Prosciutto Wrapped Cod on a Chorizo Bean Bed

That’s a mouthful!!  And I’m not just talking about the title!! This is a meal all in itself, and it explodes with all kinds of flavors!!  Not gonna lie, it is a little intense, so if you aren’t a fan of big flavors I have a recommendation: either make just the cod, just the beans, or make both but keep them seperate. I am going to explain the recipe as the original presents it, but you can adjust it how ever it pleases you. :). 
So, here’s what you need:

• 4 Fillets of Cod 
• 8 Thin slices of Prosciutto
• 3 Tbsp Grassfed Butter or Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Small Red Onion (or a Small Shallot), Finely Chopped
• 1 tsp Thyme 
•  1 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 Link Chorizo (4 oz)
• 1 Can Cannellini Beans (15 oz)
• 1/4 C Chicken Stock (preferably low sodium)
• 4 Lemon Wedges
• Salt and Pepper

And here’s how you do it:

1. Season the cod with salt and pepper. Wrap each fillet in two pieces of prosciutto, offsetting the seams so they don’t come undone too easy. :).  Set them seam side down while you prepare to cook them. 
2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter or oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add Cod seam side down and cook until prosciutto gets crispy, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 4 minutes or so, until the other side is crispy and the fish is cooked through. It should flake easily with a fork.  Set aside. 
3. Add 1 Tbsp butter or oil back to the pan and melt over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Stir in thyme and oregano and cook 30 seconds
4. Crumble in your chorizo and cook until starting to brown. If your chorizo renders a large amount of grease, I would drain it off. (You will be able to tell from my pictures that I didn’t think of that in time for my own meal haha). Add beans and broth, and cook, scraping up any yummy bits. Let liquid reduce, about 3 minutes. 
5. Place cod fillets on top, cover, and let everything get warm for about 1 minute. Top with lemon wedges and serve!

Peectures!!

  
Salt and pepper da feesh. 

  
Wrap da feesh. 

   
 

Cook da feesh. 

  
Yummy feesh!

  
Chorizo!! You need about 4 oz. 

  
Sauté dem onions

  
Add your chorizo

  
Chop it up and cook until starting to brown. 

  
Add the beans and broth. 

  
Cook until reduced. 

  
Yummy

   
 

Add the fish back on top and warm through

      

Add your lemon wedges and serve! Boom. 
 

Quinoa Brussles Bowl

Oh man. You know those nights where you have a hankerin’…but you just don’t know what for?!  Well I was having one of those. It was so intense in fact that I decided to dig through the fridge and cupboards and try desperately to throw something together to satiate the feeling. 

Well. Not to sound arrogant, but…NAILED IT!!  I made a big batch of this and ate it for days. Didn’t even share. Mr. Rodgers stays away from quinoa, so I had it all to myself.  No complaints here. This is my new favorite craving fixer!  It’s so tasty and satisfying. It made me so happy that I have to share my glee with you !  

So, here’s what you need:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, halved
• 1 Can Chickpeas, drained
• 1 C Dry Quinoa (I used red)
• 2 Eggs
• 2-3 Tbsp Bacon Grease
• Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Cayenne

And here’s how you do it!

1. Preheat your oven to 350*!
2. Place your sprouts and chickpeas in a bowl and drizzle with bacon grease. 
3. Season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add just a pinch of cayenne and toss it all together so that everything is coated with bacony goodness and all spices. 
4. Dump onto a foil lined pan and slide into your oven. Roast 25-40 minutes, until brussel and chickpeas are browned and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 
5. While waiting on your roasted ingredients, cook your quinoa according to package instructions (probably simmer in 2 C water for about 12 minutes).
6. When water has evaporated and quinoa is done, create a crater in the middle of your pot. Scramble your eggs in a bowl then dump into the “crater.”  Cook, scraping, so that you get scrambled eggs. When eggs are done, mix it into the quinoa so you have little bits throughout. 
7. As soon as your brussels and chickpeas are done, add quinoa mixture and stir to evenly combine. Adjust seasoning as needed, and eat warm. Sooo comforting I hope you love it as much as I did! 

Peectures!



Place your Brussels and chickpeas in a bowl. Toss with bacon grease and spices (careful with the cayenne!). I put just a pinch and it was perfect!



Sorry for the horrid blurry picture, but I knew this step might be confusing so I had to put it in there anyway. Cook your quinoa. When the liquid is gone, create a hole in the middle and pour your eggs into it. Cook, scraping often to get little bits of scrambled egg. DONT MIX IN QUINOA UNTIL THE EGGS ARE FULLY COOKED!



