Pumpkin Chili

Do not curl up your nose at another pumpkin recipe.  This chili has a unique combination of heat and sweet (even though there is no sugar added) to make your taste buds dance.  Using my preferred beef, tomatoes and broth my calorie count came out to 136 calories per serving....and it was one heck of a healthy serving too.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Extra Lean Ground Beef (I like Maverick Grass Fed)
• 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 large Green Pepper, diced
• 1 Jalapeno, minced
• 2 - 14.5 oz cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes (I prefer Muir's Fire Roasted)
• 1 cup Beef Broth (I use Swanson's as there is no added sugar)
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Salt 
• 1 - 15oz can organic Pumpkin Puree (do not confuse pie filling for puree)

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven crumble and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain off any fat and set the ground beef aside.
2. In the same pan heat the Avocado oil then cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes until the onion are beginning to soften and the garlic is developing some color.
3. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno to the onions and garlic.  Cook until the peppers are soft.
4. Add the cooked beef back with the onion/pepper mixture.  Add in the tomatoes, broth and spices.
5. Allow the mixture to heat through and reduce heat to medium-low allowing the mixture to simmer 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
6. Add the pumpkin puree to the chili.  Cover the pan to allow the chili to come back to temperature and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Serves 6

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Found this little gem online and it was so good I simply had to share.  I can not take any credit for the original recipe as the only modification I did was used Avocado Oil instead of EVOO.  This will definitely become a family favorite during the holidays.

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Avocado Oil (or EVOO)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Place butternut squash cubes in a bowl. Drizzle evenly with oil then sprinkle with ground cinnamon, salt, pepper and maple syrup. Toss all the ingredients together, using your hands, ensuring all the cubes are coated.
4. Spread the seasoned butternut squash cubes evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Place in the oven and roast for 35 - 40 minutes (rotating pan if necessary half-way) until squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately or allow to cool.

Easy Foil Baked Fish

Back in our restaurant days we used to love doing foil baked fish.  The best thing about cooking it in this manner is that the fish is always moist and the veggies end up with a different and wonderful flavor.  The combinations of fish and veggies is limited only by your imagination and will only take about 30-40 minutes from start to finish.  

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets of any white fish patted dry if previously frozen (cod, tilapia, perch however I've also done this with shark, tuna, and swordfish as well)
• 2 teaspoons Avocado or Grapeseed Oil
• 1 cup diced turnips or rutabaga
• 2 cups chopped vegetables (I used zucchini, carrots and some diced onions however you can also use any seasonal vegetable)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 lemon (or lime which I prefer or even orange)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Lay out two large pieces of foil
3. Combine oil with the vegetables, thyme, salt/pepper) in a bowl and mix until well mixed
4. Divide the vegetables in half between the two sheets of foil
5. Place one piece of fish on top of the vegetables
6. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto each fish fillet
7. Next create your foil packet by bringing up the two side of the foil together, crimping tightly at the top rolling it down leaving about 1" headroom.  Then roll the sides inward towards the center of the packet. 
8. Repeat on the other foil packet
9. Place both packets on baking sheet and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of the fillet or to a temperature of 145 degrees.  Except for the "meat steak" fish any white fish will flake when done.
10. Fish may be eaten right out of the plated foil packet or you can simply lift the fish out and "pour" the veggies and the au jus on the plate.  Do not for that liquid at the bottom it's full of flavor.

Serves 2

Cheesy Taco Zucchini Noodle Skillet

Prep can be a snap for this as the zucchini may be prepared the day before (leave wrapped in paper towel in a Ziploc bag for no more than 24 hours in your fridge) as well as combining the sauce ingredients in advance.

