Grandma's Kitchen Table

Whole30: Fingerling Potatoes with Parsley Pesto and Grilled Peaches

      The 48th recipe I’ve made for this group is Fingerling Potatoes with Parsley Pesto and can be found in the Whole 30 Friends & Family cookbook on page 74.

       Ingredients: fingerling potatoes, salt, olive oil, ghee, black pepper, almonds, garlic, parsley, and nutritional yeast. 

       The potato is always a frequent guest as Mark thinks a potato should be available in some form for the major meal of the day. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to serve it’s little humble self and this potato recipe interested me as the potatoes were parboiled before roasting, making them crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. I also like when they use the little bitty potatoes as it all seems more manageable rather than the regular big size potatoes.  The addition of the pesto is delicious, very fresh tasting with a bit of tang to give the potatoes a bit of jazz.  Definitely repeat-worthy. 

       The 49th recipe I’ve made for this group is Grilled Peaches and can be found in Whole 30 Friends & Family cookbook on page 117.

       Ingredients: ghee, cinnamon, and peaches.

       Each summer we look forward to grilling fruit, especially peaches. The heat softens them perfectly and the additional of a little spice (here it was cinnamon but we also like cardamom, nutmeg, sumac, pepper, vanilla, various spices and herbs, so many options) makes them fun and unique. The combination of ingredients in this recipe is very nice, these are definitely on repeat.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Garlic Herb Lamb Chops

       The 47th recipe I’ve made for this group is Whole30 Garlic Herb Lamb Chops and can be found at The Wooden Skillet's site online here.

       Ingredients: lamb chops, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary, lemon zest, and dried oregano. 

       Lamb chops are always a treat around here, they can be a bit expensive, but on the plus side, they are rich and filling so we each only ever eat one small one, making them much more budget-friendly. Another big plus is that they cook very quickly, a thick one can finish up with four minutes on one side and three on the other. The recipe we used had a marinade, which I did use, and a sauce, which I did not use, as the chops are so delicious with just a light marinade (the fresh rosemary was a particularly good match) and nothing more to cover the flavor. I marinated the lamb chops for 5 hours and then added a bit more salt and pepper before cooking them as the amounts seemed small. 

       We kept it simple and served the lamb chops with steamed farm fresh green beans and some leftover boiled potatoes (diced and cooked in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper). It was a perfect summer evening meal. Definitely worth a repeat. I copied the marinade recipe on a recipe card and taped it inside a kitchen cabinet so I could quickly locate it and use it with lamb, pork, chicken, fish, steak…a very versatile and quick marinade.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Citrusy Watermelon Strawberry Shortcakes

      The 46th recipe I’ve made for this group is Citrusy Watermelon Strawberry Shortcakes and can be found in the Whole30 Friends & Family cookbook on page 149.

       Ingredients: coconut milk, vanilla, orange juice, orange zest, strawberries, watermelon, and toasted sliced almonds. 

       When Margaret and I got this new book (our criteria for buying any new cookbook is that it must have at least 25 recipes in it that we would like to make so we feel we get our money’s worth out of it), we each flipped through marking our favorite recipes…this was my first choice as it is summer, and I just loved everything about the looks of this recipe.  It did not disappoint. It took about 20 minutes to put it together, chilled in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, and was a big hit when served, everyone thought it was lovely.  It is very pretty and the addition of the orange in it gives it a wonderful burst of extra flavor. Definitely worthy for a repeat. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Sweet Plantain, Sausage, and Broccoli Breakfast Skillet

      The 45th recipe I’ve made for this group is Sweet Plantain, Sausage, and Broccoli Breakfast Skillet and can be found in the Whole30 Friends & Family cookbook on page 112.  Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: chicken broth, broccoli, coconut oil, chicken sausages, plantain, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. (Optional ingredients: cilantro, green onion, Sriracha)

       There is no end to rainy days here this summer, so Margaret chose this recipe from a new W30 Cookbook that we each recently bought…not a new one, but a new one to us...a stovetop or grill top recipe. The recipe states that it is perfect for a camping trip (or hiking, biking, canoeing, or kayaking)…since Margaret and I are both pretty much past these kinds of camping trips, we just made it for supper. 

       It all comes together in about ten minutes and cooks in about the same amount of time, so in less than half an hour, dinner is served.  Mark likes sausage, so this was a big winner for him. I haven't really cooked with plantains, I think maybe once before, so it was a nice change to include one…they taste like a non-sweet banana when cooked, seemed like a nice compliment to the other flavors, and wasn’t difficult to prepare. Definitely can see this as a repeat sometime. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Fajita Chicken and Shrimp with Peppers

      The 44th recipe I’ve made for this group is Fajita Chicken and Shrimp with Peppers and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 136. 

       Ingredients: olive oil, chili powder, salt, cumin, cayenne, chicken, red, orange, yellow bell peppers, red onion, shrimp, and lime wedges. 

       Another rainy day, another call for the ease and convenience of a sheet pan weeknight supper. I staggered the cooking times at 425 degrees, putting the vegetables in first for 10 minutes, then the chicken for 15 minutes, followed by the shrimp for the last 12 minutes and it all came out just how we liked it. The seasoning was good, maybe next time I will double the amounts of seasonings. All in all, a delicious summer supper on a rainy day, I would make this one again. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Colcannon

      The 43rd recipe I’ve made for this group is Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Colcannon and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 62.  Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: sweet potato, ghee, Swiss chard, leek, salt, black pepper, and pork chops. 

       These pork chops are good, but the vegetables really shine in this recipe. Such an easy recipe for sweet potatoes, chard, and leek with just salt and pepper and a very small amount of ghee.  The pork chop was a bit large so I cut mine and ate only half...it was all still a very filling meal. I would definitely make this one again.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

      The 42nd recipe I’ve made for this group is Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 212. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: olive oil, garlic, ginger, paprika, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, onion, chicken, sweet potatoes (I also added some carrot), raisins, and toasted almonds. 

