Tag Archives: lunch

BBQ Pulled Squash

BBQ Pulled Spaghetti Squash - guesswhoscooking.com

This recipe is vegan, but contains no fake meat analogs or anything weird. This recipe contains only 3 ingredients. If you prefer, you could use bottled BBQ sauce, but it will probably have more sugar and other undesirable ingredients. Spaghetti squash is not incredibly tender, so this recipe won’t be as soft as shredded meat, but throw it in a tortilla, a lettuce wrap, or a whole grain bun and it’ll be just fine.

Easy BBQ Pulled Squash (only 3 ingredients)

Serves 3 (about 1 cup each)
Cook time 45 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Misc Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion Barbecue, Casual Party
This recipe is vegan, but contains no fake meat analogs or anything weird. This recipe contains only 3 ingredients. If you prefer, you could use bottled BBQ sauce, but it will probably have more sugar and other undesirable ingredients. Spaghetti squash is not incredibly tender, so this recipe won't be as soft as shredded meat, so throw it in a tortilla, a lettuce wrap, or a whole grain bun and call it a day!

Ingredients

  • 1 small spaghetti squash (yield 3 cups cooked)
  • 8oz tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Salt to taste

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut spaghetti squash in half, then scoop out seeds and discard. Place the 2 halves cut side down in a baking pan. Optional: add about 1/2 inch of water to the pan to help steam the squash.
Step 2
Place pan in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until squash easily shreds with a fork or until you can pierce easily through the skin with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Step 3
Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to shred the insides. Heat a large pan over low heat. Add tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar and stir. Add shredded squash and stir. Cook until the squash reaches desired tenderness, stirring occasionally, about 10-20 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken - healthy, clean, natural, low carb, gluten free, dairy free. https://guesswhoscooking.com

Kung Pao Chicken

Serves 6
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 30 minutes
Allergy Peanuts, Soy, Tree Nuts
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free
Meal type Lunch, Main Dish
Misc Serve Hot
Occasion Casual Party, Formal Party
Region Chinese
This recipe isn't perfectly authentic, but it is tasty and uses pretty wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 cups mushrooms (quartered)
  • 2 bell peppers (chopped)
  • 4-6 green onions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch (non-GMO and/or organic) (divided)
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 3 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
  • 10-12 dried red chiles
  • 1/4 cup nuts, such as peanuts or cashews

Directions

Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine chopped chicken with 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon tamari, Let sit for a few minutes while you chop the other vegetables.
Step 2
Preheat a wok over medium-high heat and add coconut oil. Add chicken and cook until all sides are opaque.
Step 3
Add mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add green onions and dried red chilis and cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, combine tamari, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, and 1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water. Add to the wok after you finish cooking the chicken and vegetables. Stir to combine and turn down heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
Step 5
Top with nuts and serve.

 

Kung Pao Chicken - healthy, clean, natural, low carb, gluten free, dairy free. https://guesswhoscooking.com

Kung Pao Chicken - healthy, clean, natural, low carb, gluten free, dairy free. https://guesswhoscooking.com

 

 

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com   

Ingredients

For dressing:

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 Tablespoons tamari

juice of 1 lime (1 1/2 Tablespoons) (or rice vinegar if you don’t have a lime)

2 teaspoons sambal oelek (or Thai sweet chili sauce)

1/4 cup water

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad Dressing - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com

1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cups red and yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 medium avocado, diced

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Garnish: 1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Optional: Baked tofu*

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com

Directions

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender, food processor, or by stirring in a bowl. Combine all salad ingredients and top with dressing. Top with peanuts or other nuts (optional) as a garnish and serve.

 

*For baked tofu: slice 2 packages of firm tofu (non-GMO and/or organic) into blocks and press between 2 towels to squeeze out some of the water. Cut into cubes, toss with olive oil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until golden, stirring once or twice.

Cauliflower Mash

Serves 6
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Total time 15 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Lunch, Side Dish
Misc Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion Barbecue, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower (roughly chopped into florets (about 3 cups))
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 clove garlic (start with 1)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1
Steam cauliflower for 7-8 minutes, until fork tender. Set aside and let cool.
Step 2
In a food processor, add cooled cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste, or more olive oil to make it creamier.

Cauliflower Mash - Lower-carb, dairy-free, gluten-free, low glycemic, vegan, & vegetarian. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com - @guesswhoscookin on Twitter, Pinterest.com/guesswhoscookin, & Facebook.com/guesswhoscooking

Easy Tuna Lettuce Wraps without Mayo

Easy Mayo-Less Tuna Salad - low carb, gluten free, dairy free, egg free. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin or Pinterest @ www.pinterest.com/guesswhoscookin Tuna salad on lettuce is an easy way to increase vegetables and decrease bread, and is refreshing and delicious!

