Lasagna

Yield: 8 servings

Sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb sweet (or hot) Italian sausage

1 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

2 jars tomato sauce

Ricotta Mix:

1 1/2 cups ricotta

2 eggs

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp mozzarella, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

To assemble:

1 pound lasagna noodles

2 cups spinach, chopped

1 lb mozzarella, grated

1 cup four cheese mix, grated

1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add meat and cook until completely cooked through. Set aside, but do not drain the fat.

2. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened.

3. Add spices and stir. Cook for another minute.

4. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Meanwhile, place lasagna noodles into the bottom of a pan. Pour hot water directly over the noodles, making sure the pasta is completely immersed in the water. Let them soak for 5 minutes, then drain and discard water. Noodles should be pliable but still crunchy inside.

6. In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta with eggs, spinach, basil, parsley, mozzarella, garlic, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to assemble lasagna.

7. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a deep aluminum 9x13 roasting pan.

8. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place 4 noodles on top. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 the spinach. Place 4 noodles on top. Spoon 2 cups meat sauce over noodles. Place 4 noodles on top. Spread remaining ricotta mixture on top of noodles. Top with 1/4 of four cheese mix and remaining 1/2 of the spinach. To finish, place a final layer of pasta, topped with another 1 cup of meat sauce to cover the pasta. Top with remaining mozzarella, four cheese mix, and Parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes. May need to broil at the end to allow cheese to brown. Serve hot.

https://thestayathomechef.com/amazing-lasagna-recipe/

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Citrus, and Chile

Yield: 4 servings

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 blood or navel orange, thinly sliced, seeds removed

1 Meyer or regular lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

1 red Fresno chile or jalapeño, with seeds, thinly sliced

4 sprigs dill, plus more for serving

salt and pepper

2 lb skinless salmon fillet, preferably center-cut

1/4 cup olive oil

flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Line a shallow baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Toss fennel, orange slices, lemon slices, chile, and 4 dill sprigs in prepared dish. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Season salmon with salt and place on top of fennel mixture.

4. Pour oil over.

5. Roast until salmon is just cooked through (the tip of a knife will slide through easily and flesh will be slightly opaque), 30 to 40 minutes for medium-rare.

6. Transfer salmon to a platter, breaking it into large pieces. Spoon fennel mixture and oil from baking dish. Discard dill sprigs. Season with Maldon salt and pepper, and top with fresh dill sprigs.

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/slow-roasted-salmon-with-fennel-citrus-and-chiles

Buckwheat Crepes

Yield: 5 large crepes

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp coconut sugar

1/8 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

1. To a blender, add all ingredients, and pulse to combine. The batter should be pourable but not watery. If too thin, add a bit more buckwheat flour. If too thick, thin with more water.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil and spread into an even layer. Let the oil heat until hot - when you flick a little water onto the pan, it should crackle and evaporate almost immediately.

3. Add about 1/4 cup batter to pan and spread until thin. Let cook until top is dry. Carefully flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more on the other side. Turn heat down if cooking too quickly.

4. Repeat until all crepes are prepared. Keep crepes warm between layers of parchment paper or on a plate under a towel.

5. Best when fresh, but leftovers can be stored sealed in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To freeze, layer between pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking and store in a freezer-safe container up to 1 month.

https://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-buckwheat-crepes/
https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/buckwheat-crepes-naturally-gluten-free/

Pumpkin Oat Bars

Yield: 16 bars

3 cups oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tbsp olive or coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Place oats into a high-speed blender. Blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until oats resemble flour. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of the oat flour.

3. In a medium bowl, add oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, applesauce, coconut sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

5. Slowly add oat flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

6. Gently fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

8. Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices.

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-oat-bars-vegan-gluten-free/

Lemon Bars (Paleo, Nut-Free)

Yield: 16 bars

Crust:

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup ghee or butter, melted, room temp

1 egg, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/8 tsp salt

zest of 1 lemon

Filling:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp honey

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp tapioca flour

1/2 tsp coconut flour

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.

2. To make the crust, in a medium bowl, whisk together honey, liquid ghee, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Add coconut flour, tapioca flour, salt, and lemon zest. Combine to form a dough.

4. Press crust into bottom of prepared pan as evenly as possible. Poke all over with a fork.

5. Bake crust for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges.

6. While crust bakes, in a large bowl, whisk together all filling ingredients until very smooth.

7. As soon as crust is done, whisk filling mixture one last time and pour over HOT crust (important!).

8. Lower oven temperature to 325F. Bake another 15 minutes, or until filling is just set in the center.

9. Allow bars to cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

10. To serve, cut cooled bars into 16 squares.

https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-lemon-bars-nut-free/

Beef Barley Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

1 lb beef cubes

salt and pepper

(optional: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano, chopped

1 tsp thyme, chopped

3 tbsp tomato paste

4 cups beef broth

2 cups water

3/4 cup barley

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

1. Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. If using flour, place the beef in a ziploc bag and add the flour to the bag. Close the bag and shake all the beef is fully covered in flour. Add more flour if needed.

2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the beef and cook just until the meat starts to brown. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

3. In the same pot, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook the vegetables about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add garlic, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste. Stir.

5. Add the meat back to the pot, along with the beef broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef becomes tender.

6. Add the barley and cook for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through. Be sure to stir occasionally to keep the barley from sticking. If the soup is too thick, add more water as necessary until you get the desired consistency.

7. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/beef-barley-soup/

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Yield: 8 mini pizzas

1 head cauliflower, chopped

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

1 tsp Italian seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Add cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground, yielding about 2 to 3 cups. A box grater can also be used instead of a food processor.

3. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely and place into microwave for 4 minutes, or until softened. Let cool.

4. Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain cauliflower completely, removing as much water as possible.

5. Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl. Stir in eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Spread cauliflower mixture into 4-inch circles onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

7. Top with pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. Place into oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.

8. Serve immediately, sprinkled with basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.

https://damndelicious.net/2016/07/13/best-cauliflower-pizza-crust/

Pecan Pie Filling

Yield: 1 pie

2 cups pecans

3 eggs

1 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together.

3. Once completely combined and thick, pour evenly over pecans.

4. Bake the pie for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, tent a piece of aluminum foil over pie if it is browning too quickly. Remove finished pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will settle as it cools.

5. Slice and serve pie warm or at room temperature. Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/11/06/my-favorite-pecan-pie-recipe/

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 12

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and eggs until a uniform batter is created. The batter will start off a bit runny, but will thicken as the coconut flour starts to absorb the moisture.

3. Add chocolate chips, and stir to combine.

4. Using your hands, shape the dough into cookies. These cookies will not spread on their own, so shape them how you'd like them to turn out.

5. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

https://detoxinista.com/coconut-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies-grain-free/

Almond Flour Pancakes

Yield: 2-3 servings (6 pancakes)

2 eggs

1/3 cup coconut milk (or almond milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

olive oil, coconut oil, or butter, for greasing pan

optional: 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

optional: 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. In large bowl, mix eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla together until smooth and well combined.

2. Add in almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. Add any optional ingredients, if using, and stir again.

3. Place a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly coat with olive oil, coconut oil, or butter.

4. Drop a 1/4-cup of batter onto pan. Cook until bubbles appear on top and the edges are well cooked. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, about 2 minutes.

5. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more oil/butter and remaining batter.

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/5-ingredient-almond-flour-pancakes/