Sardines and Eggplant

What's in It:

1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 small finely chopped shallot
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
1/2 cup chicken stock 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely chopped roasted red pepper
2 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 fresh sardines, boned, heads and tails intact

How It's Made:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Brush the cut sides of the eggplant with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the eggplant for about 45 minutes, until very soft. Let cool, then carefully scoop out the flesh and coarsely chop it. Transfer the eggplant to a medium bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar with the water, 2 tablespoons of the tarragon, half of the shallot and two-thirds of the garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chicken stock and one-fourth of the eggplant and puree until smooth. Stir the puree into the remaining chopped eggplant and season with salt and pepper. In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderately high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the remaining shallot and garlic and cook over low heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shallot and garlic to a bowl and let cool. Whisk in the lemon zest, roasted red pepper, capers and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of tarragon and the pine nuts. Preheat a grill. Brush the sardines with olive oil and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Grill the sardines over high heat, turning them once, until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the eggplant puree onto plates and top with the sardines. Spoon the tarragon dressing on top and serve.

Sardines with Sicilian Salad

What's in It:
zest and juice 1 lemon

bunch parsley , half the leaves kept whole, the other half finely chopped
1 small chopped garlic clove
1 fennel bulb , with fronds
10 toasted pine nuts
handful green olives , chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large sardines , scaled and gutted

How to Make It:
Mix the lemon zest, chopped parsley and garlic together, then set aside. Pick the fronds from the fennel and set aside. Halve the fennel bulb and finely slice. Make the salad by mixing the sliced fennel and fronds with the pine nuts, olives, and whole parsley leaves. Dress with the olive oil and lemon juice. Heat the griddle pan or barbecue. Season the fish with rock salt (this stops them sticking). Griddle for 2-3 mins on each side until the eyes turn white. Sprinkle the fish with the parsley mix and lift onto plates. Drizzle with oil and serve with the salad.

Beef Manhatten

What you Need:
1-2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Diced Mushrooms
1/3 cup Diced Onions
1/3 cup Diced Peppers
4-6 oz Ground Beef
1/2 can Beef Gravy

How to Make it:
Precook your ground beef. Heat coconut oil in a wok. Add mushrooms and onion, cook for a few minutes. Add the beef and peppers. Toward the end add your gravy. Serve over cauliflower rice.This makes one serving, throw a bunch in the wok though to make a large batch.

Pot Stickers

 What you Need:

3-4 Cabbage Leaves

4-6 oz Ground Sausage

Toothpicks

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

2 tsp Seasame Oil
2 tsp Garlic Powder

How to Make It:

Divide sausage into little patties and cook ahead of time. Place cabbage leaves in hot water for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile make your sauce by whisking the soy sauce, seasame oil, and garlic powder. Remove the cabbage leaves and let cool. Then simply wrap the sausages in the cabbage leaves, secure with a toothpick, and serve by dipping into the sauce.

Stuffed Peppers

What you Need:
1-2 Peppers
1 cup Cauliflower Rice
1/3 cup Diced Onions
1/3 cup Diced Mushroom
4-6 oz Ground Beef
1-2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tsp Emeril Essence Seasoning

How to Make it:
Precook your ground beef. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tops off of the peppers, and then rub them in olive oil. In a bowl mix all of the other ingredients, then salt and peppers. Mix it up with your hands and then stuff it the peppers. Bake standing up in the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Dirty Cauliflower

What you Need:
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/3 cup Diced Onions
1/3 cup Diced peppers
1 1/2 cup Cauliflower Rice
4-6 oz Ground sausage
1 cup Spinach
1 TBSP Cajun Seasoning

How to Make it:
Cook your sausage ahead of time. Heat up a wok with coconut oil. Add in the onions and peppers. Cook for a few minutes and then go ahead and add the rest of your ingredients. Cook for a little bit, then serve. It's quick and easy, but most importantly it's healthy, yet tasty!

Cauliflower Steak

What you Need:

Cauliflower heads

4-6 oz Steak (whatever your portion size)

2 tsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1 tsp Butter

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Soy Sauce
1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

Seekh Kebab

What you need:
150 g minced beef or lamb
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 tbsp coriander
2 tbsp mint
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom seeds
2 finely chopped green chilies

How to make it:
Put the chilies, ginger, coriander, cumin, mint, garlic, oil, cloves, and cardamom in the food processor. Add this to the meat and salt. Mix with your hands. Divide into 12 and cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Lightly oil metal skewers and shape the meat around each skewer. Place under a preheated grill and cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove, let cool and eat.
Other Asian inspired dishes that you can try I already have posted. Check out Riceless Sushi (June 15), American Sushi (June 26), or the Turkey Curry (July 24)

Matambre

What you Need:
2 (2lb) flank steak
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp thyme
3 cup beef stock
1-3 cups of water
Stuffing:
1/2 lb spinach
8 carrots (cooked 6-8 in. long)
4 hard boiled eggs (cut in 1/4 lengthwise)
1 onion (sliced into rings)
1/4 cup parsley
pepper and 1 TBSP salt

