Suzie Carpenter - Cook With Love

Cook With Love

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

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Early this morning, I took some grass fed ground beef out of the freezer to defrost. I wasn’t really sure what I would make with it, but figured at the very least burgers would work for dinner.

Then after a full day, all of the sudden it was 5:45 pm. My husband was starting to get the munchies. Meanwhile, I still hadn’t worked out and wasn’t really ready to think about dinner.

Nevertheless I needed to. So here were my options:
Leftover chicken
Chopped Veggie Salad (with or without leftover chicken )
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Stir fry veggies
Burgers

(Take note going out to eat was not on the list……I’d already eaten out once that day 😉)

The other choice was to cook something totally unexpected, that I’d never made before. Despite the fact that I was about to either go to the gym with Kelly or get on the treadmill, trying a new recipe was probably the craziest thing I could do. And yet I decided to do it anyway!

In about 20 minutes, I peeled, cubed and steamed two sweet potatoes. Chopped an onion and a few celery stalks, sautéed them with some garlic and coconut oil. Added the ground beef, cooked it until it was no longer pink. Then shredded some zucchini and stirred that into the mix. 

It was bound to taste good I thought. And boy, did it. Wow, was it so good we ate the whole thing!

I’m calling it Sweet Potato Shepard Pie because that was one of my favorite dishes as a kid. Though of course that version had corn and a thick layer of regular mashed potatoes. Mine, on the other hand, is Paleo – gluten, dairy and grain free.

And may I just say that the mashed sweet potatoes a real treat. Our dog Sofie would completely agree. I let her lick the spatula and the pan once the pie was all gone!

Sweet Potato Shepards Pie

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, chopped1 zucchini, shredded
1 onion, peeled and minced
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon of ghee
Sea salt 

Preheat the oven to 400F. 

Steam sweet potatoes until soft, about 15 minutes. While sweet potatoes are cooking, make the meat filling. 

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add coconut oil. Stir in the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery and garlic, stir and cook for another 3-5  minutes. Add the seasonings and meat. Break the meat up while stirring to combine all the ingredients.  Sauté until the beef is no longer pink. Stir in zucchini and cook for a few more minutes. Add beef mixture to a 9” inch pie plate or baking dish.

In a food processor or using mixer or immersion blender, mash the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk and ghee until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula smooth the sweet potato mixture over the beef.

Bake in the oven uncovered for 20-25 minutes.

Kabocha Squash Soup

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Kabocha is an Asian variety of winter squash often referred to as the Japanese pumpkin. Several years ago, when I first saw it at the farmer’s market, my curiosity convinced me to buy the unusual squash even though I knew nothing about it.

It’s dark green exterior and round pumpkin shape make it look quite different from a butternut squash despite having the same orange colored interior flesh. Figuring it had to be similar to other winter squashes, I simply cut it in half and roasted it.  Much to my surprise, it was amazingly good😋

Compared to butternut squash, Kabocha has a richer, more dense texture with a delectable even sweeter flavor.  Needless to say, kabocha instantly became my favorite winter squash!

However, in spite of all it’s yummy goodness, the worst part about Kabocha is cutting it. The skin is extremely thick and can be difficult to pierce.  So, sharpen your knife before preparing this squash delicacy.  In the end, I promise, it is well worth the effort.

Top with spicy pumpkin seeds for an added burst of flavor and nutrition!

Kabocha Squash Soup

1 kabocha squash, cut in half, seeds scooped out
1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
1 leek, sliced and rinsed well (about 1 cup)
2 cups broth, vegetable or bone broth
1/2- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Roast squash. Cut squash in half at the stem. (Note: this is hard to do! So, I place the stem in the drain of my kitchen sink to hold it in place. Then using a sharp knife, slowly and carefully so you don’t cut yourself, slice in half. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.)

In a baking pan, roast the squash flesh side down for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.   Poke with a fork or knife to test for doneness. Remove from oven and let cool. (Note: Can be made ahead and refrigerated for several days before making the soup.)

In a stock pot, over medium high heat, add ghee or coconut oil. Let melt, then add leek. Sauté leek for 5 minutes or until tender and translucent. Add spices and heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir in broth and cooked squash. Cook over medium low heat until heated through. Pour soup into high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Or use an immersion blender and blend right in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in coconut milk for richer, creamer soup.

Roasted Cod with Tomato Basil Sauce

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End of summer is bitter sweet. Tomatoes are sort of like the icing on the cake. As they ripen and pump on the vine, it’s time for some juicy transitions. Happy transitions, like back to school, back to routine and back to you. 

There are so many creative ways to use tomatoes in recipes or as sides. This is one of my favorites.  Hope you like I too! 

This recipe is quick and easy but will surprise you with it’s rich flavor. Cod is typically a somewhat bland fish but the addition of the buttery rich topping takes it to a whole new level. 

