Sticky Korean Wings

These wings are so good! If you like your wings sweet and salty with an umami flavor, these are for you. I served them with white rice and steamed broccoli and it was a perfect dinner. 

Korean Sticky Wings

• 3 lb. chicken wings

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 limes juiced
• 3 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs. honey
• 2 tbs. finely minced ginger
• 2 tbs. finely minced garlic
•  2 tbs. barbecue sauce
• 2 tbs. oyster sauce

1 onion sliced

1 red or yellow bell pepper sliced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix all of your marinade ingredients well. Pat your wings dry and put in a roasting pan with the onions and peppers. Pour your marinade over the wings and mix well. Put your wings in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes flipping the wings every 20 or so minutes. Remove from the oven and set to broil. Move oven rack to the top and broil wings for about 3-5 minutes on each side making sure they don't burn. Remove to a serving platter, drizzle with a little more honey and garnish with green onion and peanuts. If you like them spicy, top with some chili oil.

Blackened swordfish with mango salsa and coconut rice

 I love any kind of seafood, and it has so many health and weight loss benefits. This is a simple preparation that is quick, easy and healthy. I made my own blackening spice, but you can certainly use store bought. The salsa comes together so quick with my new chopper! I also found this Badia brand lime pepper and orange pepper. I ordered it and it is amazing! It does have some salt in it as well, so I omit extra salt. It has such a great flavor and really adds to the salsa and rice. I have used both and love them, the link is below.  I prepare the rest of the salsa in the chopper when I am finished so it also helps with cleanup! I have linked it below again in case you want to get one too. The coconut rice is so delicious paired with the swordfish, but I make it all the time. 

Blackened swordfish with mango salsa and coconut rice

• 2 swordfish steaks
• 1 tbs. olive oil

For the blackening spices:

• 1 tsp. brown sugar (I use monkfruit sweetener to cut out the sugar)
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 11/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried oregano

Mix all ingredients well.

For the mango salsa:

• 2 ripe mangos
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 red onion
• 1 small avocado
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp Badio lime pepper

For the coconut rice:

• 1 cup rinsed jasmine rice
• 1 cup lite coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp monkfruit sweetener or sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Badio lime pepper
• 1 small piece of ginger and 1 inch piece lemongrass (optional but adds great flavor)

Add your rinsed rice and rice ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Stir and cover with a layer of paper towel and a tight fitting lid. Simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice before serving.

Chop all of your salsa ingredients, adding the avocado, lime juice and lime pepper last. Mix well and store in refrigerator while the swordfish cooks.

Dry your swordfish off and season both sides with the blackening seasoning. Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and coat pan. Add your swordfish steaks and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook an addition 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness.  Remove from heat and cover with foil while they continue to cook

Serve the swordfish topped with the salsa, and the rice on the side. I added some chili crisp to the rice for some heat!

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Italian Pork Ribs

 I got this recipe from a Salve Regina football Mom that I met last year. Her name is Dena and she has a TikTok account called miciamammas. She has some amazing recipes and is renovating a beautiful home in Tuscany that she shows. These ribs are easy and so delicious. They only need to marinate for an hour. I made them in the oven, but they can be done on the grill as well.

Italian Ribs with Lemon and Garlic

• 3 lbs. pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 14 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs. fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp. fresh mint chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 lemons plus an addition 1 1/2
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 2 tbs. honey
• 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 onions sliced

Season ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. In a small frying pan, heat the garlic in the olive oil over sow heat until the garlic is soft. Mash the garlic with a fork into the oil and set aside to cool.

For the marinade, combine the cooked garlic and oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, mint, thyme, parsley, the zest of two lemons and their juices, oregano, dijon, honey and 1 tbs. balsamic. Wisk all together.

Put the ribs in a large ziplock bag and add the onions, 1 sliced lemon and the marinade.  Marinate for at least one hour, but can be done overnight.

Preheat your grill or oven to 350. Put the ribs and all the fixings in either a cast iron pan or a roasting pan and cover with a lid or foil. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Take the ribs out and grill or broil on each side for 1-2 minutes. Remove the ribs and to a serving platter and spoon the marinade, onions and cooked lemons over the ribs and serve.

Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi, the healthy way!

 I love Korean food, and bulgogi is one off my favorite. It  is way to high in sugar and sodium, so I make a cleaner, healthier version. I love to serve mine with jasmine rice and pickled Asian veggies which I will include the recipe for. They pair so well together. This meal comes together in under 30 minutes. I finally broke down and ordered one of the viral choppers on Tik Tok and it is a life changer! Saves so much time. I got a great deal and love mine, I linked it below with the sweetener. It is 25% off and has a $5.00 coupon at checkout. Don't miss out. One of my most used ingredients is Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener. It comes in white sweetener and dark sweetener, so I use both depending on what the recipe calls for. Both have no after taste and my Husband and kids can't tell the difference. They can be pricy, but I purchase mine on Amazon and have linked them below. Enjoy!

