Recipes Archives - Page 2 of 2

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Chop Salad

A blissful summer meal, this healthy Mediterranean chicken chop salad comes together in minutes—simply grill, chop and toss for the perfect combination of flavor with each bite!

Do you ever just have one of those days? Days when you want to crawl in a hole and escape everything that is current reality? Well, I had one of those days a few weeks back and thankfully my sweet husband stepped in and somehow just made it all ok! He let me take a much needed nap, go for a long run in the sunshine with Libby the golden retriever and then kept me out of the kitchen for a few hours, saying dinner would be served at 8. Seriously? How cute is that!

I had no clue what he was making and honestly did not expect this amazing Mediterranean grilled chicken chop salad with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta and so much more. All I knew is that dinner was at 8 and that I was not allowed to do a thing, not even clean up!

And I will admit, I even got to eat in my bathrobe after a hot shower. Yes, dinner cooked completely by the husband, eaten on the patio in your bathrobe might just be my new favorite thing!

Since living in Spain we have sort of become olive obsessed, well more obsessed that we were before! Most every meal here in Spain starts with olives and when we are home we have taken up on that habit too. We may or may not even have a whole shelf dedicated just to olives. Yeah we are obsessed!

Olives are rich in healthy fats, Vitamin E (which is fabulous for your skin) and antioxidants, so I am totally down with eating them by the bowlful. Since olives are high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates, I think they make the perfect afternoon snack or dinner appetizer because just a few leaves you satisfied and can help balance your hunger hormones!

We have been loving this Mediterranean grilled chicken chop salad and I love that it comes together so simply with minimal clean up. I like to make extras and store the toppings and grilled chicken in glass containers to eat for lunch or dinner throughout the week.

Mediterranean Chicken Chop Salad

serves 6

Grilled Chicken

4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp Italian herbs

To Assemble

Mixture of baby lettuce, arugula and spinach, chopped
1 cup olives
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled (omit for Paleo/dairy-free)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped

Directions

Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour in the marinade ingredients. Use a spatula to mix together, making sure all of the chicken is thoroughly coated.
Warm your grill or smoker to about 350 ° F. Grill your chicken for about 30 minutes, rotating about every 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165° F (I recommend using this internal temperature reader so you do not end up with dry chicken).
While the chicken cooks, whisk together your vinaigrette ingredients. Chop the lettuce and other salad ingredients and add to a large bowl. Right as the chicken is finished, toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Top with warm grilled chicken slices and serve.

Menu Ideas Recipes

Smoked Lamb Shoulder

Tender, juicy lamb shoulder that slowly smokes in the smoker for the best taste!

As much as my husband and I love exploring, we equally love quiet weekends at home. Since my husband is gone a lot, on his days off, we often find ourselves sitting on the patio with our golden retriever at our feet, cocktails in hand and with something delicious smoking away in the smoker. The spring weather has been so beautiful here in Spain that we have been eating most dinners outside on the patio.

I have been working so intently on my big nutrition course, which is coming soon to YOU, that my husband has been doing a lot of the cooking recently, and I am so thankful for that! We both love to cook and it has been a relaxing way to unwind and connect together after a long day. Since the weather is warm, we love to put everything on the smoker or grill. I usually will whip up a side salad or something green right as the meat and vegetables are finishing up on the grill. What is your go do warm weather meal?

Since going to Ireland a few months back and getting to snuggle this adorable baby lamb, I sort of felt guilty for cooking lamb. I am truly an animal lover but also eat a lot of animal products, because they are so nutritious. I firmly believe that animals should be ethically raised and treated and have been loving all the grass-fed and pasture raised meats in this area of Spain. I see animals on the side of the road and in pastures just living happy lives, munching on grass and soaking up the sunshine. They live good, happy lives, so I remember that whenever I eat!

If you have ever struggled with the ethical reasons of eating meat, I highly encourage you to seek out local farms in your area and truly get to know your farmer and butcher. There can be so much love and life involved in this process! That is the beauty of eating healthy, really foods and the beauty of the foods God gave us to eat!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 lamb shoulder
olive oil
mineral rich sea salt and pepper
fresh rosemary, chopped
side salad, for serving
butter cooked mushrooms, for serving

Directions

Place your lamb shoulder on a large platter and coat the entire shoulder with a very thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle all sides generously with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary.
Prepare your smoker with oak or hickory wood to a desired temperature of about 300° F at the top and 260° F at the grates.
Place your lamb shoulder on the grates and smoke until the internal temperature is around 190° F, maintaining your fire and temperature as stated above. This should take about 3 hours.
Next, carefully wrap the entire lamb shoulder in foil, making sure no areas are left open. Place back on the smoker and continue cooking for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature is 200-205° F. This is when the shoulder will become super tender!
Rest for 15 minutes before opening and shredding apart.
Serve with a side salad and butter cooked mushrooms if desired.

Drinks Recipes

Activated Charcoal Honey Lavender Lemonade

Things I am currently loving…or ok I will admit, slightly obsessed:

Activated charcoal: did you see my post on my daily skincare routine and why I am loving activated charcoal?
Pressed Juicery “Freeze”: ok, obsessed with their fro-yo (and no its not actual frozen yogurt but those words make me smile). They just opened in Hawaii and for the first time in about 5 years, I can actually go to a real-life store and buy a dessert! You don’t know how happy this makes me, and how sad my wallet is due to all my visits! They take vegetable and fruit juice and turn it into soft serve “freeze” as they call it! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! And they don’t use any refined sugars, so happy happy me!
Lavender essential oil: I have always loved the smell of lavender, ah the lavender fields in France are simply fabulous! Lavender is so relaxing and I have been loving diffusing it recently throughout the day and especially at night. I can’t tell you how much better I sleep at night and wake up actually feeling refreshed! Send me an email if you want to learn more!

