Author: awredmond

recipes

sweet & spicy dumpster nachos

awredmond3 Comments

I was really tempted to call these “almost whole30 nachos” hehe…

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Too bad chips, cheese +corn are all a no-go for the whole30, but this isn’t the woooorst thing you could be eating! Loaded with all the veggies and there’s even a little pineapple in there ;)

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1 lb ground chorizo (I used chicken chorizo from Sprouts!)
EVOO
salt & pepper, to taste
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 pineapple, peeled, core removed & diced
1 cup roasted corn (I used trader joe’s frozen roasted corn and just let it thaw out to room temperature)
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed and diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 lime, juiced
1 red bell pepper, grilled and diced
1-2 cups Mexican shredded cheese (I bet a white queso would be DELISH too! This is just the cheese I had on hand)
tortilla chips
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1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss butternut squash with EVOO, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, flip squash over, cook an additional 15 minutes or until squash has caramelized.
2. While butternut squash is baking, assemble salsa by combining all diced veggies, pineapple and corn (except avocado, I usually leave this separate since avocado tends to brown so easily)
3. Toss with juice of 1 lime, additional salt & pepper and chopped cilantro.
4. Cook chorizo in a medium skillet with EVOO until cooked through until browned – around 4-5 minutes.
5. Using a microwave or oven broiler, melt cheese on top of chips. Top with chorizo, salsa, avocado and garnish with additional cilantro & lime if desired

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Happy belated Cinco de Mayo! These were the perfect addition to our Mexican style dinner, goes down real smooth with a margarita ;)

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recipes

lemon meringue pie cocktails

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When you want your dessert in beverage form…

Processed with VSCO with s2 presetSo so tasty you guys! I definitely munched on a few marshmallows on the side because it just felt right. I mean, marshmallow vodka? Gotta have some marshmallows with that! I highly recommend it ;)

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4 oz lemonade (pick a good one! I used Trader Joe’s!)
2 oz marshmallow vodka
1 oz limon Bacardi rum
lots of crushed ice
graham cracker crumbs (pulverized), if desired for rim garnish

1. Fill glass with crushed ice, vodka, rum and top with lemonade
2. Cover rim of glass in lemon juice and then drip in graham cracker crumbs

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Side note, my little Rocky celebrated his 8th birthday last week and we went out for pizza and beer ;)FullSizeRender

 

recipes

spiked peach lemonade

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My husband has been on the biggest peach ring kick for the past few months…
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I got bored one day, stole said peach rings and created a drink out of them :)
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makes one cocktail

1 shot peach vodka
1 shot triple sec
1 cup sparkling lemonade
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + 1 lemon slice for garnish
peach rings
crushed ice

1. Pour vodka, triple sec, lemon juice into a drinking glass filled with ice.
2. Add sparking lemonade and garnish with peach rings

 

*feel free to add peach rings into the actual the drink too…they get super chewy – but oh so worth it!

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I’m a big fan of a two step cocktail. That was easy, right? Too easy. I bet peach schnapps would be delish too if you aren’t into vodka. No substitute for peach rings though…some things just can’t be replaced :P
leftovers

lemon grapefruit sugar scrub

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Who needs a super cute, thoughtful gift for their mama for mother’s day!? Look no further!

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Sorry mom, your present has been exposed! Please act surprised in May :) side note, shouldn’t my hubby be a hand model? :)

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1 cup white sugar
15 drops lemongrass essential oil (you could totally use lemon, I only have lemongrass right now!)
15 drops grapefruit essential oil
3 tablespoons vitamin E oil (Trader Joe’s has the BEST)
1/4 cup olive oil
*you know I don’t do measurements! These are rough estimates. Seriously just eyeball everything until you get a good, moist consistency.
 
1. Combine everything in a medium mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Pack into a fancy container, jar, tupperwear, whatever with a lid!

Shout out to Target’s dollar spot for always meeting all my crafting needs…

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I have used this on my hands, legs, and feet and all have worked so so well. I highly recommend scrubbing as long as possible (it will feel super rough and dry! this is normal when exfoliating) and then rinsing with warm water. I promise you will be AMAZED at the immediate effect of this stuff. It’s now a necessity in my shower and by my kitchen sink :)
recipes

grilled eggplant bruschetta

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You guys. I have the appetizer of the SEASON right here!

