Jalapeno Turkey Burgers with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce

June 12, 2016 By Natasha Leave a Comment

Jalapeno Turkey Burgers with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce

This post is in partnership condiment friends at Sir Kensington’s! I loveeee all their delicious stuff, but this post specifically is tribute to their new avocado oil mayonnaise. All opinions are my own.

It’s getting a little hot up in here, and I’m gonna make things even hotter with these spicy jalapeno turkey burgers with creamy chimichurri sauce!

The beginning of June is when Redding decides to turn up the heat to full blast on the thermostat. For reals. It’s hot here! BUT, I can’t complain much considering hubby and I moved here from the coast 12 years ago because SUN! Fun Fact: Redding is the second sunniest city in the nation with 88% sunshine. Yes, I said NATION. Who knew?…

Bacon Deviled Eggs

March 26, 2016 By Natasha 1 Comment

Bacon Deviled Eggs

I cannot believe Easter is already here. This is just madness! Once again, in the blink of an eye, time is flyinggggggg by. Okay, so, I don’t know about you, but I can always eat deviled eggs. Seriously, when I see them as an appetizer at a gathering, they are the first thing on my plate. It’s like they are calling my name… “Natashaaaaaa, eat me!” But, I know not everyone picks the cleanest of ingredients to use, and that is very important to me, and I hope it is to you too!

Let’s talk Spring. It’s definitely in the air here in Northern California! The blossoms are blooming all over town on the trees and I’m in love with them floating around in the breeze. The air is fresh and crisp, and we haven’t hit the triple digits yet! I just wish Spring time would last a little longer around here. It’s like we get a glimpse of it and then, BAM, the blazing summer heat is relentless. Speaking of Spring, it’s the time of the year where I start lightening up my meals and enjoying the seasonal produce. Asparagus is one of my favorite spring vegetables, but honestly, I do eat it year round. Lemon curd also reminds me of Spring. One of my favorite memories is making a layered lemon curd blackberry trifle for Mother’s Day and sharing it with my Grandmother. That was wayyyyy before my Paleo eating days, so maybe I’ll clean it up and make it again soon. But, you can enjoy my cleaned up Luscious Paleo Lemon Curd recipe and serve it for your Easter weekend brunch! Mix it with some coconut whipped cream and add in some fresh berries for a nice, light dessert!

Okay, okay, back to the bacon.

Bacon makes everything better. Especially, BAE: bacon and eggs!

These bacon deviled eggs are super flavorful, because, bacon. Duh. And they are clean. I used homemade mayo in these to make sure no sneaky, processed sugars ended up in them. You can just as easily use any clean, paleo mayo, such as this avocado oil mayo made by Primal Kitchen Foods. I also snuck in a little tang with some lemon juice and pickle juice. That’s right. Pickle juice! It adds a little acidity to help balance out the fat from the yolk, mayo, and bacon.

Recipe Tips: My palate is different that your palate. Mind blowing news, I know! The reason I mention this is because you are more than welcome to increase or decrease any of the flavors in my recipes to suit your own taste buds! If you want more salt, add it. Less spice, go for it! More whatever, do it! Get my drift?? If you want the yolk mixture to be creamier, you can add more mayo to the mixture. This is going to vary depending on the egg size you get and how big the yolks are. So, just adjust accordingly.

Equipment You’ll Need:

BACON DEVILED EGGS

Bacon Deviled Eggs

March 26, 2016 By Natasha 1 Comment

Bacon Deviled Eggs

Slow Cooker Harissa Chicken Thighs

March 24, 2016 By Natasha 1 Comment

SLOW COOKER HARISSA CHICKEN THIGHS

I love meals where I can set it and forget it in a slow cooker yet it seems like you’ve slaved away for hours! This is one of those meals. I always like to find ways to liven up the flavors in my meals, especially chicken, so harissa is the star of this dish. I love how tender and juicy, and dare I say, moist, the chicken thighs remain from being slow cooked. You’ll find this recipe only requires a slow cooker and a handful of ingredients: …

Chicken Fajita Skillet

February 12, 2016 By Natasha 1 Comment

Chicken Fajita Skillet

chicken-fajita-skillet

I’m not a huge fan of cooking chicken breasts. To be honest, I’m a total thigh girl. However, I had a package of chicken breasts that I needed to cook, and I had two main goals: 1) juicy and flavorful chicken and 2) easy to reheat throughout the week for leftovers. This chicken fajita skillet was created during one of my Sunday meal prepping sessions and I’m pretty sure I achieved both of my goals. Side note: I’m seriously loving setting a few hours aside each weekend, typically a Sunday, for prepping a few dishes to eat during the week.

Best Quick Marinade for Chicken - Can you say juicy?!

