BIG flavors and a pinch of attitude!
By now you should know how much I love all things cilantro, especially cilantro chimichurri. And then I heard about this sauce called zhug from one of my Instgram followers who knows how cilantro-obsessed I am. Zhug is really similar to chimichurri, and heck spicy, so I knew I had to try to recreate it. Here’s my spicy cilantro sauce….
I always say I’m not that big of a dessert fan. EXCEPT for when it comes to chocolate and ice cream. Especially chocolate mint chip ice cream on a hot summer evening. Ice cream is my dessert weakness. And the hard part for me, is finding a really good ice cream at the store that isn’t loaded with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup and crappy ingredients. So, obviously, I was left with no choice but to buy an ice cream maker and start making my own, DUH! My friend, Megan, from The Recipe for Healing, is always making us ice cream after we get done with our walks. So, basically, my new found ice cream making obsession is her fault ;)…
It’s summer and it’s hot, so I’m always looking for fun meal ideas that don’t require me to turn on the oven. These turmeric chicken collard wraps are a perfect lunch option when you want a no cook meal. With just a handful of ingredients and you’ll have a quick and easy, no-cook, protein-packed meal. The key to this meal is to have some cooked chicken breast already to go in the fridge. I admit, I’m not the best at this, but I’m working on getting better. I swear I’m running to the store pretty much on the daily because I haven’t been planning my meals very well lately….
I’m pretty sure I could live off Mexican-themed food forever. I mean, anything that I can put cilantro and avocado on wins! If you’ve followed me on Instagram, you will see just how much I eat avocados and cilantro. One of my husband’s friends follows me on Insta and asked him what our avocado budget was! Anyway, these smoky mexican stuffed bell peppers are a perfect meal for anytime of the year. Enjoy these with a side of avocado or guacamole and a side salad for a complete low carb meal!…
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?…
So, it’s Mother’s Day weekend and I’m not gonna see my momma <insert sad face emoji.> But, I did make a dish in her honor. You see, the dish potatoes anna is a classic French dish called pommes anna. Potatoes are sliced thinly, layered, and cooked in copious amounts of butter. Gotta love the French! Why is this dish in my mom’s honor? Well, we are part Frenchie! My mom’s side of the family tree has relatives from Lerrain, a small commune in northeastern France. I’m dying to go visit the beautiful French countryside and see where my family is from and hopefully I can do it with my mom!…
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:
Make this NOW and tag me on Instagram so I can see it! Use hashtag #thefeistykitchen!!
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….
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
Instructions
3.2.2925
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. …
