Main Dishes, Seafood Rachel Duxler Main Dishes, Seafood Rachel Duxler

Baked Salmon Cakes

A quick dinner go-to staple with a white wine vinaigrette.

I’ve been on quite a MasterChef binge since quarantine. For one of the challenges, competitors were forced to cook with either canned or fresh salmon. A lot of the competitors struggled with the canned salmon, which inspired me to create my own elevated version. I would eat these all the time at home, which got me sick of salmon cakes. They were crusted with corn flakes, which made them taste bland as hell. Only a ton of sauce could save the dish. It’s been years since I prepared these salmon cakes. I went back to the archives to pull out this delicious recipe for the 4th of July. It tasted good enough to eat without sauce but decided to add one so you can make this into a salad for a complete meal. My friends enjoyed it so much that they’ve been asking me for the recipe.

Inspired by: http://www.skinnytaste.com/baked-salmon-cakes/

Ingredients:

  • 1 14 oz can wild Alaskan salmon filet

  • Olive oil cooking spray

  • 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, roasted whole and minced

  • 3/4 cup diced red onion (1 small onion)

  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)

  • 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)

  • A few handfuls of greens (I used arugula)

  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1 Tbsp. capers, drained (optional)

  • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

  • 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

  • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I used Panko gluten-free bread crumbs)

  • 6 Tbsp. vegenaise (or mayonnaise of your choice)

  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 2 cloves garlic, diced

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray. Add the onion, red and yellow bell peppers in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Stir, and cook for 5-10 until the veggies are browned. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2) Open the can of salmon and drain the water. Pat dry and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and roasted vegetables while continuing to combine the mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, this will make them easier to shape and become less sticky.

4) Shape the batter into 1/4 cup each cake and place on a prepared baking sheet.

5) Bake about 10 to 12 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

6) Serve with honey mustard vinaigrette on top of a bed of greens.

I’ve been cooking up some concoctions while staying at home to create my Quarantine Clean Eating recipe ebook. With over 30 new dishes, you can have new spins on your favorite restaurant meals that you get to cook from the comfort of your own home. Get your copy now.

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Main Dishes, Salads, Lunch, Pasta, Protein Bowls Rachel Duxler Main Dishes, Salads, Lunch, Pasta, Protein Bowls Rachel Duxler

The Best Pasta Salad

The best pasta salad to wow your guests at any holiday party.

I don’t know about you, but the holidays always inspire me to think of my best culinary creations to share with friends and family.

It brings me joy to be able to share recipes not only that taste good but also has plenty of nutritional benefits.

When you think of the 4th of July, what do you associate that with? BBQs, fireworks, and summertime are the first 3 topics that come to mind.

A typical BBQ meal consists of burgers, hot dogs, chips, baked beans, some sort of dip, and of course, potato and pasta salad. I’m not even going to get into the beverages.

In my opinion, you gotta have something refreshing to cool down the heaviness from the meat. I can’t just eat a burger with chips and call it a meal. Protein and carbs are not a complete meal without vegetables. Sure, you’re getting all 3 sources of macronutrients, but you are missing out on vital nutrients your body needs to perform its activities for daily life.

My experiences with going to a BBQ is feeling sick to my stomach afterward. Bloating, lethargic, and foggy are a few symptoms to describe what happens after I consume that type of food.

This year, I made the decision to take my power back into my own hands and prepare food for guests at a party I attended.

Not only did I cook black bean and salmon burgers, but I made a pasta salad with roasted veggies to have a more balanced meal.

The pasta salad stole the show at the party. And of course, my homemade guacamole didn’t even make it to dinnertime. Meat can take a back seat.

I dropped the mayo-based calorie monstrosity and use an oil-based dressing instead for a healthy dose of omega 3’s. An example would be extra virgin olive oil. Make sure to check the label to see if it’s pure and not mixing other oils like canola.

Also, if you look at the ingredients for a lot of oil-based pasta salads you would normally buy at the store, the list goes at least 30 deep. A lot of them use soybean or cottonseed oil, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids.

Knowing what’s going in my food allows me to make better choices and feel better about what I’m putting into my body.

Once you try my pasta salad, you will never want to go back to buying the store-bought version ever again.

