Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies with Feta

Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies with Feta

Ingredients

2 broccoli crowns, sliced into florets
1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, sliced
½ zucchini, sliced into half moons
½ lemon, cut into slices
1 8 ounce block of feta cheese
6 mini bell peppers, sliced in half
¼ cup olive oil
sea salt, pepper and dried oregano

Directions

Pre heat oven to 400Ëš Fahrenheit.

Slice all the veggies, lemon and feta. Place on an unlined sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with quinoa, rice or pasta.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 English cucumber (about 1 pound)
3 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 pinch garlic powder
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger
2 sliced green onions

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. Adjust any ingredients to taste.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe: Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

2 tsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp Sriracha
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari (if you are gluten free)
2 tbsp peanut, grapeseed or canola oil
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 lb ground chicken, turkey, pork, lamb or beef
cup chopped cilantro
1 head butter lettuce or romaine hearts (you will need about 8 small to medium leaves)
Serve with
sliced green onion
chopped peanuts
lime wedges
chopped cilantro

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the water. Next, whisk in the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha and soy sauce (tamari). Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10 inch cast iron or your favorite skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook a few minutes, until they become fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger cook another 1 minutes. Add the carrots, cook 2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the ground chicken. Mix in the chicken and make sure to chop it into small pieces as it cooks. Once the chicken is white and has almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, pour in the sauce and mix well to combine. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens a bit. Mix in the cilantro.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving plate. Spoon the chicken filling into the lettuce leaves. Top with any of the serving suggestions. Serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Boozy Frozen Lemonade

Recipe: Boozy Frozen Lemonade

Ingredients

½ cup tequila, vodka, gin or your favorite spirit
4 cups ice
lemon zest for topping

Directions

Combine the lemon simple syrup, liqueur and ice in a blender. Blend on the “smoothie” setting or until smooth.

Top with fresh lemon zest and serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Lemon Simple Syrup

Recipe: Lemon Simple Syrup

Ingredients

4 lemons (1/2 cup lemon juice)
½ cup granulated sugar
zest from one lemon

Directions

Zest one of the lemons. Carefully remove the yellow outer skin of the lemon with a knife.

Juice the lemons discarding seeds. If you do not have fresh lemons you can use bottled unsweetened lemon juice.

In a small saucepan bring the lemon juice and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes so the syrup can thicken a bit. Mix in the zest.

Transfer the lemon syrup to a heat proof bowl. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 20 minutes until cool. Strain out all of the zest. Store in the fridge in a clean airtight glass jar until ready to use.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Skillet Salmon with Bacon and Lentils

This gluten-free, healthy Skillet Salmon with Bacon & Lentils is protein packed and completely delicious! Perfect for family dinners and for entertaining guests.

4-5 servings

–for the lentils
4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped small + extra for garnish
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled & chopped small
2 celery stalks, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup French green lentils
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
splash of dry Marsala wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
season to taste with salt and pepper
–for the salmon
4-5 (4 ounce) boneless salmon filets, skin on
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
chopped parsley and crispy bacon for garnish

Add the bacon to the a 12 inch cast iron skillet and cook over medium heat until the fat renders about 7 minutes and bacon is lightly browned. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery. Cook about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the garlic, rosemary, broth and lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the vinegar, wine, mustard salt and pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed to soften the lentils, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ten minutes before the lentils are done cooking. Cook the salmon.
Pre-heat a 10 inch cast iron with the butter and oil over medium high heat. Season the filets with some salt and pepper. Cook skin side down for minutes then flip and cook just a few minutes more until the salmon is done to your liking.
Once the lentils have soaked up all of the cooking liquid, place the salmon on the top and serve immediately.
Garnish with crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Apple Cider Mojitos

The flavors of fall and winter combine in this quenching and delicious Apple Cider Mojitos cocktail. A great recipe for entertaining and holiday parties.

2 cocktails

–cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup water
–Apple Cider Mojito
1/2 lemon
3 sprigs fresh mint
1/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup
1/4 cup gold rum
splash of club soda
–for garnish
fresh mint, apple slices, pomegranate and cinnamon

–Cinnamon Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
In a small saucepan over medium heat bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir so the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon sticks. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature, the flavors from the cinnamon sticks will infuse the simple syrup. Once cooled discard the cinnamon sticks. Pour into a mason jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.
–Apple Cider Mojito
Add the lemon and mint to a cocktail shaker. Using a muddler, press out the juices from the lime and mint.
Add the apple cider, simple syrup, rum and a handful of ice to the shaker.
Cover and shake until the cocktail is well combined.
Fill a rocks glass halfway with crushed ice. Pour the cocktail into the glass and top with club soda and the garnishes.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Sparkling Pear Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

Cran Raspberry Mimosas

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Maple Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Quick, Easy & Crispy Baked French Fries

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith