Peach Caprese Salad

I'm really glad that my nephew Silas decided to complete pharmacy school at UT's satellite campus in Nashville. If he lets me, this gives me three years to spoil him. And so it began last night.

Scott and Tina are in town to help him move. While the guys stayed behind to chill, Tina and I hit the farmer's market as well as my favorite Savory Spice Shop in downtown Franklin. Our finds made for a fantastic dinner. We enjoyed grilled chicken, fresh green beans, corn on the cob, and peach caprese salad, my favorite new side! Silas took care of dessert by bringing us Gibson's doughnuts from Memphis. Dear Lord. I see now what the hype is all about.

Back to the peach caprese salad. I had never heard of this variation. Watermelon, yes. Peaches, no. I'm glad Tina likes to experiment because this unexpected twist on the conventional caprese salad is something I will do from now on. The freestone peaches from the farmer's market were amazing. Tina simply combined those with her own home-grown tomatoes, mozzarella balls, then drizzled with balsamic dressing. This one's a keeper!

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes, chopped or sliced
• Peaches, chopped or sliced
• Mozzarella balls
• Basil (fresh)
• Balsamic dressing

Directions:
Arrange first three ingredients on a platter. Top with fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic dressing.

Whole30 Potluck

On January 1, I accepted a new Whole30 challenge along with a group of ladies in our neighborhood committed to "Eating Good in the Hood." It's tough, I tell ya. But, so worth it. Essentially, it's a strict version of the Paleo diet: no grains, no dairy, no legumes, no alcohol, no sugar . . . for 30 days. While I have been quite satisfied typically having eggs for breakfast, salads for lunch, and some kind of meat and roasted veggies for dinner, admittedly boredom has set in.

So, last night, I was happy to host a Whole30 potluck for our small group. Just what I needed! We had such a variety of fantastic dishes.

Eating Good in the Hood:  Jocelyn, Jennifer, Anna, Martha, Dana, and Sadira

I made bison & butternut cocoa chili from the Practical Paleo cookbook by Diane Sanfilippo. I was hesitant because, honestly, who wants chocolate in their chili? I almost talked myself out of making it, but I'm glad I just went ahead and trusted the recipe. It was surprisingly really good! On a cold, wintery night, it's so nice to have a chili option without legumes. I substituted beef for the bison and actually used closer to 2 lbs of meat instead of 1 lb for a heartier, thicker chili.

Bison & Butternut Cocoa Chili

Dana made Asian meatballs from Nom Nom Paleo. I would have never thought to use sweet potatoes instead of a bread filler. Delicious! In fact, I'm looking forward to adding a few of the leftovers to compliant spaghetti sauce. Mmmmm.

Asian Meatballs

We were lucky that Sadira shared not one, but two of her Asian-inspired dishes.  Chicken tinola was a delicious soup made with chicken, bok choy, green papaya, onions, celery, garlic, ginger, and salt. The link above is a similar recipe from the internet that will serve as a starting point because Sadira is bad about cooking without a recipe. I'm jealous as I only wish I could cook like that!

Chicken Tinola

Sadira also made japchae. It was probably the biggest hit of the night. Pasta has always been one of my favorite dishes, so I've been using spaghetti squash or zoodles as a healthy substitute. However, I didn't even know this product existed. You make it just like spaghetti noodles, but it is made from sweet potato starch noodles. This will definitely become a pantry staple for me from now on. (Thanks, Sadira, for gifting me with my first bag!) As before, I've provided a link to a recipe for japchae online since Sadira doesn't use one. She used chicken instead of beef, though. I'm pretty sure there were no leftovers!

Japchae

Jocelyn made detoxifying chicken vegetable soup. I don't know how I overlooked taking a close-up of her with this amazing soup. (Sorry, Jocelyn!) It's the soup in the upper right hand corner in the photo below. With this soup, I learned so much about the healing properties of turmeric. Who knew? Don't let the healthy-sounding name stop you from trying this. Whole30 or not, this is a soup that I will be making from now on. So satisfying!

Detoxifying Chicken Vegetable Soup (see top right)

Anna made a side dish, combining beef, sweet potatoes, squash, onions, salsa, and taco seasoning. Anna, like Sadira, is also guilty of not using a recipe. :) I need to be more daring with combinations like this because it is very, very good!

Martha brought a Paleo salad made with organic mixed greens, spinach, roasted almonds, dried cranberries, and avocado. It was tossed with a wonderful dressing made from olive oil, sweet onion, balsamic vinegar, dry mustard powder, sea salt, an pepper. Such a beautiful presentation!

Paleo Salad

Since desserts are off-limits for Whole30, I served mixed fruit to round out the meal.

I also provided samples of RxBars, my go-to protein bar that is quite tasty. They're great for ballgames or movies when everyone else heads to the concession stand. The sweetness comes from dates. I even love their tagline: No Added Sugar, No GMO, No Dairy, No Soy, No Gluten, No B.S. :)

I'm so grateful for this night of fellowship. Great food. Great conversation. I learned so much! My last ten days of Whole 30 will be a piece of cake . . . the healthy kind, that is!

