New Year! New Menu!

Just as many of you did, I ate a lot of stuff this holiday season that I don't normally eat.  For me, that means sugar and grains.  I tried to moderate it but I love a good homemade cookie, and sometimes my willpower failed me.  Time to reboot for the new year!

Reboot for the new year!

I have turned to two of my favorite go-to sites... All Day I Dream About Food and I Breathe I'm Hungry... to find something new to offer you.  These look amazing and are all going on my table!

January 2020 - week 1 menu

Short Rib Chili - this looks amazing!  You can sub beef stew meat and make this in the instant pot too!  Here's my stew meat version:

2 - 3 pounds beef stew meat (cut into 1" chunks)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped (you can sub mixed frozen peppers too)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium jalapeño, minced and seeds removed
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
15 ounce can pinto beans, drained (optional)
2 TBSP chili powder
15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2/3 cup beef broth

Mix together the chili powder, tomatoes and beef broth in medium bowl.  Set aside.
Heat olive oil on sauté in Instant Pot until shimmery.  Sear beef cubes in batches, about one pound at a time (sear  on all sides, then remove to a dish, then sear the next batch).  Remove all beef cubes to a dish.
Add a little more olive oil if needed, and sauté the onions, peppers and garlic until soft.
Turn the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook.  Put all the beef cubes back in the Instant  Pot.   Add the beans (if using) and tomato mixture.
Place the lid on and close the vent.  Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook for 45 minutes.  Release the steam and serve!

French Onion Meatloaf  - Another one that looks so good... and so comforting on a chilly January day!  You can sub Swiss cheese for the gruyere (the gruyere is quite expensive).

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast  - I love red meat but sometimes you want something different, so here's a chicken recipe that sounds fabulous!
(Edited to add:  I used Pecorino Romano in place of mozzarella.  I also recommend sautéing some finely chopped onion with the spinach and garlic.)

Buffalo Omelette - You may have found this through a link on my blog before.  It comes from the Egg Fast from I Breathe I'm Hungry.  I make this all the time... not just when doing an egg fast.  It is super easy, it fills me up, and it tastes amazing!!!

Buffalo Omelette (serves 1)
2 ounces cream cheese
1 TBSP blue cheese
1 - 1.5 tsp sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce)
2 eggs
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP butter

Put the cream cheese, blue cheese and sriracha in a microwaveable dish and heat 30 second.  Stir together until smooth.
In a separate bowl, which together eggs and water.
Heat the butter on medium in a small skillet (non-stick for best results).
Pour the eggs into the pan.  Allow to fully set on one side.  Carefully flip the eggs over.
Drop the cream cheese mixture on the now-cooked top and spread evenly.
Fold in half and remove to a plate and serve warm.

NOTE: Sometimes the egg doesn't flip well and I end up with a scramble.  That's ok!  Go ahead and drop the cream cheese mixture on anyway, then fold into the eggs.  If you are concerned about the eggs being fully cooked, cover with a lid and turn the heat off to allow the eggs to fully set.  Sometimes they aren't pretty, but they are always tasty!

Coconut Chicken Fingers  is from Civilized Caveman- This has definitely appeared on my blog before, but it's been a long time and these are so easy I just had to include them!  Remember to buy unsweetened coconut!!

And just in case you have friends dropping by for New Year's Eve...  Feta Salsa! That sounds amazing!!!


What are you eating this week?  Whatever it is... Keep it Clean!

Delicious! Shepherd's Pie

You will notice I have given you some leeway on the amount of meat, veg, and potatoes.  This meal is often made with leftovers so use what you have, and make as much as you want.  Using more meat means you want more veg to balance the ingredients.  This is a very forgiving recipe though, so ... as I say, use what you have!


Shepherd's pie

Filling

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground beef or turkey
• 2 - 3 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup of beef broth
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• Potato Topping
• 2 large (or 3-4 medium) potatoes 
• 1/4 tsp garlic
• 1/4 cup milk (if you sub almond milk, be sure it's regular not vanilla!)
• 1 tbs butter

COOK THE POTATOES:  Start by peeling and cutting the potatoes into chunks.  Put the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high and then dial it back to medium, keeping them on a low boil. Cook until easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Meat filling layer

PREPARE THE FILLING:  While the potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 350.  Brown the ground meat in a large skillet.  When it's about halfway done, add the onion and garlic.  Continue cooking until meat is crumbly and onions are soft.  Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well.  Simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are mashed. 

