Red curry squash soup with seared scallops and kale

It's FALL!!!  And even though that means it's 85 degrees in South Florida instead of 100 degrees, I still love the season.  I get to see my Northern friends posting on Facebook and Instagram about PSL, scarves, boots, etc... football season is in full swing, and we Floridians have hope that the intense heat will make way for lovely weather.

You know what else gets me in the fall spirit? Squash. I love squash. I feel like it is an under-appreciated super food. Most food plans classify squash as a vegetable, not as a carb, and yet it feels like a carb to me, so I feel like I'm cheating and YET I AM NOT!!!! (!!!!!!!). Squash is a lovely comfort food, hearty, warm, and tasty.

And since soup and fall go together like peas and carrots, I opted to make a delicious, hearty, healthy, and still Floridian, Red curry squash soup with seared scallops and kale:

It has a smidge of heat, it has a touch of crunch, it is definitely creamy, and it has the perfectly seared scallops to offer that fresh, Florida seafood that I love so much.  Plus, it's gorgeous.  Just look at it!

So here's how I made it:

1. Prepare and cube the butternut squash. (Note: you can also buy pre-cubed squash at most grocery stores, but I like doing things the hard way apparently.)  Cut off the ends, cut down the middle, and then scoop out the goop (Second note: "goop" is not a technical term. Just to clarify).

Then, start cutting the squash into long strips...

...so that you can then cut it into cubes:

Voila!

2. Next, take a white onion and slice it up.  Doesn't matter if it is diced or sliced, because eventually it will be pureed.  Put some olive oil in a large pan (I used a dutch oven), heat on medium/medium high, and then add sliced onions and start cooking.

3. Next add red curry paste (I use between 2-3 TBSP depending on how rich and spicy I want the curry flavor to be), and stir until well incorporated:

4. Then add butternut squash, salt/pepper to taste, and enough vegetable stock to cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until squash is soft.

5. Next, add coconut milk:

6. Stir to combine. Take off heat. Transfer in batches to a blender and puree until smooth and there are no lumps:

(Note #3: If you have an immersion blender, now is a SUPER great time to use it.  Less clean up!

7. Prepare the kale.  Wash it, de-rib it, massage it (i.e. literally take it in your hands and rub it), and set aside:

8. Sear the scallops.  Heat butter in a pan:

...pat the scallops dry in a paper towel to remove all moisture (this helps them sear better)... season well with salt and pepper...

...and when the butter is starting to bubble, add the scallops to the pan.  Make sure not to add too many, as the more room they have to cook, the better they sear.  You don't need to cook them too long, 2-3 minutes on each side.  Once you place them in the pan, DO NOT move them. Leave them be so they get that gorgeous sear...

...flip once, let cook another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat! 

Look how gorgeous!!!

And for the final touches...

9.  Add kale to bowl.  Pour squash soup on top. Delicately place 3 scallops on top.

10. Admire your handywork. Marvel at the gorgeous fall colors. Smell the hearty flavors.

But not for too long.  You want to eat this before someone else steals it from you!

Inspired by the following recipes (and my own personal quest to EAT MORE VEGGIES):
https://cookieandkate.com/2014/thai-curried-butternut-squash-soup/
http://30now30.blogspot.com/2013/03/seared-sea-scallops-tomatoes-and-peas.html

Click here for the recipe!

Shrimp fra diavolo

It's been a while since I posted.

But this dish made me want to come out of my brief sabbatical from studying and share it with you.  Because it is SO GOOD.

Shrimp is one of my favorite ingredients.  Sweet, succulent, meaty and filling, yet low in calories.  I also love spice.  I like my mouth to burn, and I love having a cool glass of wine (or milk) around to help cool it down.  And, I love tomatoes.

So put them all together and what do you get?  A feast-for-the-senses known as Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Want to know something else?  It's SUPER simple to make, with just a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.

Here's how I made it:

Take a pound of gorgeous uncooked shrimp, cleaned and deveined, with shells removed, and pat dry.  Sprinkle with EVOO and red pepper flakes, set aside and marinate for up to 30 minutes.  If you like it spicy, sprinkle a ton of red pepper flakes on.  Then, heat a large pan and cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes each side until pink and no longer transparent.

