Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

I love Italian cooking and I love cheese so it's only natural that one of my favorite comfort foods is Mac & Cheese. This version calls for sweet potatoes, which I never would have thought previously to use in my Mac & Cheese. Check out the recipe below!

Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

::Ingredients::

• 2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni 
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2 cups non fat milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1.2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons coarse dry whole wheat breadcrumbs (see below for DIY recipe)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Breadcrumbs

• Trim crusts from whole wheat bread---One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• Tear pieces and process in food processor until cars crumbs form
• Spread on baking sheet 250 degrees until dry (10-15 minutes)

::Directions::

1. Position a rack in upper this of oven. Preheat broiler and coat a 2 quart broker safe baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, prick sweet potato with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 7 to 10 minutes. If you do not have a microwave or prefer not to use one, you can boil or bake the potato until soft.
4. Whisk milk, flour and garlic in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently, until steaming and hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat.
5. As soon as the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, cut open and scoop the flesh into the steaming milk. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, transfer to a blender and puree just until smooth, then return to the pot; use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)
6. Add cheese, mustard, salt and pepper and stir until the cheese melts. Add the pasta and peas to the sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs and oil and sprinkle on the pasta. Broil on the upper rack until the top is lightly browned and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Happy Eating

Signed

Tiesha

Weekend Eats and Treats

This weekend consisted of eating a lot of delicious food and preparing dishes for the upcoming week.  Note, every little thing was not the most healthiest but it is ok to indulge (in moderation of course). That said- I wanted to share the different recipes and photos from my weekend.

First up was a sweet treat I saw online. It is not the healthiest but it is tasty, flaky, fruity, and one won't send you over the deep end. This recipe calls for apples, puff pastry, preserves, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. 

Apple Rose Pastries

::Ingredients::

• 3-4 apples cored
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 3 tbsp fruit preserves
• 2 tbsp water (in addition to whats needed for apple soak)
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• cinnamon (to taste)
• optional powdered sugar

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin pan (you can use a cupcake pan if you don't have a muffin pan handy).
2. Put apple slices in microwave safe bowl. Fill bowl with water and juice from half a lemon. Use enough water to make sure apple slices are covered by water. Microwave for 3 minutes. This will soften the apple slices and make them more pliable for rolling up. You can also heat the apples in water on a stove top, this will add to the cooking time. When using this method be sure to watch apples for change in color/texture to indicate when ready.
3. Flour a board and roll out the puff pastry enough to make 4-6 strips at 3 inches wide.
4. In a bowl mix together 3 tbsp of your favorite fruit preserves (we chose strawberry) and 2 tbsp water. Use this mixture along the center of the strips (lengthwise).
5. Place the apple slices along the top half of the strip. Be sure to place them arch facing downward. Place the slices along strip until the end. Add  a dash of cinnamon (to taste) over apples and preserve mixture.
6. Fold bottom half of pastry over the preserve mixture and apples. Roll from one end to the other Be sure to keep an eye on the apples, they can move around due to the preserves so you may need to hold them in place so they do not fall out of the pastry. Gently sit the 'rose' into the greased pan.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes upon removing from the oven.
8. Garnish with a little powdered sugar (or go bare)

We used Cortland apples because I know that they hold up well in baking and taste delicious. We made 4 (two of them were HUGE). I would have LOVED to add a dollop of ice cream (vanilla bean perhaps) to them but we didn't have any and decided to behave.

For Sunday morning breakfast we decided to try our hand at breakfast pizza. Yes, you read that correctly. I am not talking cold left over pizza that you eat as a breakfast. I am talking eggs and bacon on a warm and scrumptious flaky crust. Here is the picture and recipe!

Breakfast Pizza

::Ingredients::

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 5 pieces of bacon. cooked
• 3 eggs
• 1 tomato, sliced
• salt & pepper
• optional basil garnish

::Directions::

1. Roll out the puff pastry on the counter
2. Cut a large circle. Tip: We used one of my glass pyrex bowls and cut around it to ensure we had the proper size circle for our pizza. Try using a bowl as an outline so you don't have to worry about the sizing or shape of your circle.
3. Sprinkle on the cheese as the bottom later. Do this in the middle of the circle as you want to leave the edges free to create a crust later.
4. Lay bacon as second layer. We created a border so that later we could control how far out the eggs spread onto the pizza. Form a crust with the rim/edges of the pastry.  Bake for 5-10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and lay tomatoes near the edge of the crust and place 3 cracked eggs in the center of the pizza. I recommend cracking in a bowl or cup to ensure no shells get in your pizza!
6. Bake pizza for additional 10-20 minutes (depending on how runny you like your egg). 
7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil.

