Chicken Lasagna Zucchini Boats

How often have you found yourself struggling for ideas on what to make for dinner?  I know my husband and I aren't the only ones.  We're constantly trying to think of different meals that we can make for our family.....especially healthier meals.

Late 2015 I started changing how I eat by following a keto-adapted diet.  I won't get into all of that in this post, but choosing to lead a low-carb high-fat lifestyle has helped me make better meals for my family (and I've lost over 100 lbs.....I'll share how I did it in another post - promise).  While I'm all in and committed to this new way of eating, not everyone in my house is and that's okay.  I'd love if they could all be on board and hopefully they'll get there, but for now....baby steps.

In trying to merge our traditional weeknight meals that we love with meals that fit into my diet, I've had to adjust meal planning just a bit.  We make meals based around what I can eat....and the kids (and sometimes my hubby) get to have a side dish that I most likely won't eat....like rice, potatoes, bread, etc.  That's the easy part, because I can eat a lot of different foods....which is awesome and I'm not deprived....the trick is being able to mix it up.  Like, well, what if we want Chinese?  We can have Stir Fried Beef with veggies.....no rice for me.  What about Spaghetti....I can make regular pasta for the rest of the family and I'll roast a spaghetti squash and top it with meat sauce.  Everyone wins.  Traditional meals that we love, but I have the option of choosing food that is healthier.

One of my go to meals now when we're trying to figure out what to make for dinner is zucchini boats.  I love making them because you can pretty much add different fillings to them and they're perfect for a keto lifestyle.  Plus, my kids really like them....which is another huge win.

I first heard of zucchini boats after watching one of those fun quick minute meal videos you see on Facebook.  The video showed in several steps how to make pepperoni 'pizza' zucchini boats.  This girl loves pizza - but it's obviously not low-carb....but here was an option to get the flavors of pizza and it is keto-friendly.  I was instantly hooked.  Once I realized how versatile zucchini boats were, it became one of my go to meals for dinner.  We can make cheese steak zucchini boats, crab-filled zucchini boats, taco style zucchini boats.....the list goes on.  They're also great for adding to your meal planning menu.

You can prep these ahead of time by having your meat seasoned and pre-cooked, veggies cut up  and sauce on hand in your pantry.  I used the new Homestyle Ragu sauce for the recipe I'm sharing today.  I love that it tastes homemade, doesn't have high fructose corn syrup (a keto no-no), no artificial ingredients.....and the sauce itself is nice and thick!  I am telling you....I'm a sauce snob....I either make it myself or buy a basic sauce and add extra seasoning to it, but this sauce doesn't need anything extra at all!  It's definitely going to be a staple in our pantry.  Head over to their site and check out some of their delicious recipes!

Making the actual boats is fairly easy.  You just slice them lengthwise, hollow out the center with a scoop (save the scooped out flesh because you will add it to your mixture), then you fill the boats with a cheese mixture just like you would for lasagna!

I always like to try something new each time I make them.  I thought of adding bacon, but since this is an Italian style meal, I added pancetta!  YUUUUMMM!!!  After rendering down the pork, I added a bit of olive oil and seasoned a few pieces of chicken with a bit of salt and pepper....it doesn't need much because cooking the chicken in the same pan the pancetta is cooked in will pick up those flavors.....double YUUUUUMMMM!  Once the chicken is cooked, I add in the scooped out bits from the zucchini, added the Homestyle Ragu sauce and let it cook until warmed through.

The next steps are easy, you just top the filled boats with the meat and sauce mixture, top with mozzarella cheese and bake in a covered dish for about 25 minutes.

I like  to always add a little extra cheese when I'm baking dishes like this.  So, I tend to go back in and add a bit more cheese and let it cook uncovered for about 5 more minutes.

When the zucchini is ready, you can serve it with a simple side salad.  If your family prefers pasta, a small serving of penne or cavatappi would work great with this as a meal, as well.

I'll definitely be creating more dishes like this and making more family traditions with RAGÚ® Here's my recipe for delicious chicken lasagna zucchini boats!  

