Entrees

Honey Chicken Kabobs
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1" cubes
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, cut into 1.5" pieces
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1.5" pieces
1 medium Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper, cut into 1.5" pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1.5" pieces
1/2 cup Olive Oil (I prefer the extra light)
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup soy sauce or soy-free soy sauce. I love Coconut Secret's Coconut Aminos!
1/2-3/4 tsp pepper (i use 3/4)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Put your cubed chicken and veggies in seperate containers (I don't like to marinate my veggies in the same container as my meat). Mix oil, honey, mustard, soy sauce or substitute, pepper, garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Pour 1/3 cup of your marinade into a small container. Pour the rest of your marinade over your chicken and vegetables, making sure both are well coated. Cover all three containers, and put them in the fridge to set. I find that marinating these overnight gives the best results. However, I have only let them set for 3 hours before, and it was still very good! A few hours before you want to cook your kabobs, make sure to soak your skewers if you are using wooden ones (otherwise they will burn!).
Preheat your grill to medium. Thread your chicken and veggies, alternating however your please. Pour the rest of the marinade from the chicken and veggies away. lightly oil your grill grate and place kabobs on the grill. Cook 10-15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Take your small container of reserved marinade and brush over your kabobs the last couple of minutes of grilling. DELISH!!




Best Skillet Turkey Burger..Ever!
1 lb ground Turkey (Jennie-O is my fav!)
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/4 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion in a small skillet with some olive oil and allow to cool. Once cool, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into four patties. Drizzle the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and turn heat to medium. When oil is warm, add your four patties into the skillet. Let the burgers cook about 4 minutes, then flip them and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes on the second side. Burgers will still be undercooked on the inside! Put the skillet in the oven for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Remember to let your meat settle a few minutes before cutting into your burger to allow the juices to settle! I eat these with Rudis hamburger buns.They rock! If you are Guten-Free, Rudis also makes Gluten-Free Buns! Also, Daiya cheddar shreds are great as a topper.






Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken 

(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup diced yellow onion
Garlic powder to taste (I use a few teaspoons)
Chili powder to taste ( I use about a tablespoon)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup water
Salt to taste (depends on how sweet you want the sauce)

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker except for the chicken. Stir to combine. Add the chicken. Place on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken and shred it with a fork. It should just fall apart! Sauce will still look a bit thin. Place chicken back in the cooker for an additional 30 minutes









Super Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken
(Dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/gluten free/low fat)

18 oz bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ Sauce (or your favorite bottled sauce)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
 2 heaping Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2-3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
Salt and Pepper
2 lbs boneless chicken

Saute' your finely diced yellow onion in one tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan until soft and starts to caramelize. Remove the onion from the heat and allow to cool.
Spray your crockpot with cooking spray (watch your label) or lightly dab with olive oil . Heavily season your chicken with salt and pepper and trim the fat (i also usually cut large breasts in half, but its up to you). Stir together remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Place chicken into crockpot, and pour your prepared sauce over your chicken. Turn Crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. That's it! Yum!







Chicken Fajitas

(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free/gf with gf tortillas)
2.5 pounds of chicken breasts cut into small, thin strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into strips
1 large green pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (only use 1 tsp if you want to reduce sodium)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (1/4 is really spicy. you can completely omit this ingredient)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper (If you use crushed red pepper only use 1/8)
Extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup Chicken Stock ( I use Swanson No MSG)
Tortillas of choice ( i use Ole High Fiber Low Carb. La Tortilla Smart & Delicious Smart Wraps made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this tortilla contains SOY).

Mix your spices together in a small bowl (paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper). Season your chicken strips with about ½ of the spice mix. Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil (1-1.5 Tablespoons) and sauté your chicken over medium heat for about 3 minutes on the first side,flip, and about 3 minutes on the other. Remove the skillet and pour the chicken and juices onto a large plate. Place skillet back on the burner on medium heat and add about one Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, peppers and remainder of seasoning and cook for about 3 minutes. Add chicken (and its juices) and chicken stock into the skillet with the veggies for about 4  minutes on Medium High heat. Remove from heat and serve with tortillas of your choice or on top of lettuce as a salad. This would be great with my guacamole! Recipe is under sides.