       This was a nice recipe for Sunday cooking, where I just sort of like to have the day for church, family, reading, watching a movie or sports, etc., and not so much cooking anything involved or time-consuming. The slow cooker is good for this type of meal, one just tosses everything in and walks away only needing to return when the food is all cooked and ready to serve. I offered to make some rice or potatoes for Mark to have with the dinner but he thought it was just fine the way it was, so that’s how we served it. The flavors were very nice, nothing too strong, just a nice change of pace from our regularly seasoned food.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Roasted Salmon with Tomatoes and Fennel

      The 41st recipe I’ve made for this group is Roasted Salmon with Tomatoes and Fennel and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 116.

       Ingredients: salmon, cherry tomatoes, fennel (I used cabbage), salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, capers, fresh dill, and Dijon mustard. I also added some asparagus spears.

      Another rainy day…all rain all day long…so another sheet pan dinner seemed a good choice. Sheet pan dinners are very nice, and if you learn how to stagger the cooking times, they work even better. I cooked the cabbage (instead of fennel as Mark did not think licorice taste and salmon would be very nice together), 20 minutes before adding the asparagus for 10 minutes before adding the salmon and tomatoes for the last 13 minutes, all at 425 degrees. It was perfect, everything came together nicely and the seasoning/sauce was delicious. Definitely a repeat.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Roasted Sausages with Potatoes and Cabbage

      The 40th recipe I’ve made for this group is Roasted Sausages with Potatoes and Cabbage and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 139. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: ghee, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, green cabbage, small potatoes, and chicken sausages. 

 
      The rain comes and goes…tonight was a sheet pan dinner that required hardly any effort, cooked for just a half hour, turned out wonderfully well, and was enjoyed by all. The mustard mix that is applied to the cabbage and potatoes gave it a rave review here as we are definitely mustard lovers (there are, at any given time, at least a half dozen mustards available in the refrigerator). Definitely a repeat. This would be a most welcome meal on a cold winter’s night.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Grilled Salmon with Cauliflower Couscous-Spinach Salad

      The 39th recipe I’ve made for this group is Grilled Salmon with Cauliflower Couscous-Spinach Salad and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 194.  Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: cauliflower (I did not use this as we don’t care for it), olive oil, spinach or kale, grape tomatoes, basil leaves, almonds, white wine vinegar, shallots, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, salmon, chives, and lemon wedges. 

       The recipe uses cauliflower and we just don’t really care for that, so instead I threw in some asparagus that Mark grilled along with the salmon and that worked just fine for us.  Everything else was the same as the recipe stated (I used kale as it gave a choice). I love having the fresh herbs from my garden pots as they always add such nice flavor to anything I’m making. This was a very good dinner salad, next time I will make them a bit smaller as it was a lot of salad…the recipe could easily served 8 instead of the 4 indicated. The vinaigrette was delicious, we both love Dijon and salmon. We both enjoyed it and would make it again, we usually have salmon once a week.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Southwest Chicken Noodle Bowl

   
      The 38th recipe I’ve made for this group is Southwest Chicken Noodle Bowl and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 199.

       Ingredients: chicken, southwest seasoning (I used chili lime), olive oil, chicken broth, red bell pepper, onion, potato, salsa, and fresh lime juice. 

       The recipe actually calls for the potato to be spiralized making it into “noodles,” but I don’t have a spiralizer, so I just diced the potato into a small dice instead. We usually have leftover chicken each week, so this is a great place to use that, I seasoned it with the chili lime mix and sautéed the chicken in it for a little bit before adding the other ingredients. The soup flavor is very nice, the lime really comes through with the seasoning and the fresh lime, so that was great as I love the flavor of lime. It’s not too spicy but does have a bit of a kick, the salsa I used was spicy so that contributed to the overall spice level. This is definitely a recipe worth repeating.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Teriyaki Pork

      The 37th recipe I’ve made for this group is Teriyaki Pork and can be found in the Whole30 Slow Cooker cookbook on page 108.

       Ingredients: pineapple, coconut aminos, garlic, ground ginger, cayenne pepper, pork tenderloin, black pepper, and green onions.

       For whatever reason, these pork tenderloins seem to be found at a good price here lately, so cooking one this week seemed like a fine idea, we can get three meals out of one so that’s always a plus as well. All the other ingredients for this I normally have on hand, so putting it together in the slow cooker was not at all time consuming. It cooked 2 hours on high. Although they served it with cauliflower rice, we used Food Freedom and had regular rice with it. Mark is not usually a fan of Asian flavorings, but he did enjoy this as the pineapple dominates and he loves pineapple.  This could be a repeat anytime as it is fast, easy, and delicious.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Chicken Cacciatore

       The 36th recipe I’ve made for this group is Chicken Cacciatore and can be found in the Whole30 Slow Cooker cookbook on page 239. Here is Margaret's post.

       Ingredients: chicken, oregano, salt, black pepper, coconut oil, onion red bell pepper, mushrooms, canned diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic, and fresh parsley for garnish. (Note: the recipe in the book serves it with zucchini noodles, Mark is not a fan of those and wanted rice with it, so I used a bit of Food Freedom for the rice. All ingredients listed use Whole 30 approved versions.)

       Cacciatore means hunter in Italian so this dish is a hunter-style chicken dish. We happen to love chicken with vegetables so when Margaret suggested this recipe, I seconded it immediately, it all seemed like a fine thing to make on a rainy day. While the recipe in the book gives directions for making it in the instant pot, I don’t happen to have one of those, so I just cooked it stovetop for a longer amount of time. This version has a nice clean taste with most of the usual flavors that we enjoy in cacciatore, definitely will use this recipe again.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Fish en Papillote

       The 35th recipe I’ve made for this group is Fish en Papillote and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 183. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: tomatoes, shallot, garlic, olive oil, herbs, salt, tilapia (or cod, sole, or salmon), black pepper, Kalamata olives, fresh parsley, and lemon. (I have homegrown herbs right outside my back door in the spring, summer, and fall, so I used dill, oregano, thyme, basil, chives, and parsley for serving.)