Find my recipe below:

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Vegetables:

  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage

  • ½ white onion, sliced into strips

  • 1 red pepper, sliced into strips

  • 1 zucchini, sliced into strips

  • 2 serrano peppers, sliced into strips

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

    ** Note: You can add whatever vegetables you want. I added whatever I had on hand.

For the Pasta Salad:

  • 1 box of gluten-free pasta of choice (I prefer Banza chickpea pasta)

  • 1 15 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, cut in half

  • 1 cup mixed greens (I used spinach and arugula)

  • 1 serving Italian Dressing (Find my recipe here)

  • Garnish with fresh herbs (I used parsley and cilantro) and parmesan cheese

Directions:

1)      Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut all your vegetables and lay them on a foiled (or two) baking sheets.

2)      Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the vegetables. Peel the garlic and put it on the baking sheet. Cook the vegetables for 25-30 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.

3)      While the vegetables are cooking, combine the ingredients to make for the Italian dressing.

4)      Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

5)      When the veggies and pasta are done, chop the garlic and let everything cool.

6)      To serve, combine the pasta, veggies, greens, artichokes, and Italian dressing. Stir well to make sure the dressing gets coated evenly throughout the dish. Serve with chopped herbs and parmesan cheese. Enjoy! :) You can also make this a full meal by adding a piece of cooked chicken or fish to the dish.

If you’re someone who has the desire to start cooking, but has no idea how to navigate their way through the kitchen, I offer support to do the heavy lifting for you. With meal prep calls, live virtual cooking classes, and accountability messaging, you will be on your way to living a healthy lifestyle for the long term. Find out more information below.

Pasta Salad
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Air Fried Zucchini Chips

A creative way to eat your vegetables.

I have become obsessed with my air fryer. I recently received an instapot as a quarantine gift, which has an air fryer component. I’ve been using it almost every day to add a whole new level to my taste buds. I love how crispy everything gets without the sogginess I sometimes get from oven roasting the same exact food. When it comes to making zucchini chips in the oven, one side of the zucchini cooks properly while half of it burns. The first time I tried zucchini chips in the air fryer, they turned out perfectly. Needless to say, I will never be putting my zucchini chips in the oven ever again. They didn’t even last for an hour before my family ate it all. Now, I get to share the recipe behind the deliciousness so you can get your hands on some straight away.

Ingredients:

  • 4 small or 3 medium zucchini, sliced

  • 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 4 Tbsp. Flavor God Seasoning (I used everything, garlic, and taco seasoning)

Directions:

  1. Wash your zucchini and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut the zucchini into thin slices either by hand or with a mandolin.

  2. Mix the zucchini, oil, and seasonings in a bowl.

  3. Set the instapot to air fry at 350 degrees F. Cook for 40 minutes. Stir at 15 minutes and at 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir at 5-minute intervals until the zucchini are at your desired crispiness. When they are done, they will be brown and crunchy, but not burnt.

  4. Top with more seasoning and serve while they’re hot!

Is your mouth watering yet? I have more recipes for you like this one to help curb your salty snack craving.

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Vegetarian Dishes, Main Dishes, Stir Fry Rachel Duxler Vegetarian Dishes, Main Dishes, Stir Fry Rachel Duxler

Roasted Veggie Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

Roasted veggie stir fry with a homemade peanut sauce for an easy-prep weeknight meal.

Stir fry is one of my favorite dishes because it is so diverse. You can combine almost any mix of vegetables with noodles and sauce to make it taste delicious. It’s a way to please even the pickiest of eaters because it can be served mixed or buffet style. With easy prep and lots of leftovers, this recipe is a win all around. I love how one stir fry is not ever the same as the last. Check out one of my favorite recipes that I created using ingredients that I have in my pantry to create this one of a kind masterpiece.

For the Veggie Stir Fry:

  • 3-4 carrots, sliced thin

  • 1/2 white onion, sliced thin

  • 1/2 green cabbage, sliced thin

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets

  • 1 can bean sprouts, rinsed well

  • Or use 2-3 cups of any vegetables on hand

  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 package noodles of choice (I'm using glass sweet potato noodles, but any thin noodle will work)

  • Sesame seeds (for topping)

For the Peanut Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup liquid aminos or GF Tamari

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 2 Tbsp oyster sauce (omit if GF)

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 6-8 Tbsp water divided

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Cut all veggies and place them onto a foiled sheet pan.

