gluten free

Name: HEALTHY CAESAR SALAD | HERBED YOGURT CAESAR DRESSING
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 heads romaine lettuce; 1 tomato sliced; 1/4 cup greek yogurt; 2 cloves garlic; 4 in anchovies (the anchovies a tube are great because you can seal it and use it again); 2 Tbsp . parsley; 1 Tbsp egg yolk or 1 . mayo; 1 Tbsp . olive oil; 2 Tbsp . pecorino romano cheese (for extra flavor); salt and pepper; 6 Tbsp pecorino romano cheese (shredded finely)

Gluten Free

HEALTHY CAESAR SALAD | HERBED YOGURT CAESAR DRESSING

If you want to cut down on calories and fat in your salads, I’ve got a healthy caesar salad recipe with herbed yogurt caesar dressing that will make you feel light and airy!

I’m quite the caesar salad addict. I could eat one several times a week and never get tired of them, provided that the romaine lettuce is crisp and fresh, and the dressing is high quality. This is why I generally make mine at home because restaurants can get lazy and serve pre-made dressings. Plus I get to make delicious cheese crisps to go on top that take just a few minutes to bake and are a great sub for croutons. I really love pecorino Romano cheese, but parmesan is perfect as well. Just shred little piles on parchment paper on a sheet pan and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure not to burn them!

I stopped buying bottled dressing a long time ago when I realized how ridiculously easy it was to make vinaigrettes and dressing from scratch. You can make only what you need or enough for the week’s lunches in pretty much the same amount of time. You only need good quality vinegars, or lemons and limes, good olive oil, usually a nice mustard, some simple seasoning, and maybe garlic or shallots to make most dressings. This takes literally 2-3 minutes to whip up, and you can shake it up in a mason jar, whisk it in a bowl, or blend it in a food processor or blender.

Bottled dressings, even organic brands, always have an aftertaste that I can’t get past. There are so many preservatives, chemicals, and unnatural additives that are used to keep them fresh, so really take the time to read your labels!

For this healthy caesar salad dressing recipe, I used greek yogurt (because it has less water) an egg yolk for creaminess (it’s traditional in caesar dressing but can be subbed with mayo), canned anchovies (if you’ve eaten caesar dressing, you’ve eaten anchovies…GASP!), parsley for color and flavor, lemon juice, garlic, stone ground mustard, and just a smidgen of olive oil.

You can blend it all in a food processor (here is a link for a mini one that’s great for making dressings), blender, or in a bowl with a whisk. If you do it by hand, make sure to chop the parsley as finely as possible. This dressing a little “looser” because there isn’t as much oil binding everything together. Simply toss a little bit of the dressing over the salad to coat evenly and serve in a different bowl or plate. This ensures you don’t overdress your greens.

And there you have it folks! Soak in the last bit of summer with this light and refreshing salad. If you want an idea for a protein that pairs perfectly with this salad, check out these easy grilled lamb kebabs. They are so tender and SO good :-). Happy Labor Day weekend!

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Healthy caesar salad with herbed yogurt caesar dressing is so healthy and satisfying!

HEALTHY CAESAR SALAD | HERBED YOGURT CAESAR DRESSING

This tangy, light and refreshing version of caesar salad has less calories, but tons of flavor!

Course Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 heads romaine lettuce
1 tomato sliced

For the Dressing

1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic
4 in anchovies the anchovies a tube are great because you can seal it and use it again
2 Tbsp . parsley
1 Tbsp egg yolk or 1 . mayo
1 Tbsp . olive oil
2 Tbsp . pecorino romano cheese for extra flavor
salt and pepper

For the Pecorino Romano crisps

6 Tbsp pecorino romano cheese shredded finely

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Finely shred 6 Tbsp. pecorino romano cheese. Place 6 little circles of 1 Tbsp. each of the cheese on parchment paper-line sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until it's a light golden color. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the crisps are baking, blend all the ingredients for the dressing except for the oil in a food processor or blender. If you make it by hand, make sure to chop the garlic and parsley really finely. With the food processor on (or whisking constantly), slowing pour in the olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Chop the romaine and place in a bowl. Drizzle some of the salad dressing over the greens and toss to coat. This ensures that your salad isn't overdressed and soggy. Season with salt and pepper.
Top the two salads with tomato slices and cheese crisps.
Serve immediately.

