Chicken & Veggie Marinara Casserole with Whole Wheat Orzo

So, it's Friday & I haven't posted a single recipe from this week's menu. Monday we ended up spending the day at my in-laws cottage on what was supposed to be the hottest day yet this summer. It only ended up being in the high 70's, but the pool still felt great & of course the boys had fun. We stayed there through dinner & I noshed on grilled chicken, peas & carrots & grilled peaches with blueberries. Not exactly what I had planned to cook at home, but the time spent with grandparents was worth it!

My husband was out of town from Monday until midnight Tuesday & frankly I didn't have the energy left in me to make dinner after a long weekend, a long Monday & swim lessons after dinner Tuesday. We ended up picking up a yummy salad for me & a chicken quesadilla for the boys from a local restaurant. You do watchya gotta do sometimes!

I did actually make the turkey burgers last night, but they weren't as good as I hoped & I don't believe I should share a so-so recipe here. I'll keep searching for a tastier recipe.

Now last night's dinner was delicious! I can't wait until we have an over-abundance of zucchini & yellow squash in our garden, because I'll definitely make this again. It's super simple, full of vegetables & I bet it could be prepped in the morning, other than pour on the the sauce & sprinkling on the cheese.

Recipe

Serves 6

• 2 1/2 cups Chicken, cooked & diced
• 1 Zucchini, diced
• 1 Yellow Squash, diced
• 1 - 12 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Dried Basil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Layer the chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish. Next, pour in zucchini & yellow squash.
• Pour the tomato sauce & top with cheese.
• Sprinkle on the oregano & basil.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden.
• Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package.
• Serve casserole on top of orzo & enjoy!

21DF: 1 Red, 1-1/2 Green, 1/2 Blue, 1 Yellow

Grilled Maple Dijon Glazed Salmon with Sweet Potato Kebabs & Sugar Snap Peas

So far in our week of grilled dinners we've eaten a rendition of my favorite White Balsamic Citrus Basil Chicken with Grilled Asparagus & Red Potato Kebabs & some simple Grilled Sirloin Kebabs with Bell Peppers & Red Onions. Today we'll talk about salmon, a fish some people think is "too fishy."

I used to be one of those people. I refused to eat any other grilled fish besides whitefish because it was like a flakey chicken. Then I learned how to season salmon to minimize that fishy flavor. I'm not sure what it is in the mustard, but by simply adding it to the glaze, you don't taste the fish so much.

Wild-Caught salmon (please, not farm-raised) is important to include in our diets because it's rich in omegas, high in protein & very lean. Plus, it gives you a break from eating chicken all of the time. 

Recipe

Serves 4

Salmon

• 1 pound Wild-Caught Salmon, cut into 4 4-oz. filets
• 2 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos (or Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard 

Sweet Potato Kebabs

• 2 Sweet Potatoes (scrubbed & unpeeled), cut in 1/2" thick rounds
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Sugar Snap Peas

• 1.5 pounds Organic Sugar Snap Peas, washed & ends trimmed off
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

• Whisk together maple syrup, coconut amino & dijon mustard, reserving some for a glaze. Marinate salmon in this mixture for several hours.
• In a pan over medium heat, add butter. When melted, add the sugar snap peas, season with salt & pepper & stir often to prevent burning. Cook for a total of 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Skewers the sweet potatoes on metal skewers (bamboo aren't quite strong enough to pierce through the potatoes). Brush with olive oil & season with salt & pepper. Place kebabs on grill & grill for 7 minutes.
• Flip the sweet potatoes & place the salmon top-side down on the grill & sear for 3 or 4 minutes. Flip salmon onto its skin, add reserved glaze to the top-side & grill for 3 or 4 more minutes. 
• Remove salmon & sweet potatoes from the grill & plate with sugar snap peas.
• Enjoy!

21DF: 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow & 1 teaspoon

Grilled Sirloin Kebabs with Bell Peppers & Red Onions

What would a week of grilled dinners be without the staple steak & veggies? This meal is super simple, but delicious, nutritious & colorful! I love using peppers in meals because of the vibrant rainbow they add & my boys love picking out peppers in the store. Fun for all. ;)

In my opinion, if you buy a good steak, you really don't need to add much more to it other than a little salt & pepper. I prefer to cook with a lean choice cut sirloin over most other cuts, but if I order a steak at a restaurant, I'll take a NY Strip. Just a little something about me!