How to Make It:
Flatten steaks, lay on pan, and sprinkle 1/2 of the vinegar, garlic and thyme, cover with the other steak and put the rest of the vinegar, garlic and thyme. Cover and marinate over night in a frig or for 6 hours at room temperature. Lay steaks end-to-end and overlap 2 inches (pound to join). Spread spinach and arrange carrots in parallel rows 3 inches apart, then place eggs between the carrots. Scatter onions and season. Roll the the grain and tie every inch. Place in a pan with stock and enough water to come a third of the way up. Cover tightly and bake 375 degrees for one hour. Rest 10 minutes before cutting and serve.

Peruvian Ceviche

What You Need: 1 lb fish (red snapper) Juice from 3 lemons Juice from 3 limes 1 medium onion Salt and pepper Pinch cayenne pepper 1 clove minced garlic 1 finely chopped hot pepper 2 TBSP fresh parsley 2 TBSP fresh cilantro

How to make it: Clean fish and soak for 10 minutes. Remove and pat dry. Cut the fish into pieces and put the platter. Place thinly sliced onions on fish. Add the rest and then cover with juices. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.                                                          

Anticucos

Ingredients:

1 beef heart (cut into chunks)

1 cup red wine vinegar

4 tbsp cumin

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

5 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp parsely

2 tbsp cilantro

4 dried chilies (soaked, deveined and deseeded)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

How to Make It: Combine all the ingredients, except the heart, in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the heart chunks, marinade 4 to 6 hours. Put 5-6 heart chucks onto a shewer and place in a glass dish. Pour the marinade overtop and cover the meat. Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side. 

Menudo

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef tripe (cut in squares)
1-1 1/2 beef feet (cut 4 pieces)
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
4 quarts water
Spice Mix:
1 clove garlic
1 large tomato
1 ancho chili (toasted, seeded, soaked overnight)
To Make:
Place foot, tripe, onions, garlic, salt and water in a stockpot. Boil and lower to simmer (for 2 hours or until tender). Combine spice mix in a food processor and run until smooth. When the foot is tender remove it from the pot and strip the meat into the pot. Add spice mix and simmer an addition 2 more hours. Add oregano, salt, and pepper and serve.

Offal Recipes: Bacon Wrapped Liver

Ingredients:

Bacon (cut in 1/2)

Chicken Livers (cut quarters)

Pepper

How to Make It:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Sprinkle the liver with pepper (and salt if you so desire). Wrap each chicken quarter with half a slice of bacon, then secure with a toothpick. Place in a pan and put in the oven. Cook until liver is cooked and the bacon is crispy

Alternative Sack Lunches

Possible choices to pack for your young one for school:

• Celery and Almond Butter (or there are a myriad of other butters you can try: Macademia, Pistachio, Cashew; plus you can make your own just run your favorite nut through a food processor and you have a natural butter, maybe add a little sweetener or a raw honey. It's all yummy and better than the traditional peanut butter).
• Roasted Almonds: Another great option with this most nutritious seed is roasted almonds, if your kids are sick of raw almonds, you can season them with anything (make it sweet and put cinnamon or make it hot and put chipotle, or you could use rosemary or sage; the options are limitless). Just place in a pan and drizzle with oil (you could use olive oil or even try coconut) and season to your liking, then place in the oven for a nice toast.
• Apples and pudding: We like to make the proDesert pudding packages, they taste similar to cake batter, but they're a sweet treat that you could make and dip with sliced apples, for a meal that provides the benefits of fruit and has protein for kids' growing muscles!
• Turkey Wrap: use lettuce or you could even try swiss chard (August 13). Layer in the middle with turkey (or whatever kind of meat your kid likes, it could be chicken or ground beef, or even ground bison), tomato, and avocado (or with whatever veggies your kid likes).
• Stuffed Strawberries: for a nice treat every once in a while you can send them with stuffed strawberries. Just take the centers out of the strawberries and with cream cheese mixed with a little bit of sweetener and top with a cocoa almond.
• Trail Mix: This is sooo! simple. Just gather a variety of nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachio, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, or even try a seed called sasha inchi, which is a South American seed high in omega three fatty acids), then you can mix in some unsweetened coconut flakes.
• Coconut Soup: In the fall put some of this soup in a canteen. Just mix coconut milk, vegetable stock, protein (soup, salmon, chicken, ground beef) and any vegetables (carrots, cabbage, onions, or peppers for something hotter) in a sauce pan.
• Tomato Soup: roasted tomato soup (recipe on August 14) recipe, that you could pack with some fried chicken (just dust with coconut flour and fry in coconut oil, check recipe on August 14) and celery, or serve with the turkey wrap.
• Stir Fry: get out your wok and throw in a variety of meats (cubed grass meat, chicken, etc.) with any veggies (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, zucchini, asparagus, onions, peppers), maybe even throw in some nuts (cashews or even pine nuts). Cook it all in coconut oil and you're done!
• Fruit compote: the recipe is listed on August 14, but it's simple basically mix any fresh fruit (plums, peaches, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and blackberries) with some sweetener in a large sauce pan.
• Egg Muffins: if they miss breakfast just throw these in their sack or put it for lunch. You can make up a bunch at a time and they're easy to make and to pack. Simply mix a dozen eggs, cheese, and veggies (try chopped baby bellas, or shredded spinach, our lead trainer enjoys them with bacon and blueberries). There are soo! many options and they're so easy!
• Fried chicken: Mix a little bit of coconut flour with some seasoning (garlic powder, onion powder, Country Bob's seasoning). Lightly dust the chicken (you can use thighs or legs or wings) with the flour. Place in a skillet with coconut oil and cook thoroughly. Place on a napkin to cool and then pack.
• Almond Cookies: if your kids our good pack them some almond cookies. Mix 1/2 cup splenda, stick of butter (organic or grass fed butter is the best option if you can find it), 3/4 cup almond butter, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder.
• Turkey Curry: give your kids an international treat, with curry. Check out the recipe posted on the July 24, once again mix with any vegetables and layer ontop of a bed of cauliflower rice.
• Smoked sausage and cabbage: once again this is another recipe that is so easy to do. Make a large batch and serve intermittenly throughout the week. Recipe on June 26.
• Pizza: for a treat once in awhile try a pizza. There are recipes out there for coconut flour or almond flour pizza crust. Layer with meat and tomato sauce, but be cautious with the cheese (raw cheese is always the best option). I make a pizza with an eggplant crust (May 22).
• Pork and Apples: a nice savory lunch. Simply cook some diced granny smith apples and pecans then serve over a piece of pork.
• Vegetable Chips: slice veggies (raddishes-I've had these and they're good, but you can zucchini as well) really then. Place in a baking pan and drizzle with oil and seasoning.