 I had some filling left (remember, we didn't quite make 6 of the roses) and I also had the edges from what didn't make the cut (pun intended) for the pizza. I decided to get the creative juices going, pick up a smaller pyrex, and create my own pasty.  Steve is a good sport--he tries all of my food and allows me to take pictures of him. He taste tested my creation and then I had one and can attest, they are delicious. What I came up with is as follows:

Sugared Fruit Sandwiches

::Ingredients:

• Left over dough from pizza and roses above
• You could also make these from fresh pastry sheets :F
• Left over apple mixture from roses above (or create a new mixture with jam and water)
• Oat clusters (I used 'Kind' brand 'Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seed')
• Brown sugar (to taste)
• Cinnamon (to taste)

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the apple mixture in a glass pan and sprinkle with the oat cluster. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool enough for handling.
3. Take remaining pastry dough from the outskirts of the pizza round and roll out to form a new sheet. Use the smaller circle to form 12 smaller circles.
4. Lay 6 of the circle in a greased muffin or cupcake pan.
5. Place one table spoon of mixture atop each circle.
6. Place remaining 6 pastry circles on top of the mixture. Seal with fingers or a fork.
7. Sprinkle each with desired amount of brown sugar and cinnamon
8. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and allow to cool

These would also be lovely with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream (again we behaved so this was not a luxury we participated in). I am also wondering if they may accompany flavored yogurt well but am not entirely sure. Try it out and let me know.

Lunch on Sunday was a recipe that Steve found and wanted to try. In these do it yourself hot pockets you can substitute a lot of the salt and chemicals from the pre-frozen version. You can also use brown or wild rice instead of the normal white rice. 

D.I.Y Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Hot Pocket

::Ingredients::

• 1 lb organic chicken breast
• garlic powder
• sea salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• bunch of broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 large tortillas

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Trim chicken of fat and cut into strips. Season with garlic powder and salt to taste.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken strips on high heat for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through and juices run clear.
4. Remove chicken from pan and chop into bite size pieces.
5. On a large flat surface lay out the 4 tortilla. 
6. Place cheese in the center first, followed by cooked chicken, then broccoli, and finally the rice. Fold in the right and left sides and tightly roll up.
7. Place the tortillas seam side down onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until outside starts to turn golden brown.

These were extremely filling. We made 4 but I only managed to eat 1 of mine. The other will be my dinner for tomorrow evening. Just going to pop it back into the oven for a few minutes and wa-lah instant yummy and healthy quick meal. 

For a mid day snack I made him the Butterfingers Shakeolology (previously featured on my Facebook page). I decided to try the Smores Shakeology. See the picture of this yummy concoction along with the recipe below!

The finale of our feast on Sunday was a Pot Roast served with potatoes, onions, and carrots. In this we used Jack Daniels Honey Barbecue Sauce. This was surprisingly healthier than a lot of the recipes we found. Many called for packaged soups and flavor packets from Campbells or other large scale manufacturer's. I didn't want an assortment of prepackaged flavors so we simply added a cup or so of the barbecue sauce with water. We used 3/4 of the mixture in the veggies and 1/4 atop the roast.

We laid the carrots on the bottom followed by the potatoes. We layered the onions last before placing the roast on top. We used 3/4 of the mixture in the veggies and 1/4 atop the roast before adding the top. We chose to cook on high for 4 hours rather than low for 8. 

Items not shown but prepped for the week:

• Steak tips; Broccoli; and Zucchini
• Zucchini was baked with fresh lemon juice; olive oil; and minced garlic
• Steak used a Brown sugar bourbon marinade that contained red vinegar, water, and a seasoning blend (Steve added mushrooms to his steak)
• Broccoli was cooked with a little garlic and oil
• Buffalo mashed cauliflower
• Zucchini noodles with sweet basil and garlic marinara
• For Steves, he again chose to use mushrooms which he sauteed with spices prior to adding to the mixture
• Fresh salad with spring mix and european cucumbers
• Chicken and broccoli mac n cheese (made with whole wheat pasta)
• Batch of my chocolate almond oatmeal cups

Needless to say we ate well all weekend and with the left overs and meal prep above, I am sure my week will consist of easy to grab filling and nutritious meals. I just need to ensure I don't eat ALL of the left over pastries :D

Until next time, happy eating!

