Zucchini Casserole

A Facebook friend posted this recipe from the Bring 'Em On Home Cowboy Cookbook Facebook Page and I immediately thought of all y'all.   I have altered the recipe to make it P10 friendly by substituting ground flax seeds for the bread crumbs.

And since we’re on a zucchini kick let’s give this one a try!  It’s a perfect side dish to a grilled steak or chicken.

 STAGE 1 – please use ground flax seeds in place of the bread crumbs

STAGES 2 & 3 – please use ground flax seeds in place of the bread crumbs, they’re healthier for you…but really you could use the crumbs if you prefer…

 

photo courtesy of Bring 'Em On Home

Zucchini Casserole

recipe courtesy of Bring 'Em On Home
makes several servings

4 cups zucchini, sliced

1 cup mayonnaise
garlic powder, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 cup mild or medium cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
ground flax seeds or bread crumbs

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together mayonnaise, garlic powder, pepper, cheese and eggs.

Fold in the zucchini. 

Pour into a lightly buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.

Drizzle melted butter on top and sprinkle lightly with flax seed or bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 35 -45 minutes.

Skinny Shrimp Salsa

Today’s recipe just screamed ‘SUMMER’ at me.  It’s such an easy and neat idea yet one that hadn’t occurred to me.  This recipe is courtesy of Gina’s Skinny Recipes, her website is www.skinnytaste.com.  It’s mostly geared towards Weight Watchers recipes but you can find a lot of P10-worthy recipes there too.

Shrimp, tomatoes, cilantro, red onion and lime are combined to create a zesty protein rich salsa. Bring this to a party and watch it disappear!

This shrimp salsa is low-fat, gluten-free and perfect for low-carb diets, but you can switch it up and add black beans to boost the fiber, or roasted corn to add a touch of sweetness, and even avocado to add some healthy fats. Add more jalapeño to make it spicier and adjust the lime, cilantro and salt to suit your taste. You see where I'm going with this.... the possibilities are endless!

 

photo courtesy of www.skinnytaste.com

Skinny Shrimp Salsa

Recipe courtesy of Gina’s Skinny Recipes
makes 8 servings

16 oz. cooked peeled shrimp, diced fine

4 vine ripe tomatoes, diced fine
6 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons jalapenos, diced fine
    (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 limes, juice of (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine diced onions, tomatoes, salt and lime juice in a non-reactive bowl and let it sit about 5 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, taste for salt and adjust as needed. Refrigerate and let the flavors combine at least an hour before serving.

Cabbage Hashbrowns

Crispy goodness..... 

Here's an oldie but a goodie - try these for breakfast this weekend!

Bubba's so funny, he knows the drill, he asked 'is this cauliflower?' and The Kid replied 'oh heck no - these are real potato hashbrowns, thanks Mom for some real food!' 

FYI - once you add onions to something it makes it taste 'real' because I think people associate onions with that real down home taste.  Red onions crisped up taste like bacon so there's another tip to make these even more delicious.

I doubled the recipe to make enough for two patties each and I served them with some pan seared chicken sausage (nitrate free) and it was a great dinner.  But they would also be wonderful for breakfast with some...you guessed it...runny eggs. 


Cabbage Hashbrowns
makes 3 large or 4 small patties
adapted from Maria's Delicious and Nutritious Journal

1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 onion, chopped
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter) for frying


Shred the cabbage (or use pre-bagged if you'd like).

Mix the cabbage, onion, egg, salt, pepper and cheese.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add mixture to the pan in three portions and then pat them out flat.  Cover and fry for 4-5 minutes. When firm enough, carefully flip the patty. Lower heat, cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown.

COMPARISON (courtesy of Maria):
1 cup Potato Hashbrown 116 calories, 28 carbs, 2 sugar, 4 fiber
1 cup Cabbage Hashbrown 29 calories, 3 carbs, 0 sugar, 2g fiber

Spring Green Saag

Continuing on our 'Indian food' theme this week, one of my favorite veggies cooked Indian style is spinach.  If Popeye was my husband he would be thrilled at how much we have spinach at our house.  Bubba certainly doesn't mind but the Kid does....so pooey on her!

