Asian Salmon Patties

Wild Caught Salmon is one of the best things that you can feed your body and mind.  It is loaded with an abundance of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. This potent combination has been shown to improve your heart health, regulate your blood sugar, increase your metabolism and to help build healthy tissues.  Can you see your heart smiling already?  Always choose wild salmon over farm raised. Test have shown wild salmon to be much more healthy for you.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs of wild-caught, skinless salmon finely chopped

2 green onions finely chopped

1/2 viadalia onion chopped

1/4 cup of steel cut oats

2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger

1 large egg

1/3 cup of mayonnaise

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prep

Combine salmon, oats, ginger, vidalia onions, egg, cayenne pepper, and salt into a bowl.

Firmly pack into eight patties and place into the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook until brown on both sides.

In a small bowl mix the mayo, green onions, lime juice and sesame oil.

Serve the patties with the Sesame Mayo and Enjoy!



Mini Tacos

This meal was created by my lovely daughter, Lauren, and inspired by a recipe that she made with my sister.  It is not gluten or dairy free, but could be easily made that way.  I was not able to eat these, but was told they were delicious.  Instead, I used the same ingredients to have my Super Taco Salad.

Ingredients

24 Wonton wrappers

1lb of All-Natural Lean Ground Beef

1 can of Organic Black Beans

Fresh, Diced Tomatoes

Shredded Cheese

Easy Guacamole

Sliced Black Olives

Salsa

Coconut Oil

Taco Seasoning and Garlic Powder

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Insert the wontons into a oiled muffin pans.

Brown the ground beef.  Add Taco Seasoning and Garlic Powder to taste.

Add the beans to the browned beef and cook a few more minutes.

Fill each wonton with a spoonful of the beef & bean mixture.

Top with cheese and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove the mini tacos from the muffin pan.

Top with olives, salsa, guacamole.

Enjoy!

To make this cow's milk dairy free, I would use Trader Joe's Goat Cheddar.  You also may want to try rice papers instead of the wontons to go gluten free.



Pad Thai

Pad Thai has long been a family favorite at the Jolly house, however, it has been difficult to duplicate the taste of a quality Thai restaurant.  The most difficult part to this recipe is finding the ingredients for the sauce and cooking the noodles just right.  Kroger now carries many of these items, and the rest you can find at an Asian grocery. The pre-made sauce that you can find at the grocery store was never quite right.  Great Pad Thai should be light, fresh and have a balanced flavor.  This recipe is also free of gluten and dairy!

Ingredients

2 Eggs

Ground Pepper

4 cloves of minced Garlic

2 Green Onions - Diced

4 tbs of Tamarind Paste (or White Vinegar)

4 tsp Fish Sauce

Ground Chili Pepper

1 Lime

1 Package of Thai Rice Noodles

Coconut Oil

2 cups Bean Sprouts

1/4 cup of chopped dry-roasted cashews

1/2 pound of cooked, peeled and deveined Shrimp

1/2 pound of cooked chicken cut into bite size pieces

Preparation

Cook the Shrimp and Chicken and set aside.

Fill a large pot with hot water (not boiling) and let the noodles soak for 10 minutes.  When ready for the skillet the noodles should be flexible and not soft.  They also should not have expanded.

Mince the garlic, Dice the onions, chop the cashews and set aside.

Using a wok or a large skillet brown the green onions and garlic on Medium High.

Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet.  Continue to stir to keep from sticking.

Add tamarind, fish sauce, and chili pepper.

Push the noodles to the side and crack the eggs in the skillet.  Scramble until almost cooked and the fold the eggs into the noodles. 

Taste one of the noodles. If the noodles are not yet soft add a little water and continue cooking.

When the noodles are ready, add the Shrimp, Chicken, Bean Sprouts and Cashews. 

Stir everything together a few times.  The noodles should be soft, dry and very tangled.

Serve and Enjoy!

Quick Brisket Tacos

This recipe is for those days when you want something healthy and really do not have time to cook. The tacos are super easy to prepare, and you can go from start to finish in less than 30 minutes. If you are not a brisket fan substitute pulled pork, turkey or chicken.  If you do not have a Trader Joe's in you neighborhood, these ingredients can be found at most grocery stores.  This recipe is wheat/dairy free, and it is best with fresh guacamole and veggies.

Ingredients

1 package of Trader Joe's Pulled Beef Brisket

1 can of Organic Black Beans

1 package of Taco Shells

Fresh Spinach

Sliced Tomatoes

Guacamole

Diced Green Onion

Preparation

1. Drain black beans and heat with Brisket in a sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Slice the tomatoes and dice the green onions.
3. Prepare the Guacamole.  Click on the link for easy instructions.
4. Heat the taco shells in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 minutes. 
5. Assemble and Enjoy!

Almond Chicken with Strawberry - Balsamic Sauce

If you prefer a sweet-tart sauce with your crispy chicken, then look no further. This is very easy to make and is wheat/dairy free. Your family will think you've spent hours on this quick and delicious meal served with a wilted spinach salad!

 Ingredients

1/2 cup of McCann's Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

1/3 cup of Trader Joe's Almond Meal (or coarsely ground almonds)

8 Chicken Breast Tenderloins

Coconut Oil

1/4 cup of chopped green onions

1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup of strawberry preserves

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 package of baby spinach

Salt & Pepper to taste

• Combine the Oats, Almonds, Salt and Pepper in a large ziplock or tupperware.
• Add chicken one piece at a time and shake to coat evenly.
• In a large skillet coated with coconut oil, cook over medium heat until done.
• Remove chicken and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, cook green onions until tender.
• Stir in broth, preserves, vinegar and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (about 5 minutes)
• Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, bring 1/2 inches of water to boil . 
• Add spinach, cove and cook for 3 minutes until wilted, then drain.
• Serve chicken and spinach with the sauce and Enjoy!
 