I made a quick marinade for this chicken breast to hang out in while you prep the other ingredients. Nobody likes dry chicken, NOBODY! The chicken stays juicy and each strip is loaded with tons of flavor points. The marinade is super simple: 1 part oil plus 1 part acid plus flavor (herbs, spices, salts). I used avocado oil, lime juice, and my favorite taco seasoning from FlavorGod, as well as Himalayan sea salt. Use your favorite taco seasoning here, but make sure you fresh squeezed lime juice from a real lime, none of that stuff in the little green plastic lime shaped bottle, because EW! I know you know what I’m talking about 😉

chicken-fajita-skillet

You can serve this chicken fajita skillet on it’s own, with the addition of white rice or cauli rice, on top of a salad, in tacos, or maybe with some crispy paleo plantain chips!

Equipment You’ll Need:

TIP: I found that it’s much easier to slice the chicken breast if it’s slightly frozen still. And be sure you are using a sharp knife!! Be careful when slicing the chicken in half horizontally. Place one hand on top of the chicken breast to make sure it doesn’t slide around on the cutting board.

Are you guys following me on Instagram? I share a lot of simple and easy meals that aren’t necessarily a full recipe. Check out how I used the chicken fajita skillet leftovers for a mid-week lunch in the picture. Don’t forget to tag me if you create one of my dishes!

CHICKEN FAJITA SKILLET

Chicken Fajita Skillet

February 12, 2016 By Natasha 1 Comment

Chicken Fajita Skillet

Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

February 5, 2016 By Natasha 2 Comments

Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili

I looooooove sweet and smoky, or sweet and spicy, or sweet and smoky and spicy all together! This Sweet and Smoky Bacon Chili will leave you coming back for more. It’s got just enough sweet from the sweet potatoes, just enough spicy from the chili powder, seasonings and chipotle peppers, and a nice smoky element from the smoked bacon and also the chipotle peppers.

Sweet- Sweet potatoes and raw honey.

I added sweet potatoes for a few reasons. First of all, they are delicious. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite starchy carb sources, they are packed with vitamins A, C, B5, B6, & E, plus Manganese and Potassium. They also add a much needed sweetness that balances the spicy and smoky elements. The raw honey helps balance the spiciness and the acidity from the tomatoes.

Smoky- Chipotle peppers, smoked bacon and cumin.

I love the rich smoky flavor that chipotle peppers en adobo give. They are basically smoked and dried jalapenos that are reconstituted in a tomato, vinegar, garlic sauce. A little goes a long way, trust me! I almost killed my whole family a few years ago for Christmas when I added a little too much to my whipped sweet potatoes, oops! The other smoky element comes from smoked bacon. The bacon was actually not in my first attempt at this dish, only because I didn’t have any thawed out and ready to go at the time. However, it gives a nice smoky flavor and who doesn’t love bacon? Cumin is one of my favorite spices to use! It gives a nice earthy and smoky feel to dishes and is commonly found in curries and taco seasoning. It’s one of my secret ingredients to my guacamole!

Gut Healing- Bone broth and collagen peptides.

Anywhere I can sneak in some extra gut-healing, I go for it. I have been using bone broth in place of regular broth for awhile now because of the extra health benefits it offers. Bone broth is basically broth cooked for much longer, up to 36 hours, and made primarily with bones and some aromatics. Regular broth/stock is cooked for a much shorter time, up to a few hours, and is very light in flavor and texture. Bone broth is rich in protein, minerals, and gelatin. I’ve also included collagen peptides as a bonus to get in even MORE gut healing collagen! Collagen protein is tasteless and does not contribute to the flavor in any way.

Fat-burning and brain health- MCT oil.

Another boost I’ve been adding to most of my recipes is a highly concentrated form of coconut oil called MCT oil, which is a blend of medium chain triglyceride fatty acids from the heart of the coconut. These are 6 times more powerful than regular coconut oil and for those of you who don’t like the coconut flavor, this is flavorless! My favorite brand is by Bulletproof, called XCT oil, which is 10% off for the month of February!

This is one of those dishes that you want to make a large pot of and save some in the freezer so you have a delicious meal you can grab and reheat without thinking. It’s perfect for anytime of the year, but especially good on cold days where you want to bundle up in the house with blankets and movies on Netflix! And, especially good on Super Bowl Sunday which is this weekend! So make a huge batch. Enjoy it with your friends and family.

Equipment You’ll Need:

SWEET AND SMOKY BACON CHILI

Make this NOW and tag me on Instagram so I can see it! Use hashtag #thefeistykitchen!!

Italian Sausage Spaghetti Squash Boats

February 3, 2016 By Natasha 2 Comments

italian-sausage-spaghetti-squash-boats

Are you ready for some deliciousness?

These Italian sausage spaghetti squash boats will make your forget that you’re missing gluten-laden pasta noodles that normally accompany Italian dishes. These are easy to prepare ahead as a meal prep option and reheat later in the week. In fact, that’s exactly what I did with these!

I used Italian sausage elk meat that my really good friend, Rachel, from 5280 Meat in Colorado sent me. I love getting to try new things that I normally wouldn’t be able to find in the grocery store. Assuming that elk meat isn’t readily available to you, just use regular ground Italian sausage. Spaghetti squash is a great low carb option and is super versatile just like normal pasta would be. My had never tried it before <crazy, I know>, and he was happily full and satisfied without the carbs! I used a jar of organic, sugar free marinara sauce from the pantry and spiced it up with some Italian Zest seasoning from FlavorGod, which is my go to line of seasonings. I love these seasonings because they are gluten free, low sodium (so I can add mineral rich Himalayan sea salt on my own), and use the freshest ingredients available!