I borrowed this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.  She has a great blog with healthy dessert recipes and once in a while, a non-dessert recipe.  This side dish was quick and delicious and to be honest, I could have eaten the entire dish it all by myself and called it dinner.  I used Greek yogurt and it gave the dish a great tangy flavor.

I served this along with Chicken Tandoori (will post Friday), and although they have very similar ingredients, the dishes complemented each other rather than copied each other.

Print this recipe:  Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

serves four as a side dish

1 package frozen spinach, thawed (10-12 oz.)

1 medium onion or 1/2 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt (or more if desired)

1/4 teaspoon dry ginger (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1 teaspoon olive oil (or more if desired)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup yogurt, depending on desired creaminess

Wring out the spinach in a (preferably green) dishcloth until dry.

Add onion and oil to a hot pan. Sauté 3 minutes, or until it begins to brown.

Stir in the garlic, curry, and ginger, and sauté for another minute. Then add the spinach, as well as 2 tablespoons water. Cook another minute, or until most of the water has absorbed.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, as well as 1/4 cup water (or non-dairy milk). You can also add a little coriander and turmeric, if desired, for more flavor.

Spring-Green Saag and Chicken Tandoori

Almond Flour Biscuits

Boy oh boy are you in for a treat!  These biscuits really hit the spot and they were so good!  And they were easy to make too.  I got this recipe from The Nourishing Home website and adapted it for P10 use. 

Have you missed biscuits?  Breakfast sandwiches, little sammies, etc.?  Well no more!

In the short time they existed at our house, they were covered with egg salad made with homemade mayo, served as a breakfast biscuit and as sandwich buns. 

If you're going to spend some time cooking ahead for the week, put these on your list.  And hide them from The Kid....just sayin'

Just a couple of notes:  This makes EIGHT biscuits.  I made twelve and ended up with some little guys.  Also, these biscuits have a great texture but are on the sweet side.  And they won’t ‘rise’ like normal biscuits, so if you want a high biscuit, shape it that way.

Now, back to our show!

Almond Flour Biscuits

makes 8 biscuits

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons butter, melted (or melted coconut oil)

1 tablespoon agave

3 tablespoons almond milk

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and agave, until smooth. Add the milk and eggs, whisking together until well combined. Using a spoon, stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.

For quick and easy drop biscuits: Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing the biscuits approximately two-inches apart.

For classic-style rolled-looking biscuits: Scoop a large spoonful of batter into your hands and roll into a ball about the size of an apricot. Then place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently flatten using the palm of your hand.

Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Serve warm with butter.

Mashed Cauliflower

If you haven’t tried this, I think you’ll really like it, and to be honest, my family can’t even tell the difference between this and mashed potatoes.  If you’re used to making mashed potatoes, this recipe is basically the same thing – if you’d rather use milk/butter or sour cream or mashed garlic whatever you prefer to make these – then just add what you’d like until you get the texture and flavor you want. 

Mashed Cauliflower

Makes about 4 servings

One head cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter

2-4 oz cream cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan, add cauliflower and just cover with water, boil covered, about 10-15 minutes, until tender.  Drain thoroughly.  Mash cauliflower with hand masher on low heat (to help evaporate any extra liquid).

Add the cheese and butter and mix until well combined.

If you prefer them nice and smooth, mix with a food processor or an immersion blender.

And if you like it spicy, there's nothing stopping you from adding chopped chilies to this recipe!

 

1/2 cup serving = 1 veggie and maybe about 1/2 a dairy serving

Roasted Veggies

On P10 you will find yourself spending a lot of quality time with your (possibly new) friend the vegetable.  This recipe is simple, quick and very tasty.  There are many different combinations you can try.  This recipe is great for all Stages of P10.

