ZucNoodles with egg, scallion, bacon and feta.

Part fried rice part breakfast hash all delicious!

Fry a piece or two of bacon (sausage is great too), remove it from the pan and crumble it.  Saute "noodles" and sliced green onion in the bacon fat until softened, add bacon back to pan and also add an egg.  Stir until egg is cooked (like you would with fried rice).  Top with feta and season with salt and pepper.

My favorite way to quick cook meat and fish

Salt and pepper the fish, boneless chicken breast/thigh, pork chop, steak, etc.

Sear each side in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes on each side, you want the meat to be browned.  While you are searing the second side add herbs and spices (garlic powder and herbes de provence are my favorites) and after the second side is seared, carefully pour in 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbs lemon juice (lime juice or any vinegar also works).  Immediately cover and steam for an additional 5 minutes or until the meat is done and water has mostly evaporated.  Uncover and add a Tbs butter to create a sauce out of the drippings and reduced lemon juice.

My cucumber salad here is made with a dressing of:

1/2 cup mayo

3 Tbs white vinegar

1 Tbs honey

1 Tbs dried dill

Salt and pepper

I also poured some of the dressing over my potato, YUM!!!

This is kind of a big deal...

Chicken Puttanesca

Yummy and a nice change of pace! I seared (salt and peppered) boneless skinless thighs (other pieces and/or bone in will work too) in a big cast iron pan with 2 Tbs oil...cut a lemon on half, squeezed it over the top and then threw in the squeezed lemon halves....added a handful of chopped black and green olives, 2 Tbs capers, a cup of whole cherry tomatoes, half a sliced onion, 4 cloves of chopped garlic and a handful of chopped fresh italian parsley (and red pepper flakes if you want it a little spicy). Roast at 450 for about 30 minutes or until browned and the chicken is cooked. Top with 2 Tbs butter and more fresh parsley. Stir together and serve.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Can Be Healthy?!

Yes!  2 desserts in a row, I must be hormonal!  This was actually for my son who is mostly gluten/dairy free and a complete choc-o-holic.  Most of my healthified desserts like this TASTE healthy, not this one, and shockingly, it is the healthiest!

Blend (in a blender:) until smooth:

½ cup honey

1 Tbs vanilla

½ cup date puree*

2/3 cup real mayo (or 4 eggs, 1/3 cup liquid fat** and 1 tsp vinegar)

1 can black beans-drained

combine in a separate bowl then add to the blender and blend again until smooth:

½ cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

Bake at 350 in a oiled and cocoa dusted 8x8 or 9x9” pan for about 28 minutes, or until the middle isn't jiggly.  As soon as you take it out of the oven, sprinkle ¾ cup chocolate chips on the top, wait 30 minutes then spread like frosting.

*Date Puree-pour boiling water over pitted dates (any kind) and soak for at least 15 minutes, puree with just enough water to make smooth like applesauce.  Use in replace of half of the sweetener and fat in recipes. You could also use babyfood prunes the same way.

**Melted butter or any liquid cooking oil.

Simple Streusel

I love dessert and my favorite has always been any kind of fruit crisp.  This is similar...more crust (yum!) and no refined crap(YAY!)

Stir together:

1 stick butter-melted

1/2 cup liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, even date puree!)

Mix in until moist and crumbly:

1-1/2 cups flour (I use sprouted spelt flour but any grain flour will work)

1-1/2 cup oats (the thicker the better)

Set 1 cup of oat/flour mixture aside, press the rest in a 9x9 greased pan (crust).  

Spread evenly over crust:

1 cup jam (chia jam is awesome!)

Sprinkle remaining cup of oat/flour evenly over jam then top with:

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.