Potato layer

MASH THE POTATOES:  Drain the potatoes.  Mash (or whip with a mixer), adding the garlic, milk and butter.  Spoon over the meat mixture.

ASSEMBLE:  Pour the meat mixture evenly into a square baking dish.  Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, making an even layer that entirely covers the meat mixture.

Bake at 350 about 30 minutes.  Allow to stand about 5 minutes after removing from the oven.

Note:  I sometimes prepare mine ahead and store covered in the fridge until ready to heat.  If you do that, you will want to heat it covered in foil for 30 minutes and then uncover and continue heating for 15 minutes.

Menu for week of 12/9/2019

I have not posted the menu lately and I apologize... Just so much going on.  Which is not a good reason since we still have to eat!  I've mostly made big roasts or vats of chili and we have been picking at that in between running here and there.  This week may not be complete either but I will throw you a couple new recipes so hopefully that makes up for it!

Philly Cheesesteak Casserole - I have made this before.  It's easy and it's delicious!

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry - This is a new one for me, but it sure sounds great!

Ground Beef Enchiladas (keto) - Another new one. I'm always looking for a good low-carb dish, though!

Cauliflower Taco Bowl - And we all know this is a tried and true.  I keep frozen riced cauliflower on hand, and we always have black beans in the cupboard so this is an easy one to make when there's little time or you're out of ideas!  Plus, it tastes amazing!

The holidays are upon us and I am running frantically here and there.  If you are as well, just throw a nice beef roast in the slow cooker or instant pot and make that into two or three meals.  Use the recipes above to fill in between.

Hope you're staying warm and Eating Clean!

7-DAY MENU FOR WEEK OF 11/25

Do you have trouble keeping track of recipes that you find and want to try?  Here's an idea... save the links to them in a journal app like Jottli.  You can create different kinds of journals, some for sharing and some just for your personal use.  You can even do audio and video journals!  Check it out.

(p.s. this is not a paid advertisement for Jottli... I just happen to love the app!)

This week's menu for your perusal.  I hope you see something you like!  It's a little light due to the holiday, but I bet you already have plans for what you're making, don't you?!

Cauliflower Taco B

MONDAY
Cauliflower Taco Bowl - I may have had this on a recent weekly menu but it's because it's so easy and so good.  It makes for great leftovers in your lunch too!

TUESDAY
Carne Asada Tacos and Spanish Cauli Rice - I seem to have a bit of a theme going with the cauliflower... but I really like it.  Adding different seasonings allows it to fit with a lot of meals!

WEDNESDAY
Blueberry Pancakes - Sometimes you just want breakfast for supper.... or at least I do. Add bacon on the side!

THURSDAY
Green Bean Casserole - Okay, this isn't your gramma's green bean casserole she made with cream of mushroom soup!  This recipe is unbelievably tasty and not full of extra preservatives and "stuff."  If you don't want to make cashew cream, you can sub heavy cream.  The real winner in this dish is those crispy shallots!  You will want to put them on everything!
(I'm actually making this as my contribution for Thanksgiving but I don't have to cook anything else so you're on your own for the rest of the meal!)

FRIDAY
Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - When our kids were young, this was a staple in our house. Easy to make and full of flavor.  Since then, we've cleaned up the original recipe... but I think it's even better than before.
We get whole wheat hamburger buns from Trader Joe's for these.  They don't have any added sugar!  

BARBECUE BEEF
One 6 oz. can tomato paste2 oz. apple cider vinegar3 oz. water2 TBSP blackstrap molasses (you can sub regular molasses)1 TBSP honey
1TBSP prepared mustard
One pound ground beef

First make the sauce,  Mix tomato paste, vinegar, water, molasses, honey, and mustard together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
In a large skillet, brown ground beef until crumbly.  Stir in about 1/4 cup (more or less) of the sauce.  Add more or less to get the consistency you like.
Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns.
You will have plenty of sauce leftover.  Freeze in small quantities for next time!

