Sunday Shrimp & Grits

Is anybody else completely obsessed with "Uptown Funk"?

I can't help it. I'm hooked. It's basically been the thing that's getting me through this manic Monday!

But it's all good. Because you know what ELSE I'm currently hooked on?

Shrimp and grits.

Thaaaaaaat's right.

I'm cooking again!

Actually, I cook A LOT. I've just been really boring as of late.

So whether it's the 60+ -degree weather and sunshine we had this weekend, or just that I got tired of eating chicken, SOMETHING reallllly motivated me to get a little creative in the kitchen.

Okay let's face it - it was Pinterest.

I LOVE shrimp and grits. It's one of my favorite dishes to order when we go to legit seafood restaurants down on the Coast. Nobody does shrimp and grits like the South, people.

But I've never really attempted to make it myself. I've made a version or two with a few other fun ingredients added, but guess maybe I was just afraid it wouldn't be the same? Plus, when I want shrimp and grits, I REALLY WANT SHRIMP AND GRITS -- so to get all pumped about making it and eating it -- and then have it NOT turn out? Well, that's just heartbreaking.

But yesterday was different. Oh, so different. I'd found the recipe via Pinterest on Saturday night and it was all I could think about come Sunday morning. My tastebuds couldn't take it anymore, folks.

So, after church we threw some thinks in a skillet, cooked some grits, and hoped to goodness it would taste all right. And you know what?

It was a pretty fantastic recipe.

...although I'll spare you the horror of my photography skills, because it's really hard to make shrimp and grits look pretty with an iPhone camera and bad lighting ;)

You can find the original recipe here, courtesy of Southern Living Magazine (speak to my heart!), but I put my own spin on it below. It actually calls for very practical ingredients - I had basically everything on hand already except the shrimp.

Careful, though -- this dish is super filling! It's nice and cheesy and starchy and seafood-y all at once. And it's wonderful :)

Happy Monday, friends!

Sunday Shrimp & Grits

((adapted from Southern Living Magazine))

((source))

Serves 4

What you'll need:

2 slices of turkey bacon
1 lb of medium-size shrimp (I used frozen, fully cooked, de-veined, tail-on shrimp)
1/4 cup flour (I used self-rising, and it worked fine)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (plus a little more, just in case)
garlic powder
pepper
salt
Tony's

Grits:
1 cup Quick Grits
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded, mixed blend cheese (I used the "Pizza Blend")
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 slices Provolone cheese.
dash of salt
dash of pepper
dash of Tony's

What you'll do:

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat about a half tablespoon of oil to medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, then set the strips aside (drain on a paper towel if needed, but turkey bacon typically isn't very greasy). Do not clean the skillet.

Saute the mushrooms in the bacon drippings (if any), adding about a teaspoon more oil if needed (you can also add just a small pat of butter here). Sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder to taste. Cook until tender.

If needed, clean/defrost/de-vein/de-tail shrimp, then season with salt, pepper, and Tony's to taste. Dredge in flour, then add to skillet to cook with mushrooms.

When shrimp begin to brown, add chicken broth and season to taste. Let this mixture cook for about 5 minutes, then turn heat to low. This should be very gravy-ish, but not too liquid-y. If it gets too dry, add a little more broth until it reaches the right consistency.

Serve piping hot on top of grits.

For the grits:
Combine broth, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix in the grits a little at a time, stirring with a whisk. Once everything is combined, turn heat to low and let this cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thick.

When grits are fully cooked, add in the cheese and season slightly with Tony's as you stir.

Once everything is evenly combined, spoon grits into your bowl and top with mushroom and shrimp mixture. Crumble bacon on top and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

I'm feeling particularly restless today.

It likely has A LOT to do with adjusting to reality after an amazing four-day weekend out of town visiting my favorite people on this earth.

It gets harder and harder to leave every time. So yesterday and today have felt a little...off since coming back to The City.

