We have been eating a lot of meatless meals here recently. I know I sound like a broken record, but finding hearty recipes that fill you up on vegetables and grains just makes me happy. It also seems to make my wallet happy too. This curried cauliflower rice is so creamy and is the perfect warming dish for a cold winters night. 

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces 
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups white rice
4 tsp curry powder 
Lavender Salt & Pepper

Directions: 
In a Le Creuset type dutch oven, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Cook your cauliflower with salt and pepper until it begins to brown.  Add an additional tablespoon of oil to your pot and cook your onions with salt and pepper until softened and translucent. Add your curry powder, rice, and chickpeas. Stir until combined, then add your broth and bring the pot to a boil. Add your cauliflower back into the pot, but do not stir it, let it sit on the top of the rice. Put the lid on the pot and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. 

This dish is creamy, healthy, low in fat, oh so good for you, and delicious too. 
Enjoy!

The crock pot is very much an under utilized tool in my kitchen. I'm not sure why. I guess I think typically things come out with a little more flavor with a char or crust on them, and thats not possible in a crock pot. Plus there are so many crock pot recipes out there on Pinterest that just taste, lets be honest, plain awful. So when I find a good one, I hang onto it. This chicken teriyaki recipe couldn't be easier to throw together. It doesn't involve any other pans or pots besides your crock pot, and it seriously comes together in less than 5 minutes. Gotta love that. This home made teriyaki sauce is so full of flavor. It tastes fresh and tangy, and you'd never guess it came from the crock pot; which I love. So give it a try! 

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts (frozen is fine) 

1 package baby bella mushrooms

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp lavender salt

2 one inch pieces of whole ginger

1/2 of a purple onion, diced

fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions: Throw your chicken in your crock pot, top it with all of the other ingredients. Cook in your crock pot on high for 4-5 hours until the chicken is fall apart fork tender. Serve over rice. See? So simple, so flavorful, and so should be on your menu this week. 

Enjoy!

This recipe is perfect for those households that are divided when it comes to spice. My husband really enjoys a spicy meal, while I on the other hand can't stand the heat, literally. This dish itself has a wonderful almost spicy flavor from the turmeric, so for me and my mild loving tastebuds, its perfect. But when paired with your favorite hot sauce, it will blow your britches off. Plus it's extremely low fat and full of protein and veggies. So not only is it super tasty, but its good for you too!

Ingredients: 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes 
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups frozen peas
20 shrimp, thawed, tails removed
1 1/2 cup cooked rice
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and Pepper

Cook your rice in the rice cooker with 1 tablespoon of butter added. Heat your oil in a large sauté pan. Add your onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and tender. Add your turmeric and garlic and stir for 30 seconds until combined. Add your can of tomatoes (juice included), shrimp, and salt and pepper. Simmer until your shrimp are pink and cooked through. Add your cilantro and frozen peas and simmer until peas are warmed through. Mix together with your cooked rice and season again with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with cholula or siracha sauce. 

I hope you enjoy this full of flavor colorful and healthy rice dish - no matter how spicy you choose to make it!

We have some new Korean friends who are always telling us about their delicious Korean meals they are having. We decided we wanted to try an authentic Korean style dish, beef bulgogi. It did not disappoint! The meat ends up very tender with a sweet and salty kick to it. 

Ingredients: 

1 pound flank steak

10 bibb lettuce leaves for serving

1/4 cup green onion for service

2 cups white rice

Sriracha sauce for serving 

Marinade Ingredients:

5 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 asian pear, grated

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup chopped green onion

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Add your flank steak to a large zip lock bag and cover it with your marinade ingredients. Let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Grill your steak until charred and done to medium (about 6 minutes). Let steak rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into slices. Serve in lettuce leaves filled with rice and topped with onions and sriracha sauce. 

This is a lovely way to prepare flank steak, especially if you are going gluten free. 
Enjoy.