3) Put olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper on veggies. Stir to coat everything evenly.

4) Put the tray in the oven for 25 minutes or until they become light brown on the edges. Check at 5-minute intervals after that and stir to ensure the veggies cook evenly.

5) Combine ingredients for the peanut sauce in a separate bowl. Add water at 2 tbsp intervals and stir to reach desired consistency.

6) Cook noodles according to directions on the bag. Once done, place the noodles in ice, cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

7) Once the veggies are done, combine noodles with veggies in a wok pan or large skillet for 5 minutes or until everything is cooked through.

8) Add the desired amount of sauce and enjoy. Top with sesame seeds. Feel free to add Tofu, egg, or cooked lean animal protein for an extra calorie boost for a fantastic post-workout meal. I added cooked shrimp in the picture below.

Veggie Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce.jpg

Want to learn how to cook this for your family, but have never chopped a vegetable properly before? I’ll teach you in my all-new virtual online cooking classes. From start to finish, you will have the tools to create meals that will please you and your loved ones.

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Vegetarian Dishes, Main Dishes, Gluten-Free Rachel Duxler Vegetarian Dishes, Main Dishes, Gluten-Free Rachel Duxler

Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Enjoying meatless burgers with a smile.

This stay-at-home order has got me doing a pantry makeover. Over the last year or so, I’ve collected tons of dry ingredients, canned goods, and spices that have been sitting there unused. All that was unnecessary spending that could have been used more productively.

I had a huge craving for burgers, but not for meat. Lately, my body has been wanting more vegetables. I’ve been using this time to get more connected to my health and be more consistent about it. I would have spurts where I would eat super healthy for a week and then eat like shit the next. It was messing with my psyche by not staying on track. I started feeling bloated and was getting sick more often. Eating less meat has helped me maintain a healthier balance in my diet. Plus, I’m saving tons of money by not going out to eat. A lot of the ingredients are inexpensive while getting a ton of leftovers out of it.

Enjoy this family-pleasing burger with a side of sweet potato fries, sauteed spinach, and a homemade honey mustard sauce. The perfect well-rounded dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 29 oz cans beans of choice (or equivalently 3 15 oz cans), drained and well-rinsed ** Can use any other type of bean here as well like black beans or cannellini beans. I used pinto beans in this recipe.

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa

  • 1 red pepper, diced

  • 1/2 white onion, diced

  • 1 1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

  • 2 large eggs

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used almond flour)

  • 2 Tbsp Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

  • 1 tsp dried mustard powder

  • Heaping ½ tsp dried basil

  • Heaping 1 tsp oregano

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp kosher salt

  • 2-4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sauteing

For the Vegetables:

  • 2-3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into fries

  • 1 10 oz bag fresh spinach

  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

  • Salt, and pepper to taste

For the Mustard Sauce (optional):

  • 1/4 cup veganaise (or regular mayo)

  • 1-2 Tbsp dijon mustard 

  • 1 Tbsp honey

  • 1 Tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Dice onions and peppers. Add half the olive oil, salt, and pepper to a foiled sheet pan. Roast them for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

3) Cook quinoa by adding 1 cup of dry quinoa to 2 cups boiling water. Clean the quinoa to remove the bitter, gritty taste by rinsing them with water before adding them to the pot. Lower the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

4) Place beans in a food processor and pulse several times until roughly chopped -- Add a bit of water to help the beans blend thoroughly. Try not to puree them all, leave a few pieces if you can.

5) In a large bowl place chopped beans, quinoa, diced peppers, diced onions, panko and stir to combine. Add eggs, flour, and remaining ingredients --> garlic, basil, oregano, paprika, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.

6) Using your hands, divide the mixture into 12-15 equal parts and place on a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper. Form each part into a ball, then press gently to form a patty.

7) Gently cover and place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and let chill for 1 hour.

8) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the sweet potatoes into fries. It is recommended to cut them 1/4 inch thick for crispier fries.

9) Put the sweet potatoes on a foiled sheet pan. Use half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper to season them. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

10) Use the rest of the olive oil, salt, and pepper to saute the spinach in a separate pan for 5 minutes or until spinach is fully wilted.

11) After one hour, heat oil in a nonstick skillet (enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan) and in batches, saute burgers for about 6-8 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Serve with the mustard and enjoy! Note: Burgers store well in the refrigerator in a sealed container for several days, or in the freezer for several months (if they make it that long). Reheat in the microwave or in a saute pan.