But enough with the sadness! Let's talk about PIE.

Mmmmmm....pie.

Are you burned out on pumpkin yet? Because this recipe is actually pretty cool.

Right before Halloween, while we were buying our pumpkin, The Mister asked if we could get a second pumpkin to make a pie from scratch. I've never had ANY experience whatsoever in this, but it's possible, people! We did a little research and, with some guidance from the farmer's market lady, bought a "cheddar pumpkin."

(Other pumpkins for this are better known as "pie pumpkins," but our local folks recommended the cheddar.)

We had to dig a little bit, but we finally found a great recipe at pickyourown.org that was surprisingly easy - nowhere near as intimidating as it seemed.

Once you clean the pumpkin on the outside, you'll have to slice it in half and clean the insides before you cook the rind.

You can cook it in the microwave if you're pressed for time, but I recommend baking it because there will be no doubt when it's done.

Plus sometimes microwaves freak me out.

I'm weird. I know. I've accepted it.

Cooked pumpkin!

My advice, though? DEFINITELY use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the insides. This is SO MUCH EASIER (and faster! and more efficient!) than using a large spoon like I used to do. It really took all of three minutes to clean out the entire pumpkin.

The pumpkin rind - post-scooping!

Also, while this tasted great, I prefer my pumpkin pie a little sweeter, so I would recommend using more vanilla than called for, and possibly more sugar. I didn't have any evaporated milk on hand, so I used sweetened condensed milk, so that could have possibly been what made the difference.

The pumpkin "meat"

I hope you enjoy this - our little kitchen smelled great as it baked. It's a great way to kick off the holidays :)

P.S. If you wanna be REALLY scandalous...try drizzling that beauty with condensed milk right before you dig in. No regrets!

"From Scratch" Pumpkin Pie

from PickYourOwn.org

Makes 2 pies

What You'll Need:

1 pie pumpkin (we used a cheddar pumpkin)

2 frozen (or homemade) pie crusts

1 cup of sugar

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves*

1 tsp ground allspice*

1/2 tsp ginger*

1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs (Makes a lighter, fluffy pie. For a more dense pie, use just 3 eggs)
1.5 cans of evaporated milk
Optional: Whipped cream

*I used just over 3 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of these ingredients, as the original recipe listed as a replacement.

What You'll Do:

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Wash pumpkin thoroughly in cool or warm water. Cut in half using a serrated knife (a smooth knife could be dangerous) and clean out the insides with an ice cream scoop. Once clean, lay each half face-down on the baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Stick a fork in each half to see if it's soft, and if not then bake longer (up to 90 minutes).

Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop out the soft insides of the pumpkin until just the rind (or now soft "peeling") is left. Once cooled, use a hand (immersion) blender, hand mixer, or regular blender and blend until smooth.

Combine the remaining ingredients (minus the whipped cream) with about 3 cups of the pumpkin meat and mix until smooth and evenly blended. Pour into pie crusts and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 for around 45 minutes. You'll know the pie is done when you can stick a butter knife into the center and it comes out clean.

Let the pie cool then serve warm with whipped cream.

Amazing Coconut Shrimp

Folks - it's the WEEKEND (finally) and this party is about to get started!!!!!!

I'm ridiculously pumped to share this recipe with you - it's pretty much the perfect food to close out the summer.

 



A couple of weeks ago, I was trying to plan out our Sunday lunch and I was coming up with NOTHING. This was smack dab in the middle of my cooking rut (remember the Jello incident?), and there was not one thing that came to mind that sounded even remotely appetizing. I pretty much spent that entire Saturday night immersed in our favorite cookbooks, magazines, blogs and even Pinterest to get some sort of idea but NOPE - nothing.

I can't exactly let go of these sorts of things. When it comes to food, I MUST have a PLAN. ICANTLETGO.

Which explains why I was up until 1 a.m. reading cookbooks from cover to cover.