 

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

 

Ingredients

1 5-oz. can tuna, drained (light tuna preferred, such as tongol or skipjack)

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1 Tablespoon hummus

1 teaspoon capers (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 pieces of romaine lettuce

1/4 medium avocado, sliced (optional)

 

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine tuna, red onion, hummus, Dijon mustard, and capers. Stir to combine. Pile on romaine lettuce leaves and add optional avocado. Serve or refrigerate immediately (with tuna and lettuce separate).

 

Easy Mayo-Less Tuna Salad - low carb, gluten free, dairy free, egg free. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin or Pinterest @ www.pinterest.com/guesswhoscookin

Baked Falafel

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 an onion

4 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Dash black pepper

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until combined, but it’s ok if there are some small chunks. Grease a large baking sheet. Form chickpea mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake about 30  minutes.

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Fishy Nuggets

Fishy Nuggets - Low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy, easy. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Ingredients

2 cans tuna*, drained (or canned salmon, or fresh fish, cooked)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 cup sautéed onion

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, egg, coconut, Dijon, and garlic powder. Heat a nonstick** skillet over medium-high heat, then add about 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil. Form tuna mixture into small nuggets, then add to pan. Once brown on one side, flip to the other side. Once nuggets are brown on both sides, place onto a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) and bake for about 10 minutes, until the inside is fully cooked (contains raw eggs). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fishy Nuggets - Low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy, easy. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

*Tuna: When it comes to mercury content, it’s better to choose skipjack or tongol tuna over albacore. In terms of the environment, it’s best to choose troll or pole caught fish, or look for the blue Certified Sustainable Seafood label from the Marine Stewardship Council. “Chunk light” tuna may be skipjack tuna, which is good, but it can also be yellowfin tuna, which tends to be higher in mercury. For more information, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch website: http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

**Nonstick skillets: I do not recommend Teflon-coating, which is traditionally used in most nonstick pans. I recommend a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a ceramic-coated pan.

Note: You could add other seasonings, or switch out the coconut for another type of filler (oats, almond flour, etc.).

Fishy Nuggets - Low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy, easy. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Asian Cole Slaw

Asian Cole Slaw. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Serves: 6-8

Time: 15-20 minutes

 

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

4 stalks green onions, sliced

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 can mandarin oranges, packed in water or juice, drained

For dressing:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat a skillet over low heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until they start to turn very light brown. Add the sesame seeds and continue to stir often, until toasted but not burnt. Mix together salad dressing ingredients by shaking in a jar, blending in a blender, or whisking in a bowl. This cole slaw tastes best if you toss the cabbage with the dressing 30 minutes prior to serving, then add all other ingredients just prior to serving.

Cajun Meatloaf

Cajun Meatloaf - healthy, less fat, natural ingredients. GuessWhosCooking.com This recipe goes great with Cauliflower Mash!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Bell Peppers, Finely Chopped

3/4 Cup Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped

1/2 Cup Celery, Finely Chopped

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp Hot Sauce (Tabasco preferred)

2 tsp Garlic, Minced

1/2 Tbsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne (Red) Pepper (less if you don’t want it to be spicy)

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 6-oz. Can Tomato Paste (5 Tbsp)

1/2 Cup Light Coconut Milk (or milk if you tolerate dairy)

1/2 Cup Almond Flour (most other flours would probably work too – wheat flour, cashew meal, etc.)

2 Organic Eggs, Lightly Beaten

2 lb. ground meat, organic preferred.

I’ve successfully tried the following combinations:

  • 1 lb ground beef (93% lean) + 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 1/2 lb ground beef (93% lean) + 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb ground pork + 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 lb ground chicken – it is a little dry but still flavorful

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Preheat a frying pan on medium-high heat. Melt coconut oil in pan, then add bell peppers, onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and garlic.

2. Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and nutmeg, and cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3. Add tomato paste and coconut milk, and cook for about 2 more minutes. Place mixture into a large bowl and let cool.

4. When vegetable/spice mixture has cooled, add almond flour, ground meat, and eggs. Mix well (go on, use your hands!).

5. Shape meat mixture into a large loaf on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 350˚F, then 25-35 minutes at 400˚F, until meat is done (165˚F internal temperature). Cajun Meatloaf 1Cajun Meatloaf 2

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

 

Ingredients

2 Medium Yellow Onions, Sliced

1 Whole Chicken, or 3-4 Pounds Bone-In Chicken (Breasts, Drumsticks, whatever you like)

2 Tbsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Salt

1 Tbsp Mustard Powder

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Lemon Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions

1. Add onions to slow cooker.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Do not rinse chicken – this just spreads bacteria in your kitchen.

3. Rub spice mixture over chicken and add to slow cooker. If you have leftover spice mixture that hasn’t been contaminated with raw chicken, save it for the next time you prepare this dish (there WILL be a next time). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.