SATURDAY
Baked chicken and acorn squash - Start the squash first because it takes longer!
Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds.  Place face down on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about an hour.

Lightly brush two chicken breasts with olive oil.  Season with your favorite seasoning.  I like Italian seasoning blend with some salt and pepper.
Bake in a glass ovenproof dish at 350 for about 30 minutes.

(Save a little chicken for tomorrow!)

SUNDAY
Pumpkin Chipotle Soup with Chicken - This recipe is a hit every time I make it!  This week, we will add in a little diced chicken for protein.  You can serve this with a salad or even grilled cheese!  It's very important that you use only as much chipotle as the recipe calls for.  Also, you can sub whatever sweetener you prefer.  

7-Day Menu Week of 11/17

The weather has turned cold and blustery so time for some good comfort foods!


MONDAY

Ham steaks with  Roasted acorn squash:
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds.  Set squash halves cut side down on baking sheet.  Bake for about one hour or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork. 

Heat up ham steaks in a skillet on medium about 7 minutes on each side or until heated through.

TUESDAY

Cauliflower Taco Bowl


WEDNESDAY

Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Brisket
Place brisket in large slow cooker.  Pour 16 ounce jar of pepperoncini (whole or sliced), including juice over the top.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with roasted garlic mashed cauliflower


THURSDAY

Instant Pot Southwestern Chicken Nachos
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can black beans (15-1/2 ounce, drained and rinsed)

1 cup frozen corn1 jar medium or hot salsa (15 ounce)

8 ounces cream cheese

Tortilla chips

Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot.  Add black beans, corn, and salsa (in that order).  Lock lid and close pressure valve.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Allow to naturally release for 5 minutes then quick release.  Remove lid and shred chicken with two large forks.  Stir in cream cheese.  Serve over tortilla chips.



FRIDAY

Spaghetti (or spaghetti squash) and meatballs and marina


SATURDAY

Peach bbq short ribs in the slow cooker with peach bbq sauce (I use frozen peaches).  Tip:  Make the bbq sauce ahead of time!


SUNDAY

Leftover brisket sandwiches with provolone cheese.  If you eat bread, get a nice hearty crusty bread for this one!

7-Day Menu Plan Week of 11/10

I hope you enjoy this week's menu!  Please let me know if there is something specific you are looking for.

MONDAY
Mississippi Pot Roast - Instant Pot - I love using the Instant Pot!  If you like, you can make your own Ranch seasoning.  I did it today and it was super easy...  a good way to use up some of the seasonings you bought but only needed a tiny bit of!

Ranch Seasoning Mix
2 TBSP dried parsley
1-1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chives
1 tsp salt

Mix together and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

TUESDAY
Chicken and sun-dried tomato cream sauce
3 chicken breasts (cut lengthwise to make 6 filets)*
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 1 TBSP oil from jar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 TSBP oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar in a large skillet on medium high heat.  Sear chicken about one minute on each side.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Add garlic to skillet and sauté about 30-45 seconds.  Add wine, cream, and tomatoes to skillet; stir, scraping up any drippings.  Cook on medium high until just boiling.  Return chicken to skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Transfer chicken and sauce to serving dish and garnish with basil.

*Updated ingredients to clarify.  These should be 6 thin cutlets.

WEDNESDAY
Pulled beef and cheese sandwiches; sweet potato fries.  Use leftover beef from Monday.  Pair it with your favorite sliced cheese.

THURSDAY
Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas - I am all about the Instant Pot again lately.  It saves so much time but let's us have really good meals.  This one also requires a little oven time, but totally worth it!

FRIDAY
Beef vegetable soup.  Another repurpose from Monday's beef roast.   Just chop up some leftover beef, add 1 cup beef broth, frozen mixed veg,  a can of diced tomatoes, maybe a little seasoning, and pressure cook for 5 minutes... it's soup!

SATURDAY
Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breasts with Cream Cheese - I mean, really!  Bacon and cream cheese, what more can I say?!

SUNDAY
Buffalo Omelette - The first time I ate this was during an egg fast, but it quickly became a big favorite!  It's quick to make but loaded with flavor!


