paleo

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Sweet Potato Toast

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Sweet Potato Toast

Sweet Potato Toast is amazing!! It's so vibrant and colorful, and is a nutritious alternative to your regular wheat toast - not to mention it's paleo and gluten free! There are endless topping options, and today I'm sharing some yummy ideas with you to get you inspired. Sweet Potato Toast works with sweet or savory ingredients, and is so satisfying that a few of these make a wonderful meal. I'm all about using whatever you've got in the kitchen already, and the hearty, sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes is a great vessel for tons of versatility.

Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

Grilled pineapple is a serious dessert hack! Throwing the fruit on the grill amps up the sweetness, and the warm, caramelized edges are so delicious. Serving this simple grilled fruit with a scoop of coconut ice cream makes the easiest decadent dessert ever. The mix of warm fruit and creamy coconut ice cream is tropical heaven. The best part about this dessert is that it's completely plant-based! I'm enjoying the option of dairy-free ice cream lately, and my tummy couldn't be more happy. 

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Smashed Avocado Salad

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Smashed Avocado Salad

This is my go-to. My Smashed Avocado Salad is the perfect base salad for any time of the day. Top it off with your favorite protein and you have a filling meal that's easy on the calories. Who would have thought that dressing-free salad could be so delicious? Smashed avocado, lime juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper are all you need to cut out those crazy calories that come from just a drizzle of bottled dressing. 

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Spiced Chicken with Creamy Chili Herb Sauce

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Spiced Chicken with Creamy Chili Herb Sauce

You can never have enough chicken recipes in your arsenal! Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not too big on spicy food. But I love this recipe! Smoky, spiced chicken thighs are grilled and topped off with a bright, fresh sauce made of parsley, lime juice, jalapeño, and a drizzle of half-and-half for a little body. Both the spice rub and the herb sauce take minutes to whip up, so this is a great option for weeknights!  Let's get cookin!  

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Vietnamese Pork Chops with Cantaloupe Basil Salad

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Vietnamese Pork Chops with Cantaloupe Basil Salad

Vietnamese food is definitely something I crave often. Tons of fresh herbs, pickled veggies, and multiple layers of flavor are some of my favorite things about Vietnamese food. I would love to learn authentic recipes from someone one day! Today I’m sharing a fun and simple recipe that’s made with ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. If you don’t happen to eat pork, try this delicious marinade on chicken! This marinade works best overnight, so a quick tip is to throw it together while you’re cooking dinner the previous night and throw it in the fridge. This grilled pork turns out so tender and savory, which is accompanied by a sweet cantaloupe salad. Let’s get cookin! 

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Chicken Thighs and Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce

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Chicken Thighs and Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce

Simple, tasty weeknight dinners are so clutch! This one takes minimal prep, uses a bunch of ingredients you already have in the fridge, and yields the tastiest meal. Tender, juicy chicken thighs and crisp Brussels are glazed in a tangy, savory sauce that takes minutes to come together. Let’s get cookin :)

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BBQ Chicken Without The Grill

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BBQ Chicken Without The Grill

My cravings for chicken are often and they are strong. Forget Tuesday, I’m down for Popeye’s any day of the week. Fried, braised, roasted, pan-fried… all of it is good in my book but sometimes there is nothing like some good ole BBQ Chicken. The problem is, there aren’t a ton of spots where you can just get BBQ chicken… so the last time I was having crazy cravings, I decided to just wing it and make my own. The problem with BBQ chicken is that you generally need a grill. Let’s face it, not everyone has a grill, and even the people with a grill don’t always want to fire it up. With #MemorialDay coming along soon, I’ve got a great solution for yummy BBQ chicken without the grill! I loooove Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce - SO cheap and really great balance of sweet and tangy. You can get a huge bottle for about $1.99. I love making drumsticks (for some reason it screams the epitome of BBQ chicken to me haha) and what’s awesome about that is that drumsticks and dark meat in general is so affordable. This recipe is so easy - takes a bit of attentiveness, but makes the juiciest, most delicious chicken ever.

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Watermelon Radish Salad with Sesame Lime Ginger Vinaigrette

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Watermelon Radish Salad with Sesame Lime Ginger Vinaigrette

How gorgeous is this salad?! I found that putting together this recipe was so therapeutic…almost like creating a piece of art. Not only are the colors stunning, but the flavor combinations in this salad are unreal as well. Beautiful curly tendrils of peppery arugula are tossed with bright, crisp slices of watermelon radish. Sweet Cara Cara orange supremes and the slight saltiness of crumbled feta are the perfect addition. Drizzle a little homemade Sesame Lime Ginger Vinaigrette and you have the most beautiful spring salad to celebrate upcoming Earth Day…or any day. This salad would be the perfect base of a grilled piece of fish or even with chicken..but for now, let’s just marvel at how simple this dish is…because the ingredients are so naturally beautiful, any way you toss them together, it looks like a gourmet meal. 
Watermelon radishes’ flesh is white closest to the exterior and becomes bright, with circular striations of pink and magenta toward the center. The flesh is tender crispy, succulent and firm. It has a mild, slightly peppery yet mostly sweet flavor. They come in a variety of sizes, from golf ball to soft ball size. They can be used fresh or cooked, and pair really well with fennel, apple, cheeses such as feta or chevre, white fish, vinaigrettes, citrus…the list goes on. They’re also wonderful when pickled! With that said, here is a recipe for a wonderfully simple salad that according to my taste-testing friend was like “an explosion of flavor in your mouth” :) Let’s get cookin!

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Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken

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Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken

These suckers went fast in my house. A zesty marinade of lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper is a quick way to inject a ton of flavor into any cut of chicken. It’s baked in the oven, which helps cut down on extra oil, and comes out tender and juicy, ready to be finished off with fresh lime zest and chopped cilantro. Because this recipe is really for a simple marinade, it can be used to dress up chicken in almost any dish… chop it up for over a salad, serve it over pasta, rice, quinoa, or throw some pieces into some tacos for a fun weeknight meal. 

This marinade is made of ingredients that are super affordable, and often, all you need to head to the store for is for fresh limes and cilantro. Limes are often on sale at produce markets for fairly cheap prices - this week Safeway had them on sale at 3 for $0.99! You can use this marinade on any cut of chicken - breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. I prefer thighs, even though breasts are healthier and have more protein. If you’re just starting to play with different chicken recipes, I’d suggest cooking up some chicken thighs! You can hardly mess them up :) So let’s get cookin, this one’s a fun one.

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Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey

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Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey

The other night at dinner my friend and I were talking about how much Brussels Sprouts have made a huge comeback. When we were kids, I hated them and avoided them at all costs. Maybe that’s because they weren’t dressed in duck fat (Barbacco in SF has the most amazing Duck Fat Brussels), tossed with bacon, or covered in cheese. These days, Brussels Sprouts are on menus everywhere, in every which way. Just this last week, I had some amazing ones with cinnamon, radishes, and an over-medium egg. Another night, my friend made some with simple olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper, Parmesan, and lemon juice. They were delicious and made me want to play with another recipe using these lil addictive veggies. 
I roasted these Brussels after tossing them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. They get golden brown and crispy in the oven, and this is one of the easiest ways to prepare brussels sprouts! Balsamic vinegar brings a slight tang to the crispy little guys, and a drizzle of honey after roasting balances everything out. Hope you try these out - they’re the best snack or side for dinner ..they’ll even convert the biggest nay-sayer! Let’s get cookin :)