Buffalo Turkey Burgers 

(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small-medium carrot, finely chopped  
1 handful frozen southern seasoning mix (onion, red and green peppers, celery, parsley) OR 1/3 cup finely chopped celery and 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and a little parsely
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ lbs ground turkey or chicken
1 tablespoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (read your label, just to be safe)
2 tablespoons Enjoy Life soy free buttery spread (or more if you like more sauce)
¼ cup hot pepper sauce (or more if you like a lot of sauce) (I use Frank's Red Hot)
Dill pickle relish
Allergy friendly bread or buns of your choice
salt and pepper
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the veggies and season with a little salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.  Mix the turkey, dill, and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mix.  Form into 4 patties (not too thick because a medium rare poultry burger isn't a good thing).  
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. If the heat is med/high heat the burgers will burn.  Add the patties and cook, turning once, until firm - about 12 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the "butter" to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce.  I like mine extra saucy, so sometimes I add a little extra hot sauce.  Put the patties in the sauce, turning them to coat.  
Place patties on bread or serve alone.  Top with some pickle relish. IF you can have dairy, these would be great with blue cheese or ranch dressing and possibly a white cheese such as Dill Havarti or Fontina.







 


Balsamic Turkey Meatloaf 

(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
Loaf:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ small onion, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 small zucchini, finely diced
4-5 garlic cloves crushed or minced
Salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flakes (1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon depending on desired heat)
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 egg or egg replacement, lightly beaten (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer)
1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs)
½ cup ketchup
1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Glaze:
½ cup ketchup
1 ½  teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add peppers, onion, zucchini, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to pan. Sauté veggies about 2-3 minutes and then add tomato paste. Cook another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.
Whisk one egg or egg replacement equivalent in a small bowl with thyme and parsley. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, balsamic vinegar, ketchup, egg mixture and cooled veggies. Mix with your hands until combined.
Press mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan or form into a loaf in the center of a casserole dish. Whisk together your glaze ingredients and brush over entire loaf.
Bake for 1 hour. Let it rest for about 15 minutes before cutting.

Easy Kickin' Chicken 
(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
1 jar of your favorite Salsa (read the label)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
Cumin
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350.
Rub a little bit of olive oil on all sides of each strip of chicken. Heavily season the chicken with cumin, salt, pepper and garlic.  Place each chicken strip in a 13x9 glass baking dish. Pour salsa over the top of each chicken strip, covering the entire breasts’ surface. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
Serve over brown rice (I also like to have a side of steamed broccoli with mine).

Cajun Turkey Meatloaf
(dairy/egg/soy/nut/beef/pork/seafood/shellfish-free and low in fat)
2 Stalks of Celery-finely diced
2 Medium Carrots-finely diced
1 Small Green Bell Pepper-finely diced
1 Small Yellow Onion-finely diced

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4-1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning
1 egg or egg replacer
1/2 can Regular Rotel ( i puree mine. i highly suggest it)

Topping:
Remainder of Rotel (pureed)
2 Tablespoons Brown Mustard
1/3 Cup Ketchup. Note! if you don't want as much heat/spice, simply reduce the rotel topping and increase the ketchup

Preheat oven to 425. Saute first four veggies with the chacheres, garlic powder and salt in a few Tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in a saute pan. after softened, remove from heat and let cool.
Combine the rest of the ingredients (minus the topping) in a large bowl. When the veggies are cooled some, add them to the meat mixture. Put the mixture in a meatloaf pan (sprayed with cooking spray) or form into a loaf on a greased baking sheet. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
While loaf is cooking, mix together the topping. After the loaf has baked for 30 minutes, remove it and quickly cover the loaf with the topping and place back in the oven for 30 minutes uncovered.
Let your loaf rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving to allow the juices to settle.