       I learned how to make these fancy papillote packages years ago when our Whisk Wednesdays group was cooking through a Cordon Bleu book and have used this method countless times over the years. It is such a wonderful way to get everything together, have it all set to go, just cook it right before serving, and clean up is a breeze. We like how it keeps the fish so moist. The flavors in this recipe were all very Mediterranean, something we both enjoy, so with very little effort, and no unusual ingredients, it’s a great weeknight meal, especially for Fish on Friday here. We served it with fresh asparagus from our farm basket and the leftover vegetables from the chicken dinner earlier in the week. Definitely a repeat.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Roasted Roots with Chicken

      The 34th recipe I’ve made for this group is Roasted Roots with Chicken and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 160.

       Ingredients: sweet potato, rutabaga, carrots, parsnip, onion, pancetta, salt, black pepper, chicken thighs, rosemary, lemon, garlic, and olive oil. (I did not use rutabaga or parsnip, instead I used red potato.) Margaret's post is here.

       It’s still raining here, can you even believe the amount of rain we have gotten this spring? So, we are back to the sheet pan dinner schedule lineup. I have roasted chicken many times with root vegetables, so when Margaret suggested this, seeing the lemon factor made it a quick “okay.” The lemon, rosemary, and garlic flavored the chicken and vegetables nicely. I would definitely make this recipe again. Squirting the warm lemon wedges over everything was really delicious, a big hit with both of us.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Pesto-Pepper Frittata with Squash

 
    The 33rd recipe I’ve made for this group is Pesto-Pepper Frittata with Squash and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 19. Margaret's post is here.

    Ingredients: basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt, black pepper, olive oil, red bell pepper, onion, eggs, and butternut squash.

     Over the years I have made many frittatas but never one quite like this one. Butternut squash in a frittata? Topped with pesto? It sounded a bit questionable but Margaret and I both decided we were going to go for it. Such a great recipe, full of flavor, the butternut works so well with the eggs and the pesto on top is fun to drag through each bite, adding a bright fresh taste to everything. A perfect lunch on a nice sunny spring day. Definitely a repeat. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: One-Pan Meatballs with Potatoes and Broccoli

 
        The 32nd recipe I’ve made for this group is One-Pan Meatballs with Potatoes and Broccoli and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 147. (I made the meatballs small to match the little potatoes and broccoli florets I used, so this is shown on a salad-size plate, not a full size, in case you were wondering how big of a serving this makes.) 

       Ingredients: potatoes, broccoli, garlic, salt, olive oil, egg, almond flour, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, ground beef, pancetta, onion, tomato basil pasta sauce, and lemon wedges.

       It is still rainy here, even my kitchen is a bit dark and solemn as seen here in the photo, sheet pan dinners are quick and easy, so Margaret and I picked this dinner for us today. Margaret's post is here.  This is a simple recipe, my kind of thing where things don’t end up touching too much on the plate. The only things I varied were that I did not put the pancetta in the meatball mix as I’m not such a fan of it, and the meatballs kept rolling around too much so I squished them a bit to make them stay still on the sheet pan…and, they are easier to eat that way, less chance of one going flying off the plate (this I learned when the boys were very young). The whole dinner is quick and easy with ingredients usually on hand here, so I would definitely make this again. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken with Cauliflower

      The 31st recipe I’ve made for this group is Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken with Cauliflower and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 153.

       Ingredients: cauliflower, olive oil, salt, pepper, ghee, chicken breasts, compliant Buffalo sauce, and compliant ranch dressing (for serving). I did not serve with ranch dressing (not a favorite) and I added a few stalks of asparagus to round out the meal.

       It is still rainy here, the grill is sitting outside patiently waiting. Sheet pan dinners are always easy, everything gets placed on the sheet pan and baked for the same amount of time without much assistance. All of this was nicely flavored (you can add as much buffalo sauce to the chicken as you like) and I would not hesitate to make this again.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Mexican Chicken Soup

      The 30th recipe I’ve made for this group is Mexican Chicken Soup and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 172.

       Ingredients: olive oil, onion, poblano pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, salt, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, chili powder, chicken, and cilantro (I used parsley). 

       It’s a dark and rainy day here so soup is on the lunch menu. Margaret didn’t want to make this recipe as she thought it sounded too spicy…and it did have a spicy kick which warmed up the day ever so nicely. I had things in the refrigerator to use up, soup being a good way to do accomplish that. After a bit of frig/pantry foraging I came up with all of the ingredients, what a happy chance. Definitely a repeat on this recipe, very nice, very easy, very good at using up bits of things, and very delicious. It was recommended that an avocado be served with it but no avocados here today…next time.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Strip Steak with Crispy Salt-and-Vinegar Smashed Potatoes

      The 29th recipe I’ve made for this group is Strip Steak with Crispy Salt-and-Vinegar Smashed Potatoes and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 74.

       Ingredients: ghee, green onion, tarragon, garlic, lemon zest, whole-grain mustard, salt, pepper, potatoes, vinegar, olive oil, steaks, and chives (I didn’t have chives so I used fresh parsley). 

       Before we were retired, steak was a weekend meal, and we only had it in the summer when we could grill it outdoors. We still only have it during grilling season, but nowadays it can appear any night of the week as when you are retired, as my friend Nancy’s husband says, “Every day is a Saturday.”  These days, Mark and I always just share one…he likes about 2/3 and I’m happy with 1/3 so it works out well, is a lot more economical, and we can have them more often during grilling season. It’s just starting to be grilling season, so he went to the market to score the first steak of the season on this nice warm, sunny day. The rest of the week is not grilling season…welcome to Indiana in April. 

        The potatoes were easy to prepare and since we both love warm German Potato Salad, the vinegar reminded us of that…rounding out the meal was the rest of the asparagus we had from the bundle we used with the lamb yesterday. The little sauce on top of the steak was tasty: garlic, lemon, onion, mustard…a perfect mix for us. Definitely a repeat, a very nice recipe find.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Grilled Lamb Chops and Fingerlings with Arugula Pesto

      The 28th recipe I’ve made for this group is Grilled Lamb Chops and Fingerlings with Arugula Pesto and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 54. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: lamb chops, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, potatoes, olive oil, arugula, almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. 