Oooohhhh....I shouldn't forget to mention that if you dice red onion up very small and toss it into the recipe, the little red onions bits crisp up and taste like....bacon bits.  At least I think so. 

This would make a great side dish - or throw them onto your salad - or dot them with goat cheese and enjoy.

Ingredients

Olive oil

Regular salt or kosher salt

Note:  try different types of seasonings, like Chinese five spice, garlic salt, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, curry powder, thyme, cumin, etc.

3 or more cups of any kind of veggie you like or a combination: 
     asparagus (cut 1 inch off bottom)
     green beans, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets,
     Brussels sprouts (cut off bottom core and then cut in half),
     chunks of zucchini or squash,
     diced potatoes or sweet potatoes,
     onions sliced or diced
     mushrooms, clean and halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 450.

Make sure the veggies are clean and DRY. 

Drizzle about 2 tablespoons olive oil on the baking sheet.  Then spread the veggies out on the sheet and drizzle with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt or some other seasoning.  Use your hands or utensils to toss and mix it all together and then distribute it all evenly on the baking sheet. - OR combine the veggies, oil and seasoning in a ziplock bag and go to town with it.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, flip the veggies over halfway through cooking.  They will be brown and crispy when they are done.  Keep an eye on them as cooking times vary.

Asparagus is great with a little squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkling of parmesan cheese before serving.

If you have something else in the oven that needs a lower temp, this recipe will still work, just cook the veggies longer...

1/2 cup of cooked vegetables = 1 serving

Almond Flour Biscuits

Boy oh boy are you in for a treat!  These biscuits really hit the spot and they were so good!  And they were easy to make too.  I got this recipe from The Nourishing Home website and adapted it for P10 use. 

Have you missed biscuits?  Breakfast sandwiches, little sammies, etc.?  Well no more!

In the short time they existed at our house, they were covered with egg salad made with homemade mayo, served as a breakfast biscuit and as sandwich buns. 

If you're going to spend some time cooking ahead for the week, put these on your list.  And hide them from The Kid....just sayin'

Just a couple of notes:  This makes EIGHT biscuits.  I made twelve and ended up with some little guys.  Also, these biscuits have a great texture but are on the sweet side.  And they won’t ‘rise’ like normal biscuits, so if you want a high biscuit, shape it that way.

Now, back to our show!

Almond Flour Biscuits

makes 8 biscuits

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons butter, melted (or melted coconut oil)

1 tablespoon agave

3 tablespoons almond milk

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and agave, until smooth. Add the milk and eggs, whisking together until well combined. Using a spoon, stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.

For quick and easy drop biscuits: Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing the biscuits approximately two-inches apart.

For classic-style rolled-looking biscuits: Scoop a large spoonful of batter into your hands and roll into a ball about the size of an apricot. Then place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently flatten using the palm of your hand.

Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Serve warm with butter.

Spinach Casserole

Imagine when to my utter shock The Kid suddenly announces that she "has never really liked spinach."  Well Kid, you are outta luck 'cause Mama is on a spinach kick.  I just can't seem to get enough of it. 

I made mine in the crockpot and it was very well done....I think I either need to oven bake this or get a smaller crockpot.  

 

Spinach Casserole

makes 4-6 servings

2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 1/2 cups full fat cottage cheese

1/3 cup butter

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup ground flax meal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Coat the inside (of course) of the crockpot with olive oil.

Mix together all ingredients and spoon into crockpot.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Alternatively, you could probably bake this at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes if you forgot to load up the crockpot before you left in the morning.

Spaghetti Squash

I think spaghetti squash is one of those 'love it or hate it' type of foods.  I tried it once a long while back and didn't care for it...but it turns out you have to DO something to it or else it's not so very exciting to eat.  But you can do simple things to it, marinara sauce, Alfredo Sauce, etc.   It can be an entree or a side dish depending on what you decide to do with it.