PRINT THIS RECIPE

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Learn more about RAGÚ® Homestyle Sauces and discover more recipes for the family here 

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Homemade Sweet Potato Pie

There is nothing I cherished more as a child, than the times I spent with grandmother in the kitchen helping her prep meals and dishes for big holiday gatherings.

One of those fond moments included helping her get the sweet potatoes ready for her delicious pies and casseroles!  I remember that she used to boil the potatoes whole, then let them cool a bit and peel the skin back from the warm potatoes, I'd sit all wide-eyed watching  a bit of steam pipe out of each potato, just amazed at how cool, calm and collected she would be while handling each one....She's such a G.  Once the potatoes were peeled, we'd divide them up, and cube and slice them....most were used for making the candied yams and the remaining were used for the pie filling.  Well, after the peeling and cutting was done we'd.....well.....actually, all the rest is a blur to me....(record scratch) I remember something about  mashing the potatoes....and brown sugar... nutmeg....but that's about it!

I mean, don't get me wrong here....I know I can make a sweet potato pie E-Z!....I can even call up my dear grandmother (we call her Miss Kitty) and ask her how we used to make it.  It's just that....ain't nobody got time for all of that - ESPECIALLY when you're husband is a born and bred southerner who can cook and bake his tail off.  So, when I had this hairbrain idea to share how to make a homemade sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving, I knew that I wanted to share his recipe most of all.....(sorry Miss Kitty).

I promise you....I didn't marry my husband because he was a great southern cook....well, maybe a lil' bit, because....a girl can eat, but he's pretty fantastic....the great cooking skizillz is just a bonus.  ;)

When I asked him if he'd share his sweet potato pie recipe with my readers, I was a bit shocked when he said yes.  He's a private fella and quiet as kept, there also seems to be an underground secret society of recipe hiders on his side of the family (I'll never get his late grandmother's Caramel cake recipe from his aunt) so,  I just knew he'd say no; but, to my surprise, he was all for it....he even baked said pie for me - two to be exact.

What I love best about his pies is they are chock full of spices....and SO rich and buttery....and he makes a perfect pie crust.  Everyone knows a perfect crust is the crown jewel of any decent pie.  I found out his secret....he BUYS it!  LOL

For years, I turned my nose up at refrigerated pie crust, vowing every holiday to make the perfect apple pie with a crust from scratch...but, to no avail.  Meanwhile, hubby has cranked out perfect pies  with refrigerated dough, like gangbusters.  So, I gave up the ghost and let him be the Pie Making King of the house (kinda.....I've promised Thing  1 that she and I would make an apple pie for Thanksgiving...crossing fingers)  It's still a personal mission to make the perfect full from scratch pie....but I now admit, that there ain't nothing wrong with refrigerated dough - we like Pilsbury :)

Also....the texture of his pies are not dense as some other sweet potato pies I've had.  His tends to be more fluffy and light in texture....almost borderline souffle!  Also, he tops his pie with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon which I just love because it gives the pie even more flavor!  A small slice of hubby's sweet potato pie and a dollup of whipped cream for me is always a win!

I think I've made it pretty clear that I eat a Ketogenic diet most days...but I'm giving myself a pass for Thanksgiving, because I REALLY want to eat pie and a few other carb heavy dishes.....I can indulge a bit, right? (damn right I can 100+ lbs down since this time last year!)


If you're making pies this holiday and haven't made sweet potato before or want to try it a different way, test out my hubby's recipe....you'll love it! (and let me know if you do....he's sort of anxious to hear some feedback.....plus he thinks it's going to make him instafamous LOL)

Here's the recipe for you to download and print!

Are you planning on making any delicious family pie recipes?  Make sure you share them  and tag me on social media at @cwbdparties - and if you make THIS recipe, I'd love to hear what you think about it - or even any fond family Thanksgiving memories you have with your grandparents - so make sure to leave a comment below - Enjoy!