       Margaret happened upon some really nice lamb chops in her weekly shopping so she selected this recipe. I was onboard immediately as we love grilled lamb chops. Mark is the prime “griller" here and I am the prime maker of sides, salads, and desserts. This happens April through November, prime grilling season in Indiana. The rest of the year Mark is on vacation from any sort of cooking, which is fine, as I am very grateful to have him grilling 7 months of the year. He is, very good with the grilled proteins, and he will often grill vegetables as well, as was the case today. 

       The seasoning flavors and pesto were delicious on the lamb chops. The potatoes I cut into bite-size pieces to get them nice and crispy. We added grilled asparagus and the remaining couple tablespoons of the granola-topped root vegetable dish we had earlier in the week.  A wonderful Sunday dinner, definitely worthy of a repeat.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: BBQ Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

       The 27th recipe I’ve made for this group is BBQ Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 15.

       Ingredients: chicken, Whole30 BBQ sauce, carrots, parsley, lime juice, lettuce leaves (I also added cucumber slices). 

       Lunch here is usually a simple affair, more often than not, something salad-ish. Earlier in the week I cooked chicken to have on hand to morph into things throughout the week, this recipe stood out to me as I had all the ingredients on hand. Lettuce wraps/cups are easy to make with whatever you happen to have on hand, so this recipe came together quickly after I cooked some of the chicken into barbecue style chicken. I had a few other ingredients that I could have incorporated but keeping it simple like this was perfect. Delicious with the kick of the spicy bbq sauce making the carrots and cucumbers most welcome.  Definitely remembering to do this one again. And again.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Seared Salmon Fillets with Ginger-Caramelized Pineapple

      The 26th recipe I’ve made for this group is Seared Salmon Fillets with Ginger-Caramelized Pineapple and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 88. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: ghee, pineapple, ginger, sesame seeds, salmon, salt, pepper, coconut oil, and green onions. 

       Friday, so it’s probably salmon here, and I’m making my way through the salmon recipes in the books we are using. Salmon is always a quick cook, the sides are usually something different each week to keep it interesting. The book featured the pineapple (oh so good cooked and served warm) so that was the first side, the second was steamed broccoli, the third was a recipe from a different group (Everyday Dorie: Granola-Topped Squash and Root Vegetable Gratin, page 230), not exactly Whole30 but it did fit in well with the Food Freedom aspect of Whole30. All of it was delicious and worthy of a repeat. The only thing I would change would be to add more than just salt and pepper to the salmon, some spicing (I used chili lime seasoning) with a bit of a kick would be welcome. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Chicken Tikka Masala

       The 25th recipe I’ve made for this group is Chicken Tikka Masala and can be found in the Whole30 Slow Cooker Cookbook on page 190. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: chicken thighs, salt, coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, onion, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. The recipe instructions call for cauliflower rice but I used regular rice (Food Freedom). 

       A cold and rainy week, so out came the crockpot for this recipe. After marinating the chicken overnight, tossing everything in, the crockpot does all the work for four hours on high so that when supper arrives, you can just dish it up, serve it over a bed of rice and enjoy. We both enjoy Indian cuisine occasionally so this is a nice salute to those flavors and gives our menu a bit of a change. We served it with a side of steamed broccoli, always a favorite here. I would make this one again, it was easy and delicious. Definitely repeat worthy.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Pork Chops and Squash over Green Onions

      The 24th recipe I’ve made for this group is Pork Chops and Squash over Green Onions and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 131. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: olive oil, green onions, sage, salt, pepper, thyme leaves, lemon zest, pork chops, and butternut squash.

       Margaret likes to cook pork chop recipes so she has selected a few for us to make. Mark likes to eat pork chops, so he is always happy when I say Margaret picked a pork chop recipe for us this week. This one was very easy as it is done on a sheet pan in the oven all at once. It has been rainy here today (I’m looking forward to all those May flowers that these April showers are supposed to bring), so a nice sheet pan dinner sounded just right. I’ve never cooked green onions to serve like this…they are placed on the sheet pan under the pork chops so they take on the flavor from the pork, making them tasty, some got a bit charred which was extra tasty. The thyme and lemon were nice with the pork, a new combination for us as I love lemon and I’m not sure I’ve ever thought to use it with pork this way before. The whole recipe is definitely worthy of a repeat.  Bonus: incredibly easy and quick.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Rice (Napa Cabbage)

      The 23rd recipe I’ve made for this group is Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Rice (Napa Cabbage) and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 102.

       Ingredients: orange zest, orange juice, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, arrowroot powder, ghee, chicken breasts, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, cauliflower rice (I used Napa cabbage), and green onions.

       This isn’t exactly the Orange Chicken you might be thinking of that you get at Chinese restaurants, and believe me, I love that version and have it every November 17th as it was Alex’s favorite thing ever so we go and eat it in his memory each year.  This version is definitely a bit healthier and calorie-friendly, and while it is missing the traditional breading, it does have a very nice orange flavor that is delicious and guilt-free. The recipe called for a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables but I always have fresh carrots and broccoli on hand, so I went with that, skipping the cauliflower rice in lieu of sautéed Napa Cabbage with a little onion as that mixture reminded me of the side that we get with the Chinese restaurant Orange Chicken. The only thing missing is that spicy kick of the favorite, so I added some sriracha drizzle half-way through when I realized I was missing the spicy kick. I have to say, this is a winning combination and one I will make time and again. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Ancho-Clementine Salmon with Herbed Sweet Potato Fries

      The 22nd recipe I’ve made for this group is Ancho-Clementine Salmon with Herbed Sweet Potato Fries and can be found in the Whole 30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 126.

       Ingredients: sweet potato, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, rosemary, salt, pepper, thyme, clementines, ancho Chile powder, and salmon.

