Garlic Roasted Broccoli

• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with melted coconut oil, salt, black pepper and garlic. Spread the broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake until florets are tender enough to pierce with a fork and the edges are browning, about 15 minutes. Turn once halfway through the baking process and add red pepper flakes, if using. After baking, squeeze lemon juice liberally over the broccoli before serving.

Quick Chicken Curry

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons oil (coconut, olive or algae)
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2-3 teaspoons jarred ginger puree or finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 pinches saffron threads (optional)
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes (or more for more heat)
• Juice of half a lime
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch (optional to thicken sauce)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley (optional garnish)

1. Turn thighs skin side down and trim chicken thighs of extra skin and fat. Turn over, skin side up and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic.
2. In a medium bowl stir or whisk together coconut milk, broth, garlic, curry powder, ginger, saffron, red pepper and lime juice. Set it near the stove as you cook the chicken.
3. Place a medium saute or fry pan large enough to hold chicken in a single layer over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, then add the chicken thighs skin side down. Turn heat down to medium low. Cook chicken until the skin side is golden, 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate or rimmed baking sheet and pour off extra fat. Add chicken back to the pan top side up.
4. Pour the milk-broth mixture around the pieces. Bring the pan to a simmer, cover and turn to heat to low. Cook the chicken for approximately another 7-10 minutes, or until they reach 165°F internally. They cook pretty quickly.
5. You can serve the chicken right away with the pan juices. If you want to thicken the juices, remove the thighs to a platter. Whisk the arrowroot starch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth and add to the pan, stirring until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with cilantro or parsley.

Note – If you want a very smooth sauce, pulse in a blender for a few seconds.

Bacon stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

6 slices bacon, cooked
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
24 cherry tomatoes

Finely chop the bacon. Combine the bacon, mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir well.

Wash and stem the cherry tomatoes. Cut the top 1/4 of the tomato off and remove the seeds and juice with the blunt tip of a butter knife.

To stuff the tomatoes, add the bacon mixture to a 1 quart freezer bag (or pastry bag) and cut the left bottom tip off, leaving about a 1/2 inch opening. Pipe the bacon mixture into your tomatoes. Place on a serving dish on a bed of coarse salt to keep them from rolling around – serve cold or at room temperature.

Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad

Salad:
1 pound Ahi tuna steaks
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayo
sea salt and pepper
8 cup leaf lettuce
8 hard boiled eggs, quartered
2 cups cooked cauliflower
2 cups blanched green beans
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup mayo
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine mustard, mayo, and pepper in a small bowl. Coat the tuna steaks thickly with mixture. Grill over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side, longer if you like your tuna well done. Remove and slice the tuna.

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Place the lettuce on a platter and arrange the veggies and tuna on the plate. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Rosemary Balsamic Grilled Pork Tenderloin

2 – 3lbs pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup no sugar added balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and make sure the meat is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove from the marinade and grill over medium heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer in the thickest part registers 145 degrees.
Remove from the grill and let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Almond Butter Fudge

• 1 cup natural, creamy almond butter
• ¼ cup organic coconut oil, melted
• ¼ tsp natural vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl until smooth
2. Line a square cake pan with parchment paper
3. Spread mixture evenly in pan and freeze for several hours (until almost solid)
4. Remove from pan and cut into squares
5. Transfer squares to plastic bag or airtight container
6. Store in freezer

Broccoli Puree Soup

2 pounds organic broccoli florets
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 cups water
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1. Steam broccoli florets for 5 minutes or until tender. Shock the broccoli (submerge it in icy water) to stop the cooking process and to retain its green color. Strain the broccoli, shaking the colander to remove excess liquid. Transfer broccoli to a food processor and chop until pasty. Transfer broccoli into a container, cover and refrigerate.

2. Place a pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Add thyme leaves and stir for a few seconds. Add water and coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Then lower heat to medium and reduce by ¼.

3. Add chopped broccoli to reduced liquid. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Remove pot from stove and fill a blender half-way with soup. Carefully pulse liquid with blender lid slightly ajar and a kitchen towel in your hand over the lid. (This releases any steam the hot soup builds up as it’s processed.) After a few pulses, turn the blender on high for 2 minutes. Repeat this process until all the soup is blended.

5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Tomato Broccoli Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil, grape seed oil or coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 whole tomatoes, diced
8 cups broccoli florets from 2-3 large stalks
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste

1. Heat oil in a large (6 quarts or larger) pot over medium heat. Sauté onion sprinkled with salt for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened but not browned. Add tomatoes and continue sautéing for 2 minutes.

2. Add broccoli, broth, marjoram and pepper. Cover and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender but not mushy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Braised Chicken with Cashew Gravy

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• ½ cups plain unsweetened almond milk
• ¼ cup creamy raw cashew butter (I use Artisana)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons filtered water
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Trim any excess fat from the tops and sides of the chicken breasts.
2. With a heavy knife or poultry scissors, trim off the small side rib bones for a clean edge. Discard the ribs and excess fat.
3. Over medium heat, add olive oil to a 5½-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pan large enough to hold all of the chicken breasts in a single layer. Combine salt, garlic and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle over the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breasts skin side down and allow them to cook until they have a golden brown crust, about 5-7 minutes. Turn the chicken over.
4. In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the broth, almond milk, cashew butter, mustard and the garlic until smooth. Pour around the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves. Place a lid on the pan and place in the oven. Roast the chicken for approximately 30 minutes or until a digital thermometer reads 160°F-165°F when inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone. When the chicken is done, remove the pieces to a plate or platter and keep it warm covered with foil.
5. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the water and the arrowroot starch and stir until smooth. Add the arrowroot mixture to the pot with the chicken juices and whisk until smooth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook off the raw taste and for the juices to thicken into gravy.
6. Serve the chicken with a 1/2 cup of the gravy per person. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Chocolate Banana Pudding

• 1 large avocado, pitted and flesh scooped
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1/3 cup raw cocoa or cacao powder, unsweetened
• 3 tbsp almond butter
• 3 tbsp honey (or more if you prefer sweeter)

For topping (optional)

• chopped toasted hazelnuts, frozen berries, sliced almonds, cocoa nibs

1. Add the almond milk, avocado, banana, almond butter and honey in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add the cocoa or cacao powder and blend until combined.
3. Divide the pudding between 4 small glasses, cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours, or overnight.
4. Serve topped with chopped hazelnuts or any other topping of your choice if using.