Easter Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus and Artichoke Hearts (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

This Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus and Artichoke Hearts is perfect for Easter brunch.

Easter is so late this year that some people might think I'm jumping the gun with a recipe called Easter Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus and Artichoke Hearts.  But every store I visit lately seems to have asparagus on sale, and you really don't have to wait until it's Easter to make this, I promise.  Besides the lovely combination of asparagus and artichoke hearts, this breakfast casserole also has crumbled goat cheese and low-fat Mozzarella.  I loved everything about this; hope you enjoy!

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Alice Springs Chicken Casserole (Low-Carb, Freezer-Friendly)

My brother-in-law Kelly's version of Alice Springs Chicken from Outback Steakhouse.

(Recipe updated to a smaller and lighter version with better photos and step-by-step instructions, March 2014.)  At Outback Steak House there's a dish called Alice Springs Chicken. made of chicken breasts topped with bacon, mushrooms, cheese and a creamy sauce. My brother-in-law Kelly re-created it back on 2006, and I used his version as the inspiration for Alice Springs Chicken Casserole in the early days of my blog. The casserole is definitely is a delicious combination of flavors, but my food preferences have changed since then, and now I wouldn't normally make a casserole that uses bottled Alfredo sauce.  But the recipe has quite a few fans, and the original photo was pretty horrible, so recently I re-did this recipe with new photos, making a smaller version of the recipe that's a bit lighter than the one my brother-in-law came up with.  If bottled Alfredo sauce is a deal-breaker for you, I think it would be fun to try this with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce, something that's been on my to-try list for ages now, and using the Creamy Cauliflower Sauce would also make this gluten-free. If anyone tries that option, I'd love to hear how it works!

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Recipe for Sriracha Beef Cabbage Bowl

This Sriracha Beef Cabbage Bowl is just the right amount of spicy for me, but you can use less heat.

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and this Sriracha Beef Cabbage Bowl that was inspired by my good friend Jeanne is something I've made over and over.  Cut up your own cabbage or use a coleslaw mix without carrots if you're making this for Phase one.)

I love it when I get a good cooking idea from one of my favorite people, and my friend Jeanne was the brains behind this Sriracha Beef Cabbage Bowl recipe, which I've already cooked and devoured several times.  Jeanne has already made an appearance on the blog, because one of my all-time favorite salad recipes was created in honor of her wedding.  Then last summer she came for lunch to check out the new house, and I made two of my favorite recipes for her.  Jeanne had the brilliant idea to pile the meat from Quick Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps on top of Spicy Mexican Slaw, and this recipe was born.  The creamy coolness of the cabbage slaw is the perfect partner to the spicy Sriracha beef in this recipe; hope you enjoy!

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Pressure Cooker All-Beef Ancho and Anaheim Chili (Low-Carb, Can Be Paleo)

All beef chili with Ancho and Anaheim chile peppers, made in the pressure cooker.

I'm always trying to eat more vegetables and skip the meat, but when a reader asked me on Facebook about a recipe for beef chili without beans, it seemed like a perfect dish to try in my new Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker.  And I was impressed with how only 15 minutes at high pressure produced meat that was falling-apart tender, as if you had cooked it all day in the slow cooker.  When we tested the recipe I liked this best with a generous amount of cheese and sour cream to cool down the spicy flavor from the ground Ancho chiles and diced anaheims, but this Pressure Cooker All-Beef Ancho and Anaheim Chili Can Be Paleo if you eat it without the toppings.  You better make it soon though, because chili-eating days aren't going to be along for much longer, and I couldn't be happier about the warmer weather that's coming!

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Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Bite-sized and delicious, these Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots are great for a snack or a low-carb side dish!

When a food idea takes off on Pinterest, it can quickly spread around the web, and I know that's where I first saw the idea of finely chopped cauliflower made into cauliflower "Tater-Tots." The original deep-fried Tater-Tots are one of those foods from childhood that I kept liking way into adulthood, and I love the idea of a healthier version made from cauliflower, so the minute I saw this I knew I'd be trying it.  I saw ideas for califlower tots that looked tasty from several other bloggers, but every recipe I found had an ingredient I didn't want to use (like breadcrumbs, cornmeal, heavy cream, or butter) so I started experimenting to come up with my own version.

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Roasted Italian Sausage Soup with Garbanzos, Lentils, and Tomatoes (Gluten-Free)

One of my favorite soups with Roasted Italian Sausage, Garbanzos, Lentils, and Tomatoes!