I don't know what I was thinking but I served with with a side of Lemony Squash and it wasn't until I asked 'how is your squash?' that I realized our plates were ridiculously redundantly repetitive with coordinated vegetation....

I found this recipe that makes a big batch of savory squash and is simply flavored yet delicious.  Microwaving the squash makes this go faster and dinner is on the table much sooner.  The recipe calls for shallot but you could sub onion, it's just that shallot has a much more delicate flavor that really works well with this dish.


Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Butter
makes 6 servings

2 lb spaghetti squash
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
2-3 tablespoons fresh OR 1 tablespoon dried herbs, parsley, oregano, basil, etc.
    (total, not each)
salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shaved, shredded or grated

Take a sharp knife and stab the squash all over.  Put the squash on a paper plate and microwave on high for 6 minutes, turn over and microwave another 8-10 minutes until the squash feels squashy.  Remove from microwave and let stand and cool for about 5 minutes.

While squash is cooling, melt the butter in a pan on medium-low heat then add the shallot and garlic, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the seasonings and remove from the heat.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise and split it open, use a fork to pick out all the seeds.  Then use the fork to scrape the insides, taking care of break up any lumps and create strands of 'spaghetti'. 

Mix the butter and the squash in a serving bowl.  If squash has cooled too fast, zap it again to warm it up.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.  Add extra cheese to taste if desired.

Lemony Squash

This was super quick and I always love to play with my chef's knife, although you could use a mandolin slicer (but I'm afraid of mine).

See how purty it looks in the pan?

I didn't stir or turn my veggies while they were cooking and I think I had the heat up too high because they got nice and brown on the bottom but that was still good and I kinda like them that way.  So, if you're the type that has to flip and stir go right ahead but I didn't think it was necessary.

Lemony Squash

makes 4 servings

with crispy roasted bottoms....

4 small zucchini or yellow squash

1 small lemon, zest and juice

salt

Slice the veggies about 1/4" thick.

Place in a large skillet with a tablespoon of water.

Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon zest and a little salt.

Cover and simmer on medium low heat for at least 5 minutes.  Check to see if they are just right or need a couple more minutes to finish cooking.

Squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the squash, taste to see if that's enough or if you'd like more.

Potatoes with Tamari Butter

My family has always loved this side dish.  In Japanese, it's called 'shinjaga shouyu bataa'

In the past I always made a special trip to get the teeny new potatoes but one day I was running late and looking for something a bit heartier to serve alongside the Pan Seared Salmon with Ponzu Spinach that I was whipping together.  I thought this would be a good complement to the dish so I threw it together with big old honking russet potatoes instead.  So I decided to post both ways to cook this dish in case you feel the same non-urge to run out and get special teeny taters.

Remember folks, on P10 potatoes are a 'every once in a while' food.  Of course after you eat these you might struggle with that a bit....

Tamari is the wheat-free version of soy sauce so if you're on Stages 2/3 you could just use soy sauce but honestly, the flavor of tamari is so much better and it's worth it to keep some on hand.  It's readily available in the Asian section of your grocery store.


Potatoes with Tamari Butter-baby potato version

1 lb organic tiny new potatoes, washed and unpeeled
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon tamari
salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Put potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and add enough salt to make the water salty like seawater.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.

Drain the potatoes.  Melt the butter in the same pan and add the tamari.  Mix the potatoes and and tamari butter well, and pour onto a baking sheet.

Roast potatoes for 25-30 minutes until browned and cooked through.  Make sure and turn them a few times.  Serve warm or at room temperature.


Potatoes with Tamari Butter-russet potato version

2 large russet potatoes, washed and unpeeled
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon tamari

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Stab the potatoes with a fork and microwave for 5 minutes.  Cut potatoes into chunks.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large microwavable bowl.  Remove from microwave and mix in the tamari.  Toss the potatoes and and tamari butter well, and pour onto a baking sheet.