Summer is in full swing and that has me reaching for some ice-cold drinks. I grabbed a bottle of charcoal lavender lemonade from Pressed Juicery the other day and it was so darn delicious, I had to re-create it the next day! This lemonade is not overly sweet which I love, but so refreshing on a hot day and the flavors of lavender and lemon combine so beautifully!

I have been loving using activated charcoal on my skin (read my post on my daily cleansing routine) and thought well hey if it can help detox, why not drink it! Now, you don’t want to drink too much of this stuff because it can be too dehydrating if you do, but this honey sweetened lavender lemonade is just so refreshing!

Lavender essential oil is my absolute favorite—the smell just makes me happy and keeps me so calm! I usually keep my bottle of lavender close by for any stressful situations and love diffusing it at night. A few drops gives this lemonade such a rich, pure flavor. Please note: I can only recommend using and consuming pure, therapeutic grade essential oils and if you want more information on which ones I LOVE and why, send me a quick email!

Activated Charcoal Honey Lavender Lemonade

Recipe inspired by Pressed Juicery.

serves 4

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp activated charcoal (approximately 800 mg)
4 drops pure lavender essential oil*
*I can only recommend using and consuming pure, therapeutic grade essential oils. For more information on what ones I use and why I love them, send me a quick email!

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend on high briefly until mixed.
Pour and serve over ice.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint if desired, I personally love the smell of that as you sip.
Store remaining lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, shaking before you pour.

Recipes Sweets & Treats

Homemade Paleo Salted Caramel Chocolate Candy Bars

Life’s better drizzled in chocolate right?! I totally had a splatter painting party making these—chocolate, toasted coconut and sea salt everywhere…oh my! Kitchen messes are so fun to make, but just so darn not fun to clean. Send help. Thanks.

I was craving those frozen ice cream Snickers bar the other day—like badly craving! I have never tried making a homemade candy bar, so clearly my cravings were a good reason! These are layered with a coconut cookie crust, salted date caramel layer and covered in chocolate. Oh and then finaly sprinkled with more salt and toasted coconut, because I sprinkle everything in salt!

These homemade grain-free and Paleo friendly candy bars are sort of a mix between a classic Snickers and Twix—well I actually haven’t eaten candy in over 5 years, so I can’t speak with certainty on that subject. They are also nut free if you use a seed butter so yay!

Homemade Paleo Salted Caramel Chocolate Candy Bars

You all may see me posting dessert or baked good recipes on my blog or Instagram often…well first they are so fun to photograph so thats a major reason, but second, I only ever eat a few bites. Let me explain. To me, life is all about balance. I pretty much have a treat each and everyday, always something I personally have made so I know exactly what the ingredients are and I usually only have a few bites!

Having Type 1 diabetes, means I can’t really go big or go home so to speak—plus, you all know I can’t stand the term “cheat day!” That would make me very sick! Although in college I did frequently say “go big or go to sleep” (haha)!

Rather, I find that having a few bites here and there is one of the best ways to stay consistent in living healthy each day. So make these and enjoy occasionally! Life is too short not to drizzle the day with chocolate!

Homemade Paleo Salted Caramel Chocolate Candy Bars

makes 16 candy bars | approximately 22 g carbohydrates per bar (will vary slightly due to chocolate)

Coconut Cookie Crust

1 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup finely ground golden flaxseed
1/2 cup creamy nut butter or seed butter (for nut-free)
1/2 cup coconut butter*
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp coconut oil

Salted Date Caramel

1 1/2 cups pitted dates (about 15 medjool dates)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 vanilla bean, split open and scraped
1/4 tsp sea salt

Chocolate Covering

8 oz dark chocolate (I recommend Pure 7 honey sweetened chocolate)
1 cup thick toasted coconut flakes
1 tsp sea salt flakes
*coconut butter is not the same as coconut oil.

Directions

Add all the coconut cookie crust ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times just until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. (I recommend pulsing rather than blending with a food processor as ingredients will quickly turn from a cookie dough consistency to a nut butter).
Line a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper drooping over both sides.
Add the cookie crust to the baking dish and use a flat spatula to smooth into a thin, even layer.
Clean out your food processor and add all the salted date caramel ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Pour the caramel layer over the cookie crust, using a spatula to create a thin, even layer.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Chop the chocolate into chunks. Over low heat, in a small sauce pan, melt the chocolate slowly. Set aside to cool as this will help create the perfect candy bar texture.
Remove the candy bars from the refrigerator and lift up on the parchment paper. Transfer the used parchment paper to a flat baking sheet to use later.
Slice the bars in half and then lengthways creating 16 bars. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet and in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
Carefully dip the candy bars into the melted but cool chocolate and place back on the parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with toasted coconut and sea salt flakes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before enjoying. They will keep out of the refrigerator, but I prefer to store them in the refrigerator (to keep longer and avoid any melting) and simply remove 10 minutes before eating.