Pull out sprouts and chickpeas when they are deeply browned and crispy on the outside; tender on the inside. 

See how your quinoa mixture should look?



Dump quinoa mixture on top of roasted mixture and stir together. 



Season if needed. But mostly…just enjoy. Ah yeah. So happy. 

Oven Roasted Chili Lime Cod Packets

I recently realized that my cooking has been lacking in the seafood area!  So I have been definitely trying to amend my ways.  And here’s proof!!  Pretty delicious proof if I do say so myself!  This is my first successful time cooking in foil packets…and I am quite fond of the method!  If you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely should.  Let me show you how it works!!

 

Here’s what you need:

• 1 lb Cod Fillets
• 1 Lime
• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• A few slices of shallots or red onion
• 4 Handfuls of spinach
• 1/2 Can Black Beans
• Persian Lime Infused Olive Oil (You can use normal Olive Oil if you wish…it’s just tastier this way :))
• Foil (4 rectangles)

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Preheat your oven to 350*
2. Season your fish with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, squeeze the juice of half the lime. Whisk together with the chili powder and garlic powder to create a paste.  Spread evenly all over both sides of the fish.
4. Lay out all your rectangles of foil.  Place a handful of spinach in the middle of each, then sprinkle on some black beans.   Drizzle olive oil across spinach bed.
5. Place a fillet on each bed of spinach.  Place a few slices of shallot/red oinion on top of each fillet, and top with a little extra squeeze of lime juice and/or infused olive oil and a lime slice.
6. Seal the foil on all sides, creating an airtight pouch.  Place in your preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until fish is white and flakes easily with a fork.  And you’re done!  Yaaaay!

 

Recipe adapted from myrecipemagic.com

 

Make a paste with 1/2 the juice of a lime and chili powder/garlic powder.

Smear all over salt and peppered cod…

Prepare your foil for packet-ing!

Layer spinach and beans…

Drizzle with olive oil (preferably lime infused.  Seriously.  It’s delicious.  Try this kind:

)

Place fish on top of your spinach/bean layers…

Yum…

Add some shallot or onion, squeeze a little lime juice on top, and add a lime slice if you have any left…

Seal up all around so you have a packet…

Place in a 350* oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until fish is white and flakes easily with a fork…

BAM!  Delicious!!  So many great flavors and textures…and lots of nutrition to boot!!

Fall Lentil Carrot Soup

As much as I HATE to admit that summer is coming to a close (no no no no no no nooo!), the first day of fall has been announced, and so I am determined to look at the bright side!  I will refuse to think about the impending 7 months of subzero temperatures and snow measured of feet.  Instead I will dwell on this positive point: DELICIOUS, COMFORTING FALL FOOD!  First up?  Lentil Carrot Soup!

I actually made this months ago, but have been waiting for just the right moment to post it!  The moment is now, yay!   The funny thing is, since I made this in the heat of summer, I had intended it as I side dish to accompany our main dishes for a few days.  However…it was SO delicious that both Mr. Rodgers and I gobbled it up as is, unaccompanied.  That’s gotta tell you something!

 

Side note, remember this book?

This $4 treasure I found at an Ollie’s Outlet?  That’s where this recipe originated (with some Rodgers family tweaks of course!).  You really should go online and snag one for yourself!

 

So, enough talking!!  Here’s what you need:

• 2-3 Tbsp Coconut Oil, or Grass Fed Butter
• 1 Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 Carrots, Shredded
• 2 Stalks Celery, Chopped
• 2 C Lentils, rinsed
• 8 C Chicken Broth (Or water)
• 8 Green Onions, sliced
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Prep all your veggies!
2. Heat your oil in a large pot and dump in your veggies.  Cook and stir until they are tender.
3. Add lentils, water (or broth), salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, probably about 10 minutes.  Add the green onion and cook for another minute or so.  And you’re done!  Just adjust as needed, and enjoy!!

 

 

Peectures!

Prep your veggies and start them cooking!

Look!  It must have been a “comfort” day for all…because these little ladies would not get more than a foot away from me!  Look how frumpy they are!  They’ve both had hair cuts since then.

And lentils, your liquid, salt and pepper.  Simmer until lentils are tender.

Add green onions…

Stir it all together and cook for another minute or so.

 

 

 

Breakfast Egg “Muffins”

Good morning!!