Baking

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BROWNED BUTTER MINI CUPCAKES

Get ready folks for an unbelievably deeeeeelicious chocolate treat, Chocolate Peanut Butter Browned Butter Mini Cupcakes! Yep, you read that right…

If these mini cupcakes had a theme song, it would sung by Rod Stewart (with his blonde mullet blowing in the wind), “If ya want these cupcakes, and ya think their sexy, come on baby let me know!” Yes, these chocolate nuggets of perfection deserve an ultra sexy song to showcase their unbelievably decadent, yet lighter-than-air texture, with notes of browned butter and peanut butter waking up your senses.

Basically, if you eat these, you might get pregnant.

When I post a recipe for a baked good, I don’t mess around. I wouldn’t even bother posting a run-of-the-mill chocolate cake recipe that you’ve tasted a million times at any restaurant or birthday party just to fill space. I wouldn’t do that to you. It’s either got to be ridiculously delicious, or I’m not wasting my time (and you shouldn’t either).

Speaking of babies, I made these for my son’s 2nd birthday party. He’s TWO ya’ll! How did that even happen?! I originally planned on pairing these little cupcakes with some French buttercream for his birthday, but I took one bite and realized they didn’t need anything else! This made my life soooo much easier because it takes a little time to prepare a meringue buttercream like this strawberry one, or this chocolate one (please forgive the old photos in the chocolate post, it’s still so good). Plus, I didn’t have to worry about transporting the cupcakes in a huge contraption to keep them cold.

So what’s so different about these mini cupcakes anyway, you ask? For starters, the base is composed of almond flour, powdered sugar, and a good amount of egg whites. This makes the cake pillowy and spongy, while the browned butter aroma and flavor makes you roll your eyes in the back of your head with just one bite!

Oooooh just look at that chocolate. Cue Kenny G’s sexiest clarinet tune. If you’re over 30, you KNOW what I’m talking about!

TOOLS FOR BAKING MINI CUPCAKES

48-Cup Mini Cupcake Pan: If your going to make mini cupcakes, you’re probably making them for a party. You might as well get a 48-cup pan since it easily fits on one oven rack!

Small Cookie (or ice cream) Scoop: A small scoop makes it effortless to scoop equal portions into mini cupcake pans. For minis, you need a small scoop, for regular cupcakes, you’ll need a larger scoop.

Mini Cupcake Liners: I personally don’t like silicone liners because you are essentially leaching the chemicals into your baked goods when they hit the heat. That’s why I prefer paper liners.

Using a fork, top each cupcake with a smidgen of peanut butter. Make sure your peanut butter is slightly runny so it easily swirls on your cakes.

Bake for 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees. The smell in your kitchen will be intoxicating!

Give me a cyber high five if you make these tasty little cakes! Comment below and tell me what you think 🙂

5 from 1 vote

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BROWNED BUTTER MINI CUPCAKES

This spongy, gooey, lighter-than-air mini cupcakes are the perfect rich chocolate bites. No buttercream needed!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 48

Ingredients

2 sticks plus 7 Tbsp butter 312 grams
1 1/4 cups almond flour NOT almond meal because it contains the skins, 125 grams
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 375 grams
1/2 cup cocoa powder 45 grams
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. all purpose gluten free flour or cake flour 90 grams
1/2 tsp salt
9 egg whites 312 grams
1 Tbsp applesauce 33 grams
2-3 Tbsp peanut butter for topping the mini cupcakes make sure the peanut butter is a a tad runny so it can easily be drizzled

Instructions

This recipe makes 48 mini cupcakes. By all means cut this recipe in half if you wish. But for a party, you might want to make the whole batch!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat (do NOT crank up the heat, the butter will splatter). Let the butter cook for about 10-15 minutes until it turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Keep checking on the butter to ensure it doesn't burn. Take it off the heat to cool for a few minutes once it's done.
While the butter is browning, add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together until smooth and incorporated.
Mix the egg whites and applesauce together. Add them to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Take a strainer and place it over the bowl. Pour the browned butter through the strainer into the batter to strain out the butter solids. Whisk immediately until fully combined, but don't over mix.
Line a mini cupcake pan with cupcake liners and with a small ice cream scoop or a Tbsp. measurer, fill the cupcake liners almost to the top. It's ok because the cakes will dome at the top and won't spill over.
With a fork, scoop a bit of peanut butter and drizzle a bit over each cupcake. It doesn't need to cover the top, just add swirls.
Bake the mini cupcakes for 7-9 minutes, or until the tops are set and they spring back when touched. DON'T OVERBAKE! It's better to remove them from the oven a minute early instead of a minute late.
Let cool and serve immediately.

