Recipes
My Seriously Tasty Summer Salads
Summer produce is in full effect! Take advantage of the colorful, nutritious food that is readily available and seasonal right now and make one bowl wonderful salads like these! Check out the Summer Produce List I wrote with even more recipes linked!
These 6 salads are my ultimate go-to’s for a variety of flavors throughout the summer season!
GRILLED BALSAMIC STEAK SUMMER SALAD
FOR THE RECIPE
WATERMELON-FETA SUMMER SALAD
FOR THE RECIPE
ASIAN CHICKEN CHOPPED SALAD WITH CARROT-GINGER DRESSING
FOR THE RECIPE
SOBA NOODLE SESAME SALAD
FOR THE RECIPE
SMOKED TROUT SALAD WITH CREAMY LEMON DRESSING
FOR THE RECIPE
HEIRLOOM TOMATO + CHERRY SALAD WITH A SIMPLE LEMON DRESSING
Makes 2-3 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large Heirloom tomato, sliced
- 1 cup Heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cherries, halved
- 2 cups micro greens or watercress
- 1/3 cup Boursin cheese, forked into the salad
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt + pepper
TO MAKE:
- Plate all of the ingredients and mix the salad ingredients in a small bowl
Recipes
Grilled Balsamic Steak Summer Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes 2-3 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
- 1 lb lean steak, sliced
- 2 TB balsamic vinegar
- 1 TB Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 6 cups watercress
- 1 corn on the cob, husk removed
- Avocado oil spray-for cooking the corn
To Toss on Top, a Gremolata:
- 2 TB basil leaves, minced
- 2 TB parsley, minced – MY OWN PARSLEY
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 TB lemon zest
Simple Vinaigrette:
- 3 TB balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- Dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper
TO MAKE:
- Mix together the marinade ingredients in a bowl, pour over sliced steak in a bag, marinate chilled for 30 minutes (can be done overnight as well.)
- While marinating, prepare the salad veggies and mix the salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the grill to medium heat.
- While it is heating, combine the basil, parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Toss the greens
- Spray the corn and thickly sliced red onion rings with oil and cook each side for 5 minutes or until grill marks form on the corn kernels and onion becomes charred brown. Remove, let cool slightly, then slice kernels off of the cob and into a large serving bowl and chop the onions and put them in the bowl with the corn.
Place the steak on a grill pan – grill both sides 4-5 minutes for rare to medium rare. Reminder that it keeps cooking a few minutes after it is removed from the heat.- Place the greens in the bowl with the corn and onion, add the gorgonzola, + tomatoes. Toss with half of the dressing mixed with half of the herb mix. Serve it beneath steak slices and drizzle with more of the dressing and sprinkle with more of the herb mix.
Recipes
I love, love, love….give it one more love, crab. Not only is it super a super tasty, semi-sweet lean protein, but despite common opinion- it is easy to find and not overly expensive.
Did you know that there are 4 main kinds of crabmeat? Did you also know that much of it is sold in cans or containers vs fresh? It is, in fact, cooed, cleaned, + pasteurized before packaged. It’s like tuna and salmon in that way and does not need to come from a fresh, expensive, claw or cluster to use for healthy recipes.
Their names are called “grades” and correspond with the part of the crab the meat comes from and the size of the pieces in the packaging.
JUMBO LUMP: essentially the KING of flavor and quality overall, it is the meat from the 2 larger muscles connected to the swimming legs. It is generally the most costly type to buy, but also the best to serve without heavy sauces and most commonly used as a base for ceviche or sushi.
LUMP: this is basically the more broken up pieces of jumbo lump with some pieces from the body of the crab. Since it is a mix, although still a delicate flavor, it is great for salads, crab cakes, omelets, and more.
CLAW MEAT: comes from the claws of a crab and it is a “muscle” meat since it is working as a fin for the crab. That makes it a pink or brown meat that is heartier, but also has a more oily texture. It has a bolder taste and is therefore best to be used in heavier sauces or soups.
BACKFIN: have you ever seen the super fine pieces of crab meat from a crab cake before? This is it- the backfin is essentially a flaky form of body eat that is similar in texture and flavor to lump crab meat, but isn’t as commonly found.
My Favorite Brands of Crab Meat:
Lump, Claw, and a mix is easiest to find for a moderate price by these brands in most grocery stores!