Let's throw a little treat in here too!  How about some cheesecake?!  Make this early in the week so you can have it all week long.  It also freezes well!

7-Day Menu Plan, Week of 11/3

I want to take some of the planning out of it for you so you can focus on making really delicious healthy meals.  Here's another week of meal ideas for you!  


MONDAY

Pizza!  Use this Pizza Sauce recipe and your favorite toppings.  I make mine with a cauliflower crust and MR uses a fresh whole wheat crust, both available from Trader Joe's.  Our secret for exceptional pizza is to sprinkle it with Son of Italy Italian seasoning just before it goes in the oven.  

TUESDAY
We are going out!  It's an unusual treat to go out in the middle of the week, but happy hour at our favorite place makes it a little easier with 1/2 price specials!!

In case you don't want to go out, though, here's an instant pot steak bites recipe I made recently that we really enjoyed.  I served it with steamed green beans and garlic mashed cauliflower.  I couldn't find the blade for my food processor today AND the only garlic I had was pre-diced, so I used pre-riced frozen cauliflower, then I sautéed a few teaspoons of chopped garlic in a tablespoon of butter until it was browned.  I microwaved the cauliflower and mixed in the garlic, parmesan, and butter.  Once it was combined, I added the yogurt, and salt & pepper.  It wasn't smooth like whipped potatoes, but the flavor was great!

WEDNESDAY
Philly cheesesteak casserole - This was simple enough and I love the taste of a good cheesesteak!  It turned out great!

THURSDAY
Thai Chicken Pizza - I didn't get this made last week, so it got bumped to this week's menu.  Sorry about that!


FRIDAY
Blueberry Omelette - I think of this as the non-egg-lovers' omelette.  It just doesn't have an "eggy" taste to it... in my opinion anyway.  I love the fluffiness of it and it's satisfying without making me feel overstuffed.  MR and I usually share one.  You may want some bacon the side!


SATURDAY
The weather is supposed to turn chilly at the end of the week so it's definitely time for comfort food.  Tomato basil soup and cauliflower mac and cheese sounds just right!

Cauli Mac and Cheese

1 head of cauliflower
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 oz cream cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray an 8"x 8" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Steam in a microwave safe dish with 1/4 cup of water for about 5 minutes, until firm but tender.  Try not to let it get too soft that it falls apart when you poke it with a fork.  If you prefer, you can steam it in a steamer basket on the stove for about 10 minutes.  
3. Strain off any liquid from the cauliflower and put the florets in the baking dish.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, pour in heavy whipping cream and bring it just to boiling, then turn it back to simmer. Whisk in garlic powder, onion powder.  Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir until smooth. Sprinkle in mozzarella cheese and stir until cheese sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the cauliflower in the baking dish and stir to thoroughly coat the cauliflower. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until browned on top and bubbly.

Let me know if you're looking for something particular, and I'll see what I can do!

7-Day Menu Planner, week of 10/27/19

(This post was edited to correct a formatting error!  The recipes are the same!)

The hardest part of eating right is planning, but it's also the most important part!  Hopefully this blog can give you some good ideas to help keep you on track.  

You may have noticed that earlier posts included wheat flour and coconut sugar (as do some of those listed below).  I still think that's a good way to start the journey... cut out white sugar and white flour first.  Replace with honey, coconut sugar, wheat flour.  Once you get comfortable with that, replace any kind of sweetener with monk fruit sweetener (Lankata makes a good one, available on Amazon), then replace wheat flour with coconut flour and almond flour.  That's just a general rule of thumb, and know that there are lots of options out there for flour replacements.  Those two just happen to be my favorite.  I don't necessarily follow Keto or Atkins or whatever label you want to put on it, but I do tend to eat low carb and high protein.  I do not add extra fat although I am not afraid of fat.  I use real butter, I love a good piece of well marbled beef, and love love love to eat cheese!  My biggest rule is no sugar and no grains.  So what do I eat?!  Let's see what this week looks like!

Tri Tip with Roasted Vegetables

SUNDAY - Tri Tip Roast with roasted vegetables - This is such a beautiful cut of meat!  Roasting it over the vegetables gives them an extra pop of flavor.  The rub in this recipe calls for coconut sugar.  You can easily sub monk fruit if you have kicked sugar.