Tiesha

Taste of the Sea Edition

Before a year ago you could not get me to even considering eating anything from the sea. Distinct memories come back to me of me wailing and crying while my parents cooked lobsters or fish. I remember thinking "how could you kill Arial's friends and EAT them" (blissfully unaware on so many accounts). But since then I have tried several items from the sea, shocking my family and long standing friends. Recently Steve and I tried Salmon and I actually enjoyed it. So here is my first ever Seafood edition of Tasty Tuesday. Looking to try this recipe as soon as I locate green peppercorns. I will let you all know where I locate them once I get my hands on them!

Seared Salmon with Green Peppercorn Sauce

Please make the consideration to purchase wild salmon from the Pacific (Alaska and Washington) as it is more sustainably fished 

Tip:

• To skin salmon, place fillet on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.

::Ingredients::

- 1 1/4 lbs wild salmon filet -Please make the consideration to purchase wild salmon from the Pacific (Alaska and Washington) as it is more sustainably fished 

- 1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt, divided

- 2 teaspoons canola oil

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

- 4 teaspoons unsalted butter (cut into small pieces so it will cook evenly and quickly into the sauce)

- 1 teaspoon green peppercorns in vinegar, rinsed and crushed

::Directions::

- Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium -consider using sunflower oil :)

- Sprinkle salmon portions with 1/4 teaspoon salt

- Set aside the remaining pinch of salt 

- In a small bowl mix together lemon juice and crushed peppercorns

- Add salmon to skillet, gently turning halfway, and cook until just opaque in the center (4 o 7 minutes total)

- Remove the salmon and set aside (important: keep burner on warm/low until ready to create sauce)

- Top each portion of fish with about 2 teaspoons of sauce each

To create the sauce:

- Remove the pan from heat and immediately add the lemon juice, peppercorns, butter and remaining pinch of salt.  The heat allows the butter to cook quickly and blend into the sauce mixture evenly. Carefully swirl the pan until butter is blended into sauce mixture.

This is a recommended to serve with smashed potatoes and sautéed kale.

Happy Eating!
Tiesha

Quinoa chicken parmesan with zucchini noodles

One of the things I bought for myself was an inexpensive noodle maker for vegetables. It is not the  biggest or fanciest but I love zucchini and was sick of hearing all of the delicious uses of it without any means to create the masterpieces for myself. Now that I have the capacity I am looking forward to making healthier "pasta" dishes. As an Irish girl who loves Italian and wants to eat healthy---this recipe was calling to me the moment I saw it. I had to share it with my readers. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Quinoa Chicken Parmesan w/Zucchini Noodles

::Ingredients::

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 2 large boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, cut in half, so they are thin (or use 4 small breasts, and pound them, thin & evenly sized)
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup almond flour or whole wheat flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup all natural
• shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup low-sugar organic marinara sauce 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees f.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. (I used avocado oil or olive oil spray)
3. In a large saucepan, cook quinoa according to package instructions.
4. Stir Italian seasoning into cooked quinoa, set aside.
5. Season chicken with garlic powder, sea salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Working in small batches, dredge chicken first in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in quinoa mixture, pressing slightly to coat each breast.
7. Place chicken onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, and cooked through.
8. Top with cheeses and marinara.
9. Place into oven and bake until cheeses have melted, about 3-4 additional minutes.
10. Serve immediately over spiralized zucchini noodles (Consider tossing zucchini in a hot skillet with a touch of olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for 3 minutes before serving)
11. Garnish with fresh basil

Happy Eating!

Signed

Tiesha

Eggplant Pizzas

Last night Steve and I tried our hand at crafting some eggplant pizzas. I had seen a recipe in passing on the internet and thought it looked delicious. One look at the photo was all Steve needed to convince him to try it for our Friday night Feast. I must say that this was a surprisingly delicious substitution. I didn't even miss my beloved crust! We both agreed to add this to our 'menu'. Try it for yourself and thank me later.

Eggplant Pizza

   

::Ingredients::

• Canola Oil Spray
• 1 large eggplant, slice into 1 inch rounds
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup tomato saúce (We used 'Mezetta whole garlic & sweet basil marinara' in ours)
• 1 cup low fat mozzarella (We used 'Formaggio fresh mozzarella' which comes marinaded)
• 10 grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon red onion (We excluded it here)
• fresh basil (optional garnish)
• Red pepper flakes (optional garnish)

::Directions::

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with canola cooking spray and lay out the eggplant rounds
• Sprinkle the rounds with sea salt and bake for 20 minutes
• Remove trays from oven and construct pizzas with desired toppings
• Set oven to broil and place trays back in
• Cook a couple of minutes, watching diligently, or until cheese is melted and begins to turn golden brown
• remove trays and top with basil and red pepper flakes to taste

 

We served ours with a fresh garden salad.

