Instant Pot Beef & Portobello Mushroom Stew

There's not much I can say about this recipe that you wouldn't already know - it's hearty, simple, and basically the perfect meal to fill your tummy on a cold winter day (I ate mine on a snowy afternoon while sitting on the couch wearing thick wool socks, and watching Chronicles of Narnia 😍). Pair it with some crusty bread to soak up the stew, and it's pure heaven!

Instant Pot Beef & Portobello Mushroom Stew

Serves 4-6 

2 tbsp butter
2 lb beef chuck, fat trimmed & cut into 1 inch cubes (I prefer doing this because it results in much tenderer beef than using pre-packaged stew meat)
1 tsp dried crushed rosemary
1 medium yellow onion
2 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups no sodium added beef or chicken stock
8 oz portobello mushrooms, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp water

Place butter in Instant Pot, and press Saute function. In two batches, sear the beef cubes on two sides. Don't crowd the beef, or it will steam instead of brown. When finished, turn off the Saute function and add all beef back into the pot.

To the beef, add the onions, celery, carrots, dried rosemary, stock, and pepper. Stir to combine, and then toss the sliced portobello mushrooms on top. Close the lid, and cook on Manual for 15 minutes at high pressure. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (otherwise you'll have to attempt eating boiling lava stew). If after 15-20 minutes the pressure hasn't fully released, open up the valve to release any remaining pressure.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and water with a fork to remove any lumps in the flour and create a slurry. Stir into the stew, and then turn on the Saute function. Let come to a boil for about 5 minutes in order to thicken the stew. Serve with Whole Wheat Skillet Focaccia.

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Curried Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Veggies & Peanut Sauce

I found the basis for this recipe in a little magazine our grocery started sending out to regular customers, and reworked it to make it a little more heart-friendly. I cut back on the red curry paste (which is slightly high in sodium at 15%DV for 1 tsp) and noticed no difference in taste, and pretty drastically reworked the Peanut Sauce recipe because the one they published was so thick and gloopy, you couldn't even toss the vegetables in it.

Ingredients
serves 4-6

Turkey Meatballs
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 egg
1/3 cup oatmeal, ground
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Roasted Vegetables
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
2 medium sweet potatoes, spiralized
Olive oil, for drizzling

Peanut Sauce
3 tbsp creamy low-sodium peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp rice vinegar (depends on how thick you'd like your sauce)
2 tsp sesame oil
2-3 tsp Sriracha

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. To make meatballs, place oatmeal in a food processor and pulse until it's fine-ish like a flour (it's okay if it has a few small pieces in it). In a large bowl, combine egg, oatmeal flour, curry paste, garlic, onion flakes, and pepper. Stir to combine, and then work in the ground turkey. Shape into golf ball size meatballs, and then transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-16 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, on a separate rimmed baking sheet, toss vegetables with olive oil until evenly coated. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

To make the Peanut Sauce, add ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk well to combine. Place roasted vegetables in a large bowl, add peanut sauce, and toss well to combine. Serve meatballs over vegetables.

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Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Taco Bowl

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and comes together in a pinch. Whenever I lose track of time (because toddlers) and have to throw together a quick meal, this is my go-to. We eat this almost every week, because let's face it, it's yummy, and I lose track of time A LOT #momlife

Ingredients
2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
2-3 tbsp chili powder, to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, minced
Avocado, cut into thin slices

Instructions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until onion is slightly translucent and softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, and then add ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break apart meat, and continue cooking until browned.

In a small bowl, combine spices and sprinkle over meat mixture. Stir and let cook for about a minute to fully incorporate spices. Add diced sweet potato and water, stir, and cover with a lid for approx. 6-8 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Remove lid and serve into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and avocado slices.

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Margherita Chicken with Panko Crust

Ingredients

3 plum tomatoes, diced

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and vinegar. Season with the pepper.

Place the remaining 3 tbsp of oil in a large saute pan and heat over medium heat.

Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of Saran Wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet or large metal spoon until they are about 3/8" thick.

Place the eggs in a shallow dish, and the panko breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. Dip each piece of chicken into the eggs to coat, then into the panko. Use your hands to press the panko into the chicken, if needed. Cook in 2 batches in the hot olive oil until crisp on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and place on the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. When all of the chicken has been cooked, return all 4 pieces of chicken to the pan and top with margherita mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and let it sit for 1-2 minutes until margherita mixture is warmed through. 

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Asian Sweet Potato Noodles with Pork Meatballs

This has become a weekly staple in our house since I first made it this past summer. It has tons of flavor, texture, and can even be kid friendly! I make a small, separate batch of the sweet potato noodles for our kiddos without the spicy sauce, and steam them in the microwave instead of cooking on the stove. My son loooooves to eat his "curly noodles and meatballs", as he's dubbed it :)

And just a general warning on ground pork - make sure you check the Nutrition Facts, because they love to add tons of sodium to raw ground pork. I usually buy all our ground pork in bulk from a local butcher shop that adds zero sodium to their meat, but if I'm in a pinch and have to get it at a regular grocery store, I alway buy it from the small organic section of meat, because the organic pork usually has only 5-6% DV of sodium per serving, versus the non-organic kind that has anywhere from 20-40% DV of sodium per serving.