Rustic Turkey Meatballs 
(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
1lb ground turkey (not extra lean. lean is perfect)
1/3 of a small yellow onion, minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 egg or egg replacement equivalent (1 ½ tsp powder and 2 tablespoons water stirred)
¼ - ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup panko (or breadcrumbs)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce - check your label!
Spaghetti noodles – check your label!
Preheat oven to 350. Drizzle the bottom of a 9x13 pan with olive oil and place in the oven while it is heating.
Sauté minced onion and garlic in olive oil. Set aside. Put turkey, seasonings, egg or egg replacement, panko and sautéed mixture in a large mixing bowl. Remove your pan from the oven (before you dirty your hands). Mix all ingredients together with your hands.  Form mixture into golf ball sized balls and place each one in your warmed dish, about ½” apart. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes During this time you can put your marinara in a med/large sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Remove meatballs from the oven and flip each one. Return them to the oven for an additional 7 minutes, or until slightly brown. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package instructions.  Remove meatballs from the oven and let rest a couple of minutes, then add meatballs to your simmering sauce, stirring every few minutes.  After simmering for about 15 minutes, add noodles to your sauce and enjoy!

Tips:
  • Don’t overwork your meatballs with your hands.
  • If you have a small ice cream or large melon scoop, you could try using one of these to make your meatballs, but I usually just use my hands.
  • Use leftovers to make a meatball sub! Delish!







Tempting Taco Salads
(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
2 pounds ground turkey
Extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½-¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½-¾ teaspoon chili powder
1 Large yellow onion, diced
1 Large green bell pepper, diced
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 bottle of Kraft Fat-free French dressing*
Taco salad shells (I use the Azteca brand. These contain soybean oil, which is usually tolerated for those with soy allergies. You will need 2 packages.)
Shredded lettuce (can buy pre-shredded in bagged lettuce section)
Optional garnishes:  chopped tomatoes, scallions, avocado, cilantro, etc.
Preheat oven according to taco salad shell directions. Let raw shells sit out to warm up a bit (they won’t mold correctly if they are extremely cold).
Heat large sauté pan over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom of pan with olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons. Add turkey and season with crushed red pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chili powder, then add diced pepper and onion. Sauté until meat is no longer pink and onions are slightly translucent. Drain excess fat and turn heat down to low. Add kidney beans and ¾-entire bottle of French dressing (I use the entire bottle). Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While filling is simmering, put your prepared taco shells in the oven, remove and let cool.
Layer your finished shells with lettuce, meat mixture and then top with cheese if you can have dairy. This serves 8 people. I absolutely LOVE these taco salads!!
*Make SURE to get the Fat-FREE Kraft French. The light and full fat version BOTH contain dairy!!
 
Stuffed Peppers
(Egg free, soy free, dairy free, beef free, pork free, seafood free, peanut free, low in complex fats)
1 ½ cups marinara sauce (I use Classico Sweet Basil)
5 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried tarragon
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (or less if you do not like heavy spice)
1/8 tsp sage
5 green bell peppers
¾ cup diced yellow pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 
Preheat oven to 350. Cut the tops off of the bell peppers. Hollow out and discard inside and seeds. Put the tops aside. Boil the peppers in a large pot of water for 5-6 minutes. Peppers should be slightly soft but still firm. Place peppers open side down on paper towels to drain.
Dice the tops of 4 of the peppers (except for the stems-discard the stems). Saute turkey, onion, peppers, and seasonings in 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Drain excess fat. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and stir in rice.
Place the peppers in a baking dish and stuff them with the turkey/rice blend. Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.
Tips: When you are looking for your bell peppers at the store, make sure you find peppers that are somewhat even on the bottom, so that they stand well in the baking dish.  You can also use aluminum foil to help prop wobbly peppers.
If you CAN have dairy, these taste great if you top them with a cheddar cheese blend before baking.
 