The topping ideas really are limitless so get creative and really enjoy this one.

Happy eating

Tiesha

3 from the 'Archive' of TB's Table

Hello readers

        So I have been posting recipes on and off for a little while now but not all of them are tied out to my food blog. I wanted to take this time to post some from the 'archive' so to speak. For those who have followed me before, you may see these as repeats. But I figured it'd be a good way to recap some a few of the yummy recipes I have shared over Facebook in one space to share as I get this blog up and running.

Stuffed Cheesesteak Peppers

::Ingredients::

-1 lb thinly sliced sirloin steak (you can also use deli roast beef if you prefer)

-8 slices provolone cheese

-4 to 5 bell peppers

-1 medium sweet onion

-1 lb white mushrooms

- 3 tbsp butter

-3 tbsp olive oil

-salt & pepper to taste

::Directions::

-preheat over to 400

-slice a thin piece off each pepper lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds 

-slice onions and mushrooms

-saute mushrooms and onions over medium heat with butter, oil, salt, and pepper 

-salt and pepper the steak and cook in oil until just not pink (about 5 mins)

-add the steak to the onion and mushroom mixture

-line inside of pepper with one slice of cheese

-fill pepper with steak mixture 

-top each pepper with a slice of cheese

-bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN FAJITA

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3-8 hours (depending on setting)

::Ingredients::

- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1, 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 red, orange, and green bell pepper (julienned)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt (try pink himalyan or sea salt as a substitute)
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
*For use with serving: tortillas, guacamole, sour cream (substitute greek yogurt), cilantro, salsa, and monterey jack or cheddar cheese*

::Directions::

- Pour half of the canned tomatoes into spread evenly onto bottom of slow cooker
- Take half of the peppers and onions and layer on top of the tomatoes
- Sprinkle garlic
- Whisk together lime juice and honey, coat chicken breasts (keep whole for now)
- Add chicken breasts
- In a bowl whisk together ingredients 5-10. Sprinkle half of this mixture on the chicken breasts then flip and repeat with the last half of the mixture
- Top breasts with the remaining tomatoes
- Top with the remaining onions and peppers
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours (or until chicken has cooked through and veggies are tender)

Note: The longer it cooks the more likely the chicken will shred rather than be cut into strips. You can remove chicken near lesser end of the time if you prefer to serve them in strips.

Lemon Chicken Kebabs with Tomato Parsley Salad

::Ingredients::
-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
-1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided
-1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
-3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
-4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
-2 cups fresh parsley leaves
-1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

::Directions::
-Combine 2 tablespoons juice, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, stirring with a whisk.
-Add chicken and stir. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, covered.
-Heat a grill pan over high heat.
-Remove chicken from bowl; discard marinade. Thread chicken onto 4 (10-inch) skewers.
-Add skewers to heated grill; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning often.
-Combine remaining 1 tablespoon juice, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, stirring well with a whisk.
-Add parsley and tomatoes; toss to coat.
-Serve chicken on top of salad.

Happy Eating!

Signed

Tiesha

Birthday Cake Shakeology Recipe---Where cake & nutrition come together in harmony

So I saw a bunch of people raving about this Birthday Cake flavored Shake and I absolutely had to try it (being a WICKED sweet tooth and all).

We had a little fun with it and I made Steve go through a little photo shoot (yes that IS my boyfriend's not so dainty hand dropping the sprinkles carefully in as the finishing touch).

I decided to make one serving to try for our first go at it. We were hesitant about all the hype because we had tried another combination we were excited about back at the end of October (I believe it was a caramel cocoa shake) and it was a super let down. We hoped this wouldn't be the same outcome.

LUCKILY he and I both became OBSESSED with this recipe. It is SO worth all of the hype.  He even tells me how he fantasizes about it!  I posted this collage this past Sunday night and he has already made his demands for another round of the shakes when he arrives Friday.

• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp Fat Free Cheesecake flavored Jello Pudding Mix
• 1 tsp butter extract
• Add ice to taste (this will also play with the consistency--the more ice the thicker the shake!)