Try to get a good color on them, like this...

...remove shrimp from pan and put on a plate (or bowl) to keep warm.

In the same pan, add diced turkey bacon and cook a few minutes...

....and then add diced shallots, and cook until a bit of color appears, stirring periodically... just a few minutes...

...next, add a spicy marinara sauce and even more crushed red pepper flakes, if you dare... taste to see if it's spicy enough, and if not, add more!

...stir the sauce and cook a few minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan... if you like you can also add some fresh spinach in for additional nutrients and control.

After just a few minutes, add the shrimp back in to the pan, stirring to coat, and cook for just one more minute...

...and voila.  You are DONE.

See?  Simple.

You can eat these straight by themselves (like I do!), or add to a nice pasta, crostini, hoagie roll, or over sauteed spinach.

So yummy, and super easy to make with just a few ingredients! 

If you make this, tell me what you think... what other ingredients did you pare this meal with?

Here's the full recipe!

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

1 T EVOO
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I used at least 1 T if not more!)
1 lb shrimp, uncooked, deveined and peeled
1/4lb of turkey bacon, diced
1 medium or large shallot, diced
1-2 cups of jarred spicy marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Clean, devein, and remove shells of the shrimp, and pat dry to absorb any excess water. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with EVOO and red pepper flakes.  Set aside and marinate for up to 30 minutes.
2. Heat a large pan and cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes each side until no longer transparent.  Remove shrimp from pan and put on a plate (or bowl) to keep warm.
3. In the same pan, add diced turkey bacon and cook a few minutes to get a bit of color.  Add diced shallots, and cook until a bit of color appears, stirring once or twice over the next 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the marinara sauce and mix together.  Taste, and if not spicy enough, add additional crushed red pepper flakes, as well as salt and pepper to taste.

5. Let cook for 3-5 minutes to let the flavors meld, and then add the shrimp back in to the pan, stirring to mix, and cook for one more minute. 

6. Remove, and eat, either by itself or as a topping to a nice pasta, bread, vegetable, etc.
7. Enjoy!

All time favorite - Tex-mex turkey with peppers and onions

Get ready: You're about to read about one of my all time favorite quick and easy meals to make. It's an incredibly flavorful, amazing dish with a very uninteresting name... But it is SO GOOD, AND easy to make.  Boom.

Plus, it's a great way to eat your veggies.  After evaluating my diet recently, I realized I was eating too much meat, and not enough fruits and veggies... So I love recipes like this one because they are PERFECT one-dish-wonders of yumminess that also provide the additional veggies that my body needs.

So without further ado, here's how I made my Tex-Mex turkey with peppers and onions:

Start by heating olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan, then add chopped onions and stir, cook for several minutes...

...then add diced peppers, stir, and allow to cook for several more minutes...

...to hurry the process along, cover the pan for a few minutes.  Next, move the cooked veggies to the side of the pan, and then add the ground turkey in, breaking it up and allowing it to cook...

...once it's cooked enough, and you've broken the meat down into little chunks, stir the veggies in, and finish cooking the meat...

... next, add the spices (in this image I cheated and used a taco seasoning packet that I had in my cabinet... don't do that.  Too much sodium, plus I give you the best taco seasoning recipe below!)...

...stir, coating all the meat and veggies in the yummy spice mixture until well mixed.

Voila.  Pretty darn easy, huh?

You can top this with fresh cilantro, avocado, salsa or sour cream (if you're not strict Paleo), but honestly it doesn't need it since you have all that great flavor from the spices.

(Sorry I don't have a pretty after photo of the finished recipe - I ate it too quickly!)