Roasted Cod with Tomato Basil Sauce
2 pounds wild cod or haddock loin
2 tablespoons ghee
2 ripe tomatoes, diced (optional remove skin and seeds)
1/4 cup fresh slivered basil
1-2 teaspoons blackened fish seasoning
Coconut oil spray

Preheat oven to 400. Place fish in a baking dish. Spray with coconut oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and blackened fish seasoning. Roast for 15-20 minutes until fish begins to crack and is firm to the touch.

While fish is cooking, melt ghee in a small sauce pan. Add tomato, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and add basil. Stir and set aside.

Remove fish from oven. Top with tomato basil mixture. 

Serve immediately

4 servings 

Ratatouille Summer Stew

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This morning, when a friend dropped off a bag of tomatoes from her garden, I knew immediately what I wanted to make –  ratatouille.

Perfect, I thought as I realized I already had the rest of the ingredients in my fridge. 

My daughter Kelly loves ratatouille. But since I’d been avoiding tomatoes, eggplant and peppers (all nightshade vegetables), I hadn’t made ratatouille in years.

Ratatouille is the perfect summer meal topped with fresh pesto and served with a warm baguette, gluten free of course! Think of it as a summer stew, rich with flavor from fresh picked garden vegetables.

Kelly likes her vegetables “mushy” as she says. Translated, that means overcooked. With a one pot meal like this, I make it her way. So my ratatouille has multiple steps. If you like your veggies more firm, feel free to skip the last step of placing the pan in the oven.

To help magnify the rich layers of flavor, make the ratatouille a day ahead of when you plan to serve it. I think it’s delicious cold or hot, by itself or served along side roasted fish, grilled chicken, steak or even in an omelette. The possilbilities are endless really 🙂

Ratatouille

1 large or 2 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into approximately 1/2 inch cubes
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil, divided
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
2 orange or red peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large vine ripened tomatoes, cut in to 1/2 inch chunks
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt. Cook until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, adding more oil if it sticks to the pan. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and stir in the onion. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add herbs and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then add the zucchini. Allow zucchini to soften before adding tomatoes, about another 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes being careful not to stir too much. Gently stir the eggplant back into the pan before placing the pan in the oven.

Preheat oven to 350. Place pot in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Remove and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Top with pesto, fresh slivered basil leaves and goat cheese.

Serves 6

Summer Mediterranean Salad

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Last week we had the pleasure of being guests at a ranch out in Colorado with my sister who lives in Denver and who I hadn’t seen in two years!

To say that the vistas were spectacular is an understatement. It was so breath taking that it gifted us with an incredible sense of gratitude for being alive and being together – as did the horse back riding and hiking at an altitude of 11,000 feet. Needless to say, as a nature and animal lover, it filled my heart with utter joy to be there.

Gathering around the dinner table was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The delicious home cooked meals made with love and the engaging conversations that included every one even Kelly (who doesn’t care much to talk about politics sports or world events) were so nourishing to my body, mind and spirit.

One day for lunch we had this salad and it was so good I tried to replicate it here at home. The dressing and herbs are key components to the delicate layers of flavor. It is so refreshing it makes a perfect summer time meal.


Summer Mediterranean Salad

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup chopped fresh fennel
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup grilled or baked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded

Dressing
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 cup organic olive oil or Body Bio Oil
1 lemon juiced
Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt

Whisk together lemon juice, cumin and garlic. Add oil in a slow steady stream while whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate.

Paleo Turkey Meatloaf

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My hubby loves meatloaf. He loves it so much that I forgot to snap a photo before he dug into it!

Truth is I love meatloaf too. It’s such an easy meal to make and one that lasts for days, my favorite kind of home cooked meal.

Even though meatloaf seems like a warm and cozy winter meal – it is also a fabulous salad topper during the summer months.

The idea for this recipe came from my favorite butcher, Dundore and Heister, who sells ground beef with bacon. Though I must admit, I tried it a few times, and didn’t fall in love. Not to mention that their bacon was cured with sugar which I try to avoid at all costs.

So, when I went to make my turkey meatloaf this week, bacon was calling. And boy am I glad I listened. This is now my favorite meatloaf recipe – it is SO GOOD.

Turkey Meatloaf with Bacon
2 pounds ground organic turkey (mix of white and dark meat preferred)
3 organic pasture raised eggs
4 slices thick cut Wellshire Farms or Nimon Ranch bacon
1 red onion, minced
2 teaspoons herbs de provence
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 375. Place bacon in the freezer for 15 minutes or so to make it easier to cut into cubes. Place all other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Fold in bacon. Place mixture in a large baking pan and shape into a loaf. Bake for an hour or until no longer pink in the middle.