Some Creative Crab Meat Recipes
Spicy Crab Sushi Bowl
makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS
For the Bowl:
- ½ of an avocado
- 1 radish, sliced
- 5-6 serrano pepper slices
- 1 cup slaw mix
- ½ cup prepared brown or black rice – it’s great to prep grains in bulk weekly and have it ready-to-go or to use instant bowls like Lotus Foods.
For the Spicy Crab:
- 1 cup lump crab meat
- 1 TB scallions
- 1 TB paleo mayo
- 1 TB plain Greek yogurt
- 2+ tsp Sriracha sauce
- Dash of Teriyaki sauce
- 3 slices of pickled ginger, chopped
- Optional Topping: Tobiko (caviar)
TO MAKE
- Simply mix together the crab ingredients in a bowl, serve with the prepared bowl ingredients inside of the halved avocado. I mash it all together once I am ready to devour it!
Ashley’s Crab Cakes with a Curried Aioli Sauce
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict
MEAL PREP HACK: use leftover crab cakes from dinner the night before to make this dish and add on the special, secret hollandaise.
makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cans lump crab meat, drained + placed in a bowl
- 1/8 cup scallions, chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper, chopped
- Sea salt + pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3 TB coconut or oat flour
- 2-3 dashes of Old Bay seasoning
To Serve:
- Large handful of mixed greens or microgreens
- 4 tomato slices
- 2 whole grain, gluten free English muffins or bagels or even 4 slices of toast
- Flaky sea salt + fresh black pepper
TO MAKE
- Mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl, then form into 4 patties.
- Heat some oil over medium heat in a skillet – add in the cakes and cook for 3-5 minutes/side or until browned.
Make it even more unique at your next brunch or weekend breakfast and prep an avocado-based healthier take on hollandaise sauce.
2 TB Hollandaise Sauce
60 calories | 6g fat | 5g carbs | 3g fiber | 2g protein
vs
2 TB Regular Hollandaise Sauce
134 calories | 15g fat | 2g carbs | 0g fiber | 3g protein
For the Avocado Hollandaise Sauce:
makes 6-8 x 2 TB servings
- 1 medium avocado, peeled + mashed
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 TB paleo mayonnaise
- 4 TB avocado or olive oil
- 2/3 cup hot water
- 2 tsp Sriracha sauce
- Dashes of salt + cayenne pepper
TO MAKE:
- Simply blend all of the ingredients together in a blender.
NUTRITION:
For 1 piece (crab cake, 1 egg, 1 TB sauce, toppings, ½ whole grain bread)
426 calories | 19 g carbs | 30 g protein | 12 g fat
Crab Stuffed Deviled Eggs
makes 6 eggs
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 large eggs
- 4 oz lump crab meat – save 2 TB for garnish
- 1/8 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/8 cup paleo mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup grilled or roasted corn
- 1 TB chives, chopped
TO MAKE:
- Hard boil the eggs – have an InstantPot? You can pressure cook them easily! Otherwise, prepare them in the classic way.
- Once cooled, peel the eggs + slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks into a bowl and set whites aside onto a platter.
- Mix the yolks with the yogurt, mayo, seasoning, crabmeat, and ½ TB chives (don’t forget to save some crab and chives for garnish!) -stir. Mix in the corn.
- Place the yolk mix in a large plastic bag and snip the corner on an angle to “pipe” the mix in (if you have a pastry bag with end attachments, use that!) Otherwise, just use a spoon!
- Garnish with chives, crab meat, and some more Old Bay. Best to chill them before serving if serving same-day.
NOTES:
- You can prep the egg whites and the mix the day before + store in the fridge.
- Remove the whites and filling from the fridge + prep immediately to serve.
- Once assembled, eat immediately.
Recipes
5 COLORFUL AND HEALTHY POKE BOWL RECIPES
Easy, tasty, quick bowls made for anyone who LOVES this healthy trend!
MAPLE-GINGER TUNA POKE BOWL
makes 1 bowl
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 oz Ahi tuna, sliced – TIP: ask the fish department for sushi grade tuna or buy nori from the sushi section + use it in the bowl!
- 1/2 cup hydrated seaweed- I use wakame or Nori
- 1/4 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 cup watermelon radish, sliced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup edamame beans
- dash of sesame seeds
- pickled ginger
- 1/2 container of kelp noodles
To Make:
- Simply put it all together in a bowl!
