Category: Healthy

Salmon Fried Rice Bowl

I don’t know about you, but I love making bowl for dinner lately. You can add any protein, veggie or starch of choice! They are quick to put together, easy for meal prep and a perfect balance of nutrients.

This Salmon Fried Rice Bowl was made with very quick ingredients . I actually used a frozen blend fried rice and spiced it up. I know some people aren’t for the frozen veggies or canned items that are a short cut but life gets busy and it’s good to have a these items in the freezer for those quick and healthy meals.

Salmon Fried Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

Rice:
1 small yellow onion, diced
6 mini colored peppers, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz bag frozen fried rice
2-3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado cooking spray
1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
sprinkle pepper

Salmon:
1lb salmon, cut into bite size pieces (try and cut around same size for even cooking)
1 tablespoon of olive oil or avocado spray
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Sprinkle salt & pepper

Toppings:
Avocado, sliced
Fresh jalapeño, sliced
green onion, sliced
sriracha

Directions: Heat a medium skillet on high heat. Pre-heat air fryer for 4 minutes. In a medium bowl add in the salmon pieces, oil and seasoning. Mix well to make sure salmon is evenly coded. Add the salmon to air fryer pan or basket. Cook at 400° for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through. (Note: Cooking time will vary based on air fryer and sizes of salmon pieces)

In the heated skillet add the olive oil and let heat for a minute. Next add in the onion, peppers and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until it becomes fragrant. Add in the frozen fried rice next and cook 3-4 minutes. Mixing often to avoid sticking. Season the mixture with seasoning (add other flavors if you’d like) and drizzle in soy sauce and let cook another few minutes. Make a well in the middle of the rice, add in the eggs and scramble. Let cook 1-2 minutes and then mix all the rice together.

To assemble the bowl add the fried rice to the bottom and top with the salmon bites. Add your desired toppings. I used avocado, green onion, jalapeño and sriracha. Enjoy!




garlicandoliveoilveins

Greek Chicken Bowl

I’m always trying to create healthy quick meals. Life can get crazy especially during the week so having a healthy meal you can partially prep ahead of time and put together quick is a good healthy alternative to take out!

This bowl can be adjusted to any specific flavors or food lifestyles. A Must try!

Greek Chicken Bowls

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1lb chicken breast or tenderloins
1 cup fat free greek yoguart
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoon, red or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad:
2 cups tomatoes, diced
4 mini cucumbers, diced or cut in half moons
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic paste)
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon oregano
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Bowl:
Cooked rice
1 cup tzatziki sauce
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Pita Chips:
3 pitas, cut in triangles (I used a low carb high fiber option)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
sprinkle salt and pepper

Directions: In a medium bowl add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, spices, vinegar and olive oil. Mix well till fully incorporated. Add the chicken to a large gallon zip lock bag (or a bowl) and add in the Greek yogurt mixture. Mix all together until the chicken is fully coated. Marinate 3 hours or overnight.

To make the salad add all the salad ingredients to a medium bowl with the seasonings. Add more or less to your liking. Start with less vinegar and add more if needed. Make the salad ahead of time and let chill for 1-2 hours. This will help marry the flavors.

To make the pita chips drizzle with oil on both sides and sprinkle with seasoning. Place in heated air fryer at 400° for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through. Make sure they start to get crisp, set aside. Note: they will crisp more once out of the air fryer.

The chicken can be cooked on the stove, baked, grilled or made in the air fryer. I used chicken tenderloins and cooked at 375° for about 10 minutes flipping halfway through in my oven air fryer. Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°.

To assemble the Greek Chicken Bowl add you’re cooked rice (or a low carb alternative) top with chicken and add the salad on the side. Top with tzatziki and feta cheese.

Chef Notes: If you prefer chicken thighs you can easily swap out the chicken. If you have a Greek seasoning omit the above spices and use that. YUM! I have made this with low carb alternatives like cauliflower rice and low carb pita. Add extra cooked veggies for more volume.

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Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Chicken is one of the most used protein! Chicken unfortunately, is also one of the hardest proteins to get correct. So often the chicken come out over cooked and stringy. I will show you the best pan seared chicken breast. So juicy and tender and perfectly seared! I get a lot of questions on chicken breast so as simple as this dish is, I wanted to share it!

Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless 1 inch thick
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic and herb seasoning
sprinkle salt
sprinkle pepper

Direction: Heat a medium size sauté pan on medium high heat. Add in olive oil let heat 2 minutes. (Note: You want the pan to be hot, this will be how you get that nice golden sear.) Add in chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cook times may vary based on the thickness of the chicken breast. You need an internal temperature of 165°, make sure to check the thickest part of the breast. This is where a meat thermometer comes in handy. Remove chicken from the pan and let rest a few minutes before enjoying.

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Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Hi all! I just got back from an amazing vacation and I’m trying to dedicate more time to my cooking as it is such a huge passion. My new job has been super busy still, but I’m getting a new partner soon so hopefully things will get to normal and I can be more active with this blog! Don’t worry I’m cooking, I’m just not able to get the recipes shared!!