Ingredients
Pork Ginger Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (don't skip this ingredient if you aren't familiar with it - it really shines in this recipe!)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp Panko crumbs
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Sweet Potato Noodles
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and spiraled into noodles (if you don't have a spiralizer, you can cut them into matchstick size pieces instead)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar with a dash of garlic powder whisked in
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp Sriracha
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients, mixing the meat and everything else together well. Form the meat mixture into about 16 meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a large dry pan or skillet over medium-high heat, add the sweet potato noodles, tossing them with tongs as they start to soften. Cook for about 1 minute and then add the sauce to the noodles. Toss and cook for another minute or two until the noodles are just slightly softened and well coated with the sauce.

Dish the noodles into bowls and add a heap of fresh spinach or kale, and then top with a few meatballs.

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Lomo Saltado

We try to limit the amount of Carbs we eat after 6pm, so I tend to use a lot of Paleo recipes for dinner. This is one I grabbed from a favorite website, PaleOMG, and altered a tiny bit to remove a lot of the sodium.

Soy sauce and it's alternates like Coconut Aminos are completely out for us because of the massive amounts of sodium, so whenever a recipe calls for it, I use Balsamic Vinegar mixed with a little garlic powder as a substitute.

Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
Dash of garlic powder
2-3 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced (I cut into rounds and then half them)
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar with a little garlic powder whisked in
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth (I use the brand Kitchen Basics, because they offer Unsalted chicken, beef, and vegetable stock)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp cumin
1 large plum tomato
1 whole jalapeño, cored and seeds removed
1 cup packed cilantro
2 green onions, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt or low sodium mayonnaise (I have a sodium free version here)
Juice of 1 small lime
Cauliflower Rice, prepared according to package directions (there are a million recipes on the internet, but I use the pre-made frozen bags from Aldi)

Instructions
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil. Pat flank steak strips dry, and sprinkle garlic powder over them. Once hot, add the meat and cook 2-3 minutes per side, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might want to cook the meat in two batches. Remove and set aside to rest.

Add the onions to the hot pan and cook for about 8 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Then add peppers, toss and cook for 3 more minutes.

Finally, add balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, broth, cumin, and pepper. Mix, then let reduce for about 8-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces by 1/2. Once sauce has reduced, add sliced tomato, toss, and cook for 1 more minute.

Lastly, make Aji sauce: place all remaining ingredients in a blender (jalapeño, cilantro, green onions, greek yogurt/mayo, and lime juice) and blend until smooth.

To finish the dish, place cauliflower rice in a bowl, top with vegetables and steak, and then drizzle with Aji sauce.

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Ricotta Spaghetti Squash Bake

There are a few things you should note about this recipe if you're watching your sodium intake like us. Most cheeses are off-limits on a heart diet, but a few are low in sodium like ricotta and fresh mozzarella - but you HAVE to buy fresh mozzarella and grate it yourself, rather than buying the pre-shredded bagged stuff, which is loaded with sodium (trust me, it's worth the extra time - the texture and flavor of freshly grated cheese is *completely* different)

The other thing is that if you decide to substitute another green for the kale, avoid spinach because it's naturally very high in sodium.

We ate this as a side dish with chicken breasts and steamed broccoli, but the next time I make this, I plan on turning it into an entree by cutting up the grilled chicken and stirring it in.

Ricotta Spaghetti Squash Bake
Serves 4-6
1 large spaghetti squash
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp thyme, divided
4 cloves garlic, 2 minced & 2 crushed with the flat of your knife
1 small onion, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups loosely packed fresh kale
15 oz part-skim ricotta
1/2 cup shredded fresh mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the insides with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and place one crushed garlic clove in each cavity. Season with ground pepper and 1/2 tsp of the thyme. Carefully turn halves face down on a rimmed baking tray, and roast for 30-45 minutes or until fork tender.

While squash is baking, add remaining olive oil to a skillet and saute onions until translucent. Add minced garlic and cherry tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes, then add kale and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes until it begins to wilt. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Stir in ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella.

Once squash has finished cooking, leave the oven on at 400, and shred the insides of the squash with a fork. Scrape out of the skin and add to the ricotta mixture. Stir well, and pour into a greased baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

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Heart-Healthy Honey Almond Granola

My husband looooves the Bear Naked Honey Almond granola, and it's one of the only kinds we've found that has zero sodium. It's also one of the few brands that isn't LOADED with sugar (which is the other thing to watch out for with granola). But the ways he mows through the stuff, we couldn't afford to keep shelling out $3.99 per tiny bag. So naturally, I did what I do - dove into the internet, read through a dozen or more recipes, and came up with a healthier hodgepodge recipe of my own.

I'd made granola before, but it was always pretty unhealthy, albeit delicious. This one contains no sodium, is as low on sugar as I felt I could go, and has a short ingredient list, which is always a win in my book. In fact, it comes together so quickly,  I can stir up a batch and pop it in the oven while the kids are trapped eating breakfast in their high chairs 😂

If you like granola, I highly recommend making your own. It's one of those things that tastes *infinitely* better when it's homemade. I wish I'd started doing it sooner not only for the financial savings, but the improved taste.

Heart Healthy Honey Almond Granola 

4 cups rolled oats

1/4 flax seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup oil of your choice (I use avocado oil, but plain old Canola works too!)

1/3 cup honey (if you like it sweeter, you can go up to 1/2 cup)

3/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (once granola cools, it sticks to the pan like a BEAR if you don't). 

In separate bowls, stir together dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients over the dry and toss thoroughly to combine. 

Bake for 25 minutes (or until lightly browned), stirring the granola once halfway through to ensure even browning

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