Maple-Ginger Sauce:
- 3 TB Bragg’s liquid aminos or gluten-free, low sodium soy sauce
- 5 TB maple syrup (date syrup if you’re low-sugar/Whole30 or Paleo)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 TB ginger, grated finely
- 1 tsp corn starch
TO MAKE:
- Mix well + let thicken.
SPICY TUNA + SALMON POKE BOWL
makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups prepared brown rice
- 2 TB scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 2 radishes, sliced thin
- 1 cup slaw mix
- 5 pieces of ahi tuna
- 5 pieces of sushi grade salmon
- Optional: tobiko (caviar)
For the Aioli:
- 2 TB paleo mayo
- 2 TB plain Greek yogurt
- 3-4 tsp chili oil
- A few dashes of Bragg’s or coconut aminos
TO MAKE:
- Simply divide all ingredients amongst 2 bowls.
- Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and divide it into 2 containers to mix into the poke bowl when ready-to-eat.
SPICY SHRIMP + BLACK RICE POKE BOWL
makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup or 5-6 cooked shrimp simply mixed with:
- 1 TB paleo mayo and 1 tsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 watermelon radish, cut into matchsticks
- 1 small carrot, peeled + cut into matchsticks
- 3-4 jalapeno slices, remove seeds to make it less spicy
- 1 cup green cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup plain purple cabbage or pickled purple cabbage
- 2 TB edamame
- 1 TB scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup prepared black rice
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 tsp black sesame seeds
QUICK TIPS:
I buy cooked shrimp and an instant Forbidden rice bowl to save prep time
TO MAKE:
- Simply plate all of the ingredients except the shrimp.
- In a small bowl, toss the cooked shrimp with the mayo and Sriracha- adjust to your desired spiciness.
- Add it to the bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
LOW-CARB AHI WITH CAULIFLOWER FRIED RICE POKE BOWL
makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 slices ahi tuna
- 1/4 cup avocado, diced
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 TB jalapeno, sliced
- 1 TB scallions, sliced
- 1/8 cup carrot, peeled + chopped
- 1/8 cup Mung bean sprouts
- 1 1/2 cups prepared cauliflower fried rice
- Liquid aminos- to drizzle
For the Cauliflower Fried Rice: makes an extra cup for another time!
- 2 cups cauliflower – roughly 1 head, cut into florets + then rice in a food processor
- 1/8 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 TB Bragg’s aminos
- 1/2 TB toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 TB ginger, minced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp raw black sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp chili sauce
- 1/2 tsp raw honey
TO MAKE:
- For the cauliflower fried rice: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/2 TB sesame oil. Toss in the onion and cook until tender-roughly 5-6 minutes. Add in the cauliflower -cook for 6-7 minutes or until soft.
- Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients.
- Add the sauce to the pan and the peas- heat 1-2 minutes.
- Plate it with the remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle with liquid aminos.
TERIYAKI SMOKED SALMON POKE BOWL
makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 slices of smoked salmon, chopped (TIP: I marinate it for an hour or overnight in a bit of teriyaki sauce)
- 1 cup leftover brown or black rice
- Dash of sesame oil
- 1 TB scallions, chopped
- 1 TB black + white sesame seeds
- 1 TB jalapeno, chopped
- 4 cucumber slices, quartered
- 1/2 cup Mung bean sprouts
- 1/8 cup carrot, shredded
- 1/8 cup avocado, diced
- Teriyaki sauce
TO MAKE:
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the sesame oil and then top with the rice- pressing it down tightly as if making a tight pancake. Brown and crisp it for 5-6 minutes. Remove + fluff with a fork in a bowl.
- Add in the prepared toppings, salmon, + then drizzle with added Teriyaki sauce.
Recipes
Pizza for Breakfast? Yes, please!
I LOVE breakfast. L-O-V-E. So having these recipes pop into my head to change up the morning meal was a welcome creative kitchen adventure! A healthy, tasty, gourmet-looking pizza for breakfast in 10 minutes or less? Who could pass that up!
These two recipes are currently my favorite for a 2-serving, filling meal in the morning!
My favorite pizza crusts are both gluten-free and one is cauliflower-based so it is lower in carbs as well- they can be found in my Amazon Storefront under my Kitchen + Pantry Essentials
Crispy Prosciutto with Fresh Mozzarella Breakfast Pizza
Roasted Tomato + Garlic Breakfast Pizza