To Preserve:

Wrap each cake in plastic wrap to cover completely and keep in the freezer for up to two weeks. Let thaw at room temperature and warm in a 250 degree oven for a few minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Breakfast

EASY QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL

Start your day off right with a healthy and EASY QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL packed with protein, healthy fat and and fresh cherry summer tomatoes!

I made this quinoa breakfast bowl for lunch today and took photos on a whim while my son was napping. Creating a recipe from scratch, planning on how I’m going to shoot the recipe, making and styling the food usually takes hours, but this recipe is so simple, I was able to throw together some tasty items I had on hand, put it together and photograph it in no time, with no pre-planning, YEAH!

This is a wonderful breakfast for the weekend or a day off. To make things even easier, slice the tomatoes and olives, and toss them with the mozzarella balls the night before. Top with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and fresh basil just before serving. The next morning fry up an egg, slice the avocado and your superhero breakfast is DONE!

A note about quinoa and grains in general

If you are a super savvy, in-the-know foodie, you might already have an understanding about phytic acid in grains. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then listen up.

The outer portion of whole grains contain phytic acid which is a compound that blocks your digestive system from being able to absorb nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. These nutrients are the very thing that is located in the outer portion of the grain! It’s a complete conundrum.

So how on earth can your body access these nutrients? It’s actually quite simple. Many ancient cultures have intuitively understood for centuries the benefits of soaking grains to aid digestion. For quinoa and other whole grains, you can simply soak them in warm water with a little bit of vinegar for at least a few hours or overnight. The soaking action helps to neutralize phytic acid and create enzymes known as phytates, which make it possible to absorb the powerful nutrients in whole grains, especially quinoa.

For more information about the many problems with grains and modern-day bread, subscribe to my blog and receive a FREE guide for 5 Reasons modern-day bread is making you sick…and what you can do about it. There is a form at the end of this post!

If you want to speed up the process, cook the quinoa the night before and just reheat it quickly while you slice the tomatoes and avocado and cook the crispy egg. I find one egg per serving is perfect because the quinoa is nice and filling. I drizzled a touch of olive oil and balsamic over the dish at the end, and MWAH!

Release your inner superhero with this amazingly delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner bowl!

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

This quinoa breakfast bowl is and easy and healthy gluten free recipe packed with protein and nutrition from the sweet cherry tomatoes and olives, eggs, and quinoa

EASY QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL

Whip up an easy quinoa breakfast bowl for a delicious and satisfying meal filled with healthy fat and fresh produce!

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa
1 1/2-2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 avocado
2 eggs
1/2 cup olives I used pimento-stuffed but any kind will do
1/2 cup small mozzarella balls
1 clove garlic
3-4 sprigs fresh basil torn by hand
1 1/2 Tbsp . balsamic vinegar plus a dash for the avocado
1 1/2 Tbsp . olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to package directions, it should take around 15 minutes or so. Fluff with a fork when it's done.
Meanwhile, slice the avocado, tomatoes and olives, and mince the garlic. Mix the tomatoes, olives, garlic, mozzarella, basil, and salt and pepper together. Pour a dash of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of salt over the avocado to keep from browning.
Whisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper together. Pour half of it over the tomato salad and half of it over the cooked quinoa.
Fry the eggs in a little olive oil until desired doneness. I like a runny yolk for extra sauce.
On two plates, divide the quinoa, salad, avocado slices, and eggs. Drizzle a touch of balsamic over the eggs and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead Option:

To neutralize the phytic acid in the quinoa, simply soak the grains in warm water with a touch of vinegar for several hours or overnight in a mason jar. You can do this the night before you make this for breakfast, or you can even soak it, then cook a larger portion of quinoa for the week, refrigerate, then just reheat it when you are ready to cook.

