Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I think I have an obsession with butternut squash soup. Adding a little curry puts this delicious heart warming Autumn harvest soup over the top. It's just so delicious, it's hard to believe there isn't any butter, sugar, cream, honey or fruit in this recipe.

Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche...Crust-less!

I think quiche is a forgotten pastime. That's unfortunate because it's really an easy dish to hold any kind of vegetable. It's a perfect light lunch or dinner with a salad. I removed the crust to make it lighter and take away the guilt. So, is it breakfast or a dinner.....either way, it reheats nicely. Get creative and add sliced tomatoes or serve with a little tomato sauce drizzled over.   

Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil Sauce



Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil Oil. 



A great summertime dish, this is an incredibly delicious recipe. I like to serve these eggplant stacks with grilled steak or chicken but these tasty stacks are good enough all on their own.

Margherita Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Margherita Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Margherita Cauliflower Crust Pizza Slices!

This cauliflower pizza crust has been one of my most popular posts. I have made this recipe many times now and have a few tips to help you make the best low carb delicious pizza that you'll ever have. Follow my recipe for Cauliflower Crust Pizza and the tips below and you will have a fabulous tasty pizza everytime. 

Caramelized French Onion Tart

Caramelized French Onion Tart

French Onion Tart
A pizza cutter cuts perfect pieces.  

I love onions! I like them roasted, grilled, breaded, battered, fried, raw, but there is something extra special about caramelized onions. Good enough to eat alone. When onions are slowly cooked, the natural sugars begin to caramelize and bring out a delicious richness that is so savory. Add in a little pastry and creamy base and voila, we have a french onion tart. Serve as an appetizer or perfect for lunch with a simple salad. The perfect new addition to my Easter table. Elegant yet so simple!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza.....you won't believe it!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with onions and cheese.

Yes, really.......this pizza was made with a cauliflower crust! I can't tell you how excited I am about this recipe. When I first saw this posted I thought the pizza looked so appetizing that I knew I had to give this a try.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Oven Roasted Cauliflower 

Who knew cauliflower could taste so good! Some of the best side dishes are the most simple. Even if you don't think you like cauliflower, this recipe with change your mind.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola stuffed portobella's with coffee crusted hanger steak.  

Pair these savory gorgonzola stuffed portobella mushrooms with my Kona Crusted hanger steak for great dinner. I love the earthy flavor from the portobella together with the gorgonzola.

Cafe Salad with Gorgonzola and Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Cafe salad with mustard vinaigrette topped with Gorgonzola and spicy grilled shrimp.  

Once you make homemade salad dressing, you will never want to have bottled dressing again. It takes all of 2 minutes and it's so worth it. I bet you already have the ingredients on hand like I do. Honestly, it's so easy to make and it tastes so much better. I whisk all the ingredients together in the same bowl that I toss the salad in.  When I make this for a dinner party, I'll make the dressing ahead and place the lettuces on top until I am ready to toss and serve.

Mustard Vinaigrette 

• 1/2 tsp of minced garlic or 1 clove
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• Splash of soy sauce (Tamari soy is my favorite)
• salt and pepper

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and than slowly add olive oil while whisking briskly. Add approximately 4 cups of mixed greens or two large handfuls on top and toss.

Toss salad with:
1/4 cup (or more!) of Gorgonzola cheese, broken into pieces
Purple onion, sliced
Tomato slices
Grilled shrimp with spicy seasoning


Tip: Skip the Gorgonzola crumbles and buy a nice wedge instead, it will make all the difference.

Enjoy!

Grilled Corn on The Cob

Grilled corn on the cob and Grilled Swordfish with Salsa di Giovanna

• Sweet corn, native corn...it's all in season now! If you haven't made grilled corn before, you must give this a try. The first time I made it, I couldn't believe it. Grilling corn takes corn to another level. It can be so simple to do but it can also come out dry or too charred. I'm looking for the corn to be juicy, slight charred with a smokey flavor from the grill and with a rich taste of melted butter and salt with a subtle spicy kick thrown in. If you try my method of microwaving the corn first for just a few minutes and than finish the cooking on the grill, it will come out perfect!

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, fully shucked
• 2 Tbsp of softened butter
• chili powder  
• paprika
• salt and pepper

1. Wrap the ears of corn loosely in plastic wrap or put into a large zip lock bag with a sprinkle of water and cook in the microwave on a high heat for 3 minutes. 
2. Spread softened butter all over the cooled corn and sprinkle with salt and lightly sprinkle a little chili powder (optional) and paprika all over.  
3. Grill over medium high heat, turning every 1-2 minutes until browned about 5 minutes total. 

Cook the corn in the microwave first to allow for perfect grilled corn.

Serve hot off the grill and enjoy!