Caprese Noodle Salad

When the new year rolled around, I decided to join a group of ladies in our community and complete Whole30, a nutritional program "designed to change your life in 30 days." It started out sounding pretty easy:  simply eat real food for 30 days. This means no processed foods (ingredients you can't pronounce), no sugar, no dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, etc. What does that leave? Mostly fruits, vegetables, and meat. This commitment came when I was unaware of my surprise Europe trip. So, I completed a Whole15 instead. (Life's too short not to enjoy crepes in Paris.)

When I returned, I decided to start again. I'm over half way there and feeling great. It has certainly changed the way I cook. No more rich casseroles. No more decadent desserts. No more of my homemade sour dough bread or cinnamon rolls. . . at least for me. On a positive note, I'm enjoying new foods and new recipes.

One of my favorite new kitchen gadgets is a julienne peeler. With this new tool, I've learned how to turn zucchini into noodles (a.k.a. zoodles), a healthy substitute for pasta! Who knew?

I enjoyed a plateful of "spaghetti," ladened with veggies instead of carbs. I just sauteed the zucchini noodles in a little bit of olive oil with salt and pepper. (Most people would add garlic, too.) Then, top it with your favorite spaghetti sauce. It was so good and so good for you!

Tonight, I tried a different variation. I'll be making this caprese noodle salad over and over again. So easy. So good. So healthy. Perfect for a potluck. Perfect by itself. Perfect as a side with a turkey burger. Mmmmmm.

Have you ever been given large zucchini from gardeners with too much produce? In the past, I never knew what to do with them although I did appreciate the good 'ole Southern gesture.

"There are no happier folks than plant lovers and none more generous than those who garden." --Ernest "Chinese" Wilson

I'm so ready for spring. . .  for gardeners to plant their seeds. I will happily be cheering them on and accepting any and all overflow!

Caprese Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

• 2-3 zucchini (to yield about 3 cups julienned)
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/8 cup basil, thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop the ends off of the zucchini. Remove skin (optional). Using a julienne peeler, peel down to the center seedy section to make long noodles. Toss with remaining ingredients. Makes approximately 2 servings.

Source: Adapted from Practical Paleo

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpu

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dp

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Grab-n-Go Salad in a Jar

Tomorrow, I will be kicking off a month of Whole30. I understand that preparation is the key. Since I will be teaching out of town all week, I'm now better prepared for my lunches. I put together these "grab-n-go" salads in a quart-size mason jar, and they're supposed to last for a week.

I simply layered veggies on the bottom (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, peppers, carrots, tomatoes), followed by roasted chicken, then topped with spinach and mixed salad greens. I'm ready for some clean eating!

Tortellini and Sausage Soup

One of the best things I love about fall is making soup to serve along with my homemade bread. Mmmmm. Such comfort food! I ran across this recipe on the internet and knew I wanted to give it a try. What caught my eye was that it was this blogger's traditional Halloween Night meal and her most requested recipe. I typically make Grady's broccoli cheese soup as my traditional Halloween Night meal, but I'm all for change. It also seemed like a spicier version of Mom's vegetable soup with dumplings, which has always been a family favorite.

Well, patience is not one of my virtues. Why wait for Halloween? After modifying/simplifying the original recipe, it turned out to be the perfect soup to serve as we cheered on the Vols (to no avail). Even Steve, someone who is very conscientious about portion control, helped himself to two bowls. No doubt about it: this one's a keeper and is now on our own list of family favorites. If you haven't already planned your own pre-trick or treat meal, I highly recommend this!

Tortellini and Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 1-1/2 cups sliced zucchini
• 8 oz fresh cheese tortellini
• Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Remove sausage from casing. Brown and drain sausage.

Bring all ingredients except zucchini, tortellini, and cheese to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Skim off any fat and stir in zucchini and tortellini. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until tortellini and zucchini are tender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ever since my fun niece Hayley contributed her Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup to the family cookbook, I couldn't wait to serve it at our "Soup-er Bowl" party just like she did. First of all, anything with Crock Pot in the title sure gets my attention. I always look for recipes that are easy, take minimal effort to prepare, and taste great. As a result, I got to enjoy a great game with great friends instead of slaving in the kitchen. (Yeah Eli! New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17)

I ended up modifying the recipe below just slightly. First of all, I ended up using more chicken. Although I used 3 chicken breasts, they weighed closer to 2 pounds than 1 pound. I also left out the onions, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Instead, I sprinkled some Paula Deen House Seasoning in it to taste. Not surprisingly, it was delicious and one that I will definitely make again. Thanks, Hayley!

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb frozen chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)
• 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
• 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (10 oz) corn
• 1 can black beans
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (add into before serving)
• 2 corn tortillas (cut into strips)

Directions:
Place frozen chicken breasts on bottom of crock pot. Place everything else into the pot, except cilantro and tortillas. Cut tortillas into strips and place in oven to toast. Cook soup on low for 6-8 hours in crock pot. Shred chicken after 7 hours of cooking and add the cilantro and tortilla strips before serving. Serve with optional toppings: avocado, sour cream, extra cilantro, or brown rice.