Cuban Flank Steak Recipe (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Can Be Paleo)

Flank steak is delicious when it's marinated in Cuban flavors and grilled.

 (For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites,  and this Cuban Flank Steak is one of my most-used ways to cook beef on the grill.   If you're grilling for a beef-loving Dad this weekend, I can promise this will be a hit!)

In one of my previous lives, before I became a food blogger and a South Beach Dieter, I used to be president of my local teacher's association, aka the teacher's union. This was a demanding high-pressure job that I sometimes loved, sometimes hated, but one thing I did enjoy about the job was the chance to travel. I went all over the U.S., and it was in Miami Beach that I had my first experience with Cuban food. I loved the way beef and pork were marinated in lime juice in the Cuban cuisine, so a few years ago I tried to re-create that flavor in this flank steak. If you like flank steak, give this flavorful Cuban-style marinade a try!

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Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Cheesy Bowl (Vegetarian, Gluten-Free)

Use the CrockPot to cook this Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Cheesy Bowl and keep the kitchen cool.

When you live where it's hot in the summer, using the slow cooker to cook amazing food without heating up the house is one of the best tricks I know.  In fact, on my slow cooker site I feature Slow Cooker Summer Dinners each year, and this Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Bowl would make a perfect summer dinner cooked in the CrockPot.  It took me a couple of tries to get this recipe just right, and for the final version I had the wild idea of cutting up some cubes of string cheese and stirring them into the rice and beans mixture for the last 30 minutes of cooking time, so this is a spicy brown rice and black bean cheesy bowl.  Everyone likes cheesy don't they?  I tested several versions of this out on my niece Kara and her family, and they gave the thumbs up to the version with cheese, but it's definitely optional if you prefer it without the cheese.

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Easy Recipe for Red, White, and Blueberry Salad

Red White and Blueberry Salad is deliciously easy and perfect for summer parties!

I definitely had good intentions of posting this Red White and Blueberry Salad (with strawberries, banana, and blueberries) before Memorial Day, since it's such a perfectly colored salad for a patriotic holiday.  But instead I spent the weekend going with my friend Susan and her kids to a soccer game, hosting a family party, and having overnight guests who went with me to visit graves on Monday.  Luckily the Fourth of July is just around the corner, another perfect occasion for red, white, and blue food!

Some people may be surprised to see a fruit salad on my blog, and it's true fruit has much more sugar than vegetables.  But lately I've been hearing a lot about the health benefits of berries, and luckily they're some of my favorite fruits.  I did use a lot of blueberries and strawberries and very little banana in the salad (since bananas are much higher in sugar.)  I also use low-carb vanilla yogurt for the dressing, or if you don't want artificial sweetener, you can make your own dressing with plain fat-free Greek yogurt with a touch of vanilla and agave nectar.  (I tried both, and I think I prefer the homemade dressing.)  This is probably Phase 3 for South Beach Dieters, but it's a wonderful treat for a holiday meal.

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Slow Cooker Frittata with Broccoli, Ham, and Swiss (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

An easy-to-make and delicious slow cooker frittata for brunch or lunch!

It feels like Easter has been on the back burner at my house, but I do have the excuse of having very cute houseguests for five days, an internet outage for a day, and a couple of days recovering from food poisoning!  Of course there are plenty of Easter menu ideas if you check the Easter Recipes, but I wanted to get this Slow Cooker Frittata with Broccoli, Ham, and Swiss posted just in case you're looking for a new idea for brunch, or have a surplus of eggs in the fridge after Easter.  This is my fourth time making a frittata in the slow cooker, and I'm a total convert to this method.   This time I added some texture by using thin strips of ham and cheese layered on top of the broccoli, and this one was eaten up pretty quickly at my house!

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Casserole with Brown Rice, Ground Turkey, Green Pepper, Mushrooms, and Feta (Gluten-Free)

A delicious casserole with brown rice, ground turkey, green pepper, mushrooms, and Feta.

I realize that it's almost time to stop thinking about casseroles and start thinking about salads, but before it gets too hot to turn on the oven, can I urge you to try this delicious Casserole with Brown Rice, Ground Turkey, Green Pepper, Mushrooms, and Feta?  I worked on this for a few weeks to get a version I thought was just amazing, and I gave it a long name so you could see all the delicious ingredients tucked into this casserole with a lot of ground turkey, green pepper, mushrooms, and Feta and just a little bit of brown rice.  I tried it out on several people who all said it was a keeper; 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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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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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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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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Recipe for Florida Butter Bean (or Lima Bean) Soup with Ham and Cabbage

Butter Bean Soup with Ham and Cabbage can be made with dried or canned beans.

