Doin' Some Cookin'... Southwestern Superfood Salad

I'm back on my Whole30 kick and have a pretty sweet reward in mind for completion. Day one of Whole30 was a much needed body reset because I woke up bloated from a day of poor eating yesterday.

This salad is packed with peaches and avocado on a bed of arugula with a zesty smoked almond cilantro pesto dressing. This is a flavor kick in the mouth. If I wasn't on Whole30 I would have added grilled corn, quinoa, and black beans. I forgot to add my grape tomatoes too. An afterthought was that if I wasn't also trying to keep this meatless a citrus grilled chicken breast would have been a nice addition as well.

The pesto recipe is going to be saved for the next seafood night.

The salad is light and refreshing and provides the perfect fuel for a good workout. Today I focused on working out triceps, shoulders, and hips. It's been over a month and a half since I've been able to workout due to bronchitis and strep at the same time. Definitely fatigued my muscles and it felt so good to earn that afternoon nap.

Now that I'm back in the fitness game I need to find a sturdy one piece swimsuit for the gym (in a smaller size than my suit from last summer, yay!!) so I can get in that lap pool.

Make this meatless salad for a meal that will come together in less than 20 minutes.

Southwestern Superfood Salad

Adapted From: Camille Styles

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show for the Salad:

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 peach, sliced
• 1/2 avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup smoked almonds

Stars of the Show for the Pesto:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup smoked almonds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• pinch of red chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

And Action:

 

Add all ingredients for the pesto in a blender and pulse until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients. Toss with the desired amount of pesto. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Mac and Cheese with Sneaky Sweet Potato

Little Man loves mac and cheese... well... let me be clear, he loves Kraft Mac and Cheese. He is brand loyal and turns his nose up to anything else.

I can't tell you how many times we've tried mac and cheeses on kid's menus and he'll end up eating the side dish he chose instead or how many homemade versions I have tried. The kid dislikes them all.

One work night recently I decided to swing into the grocery store on the way home and decided to try another mac and cheese attempt. I came across a recipe that included sweet potato in the cheese sauce. I used to be against sneaking veggies into meals but now I'm all for it to ensure Little Man is eating a well balanced diet.

Dinner that night was the Mac and Cheese with Sneaky Sweet Potato, honey mustard glazed ham, and French style green beans.

You can definitely tell this isn't traditional mac and cheese and it's a lighter cheese sauce with a brighter orange hue that just tastes healthier.

No surprise here. Little Man did not enjoy this at all. He even claimed that on this particular night he didn't like the green beans either. Sigh.

The hunt continues but for now I'm okay with losing the mac and cheese battle and letting Kraft hold the title because deep down I love it too.

Mac and Cheese with Sneaky Sweet Potato

Adapted From: Thriving Home

Makes 8-10 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked al dente and tossed with olive oil reserving pasta water, amount  noted below- I used quinoa macaroni. Tastes like whole wheat pasta without the grainy texture. 
• 1 sweet potato, microwaved or baked until soft
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups grated colby-jack cheese
• 3/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp olive oil
• dried parsley

And Action:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. 

In a food processor add the sweet potato, milk, pasta water, yogurt, salt, and pepper and blend until smooth. 

Pour the mixture in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk often to prevent the milk from burning. Turn the heat to low and slowly whisk in the cheese a little at a time. Whisk until smooth. 

Add the cooked macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine with the cheese sauce. Transfer the macaroni to the baking dish. 

Combine the breadcrumbs, olive oil, and desired amount of parsley in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni covering the dish. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal: 

Follow steps as noted above but do not bake the macaroni. Tightly wrap the baking dish making sure it's freezer safe. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Baked as directed. Enjoy!