Tag Archives: Easy Dinner

Grilled Chicken, Sweet Pototato, and Onion with Basil Guacamole // Paleo // Whole30

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Here’s another super simple healthy Paleo and Whole30 recipe for you.  I don’t know why, but I always feel so bada$$ when I grill on my own!  Am I the only female that feels that way?  Sounds totally sexist, but usually it’s such a nice excuse not to cook break to have the Huz do the grilling.  It’s so easy, less dishes to cook, and I swear everything tastes better off the grill… This dinner was no exception!Blog BBQ Paleo Whole30 Chicken Sweet Potato Grilled Onion with Basil Guacamole-1Ingredients (Would serve 4)

For the Guacamole

  • 10 grape tomatoes (cut in half)
  • 1 large avocados
  • 1 inch cut of red onion
  • Salt and pepper to to taste
  • 5 Fresh Basil Leaves // Honestly, I didn’t have any cilantro, so I used basil (I had it) and LOVE the change of flavor from the usual guacamole!
  • Sea salt and Pepper to taste

Pulse all this in a Cuisinart or blender until chunky.

For the BBQ

  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 2 Sweet Potatoes cut in half
  • Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Dried Rosemary

Directions

  • Light your grill to medium heat
  • Cut the sweet potato in half and pierce with a fork, lightly coat with Olive Oil, S&P, and dried rosemary.
  • Once preheated, Place Sweet Potatoes on the grill first, because they take longer to cook.  Make sure they cook for 15 minutes before you add other items to grill.  I placed them directly on the grill-no tinfoil.
  • Lightly coat chicken in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Set aside.
  • Peel and cut the onion into 4ths (about 3/4″ slices), then lightly coat with olive oil, S&P, and rosemary
  • Once sweet potato has cooked for 15, add chicken and onion.  Cook both of those for 8-10 on each side (depending on size of the chicken)
  • Layer sweet potato, guacamole, chicken, a little more quacamole, with onion on the side.

ENJOY!

dit-elle-Lauren

Chicken, Avocado, Egg Salad in a Bell Pepper Cup // Paleo // Whole30

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I’ve been totally inspired by some Paleo and Whole30 recipes on Instagram (mostly @jennaskitchen and @the_clean_wife).  Doing Whole30 would not be an option with our teenage boys (I tried cooking separate meals before, but let’s be honest, ONE meal feels like too much work sometimes!)  I am all about making healthy meals that taste good though!!  The boys and Huz were all gone the other night, so it was just me and Maya.  She eats just about anything, so I figured it would be the perfect time to try something I’d been thinking of making.  Basically a mix of a few things I’ve seen around, plus what I had in our fridge already 🙂

It was DELICIOUS!  So light, yet filling, and unbelievably healthy!Blog Chicken Avocado Egg Salad In Bell Pepper Cup Paleo Whole30-1Ingredients (Would serve 4)

  • 10 grape tomatoes (cut in half)
  • 5 eggs (soft boiled)
  • 1 and a half large avocados
  • 1.5-2 cups shredded chicken breast (one or two large bone in breast depending on size)  I like to BBQ bone in chicken breasts and make extra just to have on hand for a follow up meal like this!  Super easy.  I usually just dust with olive oil and a tiny bit of sea salt and pepper.  Can even just throw it on the BBG plain though, since you peel the skin off!
  • 1/2 and inch slice red onion diced
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 4 Bell Peppers (I like the orange and yellow ones :))

Directions

You can do almost all of it in the Cuisinart.  One dish-easy clean up-WIN!!Blog Chicken Avocado Egg Salad In Bell Pepper Cup Paleo Whole30-2

  • Boil water and cook eggs for 7 minutes.  Take off burner and add cold water and ice until they are cool.  Very important to have them fully cool, in order to peel properly.  Set aside while you make everything else.
  • Toss onions and tomatoes into a Cuisinart (or blender if you don’t have a Cuisinart)  Pulse a few times until chopped.
  • Add in Avocado (salt and pepper to taste.  I barely used any)
  • Add in chicken, and eggs
  • Pulse a few more times just to mix.
  • Slice the top off the peppers, deseed, and fill with mixture
  • Pick it up, get MESSY, and ENJOY! 🙂
  • Blog Chicken Avocado Egg Salad In Bell Pepper Cup Paleo Whole30-3Since it was just me and Maya for dinner, we had plenty left over.  So, we took some over to my parents 🙂Blog Maya 136 weeks Green Osh Kosh-3

dit-elle-Lauren

Marionberry Baked Salmon with Truffle Cheese Garlic Bread and Raspberry Almond Salad