All I kept thinking about was how bad I wanted to go back to the beach. Because can we agree that the beach pretty much has some of the best food ever?

And the best views, obvi.



As thoughts of the beach kept creeping into my mind, my tastebuds started longing for something...seafood-y. Which led to shrimp. Which made me think of the time I ordered coconut shrimp at Margaritaville once in college.

Light bulb.

After much MUCH research (I had high standards, you see. Merher), I stumbled on the Crème de la Crumb blog ---- and her AMAZING recipe for coconut shrimp tacos.

Even better? It was an EASY 30-minute recipe from start to finish, practical ingredients, and...wait for it....BAKED.

Nope - not fried and unhealthy --- BAKED.

It's an explosion of all kinds of goodness that parties all night long on your tastebuds. Seriously -- the flavors are OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.

And don't even get me STARTED on THE SAUCE. The sauce is just...indescribable.

It's JUST. SO. GOOD.

Probably my favorite thing that's come out of our kitchen since the beginning. And I'm not even exaggerating.

We ate it alongside some fresh homemade guacamole, lime and cilantro-seasoned black beans, and fresh corn. It was PERFECT.

In fact, we enjoyed the shrimp so much we kept forgetting we actually had tortillas to make tacos. I think we both just kind of dove in to the shrimp alone after only one taco.

But hey - whatever works AMIRIGHT?????

Just writing about this dish has me excited all over again. The results were even better than I anticipated, and I'm completely convinced it's what pulled me out of my crazy boring rut.

Your summer probably won't be complete until you make this. It takes a little bit of prep work (and only a few dishes ;) ) but it's totally worth it. Trust me on this, okay?

You'll love it. And then we can be completely obsessed with it together.

Happy obsessing!



Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Sauce

Serves 2-4

(adapted from Crème de la Crumb)

 

What you'll need:

 

Shrimp:

1 lb shrimp (fresh or frozen), peeled and de-veined with tails removed

4 eggs

4 tbsp water

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups coconut flakes (I used a whole bag, which ended up being slightly more than 2 cups)

 

Sauce:

1 cup coconut milk

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (or more, if you prefer #iheartcilantro)

a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce

 

What you'll do:

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

 

Combine eggs and water in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, chili powder, and cayenne. Pour coconut flakes into another bowl.

 

Line your bowls in this order: flour, eggs/water, coconut.

 

Toss shrimp in flour mixture, dredge in egg mixture, then coat with coconut flakes - in that order.

 

Line shrimp on baking sheet, then bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until shrimp are thoroughly cooked and coconut flakes start to turn a "golden brown" color.

 

While shrimp are baking, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Place in refrigerator to chill until time to serve.

 

These shrimp taste excellent by themselves or on a taco with fresh salsa (I recommend either pineapple or mango salsa), guac, and fresh cilantro. Use the sauce as a dipping sauce, or drizzle on a taco. Either way, you can't go wrong with these babies. They're AMAZING.

 

Kudos to Tiffany from Crème de la Crumb for developing this recipe - go check out her GORGEOUS pictures, too!



Sometimes...

Sometimes...you just have to laugh at yourself. Because that's all you can do.

At least it was delicious!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

'Twas the Week before Christmas,
And what did I see?
The temps outside
Just hit 66 degrees!

But that's what you get
When you live in the South
The weather will change
Before you open your mouth!

The presents are ordered,
Each one is so dear...
I just hope that FedEx
Will soon bring them here!

But what's a new post,
Without a Christmas recipe?
Need a side dish for dinner?
Well here's one, from me!

So I give this to you,
A dish full of SPROUTS.
Your family will love them,
And will eat LARGE AMOUNTS!


MERRY WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

ONLY 6 SHOPPING DAYS LEFT!