Pinto Bean Burgers

Does this recipe want to make you jump inside the computer screen and gobble up this dish? I can teach you how to cook this meal from the comfort of your own home. It will be sure to please even the pickiest of eaters because of its burger-like texture. You’ll barely realize you’re eating a ton of vegetables while enjoying the taste of the food. Find out more information below.

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Crockpot, Soups/Stews, Main Dishes, Beef, Gluten-Free Rachel Duxler Crockpot, Soups/Stews, Main Dishes, Beef, Gluten-Free Rachel Duxler

Crockpot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Stuffed cabbage in a hearty soup form. Great for cold, winter nights.

Quarantine is in full swing here in Chicago. The governor recently ordered a full shut down, which means I’m going to be stuck inside until further notice.

I’m doing my best to find the light in the situation. For the last few months, I lost my desire to cook for myself. I fell victim to my circumstances. After working in the kitchen, I went home exhausted, bitter, and lifeless.

I wasn’t sure what my next move was going to be. I knew I needed to make one fast if I wanted to get out of the above state of mind.

During the slow season at the kitchen, I obtained a NASM-CPT to become a certified personal trainer. I managed to find a new place of employment shortly after I passed my exam. It doesn’t matter now anyway since I can no longer work there until the whole COVID-19 situation blows over.

What the hell am I going to do with myself? Living with people who are overly anxious to begin with before the outbreak has allowed me to look deep within myself on how I can stay calm during the storm. Since I can’t change them, I can change how I react to their anxiety.

The most optimal solution I have used during this time is cooking. Since I have unlimited amounts of time to spend, I’m choosing to spend it focusing on my health. It’s the best way to protect myself during such unknown, unprecedented times. Since it’s difficult to feel safe around my loved ones, I can find safety from within.

Cooking allows me to connect with Mother Nature by using wholesome ingredients in my food. All my recipes are made from scratch. My diet consists of gluten and dairy-free recipes that help tremendously with inflammation.

While I worked in the kitchen, I was eating a lot of fried food that was around, which was reversing years of time I spent focusing on my health. It was taking its toll on me because I got sick 3x in a matter of fewer than 5 months.

I’m going to come out of this outbreak healthier than I was going into it. I was experiencing episodes of burn out, which subsided once I started eating less fried food. Today is officially my two month anniversary of not eating any fast food. When I eat healthy, it is easier to control my mood/reactions to stimulus around me.

My health is what keeps me alive and I want to do everything in my power to be the strongest version of myself that I can possibly be in this lifetime. By cooking my own food at home, I’m releasing generations of digestion problems that have been passed down to me on both sides.

I’m blessed to have a crockpot because that is going to be my best friend for the next few weeks. It’s still cold here, which means soups and stews up the wazoo.

My parents had some cabbage laying around that they wanted me to use before it went to waste, which became the inspiration for this recipe.

I grew up eating stuffed peppers, which brought to life this hearty soup. I feel even more full eating this than the stuffed pepper version.

Making this recipe allowed me to have tons of leftovers to stockpile in order to have enough fresh meals to get through this tough time.

The recipe is as follows below:

Ingredients:

Roasted Cabbage
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean 15% fat

  • 1/2 green cabbage, thinly sliced

  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1/2 tsp dried basil

  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Rice:

  • 1 cup white or brown rice

  • 2 cups water or chicken broth

For the Soup:

  • 1 28 oz can fresh vine-ripened tomatoes

  • 1 15 oz can chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 /4 tsp liquid smoke

  • 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic

  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar

  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1/2 tsp dried basil

  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cut cabbage into thin slices (see the video on how to cut cabbage here)

  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

  3. On a foiled sheet pan, place cut cabbage, minced garlic, olive oil, and spices. Stir evenly to coat vegetables with seasoning.

  4. Cook for 25 minutes stirring halfway through to avoid burning.

  5. While the cabbage is roasting, combine water with rice and begin heating on medium/high heat until it comes to a boil.

  6. Reduce heat to medium and cook until water is evaporated (15-20 min)

  7. Cook ground beef in a skillet, stirring constantly until cooked through. Drain in a colander with a paper towel over it to help eliminate grease.