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, March 2014.)  I have so many good soups back in the archives that need a photo update that this winter I've been trying to make soup at least once a week and take new photos.  This soup has roasted turkey Italian sausage, garbanzos, lentils, and tomatoes, all ingredients I love so it's not a surprise that this is also one of my favorite soups.  When I first made this I had lots of slow roasted tomatoes in the freezer, so I used those for some of the tomato flavor.  This time I had to make the soup with just petite diced tomatoes in a can, but it was still really good.  Luckily I have some basil growing in the kitchen window again; the pop of fresh basil flavor was really great in this.  But even even without the fresh basil this is a lovely soup recipe; hope you'll try it if you get a cold wet spring day where soup sounds good!

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South Beach Diet Friendly Chicken Nuggets with Almond Meal (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Make your own South Beach Diet Friendly Chicken Nuggets and they're Low-Carb and Gluten-Free!

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and these delicious South Beach Diet Friendly Chicken Nuggets are coated with almond meal for amazing flavor in a chicken nugget that's low-carb and Gluten-free.)

I'm not a mom who's trying to feed kids while sticking to the South Beach Diet, but if I was, I'm guessing I'd be even more excited about this way of making chicken nuggets so they're South Beach Diet friendly. The inspiration for the recipe came from my lovely friend Bonnie who adapted a recipe that used Bisquick into a South Beach approved version using almond meal or almond flour.  Bonnie's having great success on South Beach, trying out a new way of cooking and eating that she says she knows she will stick to for the rest of her life, and this chicken recipe is one of her great experiments. (Thanks Bonnie!)

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Ottolenghi's Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce and Sumac (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Ottolenghi's Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs with Tzatziki and Sumac, finally perfected!

I'm a long-time fan of Israeli-born chef Yotam Ottolenghi.  I have all his cookbooks and love his signature style of cooking with an emphasis on Middle Eastern flavors and herbs.  So when I saw a recipe for Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion and Cumin in Jerusalem, I couldn't wait to experiment with it.  And then I tried over and over and over again to get the recipe to work as Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs, and no matter what I did my meatballs fell completely apart when I tried to cook them.  If the flavor combinations in this recipe hadn't been such a wow for me, I would have just given up on the idea, but I devoured every batch of meatballs that wasn't quite blog-worthy (and definitely not photo-worthy), so I kept pondering what made my meatballs so fragile compared to the burger patties in the book.  And I'm glad I persevered and cracked the meatballs code, because the final version of this recipe was such a keeper.  I did three important things to get the recipe to work as meatballs in my American kitchen.

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Things I'm Thinking About on Tuesday (3-18-2014)

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of my niece-by-marriage Sara, who organized this surprise!

I promised to be more consistent sharing Things I'm Thinking About, and lately I've been thinking over and over about how blessed I am to have such a wonderful extended family.  If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you might have seen the surprise above that was a generous Christmas gift from the entire Denny family, but I want to document it here and formally thank my wonderful niece Sara who organized the purchase and delivery of Aunt Kalyn's Kitchen to the playroom that's in the unfinished basement of my new house.  (It was fun to notice that a few of the little ones were even sharp enough to get the joke in the name; some of them have seen Kalyn's Kitchen on the iPad!)

A few years ago another delightful surprise gift that was organized by Sara also made the blog, and as you can see, she's as creative as she is thoughtful.  Thank you so much Sara, for organizing this and helping to make Aunt Kalyn's playroom even better for all the little ones in the family.

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Slow Cooker White Bean, Mushroom, and Rosemary Spaghetti Squash Bowl

Love this delicious white bean and mushroom ragout, served in a bowl over spaghetti squash!

A few months ago a reader named Amy sent me this recipe for Rosemary, Mushroom, and Chickpea Ragout served over toast, and I printed the recipe and added it to my big folder of "must cook" ideas.  (Thanks Amy!)  Then a few weeks later I was flipping through my friend Stephanie's newest book 365 Slow Cooker Suppers and I noticed a slow cooker recipe with similar flavors.  So you know where this is going don't you?  I combined ideas from both those recipes, plus a few thoughts of my own, and came up with this Slow Cooker White Bean, Mushroom, and Rosemary Spaghetti Squash Bowl.  Jake and I loved this, and he also thought it was delicious served over rice if you'd prefer that to the spaghetti squash version.  Whether you eat it on toast, over rice, or in a bowl with spaghetti squash, this mushroom and bean ragout is a satisfying blend of flavors.

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Lentil Soup with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Cumin (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This Vegan Lentil Soup with Spinach and Tomatoes has plenty of flavor from the cumin and other spices.

