PALEO Mexican-inspired burgers

One of my favorite bloggers is Juli Bauer from PaleOMG!  I first starting getting interested in eating Paleo because of Ms Juli's amazingly delicious-sounding recipes. And I have a girl crush on her, but shh don't tell her.  She's hilarious, self-deprecating, and incredibly fit, and I'm hella jealous.  But in a good way, because she creates phenomenal recipes that I want to eat, thus helping me lead a healthier lifestyle.

So this recipe - Mexican-inspired burgers - is courtesy of Juli from PaleOMG - and is f***ing fenomenal (yes I know it's spelled wrong, but I'm going for the alliteration angle here, y'all ;) )

My pictures didn't turn out as nicely, but whatevs.  I'm making these again, probably once a week because of how easy they were to make, and how yummy they were.  The avocado/pepper sauce is my new favorite food discovery... and I put it on everything now - my salsa verde turkey burgers, chicken, veggies, fish, etc...

Without further ado, here's how I made these amazing Mexican-inspired burgers!!! :)

Slice a red onion...

 ...slice some mushrooms...

 ...Add both to a pan with some heated coconut oil, sauteeing until cooked, add 1/2 jar of roasted red peppers (sliced as well) and continue cooking... and top with a bunch of yummy seasonings...

 ...Then take 1 lb of ground beef, add diced green chilis...

 ...Mix using your hands until well mixed, form into patties, and toss on a grill pan...

 ...don't forget to stir the veggies!

 ...grill for a few minutes on each side until you get nice grill marks (as exhibited by the burgers on the left)...

 ...While burgers are cooking, add the remaining roasted red peppers plus two avocados and some more spices to a food processor and blend until smooth...

 ...and suddenly a yellowish sauce appears...

 ...and then you can finally plate your burger, veggies and sauce, and stop taking pictures and just enjoy the blissful spiciness with the creamy "cheesy" sauce.  Dizamn.  Thank you Juli.

Here's the recipe!!! I did not modify a single thing... there is no need, it's simply FABULOUS.  If you're anything like me, you'll probably eat the "cheese" sauce straight without anything to accompany it, and you know what?  That's ok. Just enjoy it.  Trust me.

Garden full of goodness Lasagna

One of the things I love most about summer?  Fresh summer vegetables.  Seriously.  So delicious.

One of my favorite recipes happens to be by a (soon-to-be-former) Food Network chef who recently got herself in trouble for some comments she made. If you don't know me, I DO NOT condone hate of any shape or form, racial, gender, socio/economic, etc., PERIOD.  I also firmly believe that we all say dumb sh*t sometimes that we regret, but that we hopefully learn from it and become better people once we admit our mistake.  And life goes on.  It sucks that Ms Deen is having her sins blasted on public television for everyone to judge, but seriously y'all... Judge not lest ye be judged.

But regardless, this recipe is SO good, I had to tell you about it... It is appropriately titled Garden full of goodness Lasagna, and it is just that.  Full of goodness, and your garden. :)

So here we go - here's how I made it!!!

Take a bunch of veggies.  Seriously.  A bunch.  Yellow squash, zucchini, red onion, mushroom, red pepper, green pepper and carrots, and chop...

... and start adding them to a big pot...

...try to chop them to be similar sizes so they cook evenly...

...add water to cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and let simmer for 10 minutes... meanwhile, you can start working on the BEST HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE IN THE WORLD....

...combine canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, fresh chopped basil, salt n pepper, and you let it simmmmmer until all the flavors are blended... you can add seasonings (such as Italian seasoning or oregano) for additional yumminess... note - I DOUBLE the recipe for the sauce, as I find the sauce just isn't enough for my taste...

...by now, your veggies should be done simmering, so drain them very very well - you don't want too much water in your lasagna or it will be soggy... let cool, and while you're doing that, start making the cheese layer by combining cream cheese, cottage cheese and an egg...

...mix well... and then get all your other ingredients (shredded mozz, provolone, and lasagna noodles, of course!) ready so you can start layering up your lasagna!

Start by putting 1/3 of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the well-greased lasagna pan, then 4 lasagna noodles, then 1/2 cream cheese mixture, and then 1/2 of veggie mixture.  Add next 1/3 of the sauce, then top with 6 provolone slices and the mozz... 

...repeat the process with 4 noodles, rest of cream cheese mixture, remaining veggies...

...remaining sauce and then finally, remaining provolone and mozz... place in preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes until gorgeously browned on top, as so...

...continue to admire your handywork...

...and then plate.  And if you're like me, you will start eating before you take a pretty picture to post on your blog :) :) :)

The other surprising thing?  It's actually quite healthy, with all the veggies, especially if you use reduced fat/fat free cream cheese, cottage cheese, provolone and shredded mozz. Which I did, of course, and you would never know the difference as the flavors are just WOW.

So go ahead... check out Garden Full of Goodness Lasagna recipe modified by moi here!.

Let me know what you think.  Am I wrong to share her recipe with you?  Or, as fellow food lovers, do you still appreciate a great meal?  Plus, we can all forgive, right? We all make dumb mistakes, some just more publicly than others :)

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!!

Easy shrimp wrap with peach salsa and avocado

I am so loving my new life in Florida.  There's a green market every Saturday a few blocks from my new apartment... and it's not just any green market with a couple of stands of fresh fruit and veggies.  It's an entire city block with yes, fruit and veggies, but also, lemonade, pies, olive oils, seafood, orchids, and other homemade/homegrown crafts. It's phenomenal.

This past Saturday, I went hog wild.

I bought fresh fruit, avocados, an orchid, and seafood... and I've been eating like a friggin queen.  Hence the inspiration for this incredibly yummy and super easy dish - Shrimp, peach salsa and avocado wrap.  Given that summer is here, you are going to want to make this, every single day for lunch.  SOOO fresh and bright, yet filling....

Here's how I made it!

First, I started by making a peach salsa... take 3-4 peaches, remove the seed, and dice.  Seed (using gloves!) a jalapeno, and mince it.  Dice a red onion.  Chop some cilantro.  Add a bit of lemon juice, mix...

Take a whole wheat tortilla, heap a generous dose of peach salsa...

...slice 1/4 of an avocado into nice even slices and lay on top...

... place freshly steamed shrimp on top...

...roll up...

...marvel at the beautiful colors...

...but not for too long.  Eat into that deliciousness and bask in flavors and textures of the creamy avocado, the hearty shrimp and the bright, fresh, sweet flavors of the peach salsa.  A winning combo, y'all.

Continue reading for the recipe, or click here for a printable version!

Easy shrimp, avocado and peach salsa wrap
By me!

Ingredients:
3-4 peaches, ripe1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, stem removed, seeded and minced
2-3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 T lemon juice
4-5 large shrimp, deveined, deshelled and steamed
1/4 ripe avocado, sliced
1 whole wheat wrap

Directions:
1. Make peach salsa  - Dice the peaches into 1/4" cubes, add the diced red onion, minced jalapeno and chopped cilantro, add lemon juice to taste, mix to combine.
2. Top one whole wheat wrap with peach salsa, sliced avocado, and shrimp. Roll wrap.
3. Don't hold out - go ahead and DEVOUR.

So easy, so simple... so delicious...