Appetizers

CRISPY BRUSSEL SPROUTS RECIPE

Some days are more stressful than others. In those times, fried food usually helps. At least today, we are frying up some Crispy Brussel Sprouts with balsamic vinegar so we can feel a little better about eating more vegetables, HA! I know Brussel sprouts are the arch nemesis of just about every child alive, but it just might be possible to conform any brussel sprout hater with this recipe.

The trick to making brussel sprouts a vegetable that you actually CRAVE is all in the outer leaves that fry up in a shallow pan and taste like flavorful potato chips! I first tried crispy brussel sprouts just recently when we took a trip to Florida that you can read all about HERE. This trip was complete with an epic sand mermaid-making session that you must see to believe, our little toddlers first trip to the beach, and lots and lots of tasty food that I documented along the way.

Luckily, I was able to recreate our favorite dish of the whole trip at home. These crispy bites are a perfect appetizer for entertaining because they might not make it to the table once they are fried up. The leaves take a little time to remove, but you only remove the ones on the outside that naturally fall off, then you can fry fry up the rest of the whole sprout too so no vegetable is left behind!

I took about 5 cups of brussel sprouts and sliced off the ends which made the outer leaves fall off. Remove any leaves that come off easily and set aside. Don’t waste your time plucking all the leaves off, it will only irritate you to no end! Slice the core of the brussel sprout in half and set aside as well. I like frying in a shallow cast iron skillet so you don’t have to use more than 1 cup of oil. Since each batch of the leaves only takes about two minutes, the process goes very quickly. The whole sprouts take 5-7 minutes, but there will only be about two batches worth to fry. You can certainly speed up the process by heating two pans with oil. Simply have one large sheet pan lined with paper towels for draining to the side of the stove ready to go.

Heat the oil to medium heat, as the leaves have a tendency to pop in the oil. This will control oil splatter. A handy tool to have on hand for removing the leaves and whole sprouts is a bamboo “spider” strainer typically used for frying in a wok. It picks up the food easily and strains the oil.

After frying and straining, immediately season each batch with Essence of Emeril seasoning blend since it’s basically the greatest seasoning blend that ever existed. Of course, if you have a favorite blend with herbs, garlic, and onion, you can substitute it with that. Once they are all fried, add them to a bowl and dress with balsamic vinegar and serve immediately. The leaves fried up nicely, but I could have fried the whole sprouts for even a little longer to get more color on them. They were still SO damn good.

I would LOVE to hear any comments below if you get to try this recipe!!

CRISPY BRUSSEL SPROUTS RECIPE

Even those who aren't brussel sprout fans will absolutely LOVE these crispy fried brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

5 cups brussel sprouts about 680 grams or 24 oz
1 cup neutral oil for a 10 inch pan or fill it with 1 inch of oil (canola grapeseed, or vegetable oil) DON'T fry with olive oil, it will burn
shallow frying pan preferably a cast iron skillet
1 1/2 Tbsp . balsamic vinegar
1 tsp . honey
2 tsp . of Essence of Emeril seasoning blend or your favorite all purpose seasoning blend with herbs garlic, onion, etc.

Instructions

Cut off the ends of the brussel sprouts and remove the top leaves that easily fall off, set aside. Cut the core of the sprouts in half and set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet or shallow frying pan over medium heat with 1 inch of oil.
Place a sheet pan lined with paper towels next to your frying pan.
Drop a couple of leaves into the oil to test the temperature. They should start to sizzle. Add a handful of leaves to the pan and fry for about two minutes or until they get some nice color on them. Be aware that the oil might pop so stir occasionally with a spider to help lessen the splatter. Drain each batch on the paper towels and spread them out so they don't get soggy. You will know when they are done when they are crispy like a potato chip. Season each batch with the seasoning blend right after you place them on the sheet pan to drain.
For the whole sprouts fry for 5-7 minutes or until they get nice and golden brown. Drain and season as well.
Mix the honey and balsamic in a bowl and add the leaves and sprouts. Toss to coat and check for seasoning. Adjust as needed.
Serve immediately.

Dinner

SMOKY & SPICY BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES | AVOCADO, CILANTRO & LIME DIPPING SAUCE

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I don’t like what I see.

