Shepherd’s Pie with Parmesan Brussel Sprouts

Normally, comfort food does not involve kale or carrots but carbs, cream, sugar, and all things that leave us bloated and slightly disappointed with ourselves. But, one of the best ways to keep your diet on track is to put a healthy spin on that comfort food you crave.

For this shepherd’s pie, we’ve upped the veggies and replaced the white potato for its orange cousin. It certainly is a great, warm recipe for the cool weather and will fill you up without the enhanced belly.

Ingredients: Bunch of diced carrots, sliced mushrooms, kale, Brussel sprouts, half of white onion, half of bag of frozen peas, 1 1/2 lbs lean beef, 2 large sweet potatoes

Meat and Veggies: Heat a large skillet with olive oil on low. Add onions, mushrooms and carrots first and cover for about 15 minutes. Add kale, diced carrots, and peas.

Season beef as you like (we added garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar). Gradually add meat to the skillet. Raise heat.

Sweet Potatoes: Peel sweet potatoes and slice. Bring a medium size pot of water to boil and add potatoes. Once soft, strain and let cool. In a large bowl, add butter or coconut oil and salt. Smash with a masher until smooth.

Pie: In a casserole dish, spread out veggie meat mixture. Top with mashed sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Broil for 5.

Brussel Sprouts: Cut Brussel Spouts vertically. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip in olive oil. Spread out on an a cooking sheet and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes. Broil for 5.

It’s best if served with a spatula. The smooth sweet potatoes and savory beef compliment each other amazingly that you forget all about those regular, old white potatoes.

Grilled Romaine Salad

Now this one had us a bit skeptical. It sounds a little pretentious and something someone attempting to be on top of food culture would serve. Plus, throwing a green on the grill seems like a watery, wilted mess. But, turns out, it’s almost like a new veggie to throw in a sautée. And its size provides a nice base for a warm, wedge salad.

Ingredients: romaine stalks, 1/4 onion (red used here, any will work), 1/2 red pepper, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 lemon slice, 1/2 avocado. Any protein will work: 2 pieces of bacon, 1 hard boiled egg and 2 slices of ham were used here.

Directions: Mix the vinegar, oil and juice of the lemon wedge. Cut the romaine stalks in half. Season with black pepper and salt. Lightly distribute the dressing over the half of romaine.

Once prepared, place romaine on grill. We have used a stove top griller but it will work the same on a normal outdoor grill. The only advantage here is allowing the onions and peppers to cook with the risk of them falling through.

It’s best to cut piece by piece. It definitely beats a normal salad and serves as a good healthy option for summer grilling.

Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders

We all can agree that we miss fried food. The savory flavor, the crunchy shell it’s encased in, and the lack of silverware needed to consume it all make up the magic that is fried food. But the carbs and oil needed to make that magic happen come with a catch (kinda like a Disney movie). So getting creative is necessary when plain old grilled chicken has gotten old (which it will. After about the first week).

Ingredients: chicken tenderloins, 1 bag of almonds, clove of garlic, 2 eggs

Directions: Process the full bag of almonds and the clove of garlic. Add whatever spices desired (just pepper and salt were used here). Crack eggs in separate bowl and mix thoroughly.

Dip each chicken in the egg and then mix rigorously in the almond mix until completely covered. Place on baking sheet. Once all chicken has been coated, bake on 350 for about 20-25 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes for added crunch.

These were served with sweet potato wedges (recipe below) and salad. Thinking about pitching this to McDonald’s to replace the Happy Meal. Or maybe an Adult Happy Meal. The Amicable Meal :).

Sweet Potato Wedges: Cut the sweet potatoes into wedge shapes. Toss with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 mins on 350.

Pesto Steak Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is the answer to your pasta craving. While a bit thicker, it has a similar consistency to angel hair pasta and can be prepared just as many ways. The problem is, people tend to think the direct opposite of this blog’s purpose: I’m eating healthy, so all I can eat my squash with is bland, old tomato sauce.