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Halloween Candy Apples - 13 Days of Handmade Halloween 2016: Day 13

WOO-HOOOO  It's Day 13 of the 13 Days of Handmade Halloween!!!  We're here folks!  It's been great fun sharing all these fun and wonderful Halloween ideas with you.  Today, is a sweet idea from an equally sweet friend of mine!  I love how spooky cute these Apple Ghosts and Bloody Apples Halloween Candy Apples are!

Thanks Kylie for sharing this blood curdling idea - I mean, these sweet treats are almost to creepy to eat.....almost!!!


This project is part of our 13 Days of Handmade Halloween series.  Be sure to follow along with the series on social media - just make sure to use the hashtag #13DOHH2016 to see all the other great projects from our Handmade Makers and share your projects too - we'd love to see what you create!  There will be a prize for my favorite Halloween creation! .....P.S.  I have a special surprise - there is more Halloween fun tomorrow, so make sure you check back in ;)

DON'T FORGET!!!! You still have time to share your Halloween ideas via Instagram.  When you post a Halloween craft be sure to used the #13DOHH2016 hashtag to qualify.  Winner will be selected and announced on my Instagram on October 27, 2016!

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Keep up with what our host of makers are sharing this year!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Fat Bombs

It's FALL YA'LL and you know what that means....'tis the season for Pumpkin ERRRTHANG!  Today, I'm sharing a delicious recipe for Halloween/Pumpkin Cheesecake FAT BOMBS for The Cupcake Diaries '30 Days of Halloween' series.

Don't let the name fool you, fat bombs are a tasty option for anyone following a LCHF or Keto-adapted diet.  They're packed with healthy fats and delicious flavors.  If you haven't had one before, you're going to enjoy making - and eating these.  You may remember I mentioned my new way of eating earlier this year (which has REALLY paid off in a major ways....more on that in another post).....A few weeks ago when I signed my crazy self up to participate in the series and share a Halloween recipe....I didn't take into account that Halloween = Sugary treats.  Welp.... in short, I have kicked sugar to the curb (sorta - yet another story for another post) so, after I realized what I'd done, I was sort of kicking myself.  How can I, who no longer indulges in sugary snacks,  share a sweet Halloween recipe?  Well, I soon had a moment of clarity and it suddenly occurred to me; I can easily share a sweet treat with ya'll....and it can be healthy!

Funny thing....growing up I NEVER liked pumpkin anything, in fact, Pumpkin anything wasn't really a 'thing' back then.....unless it was Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread....oh, wait - I did love me some PUMPKIN SEEDS and PUMPKIN PICKING  -  but that was probably my limit.  Honestly, I was (and kinda still am) a sweet potato girl.  However, these days, with all things pumpkin popping up errrrwhere, I have come to adopt a love for all the pumpkin things.....so, this is how we arrived at Pumpkin Cheesecake Fat Bombs

I created this treat based on a few Fat Bomb recipes I've seen around the web and adapted the filling from a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake I've made before.....follow along.....

To start, melt 85% Dark Chocolate with Coconut Spread (you can also use coconut butter).  I personally LOVE the chocolate brand, Moser Roth that can be purchased at Aldi.  It has a great snap when you bite into it and the flavor lingers on your palette!  Once the mixture is melted over a double boiler, you can drizzle about a tablespoon of it into teeny mini muffin cups and refrigerate for about 10 minutes!

This filling is super simple to make.  The mixture is pretty much a one-bowl deal.  Melted grass-fed butter (I like Kerry Gold), coconut oil and cream cheese  start things off and then mix in pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix, sweetener, vanilla, and pecans. You can use canned puree or make your own.  Also, if you don't want to use a low carb sweetener, add sugar or honey....I'm not a sugar Nazi....not trying to steal anyone's joy....I'd say about 2-4 tbsp of  either - to taste - should suffice.  I recommend adding the sugar or honey in with the melted butter before adding the puree and other ingredients.