(Updated with better photos, plus instructions for using either dried or canned beans, February 2014.)  If you're someone who might be inclined to turn up your nose at the mention of lima beans, stay with me for a minute here.   I first made this soup with Florida Butter Beans, (a type of heirloom baby lima bean, also known as Calico Pole Beans) that I bought in San Francisco from Rancho Gordo Beans.  The Florida Butter Beans are creamy and delicious, and if you can find those (or something similar) I highly recommend making this soup starting with dried beans that you've soaked overnight.  But when I decided this recipe *must* have an updated photo, I decided to try it with canned butter beans from the supermarket, and I was happily surprised at how good it was that way too.  If you still can't wrap your mind around the idea of butter beans or lima beans, try the soup with a different type of white bean!

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Cheesy Vegetarian Brown Rice Casserole with Broccoli and Mushrooms

I devoured this Cheesy vegetarian casserole with brown rice, broccoli, and mushrooms.

It took me a couple of dump-in-the-trash attempts to get this Cheesy Vegetarian Brown Rice Casserole with Broccoli and Mushrooms to come out the way I wanted it, but immediately after I finished taking that photo I sat down at the island in my kitchen and devoured the little plate of casserole, so I think experimenting with the recipe turned out to be worth it.  The version that worked out has a few steps that might seem labor intensive, like cooling the rice, reducing the broth, and cooking the mushrooms, onions, and broccoli separately before they get combined into the casserole. Nobody likes a simple recipe more than me, but I do think it's those little touches that helped me get the result I wanted, so I hope people will trust me on the extra steps.  And the recipe makes a generous 8 servings (or 10 side dish servings) so you'll have some to stockpile in the freezer for another day when you don't want to cook!

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Baked Eggs in Canadian Bacon Cups

Baked Eggs in Canadian Bacon Cups is a fun idea for breakfast!

Recently I bought some of my favorite Canadian bacon for a very old recipe I'm planning to update with new photos.  Then I was hit with of those spontaneous creative cooking urges that pop into my mind, and next thing I knew I was making these Baked Eggs in Canadian Bacon Cups.   I thought this was such a fun breakfast idea, and Canadian bacon is low in fat so it makes a healthy breakfast that would be appealing to kids as well as nice to to serve for guests.  I ate mine with a piece of whole-wheat toast to dip into the egg yolk, but if you wanted a low-carb or gluten-free breakfast idea this would also be delicious without the toast.

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Baked Chicken Strips Recipe with Mustard, Almond, and Parmesan

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  These delicious Baked Chicken Strips with Mustard, Almond, and Parmesan were first posted in 2008 and I've made them quite a few times since then.  I'm reducing the cooking time from what was in the original recipe because now I like them slightly less done.) 

I'd recommend this recipe for someone who's starting the South Beach Diet but cooking for a family and trying to think of what the kids will eat that's also phase one! These chicken strips coated with almond meal (or almond flour) and Parmesan instead of bread crumbs are delicious, plus you can prep them the night before, marinate all day while you're at work, and cook them when you get home.

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Easy Taco Soup Recipe from A Pinch of Salt Lake

This Easy Taco Soup was a big hit when I made it this year for my annual New Year's Day soup party!

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, February 2014.)  There are some recipes that become favorites just because they're simple and use ingredients you usually have on hand, and this Easy Taco Soup that I first made years ago is a family-friendly soup I've made over and over for parties.  I adapted the recipe from A Pinch of Salt Lake, a classic old cookbook published by the Junior League of Salt Lake, and this year when I made this soup again for my annual New Year's Day Soup party, I decided it was time to update this post with better photos.  

Almost as fun is eating the soup is the story of how I got the cookbook years ago as a gift from a third-grade student named Nathan.  I'd always wanted the book, so when he showed up at school with it one day, I was quite excited.  In the honest way kids have he said, "My mom didn't think she'd ever use it."  Recently I saw Nathan's mom in the grocery store and she told me he's now 17, which shows how long I've been making this soup!

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Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken (or pork) Lettuce Wraps Recipe with Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauce

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauce is delicious inside lettuce cups or on a sandwich, and my nephew Mitchell loved this inside a quesadilla with some melted cheese.

(Today's pick for the month of  Daily Phase One Recipes is these Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauce.  You can make this with pork if you prefer, but be sure to use low-sugar ketchup and an approved sweetener for Phase One.  You can see all the recipes from the month by clicking Daily Phase One Recipes.  Check after the recipe for Phase One Flashbacks from this day in 2012 and 2013.)

I do have a wonderful recipe for Slow Cooker Sriracha-Pineapple Barbecued Chicken on the blog, but I came up with this recipe when I had some of my favorite kids staying at my house and I wanted a barbecued chicken recipe that was less spicy and more kid-friendly.  This Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauce uses the same flavorful sauce as my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (and you can certainly make these lettuce wraps with pulled pork if you prefer.)  I did notice that the chicken cooks much faster, and soaks up the sauce a bit more than the pork.  I loved this inside a lettuce wrap, but when the kids were here we used it to make some Quesadillas, which my nephew Mitch gobbled up for lunch one day.

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CrockPot Recipe for Southwestern Pot Roast

This delicious Slow Cooker Southwestern Pot Roast has only five ingredients!