I'm trying not to sweat,

G&G

Sugared Up Brussels Sprouts
Serves 6

1 bag of frozen Brussels sprouts, thawed

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

~ 2 tbsp stick butter or margarine, divided (you might not need all of this)

~ 2 tbsp honey, plus extra

3 tbsp brown sugar

dash of salt

dash of pepper

optional: chopped pecans

Slice Brussels thinly and set aside. In a non-stick skillet, heat your olive oil to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and let it melt. Once butter is melted, add sprouts and toss. Add honey and continue to toss until all sprouts have some of the butter/honey mix on them. Stir/toss often so sprouts do not stick. You may need to add a little more butter at this point to make sure all Brussels are covered (but not drenched in butter!).

Once sprouts are cooked (about 5-10) minutes, add salt, pepper, and brown sugar separately. Let sugar melt slightly (so it kind of caramelizes), then add a dash more with pecans just before serving.

Serve piping hot.

Homestyle Chicken 'n' Biscuits

Ladies and gentlemen, fall has descended upon us.

Look at that. Beee-youu-tee-fulllll.

When you live in the South - this beautiful, beautiful place - you know fall is near when the temp hits 69. When it hits 64, like today -- suddenly everything is better. People are happier, traffic is nicer (okay maybe not), everything just seems...right. Except the fact that stores have already decked their halls for Christmas. Is that odd to anyone else? But regardless...

I'm going to need fall to stick around for a few more months, yes? Yes.

I think we can all agree that with fall time comes some of the best food around. With the chill in the air and the excitement of the coming holidays and celebrations, I can't help but just want "real food."

My appetite has been wack lately - WACK, I say! Usually I'm all about the salads and the green smoothies with a side of quinoa and steamed veggies. But since the season began, all I want is the GOOD STUFF - comfort food like hearty soups and stews (thanks Natalie!!!!) and the like.

I'm even putting cheese on my veggies. WHAAATT????

I think I just like to feel warm and cozy from the inside out.

...And what better way to do that than curling up on the couch with a quilt, a Hallmark movie (or some Big Bang Theory...you choose ;) ), and a bowl of hot, fresh-out-of-the-oven Chicken 'n' Biscuits????

Oh my gracious. Just looking at it again makes my stomach growl. I've said it before, but I really, really mean it this time...THIS is comfort food at its finest.

Actually, I really, really meant it the last time I said it, too. And every other time before that.

I always mean what I say when I tell you things, invisible blog friends.

Always, always, always.

Honesty is the best policy =)

Truth? I've never made chicken and biscuits. I don't know if I've ever eaten it, honestly. I was raised a chicken & dumplins girl and thought that chicken and biscuits was just a knock off.

But no, friends. Yesterday, for some reason it was all I could think about. I had to try it. HAD TO.

And I'm not sorry.

Like, at all.

It does take a little time, but this recipe is super simple and flavorful - I actually used canned buttermilk biscuits (a rarity for me) to save time, and I won't change a thing when I make it again! It's chock full of veggie goodness, too, so you don't have to feel too guilty. It will make your tummy so, so happy - guaranteed.

As for the chicken, I used chicken legs but you could easily substitute thighs, or even skinless chicken breasts if that's what you have on hand. I highly recommend dark meat for this one, though - it really adds to the flavor of the dish.

We ate this last night alongside some broccoli that I sprinkled with garlic and baked in the oven. Delish. I highly recommend!

I hope you'll give this a try - and that it warms you up from the inside out as the temperatures begin to drop a little further :)

Homestyle Chicken 'n' Biscuits

Lightly adapted from The Novice Chef blog
Serves 4

What You'll Need:

2.5 tbsp stick butter/margarine, chopped

1 tbsp onion, chopped fine

2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1 bag frozen veggies (I used a broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot combo), thawed

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium potato, cubed

2-3 chicken legs or thighs

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

1.5 cups chicken broth (left over from your chicken)

Small can buttermilk biscuits (I used the 5 count)

Salt

Pepper

Zero fat cooking spray or less than a tsp of butter

Paprika - optional

What You'll Do:

Place chicken in a pot with hot water, add salt and pepper to taste, then cook until completely done. Pull or cut into small pieces and set aside.