Cheesy Taco Zucchini Noodle Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 pound extra lean grass fed ground beef
• 1 (14.5 oz) can organic tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
• 1.5 tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup fresh corn kernel
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized and cut to about 1.5-2" in length
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Green onions or chives for garnish if desired
• Cheddar Cheese, for garnish if desired

Instructions:

1. Prepare the zucchini noodles.  Spiralize the zucchini using the ribbon blade or a vegetable peeler. Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef and cook until browned, making sure to crumble and break down into small pieces as it cooks.  Drain excess fat.
3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add the tomato sauce, tomato past, chili powder, cumin, onion power, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Stir well for full incorporate.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
5. Add the black beans, corn, cheddar cheese and cherry tomatoes.  Cook for 2 minutes or until almost heated through.
6. Add the zucchini noodles, cook for 5 minutes making sure you stir every 2 minutes or so to evenly cook.
7. Remove from the stove, top with sliced avocado and if desired sprinkle with green onion and more cheddar cheese if desired.

Serves 6
304 calories per serving (without the addition of green onions/chives/additional cheese)

Roasted Chicken Tenderloin & Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins
• 6-8 pieces of bacon (regular cut)
• 1 pound brussel sprouts
• 1 leek
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 lemon slices
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 3 sprigs of thyme or 1-1.5 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil (you can use EVOO as well)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Prepare the brussel sprouts by cutting off the stem end then cutting each in half
3. Prepare the leek by cutting of the stem end, they slicing the leek into rounds (use white and light green parts only).  Add to a bowl of water to clean any dirt, then dry and transfer to a baking dish with the brussel sprouts.
4. Drizzle the vegetables with Avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. 
5. Wrap each tenderloin with one piece of regular cut bacon. Transfer bacon wrapped chicken to the dish with the vegetables.  
6. Add the garlic, lemon slice, thyme and chicken broth over the entire dish.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until your meat thermometer reaches 160.  If you want your bacon to be crispy turn on the broiler for the last few minutes of cooking.

Serves 4
Calories 425-450 depending on type of bacon used. I used Hormel Natural Choice Uncured Bacon which is 50 calories per slice.

Cranberry Zucchini Slaw

This is definitely a winner.  Get out that spiralizer if you have one to make it an easier prep.  Also, if you don't have SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia you can substitute sugar. SweetLeaf Stevia has NO additional sugars added to it (many of them do!)...it's just stevia extract and worth it.  Make sure you get true dried cranberries that have not be injected with additional sweetners as well.

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis, cut into 4 cups of noodles

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (no sugar added!)

1 tbl white vinegar

6-9 drops SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia (or 1 tbl sugar for non-Paleo)

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Cut the zucchinis into small matchstick pieces or shred with a hand shredder.  You can use a spiralizer to create noodles and then cut those into smaller pieces (much easier!)

Stir together all the ingredients and refrigerate for at least one hour for the flavors to mix together.

Stir before serving.  Makes about 4 cups of slaw.

Steak Marinade

The coconut aminos give this a different flavor than normal as it is naturally sweeter to begin with. Don't have coconut aminos?  For non-Paleo you can use Bragg's Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce in the same quantity as a substitute.

Marinaded New York Steak cooked on a George Foreman Grill

Ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp prepared mustard
3 1/2 tbl garlic powder (yes, that much!)
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp ground pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl  Place steak into zip lock bag and pour marinade over the steak. Marinade in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for a minimum of one hour up to eight hours. Discard marinade and cook steak either on the grill, in the oven or indoor grill to desired temperature.

Balsamic & Honey Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Depending on how may people you are feeding you can use 1/2 to 1 full head of cabbage.  The balsamic and honey vinaigrette you make is more than enough.

Ingredients:

1/2-1 full head green cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (VSOP grade works best on this)
2 teaspoon raw honey
1 sprig fresh thyme chopped or sprinkle dried thyme

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.

2. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey.

3. Arrange the cabbage slices in a single layer and brush with the honey balsamic vinaigrette. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and sprinkle with thyme.

