Egg Avocado Bake
Large avocados
Eggs (1 egg per avocado half, or 2 per whole avocado)
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro, scallions, and hot chilies for optional toppings
Halve an avocado and remove the pit. Scoop out some of the flesh (about 1 tablespoon) so you have a hole big enough for your egg. Repeat with remaining avocados.
Put the avocados in a small baking dish. You want them to be sort of snug, so they don’t tip over. It helps to nestle the avocados in pie weights, dried beans, or coarse salt to keep them standing up straight. Pro tip: Put a couple drops of hot sauce or whatever condiment you like in the hole before you add the egg. Crack one egg at a time into a small ramekin or glass. Slide an egg carefully into the hole of each avocado. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle any desired condiments over the avocado halves. I like to use a little pesto or chimichurri here. Bake at 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until your egg whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny.
Douse with some greens or toppings (cilantro, scallions, and hot chilies are all delicious options)!
Buddha “Fettuccine” Alfredo
“FETTUCCINE”
2 extra-large turnips, spiralized
Shredded carrots (eyeball to serve you adequately; I like 1 cup)
Shredded, destemmed lacinato kale (eyeball to serve you adequately; I like 2 cups)
BRAZIL NUT SAUCE
6 tablespoons Brazil nut butter (½ cup Brazil nuts can also be substituted)
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
Sea salt to taste
Blend all the ingredients in a Blendtec, Vitamix, or NutriBullet on high. Pour about ¼ cup sauce over the vegetables, adding more if you need it to evenly coat them.
Plant-Based Fajitas
Makes 2½ cups
LENTIL-WALNUT MEAT
1 cup uncooked French green lentils (you will need 1¾ cups cooked lentils)
1 cup walnut pieces
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or to taste
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
TOPPINGS/WRAPS
1 to 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used one, but next time I will use 2 for ample leftovers)
½ to 1 large onion, thinly sliced (I used ½ onion, but next time I will use 1 for ample leftovers)
Cashew Sour Cream (recipe follows)
Diced tomatoes or salsa
Green onion and fresh lime juice, for garnish
Lettuce wraps (large romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce leaves)
Other topping options include sliced avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, etc.
Rinse lentils in a fine-mesh sieve. Add to a medium pot along with a few cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender (cook time will vary depending on the type of lentils you use). Drain off excess water.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 to 13 minutes, watching closely, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet or wok. Cook the onion and peppers over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat if necessary and stirring frequently, until translucent.
Place 1¾ cups cooked lentils (you’ll have some left over) and all the toasted walnuts into a food processor and pulse until chopped (make sure to leave texture). Stir or pulse in the oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir in the oil and the water and mix until combined.
Prepare the rest of your vegetable toppings and wash and dry the lettuce wraps.
Assemble: Place a large lettuce leaf onto a plate, top with taco “meat,” sautéed peppers and onion, and the rest of your desired toppings.
Adapted from Oh She Glows
Cashew Sour Cream
1 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Place cashews in a cup or small bowl and cover by about ½ inch with boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain cashews and place in a blender with vinegar, lemon, salt, and about ¼ cup water. Blend until very smooth, adding more water as required to purée the mixture.
Blackened Cajun Salmon
Salmon is filled with good-fat omega-3 fatty acids that promote antioxidants and have antidepressant, antiaging, and anti-arthritis effects. It’s also delicious and incredibly versatile. You don’t have to wait for Mardi Gras to spice meals up. (This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 salmon fillets or steelhead trout
CAJUN SPICE RUB
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon onion salt
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Melt coconut oil in a skillet or on a grill pan on medium heat. Mix spices together and spread them out on a plate. Dip both sides of your salmon fillets in this spice mix. When the pan is nice and hot, add the salmon. Turn down the heat.
Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon. For thin pieces, start with 2 minute per side; for thicker fillets, go with 3 or 4.
Serve with sweet potatoes and a green vegetable and you’ll get both glowing skin and glowing compliments from your guests.
Black Cod with Miso
Serves 2
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons tamari
½ cup white miso paste
1 tablespoon erythritol or few drops of stevia (optional)
1 pound (2 to 3 fillets) black cod
Mix the olive oil, white miso paste, tamari, and sweetener (if you’re using it) in a container and set aside. Clean the fillets and pat them dry. Place the fish into the container, coat them with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the fish from the fridge and scrape off the marinade. Coat a grill or grill pan with olive oil and set to high heat. Add the fish and cook until browned on each side, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the fillets to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until nice and flaky.
Braised Turmeric Cinnamon Chicken
Serves 4 to 6
1 whole chicken, chopped into 8 pieces
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon turmeric
Olive oil
1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 14-ounce cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes
½ cup chicken broth (or bone broth if you have it!)
Fresh mint and parsley to garnish
Wash and dry chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and a light sprinkling of ground cinnamon and turmeric on each side.
Coat large pot with olive oil and place over high heat. When oil is hot, sear chicken pieces for 1 minute on each side, until the skins are browned. Remove chicken pieces from pan and set aside.
Lower heat to medium-high and add onions. Stir for a minute until soft, then add garlic. Let cook for another minute until translucent. Add cinnamon sticks, tomatoes, and broth and season with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to simmer. Add chicken pieces back into the pot, submerging in the liquid. Simmer for about 2 hours uncovered, shaking the pan from time to time to move the chicken around, until meat is falling off the bone.
Garnish with mint and and/or parsley and serve over riced cauliflower and steamed spinach.
Pro tip: It’s all about the 2-hour simmer. Slow your roll with this one. Slow food!
Grass-Fed Beef and Vegetable Stew
2 pounds stew meat from grass-fed beef
1 large sweet onion
5 large carrots
5 to 7 stalks celery
1 pound yams or butternut squash
8 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons coconut oil (expeller-pressed)
1 cup red wine (preferably organic)
1 to 2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
6 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (more or less to suit your taste)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 quarts beef stock (homemade is best)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Cut your stew meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Chop your onions, celery, carrots, and yams or squash into bite-size pieces. Set aside. Mince garlic.
In a heavy stockpot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add your garlic and meat and cook until the meat is browned, but be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the vegetables and stir until they are mixed in well with the meat (you may need to add a tad more oil). Add the red wine and cook for 5 to 8 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the tomato paste and spices. Stir to combine. Add the beef stock.
Cover and bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat. Let simmer for 1 hour and then taste for salt and seasoning. Adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes. If you want a thicker stew, you can add in arrowroot at this time. The stew can be eaten at this point (provided the veggies are done), but it tastes best if it can simmer on very low heat for 3 to 4 hours before serving.