Healthy Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi

• 1.5 lbs. 93% lean ground beef
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbs. grated ginger
• 1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1 tbs. sesame seeds

• Cook Jasmine rice according to instructions. Add vegetable oil to a pan and heat on medium. Add your beef and cook through. Add the garlic, onion and ginger and saute for about 5 minutes. Mix together the soy sauce, sweetener, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, sriracha and sesame oil. Pour over the beef and mix well. Saute for about 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken and the meat turns brown.  Add the green onion and sesame seeds to garnish and serve over the rice with pickled veggies on the side.

Asian Pickled Veggies

• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 lg. sweet onion sliced thin
• 2 cups daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 2 cups red radish
• 6 garlic cloves cut into large pieces
• 3-5 thai red peppers cut in half (depending on the heat you like)
• 1 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup Lokanto white sweetener
• 1 tsp. salt

In a large mason jar combine all of your chopped vegetables. Boil your water. When it is boiling, add your white vinegar, sweetener and salt. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Pour over vegetables. Cover and shake well. Place in the refrigerator. (It will keep for at least a week,)

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Crispy Air Fried Tofu with Cauliflower Rice

 I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I do love this combo! It is important to use the high protein extra firm tofu so that it is firm and dry. You can press your tofu with a heavy pan to get the moisture out. It has to be dry so that it gets crispy. If you have never used nutritional yeast, you are missing out! I love Bragg's nutritional yeast with roasted garlic. You can't find it in the store so I get mine on Amazon, the link is below.  It is high in protein, b vitamins, iron and so much more. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor and tastes great. I also love coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It is less salty and better for you. I use the cauliflower rice stir fry from Trader Joe's and their tofu. If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake them in the oven. 

Crispy Air Fried Tofu with Cauliflower Rice

for the tofu: 

• 1 block extra firm, high protein tofu pressed, dried and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 2 tbs. coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tbs. garlic powder
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

for the cauliflower:

• 1 bag Trader Joe's riced cauliflower stir fry
• 1 tbs. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbs. coconut aminos or soy sauce

Toss the cubed tofu in a bowl with the coconut aminos and garlic powder. Coat well. Add the nutritional yeast and toss till well coated.  Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray and set to 390 degrees. Add your tofu in a single layer and cook for 18-20 minutes, shaking and turning 1/2 way through. While the tofu is cooking, heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add the sesame oil. Once it is hot, add your cauliflower. Cook over medium-medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add your ginger, garlic and coconut aminos. Stir and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes until it starts to get a little toasted. Remove to a serving dish and top with the tofu. You can drizzle with a little sesame oil and sriracha if you like it spicy.

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Trader Joe's Pizza

 If you know me, you know I love spicy food! This recipe is made from all Trader Joe's ingredients. You could definitely omit the spice by not using the Bomba Italian Hot Pepper Sauce and the hot meat. You could substitute roasted red pepper sauce or sundried tomato pesto and use deli meat that is not spicy. This pizza is so delicious, you will love it!

Trader Joe's Spicy Pizza

All ingredients from Trader Joes

• 1 pkg. herb pizza dough
• garlic dip
• Bomba Italian Hot Pepper Sauce
• 1 burrata broken into pieces
• a few marinated mozzarella balls halved 
• Spicy Charcuterie Mix
• roasted red bell peppers
• arugula
• balsamic glaze
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 450. Oil the bottom of a cookie sheet with olive oil and spread the dough out. Add your garlic dip, then bomba sauce. Add the burrata pieces, mozzarella balls, roasted peppers and charcuterie mix. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until bottom is browned and top is bubbly. Remove from oven top with arugula, a bit of mozzarella marinade and balsamic glaze.

I love pork tenderloin! It is so lean and tender and high in protein. I came up with this recipe when I was cleaning out my refrigerator and had these ingredients, and it worked really well!  The peppery arugula with the sweet balsamic glaze really adds to the dish. You can find the tiny sweet and tangy peppers on amazon. I use them in salads and they go really well with this dish. The link is below!

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

• 1 pork tenderloin, butterflied
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella
• 1 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. butter
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 package baby arugula
• 1/2 jar Delallo Sweet and Tangy Peppers
• salt and pepper to taste
• balsamic glaze

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a oven proof pan, saute your sliced onions over medium low heat in 1tbs. olive oil and the butter until caramelized. Add your minced garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant. While the onions are caramelizing,  spread your pesto onto one side of your butterflied pork. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella onto the same side, and top with sundried tomatoes. Close the tenderloin and secure the open end with toothpicks to hold it together. Remove the onion mixture from the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sear the pork on both sides.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook for about 1 minute. Add the onion mixture back to the pan around the pork and put into the oven for about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes. On a large serving plate, add the arugula. Slice the pork and place the slices over the arugula. Add your onions and juices all over the pork and arugula. Top with some tiny peppers and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

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Carne Asada

 This was my first time making this recipe, and it won't be my last! The marinade was fresh and easy and the steak tasted amazing! I served it with black beans, Spanish rice and some sliced avocado, sweet onion and jalapeno. Eat it on it's own or warm up some corn and flour tortillas and wrap it up. Don't forget to top with your favorite hot sauce, mine is Tapatio linked below.