Note: May be made without spices

Easy Pesto Chicken Salad

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If you are not a big fan of mayonnaise, this recipe is for you!

Chicken salad is one of my favorite summer meals, so easy, refreshing and satisfying. There are so many ways to make chicken salad, and this pesto chicken salad is a new twist on traditional mayonnaise based chicken salad. It’s also an excellent way to get your greens in without much effort.

Another way to make it is with avacado pesto – which is AMAZING! But it must be eaten immediately since avocado goes brown and loses it taste.

Pesto Chicken Salad

4 boneless organic chicken breasts
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2-3/4 cup broccoli or avocado pesto

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish large enough for chicken to fit without overlapping.  Coat chicken with the oil  and sprinkle with salt and pepper Bake for 30 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Be careful not to over cook.

Remove from oven immediately and let cool. Chop or shred chicken. Place in a large bowl. Toss with pesto , adding additional pesto or oil as desired. Toss in some fresh chopped organic veggies – like tomatoes, red bell peppers, celery, onion, carrots or whatever you like!

Crispy Roasted Chicken Legs

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It was Sunday morning and after a few days in a row of traveling, I was feeling blah. I took some frozen chicken legs out of the freezer thinking I’d make something with them for dinner. As the day went on and I was still feeling quite sluggish, I started to dread the idea of cooking and making dinner for my family.

Right before I conceded to the idea of going out to dinner, something I really didn’t want to do either because it meant getting out of my comfy clothes, I rallied and threw together this recipe. With that slight burst of energy, I decided to go to the gym and the grocery store while the chicken was cooking. So I set the oven self timer to turn on and off. When I got home two hours later, I was a little worried that the chicken might be dry.

“Wow this chicken is amazing!!!” Kelly said after taking just one bite. My husband also all echoed her thoughts. If you are a chicken breast only kind of chicken eater, like my husband usually is, this recipe will completely change your mind about chicken thighs! I’m telling you this recipe will blow your mind because it is so simple yet insanely delicious!

Can you guess which is healthier the chicken breast or legs? Because of the healthy fat in chicken legs, they are actually better for weight loss than chicken breasts. Go figure!

Crispy Roasted Chicken Legs
4 organic chicken legs
1 tablespoon herbs de provence or italian seasoning
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Preheat oven to 400.

Pat chicken dry and toss in a bowl with spices and oil.

Place chicken legs in a single layer in a large baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Sesame Ginger Chicken

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Sautéed Sesame Ginger Chicken with Steamed Asparagus

This recipe is so simple and yet so delicious.

It doesn’t need any cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar or traditional stir fry ingredients to make it taste amazingly good.

One thing that drives me crazy is when recipes add sugar when sugar is not needed in order to get fabulous rich flavor. In my cooking, I like featuring the inherent taste of fresh food. That simplicity brings more depth to the recipe because it forces us to focus on those natural flavors. The quality of ingredients also makes a big difference. For example, I try to cook with predominately organic ingredients. This is because it is not only better for you but tastes better too.

The best part about cooking this way, with pure natural ingredients, is that it leaves your body nourished and satisfied so you won’t even crave dessert!

The chicken in this recipe tastes great when grilled or sautéed. The benefit of sautéing means  you can make a yummy sauce simply with the pan juices. Hope you like it and feel pleasure from eating it knowing you are loving your body with nourishing goodness!

 

Sesame Ginger Chicken

4 organic boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)

Combine 1/4 cup sesame oil, ginger, garlic and vinegar in a bowl. Between two pieces of parchment paper, pound chicken until it is uniform thickness (I use a rolling pin). Marinate chicken for an hour or up to six hours.

Place a large sauté pan on stove over medium high heat. Once pan is hot, add chicken, discarding remaining marinade. If needed, add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil so chicken doesn’t stick to the pan.

Cook for 5 minutes before flipping. Cook another 5-7 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Turn heat down to low and add wine. Simmer until wine deglazes the pan, scrapping the pan with a spoon to loosen up any browned ginger or chicken bits. Pour over chicken. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Serves 4

A New Turkey Burger

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As we settle into our new house, after a summer of being homeless and living in limbo, I am so happy to be back cooking in my own kitchen. It’s sort of like coming home after a vacation, only better!

The other day I was looking for a new recipe –  an alternative to the staples I’d been counting on for months – no chicken, salmon or pasta was the primary requirement. Turkey, that’s it, I thought…turkey burgers.

So, I tweaked my old turkey burger recipe, making it with a new twist. The cayenne pepper gives these burgers a gentle kick while the other spices give it depth of flavor. The best part was that my whole family loved it!

Turkey Burgers

1 pound organic ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground pepper
1/4 cup minced onion (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil (for cooking )

Mix all ingredients except coconut oil in a bowl until well combined. Form mixture into 4 patties. Grill or sauté over medium high heat until cooked through.