If you do opt to make these ahead of time, you will just need to reheat them in a 350F degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until heated through. Add a fresh green salad while they are reheating and you’ll have a perfect meal!

Give these a try and let me know what you think! Tag me on Instagram @thefesitykitchen and use hashtag #thefeistykitchen so I can see your creations!

italian-sausage-spaghetti-squash-boats

Equipment You’ll Need:

Italian Sausage Spaghetti Squash Boats

Recipe Type

Main

Author:

Natasha

Prep time:

5 mins

Cook time:

55 mins

Total time:

1 hour

Serves:

2 servings

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp #FlavorGod Pink S+P
Sauce:
1 jar favorite marinara sauce
1 lb ground Italian sausage (I used Elk sausage from @5280meat)
1 tbsp ghee (or olive oil)
2 tbsp #FlavorGod Italian Zest
Optional:
Shredded cheese
Basil
Pesto

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F.
For squash: Slice spaghetti squash in half length wise and remove seeds. Drizzle squash on cut side with olive oil then sprinkle with pink s+p. Lay cut side down on baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. Remove and let rest until cool enough to handle. Using a fork, shred flesh and remove to a medium bowl.
For sauce: Heat ghee in skillet over medium heat, then add sausage and 1 tbsp Italian Zest, and cook until completely browned. Next, add jar of marinara sauce and remaining 1 tbsp Italian Zest, stir and cook over medium low for another 10-15 minutes, until sauce is nice and hot.
Combine about 3 cups of the sauce to the bowl with shredded spaghetti squash, stirring to combine. Fill each of the squash shells with mixture. Add back into oven for another 10 minutes, adding shredded cheese and/or pesto on top if desired.

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Italian Sausage Spaghetti Squash Boats

February 2, 2016 By Natasha 2 Comments

Are you ready for some deliciousness?

Luscious Paleo Lemon Curd

March 30, 2015 By Natasha 1 Comment

paleo-lemon-curd

Luscious Paleo Lemon Curd

Lemon curd.

Paleo lemon curd.

I think I’m addicted.

In fact, I don’t think I’ll be waiting until Springtime to make lemon curd anymore. This is so tasty and delicious and can be put on ohhhh so many things! Allllll the things in fact! You can enjoy it very simply as I’ve shown above just topped with some fresh berries. I had some blackberries in the refrigerator, but any berry would be wonderful! I can’t wait to go get some strawberries, raspberries and blueberries to try out with this curd. Imagine spreading this luscious lemon curd on scones, pancakes, waffles, layering it in a trifle with berries and whipped coconut cream, or just eating it solo with a spoon!

I have made traditional lemon curd before, although it’s been awhile, and it was so yum. This time I made it paleo by subbing out the white sugar and replacing it with raw honey. I also opted to use ghee rather than butter this time around. My favorite ghee is made by OMGhee, however you can make it at home yourself, or use butter (Kerrygold grassfed butter is my pic!)

paleo-lemon-curd-ingredients

I also wanted to try out cooking the curd in a circulating water bath, commonly known as sous vide. This method allows for a steady temperature during the entire cooking time with no need to stand over the stove stirring the custard. I used my amazing Nomiku immersion circulator and based my temperature and cooking time off of their blog post here.

SECRET INGREDIENT: I decided to add in some fresh grated ginger to really help the lemon flavors POP! The amount I used was subtle enough that even if you aren’t a ginger lover like I am, you will still like this. I will probably double the amount I use in my next batch to make it more pronounced. Because I can never have too much ginger!

My recipe is adapted from Ina Garten‘s Lemon Curd which can be found on FoodNetwork.com

paleo-lemon-curd-top-view

Equipment You’ll Need:

Paleo Lemon Curd

Author:

Natasha Gildea

Prep time:

10 mins

Cook time:

40 mins

Total time:

50 mins

Serves:

2-3 cups

Ingredients

3 Meyer lemons, zested then juiced
1/2 cup raw honey
1/3 cup ghee or butter, melted
4 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (from the 3 lemons)
1 inch fresh ginger, grated on microplane
pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Zest lemons using microplane or vegetable peeler (make sure to avoid white pith.)
In a food processor, add zest, honey and grated ginger, pulsing first then process until zest is combined.
Next, add melted ghee/butter and process.
Then add in eggs, one at a time until combined.
Finally, add lemon juice and sea salt and process until just mixed.
Fill sterilized canning jars with lemon curd and place lid on. Submerge in water bath and cook at 79* C for 40 minutes (-OR- pour lemon curd into a stock pot and cook over low heat for approx 10 minutes stirring frequently)
Gently whisk the curd to stir and then reseal jars.
Cool jars in an immersion ice water bath set at 0*C for about 20 minutes or until chilled (-OR- put jars in refrigerator to cool)
Enjoy!
(recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Lemon Curd, found on foodnetwork.com)

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