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Blog Marionberry Salmon Truffle Cheese Bread Raspberry Almond Salad-1So, I talked about the Valentine’s misshap in yesterday’s DIY post.  What I forgot to mentions was that the Huz was out of town until about 7, so we were stranded.  Not a big deal as we didn’t have plans and it was POURING, but I wasn’t able to go to the store and buy the fixings for the romantic dinner I had planned.  However, if there is one thing I’m good at (a super power if you will) it’s raiding the fridge/cupboards and pulling a meal out of my a$$ 🙂

Ingredients

Salmon

    • 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Jam (I used Marionberry)
    • Salt and Pepper
    • 3-4 salmon filets
  • Truffle Cheese Garlic Bread (are you kidding me?  It’s HEAVENLY and relatively healthy because you don’t have to use very much cheese to get a flavor mouthful!)Blog Marionberry Salmon Truffle Cheese Bread Raspberry Almond Salad-3
    • 1 teaspoon of butter
    • 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic
    • Loaf of bread
    • Cheese with Truffle (It’s spendy, but a little goes a LONG way!!)  We got this at Metropolitan Market)Blog Marionberry Salmon Truffle Cheese Bread Raspberry Almond Salad-2Salad
  • Lettuce greens
  • Raspberries
  • Almonds
  • Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette (I could have made my own dressing using olive oil, the same jam in the salmon marinade, diced up almonds, and some salt and pepper, but I was too tired :))

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 450
  • Line a baking pan with tin foil (makes the clean up SO easy!) and lay salmon skin side down.
  • Mix the jam and olive oil.  Spread over salmon and then salt and pepper
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes (depends on the size of your filets)
  • While they are baking mix butter and garlic in a ramican, put in microwave for 5 seconds and stir.  Spread lightly over bread that has been cut in half.
  • Grate a little bit of the cheese (I did maybe a Tablespoon on each side).  It has a really strong flavor, so not much is needed!  Let it sit while you make the salad.
  • Dump salad greens, raspberries, and diced almonds in a bowl and drizzle with dressing (phew that was hard ;))
  • Take the salmon out, turn the oven off, and put the bread in there for about a minute.
  • ENJOY!
dit-elle-Lauren

Pork and Beans // Crockpot

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I modified this from a recipe that my dad recently made up.  It was delicious when he made it, and it was delicious with the modifications I made.  Basically….play around and get a yummy meal 🙂  That said…it’s not pretty haha, but who cares?!Blog Crockpot Pork and Beans-1Ingredients 

    • 2 Cups uncooked beans
    • 2 Pork Sirloid Tips or tenderloins
    • 1 large onion
    •  2 1/2 Cups low sodium chicken Stock
    • 1 1/2 Cups of red wine
    • 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
    • Salt and Pepper

Directions

The night before-

  • Soak beans overnight.  Put them in the crockpot and cover with 4 inches of water.
Day of cooking
  • Drain water from beans
  • Dice onion and put into the crockpot.
  • Dig holes for the pork and place them into the crockpot.
  • Add Chicken Stock
  • Pour wine into measure cup and add spices, garlic, and mustard.  Stir it all up until blended (try not to cry over wasted wine, because it really adds some great flavor-alcohol burns out :))  Pour that into crockpot too.
  • Grind salt and pepper over it.
  • Cook on low for 6 hours.
  • Garnish with whatever you want.  I did avocado and Siracha.

This makes a lot!  I’m feeding 5, and still had leftovers for another meal.  Modify how you want, or freeze for delicious leftovers!

  • dit-elle-Lauren

Baked Salmon

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Blog Baked Salmon with Salad-1I don’t know why I used to be scared to cook fish.  I guess it was the fear of the unknown.  Ok, and kind of the smell haha 🙂

Living in the NW, we are SO lucky to have access to amazing fresh fish, so I decided to get over my fear.  What I found out?  It’s EASY!

Honestly, I change up the marinade depending on what’s in my fridge, but usually I do something sweet + something salty + a little kick.  It’s Here’s what I did this last time…

Ingredients

    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoons real maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I cheat and use this)
    • 2 Tablespoons chopped chives (happened to have some left over from a previous dinner 🙂
    • A little sea salt and Pepper
    • 3-4 salmon filets

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 450
  • Line a baking pan with tin foil (makes the clean up SO easy!) and lay salmon skin side down.
  • Mix all the ingredients in bowl and pour over the salmon
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes (depends on the size of your filets)
  • Serve with a side salad and some crusty bread (<–not paleo), and you’re done!