4. Roast until cabbage slices are tender and edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Rosemary Fig Roast Chicken

The use of chopped fresh figs in this recipe provide for a burst of flavor however if they are out of season no worries as by adding extra fig preserves you will still get the job done.  Balsamic Glaze is now widely available in the grocery stores however they do contain sugar so for a Paleo version simply do a balsamic reduction (adds about 45-60 minutes to your prep time however can easily be made and stored in the refrigerator until needed).

Ingredients:

4 Bone-In Chicken Breasts (or bone-in thighs)

1/2 cup Balsamic Glaze  - (for Paleo use a Balsamic Reduction only*) 

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

3 Sprigs Rosemary, destemmed and minced

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1/4 cup Butter, softened

5-6 Fresh Figs destemmed, washed and chopped (optional. If you omit fresh figs, add additional 1/4 cup Fig Preserves for glaze)

1/2 cup Fig Preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl combine softened butter, half of the garlic and half of the rosemary, stirring to combine. Using fingers, separate the skin covering the chicken breasts from the meat of the breasts. Using fingers rub the butter between the skin and the chicken breast meat, evenly over both breasts. Pull skin taught to cover the breasts.

In a small sauce pan, combine the fig preserves, the remaining herbs, salt and pepper, and balsamic glaze. Bring the mixture to a simmer and ensure that the balsamic is syrupy and sticky like a glaze. Remove from the heat.

Place chicken onto the roasting rack with the breast side up. Baste with a bit of the balsamic glaze. Roast for 15 minutes.  Using tongs, flip the chicken so it is sitting rib side up in the roasting rack and roast for another 15 minutes and baste with glaze. Flip once more, so that the breast side is facing up - and roast the chicken for 30 minutes basting the chicken with the balsamic fig sauce every 10-15 minutes.  Cook until the breast meat registers 160 degrees (if using thighs until it registers 170 degrees).  Remove from oven and tent chicken with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

*Balsamic Reduction (yield 1/2 cup) pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into small sauce pan.  Heat on low to medium low until vinegar on a low simmer until it is reduced by half.  You must remember to stir the vinegar occasionally to avoid burning.

French Onion Zoodle Bake

Looking for a unique side dish to accompany some leftover pork tenderloin roast and since I have a zoodle maker this seems to be a perfect match...and I wasn't wrong.  I've changed the recipe to be more Paleo and Whole 30 friendly however you can make it the same as the original recipe as well.

Do not use any other liquid stevia except Sweet Leaf as it has no additional synthetic sugars added like almost every other one I've looked at.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups zucchini noodles
1 large onion (I personally like Vidalia), thinly sliced
16 drop Sweet Leaf Liquid Stevia (or 1 teaspoon honey or 1 teaspoon sugar)
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Paleo Worcestershire Sauce (or regular Worcestershire for non-Paleo)
1 cup Fontina cheese shredded (Gruyere or Provolone also work well)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Avocado oil (Non-stick spray for non-Paleo)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet preheated to medium heat, melt butter.  Place onion into skillet and cook for a few minutes.  Add salt, pepper, Liquid Stevia, Worcestershire sauce and thyme.  Stir and cook for another couple of minutes until the onion begin to become translucent.  Add bee broth and cook onions until they are golden brown approximately 20 minutes.  Remember to stir them occasionally to avoid burning them.

Next, lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8x5 baking dish with avocado oil.  In a large bowl combine zucchini noodles and the French onion mixture.  Pour the French onion zoodle mixture into the dish and garnish top with Fontina cheese.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.  Garnish with a sprinkling of additional thyme.

There will be liquid at the bottom (not a lot) which you may either drain it off with a spoon or you can use a slotted spoon to serve.

Serves 4

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Head

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of Cauliflower
• 3-4 tablespoons Avocado oil or other high temp oil
• Salt/pepper
• 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter (see Alton Brown's easy recipe in the below link if you need to know how)
• Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Trim the bottom of the cauliflower and remove all the leaves and hard stem without breaking the head apart.