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, March 2014.)  In Utah we're having a burst of spring-like weather lately.  Not that I would ever complain about spring coming early, but all winter I've been cooking and re-photographing some of my favorite soups from the past and now I'm feeling like I need to get them posted before it really is spring.  My love of lentils is pretty well documented on the blog, and this lentil soup from 2008 is made mostly from simple pantry ingredients, but it's loaded with flavor due to the cumin seeds, ground coriander, onions, garlic, and paprika that flavor the soup.  This delightful soup is vegan, but if you don't care about that I'd love this with a generous dollop of Greek yogurt added at the table.

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Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette (Low-Carb, Paleo, Gluten-Free)

This Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette was simple and bursting with flavor.

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and since there's a green-foods day coming up soon I can't think of anything better than a big plate of Barely Cooked Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette.  In Utah I'm noticing asparagus is starting to go on sale, enjoy!)

This easy recipe for barely-cooked asparagus drizzled with lemon-mustard vinaigrette was part of an asparagus binge I got started on after I made Roasted Wild Salmon and Asparagus with Double Lemon Oil.   I guess if you're going to binge on a certain food, eating a lot of asparagus is not all bad, wouldn't you agree?  And there are so many ways to make asparagus taste amazing with little effort, that when I see asparagus start to appear in the market every spring, I usually can't resist buying some!

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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Soup

For everyone who loves Red Beans and Rice, here are the same flavors in a slow cooker soup!

For years I've been a fan of Red Beans and Rice made in the slow cooker, and that recipe has been quite a hit on the blog.  What inspired me to come up with a version of slow cooker red beans and rice in soup form was the discovery of Amylu Chicken Andouille Sausage at Costco, a product I'll probably use now when I make the original red beans and rice recipe.  Sadly the sausage didn't show up at Costco in time for me to post this recipe for Mardi Gras, but these flavors always help me remember great times I've had in New Orleans, and love the spicy flavors that city is famous for.  When I shared some of this with my sister Pam she wasn't sure if her family would like it, since some of them don't like things too spicy, but halfway through dinner she texted me and said it was a hit.  If you're cooking for kids you might use a bit less of the spicy Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning though, and those who want more heat can add Green Tabasco Sauce at the table.

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Healthier Irish-Inspired Favorites For St. Patrick's Day

My healthier versions of some Irish-American favorites to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

(Updated March 2014 with more options and better photos.)  Even if you don't have even the tiniest bit of Irish blood, you're still probably aware that next week is St. Patrick's Day.  I don't remember my mom ever cooking special food for this day, and since I've been a food blogger I've learned that many foods Americans cook for this holiday are not really Irish at all.  I am a little bit Irish, but even so I'm not claiming that my favorites in this post are authentic Irish recipes.  Still they're a fun way to celebrate the day, and most of these are lightened up a bit from the Irish-Americans foods that are often eaten on this day.  Enjoy!

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Vegan Red Cabbage Bowl with Tofu and Peanut-Sriracha Sauce

Red Cabbage, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and baked tofu cubes, drizzled with peanut-Sriracha sauce.

Everyone who loves crunchy sweet raw red cabbage, please raise your hand.  (Kalyn has both hands raised.)  If you're not raising your hand I hope you'll consider making this Vegan Red Cabbage Bowl using crisp lettuce in place of the cabbage because I loved how the flavors combined  in this recipe, and I'd hate for any cabbage-avoiders to miss out on the other good things here.  Two things that ramp up the flavor are tossing the tofu cubes with a soy-sesame-ginger marinade before they're baked, and a hint of Sriracha in the peanut butter flavored sauce to give it just the right amount of spicy kick.  I made this a couple of times and in the final version I scattered the tofu cubes over the salad like croutons before I drizzled the sauce over, and I thought that was the perfect finishing touch.

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Cauliflower with Garlic and Lemon (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan)

Cauliflower, garlic, and lemon; three of my favorite flavors in one dish.

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, March 2014.)  Have you heard that cauliflower is the new trendy vegetable for 2014?  I don't know who decides these things, but personally I'm kind of excited to see a versatile and low-glycemic vegetable like cauliflower getting the spotlight!  My love for cauliflower is well documented in the recipe archives, but there are quite a few of my early cauliflower recipes that can really use a photo update, like this amazing way to cook cauliflower I posted in 2006 when I was infatuated with Mark Bittman's wonderful book The Best Recipes in the World.  In this recipe with Tuscan origins, the cauliflower is briefly simmered, then sauteed in a generous amount of olive oil that's been seasoned with garlic and finished with both lemon zest and lemon juice.  This is a pretty garlic-flavored dish, which was fine with me. But if you're not sure how much you like garlic, or if you're planning a romantic evening, you might want to reduce the amount of garlic.