       We have salmon once a week so I’m always looking for new recipes to try, new seasonings to enhance the flavors, etc. In this recipe, both the salmon and the sweet potatoes had seasonings that were easy to assemble and use, with delicious results. Often we use a chili lime seasoning sprinkled on the salmon before cooking so this was similar, using clementines with the chili powder, a nice change-up. The fries I generally just salt and pepper so this was fun to have an Italian type blend to use on them before baking. I would make this combination again as we both enjoyed it.  We served steamed broccoli on the side. All of it, easy, fast, delicious, and done within a half hour once the oven preheats.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30 - Spicy Italian Pot Roast with Fingerling Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, and Pepperoncini

      The 21st recipe I’ve made for this group is Spicy Italian Pot Roast with Fingerling Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, and Pepperoncini and can be found in the Whole30 Slow Cooker Cookbook on page 146.

       Ingredients: chuck roast, salt, pepper, olive oil, potatoes, carrots, onions, beef broth, diced tomatoes, pepperoncini, Italian seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley.

       Well, with the making of this recipe, roast season has come to an end until November, we don’t usually ever cook roasts from April until November, in Indiana, it is grilling season during those months and oven roasting takes back seat.

       This recipe is really really good, Mark thought it might be his most favorite beef roast recipe ever. We both loved the spiciness of the seasonings. The meat was so tender, the potatoes were nicely done, so soft and buttery from the long cooking time, and the tomatoes added a delicious flavor (I don’t usually put tomatoes in with beef roasts so this was a nice surprise). I did cook the carrots separately and added them to the dish as I’m kind of tired of carrots with flavors other than just their carroty-ness. Next time the carrots might go in the pot as well, but they were good this way. This one will be on the Make Again Often list. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Sausage-Mushroom Frittata

      The 20th recipe I’ve made for this group is Sausage-Mushroom Frittata and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 20. Margaret’s blog: click here.

       Ingredients: eggs, salt, pepper, ground pork (I used bacon), Italian Seasoning, smoked paprika, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, arugula (I used spinach), tomato, green onion, hot sauce (optional).

       Another egg recipe (Margaret’s pick but I was happy to have a frittata to slice for upcoming breakfasts), and although one would think we would be tired of eggs, that’s hardly ever the case around here (with the exception of around Easter time when the boys were young and wanted to dye many boiled eggs for the occasion...we were pretty much over boiled egg recipes by the time they were all used up). About once a month I will make a frittata so that we can slice it up over the week to have it warmed up for a quick breakfast. 

       This was very good, nicely seasoned with a fun Italian take on it all flavor-wise, which was much appreciated as I give up pizza for Lent and about half-way through as we are, some pizza flavoring, if not actual pizza, is a happy thing. I used bacon as I’m not the biggest sausage fan, and subbed out the arugula in favor of spinach.  We ate it with a small side salad. All in all, a wonderful recipe and I’m looking forward to eating the rest for breakfasts over the next several days. Definitely will make this recipe again.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Pork Loin with Sweet Potato, Apple, and Pear Smash

      The 19th recipe I’ve made for this group is Pork Loin with Sweet Potato, Apple, and Pear Smash and can be found in the Whole30 Slow Cooker Cookbook on page 145.

       Ingredients: pork loin, thyme, garlic and herb seasoning, black pepper, sweet potatoes, apples, pears, cinnamon, salt, cranberries, and cider vinegar.

       For the moment, small roasts are still appreciated here every other week or so, but grilling season is coming soon, so I think this one and one more small beef roast are going to signal the end of roasting season. In general, I can take or leave pork, Mark loves pork, but I’m usually on the fence depending on how it is prepared usually. This one was moist, tender, and delicious. The veggie/fruit mash was also delicious with one notation…a little too sweet for us, so next time I would halve the amount of apple and pear so that it would be less sweet. The cinnamon was good with the mash and could be tasted slightly with the sliced pork as well. Mark was happy with it so I could make this again for him, the slow cooker did all the work. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Lemon-Ginger Salmon and Asparagus

      The 18th recipe I’ve made for this group is Lemon-Ginger Salmon and Asparagus and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook on page 129.

       Ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, asparagus, salmon fillets, lemon slices, green onions (I don’t care for raw onion and fish so I left those out).

       Friday again, so fish is always on the menu, this week is Salmon with a light sauce, baked in the oven, and served with asparagus and a few purple potatoes. The sauce is fresh and easy to put together, salmon and lemon are always a good idea, and the ginger just makes it even more so. The whole recipe beginning to end, takes 20-25 minutes. Fast & Easy, delicious, and definitely worthy of a repeat. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Shrimp and Asparagus Dinner Omelets

       The 17th recipe I’ve made for this group is Shrimp and Asparagus Dinner Omelets and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 108. Margaret’s blog: click here.

       Ingredients: ghee, asparagus, shrimp, grape tomatoes, eggs, salt, black pepper, and pesto.

       Fridays are fish/seafood or eggs here during Lent so this recipe worked nicely as it had both seafood and eggs. We eat omelettes a few times a month as they are quick, easy, and can be either filled with a variety of ingredients or just be a simple supper with a salad.  This was a very good recipe, easy to follow, quick to make, and delicious. The filling made a lot so it was spilling out, which is not a bad thing. We had never had pesto in an omelette before, so it was fun to try a new ingredient with it, and it was tasty, I will probably use that again. I would make this combination anytime, it was a hit. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Shrimp and Mango Salad

      The 16th recipe I’ve made for this group is Shrimp and Mango Salad and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 32. 

       Ingredients: lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro (parsley), jalapeño, salt, shrimp, chili powder, salt, lettuce, mango, and avocado.

       Margaret isn’t fond of avocado and I had all the ingredients on hand for this salad, so I went ahead and made it on Friday when I needed a meatless dish. The dressing is light with a fresh taste from the lime and a little kick from the jalapeño pepper. The shrimp was well seasoned to go with the dressing. The mango and avocado worked to calm any heat from the other spices and give it a nice fresh clean taste, which we both liked a lot. I would make this recipe again, it is easy, quick, and delicious. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Skillet Rosemary Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onions

 
      The 15th recipe I’ve made for this group is Skillet Rosemary Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onions and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 105. Margaret’s blog: click here.