Zucchini Carrot Nests

This one I'm more interested in trying!
Ingredients:
4-5 grated carrots
2 grated zucchinis
1 TBSP or less of coconut flour
3 eggs
2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper

How to make it: Grate the veggies (you can use a food processor). Sprinkle veggies with coconut flour (lightly coat). Add eggs, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir together. Heat a large pan to medium to high with olive oil (although I think I might use coconut oil) and then portion out the mix. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side. Place on a baking sheet and then make a well in the back of each with the back of a measuring spoon. Crack an egg into the well, bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until the eggs are done. Plate and serve.

Spicy Beets

Ok so this combines both of yesterday's featured foods.
Ingredients:
4 or 5 Beets
2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 small chile pepper
salt and pepper
1 lemon
1 T minced cilantro

How to make it: Scrub beets and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, cover for 20 minutes. Drain and cool before removing skin. Chop into 1/2 inch wedges. Heat a pan or a wok. Place in mustard seeds and cover. Once the seeds are done sputtering add chile and stir. Add the beets and salt. Toss and cover, turn to a low heat for 5-6 minutes. Remove heat and plate. Toss with lemon and cilantro.

Wild Salmon and Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 Slice Salmon (whatever your portion)
2 tsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
2 Broccoli Stalks

How to Make it: Place coconut oil in a skillet on high heat. Prep the salmon (skin still on) with salt; rub the skin side with salt to get that crispy texture. Cook on for 3 1/2 minutes on each side. While the salmon is cooking, Cut the broccoli (stalks included). Place in a microwave safe bowl and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place a lid over the top and microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Plate the both and serve.

Blueberry Protein Pudding

Ingredients:
1 Package ProDesert Pudding
2/3 cup water
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Almond Oil
Dash Cinnamon
1 cup Blueberries

How to Make it: Add all the ingredients except the blueberries in a bowl. Add more water if need be. Once this is all blended then add in the blueberries and serve. Makes one portion.

Fruit Compote

Ingredients:
2 cups Strawberries
2 cups Blueberries
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup Splenda (optional)
Dash Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Cornstarch

How to Make it: Wash the fruit (you can add whatever fruit you like this is just what I used). Place all the ingredients (about half of the berries) in a blender and blend. Place this is a sauce pan on low to medium heat. Add in whole berries now and cook for 30 minutes. Makes a large batch so grab your portion size.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
Diced Onions
Diced Bell Peppers
Garlic Cloves
2 Small Cans Tomato Paste
2-3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cups Water (or Vegetable Stock)

How to Make it: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half and place them along with the peppers, onions, and garlic in a rectangular pan. Drizzle Balsalmic and some olive oil over the top. Place in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove after 40 minutes and let cool for a second. While they're cooling get out a sauce pan and add tomato paste, water, and olive oil. Place the roasted veggies in a blender and blend. Add this to the sauce pan. Add salt and pepper. Let cook on stove top for 10-15 minutes.