There are so many great things about this recipe – it’s literally level 1 easy, super affordable, quick to prepare, DELISH and HEALTHY! If you’re on a paleo or Whole30 diet then you’ll love this! It would be an impressive appetizer to bring to a party or even a quick, throw-together weeknight dinner! Both are a thumbs up (CRUMBSUP!) in my book :)

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for the eggplant:
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1 inch rounds
1/4 cup EVOO
salt & pepper

for the bruschetta:
1 large tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 T chopped fresh mint
salt & pepper
splash of EVOO
splash of balsamic vinegar

1. Brush olive oil on both sides of each eggplant round. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill eggplant rounds for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until grill marks are formed.
3. Using a slotted spoon, top each eggplant round with bruschetta and enjoy!
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*If you’re not on a paleo/Whole30 diet PLEASE feel free to add some fresh mozzarella. I did this for my husband along with added shredded chicken -it basically formed a lasagna! So many ways to change this up or add to it. Use what you have to make it perfect!
recipes

purple kale salad with spicy chorizo and avocado lime dressing

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I am such a sucker for HUGE salads. Ever since the Whole30, I have learned to pile all the things on top of greens. Eggs, protein, squash, potatoes…basically anything and everything I have on hand turns into a “kitchen sink” salad.
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My favorite though HAS to be the runny egg! So easy, affordable and sometimes I don’t even feel the need to use a dressing because it just creates its own sauce. My go-to egg style of choice is definitely “over easy” but I wanted to switch things up with a soft boiled egg because, why not!? I love variety.
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makes 2-4 salads

*this recipe is paleo & whole30 approved*

12 oz pre-cooked chorizo sausage, sliced
2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
1 acorn squash, sliced in 1/2 inch rounds & seeds removed (you could also use butternut squash!)
EVOO
salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 eggs, soft boiled (or hard boiled if you just can’t deal)
1 avocado, halved, pitted and sliced
for the dressing:
1 avocado, halved and pitted
1 lime, juiced
3/4 cup avocado oil (or you can use EVOO)
1 clove garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1. First, we’re going to roast the veggies! Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange squash slices on baking sheet with brussels sprout halves and toss with EVOO, salt, pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Heat a little EVOO in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo slices and cook for about 2 minutes or until browned on each side.
3. Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisk well. I used an immersion blender to puree my dressing just because this is a very thick, chunky dressing it helps smooth it out.
3. Assemble salads with torn kale leaves, brussels sprouts, squash, halved grape tomatoes, sliced avocado, soft boiled egg cut in half, and dressing on side or on top! Enjoy!
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As always -use whatever you already have hanging around in your kitchen! Please, please pleeeeease feel free to swap veggies out or switch up the protein. This recipe was solely created because of the “crumbs” leftover in my kitchen. When your veggies are starting to “go bad” or just look pitiful and lonely – step out of your comfort zone and create something spectacular! It’s the best advice I could ever give anyone in the kitchen. Just roll with it and get creative ;)
recipes

blueberry mojitos

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IT’S FRIDAY! And it’s been a longggg week…you know what that means…

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And the Raleigh weather looks absolutely beautiful for the next week or so. Let’s celebrate with a mojito! Mojitos are my absolute FAVORITE! They are super refreshing and basically guilt-free too. All fresh ingredients, some club soda and a shot or two of rum. That’s not the worst cocktail in my book!

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makes 2 cocktails

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3 limes (2 will be juiced, 1 is for garnish)
1/2 cup rum (I’ve used pineapple, white, or coconut – pick your poison!)
2 tablespoons sugar

club soda
8-10 mint leaves

1. Using a mortar and pestle, muddle the blueberries, juice from 2 limes, and mint.
2. Transfer to a cocktail shaker and add sugar and rum, shake well.
3. Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice then top off with club soda.
4. Garnish with lime, mint, and additional blueberries if desired. Here’s to some warm, Spring weather!
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I love that this cocktail IS versatile! No stress if you don’t have blueberries, try raspberries or strawberries instead. Also pretty much any white rum or fruity rum will do. Just don’t forget that lime, that’s one thing a mojito NEEDS. If you don’t have club soda on hand but you have sprite or sierra mist, use that! Just omit the sugar and you’re good to go. Happy Friday everyone!
leftovers

DIY shower melts

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Y’all. I didn’t know that my showers were lame until I tried one of these things.

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I feel like bath & shower bombs have become a “new” hot commodity lately. Even though I feel like they have been around forever.

My mom used to give me bath bombs all the time as a kid and I absolutely loved them. I never really stopped using them either. These shower melts are pretty much the same idea, just for the shower. It’s more of a “melt” and not really that fizzy bomb that’s so intriguing to watch dissolve under water.

So what, why, how?! You simply plop one of these onto the floor of your shower. As you take a hot shower, the melt will slowly melt (YEP) and the steam that is released will take on the aroma of the essential oils that are in the melt. I buy almost all of my essential oils from Eden’s Garden. They’re the best!

