Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken Breasts
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bunch of asparagus
½ cup olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp parsley, minced
Red chili pepper flakes, crushed
Slices of lemon
To prepare the grilled chicken skewers, slice chicken breasts into 1-inch-sized cubes. In a bowl combine olive oil, soy sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Reserve ½ of the sauce and marinate the chicken in the remaining sauce from 15 minutes to overnight, in the refrigerator. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes, then soak in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. Thread the chicken onto metal or bamboo skewers. Grill the chicken kebabs (on an indoor or outdoor grill), brushing with olive oil. Throw asparagus on the side and grill until you see charred marks. Remove the chicken skewers and asparagus from the grill and serve immediately sprinkled with red chili pepper flakes, parsley, slices of lemon, and the reserved sauce.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium zucchini, spiraled or grated into noodles
5 medium-sized portabella mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 lb raw shrimp
salt and pepper
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
parsley, chopped
Heat olive oil in a skillet and add squash noodles and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender and season with salt and pepper as desired. Remove from pan. Place pan back over medium heat, melt butter, and add garlic and shrimp. Cook and stir as needed until the shrimp is fully cooked. Add squash and mushrooms back to the pan and stir to heat. Sprinkle with parmesan and garnish with chopped parsley.
Caprese Casserole
16-oz whole-wheat penne
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese
3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
8-oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar|
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and keep warm. Heat the oil, and add onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in marinara and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta and stir to combine. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with spoonfuls of ricotta and half of the tomato slices. Add the remaining pasta mixture and top with the remaining tomato slices and mozzarella. Bake until bubbling on the edges, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with basil, drizzle with vinegar, and garnish with pepper.
Steak Taco Bowl
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp minced garlic
“½ small onion, sliced thinly
8 small portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 small poblano pepper or bell pepper
salt and pepper
10-oz steak, sliced thinly
1 tbsp taco seasoning mix
¼ cup queso melting cheese
Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add garlic, onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the skillet. Add taco mix to sliced steak. Add olive oil to skillet and heat over medium. Add steak and stir fry until brown and cooked, about 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness of slices. Add cooked veggies back to skillet with steak and stir. Heat queso and pour over the steak mixture.
Stuffed Peppers
3 bell peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
2 cups riced cauliflower
1 cup chunky marinara sauce (sugar-free)
1 tsp fresh thyme
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp pepper, freshly ground
1 cup mozzarella, shredded and divided
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove inside, and place in a casserole dish cut side up and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté onions in oil for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the meat. Set aside in a bowl. Cook riced cauliflower on medium heat and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add marinara sauce, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper and mix. Turn the heat down to medium-low for 2 minutes until completely heated through. Transfer the ground meat mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute or until heated through. Take off the heat and stir in ½ cup of shredded cheese. Spoon the meat and sauce mixture into the halved peppers and top each pepper half with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Roasted Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Broccoli
8 cups broccoli florets with 2-inch stalks attached
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp ground pepper, divided
½ cup salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
Zest of 1 medium lemon, plus wedges for serving
4 tsp mayonnaise
1¼ pounds salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions
Preheat the oven to 425ºF and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine broccoli, garlic, 2 tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes. Combine pistachios, chives, lemon zest, the remaining 1 tbsp oil, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread 1 tsp mayonnaise over each salmon portion and top with the pistachio mixture. Move the broccoli to one side of the baking sheet and place the salmon on the empty side. Roast until the salmon is opaque in the center and the broccoli is just tender, 8 to 15 minutes more, depending on thickness, and serve with lemon wedges.