Cilantro Avocado salad dressing

Michael and I both really like to sometimes eat a big salad for dinner. However, we've become a bit bored with our default salad dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I found this recipe for a dressing that sounded too good to pass up. It was super easy to make and was so delicious! We couldn't believe how healthy it was, while still being creamy and delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed cilantro (remove stems and roughly chop)

1/2 avocado

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and adjust, if necessary.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Salad with Miso Dressing

Since it is now almost officially summer, I have been on the lookout for some light dinner recipes. When I found this salad recipe I couldn't wait to try it out. I made some slight modifications and it turned out really well! Michael and I were both impressed by the miso dressing and the combination of flavors that made for a really delicious and light dinner.

Salad Ingredients

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 pound raw shrimp, tails removed

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or ground red pepper)

2 small avocados, cut into bit sized pieces

about 4 cups chopped spinach

fresh chopped cilantro

peanuts (for topping)

Dressing Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons white miso paste

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small skillet over medium-high heat add the 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and shrimp and sprinkle with the chili powder and cayenne. Saute for a few minutes on each side until the shrimp has been cooked.

Chop the spinach and cilantro and add to serving bowl(s). Add the shrimp and avocado pieces.

In a food processor or blender, puree all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Pour over the salad and top with peanuts.

Enjoy!

Spicy Kimchi Stew

While we have bought and eaten kimchi at home several times in the past, it has only been a snack or side dish. I found this recipe and it looked too good to pass up. While it took a while to make, it turned out really well. We ate it with a side of white rice. While I could eat it as my dinner, Michael thought it was better as an appetizer. Either way we both loved it!

Ingredients

16 oz package silken tofu, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cups gently squeezed cabbage kimchi, chopped

1 cup of the liquid from the kimchi package/container

2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

8 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

freshly ground black pepper

salt

6 large egg yolks (optional)

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat and carefully add the tofu pieces. Simmer until the tofu is slightly puffed and firmed up or about 4 minutes. With a slotted soon, transfer tofu to a medium bowl.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the kimchi and gochujang and cook, stirring often, until it begins to brown, or about 5-8 minutes. Add the kimchi liquid and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until kimchi is soft and translucent, about 35-40 minutes.

Add scallions, soy sauce, and tofu. Simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes. Add sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Ladle the stew into bowls; top each with an egg yolk and sesame seeds, if desired.

Enjoy!

Healthy Cookie Dough Balls

I always crave sweets, so I am constantly looking out for healthier dessert ideas. I stumbled on this recipe. While the dough balls don't look very pretty, they're actually really good and easy to make. When we have them around, I can't stop eating them. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (I'm allergic so I use roasted, unsalted)

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place the cashews and oats together in a food processor and blend on high for about a minute, or until they are finely ground (like flour). 

Pour the flour into a mixing bowl and add the maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

Roll into 10 or 12 equal balls and enjoy!

Any leftovers should be stored the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-5 days.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

I found another slow cooker recipe that I was really excited to try. I will caution that this does not taste exactly like the Honey Sesame Chicken we order when we go to a Chinese restaurant or order takeout. That being said, it was tasty and earned the Michael seal of approval. We will likely be making this recipe again.

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

salt and black pepper, to taste

1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil and red pepper.

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place chicken thighs into the slow cooker.

Add the honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 

Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning it to the pot with the juices. Cover and keep on WARM for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve over rice, garnished with optional green onions and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Skillet

While searching around for some new healthy dinner ideas, I found this recipe. I rarely use our cast iron skillet (to be honest, I have a hard time lifting it) so I thought this would be a great opportunity to use it. It was very easy to make and turned out really good! We ate it with some hot sauce and hummus.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 teaspoon clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup onions, diced

1/2 cup yellow pepper, diced

1 1/2 cup sweet potato, diced

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch of ground red pepper or flakes

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add ground turkey and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook until just browned.

Add onions and yellow peppers and cook for a few minutes, or until onions are gold brown.

Add the sweet potato and seasonings.

Cover the skillet and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add more olive oil or a little bit of water to cook the sweet potato.

While the sweet potato is cooking pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

When the sweet potato is tender, add shredded mozzarella cheese and bring the skillet to the oven to melt the cheese.

When the cheese melts, remove from the oven and serve.

Enjoy!