Carne Asada

• 2.5-3 lbs. skirt steak

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 orange juiced
• 2 limes juiced
• 2 lemon juiced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• 1 pk. sazon seasoning
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 can Modelo or Corona beer
• 1 sliced onion
• 3 tbs. chopped cilantro

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the steak and massage thoroughly. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the steak from the marinade and grill along with the onions over medium high heat about 3-4 minutes each side for medium. Remove from the grill and let sit 10 minutes. It is important to cut the meat against the grain to keep it tender. Slice thin and serve with the onions.

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Italian Romano Beans With Tomatoes

 I like green beans, but I love Romano beans! They are out for a short time in the summer and I always buy an abundance. I found them at Wilson Farms in Lexington, but I am sure they are readily available this time of year. They are also called Italian flat beans and you can cook them two ways. First you can boil or steam them in some salt water till they are tender. While they are cooking, saute garlic in some butter and olive oil. When the beans are done, add them to the garlic and serve with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese. The second way is my favorite!  I make a quick tomato sauce with canned cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil. I get my tomatoes on amazon because I love this brand and they are hard to find in the store, the link is below the photo. I use these for a marinara sauce as well with pasta, they are so sweet! When the beans are cooked, I add them to the sauce and garnish with fresh  basil and romano cheese. They are absolutely delicious and so easy!

• 2 lb. romano beans washed. Snip ends an cut in 1/2
• 1 can cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic softened in oil and mashed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• romano cheese

Clean your beans and add to cold salted water. Boil until tender, about 8-10 minutes. While the beans are cooking, saute garlic in olive oil. When it is soft, mash with a fork. Add crushed pepper to the garlic and oil and add tomatoes. Cook for about 5-10 minutes on low.  Add 1 tsp. chopped basil. Drain beans and add to sauce. Serve from the pan garnished with more fresh basil and grated pecorino romano cheese.

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Avocado Tuna Salad

 I have been trying to pack more protein into my day, and I found the perfect lunch! It is delicious and easy and just takes a few ingredients. This lunch has 53 grams of protein! One of the secrets is the Quest Tortilla Chips. They have 19 grams of protein and 140 calories in a bag. I eat them almost everyday. I also love the Arnolds Keto thins. I am not a keto fan, but these thins have 12 grams of protein and only 100 calories. The whole lunch is 383 calories and fills you up! I also top my tuna with Furikake Japanese seasoning. It has bits of crunch and seaweed an adds a great flavor. The link is below as well.  I have linked the chips below. I order them from Amazon, they are cheaper and you can buy them in bulk. If you are a chip person, they are life changing!

Avocado Tuna Salad

• 1 can drained tuna (I use white chunk)
• 1/2 avocado mashed
• 1 tbs. fat free greek yogurt
• 2 tbs. chopped celery or onion or both
• 2 tbs chopped dill pickles
• pepper
• a few shakes of tapatio hot sauce if you like it spicy

Drain and rinse tuna to get rid of some of the salt. Add the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Toast your Bread, add the tuna and lettuce and tomato if you like. Enjoy with your chips!

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Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche

 I am finally home for the month of August!  July was a whirlwind between Atlantic City for USTD and our cruise, I wasn't home much at all. I am happy to be home and be able to enjoy my backyard and cook! One of my favorite things to make during the summer is ceviche. It is great for warm weather, easy and delicious. I serve it with either tostada shells or tortilla chips. You can change up the fish to your liking. I have made it with haddock, shrimp, scallops and striped bass. Make sure that you get fresh fish as you will be cooking it in the lime juice. If you are a little worried about not cooking the fish on the stove, you can blanch it in boiling water for a minute, but I prefer to let the acid in the lime cook it. If you like it spicy, add Tapatio hot sauce. It is the best!  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche

• 1.5 lb. shrimp and scallops or any combination
• 2 baby cucumbers chopped
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups fresh lime juice divided
• 1/2 cup clamato (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

• chop the shrimp and scallops into bite-sized pieces
• add to a bowl and cover with 1.5 cups lime juice. place in the refrigerator or 1.5 hours.
• in a separate bowl, add chopped onion and cucumber.
• in a food processor, combine jalapeno, cilantro, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Blend till well combined.
• Add the seafood to the chopped vegetables.
• pour the sauce onto your seafood and vegetables and mix well. Add your chopped avocado.
• season with salt and pepper, and add your clamato if you are using it.
• Mix well and add additional cilantro to garnish. Serve immediately with 
• Serve immediately with tortilla chips or tostada shells and tapatio hot sauce!