Not so Optional Garnish: Sprinkles

Drink it up and thank me later ;)

Signed

Tiesha

Single Serve Oatmeal Cups

Over the weekend I made individual oatmeal cups and they were SO delicious that I had to share. After packing some up for my boyfriend to take home, I decided to share them with a few of my co-workers looking to get into a more healthy lifestyle. They really loved them so in order to share the recipe with them (and the rest of the world) I decided to create a blog post for them!

Oatmeal Cups

shown in my photo: Dark chocolate almond & berry bliss

original recipe located on 'A La Graham'

::Ingredients::

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 1/2 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats 
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk --I used almond milk
• 1/8 cup chai seeds (optional)---I kept these out my first attempt but definitely trying next time to see how it alters the flavors/textures

Optional toppings: blueberries, raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, nuts, pomegranate seeds, etc.

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a 12 cup muffin/cupcake tin with paper liners--I used a cupcake pan and it made just shy of 16 but I'd imagine you'd get closer to 12 if using a muffin pan
3. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl
4. Add in oats, chai seeds (if using), cinnamon, baking powder, salt 
5. Stir mixture until all ingredients begin to stick to one another 
6. Pour in milk and stir (mixture will look like chunky cake batter)
7. Divide mixture evenly into liners--I used a 1/4 measuring cup to make them as even as possible
8. Bake for 30 minutes

I decided to do a berry bliss theme and a chocolate nut theme. The chocolate nut contained dark chocolate chips which I pushed into the oatmeal cup while still warm (this caused the chocolate to JUST begin to melt) and then sprinkled with almond slivers. For the berry bliss I allowed to cool and topped afterward with raspberries and blueberries.

You can toss extras in the freezer and take one out the night before to thaw in the fridge overnight. When you are reading to eat just pop into a microwave between 60 seconds and a minute and half. This makes them an awesome go to for meal prep :D

Get creative with the toppings and feel free to play around with exactly when you add your toppings (you may like it mixed in with the "batter" or prefer to add the toppings at a later time).

Happy Eating!

Signed

Tiesha

Tasty Tuesday: Grilled Pork Chops with Two-Melon Salsa

Grilled Pork Chops with Two-Melon Salsa

source: my recipes

::Ingredients::

• 1 cup chopped seedless watermelon 

• 1 cup chopped honeydew melon 

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion 

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper 

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons canola oil 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops, trimmed 

• Cooking spray

::Directions::

1. To prepare salsa, combine the first 7 ingredients; set aside.
2. To prepare pork chops, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. 
3. Combine oil and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. 
4. Rub oil mixture over both sides of pork chops. 
5. Coat pan with cooking spray. 
6. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
7. Serve with salsa 

Happy Eating!

Signed,

Tiesha

Avo Tacos

In honor of Taco Tuesday, a healthier alternative to consider!

'Avo Tacos'

Makes 6 halves 

::Ingredients::

• 3 medium ripe avocados 

• Juice of 2 fresh limes

• 1 lb. ground meat of choice (consider using grass-fed beef, Tiesha's suggestion: An alternative would be to use ground turkey for a leaner option)

• 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced 

Homemade taco seasoning:

       Side note: You will only use about half of this mix per pound of meat, or to taste

• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder 

• 1/8 tsp garlic powder 

• 1/8 tsp onion powder 

• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 

• 1/8 tsp dried oregano 

• 1/4 tsp paprika 

• 1 tsp cumin powder 

• 1/2 tsp sea salt 

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

::Directions::

1. Halve avocados, brush with fresh lime juice, sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
2. Brown meat with the onion in a skillet over medium heat. Once cooked through, drain well. 
3. Add homemade taco seasoning (I add a sprinkle at a time, and taste test until it's right) and 1 Tbsp hot water. 
4. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until flavors combine.
5. Scoop hot meat into avocados.
6. Allow each person to top their Avo-Taco as they wish

Fresh taco toppings of choice:

• diced tomatoes 

• fresh pico

• cilantro 

• olives 

Happy Eating!

Sincerely,

Tiesha

Welcome to my food blog!

Welcome to my newest blog for all things food!

If you have looked at my other blog then you probably know I have a tendency to share recipes. So in the interest of being able to post more about food I have started this blog. Here I will discuss all things food. Recipes I want to try, recipes I have tried, recipes YOU have to try, and so on. Be sure to check back periodically and let me know what you want to see more of. Happy eating :)

Sincerely
Tiesha