Couscous Salad
(vegetarian/dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
1 box PLAIN couscous (I use Near East brand)
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
1 jar roasted red peppers, chopped - reserve liquid
1 lime and zest
garlic power
salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
 
Prepare couscous according to package instructions.  For extra flavor, use allergy-friendly chicken or vegetable stock instead of water if you have some on hand.  Place chickpeas in a medium bowl.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.  Place the prepared couscous in the bowl and toss.  Add the cucumber, tomatoes, and red peppers.  Add lime juice and zest, salt, and pepper to taste.  Pour some of the reserved liquid from the roasted red peppers into the mix and toss with a little olive oil.  
You can use almost any combination of veggies for this salad.  It is also good with roasted veggies (see recipe under "sides" tab).

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta with Roasted Broccoli
(Egg free, soy free, dairy free, beef free, pork free, seafood free, peanut free, low in complex fats)
½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, drained and chopped. ( I like California Sun-Dry brand jarred sun-dried tomatoes with herbs found at Publix - check your label)
 1.5-2 lbs of cooked, seasoned and shredded chicken*
½ cup olive oil
1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp crushed red pepper (or more depending on level of heat desired)
2 ½ cups chicken stock-check your label!

Preheat oven to 435.
Bring stock, olive oil, and seasonings to a slight boil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Reduce to med/low, add tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes (will still bubble). Stir every 2 minutes or so. Add cooked chicken. Turn heat down to low. Simmer for additional 10-15 minutes. Check your seasoning. Sauce will slowly cook down and thicken. let sit a few minutes before serving.
While chicken is simmering, roast your broccoli and boil your noodles. Below is how I roast my broccoli for this recipe:
Broccoli:
Take 2-3 cups of fresh broccoli florets (depending on how much you like broccoli), and in a medium bowl drizzle olive oil over broccoli while stirring with your other hand (to make sure all is slightly coated). With the same stirring motion, add pepper, garlic powder and salt to coat.
Spread broccoli on a baking sheet, making sure there it is in a single layer. Bake until edges are slightly black (between 7-10 minutes usually, depending on oven).

Drain your noodles. Add roasted broccoli to chicken/tomato mixture. Pour mixture over noodles and mix…and ENJOY!

*how I cook my chicken (and I think it makes a big difference): Preheat oven to 375. Trim fat off of breasts and cut each breast in half. Lighltly drizzle olive oil to cover the bottom of a glass 13x9 pyrex. Lightly drizzle each breast with olive oil on one side. Season heavily with salt, pepper,  italian seasoning & garlic powder. Sprinkle a small amount of  crushed red pepper flakes on each breast half IF you want the dish to be spicy (you will also be adding crushed red pepper to the sauce, so if you don't like a lot of spice I would omit this step). Place the chicken seasoned side down in dish and repeat steps to following side. Bake, covered with foil for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 15 minutes. Allow to slightly cool and shred.





Turkey Chili
(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free/gluten free)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
3/4-1 cup finely diced onion and 1/3 cup of finely diced green bell pepper ( My sister mary uses 1 cup frozen seasoning blend -contains onions, celery, green and red peppers, and parsley-instead of the fresh veggies)
2 teaspoons of garlic powder (or 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes (undrained)
Hot sauce (I like Frank's red hot)
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Additional cooking liquid - beer, broth, or water.* If you are gluten free, make sure to check your label on this one! I use Swanson Natural Goodness Stock (which is also MSG free). It is gluten free, but not all of the swanson chicken broths are. The Swanson’s Organic Free Range Chicken Broth contains wheat.

Drizzle olive oil in large heavy pot over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper (or frozen seasoning blend) and ground turkey ( i ALWAYS use Jennie O Lean).  Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Cook and stir, breaking up meat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are soft.  Drain excess fat.  Stir in garlic, hot sauce to taste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the beans and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally.  Cook until tomatoes break down and flavors are combined - at least 30 minutes.  As the chili reduces, add desired amount of additional cooking liquid.  Continue to add additional amounts of seasonings, garlic, and hot sauce to taste.  If you can have dairy, a nice handful of  cheddar or parmesan cheese is great stirred in at the last minute.  Garnish with avocado, chives, cheese, or sour cream.  May also be served over brown rice, over a potato or even as a nachos. Just add the amount of liquid you desire depending on what you want your chili to be!