  8. Blend all ingredients for the sauce in a high powered blender.

  9. Combine all ingredients (minus the rice) in the crockpot and set it on low heat for 5 hours.

  10. Combine cooked rice into the crockpot 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

While you are at home, take this opportunity to learn to cook for the health of your family. I have developed a recipe book of over 50 recipes to provide you with inspiration to begin your journey of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Take the time to support small businesses in order to allow us to be able to share our craft with the world.

Unstuffed Cabbage Soup
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Breakfast, Vegetarian Dishes Rachel Duxler Breakfast, Vegetarian Dishes Rachel Duxler

Southwest Quinoa Egg Cups

An easy and healthy breakfast recipe that are also freezer friendly.

For the past 6 months, I have been working as a prep cook at a country club. Learning new knife skills in a fast-paced environment keeps me on my toes. It helps me improve my cooking speed and technique to be more of a professional chef. Honestly, since starting to cook for someone else, I lost a lot of my inspiration to cook for myself. I go out to eat more and it is greatly affecting my gut health. I am now taking responsibility for my health because the food you eat really does affect your mood. In order to ease my mind from negative thought patterns, eating at home keeps my cravings for carbs or sugar at bay. I notice that when I eat sugar, I feel bloated and my mind begins racing with beliefs of “not good enough”. The less I eat sugar, the more energy I have to work towards my life goals. While at work, I was asked to make pico de gallo. I prepared some quinoa a few days prior and had some leftovers. I wasn’t sure how I was going to use it but didn’t want to throw it away. I never went grocery shopping and had some eggs in the fridge. A lightning bolt idea came through me, which this recipe became a reality. I love that I can eat something quick that’s easy to take with you anywhere. As a bonus, this meal provides leftovers, is easy to freeze, and keeps you full for hours. For someone 5’2, ~120 lbs, and is very active, 2 of these egg cups hits the sweet spot. Enjoy my delicious recipe below:

Ingredients:

For the Egg Cups

** Makes 1 dozen Egg Cups

  • 1 ½ cups of cooked quinoa

  • 5 eggs, lightly beaten

  • ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened

  • 1 cup homemade Pico de Gallo ** see recipe below or buy from the store

  • 2 tbsp southwest seasoning

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the homemade Pico de Gallo

  • 4 vine ripened tomatoes, diced small

  • ¼ red onion, diced small

  • ½ lime, juice

  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and diced small

  • ½ bunch cilantro, chopped

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1.       Cook the quinoa ahead of time to make the preparation time shorter. Start by boiling 1 cup of dry quinoa on medium heat with 2 cups of water. Make sure to rinse the quinoa before boiling to remove the natural coating saponin, leaving the bitter, soapy taste behind.

2.       Once the water comes to a boil, cover for 15-20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Be careful not to overcook or the quinoa will burn at the bottom. This will make cleaning the pot a pain in the rear. :(

3.       When the water evaporated, stir the quinoa with a fork to fluff it up. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool.

4.       While the quinoa is cooling, cut and mix all ingredients for pico de gallo in a separate bowl.

** If you decided to opt out of the homemade option, you can skip this step.

5.       Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, F.

southwest seasoning

6.       Combine ingredients for the egg cups in a second bowl. I have provided an image of the southwest seasoning for reference.

7.       Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Scoop until basically full because they don’t really rise at all.

8.       Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are brown and bubbly.

9.       Carefully carve out with a knife and serve steamy hot.

For busy families wanting more on-the-go recipes like this one, contact me to set up a 60 minute meal-planning consultation.

Quinoa Egg Cups
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Lentil Stew 2.0

This dish has all fresh, veggies straight like swiss chard, arugula, fennel, and cabbage, and peppers. Mix in some spices and some veggie broth, and you have yourself a delicious, easy, healthy lentil stew.

One of my favorite ways to use my cooking talents is to cook for my friends. I love sharing healthy dishes to inspire them to eat more balanced meals. Eating less meat has helped drastically with inflammation and digestion. For my friends, I prepared a fresh veggie and lentil stew. It has all fresh, veggies straight like swiss chard, arugula, fennel, and cabbage, and peppers. Mix in some spices and some veggie broth, and you have yourself a delicious, easy, healthy lentil stew. Sometimes, I'll mix and match the vegetables to bring different elements to the dish. I enjoy learning the skill involved in chopping everything. There’s an art to it. Since working at a kitchen, I’ve been humbled by how many ways there are to prepare vegetables. Recently, I started adding roasted white beans and lemon for an extra boost. I had no idea how much two simple elements would elevate the dish. This dish normally gets thrown out because nobody eats it except me. I was pleased to say that it was finished in a weekend. I will be making it again this way from now on. You can find my original recipe here, which contains ingredients from a local farm.