Here's the full recipe:

Kimmy's Tex-Mex turkey with peppers and onions
Serves 3-4, prep time: 5 minutes, cook time: 10 minutes
 
Ingredients:
1 T EV olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 lb lean (93%) ground turkey
2 T chili powder
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 t dried oregano
1 t paprika
1 t ground cumin
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Directions:
1.  Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  When heated, add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until starting to turn translucent.
2.  Add peppers, stir, and cook for one minute.  Place lid over pan and cook for 2-3 more minutes until peppers start to cook.
3. Stir the peppers and move them to one side of the pan.  Add ground turkey, breaking it up and start cooking.  Stir turkey around after 2-3 minutes, continuing to break it down into little pieces.
4. Once ground turkey is starting to cook, mix in peppers, and continue until the meat is cooked all the way through.
5. Add all the spices in - I like a LOT of flavor, so I doubled the spices - if that's too much for you, half it.
6. Stir to combine, letting the juices from the meat and veggies coat the ingredients well.
7. Scoop a bunch onto a plate.  You can feel free to add salsa, sour cream (if not going Paleo) and/or guacamole.  ENJOY!!!


Also... Now taking applications for a better name for this fabulous dish!!!

Jalapeno, tomato and chicken sausage scrambled eggs (PALEO!)

I'm not too big a fan of breakfast.  I have eaten cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, etc. in the past.  But I would rather have a steak or a quesadilla in the morning than "breakfast" food.

But one morning, I randomly threw this dish together, and it made my taste buds happy.  And my stomach full.  So I just needed to share it with you!

Plus, it's pretty simple to make! I threw together chicken sausage, red onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, scrambled eggs, and I topped it with salsa.  And it was good.  It was very good.

Here's how I made my Jalapeno, tomato and chicken sausage scrambled eggs:

Start by heating up some olive oil in a large skillet... add some minced red onion (or shallots - I've used both with fantastic results) and sautee for a few minutes until turns translucent.  Stir.  Meanwhile, mince jalapenos and slice tomatoes (I love campari, but they are expensive, so any tomato works):

When onions are done cooking, add jalapeno and sliced chicken sausage

Stir. Add tomatoes, stir again.

Crack 4-7 eggs, using only 2 whole eggs and the rest egg whites, whisk and then add to pan:

...stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to allow the uncooked egg to come into contact with the pan and cook fully...

...and then once the eggs are fully cooked, plate... top with salsa (and fat free sour cream if you're not following PALEO)...

And inhale.  The sweetness of the chicken sausage plus the spiciness of the jalapenos makes this a kaleidoscope of a dish in terms of flavor... I've made this dish four times in the past 4 weeks, that's how much I love it! 

Here's the full recipe.

Jalapeno, tomato and chicken sausage scrambled eggs 
Recipe courtesy of me!
Makes 3-4 servings. Prep time 5 minutes, Cook time 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, minced
2 T pickled jalapenos, diced
3-4 Campari or Roma tomatoes, sliced into large chunks
4 links of chicken sausage, sliced
4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs
4 links of Chicken Sausage

Directions:
1. Start by heating up some olive oil in a large skillet... add some minced red onion or shallots and sautee for a few minutes until turns translucent.  Stir.
2. Meanwhile, mince jalapenos and slice tomatoes.  When onions are done cooking, add jalapeno and sliced chicken sausage.  Stir. Add tomatoes, stir again.
3.  Crack 4-7 eggs, using only 2 whole eggs and the rest egg whites, whisk and then add to pan, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom of the pan to allow the uncooked egg to come into contact with the pan and cook fully.
4. Once the eggs are fully cooked, plate!. Top with salsa (and fat free sour cream if you're not following PALEO)
5. Try not to inhale this :)

Devils on horseback - Paleo friendly!

Devils on horseback.  Let the name sink in for a second.  What does that even mean??? 

Well let me tell you, even though these delicious bites are oddly named, they are quite phenomenal AND perfect to wow friends at a cocktail party.  A decadent, satisfying bite that is simultaneously sweet, savory, crunchy and bacon-y.  And even better, they pair SO well with a nice full-bodied red wine!  You're welcome :)

Thanks to Chef Jonathan Sawyer's "Devils on Horseback" recipe.  With just six easy ingredients, this recipe is super easy, yet jam-packed with a SUPER punch of flavors and ingredients that you would not normally think should go together.

Here's how I made them:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with Pam spray (or similar).

Cut a sliver in one side of a date, removing the pit.  Halve a jalapeno, removing the seams and seeds, and slice into thin strips.  Cut bacon strips lengthwise into halves.  Chop up a bar of dark chocolate into strips.

