Good afternoon everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying a warm summer day in your neck of the woods. I would like to just throw up a quick post about some simple delicious dinner ideas I’ve made as of late. Hopefully you will be inspired to create something delicious in your own kitchen tonight! That is my goal for this blog by the way. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut whether it’s in the kitchen, with our beauty routine, wearing the same clothes, going to the same places, and I hope to be a source of creative inspiration to pull you out of that stagnation. All of my recipes and ideas are simply something to get the gears turning and are open to your own incredible interpretation. I try to post basic, simple concoctions so you can add your own spin to it and tailor it to your own unique tastes! I encourage each and every one of you to use these ideas as a starting point and share with me your own versions of them!
So back to the recipes.
First up we have a simple, healthy meal from the grill. Nothing beats cooking outside in the summer, and a juicy steak with fresh sides is always a great go-to. I marinade my steaks for only 5-8 minutes in Low Sodium Dale’s (any longer and it’s too salty.) Then I sprinkle it with a dry rub steak mix (kroger brand is on my spice shelf now) and spray it with a little nonstick before slapping it on the grill. LADIES- master the art of grilling! There is nothing sexier than a woman that can prepare a perfectly cooked hunk of meat for their man. I would never recommend cooking a steak over medium, but I guess that’s all just a matter of taste. As for the sides, I got some brussell’s sprouts on sale, so I drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and cracked pepper and roasted them in the oven until they were fork tender. I also had a 1/2C of quinoa, seasoned with the same olive oil, salt and pepper mixture.
I also made my honey a pork loin in the crock pot for dinner. I rubbed it with seasoning salt, pepper and italian seasoning, minced garlic and fresh parsley and basil from my herb garden. I tossed it in the slow cooker with some diced potatoes, drizzled with olive oil and more dry rub and a splash of low sodium soy sauce and let it cook about 10 hours. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
I also threw together a “kitchen sink” soup, meaning, I had a bunch of stuff going out of date and didn’t know what else to make, so I made soup. I pulled out all my veggies and meat that I needed to use up. In this case it was garlic, onions, squash, peppers (green bell and jalepeno), and ground turkey. I browned my turkey with the onion, garlic and peppers in a deep pot. When it was no longer pink, I added some odds and ends from my pantry-a few cans of organic beans (green beans and chili beans), a few tablespoons of tomato paste, some rotel, and chicken broth. Once that came to a boil, I turned down the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes covered. I then added the squash and cooked it for about 5 minutes more then turned off the heat. Voila! A delicious summer soup that will last for a weeks worth of lunches.
I also just wanted to share some of the beauties I’ve been pulling from the garden this year. I am always so blessed with what comes from the vegetables I plant.
Probably my favorite new recipe is this quinoa crust pizza I stumbled across. I saw this recipe on the instagram “livegreenhealthy” and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever made. So far we’ve made 4 different types of pizzas on it, but this bbq chicken with jalepeno was a real crowd pleaser! This would also be a delicious way to make cheese sticks. Recipe:
1/2C quinoa
3tsp olive oil, divided
1C water
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4C shredded italian cheese blend OR mozzarella
place uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and run under cool water for about a minute until water runs clear. Shake off as much excess liquid as pssible. Add rinsed quinoa and 2tsp of olive oil to a medium sauce pot. Turn the heat to medium high and stir occasionally for 6-7 minutes.The excess moisture will evaporate and the quinoa will begin to toast. Carefully add the water to the toasted quinoa and cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Let quinoa cook for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat to low, cooking 5 more minutes to remove all excess moisture. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool for at leat 10 mins. preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick. In a small bowl, add eggs, 1tsp olive oil, garlic salt, italian seasoning and baking powder. whisk until combined. Add cheese to quinoa and stir to combine. Add egg mixture to quinoa and stir well. Spread the quinoa ‘dough’ into an even 1/4″ layer on the parchment. Bake 15 minutes, top with sauce, toppings and cheese of your choice, then bake until all toppings are cooked through and cheese is melted and browning. (Sometimes I finish under the broiler.)
And finally, it doesn’t get any easier than a big fresh salad and chicken. When you’re on a budget and wanting to eat healthy, you sometimes have to get creative. Chicken legs are always a great alternative to more expensive breasts. I marinated these in a mix of italian seasonings, garlic and olive oil and red wine vinegar, then baked them on 400 for about 25-30 minutes. I filled my plate with fresh veggies and drizzled with a greek yogurt ranch dressing and that was that. A simple healthy FILLING and inexpensive dinner.
I hope you’ll all try these out when you’re stumped on dinner. Let me know how you tailored each dish to your own style!
Appalachian Barbie 