WRONG! Truth is, tomato sauce (at least to this blogger) is kinda boring without the heartiness of pasta and flavor of Parmesan. So, we will be creating a variety of spaghetti squashes that are anything but bland and ordinary, starting with this one.

Ingredients: 2 Spaghetti Squashes (feeds 5-6), 2 bell peppers, 1 yellow onion, 3 6-ounce steaks (round used here, if looking for a leaner cut, go with sirloin).

Pesto: Bunch of Basil, Parmesan cheese (go with the block, not the pre-grated), handful of walnuts (pine nuts are traditional, but cashews or walnuts work about the same), half clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt & pepper to taste

Directions: Half the spaghetti squashes down the middle and deseed. IMPORTANT: Lightly dust the inside with salt. This is crucial to remove moisture and prevent a soggy squash (horrible). Bake at 350 for 45- 60 minutes. Allow to cool. Use fork to remove squash “meat” into a bowl.

Pesto: Blend all pesto ingredients in food processor. Check that final product is moist enough. If not, add a little more olive oil and reblend.

Steak/Veggies: stir-fry onions and peppers in pan. After cubing steak, add to pan. We did not heavily season or marinade the steak because the pesto will do the talking. Lightly season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes. Test steak to make sure it is to liking (do NOT overcook).

Chewy Steak=Ruined Meal.

The meal is full of flavor and will make to forget about pasta, carbs, and that you are eating healthy altogether.

One Pan Meal: Roasted Chicken

Sunday is meant to be a day of leisure so don’t let meal prep consume it! There are plenty of meals that cook all together and don’t demand too much time. Above is roasted chicken with red potatoes and veggies.

One pan=one dish to wash=more couch time:)
The veggies chosen are Brussels Sprouts and Eggplant with Mushrooms and Onions thrown in. We have selected these because they make great absorbers and there’s a lot of fat (and flavor) to catch! They have been lightly seasoned with a mix of olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Make sure to throughly clean and then season your bird. We used the same flavor assortment (EVOO+lemon+oregano). Also, position is key to make sure your veggies get maximum drip.

The rule of thumb is about 20 minutes per pound (this chick is about 6lbs). The end result is a delightful aroma, a quick cleanup, and meals for the week.

Stuffed Mushrooms

chickmush

After a while, even the most flavorful dish begins to warrant an audible sigh when the Tupperware lid is peeled off. But, to avoid ending up in the fast food window line around 12:15pm, its important to get creative with what you have. Pictured above are stuffed mushrooms, featuring the leftover Middle Eastern Chicken with some bell peppers, onions, and cheese. Any veggies that you are eager to use before they spoil can essentially be used as a “throw in”.

Stuffing- sautee leftover chicken with bell peppers, onion, and the extracted inside of the mushrooms. The chicken is already cooked, so only about 5 minutes or so is all it will take.

Mushrooms– after removing the stem and inside of the button mushrooms, lightly season with salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil. Fill inside with cheese and chicken/veggie mix from above. Cook for about 15-20 minutes at 350°.

The mushrooms go very well over rice or quinoa, or just by themselves as an appetizer. Enjoy!

Kale Chips

Of course, we couldn’t call the blog The Kale Box without a staple like kale chips. Many have complained that kale can never be as satisfying as a nice, crisp potato. And yes, there are few replacements for a good starchy carb. But the recipes below will expel the belief that kale chips are just bitter and brittle.

First thing to know, not all kale is created equally when it comes to kale chips. While the traditional curly is always good for salads, the above photographed lacinto kale is best for chipping. Lacinto tends to be a bit sturdier and is more similar to a potato when it comes to texture.

We’ve gone with a more Italian style with our seasonings. The top and far left chips have been flavored with olive oil and minced garlic while the remaining three are enhanced with balsamic vinegar, a bit of agave nectar to balance out the acidity, and chopped, red onion.

Make sure to keep a close eye on your chips once they are in the oven! The chips will only need about 10-12 minutes at about 360°. You can broil for a few seconds to give an extra crisp, but make sure to be mindful! Happy snacking!