Okay, okay, you got me, it’s not morning!  But I tell you what…it WILL be a good morning when you make these!!

See what I did there?  😀

 

Anywho…these little fellows are super fun and cute!  And can even be made the night before to help your family get tasty protein on busy mornings!  That’s how I did it!  I came home from work at like midnight one Saturday night, and was amped up on the caffeine I had downed to get me through a 15 hour shift.  My husband had to be at the church before 7, and I know how stressful Sunday mornings can be for him.  On top of that, he has to resist the free pizza provided for the worship teams.  So I wanted to make sure he had a chance to get a good healthy breakfast in him to hold him over.  Cause let’s just be honest…who wants to wake up at 5 just to cook yourself breakfast?

I, for one, do not!

And so I decided to use my late night energy to make these for him.  They are my own version of Abel James’ “Pizza Muffins.”  I added some greens and beans because Mr. Rodgers is determined to get those with every meal.  And I also added a sauce for a “frosting” of sorts, and changed up the meat because I prefer sausage to pepperoni!  Are you ready for this recipe?!  Let’s do it!

 

Here’s what you need:

MUFFINS:

• 6 Eggs
• 4 tsp Coconut Oil, Melted
• 2 Tbsp Grassfed Butter, Melted
• 4 Tbsp Coconut Milk (Or Almond)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2/3 C Almond Flour
• 1/4 tsp Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Basil
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 C Uncooked Italian Sausage (I used two home made meatballs from my freezer!)
• 1/4-1/2 C Sundried Tomatoes (Depending on your tastes.  I don’t like them to be too overpowering!)
• 1/4 C Onion, Diced
• 1/3 Can Black Beans

PIZZA SAUCE “FROSTING” (Adapted from Budget Savvy Diva)

• 1 (7 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 whole bay leaf

 

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Preheat your oven to 400*
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  Add in your sausage and cook until starting to brown.  I used two home made Italian meatballs I had frozen!  It worked so well!
3. Add in onion and cook until translucent, stirring often.
4. Add in beans, sundried tomatoes, and kale.  Cook and stir until kale is wilted and everything is warmed through.  Set aside to cool.
5. Mix together eggs, coconut oil, butter, coconut milk, and salt.
6. In a different bowl, mix together flour, spices, and baking powder.
7. Combine your egg and flour mixture and mix until all is combined smoothly.
8. Add your cooled meat mixture and fold in.
9. Pour into a lined muffin pan and cook until done, about 15 minutes.
10. While muffins are cooking, add all sauce ingredients into a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, letting the flavors infuse until ready to “frost” on top of your eggy meat muffins!  ENJOY!

 

 

Beans and Franks!

How can this be possible, you ask? I am a health food blogger after all…so how can I be blogging about beans and franks?!

Well, I have some very exciting news!  Mr. Rodgers and I were browsing the aisles in one of our favorite grocery stores, and for some reason (DESTINY!), we found ourselves looking through the cooler of hot dogs and bacon and such things.  Absently, he reached up and grabbed a pack of hot dogs and started scanning the label.  Lo and behold…it was Applegate, my favorite bacon brand!  We got even more excited when we realized these were not only all beef hot dogs…but they were GRASS FED!!  With no nitrites!!  Isn’t that the best news anyone has ever heard?!  I can tell you…summer barbecues are now easier because we know we can just grab a pack of those and still be able to eat with our friends!!

But here is another super easy, super satisfying idea I wanted to share with you!  Great for when you want something packed with protein that still has the feel of comfort food!  Beans and franks!

 

So, here’s what you need:

• 2 Applegate Grass Fed Hot Dogs
• 1/2 Small Onion
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1-2 Tbsp Grass Fed Butter
• 1/2 Can Pinto Beans
• Red Pepper Flakes to taste

 

And here’s how you do it!

1. Heat up a grill pan and slap your hot dogs down on there.  Alternately, you can cook them in a normal pan, I just wanted the dish to have that “grill” feel.
2. Melt butter in a small pan.  Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until starting to get tender.  Add garlic, stir, cooking an additional minute or so.
3. Add beans and stir in.
4. Slice hot dogs into slices and stir in with beans and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, cooking everything for a minute or so.  Just long enough for everything to be warm, and those flavors to be infused with each other. 🙂
5. Dump into a bowl, and devour!!  So incredibly comforting!

 

 

Peectures!

Cooking, waiting, yummy….

Doesn’t get much better than that!