In case you were wondering if it’s child friendly, Maya CHOWED this down.Blog Baked Salmon with Salad-2dit-elle-Lauren

Easy Southwest Black Bean and Chicken Crockpot Soup

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Lately, I’ve just been throwing stuff in the crockpot and hoping it turns out.  There are so many other things to worry about/spend time doing.  Cooking just isn’t one of them right now.  Don’t get me wrong.  I actually do like to cook.  When I have time… I haven’t had a surplus of that lately though, so the crockpot has been my helper.  This is was so ridiculously easy and delicious.  Healthy too-TRIFECTA! 🙂Blog SW Black Bean Chicken Crockpot Soup-3

Ingredients

    • 6 Chicken Breasts (I only had time to partially thaw the frozen ones I had and it was fine)
    • 1 Cup Pico de Gallo (or any salsa you have on hand/like)
    • 2 Cans of black beans with the liquid
    • 1 Onion diced
    • 1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
    • 1 Tsp Chili Powder
    • 1 Cup Quinoa (could also use rice)
    • 1 Adobo Chili finely diced
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

  • Throw it all in the crockpot on low for 5 hours (more wouldn’t hurt it, I don’t think).  Shred the chicken with fork and enjoy!!

Below is a picture I took with my phone after I dumped it all in the pot.  I often wonder what things look like before they cook, just to make sure I’m doing it right 🙂Blog SW Black Bean Chicken Crockpot Soup-1dit-elle-Lauren

Chicken with Sauteed Spinach and Gingery Peanut Sauce

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This is another crowd pleaser at my house.  Even though I sneak spinach in there!  Hey, what’s not good smothered in a peanut sauce??

I originally got the recipe from Real Simple’s “10 things to do with rotisserie chicken”  It’s the last one “Gingery Peanut Noodles with Chicken”, but made a few changes.  One of which is that I don’t use a rotisserie chicken.  I’m not a big fan of the dark meat, so I only use the breasts.  To each his own though!Blog Chicken With Sauteed Spinach and Peanut Sauce-1Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup peanut butter
    • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I cheat and use this)
    • Box of Pasta or use Quinoa or…nothing at all.  It’s great on it’s own!  This time I used quinoa.
    • 4-6 Chicken Breasts.  Depends on how many people you have and how soupy you want it.  I use 6 and either cube it and then cook or have the Huz grill them on the BBQ and then cube after (this is obviously my preferred choice :))
    • 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • 5-6 cups of spinach.

2 green onions sliced (optional)

Directions

  • Either cube the chicken breasts and cook in a large pan with a little olive oil, salt, and peopper or toss the breasts in olive oil, salt, and pepper and BBQ it and then cube.
  • Start to cook the pasta/quinioa/whatever you want to use/not use.
  • While all of that is cooking…
  • In a blender, combine 1 cup water with the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. Blend until smooth.
  • Add the peanut mixture to the cooked chicken, and toss in the spinach.  Serve over the pasta, quinoa, rice or serve alone!  Garnish with the green onions.  DELICIOUS!  I add Siracha on mine too~mmmmm.Blog Chicken With Sauteed Spinach and Peanut Sauce-2dit-elle-Lauren

Pulled Pork Sandwiches | Slowcooker does 90% of the work-win!

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This recipe is in no way original (nor is it Paleo-sorry!), but it’s SO easy and good that I had to share.  The best part?  You take about 10 minutes to get it going in the morning/afternoon, your house smells delicious all day, and then you take about 10 minutes and it’s ready for dinner.  LOVE THAT!

Added bonus-Teenage sons and toddler girl approved 🙂blog Pulled Pork Sandwich

Ingredients

  • Pork Loin (amount depends on how many people you have to feed)
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Can of coke (or any regular sugared soft drink-most of it gets poured out after!)
  • 2-3 shredded carrots (I cheat and buy the shredded bags from Trader Joe’s :))
  • Jar of your favorite BBQ sauce

Directions

  • Chop onion and place in your slowcooker/crockpot
  • Place the Pork tenderloin on top of the onions
  • Pour the Coke/whatever soft drink you use over the top until it almost covers it.
  • Cook on low for 6+ hours (it won’t get dried out)
  • About an hour before it’s done (or less), add the shredded carrots (you don’t need the carrots.  I just added these the last time I made them for some extra veggies.)
  • When it’s done cooking, drain all but about 1 cup of the liquid.  Shred the pork and add BBQ sauce.

Serve on your favorite bun (we did ciabatta this last time), or serve on a salad for a low carb option!

dit-elle-Lauren