(Today's pick for the month of  Daily Phase One Recipes is this delicious CrockPot Southwestern Pot Roast that I've made many times since I first posted it back in 2008.  I need to update this recipe with step-by-step photos, but actually this recipe is so easy you probably don't need them!  You can see all the recipes from the month by clicking Daily Phase One Recipes.  Check after the recipe for Phase One Flashbacks from this day in 2012 and 2013.)

This is one of my Easy South Beach Recipes (with only 5 ingredients)  that uses canned beef broth and salsa add southwestern flavor to pot roast that gets tender and flavorful in the slow cooker.   Please don't skip the preparation steps of browning the roast and reducing the beef broth on the stove before you add it to the slow cooker, because both those steps add a lot of flavor here.  You can do that the night before if you'd like, and then put the browned meat, broth, and salsa in the slow cooker to cook all day on low while you're at work.

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Layered Mexican Casserole Recipe with Chicken, Green Chiles, Pinto Beans, and Cheese

This Layered Mexican Casserole is Phase One and Gluten-Free!

(This Layered Mexican Casserole Recipe with Chicken, Green Chiles, Pinto Beans, and Cheese is a perfect family-friendly choice for our month of Daily Phase One Recipes.  To see all the other recipes from the month, just click on that link, and check after the recipe for Phase One Flashbacks from this day in 2012 and 2013.)

I grew up eating casseroles, which in those days usually had white rice, noodles, pastry, tortillas, or potatoes, and some kind of canned cream soup.   Then I changed my eating habits and didn't want to use those ingredients any more, but I still craved the comfort-food appeal of a casserole, as well as the way they make such great leftovers.  To fill that casserole craving I've been experimenting for several years with updated casserole combinations, using low-glycemic ingredients for a healthier result.  I've come up with quite a few Casserole Recipes that have been winners, but I think this Layered Mexican Casserole with Chicken, Green Chiles, Pinto Beans, and Cheese might be one of my best creations so far! 

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Egg-Crust Breakfast Pizza with Pepperoni, Olives, Mozzarella, and Tomatoes

If you're a fan of cold pizza for breakfast, you'll love this Egg-Crust Breakfast Pizza!

(This favorite breakfast "pizza" where a small amount of egg replaces the crust is today's pick for the month of Daily Phase One Recipes.  You can see all the recipes from the month by clicking that link.  Check after the recipe for Phase One Flashbacks from this day in 2012 and 2013.)

In college my idea of the perfect breakfast was cold pizza, and every pizza had to have pepperoni and olives.  So I guess it's not too surprising that when the idea of Breakfast Pizza popped into my mind, it had to be pepperoni and olive breakfast pizza.  If the idea of pepperoni and olives for breakfast doesn't appeal to you, please try this with your own favorite pizza toppings.  I love this egg-crust pizza, but it took me five attempts to get it just right.  In fact I was telling my friend Laura how I had made it over and over and she asked, "How will you know when it's just right?"  That's actually a pretty good question, but this version fits my vision of an egg-crust pizza for breakfast with not too much egg and a lot of pizza toppings.  Hope you enjoy!

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Recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Sirloin Tip Roast with Balsamic Vinegar, Rosemary, and Red Onions

An inexpensive pork sirloin tip roast gets tender and delicious when cooked in the slow cooker with balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and red onions.

(Here's this week's Phase One Friday and also the daily pick for our month of Daily Phase One Recipes.  You can see all the recipes from the month by clicking that link.  Cook this delicious pork roast over the weekend and then use leftovers over salad or inside lettuce wraps during the week.  Check after the recipe for Phase One Flashbacks from this day in 2012 and 2013.)

Food blogging can be pretty frustrating at times, but especially when you've made a recipe that tasted great, but the photos didn't really make the food look good.  I made this Slow Cooker Pork Sirloin Tip Roast with Balsamic Vinegar, Rosemary, and Red Onions for the second time and the final photos still weren't anything I was happy with, when I noticed this photo of the pork roast in the slow cooker.  I decided that although it's a pretty casual photo it did show how tasty the pork roast looked when it was done.  And since I still have a broken arm (two more weeks, fingers crossed) I decided to share this delicious slow cooker pork roast with the photo I had.  No worries, right?

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Recipe for Low-Sugar Gluten-Free Cranberry Apple Crisp

This festive Cranberry Apple Crisp is made with low-calorie natural sweeteners and it's gluten-free!

Today's my birthday (and if you check that post you can tell it's kind of a significant one), so I'm skipping Meatless Monday this week and going straight to dessert with this delicious recipe for  Low-Sugar and Gluten-Free Cranberry Apple Crisp!   The inspiration for the recipe was a huge bag of cranberries I bought to make my favorite Fresh Cranberry Salsa for Thanksgiving, and I was frankly surprised at how much I loved the combination of fresh cranberries and apples.  I had to make this a couple of times to get it just right, and I might have even loved it a little too much (apple crisp for lunch, mmmm.)  I've never been that much of a fresh cranberry fan, so even if you might think cranberries are not really your thing, be open minded about this one!

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