Chop potato and boil until cooked, about 10 minutes, depending on size. Meanwhile, in a separate larger pot or Dutch oven, melt butter and add onion, celery, and garlic powder. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add your veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Add potato once cooked.

Stir veggies to ensure they are covered with butter and garlic mixture. Add flour and stir constantly for about 2 minutes so that everything is completely covered. Add milk a little at a time, continuing to stir until completely mixed.

Spoon in chicken broth until mixture is creamy and slightly soupy, but not to point of it becoming too broth-y. Add chicken and stir, adding salt, pepper, garlic and/or paprika to taste.

Rub a thin layer of butter on the bottom of a casserole dish (or spray with cooking spray) to prevent sticking, then arrange biscuits. Bake according to directions, but take out of oven after half the time (i.e., if directions call for 12 minutes of baking, take biscuits out after 6 minutes).

Once biscuits are halfway cooked, take dish out of the oven and pour chicken mixture on top, spreading evenly. Return the dish to oven and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Jesse & The Rippers & A New Recipe

It's been an interesting week. Tres intéressant. And I'm slightly exhausted.

I mean, caring for a Royal Baby can be exhausting.

From the labor, to the waiting...to the waiting...to the press announcement at the hospital, then the OFFICIAL placement on the golden easel, then the Town Crier.

Oh the Town Crier.

And then there was that moment on the steps, when they waved and chatted and laughed and looked fabulous. Then hopped in the car and drove away.

Whew. What a week.

;)

Anyway, aside from All Things Royal (which I love. So much. So very, very much), in all actuality it's been a bit of a tiring month week.

Is this real life? I need sleep.

However, I'm about to show you something that I'm pretty sure is going to make your day. It definitely made mine - and it's only 10am!

I'm talking about Jesse and the Rippers, everybody. JESSE AND THE STINKIN RIPPERS. On that show with that guy that used to be on that show that airs LIVE from New York every Saturday night.

Whaaaaat?

JESSE AND THE RIPPERS. Full House anyone?

Shoo doo be doo DAH DAH DAH!

Jesse and the Rippers recently reunited on Jimmy Fallon. Please watch this. It gives me almost as much joy as the Royal Baby.



JESSE AND THE RIPPERS ON JIMMY FALLON



By the way. Holmes in the white polo? That would totally be me.

Dude in the suit? That would be The Fiance. We're completely awesome like that.

I find it fascinating how John Stamos has never aged. He even got the perfect 90's hair back for the show. Then again, when was Uncle Jesse's hair NOT perfect?

And Aunt Becky? Loved her. Aunt Becky, Uncle Joey, DJ, and Gibbler FO EVA.

Foreverrrrrrrr....ForEVERRRRRRRRR.....

And Comet. We can't forget Comet. And Steve. Steve was always cool. To this day I STILL squeal when he's waiting at the door in a tux for DJ's prom even though Michelle has amnesia and DJ has no dress but somehow looks GORGEOUS as always and OH EM GEE I LOVE DJ on that last episode.

Oh childhood.


HEY LET'S TALK ABOUT FOOD

Last night was a late supper night and I needed something FAST and HEALTHY. Enter in THIS:

I don't know what it's called, but I call it Delicious.

Kind of like a vegetable-filled seafood jambalaya.

I came upon this recipe via Chocolate Broccoli. Please check out her site, it's adorable.

I had a lot of this stuff on hand already, and if I didn't it was something I would normally buy at the store.

Frozen veggies, frozen shrimp, Uncle Ben's 90-second brown rice? Helloooooo healthy one-dish meal.

The great thing about this meal is that everything is already cooked when you put it into the skillet. Just heat and season and You. Are. Done. Boom.

I used the Broccoli Stir Fry frozen mix for veggies, frozen shrimp already cooked, and Uncle Ben's brown rice. This might have taken me 15 minutes, tops. Maybe.