Roast potatoes for 25-30 minutes until browned and cooked through.  Make sure and turn them a few times.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quinoa Cauliflower Mash

Quinoa is pronounced 'keen-wa'

Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, authors of "The Everyday Superfood," describe quinoa as "one of the world's healthiest foods." Quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, making it an ideal protein source for vegetarians who typically need to eat a wide variety of protein foods to get all of the amino acids found in animal protein. Quinoa is gluten-free and can be used as a protein-rich substitute for wheat, rye and barley.

The Glycemic Index is a ranking system that assigns a number to foods that contain carbohydrates, depending on how quickly they release glucose into the bloodstream. Foods with a high rank are usually not suitable for diabetes sufferers because they cause spikes in blood sugar. Low-GI ranking foods don't adversely affect blood glucose levels; they support weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the Glycemic Index website. Quinoa is a low-ranking food on the Glycemic Index.

I am going to double check with Dr. Aziz, since he didn't address quinoa specifically in his book, but for right now, I am going to say sorry all you Stage 1 peeps, this recipe is Stages 2/3 only, but hey, you only have to wait a few weeks until you can try this.  AND YOU MUST TRY THIS!  This is freaking delicious, I could not stop eating it and the Kid was head over heels for it.  Be warned, this makes a big ole' pot full so you'll have a lot to eat.  Haven't tried freezing it and reheating it yet so I'll have to let you know about that.  If there's any left by the time I get home...

I served this with a big pat of butter.  It made a great side dish to Greekloaf.

Quinoa Cauliflower Mash

makes 8+ servings

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups dry quinoa, uncooked and rinsed

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups chopped fresh cauliflower (about 1/2 of a large head)

4 cups water (or broth if you prefer)

Seasonings:  salt, pepper or garlic salt

In large pot, on medium heat, stir in onion and oil and cook for about 1 minute.

To the oil mixture, add quinoa. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.

To the quinoa, add salt, cauliflower, and water or broth.

Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover pot.  Simmer until all the liquid has absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and mash mixture together with a potato masher.

Taste and add seasonings as you prefer.   A touch of garlic salt was just right on this.

Greekloaf and Quinoa Cauliflower Mash, all warm and cuddly on the plate...

Spicy Mashed Cauliflower

Someone told me about this version of Mashed Cauliflower that was served on a cruise ship off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. 

If this doesn't seem spicy enough for you then feel free to kick it up a notch. 

You know would be great?  Use this recipe as the base for a super awesome kickin' Bowl Taco...add beans, olives, avocado, etc.

Spicy Mashed Cauliflower

makes 4-6 servings

One head cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup grated Mexican or Monterey Jack cheese

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped

2-3 tablespoons half and half

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

In large saucepan, add cauliflower and just cover with water, boil covered, about 10-15 minutes, until tender.  Drain thoroughly.  Mash cauliflower with hand masher.

Add the cheese, chile and cream and mix until well combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Add more half and half if needed.

If you prefer them nice and smooth, mix with a food processor or an immersion blender.

Scoop into a lovely serving dish and sprinks with cilantro.

 

Tamari Green Beans

Someone mentioned the other day that they made Tamari Mushrooms and threw in some green beans, and once again, I was like 'why didn't I think of that?'

So I tried the same recipe but used green beans and it was really really really good.  Yes, it gets rated three 'reallys'!

Most soy sauce contains gluten (wheat) but tamari is soy sauce that is more natural and it's not too difficult to find.  If you have an Asian ingredient aisle in your grocery store, check it out.  Tamari is right next to the soy sauce.

Tamari Green Beans

makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces fresh green beans

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons tamari

ground black pepper to taste

 

Melt the butter in frying pan over medium heat; add the beans; cook and stir about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; continue to cook and stir for 1 minute.

Add the tamari; cook the beans in the tamari until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. 

1/2 cup of green beans = 1 serving of veggies