Meatballs and marinara

MONDAY - Meatballs and marinara - I love this marinara recipe!  It's easy and amazingly good.  You don't have to add the wine, but I definitely prefer it that way.  You can halve the meatball recipe if you are cooking for one or two, but I like to make them all and freeze any extra. 


TUESDAY - Thai Chicken Pizza Instant Pot Recipe- This is a good recipe for starting out.  If you don't eat wheat, you can just skip that part and eat the chicken over rice (if you're still eating grains), or just by itself.  This recipe also calls for honey.

WEDNESDAY - Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - We get whole wheat hamburger buns from Trader Joe's for these.  They don't have any added sugar!  (I won't eat the bread with mine... but that's just me!)  You can use shredded leftover roast beef or one pound of hamburger.  

Barbecue Sauce (you will have extra to freeze!)

• 6 oz. can tomato paste

•  2 oz. apple cider vinegar

• 3 oz. water

• 2 TBSP blackstrap molasses

• 1 TBSP honey

• 1TBSP prepared mustard

Brown a pound of hamburger (or use shredded beef).  Stir in barbecue sauce until desired consistency.  Some people like a little more or less of the sauce. You be the judge!  Save any leftover sauce for next time!

THURSDAY - Pumpkin Chipotle Soup - This soup is really good.  It might sound like an odd combination, but adding chipotle gives it just the right kick.  Don't try to kick it up by adding more than what is called for, though.  People have tried that and regretted it.  It just isn't the same.  You can add cooked, shredded chicken to this for protein.

FRIDAY - Baked chicken and acorn squash -  Season chicken breasts with a drizzle of olive oil and Italian seasoning and bake at 350 about 30 minutes. 
To make acorn squash, cut in half and remove all seeds.  Place face down on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 minutes at 350.

SATURDAY - Chili - Always a go to because it's easy and has basic ingredients.  Pretty sure you can make this however you want.  My standard recipe (which may change depending on what's in the cupboard/fridge!):

One pound grass fed ground beef)

1/2 cup chopped onion

26 ounce can crushed tomatoes,

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped green, yellow, and/or red peppers

2 TBSP chili seasoning

And because sometimes life calls for dessert...
Cheesecake!
And more dessert options! Some may contain grains.

Favorite Things: No Sugar No Grains

The hardest thing about any meal is figuring out what to make so here is a list of my favorite things to make.  Tried and true recipes we love to eat!

The Best Marinara and Meatballs - I have made this marinara in large quantities and then canned it for future use.  Or just make one batch to enjoy right now.  The meatballs are the bomb and can be frozen if you just pre-cook them without the sauce and cheese.

Peach BBQ Short Ribs - I made my own fresh peach bbq sauce (you can use fresh or frozen) to make this dish perfection!!

Cauliflower Taco Bowl - I don't eat it with the brown rice anymore but MR still does.  Do what works for you!

Thai Chicken Pizza- The thai chicken is great even without putting it on naan bread for pizza.  Great flavor!!

Incredible Oven Fajitas - What makes these incredible is how easy and fast they are!  I use frozen mixed peppers if I don't have fresh... still tastes fabulous!

Roasted Tri Tip with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes - Roasting the meat over the vegetables makes them beyond delicious!

Looking for breakfast ideas? - Look no further!  I love each of these:  Egg Puff; Minute French Toast; Make Your Own Yogurt; Breakfast Crepes with Chia Berry Jam; Blueberry Lemon Puffed Omelet

We picked fresh peaches this week, So the short ribs are definitely going on the menu this week!

What are you eating today?  Whatever it is, Keep it Clean!

Meatballs and Cheesecake... of course!