Then I made biscuits from scratch and all was well with the world.

I hope you make this dish. And I hope you eat it while listening to Jesse and the Rippers.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Adapted from the blog Chocolate Broccoli
Makes 4-6 servings

1 pouch of Uncle Ben's 90-second whole-grain brown rice

Zero fat cooking spray

1 pound peeled and deveined (and cooked, if you can find it) shrimp

1 tbsp of Tony's  (or other Cajun seasoning)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sprinkle of garlic powder

Sprinkle of onion powder

1 package of frozen broccoli stir fry veggies, thawed

1/2 tbsp of Italian seasoning (I use Chef Paul's, but a nice mix of oregano and basil would still work)

1/2 tsp of paprika

1 can no-salt added stewed tomatoes

sprinkle of red pepper flakes

dash of cayenne pepper

sprinkle of salt

dash of pepper

Spray a bit of cooking spray on a skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in your shrimp and sprinkle with Tony's, toss to coat evenly. Saute shrimp for roughly 4 minutes or until done. Remove from skillet, but keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic powder first, then throw in your veggies, paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, heat your rice, then add to the skillet once it's done. Stir in shrimp, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook/stir until everything is evenly combined and thoroughly heated.

Serve warm with homemade biscuit or french bread.

More Veggies - Chicken Fiesta Salad

Have I mentioned that I'm kind of obsessed with vegetables?

Just a tad, I promise.

Let's be honest, when you fill half your plate with veggies, and you're still full at the end of a meal, you feel really good about yourself - because you just consumed a whole bunch of good-for-you stuff!

And depending on how you cook them...veggies are almost no calories. And if they are, it's usually the good kind. YUM. Unless they're fried, but let's not get into that. ;)

I ate a veggie sandwich at lunch today. It was delish. My belly is happy.

Random? Maybe. But oh-so-true.

Let's talk about supper time. Last week, after the reunions, weddings, and retirement parties (2 in 2 weeks at work!), I wanted something light, but filling enough so that I wouldn't be hungry an hour later. Something green, yet flavorful.

The results? Beautiful and delicious:

Chicken Fiesta Salad, anyone?

Light, healthy, and filling. I whipped this up after the gym one night and LOVED it. And for a bonus? The Fiance' was game as well.

Boy-approved, ladies. This dish is boy-approved.

It has a ton of good stuff mixed in: corn, black beans, lean chicken, carrots, peppers, leafy greens YAYEAH! I loved it. We even topped it with a little Spicy Ranch dressing to give it a little "kick" - no regrets there. I would suggest serving this with a nice bowl of homemade salsa and/or guacamole.

I haven't tried this {yet}, but I am fully confident that it would taste amazing topped with this Honey Lime Dressing.

Hope you enjoy this and feel great after eating it!

salaaaadddd!!!!!

Chicken Fiesta Chopped Salad
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small)

2 ears of fresh corn (or 1 can of corn, rinsed and drained), depending on your preference

1/2 fresh cucumber, sliced in quarters

1/2 tomato, chopped

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

Sliced carrots (I buy mine julienned)

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced into strips

4-5 leaves of romaine lettuce, rinsed

1/4 cup of shredded cheese - I used a fiesta blend

Mrs. Dash's Chipotle Seasoning

McCormick's Hawaiian meat seasoning

~ 2 tsp of butter or margarine, divided

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Dash of Tony's seasoning

Juice of 1 lime

HINT: Roll your lime to get the juices going, then chop it in half. You'll use one half at a time for this recipe.