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Spice-Rubbed and Roasted Fish Fillets (Low-Carb, Paleo)

Delicious roasted fish with a spicy herb rub is a great low-carb dinner.

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and I love both this easy method of roasting fish fillets and the spicy rub that's used on the fish.  You can make this with Orange Roughy, Halibut, Cod, or Tilapia, hope you enjoy!)

I've always loved New Orleans and the spicy food you ind there, so this recipe for Spice-Rubbed and Roasted Fish Fillets featuring Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning appeals to me both for how easy the recipe is and the spicy flavors of the fish.  I first discovered Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning about 20 years ago after I'd been to New Orleans and a friend from Louisiana recommended it as being her favorite spicy blend for that New Orleans flavor (thanks Teddy!)  Since then I've always had it in my spice drawer, and I've used it in a few favorite recipes like Quick and Easy Spicy Broiled Shrimp and Creole Seasoned and Pan-Fried Pork Cutlets.  If you like a little spicy flavor in your food, I'm betting you'll love this idea for spicy fish!

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Ground Turkey Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole with Red and Green Chiles (Gluten-Free)

This Ground Turkey Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole was so good, I had leftovers for breakfast one day.

I'm a casserole-loving girl, and after I came up with Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole earlier this year, I kept thinking about variations of that recipe that might be good.  Then one day at the store I noticed Hatch had a gluten-free version of their Red Chile Enchilada Sauce, and that got my creative cooking energy working a bit more.  This Ground Turkey Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole with Red and Green Chiles uses the red chile sauce but has layers of whole green chiles as well, for a flavorful casserole that will really get your tastebuds going.  And just like the chicken mock enchilada casserole, there's plenty of cheese and a little sour cream to tone down the heat.  Jake and I gobbled this up when we tested the recipe, and then I had leftovers for breakfast yesterday after I found them in the fridge, so I think I can say it's a keeper!

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Kalyn's Kitchen Picks: Eat Well Embrace Life Edamame Hummus

This Edamame Hummus is a tasty treat that will get you to eat your veggies!

I'm always on the lookout for healthy options for a snack because I'm one of those people who nibbles all day long, and those nibbles can really add up if you're snacking on the wrong things!  Of course I've loved Hummus as a healthy snack for years, but I did a little double-take when I spotted this Edamame Hummus from Eat Well Embrace Life (at Costco, where else?)  First of all, don't you love Eat Well Embrace Life as the name of a food company?  But what really got me excited about this product was the nutritional information on the label showing two tablespoons of this hummus has only 2 carbs.  That's really great news because after all, who actually eats only two tablespoons of hummus?   The hummus is also gluten-free and sugar-free, and although it has 7 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons, it's good fat like sesame oil and olive oil.  Best of all, I think this stuff is really good with vegetables, and anything that gets me to eat more veggies is a winner in my book!

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Pressure Cooker Mexican Beans with Avocado-Poblano Salsa (Vegan)

Pressure Cooker Mexican Beans are quick and easy.

I love black beans and garbanzos, but if I could only have one type of beans, I'd have to choose creamy and delicious pinto beans for my favorite.  In the past I've loved them in creamy Pressure Cooker Refried Beans and my favorite Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes, and this recipe for Pressure Cooker Mexican Beans with Avocado-Poblano Salsa is also going to be one of those pinto bean recipes that get repeated often.   I made these a few times in my new Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker to get the timing and the seasonings just perfect, but it's probably the addition of avocado salsa that really puts them over the top, although if you don't want to bother making salsa, the beans would also be excellent topped with a purchased guacamole (like the Good Foods Chunky Guacamole Single Serve Cups I posted about recently.) 

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South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-up for February 2014 (Low-Glycemic Recipes)

Kalyn's favorite Phase One Recipes from February 2014 were Baked Eggs in Canadian Bacon Cups, Roasted Cabbage with Lime and Sriracha, Baked Chicken Strips with Mustard, Almond, and Parmesan, and Easy Taco Soup.

It's March, and personally I couldn't be happier about it.  Not that I should be complaining because at my house it only snowed a couple of times in February, and the last few days we've been having temperatures in the 60s!  Everyone in Utah doesn't know whether to celebrate or worry, because usually when it gets warm early like this, we end up getting dumped on with snow in late April or early May, when everyone has their garden planted and we really want it to be warm.  So for now we're kind of holding our breath and sending condolences to people on the east coast who seem to be getting all the snow.  Of course the new month means it's time for me to round up all the South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes I posted or spotted on other blogs during the past month and add it to our archives of Phase One Round-ups.  And once again there are a lot of good ones, enjoy!

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