       Ingredients: olive oil, whole grain mustard, garlic, rosemary, salt, black pepper, small red potatoes, small red onion, and pork chops.

       Margaret and I both had pork chops this week and Margaret picked this recipe for us to make as we also had the other ingredients on hand. It was easy, didn’t take too long, and worked on a weeknight when Mark and I both were out for a major part of the day. We added some carrots to add a little color and round out the flavors. This all reminded me of my growing up years where a meal like this, plain and simple without any unusual ingredients was the norm. Just pork chops and potatoes, simple and delicious, it could be repeated again any time. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken

 
       The 14th recipe I’ve made for this group is Whole30 Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken and can be found in the Nom Nom Paleo blog, for link click here. Margaret’s blog: click here.

       Ingredients: chicken (I used chicken tenders), cauliflower, red onion, and lemon.  She gives a Tandoori marinade but I used a different one from the list Margaret and I are doing (click here), so yogurt, olive oil, ginger, garlic, garam masala, lemon juice, coriander, chili powder, cumin, and salt. I also roasted a sweet potato diced in cubes to include with the vegetables.

       Margaret and I made this together, we made the marinade yesterday so that our chicken could sit in it overnight. I sprinkled garam masala and a little olive oil on the cauliflower, and just olive oil, salt, and pepper on the sweet potatoes and onions. I staggered the cooking on the sheet pan, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and onions for 30 minutes and then added the chicken on the same pan for another 20 minutes. This was perfect for getting the vegetables tender but not mushy or underdone. It all worked out well and was delicious. Marinading the chicken overnight gave it a tender and moist taste. I will be doing this marinade again. We both like Indian food, I don’t usually make it at home, but I will make this again as the flavors were very nice and a big advantage is that oftentimes at restaurants specializing in this type of cuisine things come in too much sauce and I’m not a fan of all that sauce, so this was nice and simple and clean. Definitely a repeat. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: One Pan Italian Chicken Breasts, Potatoes, and Asparagus

      The 13th recipe I’ve made for this group is Whole30 One Pan Italian Chicken Breasts, Potatoes, and Asparagus and can be found in the Cook at Home Mom blog, for link click here. Margaret’s blog: click here.

       Ingredients: chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders), potatoes, asparagus, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian Seasoning. (I used olive oil, red wine vinegar, clove of garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper that I put together myself from the Whole30 Italian Marinade that Margaret found online.)  I also added some cherry tomatoes for color and because they taste so good roasted.

       Margaret and I made this together. We made the marinade yesterday so that our chicken could sit in it overnight. I also used part of the marinade for the potatoes and brushed a little on the asparagus and tomatoes…it all seemed to go together without seeming too “one-note” in flavor (we happen to like Italian flavors so even if it had, that would not have been a bad thing). I staggered the cooking on the sheet pan, potatoes in for 10 minutes, then added the chicken for 10 minutes, then added the asparagus and tomatoes, and cooked it all another 10 minutes (so 30 minutes for the potatoes, 20 for the chicken, 10 for the asparagus and tomatoes). It all worked out well, was delicious and gave me time to do some additional things in the kitchen while it was cooking. Definitely an easy meal and one that will be enjoyed again…I hadn’t ever really marinated the chicken overnight before doing a sheet pan meal, and I have to say that I did notice a difference in taste as the marinade permeated the chicken and kept it moist while cooking. I will be doing a chicken marinade again.  

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Whole 30 Pork Chops (With Apples)

       The 12th recipe I’ve made for this group is Whole30 Pork Chops (with Apples) and can be found at the Finished with Salt blog, for link click here. 

       Ingredients: avocado oil, boneless pork chops, salt, pepper, apples, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.

       Margaret and I decided to make some W30 pork chops and picked two different recipes. Margaret’s post (click here) uses the same kind of pork chops and sweet potatoes but in different preparations. The recipe I used was simple and quick with ingredients here on hand. Not being the best at getting pork chops done correctly on the stovetop, I was happy to have a recipe that was so specific, ending up with juicy pork chops inside and crunchy crispy pork chops on the outside, exactly how we like them.  I served them with some of the Cauliflower-Sweet Potato Mash that I made earlier in the week, and rounded the meal out with some asparagus. Everything was wonderful and definitely a repeat for us, I will keep this stovetop pork chop method at hand for the future, easy and delicious.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Veggies

      The 11th recipe I’ve made for this group is Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Veggies and can be found in Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 99. 

       Ingredients: olive oil, zucchini, red bell pepper, shrimp, garlic, ghee, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cauliflower crumbles.  

       As you can see from the photo, I did not use the cauliflower crumbles (sometimes referred to as cauliflower rice) as I don’t care for it and I knew I would like the shrimp and veggies just plain on their own with a nice salad. Mark ate his over rotini pasta and thought it was very good. When he says that I can make a recipe “anytime,” that means he would like to see it again. I agree, definitely worth repeating. It was quick, easy, no exotic ingredients, and delicious. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Cauliflower-Sweet Potato Mash

      The 10th recipe I’ve made for this group is Cauliflower-Sweet Potato Mash and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 270. Margaret's post: click here.

       Ingredients: sweet potatoes, cauliflower, garlic, ghee, salt, and black pepper. 

       Sweet potato recipes are always an appreciated find as we both like them, they seem to satisfy more (with consumption of just a moderate portion) than a regular potato, but you need to offset the sweetness a bit at times with certain recipes and certain kinds of sweet potatoes.  This was not one of those times as the recipe accounted for that with the seasonings. It is very easy, not at all time-consuming, and tastes delicious. It would be wonderful anytime you would like a side dish that called for potatoes.  Worthy of repeat status. 

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Chicken Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers

      The 9th recipe I’ve made for this group is Whole 30 Chicken Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers and can be found at Kelsey’s Little Bits of Real Food blog: click this link here. Margaret's post is here.