Rinse and pat dry the trimmed head.
Place head into an oven proof dish or cast iron pan.

Generously drizzle or brush on the Avocado Oil on top. It’s the key to a perfectly roasted cauliflower head.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to your taste.
Use your hands to spread the oil and seasoning around the entire head.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Cook in the oven for 40 – 50 minutes, depending on the size of your cauliflower. Check with a knife, if it slides in easily, then it’s cooked.
Remove foil and allow it to roast for an extra 5 to 10 minutes so it turns golden brown. Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t burn.
Melt 3 Tbsp of clarified butter (or ghee) and mix in the parsley, then drizzle or brush it on the cauliflower while it’s still hot.
Simply slice the head like a pie and add additional salt to taste if needed.

One medium head can serve 4-6 people

Need to know how to clarify butter?  Alton Brown to the rescue!  Just be sure you don't over heat the butter or burn it.  1.5 stick of butter nets about 7-8 tablespoons clarified if you don't want to make his full recipe..just remember to use a smaller saucepan.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/clarified-butter-recipe.html

Garlic and Rosemary Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/4-cup Avocado Oil (or any other high temp oil)
• 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (I prefer Alessi Aceto Balsamico VSOP aged 20 years)
• 10 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/4-cup fresh rosemary leaves
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Lightly grease a roasting pan with cooking spray; place pork loin in roasting pan and set aside.
3. In a food processor, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, salt and pepper; process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened, and the consistency is that of a wet paste.
4. Spread 3/4 of the rub on all sides of the meat (the rest you can toss or use if you have a bigger roast.
5. Place in oven and cook approximately 35-40 minutes (145-160 degrees internal temp).
6. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.
7. Transfer roast to a cutting board; slice into medallions

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 green onions, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Low Sodium Soy Sauce - non-gluten free)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Combine 1 teaspoon sesame oil with eggs in a bowl then wisk to combine and set aside.
• Chop the cauliflower head into big chunks then send through a food processor fitted with the grating attachment.  Alternatively you could grate the cauliflower on a box grater.  Measure out 4 cups grated cauliflower then save the rest for another use.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over med-high to high heat.
• Add the cauliflower, green onions and frozen mixed vegetables then stir fry until cauliflower is just beginning to turn tender (about 3-4 minutes).  DO NOT OVER COOK.
• Add garlic, season with salt and pepper and continue to stir fry until garlic is fragrant about 30 seconds or so.
• Push mixture to the sides of the pan to create an opening in the center and add the eggs and scramble.
• Once eggs are almost totally cooked toss mixture to combine.
• Drizzle in the Tamari and mix again to combine.
• Serve immediately.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

This chicken was amazing. The clean eating/dairy free aspect doesn't change the quality or taste whatsoever.  There is about 15-20 minutes of prep work, 40 minutes in the oven and done.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/4 C. Unmodified Potato Starch or Tapioca Starch or (Corn Starch if you don't eat Paleo)
• 1 T. Coarse Sea Salt
• 1 t. Freshly Ground Pepper
• 6-8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Thin Cut (approx 30-36 ounces total)
• 3 T. Grapeseed Oil, divided
• 1 Yellow Onion, Sliced thinly
• 3/4 C. Sliced Sun-dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil)
• 1 T. Garlic, minced
• 1 t. Italian Seasoning (oregano, thyme, parsley)
• Large Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Can (13.5 oz.) Coconut Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 C. Chicken Stock or Broth
• Basil, shredded, to top

Instructions

1. Mix together the potato or tapioca starch, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Toss the chicken thighs in the mixture until fully coated.
2. Heat 2 T. of the Olive Oil in a large oven-proof frying pan or ceramic coated dutch oven. Add the chicken, four pieces at a time, and brown on each side. When the chicken is all browned, remove it and set it aside.
3. Add the remaining 1 T. of oil to the pan and heat to medium/high. Add the sliced onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian Seasoning, and red pepper and saute for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
5. Add the chicken back into the sauce, scooping the onions and tomatoes over the top of the chicken. Try to fit the chicken in a single layer, if possible.
6. Cover pan with a lid(make sure it is oven safe) and place it in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 300 and cook for another 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and top with shredded basil just before serving.

