried this yet. You can hold the pizza slice in your hand like "normal" pizza or use a knife and fork. The crust was really tasty too! I call this my almost paleo pizza because I did use some raw milk mozzarella cheese, but you can omit if you are trying to avoid dairy.

Another Mark's Daily Apple Hit - Perfect Primal Pizza The link is actually a video, so below is the transcribed version of the video with some added commentary from me!

Seriously, enjoy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:
4 eggs
1/3c coconut flour **make sure you sift to avoid lumps
1/3c flax meal
1/2c coconut milk
spice (optional: I used parsley,basil and garlic powder and highly recommend it!)


Method:

Mix eggs, flour, meal and milk in a bowl until it looks like pancake batter consistency. Don't worry it won't be too thin! Add spices if using.

Place parchment on a cookie sheet. **This is a key step! At the 10-minute mark you will need to flip the crust over and parchment paper makes this sooo much easier! I ran out and only had aluminum foil which did not work very well!

Pour batter onto cookie sheet and form into the shape you desire. Any shape will do. I did a rectangle because it was really easy but a circle or square or triangle will work too!

Put crust in the oven for 10 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, remove crust from oven and flip over. Place crust back in oven for 10 more minutes.

While the crust is cooking, prepare your toppings. I used sausage, ham, pepperoni (nitrate/nitrite etc free), onions and mushrooms. I cooked the meats in a skillet and threw in the veggies toward the end just to let them soften a little while my crust was cooking.



At 20 minutes remove the crust from the oven. Top with your favorite sauce (or make your own!), toppings (meats/veggies) and cheese if using.



Put the oven on broil and put the pizza back in the oven for 60 seconds or until the cheese it melted.




Remove from oven, slice, serve and devour!!

** Update! 10/26/2010 - The hubs and I had this for dinner last night. It truly is a great recipe. It's so easy and quick and oh so delicious. I got some more parchment paper and it really made all the difference. It was so much easier to flip. A couple of things I noticed: make sure you don't leave the dough/batter to thick on the cookie sheet otherwise it won't be as crispy as you may like it. Also, don't be afraid to spread the batter a little thinner and cover more area on your cookie sheet. Still a delish recipe and I highly recommend it!! **

Strawberry Ice Cream

Have I mentioned how much I love Elana's Pantry? Back in the summer I really wanted an ice cream maker but was deterred by the hubs. Recently I was out yard saling and found a Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream maker for $8! Score!! So, I decided to give Elana's Homemade Strawberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream a try! Mine did not look like the version in her picture. Perhaps it's because I omitted the agave. It was still good but more like Italian Ice. It was my first try at ice cream so I'll give it another try!

Strawberry Ice Cream
(1) 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
(1) 10 ounce package frozen strawberries
¼ cup agave nectar **I omitted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla beans (optional) ** I added



Blend all ingredients in a blender
Pour into ice cream maker and process according to instructions
Serve

Chili!

It's chili time again. I love chili in the fall! This is my sister's recipe and it's so delish, it's my favorite chili recipe! The crock pot makes it a super fast and easy dinner. You can add beans about a half-and-hour before you serve, but since I don't eat beans these days, I omit. Serve with some delicious raw cheddar cheese (just a bit!) on top!

1 lb ground beef
1 lb mild or hot (depending on preference) sausage
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (usually, I get the chili kind or the onion/garlic kind)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (unsalted is always a good choice)
2 T chili powder
1 & 1/2 t ground cumin (this is the secret to this recipe!)
salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 cans light or dark kidney beans (depending on how much you want) rinsed & drained

1. Brown beef and sausage in skillet until cooked



2. Mix beef and remaining ingredients, except beans in a slow cooker (or pot, if using the stove, add the beans)



3. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The longer it cooks and simmers the better is tastes or until onion is tender -- you can't cook it too long!



**If you don't use a crock pot, add all ingredients and cook until heated through. Cook for at least an hour and a half until it reaches desiered consistency. Boil at first then simmer the remaining time**

4. Stir in beans then cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes.

Jambalaya

It's getting cold outside and there is nothing better than a warm, soupy comforting dish on a chilly fall night. I was worried that the cauliflower in the dish would be overwhelming, but I was happily wrong. It really helps add the rice texture of the traditional Jambalaya dish. This is super easy to make and so delish! The hubs and I even argued over who would get the leftovers.

This is another Mark's Daily Apple hit!!

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb andouille sausage, cut into ¼ inch thick slices (I use Aidells found @ Kroger)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced crushed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1.5 cups chicken stock (I used Pacific something organic free range reduced sodium broth)
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme (I omit because I hate dried thyme)
1 tbsp parsley (fresh is preferable, but dried will do in a pinch!)
1 tsp chili powder
1 large head of cauliflower
2 cups shelled, deveined and cleaned shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and lightly cook the sausage and chicken over medium heat.




Once golden, add onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent.




Transfer items from the frying pan into a large pot. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, parsley and chili powder and bring to a simmer.




While the mixture is simmering (you’ll want to let it go for about 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally), place the cauliflower in a food processor and shred until it becomes the consistency of rice. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the mixture and simmer for another 15 minutes until tender.



Add shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust other spices as needed.




Serve piping hot. Enjoy!!

Paleo Pecan Raisin Bread!

And the best part is (1) it's like bread, (2) it is super easy to make and (3) NO AGAVE!!!

Seriously, try this today.

Pecan-Raisin Bread

3/4 c creamy roasted almond butter @ room temp
4 lg eggs
1/4 c blanched almond flour
1/4 c arrowroot powder
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 c pecans, coarsely chopped **
1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 7x3 loaf pan with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour.