       Ingredients: oil, onion, garlic, Italian chicken sausages, mushrooms, marinara sauce, and bell peppers. (She also listed cauliflower rice but we don’t care for that so I didn’t use any.) I added some pepperoncini that I diced up to give it more of a kick. 

       Stuffed bell peppers are popular here, I make them several times a year, so when I had leftover chicken sausage and bell peppers from another recipe, this seemed like a good match. As you can see from the recipe, it’s all very easy, assembles quickly, and cooks in a just a little amount of time after a busy day. Leftovers warm up nicely as well.  Definitely a repeat.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Tex-Mex Chicken Frittata Muffins

      The 8th recipe I’ve made for this group is Tex-Mex Chicken Frittata Muffins and can be found in the Whole30 Cookbook, page 125. Margaret’s post is here. It's a beautiful sunny morning here today and these are delicious.

       Ingredients: cooked chicken, spinach, roasted tomato salsa, eggs, coconut flour, chili powder, and salt. (I did not use the coconut flour as I didn’t see any real need of it for my taste.)

       This is an easy recipe, put it all in a bowl, mix it up, distribute it between the muffin cups, bake, enjoy.  The leftovers warm up nicely with 20-30 seconds in the microwave.  I didn’t add the coconut flour as Margaret had made them and shared that it was a weird texture for her, so after some research I didn't add it and that worked out well, these are just nice eggy bites with a bit of a kick from the salsa and the chili powder. I had compliant chicken sausage to use up, so used that instead of cooked chicken and it worked out deliciously. Also, used these little silicone muffin cups as muffins just slide right out without any need for greasing them, etc. Half a recipe made 8 muffins, these are a little smaller than a standard muffin cup size.  Delicious recipe, easy to make, these will appear again. They will be great with a bowl of chili on game days.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Balsamic Beef Roast and Root Vegetables

     
       One of the really nice benefits of W30 recipes is that Mark is happy to eat this way as it doesn’t use “fake” diet-type ingredients. Whole30 is just plain simple healthy cooking with fresh ingredients, I try to pick recipes that are familiar and popular with his tastes (sorry Brussels sprouts). The 7th recipe I’ve made for this group is Balsamic Beef Roast and Root Vegetables and can be found in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook, page 251.

       Ingredients: coconut oil, chuck roast, salt, pepper, carrots, parsnips, small round red potatoes, onion, garlic, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning. (Parsley was optional...I didn’t have any on hand so I didn’t option it.)

       The recipe was easy to follow and cooks all day in a crockpot, very easy. I followed it as stated with the exception of using regular Idaho potatoes rather than little red ones called for as that is what I had on hand.  Delicious…Mark loves a pot roast, thought the parsnips were very nice, and the balsamic vinegar gave it all a nice little something extra, my thoughts exactly and this would be most welcome here anytime. Margaret's post is here.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Mexican Twice-Baked Potatoes

       Over the weekends during Big Ten Basketball Season, it is not uncommon to find us blocking out portions of time to watch the games and cheer on our favorite teams, which in this house are Indiana University and the University of Iowa…neither team doing very well this year unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t cheering each and every game they play. I thought these potatoes would be a nice choice for ballgame weekends, just the sort of thing one can make the parts ahead and assemble to eat between games or to warm up during a half-time, whichever scenario fits the schedule. Margaret had this recipe marked as well (she and Bill being big fans of Taco Night) so this past weekend we made the recipe Mexican Twice-Baked Potatoes in the Whole30 Cookbook on page 56. 

       Ingredients: baking potatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, coriander, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, olive oil, ground beef, onion, garlic, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, cauliflower florets, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, cayenne pepper, salsa, cilantro, and guacamole. (I skipped the cauliflower as it already had potato, the salsa, cilantro, and guacamole as we rather liked just fresh tomatoes, scallions, and avocado chopped up and put on top and I figured they were basically the same tastes.) For the Food Freedom part of Whole30, I sprinkled a little bit of shredded cheese on top. 

       These are really good…taco without a taco shell basically with the addition of a baked potato. The taco meat mixture was spicy with a nice kick and the toppings were fresh, fun, and delicious. Definitely a repeat for us, perfect for ballgame weekends.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Chicken and Mushroom Soup

       Next in line for the soups Margaret and I chose to make is the recipe Chicken and Mushroom Soup in the Whole30 Fast & Easy cookbook on page 189. 

       Ingredients: bacon, cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, chicken bone broth, sweet potato, cooked chicken, and thyme. (I also added a bit of chopped kale at the end as I like chopped kale in soups like this.)

       The recipe is easy to follow, uses ingredients I almost always have on hand, and a bowl of it is very filling. This is such a pretty soup with the addition of the diced sweet potato. The flavors are wonderful together. I would add a few more red pepper flakes than stated as they were great in there and there weren’t enough of them for me, a little more heat/spice would be nice. I think Margaret also thought it could use a bit more spicing. Definitely a repeat for me.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Chinese Chicken and Bok Choy Soup

       Every season is soup season for me as I like soup or salad for lunch any time of the year. Margaret, however, lives in Louisiana and doesn’t like to heat up the stove for soup/eat hot soup in the heat of summer, so we knew we should pick soup recipes to make in the next couple of months…it gets to be summer very quickly in Louisiana. We chose the recipe Chinese Chicken and Bok Choy Soup in Whole30 Cookbook on page 122. 

       Ingredients: Chicken bone broth, fish sauce, mushrooms, carrot, Bok Choy, cooked chicken, salt, toasted sesame oil, and green onions. 