Things have been going better for me on the clean eating front lately.  I don't know why, when we have all the tools and we know what works, we (me!) still manage to get off track.  But I've definitely been more intentional about what I put in my face for the last 6 months and it's really making a difference. I am amazed at how well I am sleeping and how much better I feel in general.  We hiked 7 miles one day last weekend and my hips weren't crabby at all!  In the past, my hips and sometimes my knees have been very clear on how they feel about me walking more than a couple miles.  And I attribute it all to better eating.  We did have one day where all  bets were off.  Baby Girl took us to dinner for Mother's Day at an Italian place that makes everything fresh in house, including their own pasta.  I don't eat any sugar or grains usually, but I made an exception.  I figured, if it isn't loaded with added junk then one meal wouldn't hurt me!  The food was outstanding and was my only real indulgence in all this time, so it's ok.  At least it was real and not over-processed!

So this week I brought out an old favorite... meatballs!  I love this recipe and it makes a lot so I always freeze some for another day.  I had canned a triple batch of marinara in the fall, so we paired that with meatballs.  MR eats grains so he had whole wheat penne.  I sautéed sweet potato ribbons for my "noodles."  You can use zoodles or whatever you prefer.  There are also links down below to some other recipes I've tried and love, including cheesecake and dark chocolate mug cake!  For sweetener, I prefer monk fruit.  A lot of what I am reading is saying that any sweetener will impact insulin levels and weight loss.  I don't doubt it, as I am not a doctor or scientist of any kind, and I also know that I can't eat treats every day.  They are called treats for a reason... it shouldn't be an every day occurrence.  But sometimes I just want chocolate, and for special occasions I like to have a special dessert that I can also have.  I sure don't make a whole cheesecake when it's just the two of us!

Before you get to the recipes, in case you've never read my blog before, you should know that I believe it's okay to use canned or frozen foods, as long as the ingredients are just real food.  Because while I want to eat healthy, I also have a life.  I work, I serve, I play! I don't have time right now to grow everything fresh myself. The ingredients on the crushed tomatoes I buy are: crushed tomatoes, sea salt, citric acid, basil leaf, and oregano.  Read the labels! Know what you're putting in your belly.

Let's see what's on the menu!

Mama's Marinara

2 - 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed peppers, chopped
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1-2 TBSP Italian seasoning
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add chopped onion.  Saute until onion is tender.
Add crushed garlic.  Saute another minute or two.
Add mixed peppers.  Saute until tender.
Stir in red wine, if using.  (I highly recommend using it.  It adds a great depth of flavor!)
Ad crushed tomatoes.
Add Italian seasoning.
Stir and simmer, stirring occasionally.  Simmer at least 30 minutes, but longer if possible.

Serve with Meatballs! for a winning combination.

More recipes I love:

Egg Roll Stir-Fry

Instant Pot barbacoa beef

Cheesecake

Dark chocolate mug cake

What are you eating this week?  Whatever it is... Keep it Clean!

Cheesecake

Dark chocolate mug cake

Cheesecake does it again!

Dessert for Easter was cheesecake!  And not just any cheesecake, but a no sugar, no flour cheesecake.  Until I told them, no one knew it was a healthier version of a family favorite.  It's really not hard to make and is so worth it! I've posted this before but just had to share again because it is THAT good!

Classic Cheesecake with Wheatless Crust
(from Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD)

CRUST
1-1/2 cups ground pecans
1/2 cup Sweetener, (I use monk fruit, you can sub any granulated sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 TBPS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

FILLING
16 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Sweetener (I use monk fruit sweetener, you can sub any granulated sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup)
Dash of fine sea salt
3 large eggs
Juice of 1 small lemon and 1 TBSP grated lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 F.
To make the crust, combine ground pecans, sweetener, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir in the melted butter, egg, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1-1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch pie pan.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sweetener, and salt in a bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat at low speed to blend.  Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Beat at medium speed for 1 minute.

Pour the filling into the crust.  Bake until nearly firm in the center, about 50 minutes.  Cool the cheesecake on a rack.  Refrigerate to chill before serving.

Variations:  The filling can be modified in dozens of ways.  Try adding 1/2 cup cocoa powder and topping with shaved dark chocolate; or substitute lime juice and zest for the lemons; or top with berries, mint leaves, and whipped cream.

Dark Chocolate Mug Cake - Gluten Free too!

Who doesn't love a good mug cake?  Easy and quick to make... you can satisfy your craving without making a whole big batch of cookies or an entire cake or pie.  We've been trying different options lately, and I think this one is a winner!  It's very chocolaty, so we were happy to share one between two of us.  A little bit of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would be the perfect complement!  Bonus, it's gluten-free!