Simply Spaghetti
(dairy free/soy free/egg free/nut free/low fat/beef free/pork free/seafood free)
1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 jar of Classico brand Sweet Basil spaghetti sauce (or sauce of choice. Check the ingredients!)
3 large cloves of garlic (more or less depending on taste), crushed or finely diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Italian Seasoning (make sure to check ingredients!)
Hodgson Mill whole wheat spaghetti (or noodles of choice. If you have an egg allergy, make sure to check the label carefully).

Season your ground turkey with sea salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. I go pretty heavy with the seasoning, but I only add about a teaspoon of the crushed red pepper. A little goes a long way!  Now, lightly coat the bottom of a medium sized skillet with olive oil over medium/high heat. Add your ground turkey and diced onion. After a couple of minutes add the garlic, Turkey does not brown as much as beef, so just make sure it is no longer pink and your onions are translucent. Drain turkey (there shouldn’t be much fat). Add sauce and reduce heat to low and stir every couple of minutes. Meanwhile, boil noodles. Drain. Mix some of your sauce in with noodles, plate, and then cover your spaghetti with more sauce. This is an easy week-night meal!

Grilled Smokin' Chicken with Sinless Southern White BBQ Sauce
(Egg free, soy free, dairy free, beef free, pork free, seafood free, peanut free, low in complex fats)

Smokin' Chicken: (This Chicken is SO good..tastes great with or without the sauce!)

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1Tablespoon & 1 tsp McCormick Montreal Chicken seasoning
2 tsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt

Heat grill to medium. Combine all seasonings in a small bowl. Pound each breast between two pieces of plastic wrap with a meat mallet (or rolling pin or even a heavy mug) until about 1/4 inch thick. Brush each side of chicken with olive oil and coat heavily with seasoning mix.
Place the chicken on the grill on medium heat for about 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning only once. Either while chicken is on the grill or while resting after cooking, make your sauce!

Sinless Southern White BBQ Sauce
1/3 cup Vegenaise or Light Mayo Mayo
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients with a whisk or spoon. Spoon over chicken and mashed potatoes..try it over my smashed potato recipe! yum!


Mexican Black Bean Turkey Burgers
1/2 can black beans
1 1/4 lb ground turkey (not extra lean)
1 cup tortilla chips (i used Natural Tostitos w/organic corn)
3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 Teaspoon garlic Powder
1/4-1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2-3/4 Teaspoon cumin

Preheat oven 350. Cover large saute pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Once skillet is hot, place formed patties in pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side, and 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove from range and place skillet in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes. let rest before cutting.




Spaghetti {Squash} Pasta with Meat Sauce   (gf/low fat/dairy free/soy free/nut free/low carb)
3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Spaghetti Squashes
1 lb lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
1-1.5 (depending on how thick you want your sauce) 24 oz jar Classico Traditional Sweet Basil (or Tomato and Basil if you prefer). Note: if you choose to use another sauce, don't follow the seasoning below.
1/2 tsp blk pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (i use 1/4)


Preheat oven to 450. Line a large sheet pan with sides with aluminum foil. Carefully cut each squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Lightly drizzle the inside of each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squashes meat side down onto the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender.


While your squash is roasting, it is time to make your sauce! Pour about one tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season your meat with salt and pepper. Add the meat, onion and bell pepper to the skillet and saute until your meat is no longer pink and the veggies are slightly tender (if your meat is browning and your veg is still hard, reduce heat to medium). Drain the fat. Add your sauce and seasonings and reduce heat to simmer/low. Stir occassionally.
Once Squashes are done. Remove  them from the oven and turn them meat side up. Allow to cool enough that they can be handled, but don't wait too long! The "noodles" will become mushy if you let it sit too long. Now is the fun part! Grab a large plate and a fork and scrape the meat of the squash onto the plate. It will look like spaghetti. Pour about 1/3 of your sauce onto the "noodles". Portion the "pasta" onto plates and top with sauce and parmesean ( if you can have cheese). Voila!