       The recipe is easy to follow, uses ingredients I almost always have on hand, and a bowl of it is very filling.  It is always nice to find a soup recipe that can use bits leftover in the refrigerator, like leftover chicken as it calls for cooked chicken. I will make this recipe again, the flavors were good, even better the second day. I wish I could send some over to Margaret as she has a cold and this would be a perfect bowl of comfort for her, she will make it when she feels better, I’m sure it will taste wonderful at that point.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. Many times the recipe creators are generous and publish them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30: Mushroom, Leek, and Spinach Frittata

       Over the past 17 years, Margaret and I have cooked and baked together, blogging many recipes over those years reflecting our cooking/baking interests. In 2017 Margaret had this great idea to join the Whole30 movement and invited me to join her.  I didn’t even know what Whole30 was at that point, but Margaret is very persuasive, so she and I embarked on a Whole30 Journey together. It was just beginning the Lenten Season and I decided a reset and reflection on food was a good thing. In July of that year, we decided we would blog some of the recipes we were using…somehow the blogging part got lost along the way...but each year at the start of the Lenten Season, I do a round of Whole30 to reset and reflect on the effects of various food choices in our menus, Mark is happy to go along with it as the food is healthy and the recipes are very good. So here it is, the beginning of Lent today, and we have decided once again to embark on a “Whole30ish” Lent…using recipes from the various cookbooks and comparing our thoughts on them. Even if you aren't eating Whole30ish, the recipes are wonderful and fit into most any meal plan. Even when we are not doing a Whole30 reset, Margaret and I both find that we use the recipes from the Whole30 books because they are delicious, they work, and they invariably use fresh/healthy ingredients.

       Ash Wednesday is traditionally a fasting day in my faith, two light meals, no snacking, and no meat. Margaret chose the recipe Mushroom, Leek, and Spinach Frittata in Whole30 Cookbook on page 16. 

       Ingredients: leeks, eggs, coconut milk, thyme, salt, red pepper flakes, olive oil, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and green onions. 

       The recipe is easy to follow, quick to make, you have time to clean up as you go, and can set the dishes while it finishes baking in the oven. The recipe is nice as written, works exactly as it says, and leaves room for additional ingredients if you would like to add some at a future time (chicken sausage, red bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers come to mind, for instance). This is definitely a repeat for us.  It was filling and delicious and a perfect dinner at the start of Lent.

       As usual here on this blog, I do not publish recipes that belong to others, respecting their rights as authors. A quick search shows that many times the recipe creators are generous, publishing them online, or you can buy the book I that I have cited and have all the recipes at hand. 

Whole30 Thursdays - Curry Chicken Salad

       This week Margaret and I went with an easy cold lunch option, perfect for these hot summer days.  We made Curry Chicken Salad, found on page 18 of Whole30 Fast & Easy.

       Using W30 compliant ingredients:  chicken, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, curry powder, salt, apple, celery, red onion, carrots, green onions, and cashews. (I used parsley rather than cilantro and chives rather than green onions.)

       Chicken Salad is something I love making and changing up, depending on the ingredients that I have on hand, and what flavors I am craving at the moment.  It's always fun to try a new recipe...and this Curry Chicken Salad is just wonderful.  It is full of interesting flavors and character, all the ingredients work well together.  Best of all, I usually have each of the ingredients on hand, so no special trip to the grocery store, etc. 

        Always a fan of lettuce cups and wraps, I served this on a small plate in lettuce cups with slices of yellow bell pepper for my lunch. It was even better the next day after all the ingredients spent the night together.  Definitely a recipe worth repeating, it was all delicious and filling, a perfect lunch.  Next week we plan to make BBQ Pulled Chicken Wraps on page 15. 

        While we will not be posting the actual recipes from the book (we encourage you to honor the author and to buy the book so that you can own the recipes yourselves), we will share our photos and  ingredients and comments on each. If you would like to join in, just leave the link to your post so we can come and read all about it.  Even if you aren't eating Whole 30ish, the recipes and food are wonderful and fit into any meal plan. 

Whole30 Thursdays - Spicy Red Pepper Chicken Skillet

       Over the past 11 years, Margaret and I have cooked and baked together, blogging many recipes over those years reflecting our interests and styles.  Currently we are both cooking and eating Whole 30ish...sometimes being strict adherents and sometimes not, but always enjoying trying the recipes together.  This week we decided we would cook together from the latest Whole 30 Cookbook titled Fast & Easy.  When browsing the pages of the book, we both came to the conclusion that we pretty much wanted to make all the recipes sooner or later.  While we will not be posting the actual recipes from the book (we encourage you to honor the author and to buy the book so that you can own the recipes yourselves), we will share our photos and  ingredients and comments on each. If you would like to join in, just leave the link to your post so we can come and read all about it.  Even if you aren't eating Whole 30ish, the recipes and food are wonderful and fit into any meal plan. 

        The first recipe we made together was this week and is Spicy Red Pepper Chicken Skillet, page 111.  The photo leaves a lot to be desired...,this was before we decided we were planning on blogging this, I  just snapped a quick photo to text Margaret when we finished making it so she could see what mine looked like, so here it is in all it's glory, messy plating and all.

        The recipe could not be easier.  The ingredients;  olive oil, chicken, salt, pepper, bell peppers, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.The recipe calls for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs but I prefer to use boneless skinless thighs (makes it cook faster and easier to eat without the bone).  It all comes together in less than 30 minutes.  I divided the recipe by four so that I could make just a single serving for myself for lunch and to see how the recipe performed and what, if anything, I would like to change.  It was so good, I wouldn't change a thing. 

       While I had cooked off the entire four portions of chicken, I could easily warm that up for this next new batch, and I had grilled peppers and onions with dinner so I had some of those leftover...the long and short of it is that this recipe is just as good using leftover chicken and vegetables and goes together in minutes...I reduced the tomatoes before adding everything else to give them the same sort of depth of flavor as the other things.  You can control the spicy aspect by your judicious (or not) use of the red pepper flakes. 

        This recipe will be a repeat often for ease of prep, good for you food aspects, and most of all, the tasty goodness of it all.  First recipe is a hit out of the ballpark as they say.

        These are the recipes from Fast & Easy that Margaret and I are making in July in case you would like to jump in at any time and cook with us:  July 5 - Spicy Red Pepper Chicken Skillet (page 111), July 12 - Curry Chicken Salad (page 18), July 19 - BBQ Pulled Chicken Wraps (page 15), and July 26 - Fruity Chicken Chopped Salad (page 26).  We post on Thursdays.