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1 cup cornstarch
3-4 tablespoons water
2-3 drops of green food coloring
20-ish drops of essential oil (I used a blend called “Head Ease” made by Eden’s Garden, it’s a combination of wintergreen, peppermint, lavender, basil, chamomile – cannot say enough good things about this blend! It works WONDERS for headaches)

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1. Combine everything in a mixing bowl until it forms a paste. Use as many drops of oil as you want, depending on how strong of a scent you want, I’m guessing I used about 20 or so.
2. Press the mixture tightly into a silicone mold and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until set. They should pop right out, no problem!
3. PRO TIP – Store the melts in the freezer if possible. I noticed that they started to crumble a bit when I just left them out at room temperature in my bathroom ;)

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recipes

spaghetti squash with basil pesto, roasted balsamic brussels sprouts, tomatoes and bacon

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You know what has been my lifesaver lately? Spaghetti squash. No joke – I haven’t had actual spaghetti noodles in almost 3 months now. The whole 30 had me ADDICTED to this stuff.
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Also there’s something about brussels sprouts, balsamic and bacon that just goes together so well. The balsamic caramelizes and coats the brussels sprouts with an outer layer of roasted crunchy goodness. I could snack on them all day! And then add bacon to that equation…ooooh so good!
Side note, this recipe is whole 30/paleo approved – so eat your heart out!
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makes 2-4 servings
for the spaghetti squash:
1 spaghetti squash
EVOO
salt and pepper

for the brussels sprouts
2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
1/4 cup EVOO
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

for the pesto
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
splash of vinegar
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 package of bacon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove all seeds. Place on baking sheet and toss with EVOO, salt and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes.
2. When squash is cool enough to handle, scrape out the strands using a fork. Set aside and season again with salt and pepper. Discard squash halves.
3. On that same baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts with garlic, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and EVOO. Cook for about 20 minutes or until browned.
4. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy and cooked through. Set aside.
5. Make pesto by putting all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and add EVOO as needed if necessary. I’m not a fan of measuring so just keep tasting it as you go!
6. Toss spaghetti squash with the pesto with tongs or heck, even your own hands. No judgement ;)
6. Plate spaghetti squash first, add brussels sprouts, tomatoes, crumbled bacon and garnish with additional chopped basil.
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I know, I know. Pesto is made with pine nuts. But I didn’t have any sooo it was either macadamia nuts or cashews. You can feel free to sub out any ingredients that you don’t have for ones that you do! I encourage that, I welcome that. Don’t have brussels sprouts? Try broccoli. Don’t feel like diced tomatoes? Use grape tomatoes. Use what you have! Please! We all live in the real world and sometimes life gets busy and unnecessarily difficult especially in the kitchen. Why make it harder on yourself? Branch out and create something out of your crumbs ;)
recipes

Super salad with chicken sausage, roasted acorn squash & peppers with avocado tomatillo dressing

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Nothin’ better than a healthy, colorful salad on a beautiful, sunny day. If you like a zesty, flavor packed salad – then this one’s for you!

So why “super salad?” I decided to change things up by using 3 different types of lettuce to build this salad – arugula, spinach and kale. Freaky, right? But actually not the worst idea I’ve ever had. I’ll be honest though, my fridge was really in need of a “lettuce purge”. I wish the stuff would last longer in the fridge!

But what I love about this salad is that it’s bold, meaty and FILLING. A plate full of this for lunch and you won’t be snacking all afternoon I guarantee it.

Also it’s all Whole30/paleo compliant. And yummy. So there, it’s super compliant all around ;)

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Not to mention, the dressing is 100% worthy of eating with a spoon…

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makes 2-4 servings

for the salad:
1 cup arugula
1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
12 oz chicken sausage, sliced (I used Aidell’s apple & chicken sausage, YUM!)
1 acorn squash, sliced in 1/2 inch rounds & seeds removed
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
10 mini rainbow peppers, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup EVOO
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder

for the dressing:
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tomatillo, husked & minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 avocado, mashed

1. Arrange squash slices on baking sheet and toss with EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Cook chicken apple sausage in skillet coated with EVOO over medium-high heat. Cook around a couple minutes per side or until browned. Set aside.
3. In that same pan, add EVOO and roast peppers for about 5 minutes or until tender and browned.
4. Layer salads mixture of arugula, spinach, and kale. Top with acorn squash, green onion, tomatoes, peppers.
5. Combine and whisk all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and serve with salad (for less chunky dressing, use an immersion blender or food processor!)

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SO. FLIPPING. YUM. If nothing else, just make the dressing.

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As always, use what’s in your fridge and feel free to make YOUR own version of this recipe! If you don’t have an ingredient listed, try to use something different. Swap outs are always encouraged, use whatever “crumbs” you may have in your kitchen. Like butternut squash instead of acorn squash, red onion instead of green onion, etc. Have jalapeno or poblano peppers? Throw some of those in there too! The recipe above was not planned, I didn’t walk around the grocery store with this exact concoction in mind. I usually buy whatever is on sale or then figure out what to do with it later. Try it! It’s kind of fun :)