Chicken, Faux Potato and Leek Pie

Ingredients

1 slice smoked bacon, chopped

1 1/2 cups cubed daikon (about 8 ounces-turnips are a great substitute)

1 cup chopped carrot

1 1/2  pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups sliced leeks (about 2-3)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough

1 tablespoon milk

1 large egg white

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until almost crisp, stirring frequently.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add potato and carrot to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. 
• Stir in flour and next 3 ingredients (through pepper); sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently.
• Slowly add broth to pan, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish or divide into individual 12-14 oz baking dishes. 
• Top with dough, folding under and pressing down on edges to seal.
• Combine milk and egg white; brush mixture over top of dough. Cut small slits in dough to vent. 
• Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until crust is golden. 
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Only 299 Calories per serving - 6 Servings

Apple Cinnamon Paleo Bagels

If you don't have a donut pan, pick one up.  They are relatively inexpensive and a necessary item for these little gems.

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 c almond flour 1/4 c flax meal
1 T coconut flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t pink salt
4 eggs
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 large apple, diced
1-2 packets SweetLeaf stevia
cinnamon, to taste
1 dropperful Sweetleaf vanilla creme stevia, or more to taste
1/2 T coconut oil

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease donut pan and dust with coconut flour
• Mix diced apple with stevia packet and cinnamon
• Heat coconut oil in skillet with medium heat and cook apples until fork tender
• Pulse almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in food processor
• Add eggs, vinegar, half of the cooked apples, and vanilla stevia and process until combined
• Place batter and rest of cooked apples in ziploc back, snip off corner, and pipe into donut pan
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 1 hour

Servings: 6

Calories: 278

Citrus Seared Scallops

Citrus Seared Scallops with Braised Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

• 8-12 ounces Sea Scallops
• 1/2 cup fresh blood orange juice (about 1 med blood orange)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 2 blood oranges, peeled and segmented
• salt and pepper to taste
• blood orange zest (garnish)
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions:

• Drain and pat dry scallops
• In a small bowl mix the blood orange juice, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• Toss dry scallops with juice and allow to marinate for 10 minutes
• Remove scallops from marinade and pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional). 
• Add 1/2 of the scallops and sear  2-3 minutes (or until golden brown)
• Flip scallops and sear on second side for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• To assemble:  Scatter blood orange segment onto each plate.  Arrange scallops on plate and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil (optional).

Serves 2

Braised Red Cabbage

This is a simple side dish that would accompany any main meat dish well. 

Ingredients

• 1 medium head red cabbage (about 2lbs.) - washed, quartered & sliced into ½" slices
• 1/4-1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and more to taste at end of cooking
• fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Using a large saute pan, heat chicken broth over medium heat & add the sliced cabbage
2. Add salt & pepper and stir well, put lid on and cook 15-20 minutes stirring every 3-4 minutes.  Add a little chicken broth if needed.
3. Add balsamic vinegar, stir well to coat all the sliced cabbage, put lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes
4. Finally remove the lid, stir and cook another 5 minutes so the balsamic vinegar can evaporate
5. Don't forget to season with more salt and pepper if needed

Baked Lemon Garlic Cod

With only 70 calories and 0.6 g of fat per 3 oz of cod and being made without any oils keeps this in the very low calorie low fat category.

• 
  
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more if needed (adjust according to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (4-6 ounce) Alaskan Cod fillets

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a large baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine all ingredients except the cod, toss well to mix thoroughly, set aside.
3. Sprinkle spice mixture onto each piece of cod, turn and repeat.
4. Place fillets on prepared baking dish.
5. Bake until firm, about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

        4 Servings