Salted Cod Fish Salad - Bacalao Salad

This is a very traditional dish in Puerto Rico.  There isn't a restaurant in Puerto Rico that will not have this on, but they literally drown it in olive oil.  It is usually served with root vegetables like: yucca (cassava), batata (sweet potato), etc.  I love it with any of the root veggies but there's no reason why we can't have it starch free. I packed it with lettuce and broccoli and just the perfect amount of olive oil.  I made a side of green bananas for the family.   

This is a very versatile fish and I have many recipes coming on this.  The saltiness, toasted garlic and vinaigrette flavors just come together so beautifully or as my friend put it, "I put my foot in it!" which means it is really delicious! This is an awesome salad any time of year, especially in the summer.  It is a dish that summons up a bit of nostalgia because it was my abuelita's favorite and she was my favorite person in the whole world.  Perfect dish for  those who are not eating meat on Fridays or any day of the week!

Cobb salad on a Zucchini boat

My new favorite breakfast!! I was in the mood for egg salad but was not in the mood for carbs but I was feeling kinda hungry and needed a little more then eggs.  I opened up my refrigerator trying to figure out what I can eat and there was a large zucchini........hmmmmm. So I scooped out the middle of the zucchini and loaded it with my avocado egg salad.  It just didn't look complete so I added some arugula, cooked up some pancetta and topped it with balsamic vinegar and VIOLA....A COBB salad!!

 

This was so filling that I didn't feel hungry till much later in the afternoon. My husband packed the other half for lunch the next day and I got a text from him saying this was a great, refreshing lunch! So yes, you can make it the day before and take it for lunch and there is no soggy salad and there's no oil!  We ate it like a hot dog. You'll know how difficult it is to eat gluten free on the go, right? It's not like we could stop and have a hot dog or a burger.  So I have a thing with foods that I can walk and eat with. Ok, Ok so it's not an artisan hand held food, whatever!! Don't judge! it's still hand held and  light!

Shepherd's Pie, Gluten Free and dairy free

So I guess you can say I am truly a meat and potatoes kinda gal.  Snow day today and what's better then having delicious Shephard's pie! Especially if its gluten free and dairy free! With St. Patrick's Day just a few days away I thought this was the perfect dish for today.  There's something about the combination of hearty meat and and warm mashed potatoes that warms my body and soul when it's as cold as it is outside.  

I made this dish using cauliflower but decided to use one potato for texture. I also used coconut unsweetened milk and ghee to make it dairy free and the results are absolutely yummy!!  I usually make this dish using beef and was a bit hesitant about using the turkey but I have to say it really was just as delicious as the beef! However, the beef only added one extra Smart point so if you prefer the beef just follow the same recipe but replace the chicken broth with beef broth.  

I know I used a lot more meat then usual but I had a 3 pound package of meat and figured I would just save the leftovers rather than splitting the meat package and I'm glad I did.  This dish went very quickly and I still had plenty of leftovers.  The cauliflower mix was very creamy so if you like a thicker mashed, you may want to reduce the milk to 1/4 cup instead of 1/3 cup.  

By the way, You can make this in the pressure cooker too.  Just use the saute setting first,  add the meat and follow the directions below for the most part, just eliminate the 15 min of simmer. Using the rack, place the cauliflower and potato on top. pressure cook for no more then 15 min.

Sweet Potato Hash with Turkey Kielbasa

I love the sweet and savory flavors in this dish.  Top this with a fried egg and an oozing yolk and you got a whole new level of deliciousness!! This was a really easy and quick dish to make but it looks like a you slaved over the stove to make it, no worries I won't tell!  The key to this dish is to cut the cubes evenly.  I steamed the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 6 minutes then cooked them on a cast iron pan.

Here's what it looks like with the eggs.  This is a really great dish after a hard workout.  It's filling and nutrient dense.  Sweet potatoes are rich in anti-oxidants and are very effective at raising blood levels of vitamin A, C and B6 which supports energy.  A 3.5oz serving provides almost 90% of vitamin A needs.  This is a carb worth eating.

Baked Lemon Chicken Cutlets

This gluten free baked chicken cutlets are so delicious.  I went to a dinner with some coworkers and someone ordered this dish and I couldn't keep my eyes off of it.  I couldn't try it because it was not gluten free but I couldn't wait to try making it gluten free and of course light!  and make it I did! The chicken is crispy and the sauce has a garlic lemon flavor made with very little fat.   

I made extra sauce and poured it over some zucchini noodles and doubled my chicken portion and it was perfect!  You can throw this over any kind of noodles or eat it with a salad.  

Gluten free Avocado Toast

I can't get enough of avocado toast! And from the looks of it, I'm not alone. Everywhere I look avocado toast is on the menu.  It's rarely gluten free but that's OK, its easy enough to make. This craze is not surprising because this stuff is as delicious as it is healthy.