Anyways….back to the food. I made this super basic chicken recipe tonight. I say basic as it’s really got only a few ingredients and it’s great for a weeknight meal. It’s relatively healthy and can easily be turned into a low carb/keto dish. I’ve been trying to keep things a little more simple during the week so that’s where this recipe came from. Give it a try!

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:
4-6 thin chicken cutlets
1/2 cup flour
16 oz sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 cup aged white cheddar, grated (I used a rustic bigger grater)
3-4 T olive oil
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Directions: Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. In a medium bowl add in the flour and season with 1 t garlic powder, 1 t onion powder, half the salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken and dredge in the flour and shake off excess flour and set aside. Complete with all chicken cutlets.

Once pan is heated add 1-2 T of olive oil to pan and let heat 2 minutes swirl the oil around in the pan. Add in the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. About 3 minutes on each side on medium heat. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add in another tablespoon of oil and add in the sliced mushrooms. Season with the remainder of the spices, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook these mushrooms till as much of the water is cooked out as possible most. TRUST ME you will be happy you did. The mushrooms will get golden brown in color and the flavors will really come through. Remove mushrooms from the pan and add the chicken back in.

Top the chicken cutlets with the golden delicious mushrooms and sprinkle over the aged white cheddar. You can use as much and as little as you like. I was trying to be a little healthier and used less cheese but honestly I should have smothered it with cheese! Turn pan on low and cover until cheese is melted.

Remove from the pan, serve and enjoy!

Notes: Adjust the cooked time based on the thickness of the chicken you are using. The chicken should be cooked to 165°. The flour can easily be omitted for low carb lifestyles.

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Air Fryer Sausage & Cheese Egg Muffins

Hi everyone! I’m so sorry for the delays with recipes. Life has been BUSY! The new job is keeping me busy. I have recipes to share, but just trying to take some time to disconnect after the work week and enjoy life. I’ll get to post them soon!

Anyways, We all know by now there isn’t much I won’t try in my air fryer. I have been trying some egg recipes. I really am not a fan of eggs or breakfast, so I try and keep it really easy for myself and prep some healthy breakfasts! I must admit, these egg muffins are delicious. You can use any flavor combinations you like! Sausage, bacon, ham, all different cheeses, or veggies!

Give these a try and let me know how you enjoyed them!!

Cheers!

Air Fryer Sausage & Cheese Egg Muffins

Ingredients:
11 eggs
1lb ground breakfast sausage, cooked & crumbled
1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 t salt
2 t pepper
2 T milk/water

Tools: (See Amazon Link below)
Silicone muffin cups
4 cup measuring cup

https://www.amazon.com/shop/garlic_and_oliveoil_veins

Directions: In a large measuring cup (4 cups) crack in the eggs. Completely whisk the eggs. Then whisk in the water or milk well. Season eggs with salt and pepper and set aside. Preheat the air fryer. (My oven AF preheats at 400° for 4 minutes) Add silicone muffin cups to the air fryer rack. Add cheese to bottom of the muffin cups and top with some cooked breakfast sausage evenly over the cups. Gently pour in the egg mixture into each muffin cup.

Place in the air fryer 300° for 12-13 minutes. I place mine on the middle rack for first 6 minutes and move to top rack for the rest of the time. Place a tooth pick or knife in the middle to make sure the egg is completely cooked. Let cool slightly and enjoy.

Note: These little bits of goodness are fantastic for meal prepping. I’ve never actually enjoyed them fresh except when I took a bite to try it. Usually I make on Sunday and heat up quickly in the microwave during the week. They come out delicious!

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Delicious French Onion Soup

French onion soup is one of MY favorites. I feel like since the soup itself is not super fattening I can load up with crusty crostini & cheesy goodness! When I make this soup at home, I don’t get that delicious topped cheese like they do in restaurants, but this comes out tasting exactly the same. If you haven’t made French onion soup at home, you should try it. It is a little more time consuming because the onions could take a good 45 minutes to get that nice deep caramelization. Just make in an extra large pot and make 10lbs of onions and you’ll have plenty of left overs, LOL!

You need to have a little time to make this soup, but I promise you it will be worth the wait Give this recipe a try!

Delicious French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
8 large yellow onion, sliced
3 T garlic, minced
4 T butter
2 T olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups beef broth, low sodium
1 T dried thyme
1 T xanthan gum (Or 4 T flour)
salt/pepper, to taste

Extras:
Crusty bread
Italian cheese, gruyere, swiss or any other white cheese you’d like

Directions: In large soup pot add in olive oil. Let heat 2 minutes. Next add in the onions and mix well. You will want to cook these onions on medium heat for 35 minutes mixing often! Cook until the are close to being fully caramelized, then add in the balsamic vinegar and let cook another 10 minutes.

Next add in the butter and xanthan gum and the white wine and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes mixing often. Next add in the beef broth, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook on medium high heat 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Check the soup and make sure it’s thickened. If not to your preferred thickness, add in more xanthan gum and cook another 7-8 minutes.

Slice baguette into 1/2 inch slices, crisp up bread in the oven or air fryer.

To serve, add to a soup bowl and top with a few pieces of the baguette and top with cheese of your choice. Add to the oven or air fryer for the cheese to completely melt, serve!

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