In a large bowl, mix the almond butter with a handheld mixer until smooth, and then blend in the eggs. IN a medium owl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Blend the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold in the pecans and raisins. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 min on the bottom rack of the oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

To store: wrap the bread in a paper towel, place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. WIll keep for up to six days (as if it would last that long!).

Thanks Elana's Pantry for the recipe!

**the only change I would make would be to toast the pecans first.

Butternut Squash Latke

This creates a well rounded and satisfying breakfast!

Latkes

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and grated
1 small onion, peeled and grated (**I've had with and without onions, both are good, but I prefer without)
3 eggs, whisked
grapeseed oil, for frying(**I use olive oil)

-In a large bowl make latke batter by mixing together squash, onion and eggs
-Use your hands to form batter into 3 inch patties
I-n a large skillet, heat oil
-Fry patties on each side over medium heat until golden brown and crispy
-Remove latkes from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil
-Repeat Steps 2-4 until batter is used up
-Serve with applesauce, sour cream or yogurt

Very Vanilla Cupcakes - Paleo!

A co-worker is having a birthday and she actually eats like me (well, almost)! So, I thought I'd make her some paleo cupcakes. They are as paleo as a cupcake can get (let's not get into the Agave debate!!!). So, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, yum!!!

Ok, I'm going to try 2 different recipes for this! I'll let you know which one is better!!

Cupcake 1:
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

-In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
-In a small bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
-Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
-Pour batter into well oiled muffin tins
-Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
-Cool completely
-Top with chocolate frosting

Cupcake 2:

2 large eggs, separated
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1/2 c agave nectar
1 T vanilla extract
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 & 1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda

-Preheat oven to 350. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners.
-In a large bowl, whisk the eggs yolks until pale yellow with a handheld mixer, then whisk in grapeseed oil, agave, vanilla, and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs whites to stiff peaks with a hand held mixer. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixtures.
-In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda, then gently fold into the egg mixture. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
-Bake for 20-30 min, until the tops are golden brown or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes; the center will sink just a bit - that is normal. Frost, if desired, then serve


Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup dark chocolate 73%
½ cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch celtic sea salt
-In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and grapeseed oil
-Stir in agave, vanilla and salt
-Place frosting in freezer for 15 minutes to chill and thicken
-Remove from freezer and whip frosting with a hand blender until it is thick and fluffy
-Frost over cake, chocolate or vanilla cupcakes or between cookies

Savory Vegetable Quiche - Paleo!

The crust smells amazing when it's baking and the whole thing is amazing!!! YUM!!

Savory Vegetable Quiche

Crust:
1 & 1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T minced scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1 T water

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and scallions. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and water. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press dough into a pie pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Quiche:

2 T grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 c mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry packed)
3 large eggs, whisked
4 oz goat cheese (** I omitted this ingredient to make it paleo)
1/2 t sea salt
1 savory pie crust

Preheat oven to 350

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onion is sauteing, steam the broccoli until it is bright green. Add the steamed broccoli, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes and saute for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli softens. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheese (** if using), and salt. Stir in the sauteed vegetables, then pour the mixture into the crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned around the edges and cooked through. Let the quiche cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then serve.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Blueberry Banana Muffins:

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 t sea salt
1 & 1/2 t baking soda
2 T grapeseed oil
3 large eggs
2 c (4-5) mashed very ripe bananas
1 c frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

in a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir the bananas into the batter, then fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 30 min, then serve.

As Paleo as it gets Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, so Agave isn't the greatest for you, but it's better than the alternative! Sometimes you just NEED a cookie! Well, here's a Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. They are actually pretty good. One "batch" doesn't make a whole lot, so you may need to make two! The "official taste-tester" is on hiatus, so in my opinion, these are pretty good for a paleo cookie! Though, next time I am going to cut down on the agave ...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour *
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate 73%

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
Mix wet ingredients into dry
Form ½ inch balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes
Cool and serve

Paleo Baking

The hubs is leaving tomorrow and so I am sending him on his way with some Paleo baked treats!

Breakfast Bars:

1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar (** I only added a third of this to cut down on the sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup almond slivers
¼ cup raisins

1. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
3. Stir dry ingredients into wet
4. Mix in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins
5. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with grapeseed oil
6. Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly
7. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
8. Serve

Official taste tester said: "Scrumptious"

Roasted Cauliflower and Seared Ahi Tuna

Roasted Cauliflower:

Ingredients

* 1 head of cauliflower
* 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
* Lemon juice (from 1/2 or a whole lemon)
* Olive oil
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper (*I used Celtic Sea Salt - be careful it's very potent!)


1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.

2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower.

Seared Ahi Tuna:

Season Tuna with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tuna and press down. Place seasoned side down in the pan. Sear 1 & 1/2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on your preferred doneness). It should be pink in the middle for best taste.

Enjoy!

Root Vegetable Chicken Apple Sausage Stew

Such a comforting stew in the cold winter! Yum!

1 butternut squash or acorn squash
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1 & 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or chix broth or grapeseed oil, divided (I used veg broth - Brand: Pacific Natural Foods)
2 c kale, spinach, chard or collards, washed, chopped, and stems removed
4 chicken apple sausages, fully cooked and sliced (I used Adiells Chicken and Apple Sausage)
Cayenne Pepper
dried thyme, crushed

Preheat oven to 400f.
Pierce squash with the point of a knife and microwave on high power for 3-4 minutes. when the squash is cool enough to handle, peel, seed and cube it.
In a saute pan, saute the squash and sweet potatoes in 1/2 cup of the broth until they begin to soften. Add the greeens, continuing to saute, stirring frequently. Stir in the remaining broth, then add the sausages, pepper and thyme to taste.

Bake for 30 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times with the pan juices. Serve hot.