Find my new and improved recipe below:


Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of lentils

  • 4-5 cups of vegetable broth (or water)

  • 2 cups of fresh veggies of your choice (feel free to use more if you like)

  • 1 lemon, squeezed and juiced

  • 2 15 oz cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  • 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Spices:

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp pepper

  • 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp celery seed

  • 1 tsp celery salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) While the oven is preheating, grab a pot and combine the lentils, broth, and spices.

3) Chop all your veggies into cubes.

4) Drain and rinse your beans and pat to dry.

5) Put the vegetables and beans on a baking sheet with foil and pour olive oil on them.

6) Season with more salt, pepper, and garlic.

7) Cook veggies for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are soft and beans are crunchy.

8) Turn the stove on to medium and let it come to a boil (~10 minutes).

9) Once it’s boiling, cover it up and let it simmer while your veggies and beans are roasting.

10) Once everything are done, take them out of the oven and combine them with the stew. Feel free to add some more broth if it starts to look dry.

11) Squeeze lemon and stir to mix in. Enjoy with fresh parsley and more lemon!

Lentil Stew 2.0
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Take-out Fake-out Chipotle Burrito Bowl

A next level version of Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl that is vegan-friendly.

A next level version of Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl that is vegan-friendly.

I love to eat Chipotle Mexican Grill, but I would much rather cook this at home. Let’s face it. Chipotle is constantly raising their prices. With delivery apps like Door Dash and Uber Eats, it can ramp the price to almost $15 with fees. That’s not including the tip. That’s where my RAD Kitchen Take-Out Fake-Out Burrito Bowl comes in. We live in a world where we want to have convenience in the palm of our hand. You can have this meal completed before you would receive your delivery. I made this recipe from scratch to create a healthy burrito bowl without all the carbs, cheese, and tortillas/chips we typically eat when we go to Chipotle. The best part is that this dish is vegan-friendly.

I was doing some research on Chipotle’s main page and noticed that they changed the way they market their ingredients. A few years ago, there was a list of all the ingredients used in every product. Now, there is an allergens page where you have to scroll down to find the ingredients used. If you click the individual ingredients, it shares a fun fact, but not a complete list of ingredients anymore. With Redefining All Diets, all the ingredients are listed out for full transparency. Find my take-out fake-out recipe below:

For the Veggies/Beans:

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped fajita style

  • 1 red pepper, chopped in long strips

  • 1 sweet potato, cubed

  • 1 can of pinto beans

  • greens on greens on greens (I used spinach and collard greens, but feel free to use as

  • much of these as you'd like and which ever greens you like

  • 1 bag of Trader Joe's frozen cauli rice (or rice one head of cauliflower yourself by cutting it into florets and blending them on low)

  • Top with my restaurant quality guacamole

For the sauce:

  • 6 Tbsp. EVOO

  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tsp chili powder

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • 1/2 tsp cumin

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 4 Tbsp. of nutritional yeast (feel free to add more or less depending on how much you want)

  • 1/4 cup of salsa

Directions:
1. Chop your veggies and put them in a pan with some EVOO on medium heat. Start with your sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes. Then, add the onions and peppers for another 5-10 minutes. Sauté until all of the veggies are soft.
2. Sauté the cauli rice until it's soft in a separate pan and set aside when it's done
3. Add your pinto beans and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes
4. Add your greens and sauté until they wilt
5. Add the cooked cauli rice to your main pan
6. Stir all ingredients of the sauce together
7. Top with my restaurant quality guacamole or you can get store bought (I used wholly guacamole for time's sake)
8. Enjoy your delicious homemade veggie bowl

Chipotle Burrito Bowl 2.jpg

Want to learn how to make this from the comfort of your kitchen at your own pace? I designed cooking demos to help you learn how to create this and more without ever having to leave the house.

Source: Chipotle Mexican Grill

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