You're done with prep.  Seriously, easy.

Now, assemble.  Stuff sliced almond(s), jalapeno strip, and chocolate into a date, top with salt, close date around the stuffing....

...and then wrap bacon around date.  Place on baking sheet...

...repeat...

...Pop in a 300 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until bacon is slightly cooked...

...and serve IMMEDIATELY...

...Preferably with a beautiful glass of red wine!  Note that these are rich and decadent, so just one and you're satisfied!


And here's the full recipe:

Devils on Horseback
Recipe slightly adapted from Chef Jonathan Sawyer


Ingredients:
12 strips of bacon (I used organic turkey bacon, sliced in half
24 dates, pitted
1-2 jalapeno, seeded and sliced into small strips
24-48 sliced almonds (depending on size)
72% dark chocolate squares, sliced into slivers
Coarse sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with Pam spray (or similar)
3. Stuff each date with a slice of jalapeno, 1-2 sliced almonds, dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt.
4. Close date if possible, wrap in one slice of bacon, and place on baking sheet.  Repeat until all dates are stuffed.
5. Bake for 5-7 minutes until bacon is slightly cooked.
6. Serve immediately, preferably with a beautiful glass of red wine.  Note that these are rich and decadent, so just one and you're satisfied!

Paleo bacon wrapped jalapeno "poppers"

Who doesn't love jalapeno poppers?  People who hate spice, and cheese, and life, apparently. (I'm teasing!!) And, sadly, me, but not due to their taste... most bar jalapeno poppers are caloric bombs due to the cheese, the breading, and, of course, the deep fryer.  Sigh.

But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a fabulous spicy bite of jalapeno with some "cheesiness".  Especially when it's wrapped in bacon.  And especially when it is relatively healthy!

Introducing my Paleo-friendly bacon-wrapped jalapeno "poppers". Inspired by this "Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop 'Ems" recipe from Aarti Sequeira, I performed a makeover of the recipe to be Paleo friendly.  My one dilemma?  What to stuff these puppies with, since cheese is not strict Paleo.  And a light bulb went off when I remembered one of my favorite recipes where I learned a technique for how to turn avocados and roasted red peppers into a mock-cheddar cheese dip.  

Boom.

A brilliant idea was born.

Here's how I made these simply delicious Paleo bacon wrapped jalapeno "poppers"!

Start by making the "cheese"-filling.  Combine 1/2 a 14 oz jar of roasted peppers with 2 ripe avocadoes, top with a healthy dose of garlic powder and onion powder, as well as salt and pepper, and blend in a food processor until smoooooth....

Then, scoop into a bowl, add chopped Granny Smith apples and scallions, as well as more salt and pepper if desired, and mix together...

...next, prepare the jalapenos.  Remove the top, halve them, and remove the seeds and ribs (please, for the love of all that is nice, please do not do this step without protection for your hands... otherwise, the oil from the jalapeno seeds will burrrrrn you and it's NOT fun, trust me).  Now, you can stuff each jalapeno half with the apple-"cheese" mixture...

...then wrap with half a slice of turkey bacon...

...place on a Pam-sprayed, foil-lined baking sheet and pop into a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes until all nice and crispy...

...CONSUME with zest!!!! Expect yumminess :)

Here's the full recipe!

Paleo Bacon-wrapped jalapeno "poppers"
Recipe inspired by Aarti Sequiera and Juli Bauer of PaleOMG!

Ingredients
2 avocados
½ 14oz jar of roasted peppers
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ lemon, juiced

3 large scallions, roots sliced off, green and white parts minced finely
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and minced

20 jalapenos
20 strips thin-sliced turkey bacon, chopped in half

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Make your "cheese" sauce. Place avocados, roasted peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor and puree until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, place the "cheese" sauce, add the scallions and apples, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
4. Slice off the stems, and slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise. Remove the membranes and seeds.
5. Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture; fill until just over the rim of the jalapeno. 

6. Wrap each pepper with a bacon half.

7. Place each "popper" on the prepared baking sheet and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. 

8. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

9. Devour!!!!