Dark Chocolate Mug Cake

1 TBSP butter
1 egg
Scant 1/4 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP monk fruit sweetener (or other granulated sweetener)
3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of kosher salt
About 6 dark chocolate chips

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe mug (about 20 seconds).  Crack and egg into a separate dish, whisk the vanilla into the egg.  Pour the egg mixture into the mug and whisk.
Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.  Whisk until well combined, scraping side as necessary.
Sprinkle top with chocolate chips.

Microwave on high about 75 to 90 seconds.  Test by inserting a toothpick into the center.

What are you eating today?  Whatever it is, Keep it Clean!

Quick Cake For Two (Or Just You)!

Lemon Sponge Cake for One (or Two)

4 TBSP fine almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP heavy cream or half-and-half
1 heaping TBSP coconut sugar (or preferred sweetener)
1 egg
2 TBSP lemon juice
Small handful of dark chocolate chips, optional

Grease the inside of a small dessert dish or ramekin with butter.
Mix almond flour and baking powder together in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream (or half-and-half), the sweetener, and egg.  Slowly add lemon juice, whisking constantly.
Stir liquid ingredients into dry.
When well mixed, pour batter into prepared dish.  You will need to allow about 3/4" - 1" head room so don't fill to full.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove from microwave and immediately scatter about half the chips on top of the cake (just stagger them around randomly).  Place a small plate on top of the bowl and flip it over.  Tap on the bottom and sides of the bowl and slowly lift it.  Scatter the rest of the chocolate chips on top and allow them to soften.
Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate chips and drizzle them on the finished cake.
Serves 1 or 2.

The taste is much better than the picture!

Recipes Worth Noting!

Sometimes I gather my recipe links on a blog page for the sole purpose of being able to quickly find them when it comes time to make supper.  This week was so full of wonderfully tasty recipes, though, I am sharing my menu - with links! - with you.  Enjoy!!

SUN - Chicken caesar salad
We had leftover chicken that I had grilled last week, so just chopped this up with some Romaine, added store bought Caesar dressing, a little freshly shredded Parmesan and pepper.  Voila!

MON - I had a meeting which included a potluck. I made two-ingredient pot roast in the slow cooker (the recipe says you can also use Instant Pot) using 3 pounds of beef cubes and two 16 oz. jars of my marinara.  I received a lot of accolades... it was the bomb!!  (Pro tip:  I made a bunch of this marinara earlier in the season and canned it which is making my life even easier these days!)

TUE - Thai Chicken is still a favorite.  You can serve it on naan for pizza, over rice or cauliflower fried rice.  I made the cauliflower fried rice recently and I can eat that stuff any time!  I used this recipe but admit that I tweaked just a little... used a whole egg instead of whites and skipped the scallions because I didn't have any!

WED - Oh my!  Oh my!  Oh my!  Peach bbq short ribs in the slow cooker and an apple-cranberry salad was better than I could have even imagined.  Interestingly, I had it for lunch (more than once!) using warmed up leftover ribs to top leftover salad, and it was even better!  I made  peach bbq sauce (using frozen peaches) because I didn't have time to order... and because I can!  It seems like a lot of steps, but you can make the peach bbq sauce in advance.  And it's so worth it!

THU - Who doesn't love grilled cheese and tomato soup?!  I used this fabulous tomato basil soup recipe and made a regular grilled cheese for MR.  I am not eating grains, so I experimented with using a frozen Trader Joe's cauliflower pizza crust for my bread.  I baked the crust on 350 for about 12 minutes on each side.  Then I cut it into 6 equal pieces.  I made it just like a regular grilled cheese, with the only difference being that my "bread" was cauliflower crust.  I haven't perfected it yet, but it definitely was better than tomato soup and NO grilled cheese!!

BONUS!  I put one of the slices of cauliflower crust in the toaster this morning, then spread it with softened butter, and sprinkled with cinnamon-coconut sugar blend.  It was so good!!!!

And just for the fun of it, I added the Vegan Chocolate Mousse recipe...