Chicken Salad
2 1/2 cups of diced baked chicken (about 1.5 lbs) (I bake chicken breasts with olive oil and heavily season with salt and pepper, let it cool and chop or shred). A rotisserie chicken would also work if you are short on time 
1 1/2 stalks celery finely diced
1 1/2 cups of seedless red grapes cut in half (reduce if you want less fruit)
3/4 cup of mayo
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper (sometimes I use more). Start with this amount and add s & p to taste after tasting

Place chicken, celery and grapes in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, add salt and pepper to your mayo and stir- this will ensure that your salt and pepper is evenly distributed throughout your chicken salad! Add mayo and seasoning mixture to your chicken bowl, and that's it!

Some other variations would be to reduce your grapes to 1 cup, and add 1/2 cup craisins. You can also add crushed almonds to either variety for nice crunch and added protein. If you prefer a smoother chicken mix, simply puree your chicken in a food processor then add the other ingredients. If you don't like a peppery chicken salad, simply leave it out.


Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple (dairy free/egg free/soy free/nut free)

1 cup coconut aminos (or 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce if you can have soy)
1 20 oz can of Pineapple Slices in 100% pineapple juice
2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar (reduce to 2 if you dont want as sweet)
1 teaspoon ground ginger powder 
1/2 cup light tasting olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1lbs chicken breasts (i usually cut in half or you can pound out to uniform thickness for even cooking)
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons chicken broth (i use swanson)

Open your can of pineapple. Pour all of the juice from the can directly into a medium sauce pan. Place pineapple rings aside in a container with lid. Add aminos or soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, ginger, mustard, pepper and garlic powder to your sauce pan. In a small bowl mix together your slurry of corn starch and chicken broth with a spoon (if you were to add your corn starch without this step you will get a lumpy sauce!) Set aside. Turn heat on to medium/medium high and allow sauce to come to a slight boil. Let mixture bubble slightly for about 3 minutes, add your corn starch slurry, then reduce to low/medium for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove pan from heat and allow to cool about 20-30 min.
Reserve 1 cup of your sauce in a container.
Place your chicken in a large plastic bag or shallow container that has a lid, pour the remainder of your sauce over it and store in the fridge.
Pour 1/4 cup of your reserved sauce over your pineapple rings and shake to evenly distribute.
Allow chicken to marinade at least 6 hours. Overnight is best!

Grill Chicken on medium, turning once. Brush with 1/3 cup of your reserved sauce last few minutes of grilling and add pineapple to your grill (not on top of chicken) last few minutes of grilling.
Serve over rice or cous cous and goes great with roasted or steamed broccoli. Pour your remaining reserved sauce over chicken and rice as you serve or use for dipping.

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Loaf:
  • 1 lb Jennie O Lean (not extra lean) ground turkey
  • 1/3 cup very finely diced carrot
  • 3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/4 tsp died thyme
  • 1 tsp of tomato paste- tip! I buy a tube of this and keep in the fridge so i don't waste part of a can and can add a little here and there in recipes.
  • 1/4 cup cooked and cooled quinoa OR 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg or ener-g egg replacer (1 1/2 tsp replacer mixed in a small seperate bowl with 2 Tablespoons warm water until combined)
Glaze:
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
saute onion, 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and carrot on medium high heat in a skillet until carrot softens slightly and onion is translucent. Set aside to cool (you do not want to ever incorporate hot ingredients into uncooked meat because it will start to cook your meat!).
Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together with your hands. 
Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray ( i use pam grilling).
I HIGHLY recommend getting a meatloaf pan with a removable tray that has perforations to drain fat! I love mine. It drains fat and allows you to lift the entire meatloaf out after it is cooked which is great for presentation and it is much easier to slice! ( i purchased mine at bed bath and beyond)
Place mixture into pan. In a small separate bowl, mix all ingredients for your glaze. Make sure there are no large sugar lumps. If you prefer a sweeter less tangy topping, just leave the mustard out, add 2 more tablespoons of ketchup and one more tablespoon of brown sugar.
Spoon glaze over meatloaf and place in the oven for 50 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Sides: roasted veggies, brown sugar glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus, butter beans, green beans, peas.

 before it goes in the oven..
Voila!