For some weird reason, there wasn't ANY Pumpkin Spice Mix on the supermarket shelves when I was shopping for this recipe.  It could be that I wrote this post a few weeks before it was officially 'Pumpkin Spice Season' and the stores simply didn't have any.  So, I shopped my pantry instead.  I blended my own spice mix by adding fresh ground nutmeg, cloves and allspice to 1 tbsp each of ginger and 2 tbsp of Cinnamon with a pinch of salt.  I had to bust out my trusty muddler to grind up everything, but you can always use a spice grinder if you have one on hand.....I didn't.....and it worked out fine.

If you're allergic, I'm sure I don't have to convince you that you don't need to add the pecans.....but if you aren't and you love them....have at it!

Once all the ingredients are mixed just put a heaping spoonful of mixture into the refrigerated cups. They should stay cool as the chocolate ones tend to melt.   If you prefer to not make these with the chocolate cups, you can add the mix to snack cups.  Be sure to refrigerate these again for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.  They can stay refrigerated for up to 24 hours. If not serving right away or for a few days, it's a good idea to place them in an airtight container and freeze them.  These keto-friendly fat bombs are a delightful treat and can be enjoyed a little at a time if kept frozen.

Print Recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Fat Bombs



 

LET'S GET SOCIAL!  Find more celebrations and Halloween fun @cwbdparties on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

Thanks to Alli of the Cupcake Diaries for inviting me to join in on this fun this year.  You can view more delicious recipes and get printables from the 30 of Days Halloween series.  Be sure to follow along and use the hashtag #30DaysofHalloween.

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Cost Saving and Easy Meal Planning with Prep Dish

Since changing my way of eating to Low Carb-High Fat (LCHF), I am loving meal planning lately and what help me stay on track best is having easy recipes and grocery lists to choose from. I had a chance to sample and review a weekly meal plan subscription with PrepDish.com for free for the next 3 months.  BTW - I have a special offer for my readers (scroll down if ya can't wait!)


PrepDish.com is a weekly online subscription service created by Registered Dietician and personal celebrity chef Allison Schaff.  With that kind of experience under her belt, I'd say this lady MUST know what she's talking about.
 Watch Allison's Introductory Video
After you sign up, you will get your plan via email.  Included is a Gluten-free and Paleo meal plan that you can choose from.  I'm not eating specifically for these type of diets, but they are in-line with my current way of eating, so, I don't feel that I'm missing out on anything from trying trying the recipes.  I can also add in the ingredients that I want to adapt to my Low-Carb/High Fat lifestyle.
I had some time this week to get started on trying out some of the recipes, review the meal plans and I must say I was very excited.  There were so many different options for food and veggies I knew that I wouldn't be bored right away with trying everything.  Because I already did my shopping for the week, I didn't use the grocery list this time, but it was clear that I could find any of the items on the list in my grocery store and gathered I wouldn't spend more than about $120 for everything.  


One of the dishes I made that I just LOVED was a delicious marinated salmon with curried cauliflower & eggplant.  Now, I am not a fan of eggplant, unless it's covered in cheese....and I'm not a fan of cheese stuff with my salmon....like ever.  So, I opted to not use the Eggplant and just settled on having the cauliflower as my side dish.  PS....I never knew how delicious cauliflower could be until I started creating different recipes with it.  If you don't love cauliflower, just Google some of the recipes that are out there.....it's really yummy.  I digress.....the Prep Dish recipes are so easy to follow and very tasty, prep time takes about 2 hours for a week's worth of meals and most of the ingredients can be found just about anywhere.  


I do have a separate LCHF meal plan that I'm currently following so, I am not sure how long I will continue the subscription after the free trial ends,  but I do highly recommend it to anyone looking to eat healthier and wants to save time and money on grocery shopping.
As a special incentive for signing up with PrepDish.com, my Readers will receive an exclusive $4 FREE Trial http://www.PrepDish.com/USFAMILY (so sign-up....hurry!!  go....GO!)

PrepDish is great because it saves time and money, the food is pretty darn tasty, everything is healthy, and we can feed our family delicious and healthy real food meals.  The plan is really designed for those looking to eat healthier - and shouldn't we all be working towards that goal?  I mean, donuts are super yummy,  but in moderation of course.  If you're following the Whole30 or even Paleo eating plan, this online service is perfect!