Directions:

Heat 1 tsp of butter in a small skillet. Slice chicken into strips, then chunks, and throw into the skillet. As the chicken cooks, add in your seasonings, salt, pepper and half of the lime juice. Cook and flip until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

In a separate skillet, slowly melt the remaining butter. Carefully slice the corn kernels off of each ear of corn and add to the skillet with just enough water to barely cover the corn. Season with salt and pepper, and add a dash of Tony's if you prefer. Cook until water is almost cooked out and corn is thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Rinse your lettuce leaves, and chop into strips. Add to a serving bowl along with cucumber, tomato, rinsed/drained black beans, carrots, and yellow pepper. Once cooled, add chicken and corn.

Top with a sprinkle of cheese and the remaining lime juice and serve.

The Results are In: Paleo Lasagna

And Helloooooo again Friday!

Last night's experimental supper turned out to be quite tasty. It was my first time trying a "Paleo" recipe, but it honestly was not all that different from the recipes I usually make. Around the time I moved here to the City, I began cutting out dairy for health reasons and, over time, decreased my bread intake.

Don't get me wrong, I still put cream in my coffee and enjoy a nice pasta dish every once in awhile. And let's face it, sometimes a girl just needs a cookie. Or a brownie. Or cake, but we've addressed that already :) However, I still do what I can to eat natural foods and incorporate vegetables as much as possible, which is why this recipe appealed to me.

Someone told me once: "If God didn't make it, you don't eat it." I guess you can say that it kind of stuck ;)

I found this recipe (and its many variations) on Pinterest. If your not familiar with The Paleo Diet, in short, it's a way of eating void of dairy, refined sugars, cereal grains, legumes and processed food. While I'm not a fan of what many call "Fad Diets," this seems more like a lifestyle change rather than a temporary diet. I'm not against it, but the concept is intriguing. I can only speak for myself, but it definitely feels better when I'm eating fresh veggies and lean meats.

Then again, I also feel good after a cupcake. All in moderation I suppose! ;)

This recipe is for Paleo Lasagna, aka no pasta noodles! But don't let that deter you from trying this. Like I said, I do enjoy a nice hot dish of pasta every now and then, but I do have to watch the portions or else I'll walk away feeling heavy and searching for stretchy pants. This dish is a lighter variation, and I can honestly say that not only was it delicious, it did not weigh me down and I actually had a second portion without guilt.

And if you think about it, no pasta = no carbs. :) If you're into that sort of thing.

Instead of pasta, this dish uses vegetables to separate the layers: in this case, zucchini and yellow squash. There's also broccoli mixed in with the filling, and I would suggest adding spinach if you're a fan. It also calls for raw goat cheese - which technically is considered a dairy product but is easier for our bodies to digest. If you're like me and curious, you can read about it here.

I've got another experiment up my sleeve for tonight's supper, so here's to hoping for more great results.  Until then I'll be busy at work and then heading to the gym for a nice boot camp workout before road trippin' tomorrow! Looking forward to the next couple of days - hope you are too!

Enjoy the recipe (I left out the onions and it still tasted great)! See the original here.

NOTE: This is not my recipe - please visit the links to see the original chef's masterpiece!

Paleo Lasagna

from Tastebook

1 white onion, diced

1 lb extra lean turkey (I used less because that's what I had on hand)

1 15oz can diced tomatoes, low sodium

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp Italian spice blend

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lb zucchini and/or yellow squash, cut into medallion rounds

1/2 raw goat cheese (again, I used less because of what I had on hand)

2 cups Greek yogurt

1 head broccoli, roughly chopped

1 egg

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and add onions. Saute' on medium-high until softened. Add ground turkey, canned tomato and paste, spices, salt pepper, and garlic. Cook until turkey is completely cooked. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix goat cheese, yogurt, broccoli, and egg. Mix until it's nice and combined.

Lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish. The remaining veggies will act as your "pasta" to separate the layers. Place a layer of zucchini and squash rounds around the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of the turkey-tomato mixture. Top with the broccoli-yogurt mixture and repeat until you have no more left!

Bake for 45-60 minutes, then let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Unless you're like me and you're just hungry. Then I would suggest be careful not to burn your tongue :)

But above all else - enjoy!