Anyway, on to the recipe:

Recipe

Serves 8 (because I like leftovers)

• 2 lbs Sirloin Steak, cut into 2" cubes
• 4 Bell Peppers (any color), cut into 2" square pieces
• 1 Red Onion, cut into 2" squares pieces
• 2 cups Pineapple, cubed
• 1 cup Brown Rice

Directions

• Thread steak, peppers & onions onto 8 skewers & season with salt & pepper. Thread pineapple on their own skewers.
• Fire up the grill to medium-high heat & place kebabs, except the pineapple, on the grill to cook.
• Cook brown rice according to package.
• Turn skewers after 4 minutes. Turn 3 more times to grill all sides. Half way through add the pineapple skewers, & cook for a few minutes to bring out the juices.
• Remove all kebabs & plate with brown rice & pineapple. I drizzled a little bit of balsamic vinegar on my steak for a pseudo steak sauce.
• Enjoy!

21DF: 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Purple & 1 Yellow

Ham, Vegetable & Cheese Scramble

If you're following this blog, you probably know I like to start my day off with an Open-Faced Ham & Egg Sandwich. This morning was a little different though. I started another round of the 21 Day Fix today, so instead of waking up & enjoying my usual breakfast with a cup of coffee, I got my workout in early & followed it up with a S'mores Shakeology (delicious recipe coming soon!), so that used up 1/2 of a yellow container. I get 3 a day & I like to use one at breakfast, one for lunch & one for dinner to keep my energy up.

So for my mid-morning meal (since I eat 5 or 6 times a day) when I usually have my shakes, I made an egg scramble packed with veggies & topped with cheese instead. While I was cooking it, I thought it was going to be all runny from the tomatoes, but it was tasty! I'll definitely be making this more often.

Recipe

Serves 1

• 1 tsp Coconut Oil
• 1 Large Egg (preferably free-range)
• 3 slices Nitrate Free Ham, diced
• 3/4 cup Fresh Spinach, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Tomato, diced
• 2 Tbsp Cheese, shredded

Directions

• Over medium heat, melt the coconut oil in a small frying pan.
• Scramble the egg & a splash of water in a bowl & add the chopped spinach, diced ham & diced tomato. Stir to combine.
• Add egg mixture to the pan & cook until spinach is wilted & ham is warmed through.
• Plate your scramble & sprinkle with cheese.
• Enjoy!

Maple Butternut Squash Soup

One of our most frequented restaurants is Panera, because I feel they have fresh & healthy options available for our whole family, although the mac & cheese is a favorite among the littles. This fall they offered a delicious butternut squash bisque that I loved & I knew I could make a lightened up version at home. In about 15 minutes, I had this:

Whenever it's available, I order an organic butternut squash through my local delivery service, Doorganics (post coming soon). They last quite a while in the fridge & when I have a craving for some warm soup on a cold day, this is my favorite lunch!

Recipe:

Serves 4 (1 cup / serving)

• 2 teaspoons Coconut Oil
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 small Butternut Squash, peeled & cubed
• 2 cups Organic Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Stock for vegetarian)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 10 Pecan Halves, chopped
• Maple Syrup

Directions:

• In a medium pot, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions & saute until onions are translucent.
• Add butternut squash, broth, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt.
• Bring the pot to a boil and allow squash to cook until fork tender; about 10 minutes.
• Once squash is cooked, pour contents from pot into a blender or food processor & puree until smooth. 
• Pour soup into bowls, add a swirl of maple syrup & top with chopped pecans.
• Enjoy!

21DF: 1 Green, 1/2 Teaspoon & 1/4 Blue

Balsamic Glazed Steaks with Sauteed Maple Brussles Sprouts

Don't get me wrong, I love a grilled steak, but it's a little difficult to grill when the temperature is in the teens here in the evening. And when it gets dark at 5:30, it's tough to tell the how done your meat is. Lucky for me (& you), the broiler in our oven isn't too shabby when it comes to fulfilling a craving for steak!

 

What I love about this meal is that it's quick, easy, and requires only a few ingredients.

Recipe:

Serves 2 adults & 2 kids

Steaks-

• 3 - 4oz. Sirloin Steaks
• Salt & Pepper
• Cooking Spray

Sprouts-

• 1 pound Brussels Sprouts (approximately 20)
• Avocado Oil
• 3 teaspoons Maple Syrup

Sauce-

• Balsamic Vinegar

 Directions:

• Preheat broiler.
• Spray broiler pan with cooking spray. Season both sides of each steak with salt & pepper.
• Cook steaks for about 5 minutes on each side; more or less according to your preference and steak thickness.
• Meanwhile, add 2 teaspoons avocado oil to a pan. Cut the ends off Brussels sprouts, and remove the outside leaves. Slice in half and add to pan, sautee until slightly crispy and brown. Add a little water and maple syrup. Place a top on the pan and steam for 3 minutes. 
• In a sauce pan add balsamic vinegar and reduce until thick.
• When steaks & sprouts are done, place them on a plate and drizzle the balsamic glaze. 

21DF - 1 Red, 1 Green