 

Southern Sausage Bake

This great dish is easy to make and a healthy way to get your summer started.  There are two great protein sources in this dish, All Natural Chicken Sausage and Lima Beans.  If you have never tried Lima Beans, you need to get over your fear.  In addition to the buttery texture, they have a taste similar to potatoes.  Lima Beans also contain loads of minerals that are important to heart heath, weight loss and regulation of blood sugar. 

Ingredients 

4 cups of Lima Beans - cooked, rinsed and drained

12 oz of Trader Joe's Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage

1 large Vidalia Onion diced

1 cup carrots diced

1 cup celery diced

2 medium tomatoes diced

Oregano, Garlic Powder and Cajun Seasoning to taste

Preparation

1.  Add 1 cup of water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Add the Lima beans, and gently stir until the water boils again.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3.  In a large skillet, saute the onions, carrots and celery until tender.

4.  Add the fully cooked sausage, tomatoes and seasonings and cook until bubbly.

5.  Rinse, drain and add the Lima beans to the skillet and cook for a few minutes.

6. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a 2.5 qt baking dish, cover and cook for 30 min.

7.  Uncover and bake for 15 minutes.  Enjoy with your family.

Trader Joe's All Natural Chicken Sausage is  a great healthy alternative.  They are free of preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, MSG and fillers.  They have 70% less fat that traditional pork sausage and have no casing.  Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage comes in several flavors including Sweet Apple, Spicy Italian, Andouille, Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach & Feta, and others.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I really love peppers. Sweet or Hot, they are my favorite fruits. Fruits? Yes, peppers are fruits. Unfortunately, my family does not share my affinity for the spicier varieties, but this recipe is one the whole family enjoys! Peppers are full of vitamins and photochemicals: Lutein, Beta-Carotene, and Lycopene.  These nutrients have been linked to weight loss, pain reduction and cancer prevention.

Ingredients

1 pound of all-natural ground beef (90% lean)

1/2 cup of uncooked brown rice

6 bell peppers

1 can of Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

4 oz of goat cheese

Worcestershire sauce

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook the rice per the directions. (Trader Joe's Quick Brown Rice)

3. Brown the ground beef.

4. Remove the tops of the peppers and seeds.  Rinse and place in a baking dish.

5. In a bowl, mix the browned beef, rice, diced tomatoes, goat cheese & season to taste.

6. Fill each pepper with the mixture.

7. Cover and bake in the oven for one hour.

I hope you enjoy this great, healthy meal with your family!  A special thanks to Rachel Carter for her inspiration and ideas!

New Twist on an Old Favorite - Apple Mango Stuffed Chicken

Apple Mango Stuffed Chicken

My family loves this meal, but we all need a little variety.  It's the spice of life!  I struggled to find another way to cook this meal without losing any taste or family enthusiasm.  My inspiration came from some of my favorite chicken sausages.  Apple and Mango are a great taste combination.  Enjoy!

8 Boneless Chicken Thighs

4 slices of Trader Joe's Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon

8 oz of Trader Joe's Silver Goat Log

1 organic Gala Apple - peeled and cut into 8 slices

8 teaspoons of Trader Joe's Mango Butter

• Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees.
• Rinse each thigh and place inside 1 apple slice, 1 oz of Goat Cheese, 1/2 piece of bacon.
• Pull the sides of the thighs together and secure with a toothpick.
• Place the toothpick side down in a shallow baking dish.
• Top each thigh with a teaspoon of Apricot Preserves and spread slightly.
• Bake for about 35 minutes or until the chicken is 165 degrees. Cooking time may vary slightly.
• Serve with your favorite veggie. We used a spinach salad with red grapes or strawberries.

Chicken thighs are used because they have more flavor and are the perfect shape for stuffing. There is no need to pound the thigh flat in preparation for stuffing. If you do not have Trader Joe's in your area, you can substitute with other brands. The Trader Joe Silver Goat log is a plain, Chevre goat cheese that can likely be found at Kroger or other grocery stores. A little Benton's Bacon is my only thought to improve this recipe.  If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, lucky you, because they are awesome and much less inexpensive than other healthy grocers.

My Favorite Meatloaf

My Favorite Meatloaf

One of my favorite meals...hearty, healthy and delicious.  Better than Grandma's, this has been a family favorite at my house for years.  Re-designed for a more healthy lifestyle, this meal will leave your kids asking for more.  We ate this on Sunday afternoon paired with a simple spinach and strawberry salad.

Ingredients

2 lbs of Trader Joes 90% Lean All Natural Ground Beef

One bunch of celery stalks diced

3 green onions diced

One orange pepper diced

1 cup steel cut oats

1/3 cup Heinz Ketchup

2 eggs

L&P Worcestershire Sauce to taste

Trader Joes All Natural BBQ Sauce

Coconut Oil

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add celery, onions and peppers. 

Cook stirring until tender, about 7 - 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

Grease two 9x5 pans and fill each with mixture.

Create an indention in the top of the loaf and fill with BBQ Sauce.

Cook at 375 for 1 hour.