Filling, No Filler Stuffed Peppers

Who needs rice when you have extra veggies? I actually prefer these to traditional stuffed peppers now.

Mmmm peppers!

Ingredients:
6 bell peppers, any color (I like to use a variety)
1 lb ground beef
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 tablespoon oregano
2 beaten eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Cut tops off peppers and clean out the seeds. Dice tops and reserve. 
Soak the cleaned peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften them up a bit. Remove from the water and let them sit in whatever dish you are using to bake your peppers.
Brown the ground beef and add onion, garlic, diced peppers from tops, tomato paste and spices. Once onions are softened, remove skillet from heat to cool. 
Beat eggs in a bowl, add the meat mixture, and combine. 
Stuff peppers and cook for 30 minutes or until browned on top.

Orange Carrot Juice

Carrots hide out in this juice, covered by the orange taste. A sneaky way to get extra veggies!

Ingredients:
about 4 medium sized oranges
one carrot

Peel and segment orange. Scrub carrot. Add to juicer and enjoy ice cold! Stir before serving to mix.

Make one glass.

Garlic Kale Chips

Kale chips are so easy to make and are a great snack! They are crunchy, tasty, and healthy!

The hardest part is not eating them all right away. You can see empty spots on the cookie sheet in the photo below - I just couldn't help myself!

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder (if you prefer a more garlicky chip just add some more)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Wash kale thoroughly. Remove the leaves from the tough stalks. Discard stalks and break leaves up into smaller pieces, about the size of a usual potato chip.

Make sure it is completely dry. Any damp spots will result in soggy chips. I like to run mine through a salad spinner, then pat it down with paper towels.

Add kale to a bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I like to use clean hands for this to make sure all the chips are well coated.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, watching carefully so the chips don't burn.

Let cool slightly and enjoy!

Strawberry and Walnut Salad

A fresh delicious summer salad!

Ingredients:


Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper


Salad:
1/2 of a 5 oz package of herb mix salad
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup walnuts

Combine vinegar and oil, whisk together. Add honey, mustard, salt and pepper, continue to mix.

Add salad ingredients to dressing and toss to combine.

Baked Corn on the Cob

A simple side dish when you can't put your corn on the grill.

Directions:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Husk corn and cut off end if needed
Rub approx 1/2 tablespoon butter on each ear of corn
Wrap in foil
Cook in oven for 25 minutes or until tender-crisp
Add salt, if desired

Orange Arugula Salad with Citrus Champagne Vinaigrette

Another fresh summer salad! Sweet orange pairs great with peppery arugula.

Ingredients:


Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons "O" brand citrus champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Salad:

1/2 of a 5 oz package of arugula

1 peeled orange, segmented

1/4 cup sliced red onion

Combine vinegar and oil, whisk together. Add honey, garlic, salt and pepper, continue to mix. Let set for about 10-15 minutes to allow ingredients to mix together.

Add salad ingredients to dressing and toss to combine.

Almond, Chocolate, and Fruit Smoothie

This smoothie is great for breakfast! 


I like to use frozen fruit in smoothies because it keeps for longer and adds an iciness to the drink. When bananas are about to go brown, I peel them, halve or quarter them, and freeze them up.

Ingredients:
8 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 tablespoon smooth almond butter
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup frozen strawberries OR 1/4 cup frozen raspberries


Add all ingredients to a blender, blend up and enjoy!