Every time I step on the scale, I find myself looking up and gritting my teeth before I look at that dreaded number in between my toes.

You hear from beautiful and empowered women that it’s just a number, and you shouldn’t let it define you.

I want so desperately to feel that beautiful and empowered, but honestly, all too often I don’t.

I’m really good at seeing the beauty in others, and telling them how awesome they are, but when it comes to seeing that in myself, I struggle almost everyday.

It’s so tragic that women are completely brainwashed from the time we are born to believe that our self worth is so greatly influenced by our waistlines, and not by our intellect, or wisdom, or the fact that we literally grow human beings inside our bodies and keep the human race alive!

Seriously, enough is enough.

I know there will be moments when I will forget about my true divine nature, which is the true essence of every woman, every child, and every man. It is no understatement that we are the embodiment of love. The hard part is remembering this every day.

I believe that part of loving myself means that I eat healthy whole foods everyday and try to incorporate soul-satisfying nutrition and flavor into my meals.

So for today, I share a recipe that helps me feel nourished and strong, and is utterly delicious at the same time.

These sweet potato fries are crisp and the avocado sauce has a bit of coconut milk to give it a subtle tropical flavor that is so light and refreshing.

Yes, this is life-giving food.

HOW TO SLICE SWEET POTATOES (without slicing off your fingers):

1. Slice a portion off of the sweet potato to create a safe flat surface to chop from.

2. Lay the sweet potato flat side down and slice about 1/2-inch size slices width-wise.

3. Slice them into fries. Remember that the sweet potatoes will shrink in the oven so don’t slice them paper thin.

Now coat them with chipotle powder, smoked paprika, potato starch, and olive oil. Don’t salt them until they are done, as the salt pulls out moisture and will make them a little soggy.

Although this next step isn’t required, if you have a cooling rack that fits in a sheet pan, place the fries on top with parchment paper so they won’t stick. The rack helps to circulate heat under the fries to help them crisp up. If you don’t have a rack, just place them on parchment paper directly on the sheet pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan. They will get soggy otherwise!

While the fries are baking, make the avocado dipping sauce with an avocado, cilantro, a touch of unsweetened coconut milk, lime, and salt.

Let the fries cool for a few minutes, then dive right in.

WATCH THE TASTY VIDEO FOR THE RECIPE ↓

Here is to life-giving food and self-love in action.

Bon Appétit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Smoky and spicy bakes sweet potato fries in an avocado coconut dipping sauce, YUM!

5 from 6 votes

Smoky & Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Fries|Avocado, Cilantro & Lime Dipping Sauce

Smoky and spicy sweet potatoes are baked to perfection and served with a light and refreshing dipping sauce!

Course sides

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes

3 sweet potatoes skins removed, sliced then cut into fries
2 1/2 Tbsp . olive oil
1/4 tsp . chipotle powder
1/2 tsp . smoked paprika
3 tsp . potato starch
salt

For the Avocado Sauce

1 avocado
1 lime juiced
handful cilantro
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Slice a chunk off of the sides of each sweet potato to make a flat surface to cut from. This will keep the sweet potato still while you are slicing into it.
Slice 1/2 slices width-wise. Cut them into fries from there. Don't slice them to small because they will shrink in the oven.
Mix the spices and potato starch together.
Coat in olive oil, then the spices and potato starch mixture. Don't salt until they come out of the oven. Salt will extract moisture and will make them soggy.
Place a cooling rack in a sheet pan and cover with parchment paper. Top with the sweet potatoes, but don't overcrowd the pan! It's better to use two pans if your sheet pan isn't big enough.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked and the edges have darkened. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
While the fries are baking, make the sauce by adding all the avocado, cilantro, coconut milk, lime, and salt to a food processor and puree.
Serve with the fries!

Dinner

EASY BROCCOLI BEEF SOBA NOODLE BOWL

Ahhhhh winter. Don’t ya just love bone-chilling temperatures and apocalyptic snow storms?❄️? If you live in the eastern part of the U.S., you have just experienced record-breaking snowfall from 22 inches in Philadelpia, to 42 inches in West Virginia, combined with up to 75 mph winds that has caused massive flooding in New Jersey. Freezing temperatures, snow up to your eyeballs, and flooding….. yes, mother nature has gotten the last word. It’s times like these that make me so thankful to live in Tennessee because of the moderate climate. We only got 6 inches of snow (which is a lot for us), the roads are already clear three days later, and the weather report says it will be in the low 60’s later this week?. The saying goes, if you don’t like the weather in Tennessee, just wait a day. When it’s cold outside and you’re trapped indoors, I can think of no better way to warm your soul than this easy broccoli beef soba noodle bowl.

It’s one part stir fry/one part brothy noodle bowl filled edamame, broccoli, yellow bell peppers, and oh-so tender beef. Gluten free Buckwheat Soba noodles (? here is a link for some) help you slurp up the sauce perfumed with ginger, garlic, and coconut milk. It comes together in under 30 minutes, so it’s the perfect winter weeknight meal. If you can find edamame that’s already been shelled, then you’ll save even more time.

Want to make this a vegan dish? Lose the beef and add a bit more edamame for a soul-satisfying meat-free meal. Make sure to use gluten free tamari if you are gluten sensitive. Soy sauce works perfectly too.

So put on your favorite fluffy socks, and cozy up to this amazing bowl of goodness!

Start by steaming your edamame according to package directions. I found my organic edamame in the freezer section, but sometimes you can find it already shelled in the produce department. If so, you just need to add it to the stir fry at the end to warm it through. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the buckwheat noodles to package directions as well. When they are done, drain them in a colander and immediately add a bit of sesame oil, or neutral oil like grapeseed or peanut oil to coat them so they won’t stick together.

While the water is boiling for the noodles, chop your vegetables, garlic, ginger, and set aside. Thinly slice the flat iron steak against the grain, with your knife on a diagonal tilt. If you are unsure, look at the direction of the grain on the beef. You will see the lines going in one direction. Place your knife perpendicular to the lines, it should go across the grains instead of being parallel.

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium high heat. Stir fry the beef for about one to two minutes in sesame oil or other high heat oil, stirring frequently. It cooks very quickly so remove the beef and set aside in a large bowl. Add more oil if necessary and stir fry the broccoli for one to two minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, and immediately add the soy sauce or gluten free tamari. Coat the veggies and add the broth. Cover with a lid to steam the veggies. When the broccoli is tender, remove the lid and stir in the coconut milk. Simmer for a couple of minutes until it start to reduce and thicken. Add the beef back to the pan to absorb the sauce. Top with the edamame to finish.

Fill your serving dishes with soba noodles and top with the stir fried beef and veggies and plenty of sauce. YUM!!!

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Easy Beef and Broccoli Soba Noodle Bowl

Oh-so tender beef, edamame, broccoli, bell peppers, and a flavorful soy broth make a heart-warming soba noodle bowl.

Cuisine Asian inspired

Prep Time 12 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 lbs to 1.5 . Flat Iron Steak
12 oz . package buckwheat soba noodles
4 oz . edamame
2 Tbsp . grapeseed canola, or peanut oil
2 Tbsp . toasted sesame oil
1 head of broccoli chopped
1 yellow orange, or red bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic
1- inch piece of ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce or gluten free tamari
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp . red pepper flakes
salt to taste

Instructions

Steam the edamame according to package directions. If you have already shelled edamame, skip this step.
Chop the broccoli, garlic and ginger, and slice the peppers.
Thinly slice the beef on a diagonal against the grain. Season with a touch of salt.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain the noodles and immediately coat with one tablespoon sesame oil to keep noodles from sticking.
Drain the edamame in a colander and remove from the shells. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon of the cooking oil and sauté the beef for about two minutes or until beef is cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside in a separate bowl.
Add one more tablespoon of the cooking oil and stir fry the broccoli for one-two minutes, or until it starts to soften. Add the bell peppers and cook for one more minute.
Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Immediately add the soy or tamari and stir continuously.
Add the beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cover the wok or pan with a lid to steam the vegetables. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the broccoli is cooked.
Remove the lid and add the coconut milk. Add the beef back to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer so that the sauce can thicken and reduce somewhat. You want to have a good amount of broth let over, so don't reduce it all the way. Add the soba noodles and coat in the sauce and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil and edamame.
Serve immediately.